"Hilloa! what's the matter?" shouted several voices in a breath.
"Gentlemen, will you excuse me?--one moment only--I--I--will--"
"Certainly! certainly!" cried my companions, all at once, wondering what
_was_ the matter.
The next moment I was in the _ante-sala_, embracing Narcisso. "And so
you are all here! When did you arrive?"
"Yesterday, Captain. I came to town for you, but could not find you."
"And they are well?--all well?"
"Yes, Captain. Papa expects you will come this evening, with the
lieutenant and the other officer."
"The other officer! Who, Narcisso!"
"I think he was with you on your first visit to La Virgen--_un senor
gordo_."
"Oh! the major! Yes, yes, we shall come; but where have you been since
we met, Narcissito?"
"To Orizava. Papa has a tobacco-farm near Orizava; he always goes to it
when he comes up here. But, Captain, we were so astonished to hear from
your people that you had been a prisoner, and travelling along with us!
We knew the guerillos had some American prisoners, but we never dreamt
of its being you. _Carambo_! if I had known that!"
"But how came you, Narcisso, to be with the guerilla?"
"Oh! papa had many things to carry up the country; and he, with some
other families, paid Colonel Cenobio for an escort--the country is so
full of robbers."
"Ah! sure. Tell me, Narcisso, how came I by this?"