Yet there remained their
high-handed conduct in invading our camp and treating us as
prisoners, with the threat of darker possibilities. I fancy that
Santa Marinan justice works mainly by rule of thumb, and that the
courts do not embarrass themselves much with precedents. Only I
hope they did not shoot the picturesque Tony against a wall.[*]
The power-schooner, manned by a crew from the cutter, was to be
taken to Santa Marina also. Senor Gonzales remained with us for
the day as our guest, and on the next the boats from the cutter
took off the pirates from the cave. We did not see them again.
Through the convenient elasticity of Santa Marinan procedure, Mr.
Tubbs was herded along with the rest, although he might plausibly,
if hypocritically, have pleaded that he had complied with the will
of the invaders under duress. Aunt Jane wept very much, and handed
me _Paeans of Passion_ with the request that she might never see it
again.
We parted from Senor Gonzales not without regrets. It was an
impressive leave-taking--indeed, Senor, Gonzales in his least word
and gesture was impressive. Also, he managed subtly and
respectfully to impart to me the knowledge that he shared Titian's
tastes in the matter of hair. On his departure he made a pretty
little speech, full of compliments and floral specimens, and
bestowed upon me--as being mine by right, he earnestly
protested--the two bags of Spanish doubloons.
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