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diff --git a/old/12776.txt b/old/12776.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..0b47de5 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/12776.txt @@ -0,0 +1,7413 @@ +The Project Gutenberg eBook, Dave Darrin at Vera Cruz, by H. Irving Hancock + + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + + + + +Title: Dave Darrin at Vera Cruz + +Author: H. Irving Hancock + +Release Date: June 29, 2004 [eBook #12776] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: US-ASCII + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK DAVE DARRIN AT VERA CRUZ*** + + +E-text prepared by Jim Ludwig + + + +DAVE DARRIN AT VERA CRUZ + +Fighting with the U.S. Navy in Mexico + +by + +H. IRVING HANCOCK + + + + + + + +CONTENTS + +CHAPTERS + I. Ready for Fight or Frolic + II. At the Mercy of a Bully + III. The Junior Worm Turns + IV. The Ward-Room Hears Real News + V. Watching and Waiting--Behind the Guns + VI. First to Invade Mexico + VII. Dave Darrin to the Rescue + VIII. Disobedience of Orders + IX. Cantor Finds His Chance + X. Dave is Stung to the Quick + XI. A Brother Officer's Whisper + XII. The Man of the Evil Eye + XIII. "After the Rascal!" + XIV. A "Find" of a Bad Kind + XV. Ready for Vera Cruz + XVI. In the Thick of the Snipping + XVII. Mexicans Become Suddenly Meek +XVIII. In the House of Surprises + XIX. A Traitor in the Service + XX. The Skirmish at the Diligencia + XXI. A Rescue and a "Facer" + XXII. Playing Birdman in War +XXIII. The Dash for the Traitor + XXIV. Conclusion + + + + +CHAPTER I + +READY FOR FIGHT OR FROLIC + + +"Do you care to go out this evening, Danny boy?" asked Dave Darrin, +stepping into his chum's room. + +"I'm too excited and too tired," confessed Ensign Dalzell. "The +first thing I want is a hot bath, the second, pajamas, and the +third, a long sleep." + +"Too bad," sighed Dave. "I wanted an hour's stroll along Broadway." + +"Don't let my indolence keep you in," urged Dalzell. "If you're +going out, then I can have the first hot bath, and be as long +about it as I please. Then I'll get into pajamas and ready for +bed. By that time you'll be in and we can say `good night' to +each other." + +"I feel a bit mean about quitting you," Dave murmured. + +"And I feel a whole lot meaner not to go out with you," Dan promptly +assured his chum. "So let's compromise; you go out and I'll stay in." + +"That sounds like a very odd compromise," laughed Darrin. "On +the whole, Dan, I believe I won't go out." + +"If that's the way you feel," argued Dalzell, "then I'm going +to change my mind and go out with you. I won't be the means of +keeping you from your stroll." + +"But you really don't want to go out," Dave objected. + +"Candidly, I don't care much about going out; I want that bath +and I'm tired. Yet in the good old cause of friendship---" + +"Friendship doesn't enter in, here," Dave interposed. "Danny +boy, you stay here in the hotel and have your bath, I'll go out +and pay my very slight respects to Broadway. Doubtless, by the +time you're in pajamas, I'll be back, and with all my longing +for wandering satisfied." + +"Then, if you really don't mind---" + +"Not at all, old chap! So long! Back in a little while." + +Through the bathroom that connected their two rooms at the Allsordia +Hotel, Dave Darrin stepped into his own apartment. + +Having donned coat and top-coat, Darrin picked up his new derby +hat and stepped to his room door. In another half minute he was +going down on the elevator. Then he stepped into the street. + +Dave Darrin was young, healthy, happy, reasonably good-looking. +His top-coat and gray suit were well tailored. Yet, save for +his erect, military carriage, there was nothing to distinguish +him from the thousands of average well-dressed young men who thronged +Broadway after dark on this evening in late March. + +For perhaps fifteen blocks he strolled uptown. All that he saw +on that gaily lighted main thoroughfare of New York was interesting. +It was the same old evening crowd, on pleasure bent. + +Then, crossing over to the east side of Broadway, Dave sauntered +slowly back. + +Laughing girls eyed the young naval officer as he passed. Drivers +of taxicabs looked the young man over speculatively, as though +wondering whether he might be inveigled into going on a, to them, +profitable round of New York's night sights. Human harpies, in +the form of "confidence men"---swindlers on the lookout for +prey---glanced but once at the young naval ensign, then looked away. +Dave Darrin's erect carriage, his clear steady eyes, his broad +shoulders and evident physical mastery of himself made these +swindlers hesitate at the thought of tackling him. + +Through the occasionally opened doors of the restaurants came +the sounds of music and laughter, but Dave felt no desire to enter. + +He was several blocks on his homeward way, and was passing the +corner of a side street quieter than the others, when he heard +a woman's stifled cry of alarm. + +Halting, bringing his heels together with a click, and throwing +his shoulders back, Darrin stopped on the corner and looked down +the street. + +Five or six doors away, close to a building, stood a young woman +of not more than twenty-two. Though she was strikingly pretty, +Dave did not note that fact in the first glance. He saw, however, +that she was well dressed in the latest spring garments, and that +her pose was one of retreat from the man who stood before her. + +That the man had the external appearance of the gentleman was the \ +first fact Darrin observed. + +Then he heard the young woman's indignant utterance: + +"You coward!" + +"That is a taunt not often thrown at me," the young man laughed, +carelessly. + +"Only a coward would attempt to win a woman's love by threats," +replied the girl, more calmly, though bitterness rang in her tone. +"As for you, I wish to assure you that I am quite through with you!" + +"Oh, no, you're not!" rejoined the annoyer, with the air of one +who knows himself to be victor. "In fact, you will do very much +as I wish, or your brother---" + +"You coward!" spoke the girl, scornfully again. + +"If your brother suffers, your pride will be in the dust," insisted +the annoyer, "and, remember, I, alone, can save your brother from +disgrace." + +"I am not even going to ask you to do it," retorted the young +woman. "And now our interview is over. I am going to leave you, +and I shall not see you again. I-----" + +"Going to leave me, are you?" leered her tormentor. He stepped +forward, holding out his hand, as though to seize the young woman's +wrist, but she alertly eluded him. + +"If you try again to touch me, or if you attempt to follow me," +warned the young woman, "I shall appeal for assistance." + +So absorbed were the disputants in their quarrel that neither had +noticed Darrin, standing on the corner. + +The tormentor's face flushed, then went white, "Make your appeal," +he dared, "and see what happens!" + +Again he attempted to take the girl by the wrist. + +"Can I be of service, madam?" inquired Darrin, as he strode toward +them. + +Like a flash, the annoyer wheeled upon Darrin, his eyes flashing +dangerously. + +"Young man," he warned, threateningly, "the best thing you can +possibly do will be to make yourself scarce as quickly as possible. +As for this young woman-----" + +The tormentor moved a step nearer to the young woman, whose face +had turned very pale. + +Dave slipped quietly between them. + +"As this young woman does not wish to talk with you," Darrin suggested, +"you may address all your remarks to me." + +While the two young men stood eyeing each other Darrin noted that +the young woman's annoyer was somewhat taller than himself, broader +of shoulder and deeper of chest. He had the same confidence of +athletic poise that Dave himself displayed. In a resort to force, +it looked as though the stranger would have the better of it. + +Yet this stranger seemed suddenly deprived of much of his assurance. +Plainly, there was some good reason why he did not wish to fight on +this side street so close to Broadway. + +"Madam," inquired Darrin, half turning, "may I have the pleasure +of escorting you to your friends?" + +"If you will call a taxi-----" she began, eagerly. + +At that moment a fareless taxicab turned the corner of Broadway +and came slowly down the street. + +"Hold on, chauffeur!" cried Darrin, in a voice of command. Then, +as the cab stopped at the curb, Dave turned his back upon the +tormentor for a moment, while he assisted the young woman into +the taxicab. + +"Do you feel satisfied to go without escort," asked Darrin, "or +may I offer my services in seeing you safely to your home?" + +"I shall be all right now," replied the young woman, the troubled +look in her lustrous brown eyes vanishing as she favored her unknown +defender with a smile. "If the driver will stop, two blocks from +here, I will direct him where to take me." + +"Step aside, boy!" ordered the unknown man, as he tried to brush +Dave away and enter the cab. + +It was no time for gentle measures. Ensign Darrin's right fist +landed heavily on the face of the stranger, sending him prone to +the sidewalk. + +At a wave of Dave's hand the chauffeur started away. Scenting +trouble, the chauffeur drove as fast as he could down the side +street, making the round of the block, then heading into Broadway +and going uptown, for the young woman had called out her destination. + +As for the stranger whom Dave had knocked down, the fellow was +on his feet like a flash. Ignoring Darrin, he tried to dash down +the side street after the taxicab. + +"Step back!" ordered Dave, catching hold of the fellow, and swinging +him around. "You're not going to follow." + +"I must have the number of that taxicab," cried the stranger, +desperately. + +"Too late," smiled Dave, as he saw the taxicab turn the next corner. +"You won't learn the number. I happened to see it, though," he +added incautiously. + +"Give it to me, then," commanded the other. "I'll overlook what +you've done if you truthfully give me the number of that taxicab. +Find that girl I must, and as early as possible. Though I know +her well, and her family, too, I do not know where to look for +them in New York." + +Dave, without a word, turned as though to walk toward Broadway. + +"Give me that taxi's number," insisted the stranger. + +"I won't," Dave returned, flatly. + +"Give me that number, or-----" + +"Or what?" drawled Darrin halting and glancing contemptuously +at the furious face before him. + +"Or I'll pound the number out of you!" came the ugly challenge. + +"Go ahead," Dave invited, coolly. "I don't mind a fight in the +least, though perhaps you would, for I see a policeman coming +up the street. He would be bound to arrest both of us. Perhaps +you have better reasons than I have for not courting the activities +of the police." + +It was plain that a fearful, even though brief struggle, took +place in the stranger's mind before he made reply to Dave's taunt. + +"I'll find you again, and the next time you shall not get off +so easily," muttered the other. "Depend upon it, I shall see +you again!" + +With that the stranger walked toward Broadway. Smiling, Dave +strolled more slowly after him. By the time the naval ensign +reached the corner of that great artery of human life, the stranger +had lost himself in the crowds of people that thronged Broadway. + +"If I see him again within twenty-four hours, I think I shall +know him," laughed Darrin. "My first blow put a red welt on his +cheek for purposes of identification." + +Then Darrin finished his walk, turning in at the Allsordia. + +Dan Dalzell had also finished his bath, and lounging comfortably +in his pajamas, was reading a late edition of the evening newspaper. +"Have any fun?" asked Ensign Dalzell, glancing up. + +"Just a little bit of a frolic," smiled Darrin, and told his chum +what had happened. + +"I'm glad you punched the scoundrel," flared Danny Grin. + +"I couldn't do anything else," Dave answered soberly, "and if +it weren't for the shame of treating a woman in such high-handed +fashion as that fellow did, I'd look upon the whole affair as +a pleasant diversion." + +"So he's going to look for you and find you, then settle up this +night's business with you, is he?" demanded Dalzell, with one +of the grins that had made him famous. "Humph! If he finds you +after ten o`clock to-morrow morning, it will be aboard one of +our biggest battleships and among fifteen hundred fighting men." + +"I'm afraid I shall never see him again," sighed Dave. "It's +too bad, too, for I'm not satisfied with the one blow that I had +the pleasure of giving him. I'd like to meet the fellow in a +place where I could express and fully back up my opinion of him." + +"I wonder if you'll ever meet him again?" mused Dalzell, aloud. + +"It's not worth wondering about," Dave returned. "I must get +into my bath now. I'll be out soon." + +Fifteen minutes later Darrin looked into the room, saying good +night to his chum. Then he retired to his own sleeping room; five +minutes later he was sound asleep. + +No strangers to our readers are Dave Darrin and Dan Dalzell "Darry" +and "Danny Grin," as they were known to many of their friends. +As members of that famous schoolboy group known as Dick & Co. +they were first encountered in the pages of the _"Grammar School +Boys Series."_ All our readers are familiar with the careers in +sport and adventure that were achieved by those splendid Gridley +boys, Dick Prescott, Dave Darrin, Greg Holmes, Dan Dalzell, Tom +Reade and Harry Hazelton. The same boys, a little older and twice +as daring, were again found in the pages of the _"High School Boys +Series,"_ and then immediately afterward in the _"High School Boys' +Vacation Series."_ + +It was in the _"Dick Prescott Christmas Series"_ that we found all +six of our fine, manly young friends in the full flower of high +school boyhood. A few months after that the six were separated. +The further fortunes of Dick Prescott and Greg Holmes are then +found in the _"West Point Series,"_ while the careers of Darrin +and Dalzell are set forth in the _"Annapolis Series,"_ just as the +adventures of Reade and Hazelton are set forth in the _"Young Engineers +Series."_ + +At Annapolis, Darrin and Dalzell went through stirring times, +indeed, as young midshipmen. Now, we again come upon them when +they have become commissioned officers in the Navy. They are +now seen at the outset of their careers as ensigns, ordered to +duty aboard the dreadnought "_Long Island_" in the latter part +of March, 1914. + +Certainly the times were favorable for them to see much of active +naval service, though as yet they could hardly more than guess +the fact. + +General Huerta, who had usurped the presidency of Mexico following +the death---as suspected, by assassination---of the former president +Madero---had not been recognized as president by the United States. +Some of Madero's friends and former followers, styling themselves +the "Constitutionalists" had taken to the field in rebellion against +the proclaimed authority of the dictator, Huerta. The two factions +had long fought fiercely, and between the two warring parties that +had rapidly reduced life in Mexico, to a state of anarchy, scores +of Americans had been executed through spite, as it was alleged, +and American women and children had also suffered at the hands of +both factions. + +Lives and property of citizens of European governments had been +sacrificed, and now these European governments looked askance +at the Washington government, which was expected to safeguard +the rights of foreigners in Mexico. + +To the disappointment and even the resentment of a large part +of the people of the United States, the Washington government +had moved slowly, expressing its hope that right would triumph +in Mexico without outside armed interference. + +This policy of the national administration had become known as +watchful waiting. Many approved of it; other Americans demanded +a policy of active intervention in Mexico to end the uncertainty +and the misery caused by the helpless of many nations, who were +ground between the opposing factions of revolution in Mexico. + +With this brief explanation we will once more turn to the fortunes +of Ensigns Dave and Dan. + +At 6.45 the next morning the telephone bell began to tinkle in +Dave's room. It continued to ring until Darrin rose, took down +the receiver, and expressed, to the clerk, on duty below, his +thanks for having been called. + +"Turn out, Danny Grin!" Darry shouted from the bathroom. "Come, +now, sir! Show a foot! Show a foot, sir!" + +Drowsily, Dalzell thrust one bare foot out from under the sheet. + +"Are you awake in sea-going order, sir?" Dave asked, jovially. + +"Aye, aye, sir." + +"Then remain awake, Mr. Dalzell, until I have been through the +motions of a cold bath." + +With that Darrin shut the door. From the bathroom came the sounds +of a shower, followed by much splashing. + +"Turn out the port watch, Mr. Dalzell," came, presently, through +the closed bathroom door. "The bathroom watch is yours. Hose +down, sir." + +With that Dave stepped into his own room to dress. It was not +long before the two young naval officers left their rooms, each +carrying a suit case. To the top of each case was strapped a +sword, emblem of officer's rank, and encased in chamois-skin. + +Going below, the pair breakfasted, glancing, in the meantime, +over morning newspapers. + +Just before nine-thirty that same morning, our young naval officers, +bent on joining their ship, stepped along briskly through the +Brooklyn Navy Yard. + +It was really an inspiring place. Sailors, marines and officers, +too, were in evidence. + +In the machine shops and about the docks thousands of men were +performing what once would have passed for the work of giants. +Huge pieces of steel were being shaped; heavy drays carried these +pieces of steel; monster cranes hoisted them aboard ships lying +at the docks or standing shored up in the dry docks. There was +noise in the air; the spirit of work and accomplishment pervaded +the place, for word had come from Washington that many ships might +soon be needed in Mexican waters. + +Eight dreadnoughts lay at their berths. Even as the boys crossed +the great yard a cruiser was being warped in, after an eighteen-thousand +mile voyage. + +Alongside floating stages in the basins lay submarines and torpedo +boat destroyers. A naval collier was being coaled. A Navy launch +was in sight and coming closer, bearing a draft of marines bound +for duty on one of the battleships. + +Every sight spoke proudly of the naval might of a great nation, +yet that might was not at all in proportion with the naval needs +of such a vast country. + +"It does an American good, just to be in a place like this, doesn't +it?" asked Danny Grin. + +"It does, indeed," Dave answered. Then, his bewilderment increasing, +he turned to a marine who stood at a distance of some sixty feet +from where he had halted. + +"My man!" Dave called. + +Instantly the marine wheeled about. Noting the suit cases, with +the swords strapped to them, the marine recognized these young +men in civilian attire as naval officers. Promptly his hand sought +his cap visor in clean-cut salute, which both young ensigns as +promptly returned. + +"Be good enough to direct me to the `_Long Island_,'" Darrin requested. + +"Yes, sir," and the marine, stepping closer, led the way past three +large buildings. + +"There she is, over there, sir," said the marine, a minute later, +pointing. "Shall I carry your suit cases, sir, to the deck?" + +"It won't be necessary, thank you," Darrin replied. + +"Very good, sir," and again the marine saluted. Returning the +salute, the two young officers hurried forward. As they strode +along, their eyes feasting on the strong, proud lines of the dreadnought +on which they were to serve, their staunch young hearts swelled +with pride. And there, over the battleship's stern, floated the +Flag, which they had taken most solemn oath to defend with their +lives and with their honor, whether at home, or on the other side +of the world. + +In both breasts stirred the same emotions of love of country. +Just then neither felt like speaking. They hastened on in silence. +Up the gang-plank they strode. At a word from the officer on +deck, two young sailors, serving as messengers, darted down the +plank, saluting, then relieving the young officers of their suit +cases. + +Up the gang-plank, and aboard, walked the young ensigns. First +the eyes of Ensigns Darrin and Dalzell sought the Flag. Bringing +their heels together, standing erect, they faced the Stars and +Stripes, flying at the stern, bringing their hands up smartly +in salute. The officer of the deck returned to the youngsters +the salute on behalf of the Flag. + +Then Darrin and Dalzell approached the officer of the deck. + +"I am Ensign Darrin, and I report having come aboard, sir," said +Dave. Dan reported his own arrival in similar terms. + +"My name is Trent," replied the officer of the deck, as he extended +his right hand to each, in turn. "I hope you will like all of us; +I know we shall like you." + +Then to the messengers Lieutenant Trent gave the order to carry +the suit cases to the rooms assigned to the two new ensigns. +Dave and Dan followed the messengers through a corridor that led +past the ward-room. The messengers halted before the curtained +doorways of adjoining rooms, bags in left hands, their right hands +up in salute. + +"This is your room, sir," announced the messenger, in the precise +tones of the service, while Dan's messenger indicated the other room. + +"Some kind fate must have given us adjoining rooms," laughed Dave, +when he realized that the two doors stood side by side. + +As Darrin passed into his new quarters his first glance rested +lovingly on the breech of a huge gun that pierced the armored side +of the dreadnought. + +"That's great!" thought the young ensign, jubilantly. "I shall +have an emblem and a constant reminder of my duty to the United +States!" + +His second glance took in the polished top of a desk, over which +hung an electric light. + +There is no door to an officer's room; instead, a curtain hangs +in place, screening the room from outside view. At one side, +in the cabin, was another curtain, this screening the alcove in +which lay the berth. + +But Darrin did not stop to study his new quarters just then. +There was a duty first to be performed. Opening his suit case, +he took out the trousers and blouse of the blue undress uniform. +Into this he changed as rapidly as he could, after which he brushed +his hair before the little mirror, then put on his cap. + +Next he fastened on his sword belt, after which he hung his sword +at his side. An anxious head-to-foot glance followed, and Ensign +Darrin found himself spick and span. + +Now he stepped to Dan's door, calling in: + +"May I come in, old fellow?" + +"I'll be in a strange state of mind if you don't," Danny Grin +answered. + +Ensign Dalzell was putting the finishing touches to his own rapid +toilet. + +"I'm going to help myself to your card case," announced Dave, +who already held a card of his own. Adding Dan's to that, Ensign +Darrin stepped to the doorway, glancing quickly about him. + +"Sentry!" Dave called. + +"Sir!" answered a marine, stepping forward and giving the customary +salute. + +"Pass the word for a messenger, sentry!" + +"Aye, aye, sir." + +In a twinkling the messenger arrived, saluting. + +"Take these cards to the captain, with the respectful compliments +of Ensigns Darrin and Dalzell, and state that they await his +permission to report to him." + +"Aye, aye, sir." + +In less than a minute the messenger returned, stating that the +captain would receive them at once. + +Captain Gales, a heavily-built, stately-looking man of fifty, +rose from his desk in his office as the two young ensigns stepped +through the door. The young men saluted their commander, then +stood rigidly at attention. + +"Mr. Darrin?" asked the captain, extending his hand, which Dave +promptly clasped. Then Dan was greeted. + +"Glad to have you with us," was all the captain said. Then, to +the marine orderly who stood just within the door: "Show these +gentlemen to the executive officer." + +"He didn't ask after our folks, nor even if we liked the looks +of the ship," Dalzell complained, in a whisper, as they followed +the orderly. + +"Be silent, Danny Grin!" urged Darrin, rebukingly. "This is no +time for jesting." + +Commander Bainbridge, the executive officer, received the young +officers in his quarters. He proved to be more communicative, +talking pleasantly with them for fully a minute and a half after +the young men had introduced themselves, and had turned over to +him the official papers connecting them with this dreadnought's +personnel. + +"Let me see, Mr. Dalzell," said Lieutenant Commander Bainbridge, +referring to a record book on his desk, "you will be in Lieutenant +Trent's division. Find Mr. Trent on the quarter deck and report +to him. Mr. Darrin, you are assigned to Lieutenant Cantor's division. +I will have an orderly show you to Mr. Cantor." + +Dan departed first, walking very erect and feeling unusually elated, +for Dalzell had thoroughly liked the appearance of Trent in their +brief meeting, and believed that he would be wholly contented in +serving under that superior. + +While Dave's quarters were on the port side of the ship, Cantor's +proved to be on the right side. + +The messenger halted before a curtained doorway, rapping. + +"Who's there?" called a voice inside. + +"Messenger, sir, showing Ensign Darrin to Lieutenant Cantor, sir." + +"Then you may go, messenger. Darrin, wait just an instant won't you, +until I finish my toilet." + +"Very good, sir." + +A moment later the hail came from within. + +"Right inside, Darrin!" + +Dave entered, to find a somewhat older officer standing with +extended hand. But Ensign Darrin could not believe his eyes +when he found himself faced by the man who had annoyed the young +woman on the night before---and that annoyer standing there erect +and handsome in the uniform of a Navy lieutenant! + + + + +CHAPTER II + +AT THE MERCY OF A BULLY + + +Their hands met, but in light clasp, without pretense of warmth. + +Then Darrin fell back, bringing his right hand mechanically to +a salute as he mumbled: + +"I am Ensign Darrin, sir, and have been ordered, by the executive +officer, to report to you for duty in your division." + +"Very good, Mr. Darrin," rejoined the lieutenant. "My division +goes on watch at eight bells noon. You will report to me on the +quarter deck at that time." + +"Very good, sir." + +With a quick step Lieutenant Cantor reached the curtain, holding +it slightly aside and peering out into the passage-way. His face +was red, but there was one portion that was redder still. + +"I see," Dave reflected, "that Cantor still wears the welt that +I printed on his cheek last night. But it staggers me," he thought, +gravely, "to find such a fellow holding an officer's commission +in the Navy." + +Satisfied that there were no eavesdroppers near, Lieutenant Cantor +stepped back, facing the young ensign, whom he looked over with +an expression of mingled hate and distress. + +"I believe we have met before," said Cantor, with a quick, hissing +indrawing of his breath. + +"To my very great regret, we have, sir," Darrin answered, coldly. + +"Last night!" + +"Yes, sir." + +"And you behaved abominably, Darrin!" + +"Indeed, sir?" + +"You interfered," Lieutenant Cantor continued, "with one of the +most important affairs of my life." + +"Yes, sir? With one of the most shameful, I should imagine, sir." + +Ensign Darrin's tone was officially respectful, but his glance +cold. He felt no respect for Cantor, and could see no reason +why he should pretend respect. + +"I had a strong belief that I should see you again," Cantor continued, +his gleaming eyes turned on the new ensign. + +"You knew me to be of the Navy, sir?" + +"I did not, Darrin, nor did you know me to be of the Navy. Otherwise, +it is not likely that you would have behaved as you did." + +"If I had known you to be the fleet admiral, Mr. Cantor, my conduct +could not have been different, under the circumstances." + +"Darrin, you are a fool!" hissed the division officer. + +"I am much obliged to you, sir, for your good opinion," Dave answered, +in an even voice. + +For an instant the lieutenant frowned deeply. Then his face cleared. +His glance became almost friendly as he continued: + +"Darrin, I think it probable that you will have a chance to repair +your bad work of last night." + +"Sir?" + +"Last night you told me that you had noted the number of the taxicab +in which the young woman escaped me." + +"I did, sir." + +"Perhaps you still remember that number. Indeed, I am sure that +you must." + +"I do remember the number, sir." + +"What was it?" asked Cantor, eagerly. + +"That number, sir, so far as I am concerned," Ensign Darrin answered, +tranquilly, "is a woman's secret." + +"It is a secret which I have a right to know," Lieutenant Cantor +went on pressingly. + +"The number, sir, I would not dream of giving you without the +permission of the young woman herself," Darrin answered, slowly. +"As I do not even know her name, it is unlikely that I shall +be able to secure that permission." + +"Darrin, it is my right to receive an answer to my question," +insisted Cantor, his eyes glittering coldly. + +"You will have to find out from some one other than myself, then," +was Dave's calm answer. + +"Darrin, you force me to tell you more than I really ought to +tell. I am going to marry that young woman!" + +"Is the young woman aware of your intentions, sir?" Dave demanded, +quietly. + +"Yes! Darrin, I tell you, I am going to marry that young woman, +and it is most imperative that I should see her as early as possible. +Give me the number of that taxicab, and I can find the driver +and learn where he took her. Now, what are you smiling at, Darrin?" + +"It struck me, sir, that you should already know the address of +a young woman whom you are engaged to marry." + +Lieutenant Cantor repressed an exclamation of impatience and bit +his lips. + +"Of course I know her home address," he deigned to reply, "but +she is not a New Yorker. Her home is at a considerable distance, +and I do not know where to find her in New York. Give me that +taxicab number and I shall be able to secure shore leave. By +this evening I shall have found her." + +"You do not expect me to wish you luck in a matter like this, +sir?" Ensign Darrin inquired. + +"I expect you to give me the number of that taxicab, and at once," +replied Cantor. He did not raise his voice, but there was +compelling fury in his tone. + +"I have already declined to do that, sir," Dave insisted. + +"Darrin, do you realize that I am your superior?" demanded the +lieutenant. + +"I am aware, sir, that you are my superior officer," Darrin answered, +with strong emphasis on the word "officer." + +"And you refuse to please me in a trifling matter?" + +"Pardon me, sir, but from the little that I saw and heard, I cannot +believe that your discovery of her address would be regarded by the +young woman as a trifling matter." + +"Do you persist in refusing to tell me that taxicab number?" hissed +Lieutenant Cantor. + +"Sir, as a gentleman, I must," Dave rejoined. For a full half +minute Lieutenant Cantor stared at his subordinate in speechless +anger. Then, when he could command his voice somewhat, he resumed: + +"Oh, very good, you---you young---puppy!" + +Another brief interval of silence, and the lieutenant continued, +in a crisp, official tone: + +"Mr. Darrin, go to the division bulletin board and get an accurate +copy of the roster of the division. Also make a copy of our station +bills. You will then report to me on the quarter deck just before +eight bells, noon." + +"Aye, aye, sir! Any further orders?" + +"None!" + +Cantor stood there, an appealing look in his eyes, but Dave, saluting, +turned on his heel and went out. + +"So that is the fellow who is to teach me the duties