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"I am sorry, senor," he said, "that you have been put to so much inconvenience.

My men could not know that you were not a gringo; but I can make it all right. I

will make it all right. You are a big man. The gringos have chased you from their

country as they chased me. I hate them. You hate them. But enough of them. You

have no business in Mexico except to seek work. I give you work. You are big. You

are strong. You are like a bull. You stay with me, senor, and I make you captain. I

need men what can talk some English and look like gringo. You do fine. We make

much money--you and I. We make it all time while we fight to liberate my poor

Mexico. When Mexico liberate we fight some more to liberate her again. The

Germans they give me much money to liberate Mexico, and--there are other ways

of getting much money when one is riding around through rich country with

soldiers liberating his poor, bleeding country. Sabe?"

Yep, I guess I savvy," said Billy, "an' it listens all right to me's far's you've gone.

My pal in on it?"

Eh?"

You make my frien' a captain, too?"

Pesita held up his hands and rolled his eyes in holy horror. Take a gringo into his

band? It was unthinkable.

He shot," he cried. "I swear to kill all gringo. I become savior of my country. I rid

her of all Americanos."

"Nix on the captain stuff fer me, then," said Billy, firmly. "That guy's a right one. If

any big stiff thinks he can croak little ol' Bridge while Billy Byrne's aroun' he's got

anudder t'ink comin'. Why, me an' him's just like brudders."

You like this gringo?" asked Pesita.

You bet," cried Billy.

Pesita thought for several minutes. In his mind was a scheme which required the

help of just such an individual as this stranger--someone who was utterly

unknown in the surrounding country and whose presence in a town could not by

any stretch of the imagination be connected in any way with the bandit, Pesita.

"I tell you," he said. "I let your friend go. I send him under safe escort to El Orobo

Rancho. Maybe he help us there after a while. If you stay I let him go. Otherwise I

shoot you both with Miguel."

"Wot you got it in for Mig fer?" asked Billy. "He's a harmless sort o' guy."

202

The Mucker