But he made a quick recovery. "To my
cabin, if you please," he commanded peremptorily, and was turning
to lead the way, when Blood arrested him.
"With submission, my General, we shall be better here. You behold
there the scene of our coming action. It is spread before you like
a map." He waved his hand towards the lagoon, the country flanking
it and the considerable city standing back from the beach. "If it
is not a presumption in me to offer a suggestion...." He paused.
M. de Rivarol looked at him sharply, suspecting irony. But the
swarthy face was bland, the keen eyes steady.
"Let us hear your suggestion," he consented.
Blood pointed out the fort at the mouth of the inner harbour, which
was just barely visible above the waving palms on the intervening
tongue of land. He announced that its armament was less formidable
than that of the outer fort, which they had reduced; but on the
other hand, the passage was very much narrower than the Boca Chica,
and before they could attempt to make it in any case, they must
dispose of those defences.
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