and the ideals +of the service," Dave Darrin reflected, disgustedly, as he stepped +briskly around to port. "A magnificent prospect ahead of me, +if I must depend upon the instructions and the official favor +of a bully and a scoundrel like Cantor! And he can make it hot +for me, too, if he has a mind to do so! Don't I know how easy +that ought to be for him? I shall have, indeed, a lot of pleasure +in my service on this ship, with Cantor for my division officer!" + +Mindful of orders, Darrin's first act was to copy the division +roster and the station bills. These he took to his room, placing +them in a drawer of the desk, for future study. For the present, +he wanted to get out into the open air. + +Though Ensign Dalzell had been directed to report on the quarter +deck, he was not now there. Dave walked about by himself until +Lieutenant Trent came over and spoke to him. + +"Dalzell is busy, I suppose, sir?" Dave inquired. + +"Forward and below, directing the stowage of stores," replied +Trent. "Have you been detailed to a division yet, Mr. Darrin?" + +"Yes, sir; to Lieutenant Cantor's division." + +"Ah, so?" inquired Trent. He did not say more, from which Dave +wondered if Trent did not like Cantor. If such were the case, +then Darrin's opinion of Lieutenant Trent would run all the higher. + +"Cantor is a very efficient officer," Trent said, after a pause, +not long enough to be construed unfavorably. + +Dave did not answer this, for he could think of nothing to say. + +"Some of our newest youngsters haven't wholly liked him," Trout +went on, with a smile. "I fancy that perhaps he works them a +bit too grillingly." + +"After four years at the Naval Academy," smiled Ensign Darrin, +"it puzzles me to understand how any officer can resent grilling." + +"You'll find life very different on one of these big ships," Lieutenant +Trout continued. "You will soon begin to realize that we are +in a cramped atmosphere. With fifteen hundred officers and men +abroad there is barely elbow room at any time, and sometimes not +that." + +"This ship looks big enough to carry a small city full of people," +Darrin smiled. + +"See here!" Trent stepped to the starboard rail, looking forward. + +"Just look ahead, and see the magnificent distance to the bow," +continued the officer of the deck. "We call a ship 'she,' Darrin, +and let me assure you, 'she' is some girl! Look at the magnificent +length and breadth. Yet, when we are at sea, you will soon begin +to realize how cramped the life is." + +After chatting a little longer with Lieutenant Trent, Ensign Darrin +started forward along the decks, taking in all he could see of this +huge, floating castle. + +Presently he returned to the quarter-deck, but Lieutenant Trent +was busy with a lieutenant of the marine guard. Dave stepped +inside. Almost immediately he heard a step at his side. Glancing +around, Dave looked into the face of Lieutenant Cantor. + +"A while ago I noticed you talking with Trent," Dave's division +officer remarked, in a low voice. + +"Yes, sir." + +"Did you discuss me?" + +"Yes, sir." + +"What did you say, Darrin?" + +"I mentioned that you were my division officer." + +"Did Trent say anything?" + +"Mr. Trent said that you were a very efficient officer." + +"Did you tell him anything---about---er---about last night?" + +"Nothing," Dave answered. + +"Positive about that?" insinuated Cantor. + +"Sir," Dave answered, "I am an officer and, I trust---a gentleman." + +"Then you told Trent nothing about last night?" + +"I have already told you, sir, that I didn't." + +"Nor to anyone else on this ship?" pressed the lieutenant. + +"I told Dalzell, last night, that I had met with a stranger who +was-----" + +"That will do!" snapped Cantor. + +"Very good, sir." + +"Have you told Dalzell about me since coming aboard?" + +"I have not." + +"And you won't?" pressed Cantor. + +"On that point, sir, I decline to pledge myself," Darrin responded, +with unusual stiffness. + +"Darrin, do you want to make an enemy?" + +"Mr. Cantor, I never, at any time, wish to make an enemy. I am +not trying to make one of you." + +"I will regard that as a promise from you," returned Cantor, then +moved quickly away. + +"It would have been better," murmured Darrin, softly, turning +and regarding the moving figure, "if you had heard me out. However, +Mr. Cantor, though you are not now here to hear me say it, I did +not promise silence. Yet it is difficult to conceive what would +make me open my mouth on the subject of last night's happening. +I have never been a tale-bearer, and, much as I may despise that +fellow, and the affront that he offers the Navy, in remaining +in the service, I fancy his secret is safe from all---except Dalzell. +Danny and I haven't yet begun to have secrets from each other." + +Presently Dan Dalzell, wearing his sword and pulling on his white +gloves as he came, appeared, walking aft. There was time only +for a smiling nod, for Dave suddenly remembered, with a start +that it was time for him to report for change of watch. + +Hastening down the passage-way Dave hung his sword on, then hastily +rummaged the suit case for a pair of white gloves that he had +previously tucked in there. + +Hastening, he reached the deck just as the watch was being changed. +With quick step Ensign Darrin took his momentary post. Then, +when the old watch had gone off duty, Lieutenant Cantor turned +to his subordinate with a frown. + +"Ensign Darrin, you made a bad beginning, sir," declared the new +watch officer, crisply. "In the future, I trust you will be more +mindful of the responsibility of an officer in setting his men +an example in punctuality. If this occurs again, sir, I shall +feel it my duty to turn in report of your negligence!" + +Several men of the watch and two of the marine guard hoard this +rebuke administered. Dave Darrin's face flushed, then paled from +the humiliation of the rebuke. Yet he had been guilty of an actual +breach of discipline, minor though it was, and could not dispute +Cantor's right to reprove him. + +"I very much regret my negligence, sir," Dave answered, saluting, +but he bit his lip in the same instant for he realized how thoroughly +his superior officer enjoyed the privilege of administering the +rebuke. + +From inside Dan Dalzell heard the words. + +At once, on the stroke of eight bells, the mess signal was hung +to the breeze. While that flag flew no one was admitted to the +battleship unless he belonged on board. + +Then appeared a little Filipino mess servant, who asked Dave and +Dan to follow him to their assigned seats. + +"Am I permitted to go to mess, sir?" Dave asked of Lieutenant +Cantor. + +"Yes," was the short answer. + +While the signal flew the sergeant of the marine guard was in +charge at the quarter-deck gang plank. There was no need of a +commissioned officer there. + +To their delight Darrin and Dalzell found themselves assigned +to seats at the table together. + +Lieutenant Trent stepped down, introducing the new arrivals to +the officers beside whom, and opposite whom they sat. + +"I was sorry to hear you get that calling down," Dalzell whispered +to his chum, as soon as that was possible under the cover of the +conversation of others. "Why did Lieutenant Cantor seem to enjoy +his privilege so much?" + +After a covert glance, to make sure that he was not in danger of +being overheard, Darrin replied, in an undertone: + +"Lieutenant Cantor was the man of whom I told you last night." + +"Not the-----" + +"Yes," Dave nodded. + +"But it seems incredible that an officer of our Navy could be +guilty of any such conduct," Dalzell gasped, his eyes large with +amazement. "Are you sure?" + +"Didn't you notice the welt on Mr. Cantor's cheek?" Dave asked, +dryly. + +Danny Grin nodded, then fell silent over his plate. + +After the meal Lieutenant Trent saw to it that both the new ensigns +were introduced to such officers as they had not met already. + +"We can't possibly remember all their names---scores of 'em!" +gasped Dan, as the two young officers stood outside the mess. + +"We'll learn every name and face before very long," Darrin answered. +"But I mustn't stand talking," Dave went on, as he again hung +his sword at his side. "I'm on duty, and can't stand another +call-down." + +"Are you going to tell what Cantor did last night?" Dan queried. + +"No; and don't you tell, either!" + +"Small fear of my babbling _your_ business, David, little Giant!" +assured Dalzell. "You are strong enough to go in and slay your +own Goliath." + +Drawing on his white gloves, Dave Darrin stepped alertly to the +quarter deck, to find himself facing the frown of Lieutenant +Cantor. + + + + +CHAPTER III + +THE JUNIOR WORM TURNS + + +"Wonder what my man has in store for me?" flashed through Dave's +mind, as he saluted his division commander. + +But Cantor, after returning the salute, merely turned away to +pace the deck. + +Presently, however, the lieutenant stepped over to Darrin, when +the pair had the quarterdeck to themselves. + +"Are you going to tell me?" murmured the lieutenant, his burning +gaze on the frank young face before him. + +"Tell you what, sir?" Dave asked. + +"That taxicab number?" + +"No, sir!" + +"Think!" + +"When I have decided that a given course of conduct is the only +course possible to a gentleman," Ensign Darrin replied, "I have +no further occasion to give thought to that subject." + +"Darrin, you might make me your friend!" urged his superior officer. + +"That would be delightful, sir." + +"Darrin, don't try to be ironical with me!" + +Dave remained silent. + +"If you don't care for me for your friend, Darrin," Cantor warned +him, "it is possible, on the other hand, to make an enemy of me. +As an enemy you would not find me wanting either in resource +or opportunity." + +"Have you any orders for me, sir?" asked Darrin, coolly. That +was as near as he could come, courteously, to informing Cantor +that he wished from him none but official communications. + +"Pardon me, sir," said Cantor, and stepped away to salute Commander +Bainbridge, who had just appeared on the quarter-deck. There +was a low-toned conversation between the two officers. Then, +as the pair exchanged salutes, and Bainbridge went on to the captain's +quarters, Lieutenant Cantor came back to his selected victim. + +"Darrin, you will go below and finish the watch, loading stores +in the number four hold. I will pass the word for the petty officer +who will have charge under you, and he will show you to the hold. +If you wish you may put on dungarees, for it is rough work down +there." + +"My baggage has not come aboard, sir," Dave replied. "This is +the only uniform I have." + +In his perturbed state of mind, it did not occur to the young +ensign that he could draw dungarees---the brown overall suit that +is worn by officers and crew alike when doing rough work about +the ship, from the stores, nor did Cantor appear to notice his +reply. + +The messenger came, and brought Riley, the coxswain of one of +the gigs. + +"Coxswain, Ensign Darrin will take charge of the shipping of the +stores in number four hold," Cantor announced. "Show him the +way to the hold and receive his instructions." + +Dave was speedily engaged between decks, in charge of tire work +of some twenty men of the crew. At the hatch above, a boatswain's +mate had charge of the lowering of the stores. + +"It would be a pity to spoil your uniform, sir," declared Coxswain +Riley. "If you'll allow me, sir, I'll spare you all of the dirtiest +work." + +"To shirk my duty would be a bad beginning of my service on this +ship," smiled Darrin. "Thank you, Coxswain, but I'll take my +share of the rough work." + +The hold was close and stifling. Although a cool breeze was blowing +on deck, there was little air in number two hold. In ten minutes +Darrin found himself bathed in perspiration. Dust from barrels +and packing cases hung heavy in that confined space. The grime +settled on his perspiring face and stuck there. + +"Look out, sir, or you'll get covered with pitch from some of these +barrels," Riley warned Dave, respectfully. + +"One uniform spoiled is nothing," Dave answered with a smile. +"Do not be concerned about me." + +Officer and men were suffering alike in that close atmosphere. +By the time the watch was ended Dave Darrin was truly a pitchy, +soiled, perspiration-soaked sight. + +Danny Grin, who reported to relieve his chum, looked rough and +ready enough in a suit of dungarees that he had drawn. + +"I should have had brains enough to remember that I, too, could +have drawn dungarees," Dave grunted, as he and his chum exchanged +salutes. Then the relieved young officer hastened above to report +the completion of his duty to his division commander, who would +be furious if kept waiting. + +Dave glanced toward Cantor's quarters, then realized that the +lieutenant must still be on the quarter deck. + +In his haste to be punctual, Darrin forgot his sword and white +gloves, which he had left in his own cabin on the way to duty +between decks. Without these appurtenances of duty on the quarter-deck, +Darrin made haste aft, found his division commander, saluted and +reported his relief. + +"Mr. Darrin," boomed Cantor, in a tone of high displeasure, "don't +you know that an officer reporting to the quarter-deck when in +any but dungaree clothes, should wear his gloves and sword. Go +and get them, sir---and don't keep me waiting beyond my watch +time when I have shore leave!" + +Again red-faced and humiliated, Ensign Darrin saluted, wheeled, +made haste to his quarters, then returned wearing sword and gloves. +This time he saluted and made his report in proper form. + +"Mr. Darrin," said his division officer, scathingly, "this is +the second time to-day that I have had to teach you the things +you should have learned in your first week at Annapolis. You +are making a bad beginning, sir." + +Dave saluted, but this time did not answer in words. + +"You may go, Mr. Darrin, and hereafter I trust to find in you +a more attentive and clear-headed officer." + +Lieutenant Cantor did not hold his tone low. It is the privilege +of an officer to rebuke an enlisted man publicly, and as severely +as the offense warrants, and it is the further privilege of an +officer to make his rebuke to a subordinate commissioned officer +as sharp and stinging as he chooses. + +Saluting, without a word, Darrin wheeled and walked to his quarters. + +"Cantor will certainly have abundant opportunity to make things +warm for me," reflected Darrin, as he sat down before the desk +in his cabin. "I wonder what I am to do, in order to keep my +self-respect and keep my hands off the fellow. It would probably +end my career in the Navy if I struck him on this ship." + +For some minutes Darrin sat in a rather dejected frame of mind, +reviewing his first acquaintance with this official cur, and the +things that had happened on shipboard since. + +"I suppose I could ask for a different detail," Dave mused, forlornly. +"Undoubtedly, though, I wouldn't get the detail, unless I gave +what were considered sufficiently good reasons, and I can't tell +tales on my division commander, cur though I know him to be." + +In the passage outside, sounded passing footsteps and a laugh. +Dave felt his face flush, for he recognized the voice of Lieutenant +Cantor. + +"Danny Grin is a good chum," reflected Darrin, "but in this affair +he can't advise me any better than I can advise myself. I wish +I could talk freely with some older officer, who knows shipboard +life better. But if I were to go to any older officer with such +a tale as I have, it would-----" + +"In, Mr. Darrin?" sounded a cheery voice, and Commander Bainbridge, +the executive officer, stood in the doorway, bringing young Darrin +to his feet in prompt salute. + +"I was passing, Darrin, and so I called," announced the executive +officer. "Otherwise, I would have summoned you to my office. +Lieutenant Cantor has secured shore leave until eleven o'clock +to-night. As we are busy aboard, Mr. Cantor's division is due +for watch duty at eight bells this evening. As Mr. Cantor has +shore leave you will report as officer of the deck until relieved +by Lieutenant Cantor on his return to the ship. At any time between +now and four bells report at my office and sign for these instructions." + +"Aye, aye, sir." + +Returning the ensign's salute, the executive officer next regarded +Darrin's untidy appearance with some displeasure. + +"Mr. Darrin," Commander Bainbridge continued, "I note that you +must have been on hard duty. No officer, after being relieved, +is entitled to retain an untidy appearance longer than is necessary. +You should have bathed, sir, and attired yourself becomingly. +Neatness is the first requisite in the service." + +"I shall be glad to do that sir," Dave answered, respectfully, +"as soon as my baggage comes aboard. At present this is the only +uniform I have." + +"That alters the case, Mr. Darrin," replied the executive officer, +kindly. "In case, however, your baggage does not arrive between +now and dinner-time, you will not be warranted in going to the +ward-room, unless you can borrow a uniform that fits you as well +as one of your own." + +"I shall be very careful on that point, sir," Dave answered, +respectfully, with another salute, returning which Commander +Bainbridge departed. + +Ten minutes later Darrin's baggage was delivered. In their proper +places the young ensign hung his various uniforms, placed his +shoes according to regulation, and stowed his linen and underclothing +in the wardrobe drawers. + +After this a most welcome bath followed. Dave then dressed with care +in a fresh blue uniform, stepped to the executive officer's office +and signed for his evening orders. + +There was time for fifteen minutes in the open air, after which +Dave returned to his quarters to dress for dinner. This done, +he stepped outside, knowing that the summons to the wardroom would +soon come. + +At first Dave was the only officer at that point. Commander Bainbridge +soon joined him. + +A desperate thought entering his mind, Dave addressed the commander as +soon as his salute had been returned. + +"Sir, may I ask you a question connected with my own personal +affairs?" he asked. + +"Certainly," replied the executive officer. + +"I was wondering, sir, if it would be wise for me to seek counsel +from an older officer if at any time I found myself threatened +with trouble, or, at least, with unpleasantness." + +"It would be a very wise course on your part, Darrin," replied +Commander Bainbridge, though he regarded the ensign's face with +keen scrutiny. "An older officer should always esteem it a pleasure, +as well as a duty, to advise a younger officer. I take an interest +in all the officers of this ship. If there is anything in which +I can advise you, you may command me." + +"Thank you, sir. But, if you will permit me to frame an instance, +if the advice that I asked of you might tend to prejudice you +against one of your subordinate officers, would it be wiser for +me to seek counsel of some officer not higher in rank than the +officer whom I have just supposed?" + +"That is to say, Mr. Darrin, that the advice you might otherwise +wish to ask of me might be taken in the light of a complaint against +an officer who is one of my subordinates, and against whom you +would not wish to carry tales? In that case, you would, by all +means, show good judgment consulting a younger officer. But remember, +Darrin, that not all men are equally wise. Be very careful whom +you select at any time as adviser. And remember that, for any +advice that you may properly ask of me, you may come to me without +hesitation." + +"Thank you, sir. I trust you realize how deeply grateful I am to +you," Dave protested earnestly. + +As other officers came up, Commander Bainbridge cut the discussion +short by turning to greet the arrivals. + +Dinner in the ward-room was the formal meal of the day. The table, +covered with snowy damask, glittered with crystal and silver. +Silent, soft-moving little Filipinos, in their white mess suits, +glided about, serving noiselessly. + +At the head of the table sat Commander Bainbridge, the executive +officer, for the captain of a battleship dines in solitary state +in his own apartments. On either side of the executive officer +sat the other officers, in two long rows, according to their rank. +On either side of the Commander were seated the officers with +rank of lieutenant commander. Next to them were the lieutenants, +senior grade. After them came the lieutenants, junior grade. +At the foot of the table was a group of ensigns, the lowest in +rank of commissioned officers of the Navy. + +Course followed course, and good humor prevailed at the officers' +table. Now and then a good joke or a witty sally called forth +hearty laughter. Here and there officers, dismissing laughter for +the time being, talked of graver matters. + +Danny Grin soon found time to murmur the question: + +"How did you get along with your tyrant this afternoon?" + +"No better," Dave answered, moodily. + +"Did he rake you over the coals again?" + +"Yes." Then Darrin detailed the circumstances. + +"I am afraid he has it in for you, all right," muttered Danny Grin, +scowling. + +"He'll report me as often as he can, I don't doubt," Dave replied. +"If he can bring me up before a general court-martial, all the +better." + +"I'm sorry you're not in Trent's division," Dan sighed. "He's +a gentleman---a regular, sea-going officer." + +"Sea-going" is the highest praise that can be given in Navy circles. + +"If I were in Trent's division, probably you'd have fallen under +Cantor," Darrin suggested. + +"That would have been all right," nodded Dalzell, cheerily. "Cantor +has no direct cause to hate me, as he has in your case. Besides, +I'd do a good many things to a mean superior that you wouldn't. +If I had to stand watch with Cantor, and he tried any queer treatment +of me, I'd find a way to make his life miserable. I believe I've +shown some skill in that line in the past." + +"You surely have," Darrin nodded. "But I don't like to spring +traps for my superior officers to fall into." + +"Not even in self-defence?" challenged Dalzell. + +"Not even to save myself," Darrin declared. At eight bells, in +Lieutenant Cantor's absence, Darrin took the watch trick alone +as officer of the deck until six bells, or eleven o'clock that +night. + +There was not much to do. Now and then a shore leave man, sailor +or marine, reported coming on board. Darrin made a note of the +man's return and entered the time. Twice, a messenger brought +some small order from the executive officer. Yet it was a dull +watch, with the ship docked and nothing of importance happening. + +"Cantor will soon be back," thought Dave, at last, slipping out +his watch and glancing at it under the light that came from the +cabin. His timepiece showed the time to be five minutes to eleven. + +But a quarter of an hour passed, and no Lieutenant Cantor appeared. +More time slipped by without the lieutenant's return. + +"That doesn't sound much like the punctuality that is required +of a naval officer," Dave told himself, in some disquiet. + +Then finally a step was heard on the gangplank. Lieutenant Cantor +came briskly up over the side, halting on the deck and saluting +toward the stern, where the colors flew until sundown. + +"Mr. Darrin, I've come on board," reported the lieutenant, turning +in time to catch Dave's salute. + +He stepped closer, to add: + +"You will enter a note that I came on board at 10.58." + +"The time is eleven-forty, sir," Dave reminded his superior, at +the same time displaying his watch. + +"Note that I came on board at 10.58," insisted Cantor, frowning. + +"Sentry!" called Dave, briskly. + +"Aye, aye, sir!" + +"Note the time on the chronometer inside," Darrin ordered. + +"Aye, aye, sir." Then, returning the marine sentry answered: + +"It's eleven-forty, sir." + +Dave made the entry of the lieutenant's return. + +"You infernal trouble-maker," hissed Cantor, as the sentry paced +on. "You dragged that sentry into it, just so you would have +supporting testimony of the time I came aboard! I'll pay you +back for that! Look out for trouble, Mr. Darrin!" + + + + +CHAPTER IV + +THE WARD-ROOM HEARS REAL NEWS + + +Hurrying to the now empty office of the executive officer, Cantor +made correct entry of his return to ship on the record, then hurried +to his own quarters, and with almost the speed of magic, slipped +into his undress uniform, belted on his sword, and appeared smartly +on the quarter-deck. + +For two minutes he paid no heed to Darrin, save to return the +salute with which the young ensign greeted his superior's return +to command of the deck. + +Presently, however, Lieutenant Cantor stepped over to say in an +undertone: + +"Darrin, you have made the wrong start, and I see that you are +bound to keep it up." + +"I am trying to do my duty, sir," Darrin returned. "I could not +consent to make a false official return." + +"Officers often have to do that for each other," Cantor went on, +in the same low tone, "and they do it willingly as between comrades." + +It was on the tip of Darrin tongue to retort that he didn't believe +any true officer, being a man of honor, could stoop to making +a false official report. Yet he instantly thought better of it, +and forced back the sarcastic retort that rose to his lips. + +"You're not going to succeed in the Navy, sir," Cantor continued, +then, seeing the young ensign's face still impassive, he added, +with a malicious leer: + +"Since you are determined to make an enemy of me, Darrin, I shall +do my best to see to it that you have short shrift in the service." + +"Of that I haven't a doubt," Dave returned, but he caught himself +in time and said it under his breath. + +Then came the changing of the watch. Trent and Dalzell appeared +and went on duty. + +Formally, Dave wished his division commander good night, Cantor +answering only with a grunt. + +Returning to his stateroom, Dave threw off belt and sword, hung +up his cap, then sat down in his desk chair, leaning back and +steadily regarding the breech of the great gun. + +"I wonder if any other young officer in the service is at the +mercy of such a brute," Darrin asked himself, wretchedly. "I +love good discipline, but there's one thing wrong with the service, +and that is, the ease with which a dishonorable officer can render +the life of his subordinate miserable. It ought not to be possible, +and yet I don't see any way of preventing it. I wish I could +talk with a gentleman like Lieutenant Trent, but he would only +regard me as a tale-bearer, and after that he would have no use +for me. One thing I can see clearly. Cantor is likely to have +me broken and kicked out of the service if I am forced to remain +in his division week after week." + +Then, realizing that his time was slipping away, Darrin hastily +undressed and got into his berth. It was a long time, though, +before sleep came to him. + +In the morning Lieutenant Cantor was obliged to listen meekly +to a long discourse by the executive officer on the virtue of +punctuality in a naval officer. The offender told of a car block +in New York that had made it impossible for him to return on time. + +"Lieutenant Cantor," returned the executive officer, dryly, "a +careful officer will allow himself sufficient margin of time to +make it morally certain that he can be back to his duty on time. +Now, sir-----" + +But at this moment an apprentice messenger, standing in the doorway, +his right hand drawn up in salute, attracted the gaze of Commander +Bainbridge: + +"The captain" compliments, sir; will the executive officer report +to him at once." + +"That is all---for the present---Lieutenant Cantor," said Commander +Bainbridge, rising from his chair and hastening out. + +"And all this, on account of a puppy of a junior who will not +use sense and reason at the request of a superior officer!" ground +Cantor between his teeth. "I shall pay Darrin for this, and for +that greater insult, too." + +Some minutes before the call to breakfast was due, Darrin and +Dalzell appeared from their quarters and walked aft to where a +group of the "_Long Island's_" officers stood. Three or four +of them had newspapers in their hands. + +"It's time the government did something!" exclaimed one lieutenant +commander, testily. + +"We're going to do something, soon," asserted another officer, +with a snap of his jaws. + +"When?" demanded a third officer, while several men laughed derisively. + +"We'll have to," continued the second speaker. "Every day the +Mexican situation becomes worse. The usurper, Huerta, is becoming +more of a menace all the time. He has no regard for the rights +of any one, but himself. And he is unable to do more, in the +field, than to accept defeat after defeat at the hands of the +rebels under that former bandit chief, 'Pancho' Villa. Both the +so-called Federals and the rebels, in Mexico, are doing their +best to make Mexico a hotbed of incurable anarchy. Scores of +American citizens have been murdered ruthlessly, and American +women have been roughly treated. British subjects have been shot +without the shadow of an excuse, and other foreigners have been +maltreated. This country claims to uphold the Monroe Doctrine, +which prevents European nations from interfering with force in +affairs on this continent. If that is the case, then the United +States must put an end to the numberless outrages against Americans +and Europeans that take place every week in Mexico. That once +orderly republic, Mexico, is now nothing better than a school +for instruction in wholesale murder and in the ruthless riding +over of the rights of all aliens residing or traveling in that +country. These aliens have every right to protection." + +"Quite true," remarked another officer. "But what has that to +do with the United States? What has there been in our conduct +during the past three or four years to indicate that we would +take any strong-handed action to make life and property safe in +Mexico?" + +"We shall soon interfere," predicted the former speaker, confidently. +"Affairs in Mexico are now nearing a crisis. The United States +will no longer be called a civilized and honorable nation if Army +and Navy men are not sent to Mexico to uphold our government and +the rights of American citizens living there." + +"Do you think, Holton, that will happen before you and I have been +put on the retired list as white-haired rear admirals?" asked +another officer, half-jeeringly. + +"You will find," insisted Lieutenant Holton, "that we shall soon +be listening to the thunder of our American naval guns at Vera +Cruz, Tampico, or some other port on the shores of the Gulf of +Mexico." + +"Hurrah!" came from the throats of a dozen officers, but the cheer +was not a very confident one. Too long had the United States +been patient in the face of one insult or injury after another. +General Huerta, in Mexico City, and Carranza and Villa, in the +west and north of that country, had headed factions, neither of +which seemed to care about Mexico's good name in the world at +large. Maltreated Americans demanded punishment of the Mexican +offenders, but the United States had been engaged in patiently +waiting and watching, only once in a while sending a feeble protest +either to the Federal or the Constitutionalist leaders in that +murder-ridden country of Mexico. + +Mess-call sounded to breakfast. The officers filed into their +places at table; then, on observing that the executive officer +was not in his place at the head of the table, they remained standing +by their chairs. + +A minute afterward Commander Bainbridge entered with brisk stride, +going to his place and giving the seating signal as he said: + +"Pardon my tardiness, gentlemen; the captain detained me on a +most urgent matter." + +After that the buzz of conversation broke loose. Breakfast orders +were taken by the white-coated, noiseless Filipino servants. When +all had been served, the executive officer glanced up, then rose. + +"The attendants will withdraw," he ordered. "Orderly!" + +"Aye, aye, sir!" responded