"
Donald made no reply, but Adrian asked sympathetically: "Have
they treated you badly, sir?"
"Have they treated me badly? Well, I should say so. They wouldn't
let me out of my hotel for two days and now they have refused to
carry my trunk and made me leave it with the express company. I
guess they don't know who I am."
"I'm sure they do not, sir."
"Well, I'll show them who I am as soon as I get to Vera Cruz and
can see Admiral Fletcher. He'll know how to protect Americans!"
"I'm sure he will, sir."
"And when the first marine lands, I want to be right there with a
rifle to help drive the Mexicans off the earth."
"It would be wise not to say too much," whispered Adrian. "I see
that officer in the end of the car has his eye on you. He may
speak English."
"I don't care who hears me," said the florid man angrily. "I mean
it."
At the same moment a guard who had approached from the other end
of the car laid his hand upon the angry man's shoulder.
"If the Senor is not satisfied," he said, "we shall be pleased to
send him back to the City of Mexico."
"Oh, no-no-no," was the stammering reply. "I am very well
satisfied. All I want is to get out of the country."
"Let us hope there will be no trouble about that," was the polite
response, and the florid man lapsed into silence.
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