Young Glory and the Spanish Cruiser Part 28

"There is no repairing it."

"Who knows?"

"I do."

"You speak confidently, Juan."

"Because, Manuel, I know where our s.h.i.+ps are. We shall meet none as we sail through the Caribbean Sea. No, no, Manuel, dismiss such thoughts.

Reconcile yourself to spending the next few months as prisoners of war in America."

"A prospect I by no means fall in with. Help may be nearer than you think, Juan."

"Help?"

"Yes."

"Not unless it descends from the skies, and the age of miracles is past."

"The help is aboard this s.h.i.+p," said Manuel impressively.

"What folly," was Juan's reply. "Have we not lost enough brave men already? I thought of that, but dismissed it from my mind at once.

Unarmed men, however numerous they are, can do nothing against men armed to the teeth."

"Exactly my answer to Dan," muttered Young Glory. "This Spaniard is a sensible man."

"But the plan I have in view won't cost the loss of a single man."

"Then it will fail."

"No, it can't. Its success is certain. Don't look so surprised, Juan.

Have I a reputation for good sense or not? I'm telling you no fairy tale."

"From anybody but yourself, Manuel, if such a story came I should laugh in their faces."

"You won't laugh at me."

"Perhaps."

"Not when you've heard me through."

"Proceed, proceed."

"I weary you. Well, to the point as you say. You know when we handed up our swords we surrendered the s.h.i.+p, don't you?"

"Why ask foolish questions or recall what pains me?"

"But did we hand over everything?"

"Surely."

"There you're wrong."

"I'm a very patient man, as you know, Manuel, but a little more of this talk and I shall be getting up and leaving you."

"I'm leading up to my story. No, Juan, we did not hand over everything.

Shall I tell you what was kept back?"

"If you please."

"The key of the forward magazine!"

"Ha!"

Juan was excited now. That was clear by the exclamation he had uttered.

So was another listener, Young Glory. He kept as still as death, not wis.h.i.+ng to lose one syllable that was said, and waiting eagerly for the talk to proceed.

"Yes," continued Manuel, after what seemed a long silence, "we kept back the key of the forward magazine, and those fools are ignorant of it."

"But the keys were handed over?"

"There are duplicates."

"Go on! Go on!" exclaimed Juan, hastily. He was as excited now as he had been indifferent before.

"Now, Juan, to get into that magazine is quite an easy matter."

"There are sentries!"

"Who can be overpowered."

"By whom?"

"You, I, if necessary. We walk about the s.h.i.+p as we please, so do a few of our sailors, who are kept at work. What's to prevent us from seizing the sentries posted near the magazine, and stabbing them to death?"

"You might leave the stabbing out."

"Certainly, if it's not necessary."

"Having got rid of the sentries, Manuel, what follows?"

"We enter the magazine."

"I suppose so; I'm still wandering in the dark."

"But surely you understand what will happen."

"I haven't the faintest idea."