the marine orderly on post just inside +the door. + +"As soon as the attendants have gone outside, orderly, you will +chose the door from the outside, and remain there to keep any +one from entering the room." + +"Aye, aye, sir!" responded the orderly, who then followed the +last attendant outside, closing the door after him. + +"Gentlemen," continued the executive officer, remaining standing, +"Captain Gales sent for me this morning, to make a most important +communication. With his approval I am going to tell you something +of what he said. In a word, then, this ship is ordered to be +fitted for a cruise to Mexico in the shortest time possible. +Within three or four days we must be on our way to Mexican waters. + +"We are to go with bunkers filled with coal. We are to carry +abundant clothing supplies for tropical service. We are to carry +all the large and small arms ammunition that we can stow away. +We are to take on food supplies to our fullest commissary capacity. +In a word, we are to go prepared for any emergency. + +"Now, gentlemen, on account of our departure at the earliest moment, +every officer will be needed on board all the time. Unless for +some extraordinary reason, shore leave will not be granted to +any officer. The watch-word will be 'hustle.' Thank you, gentlemen, +for your attention." + +In an instant there was clamor in the wardroom. Twenty officers +spoke at once, then subsided. Finally only the voice of Lieutenant +Commander Denton was heard as he inquired: + +"Sir, are we entitled to ask any questions?" + +"I will answer any questions that I may properly," smiled the +executive officer. + +"We are going to Mexico, sir, in fighting trim, are we not?" + +"I think what I have already said will indicate that," came Commander +Bainbridge's reply. + +"Has anything happened in Mexico," continued Denton, "which makes +it imperative for us to fight there?" + +"Nothing, so far as I know," answered the executive officer, "other +than the usual daily outrages that are disgracing the fair name +of Mexico." + +"Then nothing of unusual importance has happened, which would +make us sure that we are heading for Mexico on a definite fighting +errand?" + +"I have no knowledge that we are actually going to fight in Mexico," +replied Commander Bainbridge. "It has occurred to me that this +ship, and others of the line, are being ordered to Mexico as a +hint to Federals and rebels alike that the United States possesses +force enough to bring all Mexicans to their senses." + +Having made this last reply, Commander Bainbridge touched a button. +The ward-room door was thrown open, and the mess-servants once +more entered. + +But now a new note crept into the talk. The fact that the "_Long +Island_" was to carry to Mexican waters full supplies of all kinds, +including small and large ammunition, was enough to satisfy these +officers of the Navy that the government at Washington had an +important move on hand, and that move was expected to bring about +armed conflict between the two countries. + +"Now, am I a dreamer?" demanded Lieutenant Holton of those about +him. + +The two most excited officers present were also the newest on +hoard the "_Long Island_." At the thought of active service against +an enemy, Dave Darrin and Dan Dalzell fairly tingled. + +"This is the greatest news we could possibly get," beamed Danny +Grin, turning to his chum. + +"It seems too great to be true," replied Ensign Darrin. "Danny, +the Mexicans have been boasting that we don't _dare_ tackle them and +stir up that Mexican hornet's nest. If we get a chance, the American +Navy will show them---and the world---something well worth +remembering!" + +Both Darrin and Dalzell had already been notified that they were +detailed to "day duty" for that day. This meant that they would +have no watch duty to stand, but would be employed through the +day, while watch duty fell to the lot of others. + +While Dalzell was to go below, with Trent, aiding in the storage +of shells in the magazine, Darrin was ordered to report to Lieutenant +Cantor to supervise the oiling of mechanisms of the guns of Cantor's +division, and, later, to perform other important duties. + +"Your face is flushed," sneered Cantor, when he found an opportunity +to speak aside with Dave. "You are dreaming of active service in +war, perhaps." + +"Yes, sir," said Dave, simply. + +"Look out that war service doesn't bring you disgrace, instead of +honor or glory," warned Cantor, darkly. + +"What do you mean, sir?" + +"You have made me your enemy, and I am a good hater," retorted +Lieutenant Cantor. + +"You will be under my orders, and I may find a chance-----" + +Lieutenant Cantor finished only with an expressive shrug of his +shoulders. + +Though Dave Darrin felt a tremor of uneasiness, his eyes flashed +back honest indignation and contempt for so unworthy a superior +officer. + + + + +CHAPTER V + +WATCHING AND WAITING---BEHIND BIG GUNS + + +April, in the tropics! + +Four miles off the coast of Mexico, east of the historic port of +Vera Cruz, the United States dreadnought, "_Long Island_," moved +along at slow cruising speed. + +The few days out from New York had brought marked changes in climate. +While people in New York found the weather still cold, here in +Mexican waters, officers and men alike were in the white uniforms +of the tropics---all save those whose work below compelled them +to wear dungarees. + +On the bridge forward, two officers paced at a time. During the +night hours there were always three there. + +Aft, on the quarter-deck, marines were going through the rifle +gymnastic drill. In some of the divisions officers and men were +busy at the big gun drills. Others were cleaning a ship that +always seemed spotless. The few that were off duty gathered wherever +they could find room, for a battleship at sea, with her full complement +of officers and men on board, is a crowded affair. + +No other ship of the American fleet was in sight, but two operators, +constantly on duty in the wireless room, kept the "_Long Island_" +in constant touch with a score of vessels of the United States Navy. + +"Have you any idea what we're doing here?" asked Danny Grin, as +he and Dave met on the superstructure. + +"No idea whatever," Ensign Darrin admitted. "I have noticed, +though, that the officers on the bridge keep a constant lookout +ashore. See; two of them, even now, have their binoculars trained +on the shore." + +"I don't see anything over there," replied Dalzell, "except a +house or a small village here and there. I looked through the +binoculars a little while ago, and to me it appeared a country +that was about nine-tenths swamp." + +"In the event of sending landing parties ashore," Dave hinted, +"we might have to fight in one of those swamps. When it comes +to fighting in the tangles and mazes of a swamp, I fancy the Mexicans +have had a whole lot more experience than we have had." + +"Why should we have to send landing parties so far from Vera Cruz?" +Dan demanded, opening his eyes. + +"We're only forty or fifty miles east of Vera Cruz," Darrin went +on. "Danny boy, Vera Cruz is supposed to have a garrison, at +present, of only about eight hundred of General Huerta's Mexican +Federals. But suppose it was rumored that the Americans intended +to land at Vera Cruz. Isn't it likely that the garrison would +be greatly increased?" + +"Let 'em increase their old garrison," smiled Dalzell, contemptuously. +"The first landing parties from our fleet would drive out any kind +of a Mexican garrison that Huerta could put in that town." + +"Exactly," nodded Dave, "and then the Mexicans would naturally +fall back." + +"We can chase 'em," asserted Ensign Dalzell. + +"Certainly, but a large force of Mexicans might fall back along the +coast, through the swampy country we are now facing." + +"In that case," argued Dan, "we wouldn't have to follow the brown +rascals on foot. We could use the ship to follow 'em, and land +and fight where we found 'em." + +"To be sure," Ensign Darrin agreed. "But the Mexicans, knowing +their own swamps, would have considerable advantage. They might +have part of their force retreat, drawing us further and further +into a swamp, and then have another force get between us and our +ships." + +"Let 'em try it," retorted Dan Dalzell, grimly, "If there is anything +new that the Greasers want to know about American methods of fighting, +our fleet is full of officers who are willing to be patient +instructors. But take my word for it, Dave, if the Mexicans ever +try to draw us into one of those swamps, they'll learn so much about +real Yankee fighting that it will be fatal to all the Mexicans who +take the instruction from us!" + +"That's all very good," Darrin nodded, thoughtfully. "Still, we +shall make a greater success of operations in the swamps if we +study them as much as possible at present." + +"I hope the study will soon be followed by a recitation," grinned +Dalzell. "I feel that I'm going stale with so much study. Now, +if we could only hear a few shots, and then fall in with an +advancing firing line!" + +"You bloodthirsty wretch!" rebuked Ensign Darrin, but he smiled +in sympathy. + +"This waiting and watching grows wearisome," groaned Danny Grin. + +"But we're watching behind big guns," returned Dave Darrin, grimly. +"Surely, when our ships are down here in such force, and others +are being rushed through preparation before coming into these +waters, there must be something more in the air than the ordinary +kind of watching and waiting. Cheer up, Dan! Before long you'll +hear some of our big guns speak, and you'll hear the rattle of +small arms, too." + +"Understand, please," begged Dalzell, "I'm not bloodthirsty, and +I abhor the very thought of war, but, since we're doing all the +watching and waiting, I wish these Mexicans would hurry up and +start something!" + +Trent climbed to the superstructure. Then, catching sight of his +juniors, he came toward them. + +"What are you doing?" he asked. + +"Watching," sighed Dave. + +"And waiting," added Danny Grin. + +"Then perhaps you youngsters will be interested in the news of +what's going on under this superstructure," suggested Lieutenant +Trent. + +"What's happening below?" demanded Dalzell. "More watching---and +waiting?" + +"Why, I have an idea that we won't have to wait much longer," +replied Trent, smiling at the eager faces before him. "I've just +learned that, for the last twenty minutes, Captain Gales has been +standing in the wireless room, and that Commander Bainbridge is +with him. They are, so I hear, having a hot and heavy wireless +talk with Admiral Fletcher." + +"A little _talk_, as a relief from so much watching and waiting, +eh?" asked Darrin, dryly. + +"Why, I believe that the talk is going to lead to something real," +replied Lieutenant Trent, trying hard to keep the flash of excitement +from showing in his own eyes. The fact is, something has happened." + +"Don't 'string' us like that!" urged Danny Grin. "Why, Trent, +the American Navy, and the Army, too, has been waiting for three +years or more for something to happen. But so far it has all +happened on the Mexican side. Don't tell us, at this late day, +that the United States is going to start anything to happening on +the other side." + +"There's something up," Trent insisted. "I don't know what it +is; I haven't an idea of the nature of the happening, but of this +I feel rather sure,---that now, at last, the Mexicans have done +something that will turn Yankee guns and Yankee men loose." + +"I wonder if you're any good as a prophet, Trent?" pondered Dan, +studying his division officer's face keenly. + +"We'll wait and see," laughed the lieutenant. "If there really +is anything in the wind, I think we'll have a suspicion of what +it is by mess-hour to-night. A little more watching and waiting +won't hurt us." + +"Hear that commotion on the quarter-deck?" demanded Dave, suddenly. +"I hear a lot of talking there. Come on. We'll see if _waiting_ +is about to be turned into _doing_." + +Trent walked slowly aft. Still chatting with him, Dave and Dan +kept by his side. Then they stood looking down upon the quarter-deck. + +Presently two messengers came running out, looking eagerly about +them. One messenger, catching sight of the three officers on +the superstructure, came bounding up the steps, halting and saluting. + +"Compliments of the executive officer," announced the messenger; +"Ensigns Darrin and Dalzell are directed to report to his office +immediately." + +"Perhaps you'll hear the news at once," murmured Trent, as his +juniors left him. + +When the two ensigns reported to him, Commander Bainbridge was +pacing the passageway outside his office. + +"The captain is awaiting us in his office," said the executive. +"We will go there at once." + +The instant he entered the captain's quarters, Darrin had sudden +misgivings of some impending misfortune, for Lieutenant Cantor, +very erect, and looking both stern and important, was talking in +low tones with Captain Gales. + +"Now, what has the scoundrel found to fasten upon me?" Ensign +Dave Darrin wondered, with a start. "And how has he managed +to drag Dan into it?" + + + + +CHAPTER VI + +FIRST TO INVADE MEXICO + + +"Gentlemen," began Captain Gales, seriously, though there was +a pleasant smile on his face, "I imagine I have extremely pleasant +news for two of you. Commander Bainbridge and Lieutenant Trent +have already some idea of the news, but I will go over it again for +the benefit of all here." + +"I may go on breathing again," Dave thought grimly. "Then this +communication can hardly be in reference to any complaint that +Cantor may have lodged against me." + +"Messrs. Cantor, Darrin and Dalzell will tonight," resumed the +captain, "lead the first expeditions by United States forces that +have been made in a great many years." + +Had war been declared? Both Dave and Dan fairly jumped with +eagerness. + +"A letter, coming by some mysterious, round-about route," continued +Captain Gales, "has reached the American consul at Vera Cruz. +An American party, consisting of Mr. and Mrs. John Carmody and +two small sons, and of Mrs. Sarah Deeming and two daughters nineteen +and sixteen years of age, came down by muleback from the plateau +some three weeks ago. Carmody is a planter up in that part of +the country, and the Deemings were his guests. Different bands +of bandit raiders have visited the Carmody plantation from time +to time within the last two years, stealing stock and supplies, +and levying money blackmail, until Carmody found himself practically +ruined, unless the present crops should turn out well. + +"Three weeks ago Carmody learned that it was high time for isolated +Americans to reach the protection of some large town. Attended +by two peons (native laborers), and travelling on mule back, the +party started through the mountains for Vera Cruz. Four hours out +from the plantation the party was halted by a score of men led by +a brigand named Cosetta, who is reported to be the right hand man +of the notorious Zapata himself. + +"Cosetta, it appears, believed that he could force Carmody to +pay a large indemnity, in money, for the release of himself and +family and their woman friends. First of all, the Americans were +taken to a house near a deserted sugar mill, somewhere on the +coast opposite us. This sugar mill stands on a lagoon, and that +is as much of a description as Carmody could furnish in his hastily +penned letter. But we know that there are, along this part of +the coast, three such deserted sugar mills, each standing on a +lagoon. + +"Plainly, the Carmodys must be in the house near one of these three +mills, but which one it is we cannot even guess. Admiral Fletcher +sent me the news two hours ago, by wireless. Ever since then we +have been in earnest communication upon the subject, and now I +have my orders in the matter." + +"It would be possible, of course, for us to visit each one of +these lagoons in turn. However, if we visited the wrong mill +first, these bandits undoubtedly have some means of signaling +to comrades. Our landing party might be observed, and the news +of the attempt at rescue would be signaled by fires or otherwise, +and the discovery of our designs would undoubtedly result in the +Carmody party being butchered at once. + +"Acting under the orders of Cosetta, or, I might say, under his +threats, Mr. Carmody has sent appeals in every direction he could +think of for the funds to pay the hundred thousand dollar ransom +demanded for the party. These requests have been carried on through +agents of Cosetta, but none of the appeals have borne fruit. +Wearied, Cosetta has announced that on a certain morning, if the +ransom has not arrived, Carmody and all the members of his party, +even including the children, shall be shot and buried in hidden +graves. There is little doubt that Cosetta will carry out his +threat, and to-morrow morning is the time set for this wholesale +murder." + +Fire flashed in the eyes of the Navy officers who heard this +announcement. + +"As you may be certain," continued Captain Gales, "Admiral Fletcher +has wired me that this proposed atrocity must be prevented, and +the American captives rescued at all hazards. Now, attend me +while I show you the detail chart for this part of the coast." + +Captain Gales turned to his desk, where the map was spread. + +"Here, as you will see," he continued, "is a sugar mill belonging +to the Alvarez plantations. Ten miles to the eastward of the +Alvarez mill is the Perdita mill; ten miles to the westward of +the Alvarez mill is the Acunda mill. To-night there will be no +moon. At nine o'clock we shall lie to off the Alvarez mill, and +three sixty-foot launches will be lowered to the water. Lieutenant +Cantor will command one of these launches, Ensign Darrin another +and Ensign Dalzell the third. Each launch will carry one automatic +gun, and a landing party of a corporal, six marines, a petty officer +and twelve seamen. Each party will be armed, but, gentlemen, +I must caution you as to the extreme seriousness of any conflict +on shore, or of firing, even though your fire is not directed +at human beings. These are days when our relations with Mexico +are of an extremely delicate nature. If we send an armed party +on shore, and its members fight, it will be difficult, indeed, +for our government to make the claim that an act of war was not +committed on the soil of a nation that is, at present, at peace +with us. The consequences of a fight are likely to be grave indeed. +Therefore, the officer in command of each landing party is especially +warned that the rescue of the American prisoners must be accomplished +by strategy, not by fighting." + +Captain Gales looked keenly at each of the three young officers +concerned, to make sure that they understood the full gravity of +the situation. + +"Strategy, remember---not fighting," Captain Gales repeated. +"Now, the '_Long Island_' will not go within four miles of the +coast. Yet, despite the darkness to-night, it is likely that +a craft as large as this ship would be noted from the shore, and +her errand suspected. That might result in the execution of the +American captives before aid could reach them. So, when we reach +a point opposite the Alvarez mill, Lieutenant Cantor's launch +will be put over the side first, while the ship continues under +slow headway." + +Lieutenant Cantor will lie to, while the other two launches are +being lowered. Ensigns Darrin and Dalzell will then steam back +and report to Lieutenant Cantor. Under slow speed it will take +the launches, commanded by the two ensigns, each about an hour +and ten minutes to reach their respective lagoon destinations. +It will take the lieutenant just under thirty minutes to reach +the Alvarez lagoon. Ensign Dalzell will go to the Perdita lagoon, +and Ensign Darrin to the Acunda lagoon. Forty minutes after Dalzell +and Darrin have steamed away, Lieutenant Cantor will run in to +the Alvarez mill. Our launches are not likely to be observed +from shore, where the '_Long Island_,' if she remained in these +waters, would be sure to be seen and recognized. + +"Therefore, after dropping the steamers, we shall go ahead at +cruising speed and not return opposite the Alvarez mill until +called by a rocket, which Lieutenant Cantor will send up as soon +as the rescue has been accomplished---or has failed. But, +gentlemen"---here Captain Gales' voice sank low, yet vibrated with +intense earnestness---"all of you will realize the extreme +importance of your mission, and the awful consequences of failure. +Therefore, I feel certain that none of you will break the Navy's +long list of traditions for zealous, careful, successful +performance of duty. Lieutenant Cantor will be in command of the +expedition, as a whole." + +For some minutes the officers remained in the captain's quarters, +discussing further the important work of the coming night. + +As no instructions for secrecy had been asked or expected, Commander +Bainbridge soon told the news to a few of the "_Long Island's_" +ranking officers, who, in turn passed it on. + +"Of all the luck that some officers have!" groaned Lieutenant +Trent, as he passed Dave Darrin. "How did you work it, Darrin, +to secure one of the details for to-night that any subordinate +officer on this ship would have been delighted to see come his +way?" + +"I don't know," Dave laughingly admitted. + +"Darrin, are you hard up?" asked Lieutenant Holton, five minutes +later. + +"I have a few dollars left," Dave smiled. + +"If you can get me shifted to your detail for to-night I'll reward +you with a month of my pay," promised the lieutenant. + +"Thank you," Dave smiled, gravely. "Even if the change could +be easily arranged, I'm afraid I wouldn't give up my chance for +six months' pay." + +"No chance for me, then," sighed Holton. "I can't remember that +I ever had six months' of my pay together at one time." + +"Darrin," exclaimed Lieutenant Commander Denton, still a little +later, "I never realized that you had so much impudence! The +idea of a mere ensign leading such an expedition ashore to-night! +I wanted that myself." + +"I am not at all sure that my performance will be one of glory," +smiled Darrin. + +"It won't, if Cantor can manage to queer you in any way," murmured +Denton to himself, as he moved on. + +In the ward-room that evening the "impertinence" of two new ensigns +in capturing such prized details was commented upon with a great +deal of chaffing. Even Lieutenant Cantor was declared to be much +too young to be entrusted with such important work. + +At eight o'clock the fortunate lieutenant and ensigns were once +more sent for, to go over the map and instructions with Captain +Gales. + +At nine o'clock, just before the "_Long Island_" was abreast of +the Alvarez mill, the first launch was cleared away and lowered, +falling behind and lying to. + +Then Darrin, with his own crew, went down over the side to the +launch towing alongside. It was Coxswain Riley who stood by to +catch the young commanding officer's arm. + +"Hullo, Coxswain," was Dave's greeting. "Are you to handle the +launch to-night?" + +"No, sir," Riley answered, saluting. "I am the petty officer +in charge of the seamen. Coxswain Schmidt handles the launch, +sir." + +As soon as his party had hurried aboard, Darrin gave the order +to cast off. Under slow speed astern the launch joined Lieutenant +Cantor's craft. + +"I'm glad that I'm to have you on shore tonight with me, Coxswain," +said Dave, heartily. + +"Thank you, sir," answered the coxswain, saluting and actually +blushing with pleasure. + +Soon after Dan's launch ranged up with the other two, and the +"_Long Island_" was vanishing in the distance ahead, not a light +showing, for it is the privilege of the commander of a war vessel +to sail without lights, when the interests of the services may +be furthered thereby. Nor did any of the launches display lights. + +As each of the boats was to run at slow speed, it was hoped that +each landing party would reach shore without detection. + +Lieutenant Cantor went over the instructions once more, talking +in low tones across the water. + +"And above all, remember that there is to be no fighting," Cantor +added, impressively, looking straight into Darrin's eyes. + +"Punk orders, when each man is provided with a hundred rounds +of rifle ammunition, and when each automatic gun is supplied with +two thousand rounds!" grumbled Coxswain Riley, under his breath. + +"Gentlemen, you will now get under way," ordered Lieutenant Cantor. +"You will remember each sentence of your instructions!" + +Silently, two of the launches stole away into the night, bound +east and west, while the third launch awaited the time to start +shoreward. + +On Darrin's launch there was little talking, and that in whispers. +Dave had made a most careful study of the map, and felt certain +that he could give the course straight into the lagoon on which +the Acunda mill stood. + +"Coxswain Schmidt," said Ensign Darrin, in a low voice, when still +some four miles away from the proposed place of landing, "when you +are close enough to shore to signal the engineer, you will do so +by hand signal, not by use of the bell. Seaman Berne will watch +for your signals, and convey them to the engineer." + +"Very good, sir," replied both coxswain and seaman. + +"Probably it won't be my luck to find the American captives at +the Acunda plantation," murmured Darrin. + +None the less, when he at last sighted the lagoon, his heart began +to beat excitedly. + +Under reduced speed, now, the launch stole into the lagoon. Less +than a quarter of a mile from shore the sugar mill, deserted since +the rebellion first took acute form, stood out dimly against the +dark sky. + +To within a hundred and fifty yards of the mill the launch ran, +then swung in at a nearly ruined old wharf. + +Ensign Dave Darrin was first to step ashore, signing to his men +to follow him with all stealth. + +"Corporal," Darrin whispered, "unless summoned later, you will stand +by the launch with your men, to prevent it being rushed in case the +bandits are abroad to-night. Coxswain Riley, you will form your men +loosely and follow me, keeping about a hundred yards to the rear, +making no sound as you advance." + +Officer and men were all in dark uniforms, which in the blackness +of the night would not be seen at any distance, whereas the white +tropical uniforms would have immediately betrayed the raiders. + +About seven hundred feet beyond the sugar mill Darrin had already +located the house. Like the old mill, the residence was in darkness. +Not a light shone, nor was there a sound to be heard. + +"This eerie stretch of ground makes one think of a graveyard," thought +Darrin, with a comical little shiver, as his left hand gripped his +sword scabbard tightly to prevent it clanking against his left heel. + +He turned to look behind him. Riley and twelve armed seamen were +following him like so many unsubstantial spectres. + +Past the mill, and down the road to the house strode Darrin, but +his moving feet made hardly a sound. + +A little before the house ran a line of flowering tropical hedge. +Darrin gained this, and was about to pass in through an opening +in the hedge when a figure suddenly appeared in the darkness right +ahead of him. + +A rifle was leveled at the young ensign's breast, and in a steady +voice came the hail that set the young ensign's heart to beating +fast: + +"_Quien vive_" + +It was the Spanish challenge---"Who goes there?" + + + + +CHAPTER VII + +DAVE DARRIN TO THE RESCUE + + +Dave's sword hung at his side. His revolver was in its scabbard +over his left hip, but just out of view of the sentry. + +As to his being in uniform, he realized that the night was so +dark that there was little danger of his nationality being discovered. + +All these thoughts flashed through his mind in a twinkling, as +they should with a good officer. + +Darrin's course of action was as swiftly decided. + +"Amigo," he replied, tranquilly. "Amigo de los prisoneros!" (Friends +of the prisoners). + +By the time the second explanation had left his lips Dave had +bounded forward, struck aside the rifle, and had gripped the sentry +by the throat, bearing him to the ground. + +A blow from one of the young ensign's fists, and the fellow lay +still. + +Espying trouble from the rear, Coxswain Riley started his men +on a swift run toward the spot. In a few moments the sentry, +doubtless badly scared, had been gagged, and bound hand and foot +with the handy hitches of jack tars. + +"Leave him there," Darrin directed in an undertone. "Coxswain, +post eight men around the house, and take command of them. I +will take the other four men with me." + +Swiftly Darrin led his little squad around to the rear of the +house, since the front was closed and dark. + +A doorway stood open, showing a room lighted by two candles that +stood on a table. Around the table were seven men, eating and +drinking. Plainly they had not heard the brief scuffle at the +front. + +With a nod to his four men Darrin led the way inside. Instantly +the seven men were on their feet, staring wildly at the intruders. +One man started for a stack of rifles that stood in a corner, +but Ensign Darrin hurled him back. + +"Don't let any man reach for a gun, or draw any sort of weapon," +Darrin ordered, quickly. + +Then to the Mexicans, in Spanish, Dave shouted: + +"Stand where you are, and no harm will be done to you. We have +not come here to molest you, but you hold Americans prisoners +here, and we mean to take them away with us." + +"No, no," answered one of the Mexicans, smilingly, "you are mistaken. +We have no prisoners here." + +Dave's heart sank within him for one brief moment. Had he made +a mistake in invading this house, only to find that his mission +was to be fruitless? + +Then he suspected Mexican treachery. + +"Pardon me," he urged in Spanish, "if I satisfy myself that you +are telling the truth. Stand where you are, all of you, and no +harm shall come to you. But don't make the mistake of moving +or of reaching for weapons." + +Darrin strode swiftly past the group and stepped into a hallway, +in which were stairs leading above. + +"Are there any Americans here," he shouted, "who want help? If +so, there are American sailors here ready to give aid." + +From above there came a single exclamation of joy, followed by +a scurrying of feet. + +From above sounded a voice demanding in Spanish: + +"Shall I let the prisoners go?" + +"You will have to," answered the same voice that had answered +Dave. "We are attacked by _los marineros Americanos_." (American +sailors). + +For the men in the other room now knew that there were more than +these four seamen at hand. As soon as he heard voices inside Riley +had cleverly caused his men to walk about the house with heavy tread, +and the Mexicans believed themselves to be outnumbered. + +"Is it true that there are American sailors below?" called a man's +husky voice. + +"A detachment from the United States Navy, sir," Dave replied, +gleefully. "Are you Mr. Carmody?" + +"Yes, yes!" + +"Then bring down your party. We have force enough to resist any +attempt to hold you, and if any harm is offered you, we shall +avenge it. Shall I come upstairs for you, Mr. Carmody?" + +"If you don't mind," answered the voice of the man above. "There +are two guards up here who seem undecided whether to shoot us +or to let us pass." + +Instantly Ensign Darrin ran to the stairs, mounting them. Yet +he was careful to take no chance of being surprised in the dark, +for he well understood the treachery of the natives with whom +he had to deal. + +However, Darrin reached the landing unattacked. Down the hallway +he saw an open door, through which a dim light shone. Before +the door were two Mexicans, each armed with a rifle. + +"You will permit the American party to pass," Dave commanded, +bluntly, in the best Spanish that he had learned at Annapolis. + +One of the sentries again called out loudly, demanding instructions +from below. + +"You will have to let the prisoners pass," came from downstairs. + +At