tmost difficulty that the latter was able to
keep his countenance and retain that nonchalance of demeanour and
expression of polite interest which he felt was so necessary to avert
any suspicion of his own complicity with the "very clever conspirators".
To cover any indication of confusion which he might have inadvertently
betrayed, he shouted to the quartermaster, who was busy about nothing in
particular near the stern grating:

"Quartermaster, bring along four basket chairs." Then to the General:

"You interest me immensely, General. I have just sent for some chairs,
and when they arrive we will sit and discuss the matter in comfort.
Meanwhile, may I offer you and Captain Morillo a glass of wine? We have
some very passable champagne down in our cold chamber."

The Capitan-General and his friend expressed themselves as perfectly
willing to partake of Senor Singleton's gracious hospitality; and
presently, seated at ease, and with a foaming glass of ice-cold Mumm
before him, the Governor resumed his story.

"I need not ask you, Senor, whether you are aware that the present
condition of Cuba is somewhat abnormal, for I feel convinced that a
caballero of your intelligence must have long ere this discovered that
the island is literally seething with rebellion--to such an extent,
indeed, that a rising against Spanish rule may be anticipated at any
moment. Nor need I point out to you how ruinously disastrous to the
rebels and all who might be suspected of sympathising with them such a
rising must necessarily be; for it would of course be my painful duty to
suppress it by force of arms. It is therefore in the interest of the
Cubans themselves that we are adopting certain measures for the
prevention of everything of a nature calculated to encourage hope on the
part of the native population that a rising against Spanish authority
could by any possibility be successful; and one of these measures is the
suppression of all importation of weapons and war material of every
description."

"Quite so," concurred Jack with a smile. "We had an illustration of the
vigour and thoroughness of your efforts in that direction upon our
arrival on the coast, in the action taken by the Commander of the
gunboat yonder, who was only convinced with the utmost difficulty that
we were not engaged in the business of smuggling war material into the
country. Indeed, I believe he never would have been convinced, had I
not insisted upon his maki