When Billy gave his name,
the voice of that dignitary became violently agitated.
"Monsieur Barlow," he demanded, "do you know that the warship for which
you cabled your Secretary of State makes herself to arrive?"
At the other end of the 'phone, although restrained by the confines of
the booth, Billy danced joyously. But his voice was stern.
"Naturally," he replied. "Where is she now?"
An hour before, so the field-marshal informed him, the battleship
_Louisiana_ had been sighted and by telegraph reported. She was
approaching under forced draught. At any moment she might anchor in the
outer harbor. Of this President Ham had been informed. He was grieved,
indignant; he was also at a loss to understand.
"It is very simple," explained Billy. "She probably was somewhere in the
Windward Passage. When the Secretary got my message he cabled
Guantanamo, and Guantanamo wirelessed the warship nearest
Port-au-Prince."
"President Poussevain," warned the field-marshal, "is greatly
disturbed."
"Tell him not to worry," said Billy. "Tell him when the bombardment
begins I will see that the palace is outside the zone of fire.
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