that both sentries moved away from the door. + +"Will you be good enough to come out?" Darrin called, keeping +his eye on the two guards, who stood glowering sullenly at him. +He had not drawn his revolver, and did not wish to do so. + +The door was cautiously opened and a man's head appeared. One +look at Dave and the door was flung wide by a tall, serious-eyed +man whose hair was gray at the temples. + +"Come," he called to those behind him. "I see the uniform of +our own Navy. I never paid much attention to it before, but at +thus moment it's the most welcome sight in the world." + +Head erect, shoulders thrown back, an expression of deep gratitude +in his eyes, John Carmody stepped out into the hallway. + +Behind him was a middle-aged woman, followed by two pretty girls. +Then came another woman, younger than the first, who led two +boys, one of four years, the other of six. + +"I was sent here," Dave announced, cap in hand, "to find and rescue +John Carmody, his wife and two sons, and a Mrs. Deeming and her +two daughters." + +"We are they," Mr. Carmody declared. + +"Do you know of any other prisoners, Americans or otherwise, who +are held here by the bandits, sir?" Ensign Darrin inquired. + +"I do not know of any other captives here," replied Mr. Carmody, +promptly. "In fact, I do not believe there are any others." + +"Mr. Carmody, if you will lead your party down the stairs and +through the hallway to the room at the end of the passage, I will +bring up the rear of this little American procession." + +Mr. Carmody obeyed without hesitation. One after another the +trembling women followed, Mrs. Carmody leading her two young sons. + +Out in the hallway Mr. Carmody caught sight of the sailors, who +stood revealed in the light of the room, as with watchful eyes +they held the seven Mexicans at bay. + +"Mr. Carmody," called Dave, just before he entered that room, +"I will ask you to lead your party out of doors. You will find +other American sailors there, sir." + +Entering the room, Dave stood, cap still in hand, until the last +of the American women had passed into the open. Then, replacing +his cap, the young naval officer turned to the Mexican who had +spoken to the others and who now stood sullenly eyeing the sailors. + +"I have carried out my orders," Dave declared, in Spanish. "I +regret that I have no authority to punish you as you deserve. +Instead, therefore, I will wish you good night." + +Signing to his sailors to pass out before him, Dave was the last +to leave the room. All four of the young sailors, however, stood +just outside, where their rifles might sweep the room, at need, +until their officer had passed out. + +"Hicks," called Dave, to one of the party of sailors who had surrounded +the house, "lead these people to the water. The rest of us will +bring up the rear." + +Seeing the women and children of his party under safe guidance, +Mr. Carmody turned back to speak to their rescuer. + +"Sir," asked the older man, "did you know that, on account of +the failure to raise the ransom money, we were all, even the babies, +to be put to death at sunrise?" + +"Yes, sir," Dave nodded. + +"Then perhaps you are able to understand the gratitude to which +I shall endeavor to give some expression as soon as we are in +a place of safety." + +"It is not my wish to hear expressions of gratitude, Mr. Carmody," +Dave Darrin answered. "As to safety, however, I fancy we are +safe enough already." + +Mr. Carmody shook his head energetically. + +"We have twenty men to the nine we saw in that house," Dave smiled. +"Surely they will not endeavor to attack us." + +"Cosetta, the bandit, was he to whom you spoke in the house," +replied John Carmody. "He has but a few men in the house, but +there are twenty or thirty more sleeping in the stables behind +the house. Altogether, unless he has sent some away, he must +have more than sixty men hereabouts." + +"Then we must go on the double quick to our boat," returned Darrin. +"Hicks," he called down the straggling line, which was now just +outside the grounds and headed toward the mill, "keep the whole +party moving as rapidly as possible." + +Yet Darrin was not afraid for himself, for he halted while the +party hastened forward, scanning the darkness to his rear. Seeing +the ensign standing there alone, Riley and half a dozen sailors +came running back. + +"I'm afraid you're headed the wrong way, Riley," smiled Dave. +"I hear there is a large force behind us, and we must embark +as rapidly as possible." + +"It won't take us long to tumble into the launch, sir," the coxswain +replied, doggedly, "but we won't leave our officer behind. We +couldn't think of doing it." + +"Not even under orders?" Darrin inquired. + +"We'd hate to disobey orders, sir," Riley mumbled, looking rather +abashed, "but-----" + +"Hark!" called Dave, holding up a hand. + +Back of the flowering hedge he heard the swift patter of bare feet. + +Out of the darkness came a flash of a pistol shot. It was answered +instantly by a ragged but crashing volley. + +Long tongues of flame spat out into the night. The air was full +of whistling bullets. + +Pseu! pss-seu! pss-seu! Sang the steel-jacketed bullets about +the ears of the Americans. + +Then the sailor nearest Ensign Dave Darrin fell to the ground +with a stifled gasp. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +DISOBEDIENCE OF ORDERS + + +Outnumbered, the Americans did not falter. + +Save for Hicks, the guide, and the wounded man, the sailors threw +themselves automatically to one knee, bringing their rifles to +"ready." + +For a moment Ensign Darrin felt sick at heart. He was under orders +not to fire, to employ no armed force in a way that might be construed +as an act of war in the country of another nation. + +Yet here were his men being fired upon, one already wounded, and +American women and children in danger of losing their lives. + +Perhaps it was against orders, as given, but the real military +commander is sometimes justified in disregarding orders. + +At the first sound of shots all of the sailors, except Hicks, +came running back, crouching close to earth. As soon as they +reached the thin little line the men knelt and waited breathlessly. +Dave's resolution was instantly taken. Though he might +hang for his disobedience of orders, he would not tamely submit +to seeing his men shot down ruthlessly. + +Still less would he permit American women and children to be endangered. + +Orders, or no orders--- + +"Ready, men!" he shouted, above the sharp reports of the Cosetta +rifle fire. "Aim low at the hedge! Fire at will!" + +Cr-r-r-rack! rang out the American Navy rifles. + +Filled with the fighting enthusiasm of the moment, Darrin drew +his automatic revolver, firing ten shots swiftly at different +points along the hedge. + +From behind that screen came cries of pain, for the Mexican is +an excitable individual, who does not take his wounds with the +calmness evinced by an American. + +Another American sailor had dropped. John Carmody, who had remained +with the defending party, snatched up one of the rifles. Standing, +he rushed in a magazine full of bullets, then bent to help himself +to more from the belt of the rifle's former carrier. + +Fitting his revolver with a fresh load of cartridges, Dave held +his fire for any emergency that might arise. + +A marine dashed up, nearly out of breath. + +"Sir," panted the marine, "Corporal Ross wants to know if you +want to order the Colt gun and the marines up here." + +"No," Dave decided instantly. "Help one of our wounded men back +to the launch and tell Corporal Ross to remain where he is. Is +the Colt loaded and ashore?" + +"Yes, sir; ready for instant action." + +"Did Hicks get the women and children to the launch?" + +"No sir; he has hidden them behind the lower end of the sugar +mill. The air is too full of bullets to expose the women to them." + +"Good for Hicks! Tell him I said so. He is to remain where he +is until either the Mexicans' fire ceases or he receives different +orders from me." + +"Very good, sir." + +Stooping, the marine picked up the worse injured of the two wounded +sailors and swiftly bore him away in his arms. + +"Cease firing!" shouted Darrin, running along his valiant little +line of sailors. "Load your magazines and let the rifles cool +until the Mexicans start up again." + +For, with the exception of a shot here and there from behind the +hedge, the destructive fire had ceased. + +"We must have hit a few of them," chuckled Darrin to John Carmody, +who stood beside him. + +"I hope you killed them all," replied the planter. "They're brutes, +when they have their own way." + +"Riley!" + +"Aye, aye, sir." + +"Pass the word to the men and we'll slip back. I don't like the +silence behind the hedge. I suspect that the men have been withdrawn +and that we are to be flanked below the sugar mill. Tell the +men to fall back by rushes, not returning any fire unless ordered." + +"Aye, aye, sir." + +A moment later ten jackies were retreating. They gained the sugar +mill, and passed it. + +"Hicks," called Ensign Darrin, "get your party aboard. Run for it!" + +"Aye, aye, sir." + +"And help this wounded man back to the launch." + +The sailor, who had been carrying the second wounded man, turned +him over to Hicks, who carried his burden manfully. + +Dave continued to retreat more slowly with his fighting force, +taking frequent observations rearward. From the hedge a few, +sniping shots came now and then, but, as no one was hit, Darrin +did not allow the fire to be returned. + +Suddenly, three hundred yards away, a volley crashed out on the +right. + +"Flanked!" muttered Darrin, grimly, as Riley threw his men into +line to meet the new attack. "I expected it. Aim two feet above +the ground, men, and fire at will until you have emptied your +magazines twice." + +Down by the launch, and not thirty feet from the wharf, stood +Corporal Ross with his marines and the Colt machine gun. The +marines were wild to join in the firing, but would not do so until +ordered. Darrin was loath to let them draw the enemy's fire until +the women had been made as safe as possible on the launch. + +As the American firing ceased, Dave called the order: + +"Load magazines, but reserve fire. Rush three hundred feet closer +to the wharf and then halt and form again." + +This move was carried out, but a third sailor dropped wounded. + +As a lull came in the firing, Ensign Darrin blew a signal on his +whistle. In response, two marines came sprinting to the spot. + +"Take this wounded man to the launch," Darrin ordered. + +"Corporal Ross hopes, sir, you'll soon give him leave to turn +the machine gun loose," one of the marines suggested respectfully. + +"I'll give the order as soon as the time comes," Darrin promised. +"Tell Corporal Ross that one flash from my pocket lamp will mean +'open fire,' and that two flashes will mean 'cease firing.' + +"Very good, sir." + +The wounded man was borne away. Again Dave attempted a rush, then +reformed his men, this time not more than two hundred and fifty +feet from the stern of the launch. + +"Riley!" + +"Aye, aye, sir!" + +"You will take command here. I must see to the safety of our +passengers." + +"Aye, aye, sir." + +"Fire when you think best, but do not let the men waste ammunition. +We have but a hundred rounds apiece." + +"I know it, sir." + +Then Dave dashed down to the wharf, just before which stood Corporal +Ross looking the picture of disappointment. He had hoped for +permission to open fire. + +Ensign Darrin and John Carmody ran to the launch together. Aided +by Coxswain Schmidt, Hicks had done his work well, placing the +women and children flat along the bottom of the craft, where they +were little likely to be found by flying bullets. + +Again the fire had slackened. Dave stood with the marines, peering +into the blackness beyond. + +"Can't you call in your party and make a quick dash down the +lagoon?" inquired John Carmody, approaching, a rifle still gripped +by one hand and a cartridge-belt thrown over one shoulder. + +"We can't travel fast in the lagoon, sir," Dave answered, "and +Cosetta's men can run as fast along the shore, keeping up a fire +that would be more deadly when we're crowded together aboard the +launch. I want to silence the scoundrel's fire, if possible, +before we try the dash out into the Gulf." + +"You appear to have discouraged the men who flanked you," said +Mr. Carmody, looking towards the shore. + +"Yes, sir; but, judging by the rifle flashes there were not more +than twenty men in that flanking party. We still have to hear +from another body, and I believe they are hiding in the mill, +ready to snipe us from there. Besides, probably a smaller party +has been sent from the flankers to lie in wait and get us as we +go through the lagoon. It's a bad trap, Mr. Carmody, and we must +move slowly, if we wish to get away with our lives." + +While they stood watching, Riley's handful of men came running to +the spot. + +At the same moment shots rang out from the roof of the sugar mill. + +"There we are!" Darrin exclaimed. "And men on a roof are the +hardest to hit." + +In a jiffy a yell rose from the flankers, who now rose and came +charging forward across some four hundred feet of intervening +space. + +"Give 'em the Colt, Corporal!" Ensign Darrin roared. + +There was a yell of rage from the Mexicans as the machine gun +barked forth. With the muzzle describing an arc of several degrees, +many of the flankers were hit. The others threw themselves flat +on the ground to escape its destructive fire. + +From the mill another score of charging Mexicans had started, +yelling in Spanish: + +"Death to the Gringos." + +Leaping forward, Darrin felt a sudden sting of pain in his right +foot. A bullet, sent in low, had ripped the sole of his shoe, +inflicting a painful wound. + +"Cease firing, Corporal!" Dave ordered, hobbling to the machine +gun. "Swing her nose around. Now, give it to 'em." + +As the machine gun barked forth again the raiders from the mill +found good excuse for halting. There are times when a machine +gun is worth a battalion of infantry. + +Yet one bullet is enough to kill a man. A marine fell at Dave's +feet. The young ensign bent over him; one look was enough to +prove that this defender of his countrymen was dead. + +As the fire from the machine gun ceased, a wild cheer rose on the +air. Now, from four different points groups of Mexicans rose and +charged, firing as they ran. + +One desperate dash, and they would overwhelm the crippled little +Navy party. + +Defeat for Dave Darrin's command meant the massacre of all the +survivors of his rescue party, and of the American men and women +in their care! + +Ensign Dave Darrin realized this with a sickening heart. + + + + +CHAPTER IX + +CANTOR FINDS HIS CHANCE + + +Prompt action alone could save the women and children who lay +cowering in the launch. + +"Corporal, kneel with your men, and let them have it as fast as +you can!" ordered Dave. "Riley, get your men into the boat, and +take the Colt with you. Post it as fast as you can on the starboard +quarter!" + +Dave himself stood behind the kneeling marines, a fair target for +every hostile bullet. + +John Carmody, too, felt in honor bound to risk himself beside +the young Navy ensign. + +"All sea-going, sir!" called Coxswain Riley. "Schmidt, make ready +to cast off," sang back Darrin. + +Now the different groups of Mexicans, who had been halted for a +minute under the brisk fire, saw their prey slipping away from them. + +With yells of fury, Cosetta's men rose and attempted the final +charge. + +"Marines aboard!" yelled Darrin. + +Almost in the same instant, loaded revolver in hand, Dave sprang +to the gunwale and landed on the after deck. + +Without waiting for the order from his chief, Schmidt cast off, +with the aid of the single sailor under his own command. The +engineer went ahead at slow speed for a few seconds while Riley +steered the launch clear of the wharf and headed for deeper, safer +water. + +"Half speed ahead!" shouted Darrin, as Schmidt sprang to the wheel, +while Riley, snatching up his rifle, joined the fighting men. +Uttering howls of rage as they saw their prey escaping them, +the Mexicans rushed out onto the wharf in a mad attempt to board +before it was too late. + +Three men would have succeeded in boarding the launch, had they +not been shot down as they leaped for the after deck. + +"Give it to them with the Colt, Corporal!" Dave called. "Every +other man fire with his rifle!" + +Before he had finished speaking, the reloaded Colt belched forth +its rain of death. It was the machine gun, with its muzzle swiftly +turning in an arc of a circle that did the most execution among +the outlaws, but the riflemen did their share. + +Until his rifle barrel was too hot to hold in his hands, John +Carmody shot rapidly, yet coolly putting into his work all the +pent-up indignation that he had felt for days against Cosetta +and his men. + +"Stop the gun!" ordered Dave Darrin, resting a hand on the shoulder +of the marine corporal. "Don't waste its fire." + +The launch was now free of the shore, and moving down the lagoon at +half speed. On the wharf fully a score of Mexicans either lay dead +or dying. + +Dave's spoken order to the engineer caused the launch to increase +its speed. + +"Line up at the starboard rail," Dave called to the men grouped +about him. "We're going to catch it from the shore." + +The launch was a few hundred yards down the lagoon when Darrin, +alertly watching, made out several figures on the eastern shore. + +Patiently he waited until the first flash from a rifle was seen, +which was followed instantly by the report and the "pss-seu!" +of a bullet. + +"Let 'em have the rest of what's in the Colt," the young ensign +directed, calmly. "Men, don't fire too rapidly, but keep up your +work. We want to be remembered by Cosetta, if he has the good luck +to be still alive." + +It was neither a heavy nor an accurate fire that came now from +the enraged Mexicans. Helped out by the Colt, the fire from the +moving craft was sharp enough to discourage the rapidly diminishing +ardor of the miscreants on shore. + +Just as the launch rounded the point of land at the mouth of the +lagoon, and stood out into open water at full speed, a stray bullet +killed Seaman Hicks. + +"Yes, sir, he's dead, poor fellow!" exclaimed Riley, looking up +as Ensign Dave stepped hastily forward for a look at his man. +"Hicks was a fine sailor too." + +"For a party that wasn't expected to fight," returned Darrin wearily, +"we've had a pretty big casualty list---two killed, and three +wounded." + +"You're wounded yourself, sir," exclaimed Riley. + +"Oh, my boot was cut," Darrin assented, indifferently. + +"Look at your wrist, sir," urged the young Coxswain. + +Dave glanced down at his left wrist, to find it covered with blood. + +"It must look worse than it is," Darrin commented, listlessly. +"I didn't even feel it." + +"It will need attention, sir, just the same," Riley urged. "Let +me fix it up, sir, with a first aid bandage." + +There was a water cask aboard. As the launch was now out of close +range, and the Mexicans had apparently given up firing, Riley +brought a cup of water, poured it over the wrist, and wiped away +the blood. + +"A scratch, as I thought," smiled Dave. "Not even enough to get +excused from watch duty." + +"You'll have it dressed, sir, won't you, as soon as you get aboard +the '_Long Island_' again?" urged Riley, applying the sterilized +bandage with swift skill. "If the scoundrels used any of the +brass-jacketed bullets of which they're so fond, a scratch like +that might lead to blood poisoning, sir." + +In a few minutes more the launch was out of rifle range. Dave +ordered the course changed to east by north-east, in order to +reach the rendezvous of the three launches. + +"Steamer ahead, sir!" sang out the bow lookout, a few minutes later. + +"Whereaway?" called Darrin, moving forward. + +"Three points off starboard bow, sir," replied the sailorman. +"It looks like our own launch, sir." + +By this time Darrin was well forward. He peered closely at the +approaching craft, for she might be a Mexican Federal gunboat +that had fallen into the hands of rebels or outlaws. + +"It's our own launch," pronounced Darrin, a minute later. He +reached for the whistle pull and blew three blasts of welcome, +which were promptly answered. + +The two craft now neared each other. "Launch ahoy, there!" called +a voice from the bow of the other craft. + +"Aye, aye, sir!" Darrin answered. + +"Is that you, Ensign Darrin?" + +"Aye, aye, sir." + +"Lay to. I am coming alongside." + +As the launch under Dave's command lost headway, then lay idly +on the light ground swell, the other launch circled about her, +then came up under the port quarter. + +"Did you find the American party, Ensign Darrin?" demanded Lieutenant +Cantor. + +"Yes, sir; I have the entire party aboard and uninjured." + +"Was there any trouble?" asked Cantor. + +"Yes, sir. We were fired upon, and forced to defend ourselves." + +"You fired upon the natives?" exclaimed Lieutenant Cantor, in an \ +astonished tone. + +"I had to, sir." + +"In the face of orders not to fight?" pressed Dave's enemy. + +"Sir, if I had not fought, I would have lost my entire command," +Darrin answered, with an indignation that he could not completely +veil. + +"Ensign Darrin," came the sharp rebuke, + +"You have disobeyed the orders of Captain Gales, which were repeated +by me just before we parted company. Did your fire hit any of the +Mexicans?" + +"I think we must have done so, sir," Dave returned dryly. "Several +of them lay down, at all events." + +"Any losses in your own command?" pressed Cantor. + +"Two men killed and four wounded." + +"The consequences of disobedience of orders, sir!" cried Lieutenant +Cantor, angrily. "Ensign Darrin, I am certain that you should not +have been entrusted with the command of a launch." + +"That sounds like a reflection on the Captain's judgment, sir!" +Dave rejoined, rather warmly. + +"No unnecessary remarks," thundered Cantor. "I shall not place you +in arrest, but on our return to the ship I shall report at once your +flagrant disobedience of orders." + +Darrin did not answer, but the hot blood now surged to his head, +suffusing his cheeks. He was deeply humiliated. + +"Young man, if you call that good sense," rumbled the deep voice +of John Carmody, "then I don't agree with you. You condemn +Darrin-----" + +"Who is speaking?" roared Lieutenant Cantor. + +"My name is John Carmody," returned the planter, coolly. + +"Then be good enough to remain silent," commanded Cantor. + +"Since I'm on a government boat," retorted the planter, "I suppose +I may as well do as I'm ordered. But at some other time I shall +air my opinion of you, young man, as freely as I please." + +Lieutenant Cantor bit his lips, then gave the order to proceed +to the appointed rendezvous. + +As Cantor's launch neared Dalzell's steamer, the lieutenant ordered +a rocket sent up. From away over on the horizon an answering +rocket was seen. + +Forty minutes later the "_Long Island_" lay to close by. Cantor's +launch was the first to go in alongside. + +"Were you successful?" hailed the voice of the executive officer +from the bridge. + +"Ensign Darrin was, sir," Cantor replied, through the megaphone. + +"Are all the missing Americans safe?" + +"Yes, sir," Cantor continued. + +"And all our own men?" + +"Two killed, sir, and four wounded, through what I believe to be +disobedience of orders." + +Instructions came for Lieutenant Cantor's launch to lay alongside. +Soon after the men were on deck and the launch hoisted into place. +Then, under orders, Darrin ran alongside. First of all +his wounded men were passed on hoard, being there received by +hospital stewards from the sick bay. Then, amid impressive silence, +the two dead men were taken on board. + +"Ensign Darrin," directed the officer of the deck, from the bridge, +"you are directed to report to Captain Gales, at once." + +Saluting, and holding himself very erect, Dave Darrin stepped +proudly aboard. His face was white and angry as he neared the +captain's quarters, but the young ensign strove to command himself, +and tried to keep his sorely tried temper within bounds. + +"You will pass inside, sir, at once," directed the marine orderly, +as the young officer halted near the door. + +Acknowledging the marine's salute, Dave Darrin passed him and +entered the office. + +Lieutenant Cantor, erect and stern, faced Captain Gales, who looked +the sterner of the two. + +"Ensign Darrin," began the battleship's commanding officer, rising, +"most serious charges have been preferred against you, sir!" + + + + +CHAPTER X + +DAVE IS STUNG TO THE QUICK + + +Ensign Darrin bowed, then awaited further communication from his +commanding officer. + +"It was particularly set forth in the orders," resumed Captain +Gales, "that any form of conflict was to be avoided by the expedition +of which you commanded a part, was it not?" + +"It was, sir," Darrin admitted. + +"And yet, by the report which Lieutenant Cantor has turned in, +you opened fire on Cosetta and his band and have returned to ship +with two men killed and four men wounded. Is that report correct?" + +"It is, sir," admitted the young ensign, "with one exception." + +"State the exception, Ensign Darrin," ordered the captain, coldly. + +"The exception, sir, is that Cosetta's fellows opened fire on us +first." + +Dave Darrin stood looking straight into Captain Gales's eyes. + +"Ensign Darrin, did you do anything to provoke that fire?" asked +the commanding officer. + +"Yes, sir," Dave admitted. + +"Ah!" breathed Captain Gales, while Cantor gave an almost inaudible +ejaculation of triumph. + +"What was it, sir, that you did to provoke Cosetta into ordering his +fellows to fire?" questioned Captain Gales. + +"Why, sir, I found and rescued the Americans after whom you sent +me," Dave explained. "They were Cosetta's prisoners. There was +not a shot fired on either side until after I had placed the released +prisoners under the protection of my own men, and had started away +with them. Then the Mexican bandits opened fire on us." + +"Couldn't you have escaped without returning the fire?" + +"We might have been able to do so, sir." + +"Then why didn't you?" pressed the captain. + +"Because, sir, I felt sure that we would lose most of our men if +we tamely submitted, and ran, pursued by superior numbers, to our +launch. Moreover, I was much afraid that some of the Americans we +were trying to rescue would be hit." + +"In your judgment, Ensign Darrin, there was no other course open +save to return the fire?" + +"That was my exact judgment of the situation, sir," replied the +young ensign earnestly. + +"And still is your best judgment?" + +"Yes, Captain." + +"Hm!" commented Captain Gales. "And yet you have returned to +ship with your casualties amounting to thirty per cent of your +command, and one-third of your casualties are fatalities." + +"Those are the facts, sir," interposed Lieutenant Cantor. "Therefore, +in the face of fighting against orders, and sustaining such losses +to his own immediate command, I felt it my duty, sir, to prefer +charges against Ensign Darrin." + +"This is a most unfortunate affair, sir," commented Captain Gales. + +Dave Darrin felt the hot blood mounting to his face. He tried +to control his wrath, but could not refrain from asking a question. +"Sir, do you wish me to hand my sword to you?" he said gravely, +with a quick movement of his right hand toward his sword hilt. + +"Not yet, at any rate," answered Captain Gales, calmly. "I wish +to hear your story." + +"Very good, sir," Dave returned, then plunged at once into a narrative +that was stripped to the bare facts. He told everything from +the landing of his men to the final escape from the lagoon under +Mexican fire. + +"Of course, sir, Coxswain Riley and Corporal Ross will be able +to bear me out as to the facts of which they have knowledge. +And I would suggest, sir," Darrin added, "that Mr. Carmody, who +knows more of Cosetta than any of us, will be able to give you +an excellent opinion of whether I was obliged to throw my command +into the fight." + +"How much of your ammunition did you bring back?" asked Captain +Gales, his face betraying nothing of his inward opinion. + +"All the Colt ammunition was used, sir." + +"And the rifle ammunition?" + +"I do not believe, sir, that any man brought back more than three +or four of his cartridges. Some of the men, undoubtedly, have +no ammunition left." + +"It is evident, sir," hinted Lieutenant Cantor, "that Ensign Darrin +did his best to bring on an engagement. And his thirty per cent +casualty list-----" + +"Thank you, Lieutenant," broke in Captain Gales. "The number +of casualties, while unfortunate, is to be justified only by a +decision as to whether it was expedient and right to engage the +brigand, Cosetta." + +Lieutenant Cantor's only comment was an eloquent shrug of his +shoulders. + +"Ensign Darrin," continued Captain Gales, "if your story is true +in every detail, then it would appear to me that your action, +while I regret the necessity for it, could hardly be avoided. +In that case, your conduct does not appear to render you liable +to censure. Until further notice you will continue in your duties. +Lieutenant Cantor will, as early as possible, turn in a written +report of the work of the expedition, and you, Ensign Darrin, +will make a written report on your own part in the affair. You +will make your report through Lieutenant Cantor, who will hand +it to me with his own report. Lieutenant Cantor, in his report, +will make such comment on Ensign Darrin's statements as he sees +fit. You may go to your quarters, Darrin, and begin your report." + +"Very good, sir," Darrin returned. Saluting, he left the office. + +Out in the passage-way Dave encountered Dan, who had been waiting +for him. + +"What's in the wind?" asked Danny Grin, eyeing Dave anxiously. + +"Cantor," Dave returned, grimly. + +"Is he trying to make trouble for you because you behaved like +a brave man?" Dan asked, angrily. + +"That is his plan." + +"The contemptible hound!" ejaculated Dan Dalzell. "Do you think +he is going to succeed in putting it over on you?" + +"That's more than I can predict," Darrin answered his chum. "Cantor +is a bright man, and in rascality I believe him to be especially +efficient." + +"I'd like to call the fellow out!" muttered Dan. + +"Don't think of it," Dave Darrin urged, hastily, for he knew only +too well the quality of Danny Grin's temper when it was fully +aroused. "A challenge would suit Cantor to the skies, for it +would enable him to have my best friend kicked out of the Navy." + +"I won't think of it, then," promised Ensign Dalzell, "unless +that fellow tries my temper to the breaking point." + +Dave went hastily to his own quarters, where he laid aside his +sword and revolver, bathed and dressed himself. Then he sent +a messenger in search of a typewriting machine. When that came +Darrin seated himself before it. Rapidly, he put down all the +essential circumstances of the night's work. + +Scanning the sheets closely, Dave made two or three minor changes +in his report, then signed it. + +Through a messenger, Darrin inquired if Lieutenant Cantor could +receive him. A reply came back that Dave might report to him +at once. + +"This is my report, sir," Dave announced, + +Dave was about to turn on his heel and leave the room, when Lieutenant +Cantor stopped him with: + +"Wait a few moments, if you please, Darrin. I wish to run hastily +through your report." + +Declining the offer of a chair, Darrin remained standing stiffly. + +As he went through the report, Cantor frowned several times. +At last he laid the signed sheets down on his desk. + +"Darrin," asked the division commander, "do you realize that you +are out of place in the Navy?" + +"I do not, sir," Dave answered, coldly. + +"Well, you are," pursued Lieutenant Cantor. "With your talents +you should engage in writing the most improbable kinds of romances." + +"That report is true in every respect, sir," Dave