"
"I guess they are not much use to any one," sighed Billie
mournfully. "My father says no bank would cash them without Don
Pablo's signature, and no one can get that."
"I'm glad you take it so philosophically," laughed the
lieutenant. "I hope you'll have better luck next time."
The boys arose to leave.
"Which way?" asked the lieutenant.
"No place in particular. We thought we'd go home."
"You mean to the United States?"
"Not to-night," laughed Adrian. "Just to the house where we are
living. It belongs to old Santiago."
"Who is he?"
Briefly the boys narrated what they knew about him on the Rio
Grande, how they had met him here, and why they were staying at
his house.
"Has he no other name?"
"Why, yes, I suppose so," replied Billie. "We always call him
Prince to his face, and his daughter as the Princess Lucia. Of
course, it is all make-believe, but it is one way of keeping him
quiet."
He called to one of Santiago's servants, whom Lucia had lent them
to look after their horses.
"Oh, Chomo!" he said. "Do you know what Santiago's surname is?"
"Si, senor. It is Ojeda."
"What?" cried all the boys at once. "Ojeda? Why, that was old Don
Pablo's name."
The boys stood and eyed each other in speechless wonder.
Pages:
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165