And indeed she
looked capable enough as she stood there in her short walking-suit
and stout boots.
Branch alone declined the invitation, vowing that he was too weak
to budge. If there was the faintest prospect of riding to the
interior he infinitely preferred to await the opportunity, he
said, even at the risk of an attack by Spanish soldiers in the
mean time.
It took O'Reilly but a short time to collect the few articles
necessary for the trip; indeed, his bundle was so small that
Norine was dismayed.
"Can't I take any clothes?" she inquired in a panic. "I can't live
without a change."
"It is something you'll have to learn," he told her. "An
Insurrecto with two shirts is wealthy. Some of them haven't any."
"Isn't it likely to rain on us?"
"It's almost sure to."
Miss Evans pondered this prospect; then she laughed. "It must feel
funny," she said.
There were three other members of the traveling-party, men who
knew something of the country round about; they were good
fighters, doubtless, but in spite of their shiny new weapons they
resembled soldiers even less than did their major. All were
dressed as they had been when they left New York; one even wore a
derby hat and pointed patent-leather shoes. Nevertheless, Norine
Evans thought the little cavalcade presented quite a martial
appearance as it filed away into the jungle.
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