frowned. + +"It appears to me to be a most improbable report---as highly +improbable as any official report that I have ever seen." + +"The report is true in every detail," repeated Dave, his face +flushing. + +Lieutenant Cantor rose from his desk, facing his angry subordinate. + +"You lie!" he declared, coldly. + +"You cur!" Dave Darrin hissed back, his wrath now at white heat. + +Instantly he launched a blow full at Cantor's face. The lieutenant +warded it off. + +Within three or four seconds several blows were aimed on both sides, +without landing, for both were excellent boxers. + +Then Dave drove in under Cantor's guard with his left hand, while +with his right fist he struck the lieutenant a blow full on the +face that sent him reeling backward. + +Clutching wildly, Cantor seized a chair, carrying it over with +himself as he landed on the floor. + +In an instant Lieutenant Cantor was on his feet, brandishing the +chair aloft. + +"Ensign Darrin," he cried, "you have made the error of striking +a superior officer when on duty!" + + + + +CHAPTER XI + +A BROTHER OFFICER'S WHISPER + + +"I know it," Dave returned, huskily. + +"You have committed a serious breach of discipline," blazed the +lieutenant. + +"I have struck down a fellow who demeaned himself by insulting +his subordinate," Darrin returned, his voice now clear and steady. +"Lieutenant Cantor, do you consider yourself fit to command others?" + +"Never mind what I think about myself," sneered the lieutenant. +"Go to your quarters!" + +"In arrest?" demanded Dave Darrin, mockingly. + +"No; but go to your quarters and remain there for the present. +You are likely to be summoned very soon." + +Saluting, Ensign Dave turned ironically on his heel, going back +to his quarters. + +In an instant Danny Grin came bounding in. + +"There's something up, isn't there?" Ensign Dalzell asked, anxiously. + +"A moment ago there was something down," retorted Dave, grimly. +"It was Cantor, if any one asks you about it." + +"You knocked him down?" asked Dan, eagerly. + +"I did." + +"Then you must have had an excellent reason." + +"I did have a very fair reason," Darrin went on, "the fellow passed +the lie." + +"Called you a _liar_?" + +"That was the purport of his insult," Dave nodded. + +"I'm glad you knocked him down," Dalzell went on, fervently. +"Yet I see danger ahead." + +"What danger?" Dave asked, dryly. + +"Cantor will report your knock-down feat to Captain Gales." + +"Let him. When he hears of the provocation Captain Gales will +exonerate me. Cantor will have to admit that he deliberately +insulted me." + +"If Cantor does admit it," muttered Danny Grin, doubtfully. "I +haven't any faith in Cantor's honor." + +"Why, he'll have to do it," Dave contended, proudly. "Cantor +is an officer in the United States Navy. Can you picture an officer +as telling a deliberate falsehood?" + +"It wouldn't be extremely difficult to picture Cantor as doing +anything unmanly," Dan replied, slowly. + +"Oh, but he couldn't tell a falsehood," Darrin protested. "That +would be impossible---against all the traditions of the service." + +"My infant," Dan retorted, "I am afraid that, some day, you will +have a rude awakening." + +While these events were happening Captain Gales was closely +questioning John Carmody. Coxswain Riley and Corporal Ross of +the marines had already been before him. + +As Darrin left his division officer's quarters Cantor turned to +wipe his stinging cheek, which he next examined closely in a glass. +Then he turned back to his desk, smiling darkly. + +Rapidly he wrote his comment on Darrin's report, signed his own +report, and then leaned back, thinking hard. + +"I'll do it!" he muttered, the sinister smile appearing again. + +Picking up his pen, He began to write a separate report, charging +Ensign David Darrin with viciously knocking him down while on duty. + +This report Cantor folded carefully, tucking it away in an inner +pocket of his undress blouse. Then, gathering up the other reports +in one hand, he pushed aside the curtain and stepped outside. + +"Hullo, Trent," he offered, in greeting, as that officer suddenly +appeared. + +"Cantor, I want to talk with you for a moment," urged Lieutenant +Trent. + +"Just now, I am on my way to the commanding officer with official +reports," Cantor objected. + +"But what I have to say is urgent," Trent insisted. "Can't you +spare me just a moment?" + +"If you'll be extremely brief," Cantor agreed, reluctantly. + +"You may think I am interfering," Trent went on, "but I wish to +say that I heard that fracas in your quarters, between yourself +and Darrin. I happened to be passing at the moment." + +Cantor gave an uneasy start. He felt a moment's fright, but hastily +recovered, for he was a quick thinker. + +"It was outrageous, wasn't it, Trent?" he demanded. + +"I should say that it was," replied his brother officer, though +he spoke mildly. + +"I don't know what to make of young Darrin," Cantor continued. +"First he insulted me, and then struck me." + +"Knocked you down, didn't he?" asked Trent. + +"Yes," nodded Cantor. + +"What are you trying to do to that youngster?" asked Trent, coolly. + +"What am I trying to do to him?" Cantor repeated, in seeming +astonishment. "Nothing, of course, unless I'm driven to it. But +Darrin insulted me, and then followed it up with a blow." + +Trent fixed his brother officer with a rather contemptuous glance +as he answered, stiffly. + +"Cantor, there are two marines aft. Go and tell your version +to the marines." + +"Are you going to call me a liar, too?" demanded Cantor, his eyes +blazing, as he turned a threatening face to Trent. + +"Keep cool," urged Lieutenant Trent, "and you'll get out of this +affair more easily than you would otherwise." + +"But you spoke," argued Cantor, "as though you doubted my word. +If you were outside my door at the time, then you know that I +asked Darrin, 'Am I a liar?' Then he struck me at once." + +"Are you going to prefer charges against Darrin for knocking you +down?" demanded Lieutenant Treat. + +"I am most certainly," nodded Cantor, taping his breast pocket +wherein hay the report. + +"Then I am obliged to tell you, Cantor," Lieutenant Trent went +on, "that at the courtmartial I shall be obliged to appear as +one of Darrin's witnesses. Further, I shall be obliged to testify +that you said to him, 'you lie.' Then Darrin knocked you down, +as any other self-respecting man must have done." + +"But I didn't tell him he lied," protested Cantor, with much seeming +warmth. "On the contrary, I asked him if he meant to imply that +I lied." + +"That may be your version, Cantor," Lieutenant Trent rejoined, +"but I have just told you what my testimony will have to be." + +"What's your interest in this Darrin fellow?" Cantor demanded, +half-sneeringly. + +"Why, in the first place," Trent answered, calmly, "I like Darrin. +And I regard him as an excellent, earnest, faithful, competent +young officer." + +"But why should you try to shield him, and throw me down, if this +matter comes before a court-martial?" + +"Because I am an officer," replied Trent, stiffly, drawing himself +up, "and also, I trust, a gentleman. It is both my sworn duty +and my inclination to see truth prevail at all times in the service." + +"But think it over, Trent," urged Lieutenant Cantor. "Now, aren't +you ready to admit that you heard me ask, 'Am I a liar'?" + +"I can admit nothing of the sort," Trent returned. Then, laying +a hand on the arm of the other lieutenant, Trent continued: + +"Cantor, all the signs point to the belief that we shall be at +war with Mexico at any time now. We can't afford to have the +ward-room mess torn by any court-martial charges against any officer, +unless he richly deserves the prosecution. Darrin doesn't; that +I know. I have no right to balk any officer who demands a courtmartial +of any one on board, but it is right and proper that I should +he prepared to take oath as to what I know of the merits of the +matter. I must assume, and I hope rightly, that you really have +an erroneous recollection of what passed before the blow was struck. +Cantor, you have the reputation of being a hard master with young +officers, but I know nothing affecting your good repute as an +officer and a gentleman. I am ready to believe that you, yourself, +have a wrong recollection of what you said, but I am very certain +as to the exact form of the words that I heard passed. Good night!" + +Barely returning the salutation, Cantor passed on to Captain Gales's +office, to which he was promptly admitted. + +The hour was late, but the commander of the "_Long Island_" was +anxious to get at the whole truth of the evening's affair ashore, +and so was still at his desk. + +"Oh, I am glad to see you, Lieutenant Cantor," was the captain's +greeting, as that officer appeared, after having sent in his +compliments. "You have both reports?" + +"Here they are, sir," replied the younger officer, laying them +on the desk. + +"Be seated, Lieutenant. I will go through these papers at once." + +For some minutes there was silence in the room, save for the rustling +of paper as Captain Gales turned a page. + +At last he glanced up from the reading. + +"I note, Lieutenant Cantor, that you are still of the opinion that +the fight could have been avoided." + +"That is my unalterable opinion, sir," replied the lieutenant. + +"You are aware, of course, Mr. Cantor, that your report will form +a part of the record that will go to the Navy Department, through +the usual official channels?" + +"I am well aware of that, sir." + +"Have you any other papers to submit in connection with Ensign +Darrin?" + +For the barest instant Lieutenant Cantor hesitated. + +Then he rose, as he replied: + +"No other papers, sir." + +"That is all, Lieutenant," nodded the captain, and returned his +subordinate officer's salute. + + + + +CHAPTER XII + +THE MAN OF THE EVIL EYE + + +"The captain's compliments, sir, and will Ensign Darrin report to +him immediately?" + +Darrin had dressed for breakfast the morning after, but there +were yet some minutes to spare before the call would come to the +ward-room mess. + +"My compliments to the captain, and I will report immediately," +Ensign Dave replied. + +Turning, he put on his sword and drew on his white gloves. Then, +with a glance over himself, he left his quarters, walking briskly +toward the commanding officer's quarters. + +Captain Gales, at his desk, received the young ensign's salute. +On the desk lay the papers in the matter of the night before. + +"Ensign, I have gone over the papers in last night's affair," +began the "Old Man," as a naval vessel's commander is called, +when not present. + +"Yes, sir?" + +The captain's face was inexpressive; it was impossible to tell +what was going on in his mind. + +"I have given careful attention to your report, and also to that +of Lieutenant Cantor. I have talked with Mr. Carmody, and have +asked Coxswain Riley and Corporal Ross some questions. And so +I have come to the decision-----" + +Here the captain paused for an instant. + +How Dave Darrin's heart thumped under his ribs. The next few +words would convey either censure, criticism or exoneration! + +"-----that Lieutenant Cantor's charges are not well sustained," +continued, Captain Gales. + +Dave Darrin could not repress the gleam of joy that flashed into +his eyes. The memory of the men killed under his command and the +present sufferings of the wounded had preyed upon him through a +long, wakeful night. + +But here was a veteran in the service, prepared, after hearing +all possible testimony, to declare that he, Darrin, was not blamable! + +"I had hoped," resumed Captain Gales, "that the affair on shore +could he conducted without firing a single shot, However, Ensign +Darrin, the fact has been established to my satisfaction that +you did your work well; that you did not allow your men to fire +a shot until you had been attacked in force. Nor did you fire +upon Mexican troups or reputable natives, but upon a body of +bandits---outlaws---who are enemies of all mankind. Not to have +returned the fire, under such circumstances, would have been +censurable conduct. That several times through the night you held +your party's fire, and at no time fired oftener than appeared to be +absolutely necessary, is established by the eye-witnesses with whom +I have talked. Nor were the losses to your command higher than +might have been looked for in a fight against superior numbers, such +as you encountered. I have endorsed these views of mine upon +Lieutenant Cantor's report and also upon your own. I can find no +fault with your course of action." + +"I cannot tell you, sir, how highly I appreciate your decision." + +"Of course you do, Darrin!" cried Captain Gales, holding out his +hand. "No young officer in the service enjoys being censured +when he has used the very best judgment with which Heaven has +endowed him. No man of earnest effort, likes to have his motives +questioned. And I am happy to say, Ensign Darrin, that I regard +you as the same faithful, hardworking officer that I considered +you when you had not been more than three days aboard the '_Long +Island_.' I congratulate you, Ensign, upon your skilful handling +of a bad situation last night. Now, I am not going to keep you +here longer, for mess call is due in two minutes, and you will +want your breakfast." + +With a heart full of joy and gratitude Dave hastened back to his +quarters, where he laid aside his sword and gloves. + +Just outside the ward-room door he encountered John Carmody, who +appeared to have been waiting there purposely. + +"Now, Mr. Darrin," cried the planter, holding out his hand, "I +want to try to give you some idea of my gratitude for the magnificent +work you did last night for my dear ones and our friends. I don't +know how to begin, but-----" + +"Please don't try to begin," laughed Dave. "An officer of the +American Navy should never be thanked for the performance of his +duty. I can't tell you how delighted I am that my efforts were +successful, and that the scoundrels, who had tried to violate +Mexico's sacred duty of hospitality, were roundly punished. Tell +me, sir, how are the ladies this morning?" + +"All of them are in excellent spirits, Mr. Darrin. I suppose +you have not seen them yet. They are in full possession of the +captain's quarters, and are at breakfast now." + +The breakfast call sounded, and in twos and threes the officers +of the "_Long Island_," passed into the ward-room. + +John Carmody was provided with a seat beside the chaplain. + +"Darrin, you lucky dog!" called Lieutenant-Commander Denton, as +soon as the officers were seated. + +"Am I really fortunate?" Dave smiled back. + +"Yes; for you were privileged to order the firing of the first +shots in the Mexican war that is now close at hand. You are, or +will be, historical, Darrin!" + +Dave's face clouded as he replied, gravely: + +"And I am also aware, sir, that I had the misfortune to lose the +first men killed." + +"That was regrettable," replied another officer, "but we of the +Navy expect to go down some day. The two men who were killed +died for the honor and credit of the service, and of the Flag, +which we serve. It is the lot of all of us, Darrin. If war comes +many a soldier and sailor will find an honored grave, and perhaps +not a few here will lose their mess numbers. It's just the way +of the service, Darrin!" + +"Cantor, you were out of luck last night," observed Lieutenant +Holton, who sat next to him. + +"In what way?" asked Cantor, but he flushed deeply. + +"You had only a boat ride, and missed the fight," replied Holton. + +"Oh!" replied Cantor, and felt relieved, for he had thought that +Holton referred to something else. + +"Where are we heading now?" asked Dave. + +"Didn't you notice the course?" inquired Dalzell. + +"About westerly, isn't it?" + +"Yes; we are bound for Vera Cruz," Danny Grin answered. "We shall +be there in two hours. Mr. Carmody and his party have no notion +of going back to their plantation at present. Instead, they'll +take a steamer to New York." + +Breakfast was nearly over when an orderly appeared, bringing an +envelope, which he handed to Commander Bainbridge. + +"Pardon me," said the executive officer to the officers on either +side of him. Then he examined the paper contained in the envelope. + +"Gentlemen," called Commander Bainbridge, "I have some information +that I will announce to you, briefly, as soon as the meal is over." + +Every eye was turned on the executive officer. After a few moments +he continued: + +"Yesterday, at Tampico, an officer and boatcrew of men went ashore +in a launch from the 'dolplin.' The boat flew the United States +Flag, and the officer and men landed to attend to the purchase +of supplies. An officer of General Huerta's Federal Army arrested +our officer and his men. They were released a little later, but +Admiral Mayo demanded a formal apology and a salute of twenty-one +guns to our insulted Flag. Some sort of apology has been made +to Admiral Mayo, but it was not satisfactory, and the gun salute +was refused. Admiral Mayo has sent the Mexican Federal commander +at Tampico something very much like an ultimatum. Unless a +satisfactory apology is made, and the gun salute is fired, the +Washington government threatens to break off all diplomatic +relations with Mexico and to make reprisals. That is the full +extent of the news, so far as it has reached us by wireless." + +"_War_!" exploded Lieutenant-Commander Eaton. + +"We mustn't jump too rapidly at conclusions," Commander Bainbridge +warned his hearers. + +"But it _does_ mean war, doesn't it?" asked Lieutenant Holton. +"That chap, Huerta, will be stiff-necked about yielding a gun +salute after it has been refused, and Mexican pride will back +him up in it. The Mexicans hate us as only jealous people can +hate. The Mexicans won't give in. On the other hand, our country +has always been very stiff over any insult to the Flag. So what +hope is there that war can be averted? Reprisals between nations +are always taken by the employment of force, and surely any force +that we employ against Mexico can end in nothing less than war." + +As the officers left the table nothing was talked of among them +except the news from Tampico. + +The rumor spread rapidly forward. Cheering was heard from the +forecastle. + +"The jackies have the word," chuckled Dan Dalzell. "They're sure +to be delighted over any prospect of a fight." + +"If we have a real fight," sighed Darrin, his mind on the night +before, "a lot of our happy jackies will be sent home in boxes +to their friends." + +"A small lot the jackies care about that," retorted Danny Grin. +"Show me, if you can, anywhere in the world, a body of men who +care less about facing death than the enlisted men in the United +States Navy!" + +"Of course we should have interfered in Mexico long ago," Dave +went on. "Serious as the Flag incident is, there have been outrages +ten-fold worse than that. I shall never be able to down the feeling +that we have been, as a people, careless of our honor in not long +ago stepping in to put a stop to the outrages against Americans +that have been of almost daily occurrence in Mexico." + +"If fighting does begin," asked Dalzell, suddenly, "where do we +of the Navy come in? Shelling a few forts, possibly, and serving +in the humdrum life of blockade duty." + +"If we land in Mexico," Dave retorted, "there will be one stern +duty that will fall to the lot of the Navy. The Army won't be +ready in time for the first landing on Mexican soil. That will +be the duty of the Navy. If we send a force of men ashore at +Tampico, or possibly Vera Cruz, it will have to be a force of +thousands of our men, for the Mexicans will resist stubbornly, +and there'll be a lot of hard fighting for the Navy before Washington +has the Army in shape to land. Never fear, Danny boy! We are +likely to see enough active service!" + +Dave soon went to the bridge to stand a trick of watch duty with +Lieutenant Cantor. + +For an hour no word was exchanged between the two officers. Cantor +curtly transmitted orders through petty officers on the deck below. +Dave kept to his own, the starboard side of the bridge, his alert +eyes on his duty. There was no chance to exchange even a word +on the all-absorbing topic of the incident at Tampico. + +Vera Cruz, lying on a sandy stretch of land that was surrounded +by marshes, was soon sighted, and the "_Long Island_" stood in +toward the harbor in which the Stars and Stripes fluttered from +several other American warships lying at anchor. + +A messenger from the executive officer appeared on the bridge +with the information that, after the ship came to anchor, Ensign +Dalzell would be sent in one of the launches to convey the Carmody +party ashore. + +There was no chance for the rescued ones to come forward to say +good-bye to Darrin on the bridge, for they went over the port +side into the waiting launch. + +Dalzell, however, manoeuvred the launch so that she passed along +the ship's side. + +A call, and exclamations in feminine voices attracted Dave's notice. + +"Mr. Darrin, Mr. Darrin!" called four women at once, as they waved +their handkerchiefs to him. Dave, cap in hand, returned their +salute. + +"Thank you again, Mr. Darrin." + +"We won't say good-bye," called Mrs. Carmody, "for we shall hope +to meet you and your splendid boat-crew again." + +At that the jackies on the forecastle set up a tremendous cheering. + +Not until Dave had gone off duty did another launch put out from +the "_Long Island_." That craft bore to one of the docks two +metal caskets. Brief services had been held over the remains of +the sailor and the marine killed the night before, and now the +bodies were to be sent home to the relatives. + +After luncheon a messenger summoned Ensign Darrin to Commander +Bainbridge's office. + +"Ensign Darrin," said the executive officer, "here are some +communications to be taken ashore to the office of the American +consul. You will use number three launch, and take a seaman +orderly with you." + +"Aye, aye, sir." + +Darrin went over the side, followed by Seaman Rogers, who had +been in the landing party the night before, Both were soon ashore. +Rogers, who knew where the consul's office was, acted as guide. + +Crowds on the street eyed the American sailors with no very pleasant +looks. + +"Those Greasers are sullen, sir," said Seaman Rogers. + +"I expected to find them so," Ensign Darrin answered. + +They had not gone far when a man astride a winded, foam-flocked +horse rode up the street. + +"Do you know that man, sir?" asked Seaman Rogers, in an excited +whisper. + +"The bandit, Cosetta!" Dave muttered. + +"The same, sir." + +But Darrin turned and walked on again, for he saw that the recognition +had been mutual. + +Espying the young ensign, Cosetta reined in sharply before a group +of Mexicans, whose glances he directed at Dave Darrin. + +"There he goes, the turkey-cock, strutting young officer," cried +Cosetta harshly in his own tongue. "Eye the young Gringo upstart +well. You must know him again, for he is to be a marked man in the +streets of Vera Cruz!" + +It was a prediction full of ghastly possibilities for Ensign +Dave Darrin! + + + + +CHAPTER XIII + +"AFTER THE RASCAL!" + + +Seaman Rogers led the way briskly to the American consulate. + +"The consul is engaged, sir, with the Jefe Politico," explained +a clerk at a desk in an outer office. "Will you wait, or have you +papers that can be left with me?" + +"Thank you; I shall he obliged to wait," Dave decided, "since +I was instructed to hand the papers to the consul himself." + +He took a chair at a vacant desk, picking up a late issue of a +New Orleans daily paper and scanning the front page. + +Seaman Rogers strolled to the entrance, watching the passing crowds +of Mexicans. + +"Is there any very late news from Tampico?" Darrin inquired, presently. + +"Nothing later than the news received this morning," the clerk +replied. + +"The bare details of the dispute there over the insult to the Flag?" +Darrin inquired. + +"That is all, sir," the clerk replied. + +So Dave turned again to the newspaper. Several things were happening +in the home country that interested him. + +"It was half an hour before the _Jefe Politico_, a Mexican official, +corresponding somewhat to a mayor in an American city, passed +through on his way out. + +"You will be able to see the consul, now," suggested the clerk, +so Dave rose at once, passing into the inner office, where he +was pleasantly greeted. + +Dave laid a sealed packet of papers on the desk before the consul. + +"If you have time to wait, pardon me while I glance at the enclosures," +said the consul. + +Ensign Darrin took a seat near a window, while the official went +rapidly through the papers submitted to him. + +Some were merely communications to go forward to the United States +in the consular mailbag. + +Still other papers required careful consideration. + +"If you will excuse me," said the consul, rising, "I will go into +another room to dictate a letter that I wish to send to your captain." + +Dave passed through another half hour of waiting. + +"It will be some time before the papers are ready," reported the +consul, on his return. "In the meantime, Mr. Darrin, I am quite +at your service." + +"I wonder if you have received any further news about the Tampico +incident," Dave smiled, questioningly. + +"Nothing further, I fancy, than was sent by wireless to all the +American warships in these waters." + +"Is that incident going to lead to war?" Darrin asked. + +"It is hard to say," replied the consul, musingly. "But the people +at home are very much worked up over it." + +"They are?" asked Dave, eagerly. + +"Indeed, yes! In general, the American press predicts that now +nothing is so likely as United States intervention in this distracted +country. Some of our American editors even declare boldly that +the time has come to bring about the permanent occupation and +annexation of Mexico." + +"I hope our country won't go that far," Dave exclaimed, with a +gesture of disgust. "I should hate to think of having to welcome +the Mexicans as fellow citizens of the great republic." + +"I don't believe that we need worry about it," smiled the consul. +"It is only the jingo papers that are talking in that vein." + +"How does Congress feel about the situation?" Dave asked. + +"Why, I am glad to say that Congress appears to be in line for as +strong action as the government may wish to take." + +"It really looks like war, then." + +"It looks as though our troops might land on the Mexican coast +by way of reprisal," replied the consul. "That would bring stubborn +resistance from the Mexicans, and then, as a result, intervention +would surely follow. There may be men with minds bright enough +to see the difference between armed intervention and war." + +"I'm stupid then," Ensign Dave smiled. "I can't see any difference +in the actual results. So you believe, sir, that the people of +the United States are practically a unit for taking a strong hand +in Mexican affairs?" + +"The people of the United States have wanted just that action for +at least two years," the consul answered. + +"That was the way it looked to me," Dave nodded. "By the way, +sir, did you hear anything about an armed encounter between a +naval party and Cosetta's bandits last night?" + +"Why, yes," cried the consul, "and now I remember that the landing +party was sent from your ship. What can you tell me about that?" + +Dave Darrin gave a brief account of the doings of the night before, +though he did not mention the fact that he, himself, was in command +of the landing party of rescuers. + +"It was a plucky bit of work," commented the consul. + +"Will that fight with Cosetta inflame the Mexican mind?" Dave +asked. + +"It is likely to have something of that effect upon the Mexicans," +the consul replied, "though Mexico can hardly make any legal +objection to the affair, for Cosetta is a notorious bandit, and +bandits have no rights. The Mexican government appears to have +been unable to rescue the prisoners, so the United States forces +had an undoubted right to do so. Do you know anything about this +fellow, Cosetta, Mr. Darrin?" + +"I never heard of him before yesterday," Dave confessed. + +"He is a troublesome fellow, and rather dangerous. More than +once he has extorted large sums of ransom money for prisoners. +He has a large following, even here in Vera Cruz, where he maintains +his little force of spies and assassins. Whenever a wealthy Mexican +hereabouts has had an enemy that he wanted 'removed,' he has always +been able to accomplish his wish with the aid of this same fellow, +Cosetta." + +"Cosetta is in town to-day," Dave remarked. + +"Are you sure of that?" + +"I saw him here," Darrin replied, quietly. + +"Then you must have been the officer in command of last night's +landing party." + +"I was." replied Dave Darrin, shortly. + +"Then, Mr. Darrin," said the Consul, earnestly, "I am going to +give you a bit of advice that I hope you won't disregard. Cosetta +may feel deep resentment against you, for you thwarted his plans. +Probably, too, you were the cause of laying several of his men +low last night. Cosetta won't forget or forgive you. Whenever +you are in time streets of Vera Cruz I would advise you to keep +your eyes wide open. Cosetta might detail a couple of his worthless +desperadoes to bury their knives in your back. This bandit has +done such things before, nor is it at all easy to punish him, +for the scoundrel has many surprisingly loyal friends in Vera +Cruz. In a more strictly-governed country he would be arrested +in the city streets as soon as pointed out, but in Mexico the +bandit is likely to be a popular hero, and certainly Cosetta is +that in Vera Cruz. If he were wanted here for a crime, there +are hundreds of citizens who would gladly hide him in their homes. +On any day in the week Cosetta could easily recruit a hundred +men for his band. Perhaps he is now in town on that errand." + +"I have an idea that the fellow is dangerous," Darrin nodded. +"Still, here in Vera Cruz, with scores of American sailors usually +in sight on the streets, it seems to me hardly likely that Cosetta +would instruct his men to attack me. The sailors would interfere. +Certainly they would lay hold of the assassin." + +"Ah, but the sailors do not come ashore armed," the consul warned +his visitor. "On the other hand, most of the Mexicans go about +to-day with arms concealed about them. A fight between a sailor +and a Mexican might, just now, be enough to start a riot." + +Dave listened attentively. He was not in the least alarmed by +the possibility of an attack being made upon his person, but he +had the natural distaste of a naval officer for being the innocent +cause of strained relations between his country and another nation. + +When the stenographer brought in the papers that had been dictated +to him, the consul looked them through, then signed them. + +"Here is a packet of communications for your captain," said the +consul, handing a bulky envelope to Darrin. "One of the communications +enclosed, Mr. Darrin, is of so important a nature that you will +have an added reason for keeping your weather eye open against +any form of trouble that Senor Cosetta might start for you in +the streets." + +"At any time and in any place," Dave smiled, earnestly, "I would +take the best possible care of official papers entrusted to me." + +"I am aware of that, Mr. Darrin," replied the consul smiling. +"But the paper in question is one that it would greatly embarrass +the United States to have fall into improper hands. That is my +only excuse for having cautioned you so particularly." + +Seaman Rogers was waiting at the door. He saluted when Ensign +Darrin appeared, then fell in a few paces behind his officer. + +A short distance away a carriage stood before the door of a private +banker. A woman of perhaps thirty came out through the doorway, +carrying a small handbag. + +Seeming almost to rise from the ground, so suddenly did he appear, +a ragged Mexican bumped violently against the woman. + +There was a scream, and in a twinkling the ragged Mexican was +in full flight, carrying the handbag as he ran. + +"After that rascal, Rogers!" cried Dave Darrin, aghast at the +boldness of this daylight robbery. + +"Aye, aye, sir, and with a hearty good will!" called back Rogers, +as both sailors started in full chase. