ute_ to San Cristobal, while Velova and
the country round was entirely declaring for the victor, whose position
was but for one thing quite safe.

"Then," said the skipper, as the President ceased, "you feel that if you
marched for San Cristobal you would gain an easy victory there?"

"I know my people so well, sir," replied the President proudly, "that I
can say there will be no victory and no fight. Villarayo would not get
fifty men to stand by him, and he would either make for the mountains or
come to meet me, and throw himself upon my mercy. And all this is
through you. How great--how great the English people are!"

Poole jumped and clapped his right hand upon his left arm, while Fitz
turned scarlet as he looked an apology, for as the middy heard the
President's last words and saw him rise, a thrill of horror had run
through him, and he had thrown out one hand, to give his companion a
most painful pinch.

But the President resumed his seat, and feeling that there was for the
moment nothing to mind, the boy grew calm.

"Ah," said the skipper gravely. "Then but for one thing, Don Ramon, you
feel now that you can hold your own."

"Yes," was the reply bitterly. "But I shall not feel secure while that
gunboat commands these seas. It seems absurd, ridiculous, that that
small armour-plated vessel with its one great gun should have such
power; but yet after all it is not absurd. It is to this little State
what your grand navy is to your empire and the world. While that
gunboat commands our bays I cannot feel safe."

"But you don't know yet," said the skipper quietly. "How will it be
when her captain hears of Villarayo's defeat? He may declare for you."

"No," said the President. "That is what all my friends say. He is
Villarayo's cousin, and has always been my greatest enemy. He knows too
that my first act would be to deprive him of his command."

"Then why do so?" said the skipper. "He need be your enemy no longer.
Make him your friend."

"Impossible! I know him of old as a man I could not trust. The moment
he hears of the defeat he will be sending messages to Villarayo bidding
him fortify San Cristobal and gather his people there, while at any hour
we may expect to see him steaming into this bay. That is the main
reason of my coming to tell you now to be on your guard, and that I have
been having the guns you brought mounted in a new earthwork on the point
yonder, close to the sea."

"Well do