then returned, having agreed
to all that was asked of them by their "brothers."

The rainy season now set in, and operations in the field became
difficult. Furthermore, the general had decided that the war was at an
end, and officially it was so considered. Some troops were left at San
Diego, but the headquarters were removed again to Havilla, and Sam went
back with the staff. He found himself received as a great man. His two
exploits had made him the most famous officer in the army, even more so
than the general in command. Soon after his return to the city one of
the civil commissioners, who had been sent out by the Administration,
gave a large dinner in his honor at the palace. The chief officers and
civil officials were among the guests, as well as two or three native
merchants who had remained loyal to the invading army for financial and
commercial reasons and had not joined the rebels, who composed
nine-tenths of the population. These merchants were generally known in
the army as the "patriots," and were treated with much consideration by
the civil commissioners.

After dinner the host proposed a toast to Sam and accompanied it with a
patriotic speech which thrilled the hearts of his audience. He pointed
to the national flag which was festooned upon the wall.

"Look at Old Gory!" he cried. "What does she stand for? For the rights
of the oppressed all over the earth, for freedom and equal rights,
for----"

There was a sound of boisterous laughter in the next room. A young
officer ran forward and whispered to the orator, "Be careful; some of
those captured rebel officers are shut up in there, and perhaps they
can overhear you. Be careful what you say. Some of them speak English."
The commissioner hemmed and hawed and tried to recover himself.

"What does the dear old flag stand for?" he repeated. "For
liber--No--for-r-r----Well, 'pon my word, what does she stand for?"

"For the army and navy," whispered a neighbor.

"Yes," he thundered. "Yes, the flag stands for the army and navy, for
our officers and men, for our men-of-war and artillery, for our cavalry
and infantry, that's what she stands for!"

This was received with great applause, and the speaker smiled with
satisfaction. Then gradually his expression became sad.

"I am sorry to say," he said,--"I am ashamed as a citizen of our great
land to be obliged to admit, that there are at home a few
craven-hearted, mean-s