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Page 55
For an hour our young trooper watched with swelling heart this
wonderful meeting of his countrymen. Then he had the satisfaction of
seeing one of the transports steam away to the westward in the
direction of Aserraderos. While his companions asked one another the
meaning of this manoeuvre, he believed it to indicate that the meeting
between Generals Shafter and Garcia, for which he had arranged, was
about to be effected.
As it was evident that no landing was to be attempted that day, the
young men so reported to General Linares at Sevilla, where they also
spent the night. Another day of suspense and anxious waiting was
passed, with the American transports rolling idly in the offing, and
making no effort to discharge their human freight. At the same time
the war-ships kept the Spaniards in a state of feverish excitement by
shelling every place along twenty miles of coast where a landing might
be made.
A swarm of Spanish scouts watched these operations from the hill-tops,
and at short intervals during the day reported the enemy's movements to
General Linares; but of them all none was so active as Ridge and his
companion. From earliest dawn until dark they scoured the country
lying adjacent to the coast, gaining a complete knowledge of its
so-called roads, which were but the roughest of trails, only intended
for saddle or pack animals, and of its defences. They also made such
full reports to headquarters of everything that was going on as to
completely win the confidence of the Spanish commander. Consequently
he was not prepared to accept, without further proof, the abrupt
statement made by a major of his staff, that one of his favorite scouts
was an American, and probably a spy.
It was the second day after the arrival of the transports. The two
officers were alone in the room occupied by General Linares as an
office, and from it Ridge had just departed after making a report to
the effect that he had not yet seen anything indicating the selection
of a landing-place on the part of the enemy.
"What makes you think him an American?" asked the General.
"Because," replied the Major, "I have recognized him. His face was
familiar from the first, and when I saw him ride I knew that I had also
seen him ride before, but could not tell where. Only now has it come
to me, and I know that in Yokohama I saw him within a year win the
great hurdle-race of the English and American residents."
"Even that would not make him an American."
"It was everywhere proclaimed that he was such."
"Are you certain that this is the same man?"
"I am certain. I now also recall his name. It was Norreese--the Se�or
Norreese."
"But he was introduced by Lieutenant Navarro, who is known to every
one, and whose loyalty is beyond question."
"Did Lieutenant Navarro know him in Spain?"
"I will ask him."
So an orderly was despatched to request Lieutenant Navarro to report
immediately at headquarters.
The two friends were eating a hasty lunch when this message reached
them, and Ridge had just announced his intention to start for Daiquiri
as soon as it was finished. He alone knew that the American landing
would be made there, and he wished to be on hand when it was effected.
Navarro had arranged to go with him, and both were impatient of the
delay promised by the General's order.
"It is too bad!" exclaimed Ridge; "for we ought to be there now, since
they may already be landing. I hope the General doesn't want to send
us off in some other direction."
"For fear that he may," said the other, "you had better start at once
towards Daiquiri, and I will follow the moment I am at liberty to do
so."
"That's good advice," repeated Ridge, "and I will do as you suggest."
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