It was high noon; the sentinel seemed half asleep. The soldier tied up his prize in his handkerchief, took out the wad of the gun, and slipped his treasure-trove into the bore of the cannon, replacing the wad carefully. That evening he met Catalina, and managed to inform her that he had a pleasant surprise for her, if she could come to the King’s Bastion.
“No, not in the evening, I thank you, Jacko. I will come to-morrow, an hour ofter sunrise.”
“Very well, Catalina; I see you do not trust me. To-morrow, then, you shall come with me to the King’s Bastion, and see with your own eyes how rich I can make you.”
Catalina understood enough English to laugh heartily at her lover’s grave and mysterious words.
“He has stolen a loaf and a bottle of wine,” she thought in her simplicity.
However, Catalina did not disappoint Jack, and together they paced towards the semi-circular platform of the King’s Bastion.
Jack was a very proud man as he tried to explain to his lady-love what a surprise was in store for her: he touched her wrists to show how the bracelets would fit, and her shapely neck to prove the existence of a splendid necklace, and Catalina began to believe her boy.
But as they came out upon the gun platform, Jack stopped suddenly, and uttered a fearful oath.
“O dios!” cried the maid, “what is there to hurt, Jacko?”
“Don’t you see? Oh, Catalina, the game is up! That devil of a gunner is wiping out the bore of his gun!”
Jack ran up, and, seizing the man by the arm, said: “I say, mate, if you have found a parcel in that gun, it’s mine! I put it in last night. I tell you it’s mine, mate! Don’t you try to make believe you have not seen it, ’cos I know you has.”
The gunner stared in open-mouthed astonishment at the speaker. At last he said, with a touch of sarcasm:
“What for do you think I am wiping out her mouth, you silly! You must have slept pretty sound not to know that them gun-boats crept up again last night.”
“The devil take them! Then, where’s that gold watch of mine and them jewels? I put ’em for safety in that fool of a gun.”
“Oh, then, you may depend upon it, my lad, that the watch-glass has got broke, for we fired a many rounds in the night.”
“What for you look so to cry?” asked little Catalina in wonder.