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 hesitated with his mouth filled with banana and his eyes the size of cocoanuts.

“‘Hist!’? I says. ‘Not a word, or they’ll put us off and make us walk. “Veev la Liberty!”’ I adds, copperin’ the sentiment by shovin’ a banana into the source of it. I was certain the general wouldn’t recognize me. The nefarious work of the tropics had left me lookin’ different. There was half an inch of roan whiskers coverin’ me face, and me costume was a pair of blue overalls and a red shirt.

“‘How you come in the ship, señor?’ asked the general as soon as he could speak.

“By the back door—whist!’ says I. ‘’Twas a glorious blow for liberty we struck,’ I continues: ‘but we was overpowered by numbers. Let us accept our defeat like brave men and eat another banana.’

“‘Were you in the cause of liberty fightin’, señor?’ says the general, sheddin’ tears on the cargo.

“‘To the last,’ says I. ‘’Twas I led the last desperate charge against the minions of the tyrant. But it made them mad, and we was forced to retreat. ’Twas I, general, procured the mule upon which you escaped. Could you give that ripe bunch a little