Here the lieutenant demanded that they be conducted to headquarters, to which they were accordingly sent under guard.
Many of the narrow streets through which they passed were indescribably filthy, but these became cleaner as they neared the Casa Municipal.
Here they were graciously received by General Linares, to whom they were presented by one of his staff, who recognized Navarro as a friend.
The General complimented them on having eluded the Cubans, and was much gratified to learn that Pando's army was on its way from Holguin to reinforce him.

After a few minutes of conversation, during which he promised to give both of them details for field duty, he dismissed them, and they were at liberty to accept an invitation to breakfast at the San Carlos Club.
In the cool club-house, which faces the Plaza de Armas, where the band plays in the evening and fountains plash softly amid blossoming shrubbery, Ridge and his companion were introduced to many officers, a number of whom were from the warships.
Santiago was very dull just then; its communication with the outside world was cut off.

No ships could enter its beautiful harbor, business was almost at a standstill, and there was little to talk about.

So the advent of two strangers into the club was hailed with joy, and they were plied with questions.

No one seemed to suspect that our young American was other than what he professed to be, though his answers to many of their questions were necessarily vague and unsatisfactory.