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV + +A "FIND" OF A BAD KIND + + +In the nature of timings it could not be a long chase, for Ensign +Dave Darrin was a swift runner, of many years' training. + +Rogers, slim and lithe, was also an excellent runner. + +Less than a block's distance, and Darrin had gripped the fleeing +Mexican by the collar. + +His left hand reached for the bag, and in a moment Dave had it +in his custody. Not a man of the Vera Cruz police force was in +sight, to whom to turn the wretch over, so Darrin flung the fellow +from him. + +That the handbag had not been opened Darrin was sure, for he had +kept his eye upon it through the chase. + +Going to the ground in a heap, the Mexican thief was upon his +feet instantly. A knife glittered in his right hand as he rushed +at the young ensign. + +But Seaman Rogers was too quick for the fellow. One of his feet +shot up, the kick landing on the Mexican's wrist. That kick broke +the fellow's wrist and sent the knife spinning through the air. + +"We must go back to the woman from whom this was taken," Dave +declared, and he and Rogers faced about, walking briskly back +to the carriage. + +The woman was completely unnerved, and trembling with fright. +Her coachman stood beside her, and already a crowd of a dozen +curious natives had gathered. + +"Is this your property, madam?" Dave Darrin inquired, holding up +the bag. + +"Yes, it is!" she cried, in excellent English. "Oh, thank you! +Thank you!" + +Hastily she opened the bag, disclosing a thick roll of bills. + +"It is all I have in the world," she murmured, her eyes now filling +with tears. + +"It looks to me like a whole lot and then plenty more," uttered +Seaman Rogers under his breath. "Whee! There must be a fortune +there." + +"I am afraid you will not be safe in the streets of Vera Cruz +with so much money in your possession," Dave assured her gravely. + +"I am going only as far as the docks," the woman answered. "If +I may have escort that far-----" + +"You shall," Dave offered. + +Another score of natives had hastened to the spot, and were looking +on curiously with sullen, lowering faces. Darrin began to fear +that the plot to rob this woman of her money was a well planned +one, with many thieves interested in it. + +Through the crack of a slightly opened doorway the face of Cosetta, +the bandit, appeared, his evil eyes glittering strangely. + +Dave looked up swiftly, his eyes turned straight on those of the +bandit. + +"It's a plot, sure enough!" gasped the young ensign to himself. +"We shall be attacked, and the crowd is too big for us to handle" + +He was not afraid for himself, and he knew well that Seaman Rogers +was "aching" for a chance to turn his hard fists loose on this +rascally lot of Mexicans. But a rush would probably secure the +bag of money for the bandits, and the woman herself might be roughly +handled, It was a ticklish situation. + +"You are from an American warship, are you not?" inquired the +woman. + +"From the _Long Island_, madam," the young officer informed her. + +"I am an American citizen, too," she claimed. + +"No matter to what nationality you belonged, we would protect you to +the best of our ability," Darrin added, raising his cap. + +Whump! whump! whump! whump! It was the sound of steadily marching +feet. Then around the corner came a boatswain's mate and eight +keep even a crowd of rascals in order men from one of the American +warships. It was a shore duty party returning to a ship! + +"Boatswain's mate!" Dave shouted. "Here!" + +"Aye, aye, sir!" + +On the double quick came the shore duty party. Dave Darrin found +himself surrounded by blue jackets. + +"This lady is very nervous, and with good reason," Dave explained +to the boatswain's mate. "She just had a handbag of money snatched +from her by a thief. The bag has been returned, and now she wishes +our escort to the dock, that she may not be attacked again. She +is on her way to board a ship that will take her back to the United +States. Boatswain's mate, I wish you would ride in the carriage +at her side, while the rest of us walk on the sidewalk close to +the carriage." + +"Aye, aye, sir!" responded the mate, saluting, then turning and +lifting his cap gracefully to the woman. He helped her into the +carriage, then took his seat beside her. + +Dave and the nine seamen remained on the sidewalk, but kept close +to the carriage as the horses moved along at a walk. Darrin had +no further fear that another attempt would be made to seize the +money by force. Eleven men from the American Navy are guard enough +to keep even a crowd of rascals in order. + +"Since Cosetta was looking on from the doorway, that must have +been one of his jobs, engineered by him, and carried out by his +own men," Dave told himself, swiftly. "Most of the men in the +crowd must have been his own men, too, posted to take the money +again, under pretense that a fight with sailors had started. +So I've been the means of blocking another profitable enterprise +for that fellow, Cosetta. By and by the scoundrel will feel a +deep liking for me!" + +The first thief, he whose wrist Seaman Rogers had broken, had +promptly vanished. Unmolested, the blue-jackets escorted the +carriage out on to a dock next to the one at which the launch +from the "_Long Island_" lay. + +Dave himself assisted the woman to alight from her carriage on +the dock, at the end of which lay an American steamship. + +After she had thanked the young officer earnestly, Darrin, cap +in hand, remarked: + +"I am afraid I shall have to trouble you, madam, for your name. +I shall have to turn in a report on this occurrence on my return +to my ship." + +"I am Mrs. Alice Black," replied the woman. "My home is in Elberon, +Ohio, and I shall probably go there soon after I reach New York. +This steamship does not sail immediately, but my money will be +safe on board with the purser." + +Darrin gave his own name. + +"You have done me the greatest service possible, Mr. Darrin, for +you have saved me from utter poverty." + +"Then I am very glad indeed," Dave assured her, and promptly took +his leave. + +Before going off the dock Darrin secured the name of the boatswain's +mate, also, for inclusion in his report. + +Then, with Rogers, he returned to the launch and was speedily +back on his own ship. + +The packet of papers entrusted to him by the consul were at once +handed over to Captain Gales. + +The launch was left fast to a swinging boom, and soon after was +employed to take ashore Lieutenant Cantor, who had received shore +leave for a few hours. + +For the first time in several days, Dave and Dan had time to chat +together that afternoon. That was after Darrin had turned in +a brief report on the assistance rendered an American woman ashore. + +"Cantor seems to have let up on you, apart from being as grouchy +as he knows how to be," Danny Grin observed. + +"That is because there is nothing he can really do to me," Dave +answered, with a smile. + +"Just the same," urged Dan, "I would advise you at all times to +keep your weather eye turned toward that chap." + +"He really isn't worth the trouble," Dave yawned, behind his hand. +"And, fortunately, I shall not always be compelled to serve under +him. Officers are frequently transferred, you know." + +"If Cantor found the chance, you might last only long enough to +be transferred back to civil life," Dan warned him. "Dave, I +wish you would really be more on your guard against the only enemy, +so far as I know, that you have." + +"I'm not interested in Cantor," retorted Dave. "It would do me +a heap more good to know what reply General Huerta will finally +make to the American demand for satisfaction over the Tampico +incident." + +"Huerta won't give in," Dan predicted. "If he did, he would he +killed by his own Mexican rabble." + +"If Huerta resists, then he'll have to fight," Dave exclaimed, +warmly. + +"And if he fights most of the Mexicans will probably stand by +him," Dalzell contended. His only hope of saving his own skin +lies in provoking Uncle Sam into sending a spanking expedition. +At the worst, Huerta, if badly beaten by our troops, can surrender +to our commander, and then he'll have a chance to get out of Mexico +alive. If Huerta gave in to us, he would have all the Mexican +people against him, and he'd only fall into the hands of the rebels, +who would take huge delight in killing him offhand. It's a queer +condition, isn't it, when Huerta's only hope of coming out alive +hangs on his making war against a power like the United States." + +"Open for callers?" inquired Lieutenant Trent's voice, outside +Dan's door. + +"Come in, by all means," called Ensign Dalzell. + +Lieutenant Trent entered, looking as though he were well satisfied +with himself on this warm April day in the tropics. + +"You look unusually jovial," Dan remarked. + +"And why shouldn't I?" Trent asked. "For years the Navy has been +working out every imaginable problem of attack and defense. Now, +we shall have a chance to apply some of our knowledge." + +"In fighting the Mexican Navy?" laughed Dave. + +"Hardly that," grinned the older officer. "But at least we shall +have landing-party practice, and in the face of real bullets." + +"If Huerta doesn't back down," Dave suggested. + +"He won't," Danny Grin insisted. "He can't---doesn't dare." + +"Do you realize what two of our greatest problems are to-day?" +asked Lieutenant Trent. + +"Attack on battleships by submarines and airships?" Dave inquired, +quietly. + +"Yes," Trent nodded. + +"Huerta hasn't any submarines," Dan offered. + +"We haven't heard of any," Trent replied, "Yet how can we be sure +that he hasn't any submarine craft?" + +"He has an airship or two, though, I believe," Dave went on. + +"He is believed to have two in the hands of the Mexican Federal +Army," Lieutenant Trent continued. "I have just heard that, if +we send a landing party ashore on a hostile errand, on each warship +an officer and a squad of men will be stationed by a searchlight +all through the dark hours. That searchlight will keep the skies +lighted in the effort to discover an airship." + +"And we ought to be able to bring it down with a six-pounder shell," +Danny Grin declared, promptly. + +"There is a limit to the range of a six-pounder, or any other +gun, especially when firing at high elevation," Trent retorted. +"An airship can reach a height above the range of any gun that +can be trained on the sky. For instance, we can't fire a shell +that will go three miles up into the air, yet that is a very ordinary +height at which to run a biplane. Have you heard that, a year +or more ago, an English aviator flew over warships at a height +greater than the gunners below could possibly have reached? And +did you know that the aviator succeeded in dropping oranges down +the funnels of English warships? Suppose those oranges had been +bombs?" + +"The warship would have been sunk," Darrin answered. + +"Huerta's bird men might be able to give us a surprise like that," +Trent suggested. "That may prove to be one of the new problems +that we shall have to work out." + +"Oh, I've worked that out already," yawned Danny Grin. "All we +have to do is to equip our funnels with heavy iron caps that will +not interfere with the draft of the furnaces, but will keep any +oranges---bombs, I mean---from dropping down the funnels." + +"All right then," added Lieutenant Trent. "We will consider Dalzell +has solved the problem of keeping bombs out of our funnels. What +is Dalzell going to do about contact bombs that might be dropped +on deck or superstructure of a battleship?" + +"All I can see for that," grinned Dan, "is to call loudly for +the police." + +"One biplane might succeed in sinking all the warships gathered +at Vera Cruz," Trent continued. + +"Was that the thought that made you look so happy when you came +in here?" Dan asked, reproachfully. "The thought that you could +scare two poor little ensigns so badly that they wouldn't be able +to sleep to-night?" + +"That was far from my plan," laughed Trent. "What I am really +happy about is that, the way affairs are shaping, we shall soon +be studying real war problems instead of theoretical ones." + +"The question of uniform is bothering me more," Dave responded. +"Do you realize, Trent, that we have only blue uniforms and white +ones on board? If we land, to capture Vera Cruz, are our men +to be tortured in heavy, hot, blue uniforms here in the tropics? +Or are we to wear these white clothes and make ourselves the +most perfect marks for the enemy's sharpshooters?" + +"You should have more confidence in the men forward," half jeered +the lieutenant. "Our jackies are taking care of that problem +already. They are soaking nails and scrap iron in water, and +dyeing their white uniforms yellow with iron rust." + +"Say, that is an idea!" exclaimed Dan, sitting bolt upright. +"I'm going to do that very thing to-night. I have one white uniform +that isn't in very good shape." + +"I suppose you fellows have heard the word?" inquired Lieutenant +Holton, looking in. + +"Not war?" asked Trent. + +"No," uttered Holton, disgustedly. "Worse than that. Shore leave +has been stopped for officers and men alike. And I was counting +on a pleasant evening ashore to-night!" + +"It won't bother me any," Dave announced. "I'd rather stay on +board and sleep against the stirring times, when we won't be able +to get sleep enough." + +"What's the idea, anyway, in stopping shore leave?" asked Trent. +"Is the admiral afraid that we'll start a row on shore?" + +"I don't know," sighed Lieutenant Holton. "I only wish that I +had got ashore before the order was handed out." + +At that very moment Lieutenant Cantor, who had returned to ship, +and had just heard the order, was standing before Captain Gales +in the latter's office. + +"But, sir," stammered the young officer, "It is absolutely necessary +that I go ashore again to-morrow. It is vital to me, sir." + +"I am sorry, Cantor," said Captain Gales, "but the admiral's orders +leave me no discretion in the matter." + +Captain Gales, as he spoke, turned his back in order to reach +for a report book behind hum. + +Ten minutes later Commander Bainbridge was summoned in hot haste +to the Captain's office. + +"Bainbridge," announced Captain Gales, his face stern and set, "at +three o'clock a bulky envelope lay on my desk. That envelope +contained the full plan of the Navy landing in Vera Cruz, in case +such landing becomes necessary. All that we are to accomplish, and +even the duties of the different officers and detachments from this +fleet were stated in that letter. Not later than within the last +half-hour that envelope has disappeared!" + +Instantly Commander Bainbridge's face became grave indeed. + +"Have you been out of the room, sir?" asked Bainbridge. + +"Only once, and then, so the marine orderly at the door informs me, +no one entered here." + +"This is serious!" cried the executive officer." + +"Serious?" repeated Captain Gales in a harsh tone. "I should +say it was." + +"Let us search the room thoroughly, sir," begged the executive +officer. + +Though no search could have been more thorough, the missing envelope +was not found. + +"Summon the officers---all of them---to meet me in the ward-room in +five minutes!" rasped Captain Gales. + +And there every officer of the "_Long Island_" reported immediately. +After the doors had been closed Captain Gales announced the loss. +Blank faces confronted him on all sides. + +"Has any officer any information to offer that can throw the least +light on thus matter?" demanded the Old Man, in a husky voice. + +There was silence, broken at last by Lieutenant Cantor asking: + +"May I make a suggestion, sir?" + +"Certainly." + +"How many officers, sir, visited your office after the time you +are certain of having seen the missing envelope on your desk?" + +"Five," replied Captain Gales. "Lieutenant-Commander Denton, +Lieutenant-Commander Hansen, Lieutenant Holton, Lieutenant Trent +and yourself." + +"Were there any enlisted men in your office, sir?" + +"None since before the letter came aboard," replied Captain Gales. + +"Then I would beg to suggest, sir," Lieutenant Cantor continued, +"that each of the five officers you have named, myself included, +request that their quarters be thoroughly searched. If the missing +envelope is not found in their quarters, then I would suggest +that the quarters of every other officer on board be searched." + +To this there was a low murmur of approval. The executive officer +was instructed to take the chaplain, the surgeon and two other +officers beside himself, these five to form the searching committee. +In the meantime, the officers were to remain in the ward-room +or on the quarterdeck. + +Dave, Dan and Trent seated themselves at the mess table. Time +dragged by. At last the searching committee, looking grave indeed, +returned. + +"Is this the envelope, sir?" asked Commander Bainbridge, holding +it out. + +"It is," replied Captain Gales, scanning it. "But the envelope +has now no contents." + +"We found only the envelope, sir," replied Commander Bainbridge, +while his four helpers looked uncomfortable. "We found the envelope +tucked in a berth, under the mattress, in the quarters of an officer +of this ship." + +"And who was the officer in whose quarters you found it?" demanded +Captain Gales. + +"Ensign Darrin, sir!" replied the executive officer. + + + + +CHAPTER XV + +READY FOR VERA CRUZ + + +"Ensign Darrin"---and the Old Man's voice was more impressive than +any officer present remembered ever to have heard it before---"what +do you know of this matter?" + +Though the shock had struck him like an actual blow, Dave Darrin +steadied both himself and his voice as he replied: + +"I know nothing whatever about it, sir, that is not common knowledge +to everyone in this room." + +"Then you did not take this envelope from my room?" demanded Captain +Gales. + +"I did not, sir." + +"And you did not receive it from any one else?" + +"I did not, sir." + +"You have no knowledge of how this envelope came to be in your +quarters?" + +"I have not the least knowledge in the world, sir." + +Captain Gales debated the matter in his own distressed mind. +Dave Darrin stood there, white faced and dignified, his bearing +perfect. + +He looked, every inch a true-hearted young American naval officer. +Yet he was resting under a terrible suspicion. + +"You may go, gentlemen," announced the captain. "I ask you to +see to it that no word of this matter leaks out among the men +forward. Ensign Darrin, you will report to me at my office just +as soon as you think I have had time to reach there before you." + +Several of the officers walked hastily away. Others hung aloof, +shaking their heads. Lieutenant Trent led about a dozen men who +pressed around Dave Darrin, offering him their hands. + +"It would take the strongest kind of proof to make me believe +anything wrong in you, Darrin," declared Trent. + +Others in the little group offered similar words of faith and +cheer. But Dave broke away from them after expressing his gratitude. +His head very erect and his shoulders squared, the young ensign +walked to the captain's office. + +"Darrin," began the Old Man, "if you are as innocent as I want +to believe you to be in this matter, then do all in your power +to help me clear your name." + +"Very good, sir," Dave responded. "In the first place, sir, the +important letter was in its envelope when I turned over to you +the package entrusted to me by the consul." + +"It was," nodded Captain Gales. + +"And I have not since been in your office, sir. You know that +of your own knowledge, and from what the marine orderly has been +able to inform you, sir?" + +"I am satisfied that you were not in thus office after you delivered +the packet," replied the Old Man. + +"Then I could not have taken it from your desk, sir." + +"I am well satisfied of that," assented Captain Gales. "The only +untoward circumstance is that the envelope was found in your quarters." + +"Then, sir," Dave argued, "it is established that I could not +have been the principal in the theft that was committed in your +office this afternoon. That being so, the only suspicion possibly +remaining against me is that I may have been an accomplice." + +"No lawyer could have put that more clearly," replied Captain +Gales. + +"Now, sir," Dave continued, bravely, "if the important letter +of instructions, or even if only the envelope had been handed +me, is it likely, sir, that I would have hidden it under my mattress, +when I might as readily have burned it or dropped it overboard?" + +"Any clear-headed man, I admit," said the Captain, "would have +destroyed the useless envelope sooner than have it found in his +possession." + +"The only possible use to which the otherwise useless envelope +could have been put, sir, was to incriminate me. Would I have +saved the envelope and by so doing taken a chance that could only +ruin me? Of what service could the letter be to me, sir? I could +not take it ashore, sir, for instance, to dispose of it to the +Mexican officials, who probably would pay handsomely to get hold +of the American naval plans. I have not asked for shore leave, +sir. May I ask, sir, how many officers received shore leave, +and used it, after I returned to the ship?" + +"Only one, Darrin; that was Lieutenant Cantor." + +Dave bit his lips; he had not intended to try to direct suspicion +from himself to any other officer. + +"So it might seem possible," mused Captain Gales, aloud, "that +Lieutenant Cantor might have obtained the letter and turned over +the envelope to you to destroy, Darrin. I am stating, mind you, +only a possibility in the way of suspicion." + +"Lieutenant Cantor and I are not on friendly terms," Dave answered, +quickly. Then once more he bit his lip. + +But the Old Man regarded him keenly, asking: "What is wrong between +Cantor and yourself?" + +"I spoke too quickly, sir," Dave confessed, reddening slightly. +"I have no complaint to make against Lieutenant Cantor. The +one statement I feel at liberty to make is that an antipathy exists +between Lieutenant Cantor and I. I would suggest, further, that +Lieutenant Cantor, even had he stolen the letter, could have taken +it only after his return on board. So that he had no opportunity +to carry it ashore, had he been scoundrel enough to wish to do so." + +Captain Gales leaned back, blankly studying the bulk-head before +him. Disturbing thoughts were now running in the Old Man's mind. + +"Cantor was in this room," mused Captain Gales, "and it was some +time afterwards that I missed the envelope. Then, too, Cantor +fairly begged for more shore leave, and told me that it was vital +to him to be allowed further shore leave. Still, again, in the +ward-room it was Cantor who suggested that the officers' quarters +be searched. Can it be that Cantor is the scoundrel? I hate +to believe it. But then I hate equally to believe that Darrin +could have done such a treasonable thing as to steal a copy of +our landing instructions, prepared by the admiral and sent aboard +through the consular office, so that the Mexicans ashore would +not observe a great deal of communication between our ships." + +After some moments of thought Captain Gales announced: + +"Darrin, this thing is one of the most complex puzzles I have +ever been called upon to solve. Your conduct and answers have +been straightforward, and I am unable to believe that you had +any hand in the stealing or handling of that accursed envelope." + +"Thank you, sir!" Dave Darrin cried, in genuine gratitude. + +"At dinner in the ward-room to-night I shall have Commander Bainbridge +make announcement before all your brother officers of what I have +just said," continued Captain Gales. "You may go now." + +Yet, as he spoke, the captain rose and held out his hand. Dave +grasped it, then saluted and turned away. + +His bearing, as he went to Dalzell's quarters, was as proud as +ever, though in his mind Dave Darrin knew well enough that he +was still under a cloud of suspicion that would never be removed +entirely from his good name unless the real culprit should be +found and exposed. + +"Moreover," Dave told himself, bitterly, "Cantor, if he is the +one who has done this contemptible thing, may yet devise a way +clever enough to convict me, or at least to condemn me in the +service." + +At dinner, before the first course was served, Commander Bainbridge +ordered the ward-room doors closed after the attendants had passed +outside. Then he stated that Captain Gales wished it understood +that the finding of the telltale envelope under Ensign Darrin's +mattress was the only circumstance against that officer, and that, +in the captain's opinion, it was wholly likely that some one else +had placed the envelope there with the intention of arousing suspicion +against the officer named. It was further stated that, in time, +Captain Gales hopes to reach all the facts in the mystery. The +Captain wished it understood, stated the executive officer, that +it would have been so stupid on Ensign Darrin's part to have hidden +the envelope where it was found that there was no good reason for +believing that Ensign Darrin was guilty of anything worse than +having an enemy. + +While this statement was being made Dave sat with his gaze riveted +to the face of Lieutenant Cantor. The officer looked stolid, but +his stolidity had the appearance of being assumed. + +There was instant applause from some of the officers. This, being +heard by sailors on duty outside, started the rumor that the officers +had heard that an immediate landing was to be made in Vera Cruz or +at Tampico. Thus, the jackies forward had an exciting evening +talking the prospects over. + +So Dave was not placed under charges, and the majority of his +brother officers on the "_Long Island_" regarded the suspicion +against him as being absurd. Yet Darrin knew that suspicion existed +in some minds, and felt wretched in consequence. + +Meantime, the news reached the fleet, as it reached newspaper +readers at home, that General Huerta was becoming daily more stubborn. +Then came the news that the Mexican dictator's refusal had been +made final and emphatic. + +"The house has passed a resolution justifying the President in +employing the military and naval forces of the United States in +whatever way he deems best in exacting satisfaction for the insult +to the Flag at Tampico," spread through the ship on the evening +of Monday, the 20th of April. + +From then on no one in the American fleet doubted that war with +Mexico was soon to begin. It was all right, the "_Long Island's_" +officers declared, to talk about a mere peaceful landing, but +no doubt existed that the landing of American sailors and marines +would mean the firing of the first shots by resisting Mexicans +which Would provoke war. + +On the morning of the 21st of April the officers assembled in the +ward-room as usual. + +"Gentlemen," said Commander Bainbridge, calmly, in a moment when +the Filipino mess servants were absent, "the present orders are +that the American naval forces land and occupy Vera Cruz this +forenoon. Orders for the details have been made and will be announced +immediately after breakfast. That is all that I have to say at +present." + +That "all" was certainly enough. The blow for the honor of the +Stars and Stripes was to be struck this forenoon. Instantly every +face was aglow. Each hoped to be in the detail sent ashore. +Then one young officer was heard to remark, in an undertone: + +"I'll wager that all I get is a detail to commissary duty, making +up the rations to be sent ashore." + +Commander Bainbridge heard and smiled, but made no reply. + +Soon after breakfast the work cut out for each officer was announced. +Dave Darrin and Dan Dalzell were both gleeful when informed that +they were to go ashore in the same detachment of blue-jackets. +Lieutenant Trent was to command them. + +"David, little giant," murmured Danny Grin, exultantly, "we appear +to be under the right and left wings of that good men known as +Fortune." + +"I'm ready for duty wherever I'm put," Dave answered, seriously. +"None the less, I'm delighted that I'm ordered ashore." + +Lieutenant Cantor was greatly disappointed when he found that +he was to remain aboard ship. Captain Gales had his own reasons +for keeping that young officer away from shore. + +Under cover on the "_Long Island_" all was bustle, yet without +a trace of confusion. Officers and men had been so thoroughly +trained in their duties that now they performed them with clock-like +regularity. + +It was a busy forenoon, yet no one observing the American fleet +from the shore would have discovered any signs of unusual activity. + +From the Mexican custom house, from the post-office, the cable +station, and from the grim old prison-fortress, San Juan de Ulloa, +the Mexican flag flew as usual. + +In the streets of Vera Cruz natives and foreigners moved about +as usual. Not even the Americans in Vera Cruz, except the consul, +knew that this was the morning destined to become a famous date +in American history. + +At about eleven o'clock boats began to be launched alongside the +American men-of-war. Men piled quickly over the sides. In number +one launch Lieutenant Trent, Ensigns Darrin and Dalzell and +forty seaman, with rifles and two machine guns, put away. +Lieutenant-Commander Denton and Lieutenant Timson of the Marine +Corps put off in launches numbers two and three with sixty marines +and forty bluejackets. From the other warships detachments put off +at the same time. + +One cutter, occupied by fourteen marines, put off from one of +the men-of-war and was rowed ashore at high speed. These men +quickly landed at No.1 Dock. + +"There they land---they're unfurling the American Flag!" breathed +Dave Darrin in his chum's ear. + +Another cutter landed at another dock; then a launch rushed in +alongside. It came the turn of the first launch from the "_Long +Island_" to move in to berth at No.1 Dock, and Trent piled his +party ashore, the launch immediately afterward being backed out +and turned back to the "_Long Island_." + +Within fifteen minutes a thousand marines and sailors had been +landed. + +"But where is the Mexican resistance?" murmured Danny Grin, impatiently. +"Where is the excuse that was to be furnished us for fighting?" + +That "excuse" was to come soon enough! + + + + +CHAPTER XVI + +IN THE THICK OF THE SNIPING + + +Upon the landing of the first men, the Mexican custom house had +been seized. + +The seizure of the post-office and the cable station quickly followed. + +Lieutenant Trent did not halt on the dock. Forming his men even +while moving forward, Trent kept his command moving fast. + +Dave was near the head of the little column, on the right flank. +Dan was near the rear. + +For some distance Trent marched his men, hundreds of curious Mexicans +parting to make way for the advance of the little detachment. + +Finally Trent halted his men not far from the gray walls of the +Castle of San Juan de Ulloa. + +"I wonder if our job is to take that fortress?" murmured Dalzell, +dryly. + +"If that's our job," smiled Darrin, "we'll have fighting enough +to suit even your hot young blood. But I don't believe we're +cut out to take the castle. Look at the transport '_Prairie_.' +Her guns are but five hundred yards away, and trained on the fort. +If anyone in San Juan opens on us the '_Prairie_' will be able +to blow the old fort clean off the map." + +"What can we be waiting for?" asked Dan, fidgeting. + +"I've an idea that we shall find out soon enough," Dave replied. + +Dalzell glanced appealingly at Lieutenant Trent, who stepped over +to say: + +"I see you both want to know what we're to do. My orders are +only general, and rather vague. Our work won't be cut out