“By the saints!” one cried, and sprang to his feet.
“Back, or I fire! I have not come here to fight you in Don Alejandro’s house. I respect him too much for that. I have come to tell you these truths concerning yourselves.
“Your families can make or break a governor! Band yourselves together in a good cause, caballeros, and make some use of your lives! You would do it, were you not afraid. You seek adventure? Here is adventure aplenty, fighting injustice.”
“By the saints, it would be a lark!” cried one in answer.
“Look upon it as a lark if it pleases you, yet you would be doing some good. Would the politicians dare stand against you, scions of the most powerful families? Band yourselves together and give yourselves a name. Make yourselves feared the length and breadth of the land!”
“It would be treason—”
“It is not treason to down a tyrant, caballeros! Is it that you are afraid?”
“By the saints—no!” they cried in chorus.
“Then make your stand!”
“You would lead us?”
“Si, Señores!”
“But stay! Are you of good blood?”
“I am a caballero, of blood as good as any here!” Señor Zorro told them.
“Your name? Where resides your family?”
“Those things must remain secrets for the present. I have given you my word!”
“Your face—”
“Must remain masked for the time being, señores!”
They had lurched to their feet now, and were acclaiming him wildly.
“Stay!” one cried. “This is an imposition upon Don Alejandro. He may not be in sympathy, and we are planning and plotting in his house—”
“I am in sympathy, caballeros, and give you my support!” Don Alejandro said.
Their cheers filled the great room. None could stand against them if Don Alejandro Vega was with them. Not even the governor himself would dare oppose them.
“It is a bargain!” they cried. “We shall call ourselves the avengers! We shall ride El Camino Real and prove terrors to those who rob honest men and mistreat natives! We shall drive the thieving politicians out!”
“And then you shall be caballeros in truth, knights protecting the weak,” Señor Zorro said. “Never shall you repent this decision, señores! I lead, and I give you loyalty and expect as much. Also, I expect obedience to orders!”
“What shall we do?” they cried.
“Let this remain a secret. In the morning, return to Reina de Los Angeles and say you did not find Señor Zorro—say rather that you did not catch him, which will be the truth. Be ready to band yourselves together and ride. I shall send word when the time arrives.”
“In what manner?”
“I know you all. I shall get word to one, and he can inform the others. It is agreed?”
“Agreed!” they shouted.
“Then I will leave you here and now. You are to remain in this room, and none is to try to follow me. It is a command. Buenas noches, caballeros!”
He bowed before them, swung the door open and darted through it, and slammed it shut behind him.
They could hear the clatter of a horse’s hoofs on the driveway.
And then they raised their wine mugs and drank to their new league for the suppression of swindlers and thieves, and to Señor Zorro, the Curse of Capistrano, and to Don Alejandro Vega, somewhat sobered by the agreement they had made and what it meant. They sat down again, and began speaking of wrongs that should be righted, each of them knowing half a dozen.
And Don Alejandro Vega sat in one corner, by himself, a grief-stricken man because his only son was asleep in the house and had not red blood enough to take a part in such an undertaking, when by all rights he should be one of the leaders.
As if to add to his misery, Don Diego at that moment came slowly into the room, rubbing his eyes and yawning, and looking as if he had been disturbed.
“It is impossible for a man to sleep in this house tonight,” he said. “Give me a mug of wine, and I shall take my place with you. Why was the cheering?”
“Señor Zorro has been here—” his father began.
“The highwayman? Been here? By the saints! It is as much as a man can endure!”
“Sit down, my son!” Don Alejandro urged. “Certain things have come to pass. There will be a chance now for you to show what sort of blood flows in your veins!”
Don Alejandro’s manner was very determined.
XXVI
An Understanding
The remainder of the night was spent by the caballeros in loud boasts of what they intended doing, and in making plans to be submitted to Señor Zorro for his approval; and, though they appeared to look upon this thing as a lark and a means to adventure, yet there was an undercurrent of seriousness in their manner. For they knew well the state of the times, and realized that things were not as they should be, and in reality they were exponents of fairness to all; they had thought of these things often, but had made no move because they had not been banded together and had no leader, and each young caballero waited for another to start the thing. But now this Señor Zorro had struck at the psychological moment, and things could be done.
Don Diego was informed of the state of affairs, and his father informed him, likewise, that he was to play a part and prove himself a man. Don Diego fumed considerably and declared that such a thing would cause his death, yet he would do it for his father’s sake.
Early in the morning the caballeros ate a meal that Don Alejandro caused to be prepared, and then they started back to Reina de Los Angeles, Don Diego riding with them at his father’s order. Nothing was to be said about their plans. They were to get recruits from the remainder of the thirty who had set out in pursuit of
