he ain't, an' I've gut other things in hand. Every
mother's son of the crew will git their pay fer their work so far, but
further, I dunno. They done what they promised--took the city fer ye.
Now if ye doesn't watch 'em I reckon they'll take it fer themselves.
As much as they can git in their pockets, anyhow."

"I don't like that," answered the General, darkly. "If you'll look
after them----"

"I wash my hands of them from now on," broke in Stubbs. "Havin' other
duties."

"Other duties here?" asked Otaballo, instantly suspicious.

"The findin' of this gent Sorez bein' one of 'em," answered Stubbs.
"An' I guess we better be about it."

"It is for the sake of the girl," explained Wilson. "The one you saw
me bringing from the dungeon. Sorez kidnapped her from America, and
now he has taken her again."

The General's face brightened.

"Ah, that is it!"

He summoned a lieutenant and held a brief whispered conversation with
him.

"Gentlemen," he concluded, turning to Wilson, "Lieutenant Ordaz--he
will give you what assistance you need."

"An' th' same," said Stubbs, in a whisper to Wilson as soon as they
were upon the street again, "we'll proceed to lose. I didn't like th'
look in Oteerballo's eye when he give us this 'ere travellin' mate."

It was an easy enough task for Stubbs. At the end of three or four
blocks he instructed Wilson to detach himself and go back to the last
public house they had passed and there wait for him. This Wilson did,
and in less than ten minutes Stubbs appeared alone.

"Sorry ter part comp'ny with the gent, but with him we wuz more likely
ter find Oteerballo than Sorez. 'Nother thing, we has gotter do some
plannin' 'fore we begins work. 'Cause if I ain't mistaken, we has a
long chase ahead. In th' fust place, how much gold is yer carryin'?"

"Gold? Not a dollar."

"I thought 'bout thet amount. Next place, is yer papers safe?"

Wilson felt of his pocket where they were tightly pinned in.

"Couldn't lose those without losing my coat."

"Might lose yer coat in this here city. Next, how 'bout weapins?"

Wilson drew out the revolver which he had managed to keep through all
the confusion. In addition to that he had some fifty cartridges loose
in his pocket.

"Good!" commented Stubbs. Then he took an inventory of his own
resources.

"In th' fust place, I has some three hundred dollars in gold in this
here leather belt 'bout my waist. Never had less in it since a
'sperience I had