for +us until the Mexican garrison starts something." + +"But will the Mexicans start anything?" Danny wanted to know. +"So far they seem as patient as camels about fighting." + +Another landing party, from the "_Florida_," moved up to position +about a block away from Trent's small command. + +"I don't mind fighting," sighed Dan, ten minutes later, "but waiting +gets on my nerves." + +All the time small detachments of sailors and marines were moving +gradually through the lower part of Vera Cruz, moving from one +point to another, and always the leading detachments went further +from the water front. + +At last Trent, receiving his signal from a distance, marched his +men up the street, away from the fortress of San Juan de Ulloa. + +Only a quarter of a mile did they march, then halted. Fully three +hundred Mexicans followed them, and stood looking on curiously. + +"I wonder if any one ashore knows the answer to the riddle of what +we're doing," sighed Danny Grin. + +"We're waiting orders, like real fighting men," Dave answered, with +a smile. + +"But there isn't going to be any fighting!" + +"Where did you get that information?" Dave asked. + +Noon came; no fighting had been started. By this time nearly +every officer and man ashore believed that the Mexican general +at Vera Cruz had decided not to offer resistance. If so, he had +undoubtedly received his instructions from Mexico City. + +More minutes dragged by. At about fifteen minutes past noon, shots +rang out ahead. + +"The engagement is starting," Dan exclaimed eagerly to his chum. + +"The shots are so few in number, and come so irregularly, that +probably only a few Mexican hotheads are shooting," Dave hinted, +quietly. "Troops, going into action, don't fire in that fashion." + +"I wonder of any of our men are firing back." + +"All I know," smiled Darrin, "is that we are not doing any shooting." + +Pss-seu! sang a stray bullet over their heads. Only that brief +hiss as the deadly leaden messenger sang past. + +Pss-chug! That bullet caught Dalzell's uniform cap, carrying +it from his head to a distance some forty feet rearward. + +"Whew! That gives some idea of the spitefulness of a bullet, +doesn't it?" muttered Danny Grin, as a seaman ran for the ensign's +cap and returned with it. + +"It must be that I didn't get iron-rust enough on this white uniform," +commented Dalzell, coolly, gazing down at the once white uniform +that he had yellowed by a free application of iron rust. "My +clothing must still be white enough to attract the attention of +a sharpshooter so distant that I don't know where he is." + +Still Trent held his command in waiting, for no orders had come to +move it forward. + +"The barracks are over there," said Dave, pointing. "So far as +I have been able to judge, none of the bullets come from that +direction." + +Still the desultory firing continued. The occasional shots that +rang out showed, however, that the Americans were not firing in +force. + +"There they go!" called Lieutenant Trent, drawing attention to +the nearest barracks. From the parade ground in front, small +detachments of Mexicans could be seen running toward different +parts of the town. + +"Are you going to fire on them?" asked Darrin. + +"Not unless the Mexicans fire on us, or I receive orders to fire," +the lieutenant answered. "I don't want to do anything to disarrange +the admiral's plans for the day, and at present I know no more +than you do of what is expected of us." + +Suddenly the air became alive with the hiss of bullets. + +"I see the rascals," cried Dave pointing upward. "They're on +the top of that building ahead." + +Trent saw the sharpshooters, too. Perhaps twenty Mexican infantrymen +occupied the roof of a building a few hundred yards ahead. Some +were lying flat, showing only their heads at the edge of the roof. +Others were kneeling, but all were firing industriously. + +"Forward, a few steps at a time," ordered the lieutenant. "Don't +waste any shots, men, but pot any sharpshooter you can get on +that roof, or any men who show themselves on other roofs as we +advance." + +"This work is a lot better than getting into boats and trying +to take Castle San Juan," muttered Dalzell, as he drew his sword. +All three of the officers now had their blades in their hands, +for the swords would be useful if they were obliged to fight at +close quarters. + +Crack! crack! crack! rang out the rifles of Trent's detachment. +But every shot told. Whenever any one of the three officers +saw a man firing too rapidly that seaman was cautioned against +wasting cartridges. + +One of Trent's men was already wounded in the left hand, though +he still persisted in firing. + +At the first street crossing Trent shouted: + +"Half of you men go down the street on that side, the rest of +you over here. Ensign Dalzell, take command over there. Ensign +Darrin, you will command here." + +The street was swiftly emptied of blue-jackets. Hidden from the +fire of the sharpshooters ahead, the sailors were out of immediate +danger. But both Dan and Dave stationed a couple of good shots +at either corner, in the shelter of the buildings and took pot +shots at the snipers ahead. + +"Darrin, pick out two of your best men, and send them to lie down +in the middle of the street, facing that roof-top," Trent ordered, +then shouted the order across the open street to Dalzell. + +Thus, with four jackies lying flat in the middle of the street, +and offering no very good targets to the roof snipers, and with +two men behind each protecting corner, the Mexicans on the roof +were subjected to the sharpshooting fire of the eight best shots +in Trent's command. + +"Darley, you stand here on the sidewalk, and watch the roof-top +across the street," Dave ordered. "Hemingway, you get over on +the other side and keep your eyes on the roof on this side of +the street. If you see any one on a rooftop, let him have it +as fast as you can fire." + +Dan Dalzell, seeing that manoeuvre from across the street, stationed +two roof-watchers similarly on his side. + +"We'll stick to this sharpshooting stunt," Lieutenant Trent called +in Darrin's ear, over the crackling of the rifles, "until we get +a few of the Mexicans ahead. Then we'll rush their position and +try to drive them from it. The only way-----" + +That was as far as Lieutenant Trent got, for Dave, making a sudden +leap at his superior, seized him by the collar, jerking him backward +a few feet and landing him on his back. + +"What the-----" sputtered Lieutenant Trent. That was as far as +he got, for there was a crash, the sidewalk shook, and then Darrin +quickly pulled his superior to his feet. + +The report of Hemingway's rifle was not heard, but a tiny cloud +of thin vapor curled from the muzzle of his uplifted weapon. + +"I think I got one of the pair, sir!" called the sailor, gleefully. +"He threw up his hands and pitched backward out of sight." + +Lieutenant Trent looked at the sidewalk astounded, for, where +he had stood hay the broken pieces of a cookstove that had been +hurled from the roof two stories above. + +"That mass of iron fell right where I was standing," muttered Trent. +"Darrin, I wondered why on earth you should jerk me back and +lay me out in that unceremonious fashion. If you hadn't done +it the cookstove would have crushed my bones to powder." + +"It shows the temper of the kind of people we're fighting," muttered +Darrin, compressing his lips tightly. "We'll soon have the whole +city full trying to wipe us out!" + +"We may as well rush that building ahead," muttered the lieutenant. +"I'd rather have my men killed in open fighting than demolished +by all the heavy hardware on these two blocks." + +Raising his voice, Trent ordered: + +"Cease firing! Load magazines and hold your fire. We're going +to charge!" + +From the sailormen a half-suppressed cheer arose. Hand-to-hand +fighting was much more to their liking than tedious sharpshooting. + +"Keep close to the building on either side of the street!" Lieutenant +Trent ordered. "No man is to run in the middle of the road and +make an unnecessary target of himself. Ensigns Darrin and Dalzell +will run behind their men, to see that no man exposes himself +uselessly." + +"Fall in! Ready to charge. In single file---charge!" + +Heading the line on Darrin's side of the street, Trent dashed +around the corner, leading his sailormen at a run. + +Dalzell's men rushed into the fray at the same moment, Dave amid +Dan, as ordered, bringing up the rear of the two files. + +On the instant that the two lines of charging, cheering sailormen +came into sight, the Mexicans on the roof-top redoubled their +fire. It is difficult, however, to fire with accuracy at men +who are running close to the buildings. Either the bullet falls +short, or else goes wide of its mark and hits a wall behind the +line. So Lieutenant Trent's men dashed down the street for a +short distance, and pausing in the shelter of a building cheered +jubilantly. + +Now the Mexican soldiers above no longer had the advantage. Whenever +one of their number showed his head over the edge of the roof +he became a handy target for the jackies below. + +Heavy shutters covered the windows on the ground floor of the +building. The heavy wooden door was tightly locked. + +"Ensign Darrin," sounded Trent's voice, "take enough men and batter +that door down." + +It took a combined rush to effect that. Several times Dave led his +seamen against that barrier. Under repeated assaults it gave way. + +"Through the house and to the roof!" shouted Trent. "We'll wind +up the snipers!" + +What a yell went up from two score of throats as the sailormen +piled after their officers and thronged the stairs! + +It was a free-for-all race to the top of the second flight of +stairs. Over the skylight opening lay a wooden covering tightly +secured in place. + +"Come on, my hearties! Smash it!" yelled Trent, heaving his own +broad shoulders against the obstruction. + +After the skylight cover was smashed the Mexican soldiers would +once more have the advantage. Only a man at a time could reach +the roof. It ought not to be difficult for the defenders to pick +off a Navy man at a time as the Americans sprang up. + +At last the covering gave way. + +"Pile up, all hands, as rapidly as you can come!" yelled Lieutenant +Trent. "Officers first!" + +"Officers first!" echoed Dave and Dan in a breath, all the military +longing in their hearts leaping to the surface. + +Then up they went, into the jaws of massacre! + + + + +CHAPTER XVII + +MEXICANS BECOME SUDDENLY MEEK + + +Trent leaped to the roof. With his left arm he warded off a blow +aimed at his head with the butt of a rifle. + +Then his sword flashed, its point going clean through the body +of the Mexican soldier who barred his way. + +"Death to the Gringos! Death to the Gringos!" yelled the Mexicans. + +But Trent drove back two men with his flashing sword. After him +Dave heaped to the roof, his revolver barking fast and true. + +Danny Grin followed, and he darted around to the other side of +the skylight, turning loose his revolver. + +The fire was returned briskly by the enemy, all of whom wore the +uniform of the Mexican regular infantry. + +In the footsteps of the officers came, swiftly, four stalwart young +sailormen, and now the American force had a footing on the roof. + +At first none of the Mexicans thought of asking for quarter. +One of the infantrymen, retreating before Dalzell's deftly handled +sword, and fighting back with his rifle butt, retreated so close +to the edge of the roof that, in another instant, he had fallen +to the street below, breaking his neck. + +Ere the last dozen Americans had succeeded in reaching the roof +the fight was over, for the few Mexicans still able to fight suddenly +threw down their rifles, shouting pleadingly: + +"_Piedad!_ _piedad!_" (pity). + +"Accept all surrenders!" shouted Lieutenant Trent at the top of +his voice. + +Four quivering, frightened Mexicans accepted this mercy, standing +huddled together, their eyes eloquent with fear. + +The fight had been a short, but savage one. A glance at the roof's +late defenders showed, including the man lying in the street below, +eight dead Mexicans, one of whom was the boyish lieutenant of +infantry who had commanded this detachment. Nine more were badly +wounded. The four prisoners were the only able-bodied Mexicans +left on the roof. + +"Pardon, but shall we have time for our prayers?" asked one of +the surrendered Mexicans, approaching Lieutenant Trent. + +"Time for your prayers?" Trout repeated. "Take all the time you +want." + +"But when do you shoot us?" persisted the fellow, humbly. + +"Shoot you?" repeated Trent, in amazement, speaking rapidly in +the Spanish he had acquired at Annapolis and practiced in many +a South American port. Then it dawned upon this American officer +that, in the fighting between Mexican regulars and rebels it had +been always the custom of the victors to execute the survivors +of the vanquished foe. + +"My poor fellow," ejaculated Trent, "we Americans always pride +ourselves on our civilization. We don't shoot prisoners of war. +You will be treated humanely, and we shall exchange you with +your government." + +"What did that chap say?" Dalzell demanded, in an undertone, as +Darrin laughed. + +"The Mexican said," Dave explained, "that he hoped he wouldn't +be exchanged until the war is over." + +"There is a hospital detachment signaling from down the street, +sir," reported a seaman from the edge of the roof. + +Trent stepped quickly over to where he could get a view of the +hospital party. Then he signaled to the hospital men, four in +number, carrying stretchers, and commanded by a petty officer, +that they were to advance. + +"Any of our men need attention, sir?" asked the petty officer, +as he reached the roof. + +"Two of our men," Trent replied. "And nine Mexicans." + +When it came their turn to have their wounds washed and bandaged +with sterilized coverings, the Mexicans looked bewildered. Such +treatment at the hands of an enemy was beyond their comprehension. + +A room below was turned over for hospital use, and there the wounded +of both sides were treated. + +Still the firing continued heavily throughout the city. Trent, +with his field glass constantly to his eyes, picked out the nearest +roof-tops from which the Mexicans were firing. Then he assigned +sharpshooters to take care of the enemy on these roofs. + +"We can do some excellent work from this position," the lieutenant +remarked to his two younger officers. + +It was peculiar of this fight that no regular volleys of shots +were exchanged. The Mexicans, from roof-tops, from windows and +other places of hiding, fired at an American uniform wherever +they could see it. + +The very style of combat adopted by the enemy made it necessary +for the Americans, avoiding needless losses, to fight back in +the same sniping way. Slowly, indeed, were these numerous detachments +of Mexicans, numbering some eight hundred men in all, driven back. + +Boom! boom! boom! The Mexican artillery now started into life, +driving its shells toward the invaders. + +"The real fight is going to begin now," uttered Dave, peering +eagerly for a first glimpse of the artillery smoke. + +"I hope the ships tumble down whole squares of houses!" was Danny +Grin's fervent wish. + +"If they start that, we're in a hot place," smiled Trent, coolly. + +From the harbor came the sound of firing. + +"Why, there's only one of our ships firing!" exclaimed Darrin. +"The '_Prairie_' is using some of our guns!" + +Presently the heavier detonations died out. So splendidly had +the "_Prairie's_" gunners served their pieces that the Mexican +artillerymen had been driven from their positions. + +"These Mexicans will have to wait until they get out of range +of the Navy's guns before they can hope to do much with their +artillery," laughed Lieutenant Trent, then turned again to see +what his sailormen were doing in the way of "getting" Mexican +snipers from other roofs. + +Every minute a few bullets, at least, hissed over the roof on +which the detachment was posted. + +Trent, believing that he was exposing more men than were needed, +ordered twenty seamen to the floor below. + +By one o'clock the firing died slowly away. Though the Mexicans +had made a brave resistance, and had done some damage, they had +been so utterly outclassed by better fighting men that they wearied +of the unequal struggle. + +"But when the enemy get heavy reinforcements from the rear," Trent +predicted, as he stood looking over the city, "they'll put up a +fight here in Vera Cruz that will be worth seeing!" + +"I can't help wondering," mused Dave Darrin aloud, "what the rest +of the day will bring forth." + +"It will be the night that may bring us our real ordeal," hinted +Lieutenant Trent. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII + +IN THE HOUSE OF SURPRISES + + +"Dalzell, I wish you would take four men and find the commanding +officer ashore," requested Lieutenant Trent. + +"Report to him our present position, as well as what we have done, +and get his instructions." + +Saluting, Dan signed to four sailormen to accompany him. Within +an hour he had returned. + +"We are going to hold what we have taken of the city, and probably +shall push our lines further into the town. It is believed that +after dark we shall have trouble with Mexican snipers." + +"We have had some already," said the lieutenant grimly. + +"We believe, sir," Dan reported, "that, after dark, there will +be even more vicious sniping. The Mexicans are in an ugly mood, +and will spare no effort to make us miserable for our audacity +in landing armed men on their soil." + +"And our orders?" + +"You are directed, Lieutenant, to hold this roof until you have +silenced all sniping within easy range, and then you are to fall +back to the Post-office and report to the senior officer there. +In the meantime you will send in a petty officer and sufficient +force to accompany any of your wounded men who are badly enough +hurt to require a surgeon's attention." + +The squad that had accompanied Ensign Dalzell was immediately +ordered to return with the wounded, after which Trent and his +officers gave their whole attention to locating every Mexican +sniper on every roof-top within six hundred yards of their position. +So well was this done that at least a dozen Mexican sharpshooters +were killed within the next hour. + +For half an hour after that Trent surveyed every roof-top with his +field glass. As no more shots crossed the roof on which the +detachment was posted, Lieutenant Trent then concluded that his +commission had been executed, and gave the order to return. + +The Mexican dead and wounded were left in the building, a notice +being posted on the door in order that the sanitary corps men +might know where to find them. The four uninjured prisoners were +now placed in the center of the detachment, and Trent marched +his command back to the post-office. There the prisoners were +turned over to the custody of the provost officer. + +"Step inside, men, and you'll find something to eat," was the +welcome news Trent gave his detachment of men. + +Darrin and Dalzell were sent to a restaurant near by, where the +officers were eating a welcome meal. + +"Hadn't you better go first, sir?" Darrin asked. + +"Simply because I am the ranking officer with this detachment?" +smiled the lieutenant. "You two are younger, and therefore are +probably hungrier than I am." + +Dave was the first to finish his meal in the restaurant, and hurried +to relieve Lieutenant Trent of the command of the detachment. +Altogether there were now some two hundred men at the post-office +station; these were being held in readiness to reinforce the American +fighters in any part of the city where they might be needed. + +Until after dark the "_Long Island's_" detachment remained there, +enviously watching other detachments that marched briskly away. + +As soon as dark had come down, the popping of rifles was almost +continuous. + +"I wish we had orders to clear the whole town of snipers," muttered +Danny Grin impatiently. + +"Undoubtedly that would take more men than we have ashore," Trent +replied. "There would be no sense in occupying the whole city +until we have driven out every hostile Mexican ahead of us. We +might drive the Mexican soldiers much further, but the trouble +is that hundreds of them have joined in the sport of sniping at +the hated _Americanos_. If we pushed our way through the town, +at once we would then have Mexican firing ahead of us and also +at the rear. No fighting men behave well under such circumstances." + +An hour later it became plain that Trent's detachment had some +new work cut out for it, for a commissary officer now directed +that the men be marched down the street to receive rations. + +"We're going to have night work all right, then, and perhaps plenty +of it," Darrin declared to his chum. "If we were going to remain +here rations wouldn't be furnished us." + +Trent was inside, personally seeing to matters, when a sentry +halted a man in civilian clothes. + +"A friend," replied the man in answer to the challenge. + +"Advance and give your name," persisted the sentry. + +"Lieutenant Cantor of the '_Long Island_.'" + +At hearing that name, from one in civilian dress, Dave stepped +forward. + +"You've been halted by a man from your own ship, sir," nodded +Darrin, on getting close enough to see that the man really was +Cantor. + +"Hullo," was Trent's greeting, as he stepped outside. "On duty, +Cantor?" + +"Not official duty," replied the other lieutenant. + +"You are authorized to be ashore, of course?" continued Trent, +surveying his brother officer, keenly, for, at such a time, it +was strange to see a naval officer ashore in anything but uniform. +"I have proper authority for being ashore," Cantor nodded. + +"That is all, then," said Lieutenant Trent. "You may proceed, +of course, but you are going to be halted and held up by every +sentry who sees you. You would get through the town much more +easily in uniform." + +"I suppose so," nodded Cantor, and passed on. + +Close at hand two revolver shots rang out. + +"Ensign Darrin," Trent ordered, "take a man with you and investigate +that firing. Locate it, if possible, and if any Mexican attempts +to fire again, try to bring him in-----dead!" + +"You will come with me," ordered Dave, turning to Coxswain Riley. +That petty officer hastily filling his magazine, followed Darrin, +who drew his own revolver. + +Hardly had officer and man turned the corner when a pistol flesh +came from the top of a house nearly at the next corner. + +The bullet did not pass near enough for them to hear it. Plainly +the shot had been fired at some one else. + +"Keep close to the buildings," ordered Dave, leading the way toward +the sniper. "I don't want that fellow to see us until we're right +under him and ready to get him." + +Noiselessly they went up the street. It would be impossible for +the sniper to see them unless he bent out over the edge of the +roof from which he was firing. + +While they were advancing another shot was fired from the same roof. +Watching the direction of the flash, Darrin was able to guess the +direction of the man or men at whom the Mexican was firing. + +"Some of our sharpshooters must still be posted on roofs," Dave +whispered over his shoulder to Riley. + +"I know one man who won't be doing much more on a roof, if I can +get a sight of him for three seconds," gruffly answered Riley. + +Then they stopped in front of the house in question. + +"You slip across to the doorway opposite, and watch for your man," +whispered Darrin. "I'll remain here and get any one who may attempt +to run out of the house after you open fire." + +Slipping across the street, Riley waited. + +Scanning the house, from the roof of which the firing had proceeded, +his drawn revolver in his hand, Dave made a quick discovery. + +"Why, this is the very door from which I saw Cosetta peering out +yesterday!" thought the young ensign. "I wonder if this is his +home in Vera Cruz. I'll make a point of reporting this to Trent +as soon as we return." + +And then Dave heard a voice just inside the door say, in Spanish: + +"You ought to stop that sniper on the roof. He took two shots +at me as I came up the street." + +"What infernal work is going on here?" Ensign Dave Darrin asked +himself, hoarsely. "I how that voice. I'd know it anywhere. +That's Cantor speaking, and he's in the house of the enemy!" + + + + +CHAPTER XIX + +A TRAITOR IN THE SERVICE + + +Crack! spoke a rifle across the street. + +"I got him, sir!" cried the exultant voice of Riley. "But I'll +make sure of him, sir!" + +Crack! The Navy rifle spoke once more. + +Noiselessly Darrin darted across the street. + +On the roof of the house in which Dave had seen the bandit, Cosetta, +the previous day, lay a man, his head and shoulders hanging over +the edge. + +"Speak softly," cautioned Darrin. "I don't want those men inside +the house to hear you." + +"He fell just like that when I fired the first shot, sir," Riley +whispered. "I sent him the second bullet to make sure that he +wasn't playing 'possum." + +"And now," Dave ordered, "run down the street as noiselessly as +you can go, and tell Lieutenant Trent that I wish he would come +here in person, if possible, with a few men. Ask him, with my +compliments to approach as noiselessly as possible, for I expect +to make a surprise 'bag' here." + +Riley glanced at his officer in swift astonishment, but he saw that +Darrin was speaking seriously, so he saluted and departed at a run. + +Shortly Riley was back. + +"Lieutenant Trent is coming, sir," whispered the coxswain. "There +he is, turning the corner now." + +"Stand before this door, and if you hear anything inside, so much +the better," Darrin murmured, then hastily moved down the street, +saluting his superior officer as he met him. + +"Riley told you, perhaps, he got the sniper, sir," Dave began, +"but I have something even more astounding to report. I have +every reason to believe that Lieutenant Cantor is in that house." + +"A prisoner?" cried Trent, in an undertone. + +"I have reason to believe that he isn't a prisoner," Dave went on. +"The house is the same from which I saw Cosetta peer yesterday, and +I have reason to think that Lieutenant Cantor and the bandit are on +fairly good terms." + +"Be careful what you say, Darrin," cautioned Lieutenant Trent. +"In effect, you are accusing an officer of the United States Navy +of treason!" + +"That is the very crime of which I suspect him, sir," Dave answered, +bluntly. + +"Are you sure that your personal animosity has no part in that +suspicion?" + +"No dislike for a brother officer could induce me to charge him +falsely," Dave answered simply. + +"I beg your pardon, Darrin!" exclaimed Trent in sincere regret. +"I shouldn't have asked you that." + +"Here is the door, sir," Dave reported, in a whisper, halting +and pointing. + +"I heard some one talking in there in low tones," reported Riley. +"I couldn't make it out, for he was talking in Spanish." + +"I suspect that the voices were those of Lieutenant Cantor and +Cosetta," Dave whispered. + +"If they don't get away, we'll soon know," Trent whispered. "Stone +and Root, I want you two to head the party that rushes the door. +As soon as you get inside don't stop for anything else, but rush +to the rear windows and shoot any one who attempts to escape by +the rear fence. Now, men, rush that door!" + +So hard and sudden was the assault that the door gave way at the +first rush. + +Revolver in hand, Dave Darrin was directly behind the two seamen +who had been ordered to rush to the rear windows. + +Just as the door yielded to the assault an excited voice in Spanish +exclaimed: + +"This way---quick!" + +The two sailors, who had been ordered to do nothing else except +guard the rear windows, saw a figure vanish through the cellar +doorway. Leaving that individual to others, Stone and Boot dashed +into a rear room, throwing up the window. + +In the darkness a second man also rushed for the cellar doorway. +But Dave Darrin's extended right hand closed on that party's +collar. + +"You're my prisoner," Dave hissed, throwing his man backward to +the floor. + +As several men rushed past them one sailor halted, throwing on +the rays of a pocket electric light. + +"You, Cantor, and here?" exclaimed Lieutenant Trent, aghast, as +he recognized the features of his brother officer. "In mercy's +name-----" + +"Let me up," broke in Cantor, angrily, and Dave released him. +"Ensign Darrin, I order you in arrest for attacking your superior +officer." + +"You won't observe that arrest, Darrin," spoke Trent, coldly. +"I'll be responsible for my order to that effect. Now, then, +Cantor, what explanation have you to offer for being in the house +of Cosetta, the bandit?" + +"I'll give no explanation here," blazed Cantor, angrily, as now +on his feet, he glared at Trent and Darrin---Dalzell was not there, +for just at this instant the bolted cellar door, under his orders, +was battered down, and Dan, with several sailormen at his back, +darted down the stairs, by the light of a pocket lamp. + +The cellar was deserted. There was no sign of the means by which +the fugitive had escaped. + +"Trent," said Cantor, with an effort at sternness, "you will not +question me, here or now." + +"I'll question you as much as I see fit, sir," Lieutenant Trent +retorted, crisply. "Lieutenant Cantor, you are caught here under +strange circumstances. You will explain, and satisfactorily, +or-----" + +"Lieutenant Trent," retorted the other, savagely, "while you and +I are officers of the same rating, my commission is older than +yours, and I am ranking officer here. I direct you to withdraw +your men and to leave this house." + +"And I tell you," retorted Lieutenant Trent, "that I am on duty +here. You have not said that you are here on duty. Therefore +I shall not recognize your authority." + +"Trent," broke in the other savagely, "if you-----" + +"I do," Lieutenant Trent retorted, stiffly. "Just that, in fact. +In other words, sir, I place you in arrest! Coxswain Riley, +I shall hold you responsible for this prisoner. Take two other +men, if you wish, to help you guard him. If Lieutenant Cantor +escapes, or attempts to escape, then you have my order to shoot +him, if necessary." + +"Darrin," snarled Cantor, "this is all your doing!" + +"Some of it, sir," Dave admitted, cheerfully. "I heard you and +another man talking in here, and I sent for Lieutenant Trent. +As it happens, I know this to be the home, or the hanging-out +place of Cosetta, and as I heard you talking just inside the door, +I reported that fact to Lieutenant Trent." + +"You will find nothing in this house, and I have not been, +intentionally, in the house of a bandit, or in the house of any +other questionable character," snarled Cantor, turning his back +on Darrin. "And you are making a serious mistake in placing me +in arrest." + +"If your companion had been a proper one he would not have run +away when American forces burst in here," Lieutenant Trent returned. +"Both on Ensign Darrin's report, and on my own observation and +suspicion, I will take the responsibility of placing you in arrest. +I shall report your arrest to the commanding officer on shore, +and will be guided by his instructions. You will have opportunity +to state your case to him." + +"And he will order my instant release as soon as he hears why +I am on shore. Trent, you have made a serious mistake, and you +are continuing to make it by keeping me in arrest." + +"Sorry, Cantor; sorry, indeed, if I am doing you an injustice," +Lieutenant Trent answered, with more feeling. "Yet under the +circumstances, I cannot read my duty in any other way." + +"You'll be sorry," cried Cantor, angrily. + +"I don't know what to make of this, sir," Danny Grin reported, +a much puzzled look showing on his face. "That cellar door was +shut and bolted in our faces. We smashed the door instantly, +and rushed down the stairs. When we reached the cellar we found +it empty; whoever the man was he escaped in