warriors,
several of whom were laden with presents in the shape of baskets and
native cloth. When they neared the headquarters of the little invading
army, the three white men went ahead and informed the sentinels that it
was a peaceful embassy which followed them.

"You must leave me to tell the story of our exploit," Cleary had said,
and his friends were so well satisfied with his record as a talker that
they assented.

"General," said Cleary, as they entered his hut in the village, "we are
bringing in all the chiefs of the Moritos. They are ready to lay down
their arms and accept any terms. We have sworn friendship to them."

"How on earth have you managed it?" said the general.

"It is chiefly due to Captain Jinks, or, I should say, Major Jinks.
They were about to kill us when, by the sheer force of his glance
and his powers of speech, he actually cowed them, and they submitted
to him."

"I have heard of taming wild beasts that way," said the general, "but
I never quite believed it."

When the chiefs arrived they embraced every soldier they saw and showed
every sign of joy. The general ordered a feast to be spread for them
and addressed them in English. They did not understand a word of this
harangue, but seemed much affected. When they heard that the great
general of all was at San Diego, only a day's march away, they insisted
on going thither, and the next day the brigade marched back again,
leaving a small garrison behind. The army at San Diego could hardly
believe its eyes when at sundown the expedition returned, having fully
accomplished its object without firing a shot and accompanied by a band
of Moritos. When Cleary's version of the exploit became known, Sam was
openly acclaimed as a hero and the favorite of the army. General
Laughter complimented him again, and again mentioned him in despatches.
A week later his promotion to be major of volunteers, for meritorious
conduct in the field of San Diego, was announced by cable, and again
after a few days he was made a colonel. Sam's cup was full.

"Sam," said Cleary one day, "I believe in your luck. You'll be
President some of these days. All the time we were up in the mountains
I knew it would come out all right because we had you along."

Meanwhile the chiefs had tendered their presents to General Laughter
and had drunk plentiful libations of whisky and soda with him. They
spent a week of festivity in the town and