some way that is a +mystery to me." + +"Have you thought of the probability of a secret passage from +the cellar?" inquired Trent. + +"Yes, sir, and we've sounded the walls, but without any result." + +"I'll go below with you," offered Trent. "Ensign Darrin, bear +in mind that we are in danger of being surprised here, and would +then find ourselves in something of a trap. Take ten men and +go into the street, keeping close watch." + +Twenty minutes later Trent came out, followed by his command, +with whom marched the fuming Cantor, a prisoner. + +"Darrin, there must be a secret passage from the cellar," Trent +told his subordinate, "but we have been unable to find it. We +are bringing with us the body of the sniper that Riley shot on +the roof." + +Line was formed and the detachment started back, Danny Grin and +two sailormen acting as a rear guard against possible attack. + +Arrived at the post-office Trent, accompanied by Cantor and the +latter's guards, hurried off in search of the commanding officer +of the shore force. + +Fifteen minutes later Lieutenant Trent returned. + +"I was sustained," he informed Dave and Dan. "It was tough, but +the commanding officer directed me to send Cantor under escort +back to the '_Long Island_,' with a brief report stating why that +officer was placed in arrest." + +There followed more waiting, during which the sound of individual +firing over the city became more frequent. Cantor's guard returned +from the "_Long Island_," with word that Captain Gales had ordered +that officer in arrest in his own quarters. + +At last orders for Trent's detachment arrived. + +"We are to push on into the city," Trent informed his ensigns. +"Twenty more '_Long Island_' men will reach us within three minutes. +We are to silence snipers, and kill them if we catch them red-handed +in firing on our forces. Above all, we are directed to be on the +alert for any Americans or other foreigners who may be in need of +help. We are likely to have a busy night." + +Then, turning to his men, he added: + +"Fall in by twos! Forward, march!" + + + + +CHAPTER XX + +THE SKIRMISH AT THE DILIGENCIA + + +Trent saw his reinforcements approaching, and advanced to pick +them up and add them to his command. + +The column, now a strong one for patrol purposes, turned at right +angles at the first corner, and marched on into the city, from +the further side of which came the sound of firing. + +Every man with the column carried a hundred and fifty rounds of +ammunition. A machine gun was trailed along at the rear, in the +event that it might be wanted. + +Less than half a mile from the start, Lieutenant Trent's command +sighted the American advance line ahead. Some of the seamen and +marines in this advanced line occupied rooftops and kept up a +variable, crackling fire. + +As Trent approached the line, a lieutenant-commander approached him. + +"Do you come to reinforce us, Lieutenant?" he inquired. + +"No, sir," Trent answered. "We are to patrol, and to took out +for Americans and other foreigners who may be in danger." + +"Then I would caution you, Lieutenant, that this is the outer +line. If you get ahead of us, take extreme care that you do nothing +to lead us to mistake you for Mexicans." + +"I shall be extremely cautious, sir," Trent replied, saluting, +then marched his command through the line and on up the street. + +"Good luck to you," called several of the sailors in the line. +"Bring us back a few Mexicans!" + +"We'd like to, all right," replied Riley, in an undertone. + +"Ensign Darrin, take a petty officer and four men and lead a point," +Lieutenant Trent ordered. "I don't want the 'glory' of running +a command into an ambush." + +Calling to Riley and four sailormen, Dave led them down the street +at the double-quick until he was two hundred yards in advance +Then he led his men on at marching speed. + +The work at the "point" is always the post of greatest danger +with a marching command. This point is small in numbers, and +moves well in advance. If the enemy has posted an ambuscade on +the line of march it is the point that runs into this danger. + +As they marched Dave did not preserve any formation of his men. +His detachment strode forward, alert and watchful, their rifles +ready for instant use. + +Three blocks away a horse stood tethered before a door. Hearing +the sound of approaching feet a man looked hurriedly out of the +doorway. Then he rushed to the horse and untied it. + +"Halt!" Shouted Ensign Darrin, as he saw the man dart from the +doorway. "Halt!" he ordered, a second time, as the man seized +the horses's bridle ready to mount. + +Quick as a flash the stranger drew a revolver, firing two shots +down the street. + +"Fire! Get him!" shouted Darrin. + +Five rifles spoke, instantly. Just in the act of reaching the +saddle the stranger plunged sideways, fell to the roadway, the +startled horse galloping off without its rider. + +"Don't run to him," commanded Dave Darrin. "We'll reach him soon +enough." + +Close at hand it was seen that the man was in the uniform of a +Mexican officer. His insignia proved him to be a major. + +"Dead," said Riley. "Two pills reached him, and either would +have killed." + +Dave nodded his head in assent, adding: + +"Leave him. Our work is to keep the point moving." + +When they had gone a quarter of a mile further, a sound of firing +attracted the attention of the American detachment. + +"Lieutenant Trent's compliments, sir," panted a breathless messenger, +saluting, "and you will turn down the next corner, Ensign, and +march toward the firing." + +After a few minutes Dave sighted a large building ahead. He did +not know the building, then, but learned afterwards that it was +the Hotel Diligencia. + +Almost as soon as Darrin perceived the building, snipers on its +roof espied the Navy men. + +Cr-r-rack! The brisk fire that rang out from the roof of the +hotel was almost as regular as a volley of shots would have been. + +Darrin ordered his men to keep close to the buildings on either +side of the street, and to return the fire as rapidly as good +shooting permitted. + +"Drive 'em from that roof," was Darrin's order. + +Lieutenant Trent arrived on the double-quick with the rest of +the detachment. + +"Give it to 'em, hot and heavy!" ordered Trent, and instantly +sixty rifles were in action. + +Suddenly a window, a some distance down the street from the Americans +opened, and a man thrust a rifle out, taking aim. That rifle never +barked, for Dave, with a single shot from his revolver, sent the +would-be marksman reeling back. + +"Watch that window, Riley, and fire if a head appears there," Dave +directed. "There may be others in that room." + +Cat-like in his watchfulness, Riley kept the muzzle of his weapon +trained on that window. + +"Look out overhead!" called Danny Grin, suddenly. + +From the roofs of three houses overlooking the naval detachment +fire opened instantly after the warning. Two of the "_Long Island's_" +men dropped, one of them badly wounded. + +Then the sailormen returned the fire. Two Mexicans dropped to +the street, one shot through the head; the other wounded in the +chest. Other Mexicans had been seen to stagger, and were probably +hit. Thereafter a dozen seamen constantly watched the roofs close +at hand, occasionally "getting" a Mexican. + +"I know what I would do, if I had authority," Darrin muttered +to his superior. "I'd send back for dynamite, and, whenever we +were fired on from a house I'd bring it down in ruins." + +It was a terrible suggestion, but being fired upon from overhead +in a city makes fighting men savage. + +Evidently the Mexicans on the hotel roof had been reinforced, +for now the fire in that direction broke out heavier than ever. + +"Shall I have the machine gun brought up, sir?" Dave hinted. + +"Yes," approved Trent, crisply. "We'll see what a machine gun +can do when brought to bear on a roof." + +So Ensign Darrin ran back to give the order. The gun was brought +up instantly, loaded, aimed and fired. + +R-r-r-r-rip! Its volleys rang out. A rain of bullets struck +at the edge of the hotel roof, driving back the snipers amid yells +of pain. + +Yet the instant the machine gun ceased its leaden cyclone the +snipers were back at work, firing in a way that showed their rage. + +"We can keep 'em down with the machine gun," declared Trent, "But +it might take all the ammunition of the fleet to keep it running +long enough unless we can make more hits." + +In their recklessness the Mexicans exposed themselves so that four +more of them fell before the seamen's rifles. + +"Probably the Mexicans can get reinforcements," Dalzell muttered. +"Though we may hit a few in an hour's firing, they can replace +every man we hit." + +"At least we can give those fellows something to think about between +now and daylight," Dave returned, compressing his lips grimly. + +"Grenfel is wounded, sir, and Penniman has just been killed," +reported a petty officer, saluting. + +Lieutenant Trent hastened back to confirm the death of Penniman, +and also to see if anything could be done for the comfort of the +wounded man. He decided to send Grenfel back, two sailormen being +detailed for that purpose. + +"Look out for snipers," the officer warned the bearers of the +wounded man. "Carry your rifles slung and be ready for instant +work. If we hear you firing behind us I'll send men to help you +through." + +Along the street, ahead of the detachment, a man came crawling +from the direction of the hotel. + +In an instant a dozen sailormen leveled their weapons. + +"Hold up there, men!" Darrin called, sharply. + +"Don't shoot at him." + +An instant later snipers on the hotel roof discovered the crawling +man, opening fire on him so briskly that the endangered one rose +to his feet and came sprinting toward the sailors with both hands +uplifted. + +"Lower your hands!" shouted Darrin. "They make targets. We won't +fire on you!" + +That the man understood English was plain from his instant obedience. +With Mexican bullets raining about him, the fugitive came on at +headlong speed. + +"Here! Stop!" Ensign Darrin ordered, catching the man and swinging +him into a doorway. "Keep in there, and you're safe from the +enemy's fire." + +Swiftly Lieutenant Trent crossed the street to hear the escaped one, +whom Darrin was already questioning. + +"You're an American?" asked Dave. + +"Yes!" came the answer. + +"How did you come to be here?" + +"Escaped from the basement of the hotel. I knew it was up to +me to get through to you if I could live through the storm of +bullets that I knew would be sent after me. My news is of the +utmost importance!" + +Then, to the astounded American Navy officers the stranger made +this blood-stirring announcement: + +"In the Hotel Diligencia are at least twenty American women!" + + + + +CHAPTER XXI + +A RESCUE AND A "FACER" + + +"You're sure of that?" breathed Trent, tensely. + +I ought to be, uttered the man, hoarsely. "One of the women is +my wife, and another is my daughter! I haven't seen any of the +women in five hours." + +"How so?" asked Trent, sharply. + +"The soldiers thrust me into the basement. Ever since I found +myself alone I've been working with a penknife to dig out the +mortar of the bricks in which the window bars were imbedded." + +"The instant I had jerked enough bars loose I crawled through the +opening and started for you." + +Giving swift instructions to keep the machine gun going continuously, +and to keep the fire trained on the edge of the hotel roof, Trent +detailed four riflemen to remain with the machine gun man, then +led the rest swiftly under the hail of bullets that raged over +their heads. + +In this mode of attack the sailormen gained the sidewalk under the +hotel without a shot having been fired from the roof. + +"Ensign Darrin, lead as many men as you can against the doors!" +ordered the lieutenant. "Get them down as fast as you can!" + +Their first assaults against the massive doors failing, four sailors +were sent on a run for some form of battering ram. They returned +with half of a telegraph pole that had been cut in two by shell +fire in the afternoon. + +Borne by a dozen stout jackies, the pole was dashed against the +door. At the second assault the lock was broken. Dave dashed +into the hotel at the head of his squad. + +"Straight to the roof, Ensign Darrin!" shouted Lieutenant Trent. +"Ensign Dalzell, you will take ten men and endeavor to find the +American women." + +Then Trent, with the remainder of the command, rushed on after +the advance guard. Up the stairs dashed Dave in the lead. The +skylight proved not to be fastened. + +Only a minute before had the machine gun stopped its murderous +hail. Now some thirty Mexican soldiers crept to the edge of the +roof to try their luck again with the sailormen up the street. + +"There is only a handful of them," shouted one Mexican. "The +gringos must be under the hotel, or in it!" + +At that announcement there was a swift rush toward the skylight. +Just before they reached it Darrin sprang into sight, followed +by his men. Short, sharp conflict followed. Twelve Mexicans, +three of them killed, went down, and two American sailormen had +been wounded when the enemy sent up their appeal for "_piedad_," +or quarter. + +Saluting, a sailorman reported to Lieutenant Trent that Ensign +Dalzell had found the American women in the annex of the hotel. +None had been injured, but all were much frightened. + +Leaving a petty officer in charge on the roof, Trent turned to +Dave to say: + +"Come along, Darrin. We'll see what can be done for our countrywomen." + +Hastily descending, and following the messenger, the two officers +were met at the door of a spacious room by Ensign Dalzell. + +"Ladies," said Dan, turning, "here are Lieutenant Trent and Ensign +Darrin. The former commands this detachment." + +On the floor lay more than a dozen wounded Mexicans. + +Two of the American women, having had nursing experience, had taken +good care of the injured. + +"Ladies," asked Lieutenant Trent, "have you been roughly treated +by the Mexicans?" + +"Far from it," said one of the women. "The Mexican officer in +command treated us with great consideration. We were in the main +part of the hotel, the wooden building. The Mexican officer told +us that his men were going to occupy the roof as a military necessity, +and that there would be fighting. He assured us that we would +be safer in the annex, and escorted us here." + +"Where is that officer now?" asked Trent, promptly. "I would +like to shake hands with him." + +"I am afraid you would have to travel inside the Mexican lines," +said another woman. "A little while ago a party of horsemen rode +up to the rear of the hotel, and one officer, a lieutenant-colonel, +came up into the hotel and sought the officer in command here, +ordering him to withdraw with his men, leaving only a few behind +to keep up a show of resistance." + +"I will see that you are taken at once inside the American lines," +declared Trout. "There you will be safe." + +Preparations were quickly made. The Mexican prisoners who were +able to walk were formed under guard. The American women walked +on ahead of the prisoners. Ensign Darrin, with half of the command, +took charge of the rescued women and prisoners, and went to the +lower part of the town, to turn over the refugees and prisoners. + +Trent posted a squad of his men, under Boatswain's Mate Pearson, +on the roof. The rest of the seamen were stationed in the street, +and Dave was placed in immediate command, with instructions to +keep a sharp lookout on all sides. The boatswain's mate was to +report to him anything observed from the roof. + +In half an hour Danny Grin's detachment returned, coming almost +on the double-quick. Dalzell, wide-eyed with news, drew his brother +officers aside. + +"Cantor has escaped!" Dan murmured, excitedly. "It was not widely +known on the '_Long Island_' that he was in arrest. So it seems +that he went down over the side, stepped into a gig, and ordered +the coxswain to take him ashore. As he was in civilian dress +he was not likely to be closely observed by sentries on shore, +and so far no trace of him has been discovered." + +"I believe he has left the Navy," Dave nodded. "Further, as he +appeared to have strange interests ashore, I believe that he has +deserted to the enemy." + +"Don't say that," begged Trent earnestly. "Bad as he may have +been, Cantor was trained in all the traditions of the Navy. I +can believe him wild, or even bad, but I can't believe him big +enough scoundrel to desert to the enemy." + +"It's a fearful thing to believe," Darrin admitted, "but what +are we to believe? We found him in the house of that notorious +bandit, Cosetta. Do you feel any doubt, sir, that Cosetta has +proposed, or will propose to the Huerta government that he bring +his men in under the Mexican flag in return for a pardon? There +is another side to it, sir. The landing plans were stolen from +Captain Gales's desk. Doesn't it now seem likely that Cantor +stole the plans, and turned them over to Cosetta, who would be +delighted at the chance of being able to turn them over to the +commander of the Mexican forces around Vera Cruz?" + +"The suspicion seems plausible enough," Trent admitted, sadly, +"yet it is a terrible thing to believe." + +"What's that?" cried Dan, jumping suddenly as shots rang out in +another street close at hand. + +First had come three or four shots, almost immediately a crashing +fire had followed. + +"Ensign Darrin," ordered Trent, promptly, "take thirty men and +locate that firing. If you run into anything that you cannot +handle, rush word back to me." + +Like a shot, Dave Darrin was off, running at the head of thirty +sailormen. Around two corners they dashed, then came in sight +of a scene that made their blood boil. + +Some forty men stood in the street, firing at a house from whose +windows flashes of pistol shots came. Plainly the defenders were +pitifully weak. Up to this moment the men in the street had not +observed Ensign Dave's party. + +"Sprint down close enough, Riley," Dave directed, "to see whether +the men in the street are Mexicans or our own men. I suspect +they're Mexicans." + +"They're Mexicans, sir!" panted Riley, returning at a sprint. + +"Ready! Aim! Fire!" shouted Darrin. "Charge. Fire as you need." + +As the volley rang out several Mexicans dropped. Dave dashed +down the street at the head of his men. + +A feeble return of the fire came from the Mexicans, who then broke +and fled to the next corner. + +"Are there Americans inside the house?" called Dave, halting before +the open but darkened windows. + +"Indeed there are!" came a jubilant voice. "Are you Americans?" + +"From the '_Long Island_,'" Dave answered. "Come out and join +us, and we'll take you to safety." + +"Now, heaven be praised for this!" answered the same man's voice, +devoutly. "Come, my dear ones. We are under the protection of +our own Navy men." + +Out into the street came a man and woman past middle age. Behind +them followed a man of perhaps twenty-five, and a woman who was +still younger. + +"I am Ensign Darrin, at your service," Darrin announced, raising +his cap. + +"We were never so glad before to see a naval officer, Mr. Darrin," +responded the older man, heartily. "Tom and I had only our revolvers +with which to defend ourselves. Permit me. I am Jason Denman. +This is my wife, this our daughter, and this our son." + +Dave stepped closer to acknowledge the introduction. When, in +the darkness, his gaze rested on the young woman, Ensign Darrin +gave a gasp of surprise. + +"You are wondering if we have met before," smiled the young woman, +sadly. "Yes, Mr. Darrin, we have. You thrashed that bully, Mr. +Cantor, one night in New York." + +"I did not know, then, that he was a brother officer," murmured +Dave, "but I would have struck him even if I had known." + +"He was here to-night, with the Mexicans whom you drove away," +continued the young woman. + +"With Mexican soldiers?" gasped Darrin. + +"There were but a few soldiers," Miss Denman continued. "The +rest were Mexican civilians, brigands, I believe." + +"Before I can discuss matters," Darrin replied quickly, "I must +get you to a place of safety. You will please march in the middle +of this small command. Fall in, men, by fours." + +As quickly as possible the line was in motion. Dave marched back +to the Hotel Diligencia, where he made instant report to his superior. + +"This is the worst news possible!" gasped Lieutenant Trent. "I +must send word to the commanding officer downtown, and will do +so by Dalzell, who will take thirty men and escort the Denmans +to safety." + +"As to Lieutenant Cantor, sir," Dave asked his commander. "He +is to be arrested wherever found, I suppose?" + +"He is to be arrested," replied Trent, between closed teeth. +"If be resists arrest, or if he fires upon our party, he is to +be shot at once." + +"Shot?" gasped Dave Darrin. + +"You have your orders, Darrin, and they are proper, legal orders." + +"And I shall obey the order, if need arise." + +From across the street, as Darrin finished speaking, a window +was raised and several rifles were aimed directly at him. Then +shots rang out. + + + + +CHAPTER XXII + +PLAYING BIRDMAN IN WAR + + +Unconsciously Ensign Dave Darrin swayed slightly, so close did the +shower of bullets pass him. + +Then the reports of more than a score of American rifles rang out +just as Danny Grin reached his chum's side. + +"Hurt, David, little giant?" asked Dan. + +"Not even touched, so far as I know," smiled Darrin. + +"Boatswain's mate, take a dozen men and leap into that house through +the open window!" Lieutenant Trent called, sternly. + +Then the senior officer hurried over to the subordinate. + +"Did the rascals get you, Darrin?" demanded the lieutenant, anxiously. + +"I don't think so, sir," was the reply. "I don't believe I've +a scratch." + +"It's a marvel," gasped Trent, after having taken a pocket electric +light and by its rays examined the young ensign. "I believe every +one of those Mexicans aimed at you." + +"It seemed so, sir," Dave laughed. + +Danny Grin had already gone, and without orders. The instant +he was satisfied that his chum was uninjured Dalzell had leaped +away in the wake of the party led by the boatswain's mate. Now +Dan was climbing in through the window, helped by two seamen who +had been left on guard outside. + +But the search of the house revealed only one dead Mexican, not +in uniform, who had been killed by the sailormen's fire, and a +trail of blood that must have been shed by the wounded enemy as +they were carried away. + +"Bandits---Cosetta's men---not soldiers, this time," was Dan's +instant guess. + +The miscreants and their wounded, as the blood trail showed, had +escaped by way of the rear of the house. None were in sight by +the time the Americans reached the back yard. + +"Shall we pursue, sir?" asked the boatswain's mate, saluting. + +"In what direction?" asked Dalzell, scanning the ground. "The +rascals can run faster than we can follow a trail of blood. But +you may go back to Lieutenant Trent, report just what we have +found, and bring me his orders." + +"Lieutenant Trent believes that you are not likely to catch up +with the fugitives, and there would be danger of running a handful +of men into a cunning Mexican ambush," the petty officer reported, +two minutes later. + +After that the night dragged slowly. Trent allowed some of his +men to sleep in doorways an hour or so at a time, but there were +enough sailormen awake to handle any sudden surprise or attack. + +At four in the morning Trent's command was relieved by a company +of marines with two machine guns. + +Lieutenant Trent, under orders, marched his command back to a park +in which tents had been pitched. Here, under blankets on the +ground, the tired sailormen and their three officers were allowed +to sleep until noon. + +By daylight of that day, Wednesday, the first detachment ashore +had been strongly reinforced. + +There was still much sniping in the city, though now the firing came +mostly from the rear of the town. Slowly, patiently, the Navy +detachments pushed their way forward, attending to snipers and also +searching houses for concealed arms and ammunition. + +In the course of this search hundreds of Mexicans were arrested. +Even some very small boys were found with knives. + +On the third day the residents of the city were warned that all +who possessed arms must take their weapons to the provost officer's +headquarters. About nineteen hundred men, women and boys turned +in their weapons, running all the way from the latest models of +rifles down to century-old muskets. + +Soon after orders were issued that all natives found armed were +to be executed on the spot. To the average American this might +have seemed like a cruel order, but now the list of dead sailormen +and marines had reached twenty-five, and there were scores of +wounded American fighting men. Stern steps were necessary to +stop the deadly sniping. + +Another day passed, and Vera Cruz, now completely occupied by +the Americans, had ceased to be a battle ground. Now and then +a solitary shot was heard, but in every instance the sniper was +tracked down, and his fate provided another tenant for the Vera +Cruz burying ground. + +Detachments were now posted even to the suburbs of the city. + +On the morning of the fifth day, just after Trent's detachment had +been roused from a night's sleep in a park in the heart of Vera +Cruz, orders came to the lieutenant that seemed to please him. + +"We are to march as soon as we have had breakfast," Trent told +his two junior officers. "We are to take position a mile and +a half south-west of the advanced line, and there wait to protect, +if necessary, the Navy aviators, who are going out soon on a scouting +flight. At the same time, we are to keep a lookout for the appearance +of one of the airships that the Huerta forces are supposed to +possess. If we see one, we are to try to get it with the machine +guns or rifles. And here is a piece of news that may interest +you youngsters. If requested by either of the Navy aviators, +I am to allow one of my junior officers to go up in the airship +to help with the preparation of field notes to be used in making +a military map. If such a demand be made upon me, which of you +young men shall be the one to go?" + +Ensigns Dave and Dan had turned glowing faces to Trent. Then +they glanced at each other. A scouting trip in one of the Navy +aircraft would be an unqualified delight to either. + +"Let Darrin go," urged Danny Grin. + +"I withdraw, in favor of Dalzell," spoke Dave, with equal quickness. + +"Which shall it be, then?" Trent demanded quizzically. + +"Dalzell," said Dave. + +"Darrin," decreed Danny Grin. + +"How am I to decide?" asked the lieutenant, smiling at the two +eager faces. Then, suddenly he added: "I have it! Which excelled +the other in map work at Annapolis?" + +"Darrin had the higher marks! I defy you to dispute that, David, +little giant." + +As Danny Grin's statement was true, Dave could not dispute it, +so be contented himself by saying: + +"Dalzell's map-work at Annapolis was good enough to suit any need +around here, and I shall be glad to see Dalzell get the chance." + +"On that showing," returned Trent, "Darrin shall have the chance +if it comes this way." + +After a quick meal the detachment was under way. In about an +hour the position ordered had been taken. + +"Here comes the first Navy birdman!" cried Dan suddenly, pointing +townward. + +Just appearing over the housetops, and soaring to an elevation +of a thousand feet, came one of the huge hydro-aeroplanes in which +Navy aviators had long been practicing for just such work as this. +Capable of coming down and resting on the water, or of rising +from the same, these aircraft were ideally suited to the work. +Swiftly over Vera Cruz came the airship, then straight out over +the advanced line, and next on toward the detachment beyond. + +"He isn't coming down," cried Danny Grin in a tone of genuine +disappointment. "No chance for you on that one, Davy! Too bad!" + +Yet suddenly the rattling noise nearly overhead almost ceased +as the engine was shut off. Then gracefully the craft voloplaned +and touched the ground, just inside the detachment's line. + +"Great work, Bowers!" cried Trent, recognizing in the Navy birdman +a former classmate at Annapolis. + +"Thank you, Trent. You have an officer, haven't you, to help +me with field notes on this survey?" + +"I have two," smiled Trent, "but I am afraid I can spare only +one. Lieutenant Bowers, Ensign Darrin. Hop aboard, Darrin!" + +In a twinkling Ensign Dave had shaken hands with the birdman, +adding: + +"At your orders, sir!" + +Then Dave stepped nimbly up to the platform. "Take a seat beside +me, with your field-glasses ready. Here's your field note-book." + +At a sign from Lieutenant Bowers, the eager sailormen parted in +front of the airship, which, after a brief run, soared gracefully +once more. + +Behind Lieutenant Bowers stood a sailor with a signal flag. + +"Step to the rear," Bowers directed, over his shoulder, "and wigwag +back: 'O.K. Stopped only for assistant.' Sign, 'Bowers.' + +"Aye, aye, sir," answered the signalman. "Lieutenant Sherman's +airship is rising from the harbor, sir," reported the signalman. + +"Very good," nodded Lieutenant Bowers, and kept his eyes on his +course. "Darrin, are you taking all the observations necessary and +entering them?" + +"Aye, aye, sir." + +"There's the railroad bridge about which the admiral was so anxious," +said Bowers, presently. "You will note that the bridge stands, but +the railroad tracks have been torn up." + +"Aye, aye, sir," Dave reported, after using his field glass. + +"That's one of the things we wanted to know," Bowers continued. +"And keep an especially sharp lookout, Ensign, for any signs +of Mexican forces, hidden or in the open." + +But, though Dare looked constantly, he saw no indications of +the Mexican column with which General Maas had retreated. + +"Too bad about Cantor of your ship," murmured Lieutenant Bowers, +a little later. "Though the forces have been searching for him +for three or four days he can't be found anywhere. It must be +fearful to be tried for treason to one's flag. I am hoping that +Cantor will be brought in dead. Under such charges as he faces, +there's more dignity in being dead." + +"Much more," Dave assented, in a low voice. + +On and on they flew. Once, when Dave sighted moving persons in +the distance, Bowers drove the craft up to three thousand feet above +the earth. But soon, under the glass, these suspects turned out +to be a party of wretched refugees, hurrying, ragged, barefooted, +starving, gaunt and cactus-torn, to safety within the American lines +at Vera Cruz. + +For many miles Bowers's craft flew inland, and much valuable information +was picked up, besides the data from which any naval draughtsman +could construct a very good map of that part of the country. + +At last Lieutenant Bowers turned back. + +Suddenly Dave exclaimed, "Hullo! There are two men coming out +of the adobe house ahead." + +The house in question was out about four miles beyond Trent's +station. + +Dave kept his glass turned on the two men on the ground, at the +same the trying to conceal the glass from their view. + +"They haven't rifles," he told Lieutenant Bowers. Then, as the +aircraft passed and left the adobe house to the rear, Darrin +bent over and whispered something in Bowers's ear that the signalman +behind them could not hear. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIII + +THE DASH FOR THE TRAITOR + + +A Little later the hydro-aeroplane returned to Lieutenant Trent's +position. + +Dave placed in the hands of the lieutenant the field note-book, which +had been so carefully kept that any officer could draw a map from +it at need. + +Lightly the big airship touched the earth just inside Trent's +line. Dave, shaking hands with his temporary commanding officer, +added: + +"Thank you for something I've always wanted---a flight over a +real enemy's country." + +"I've greatly enjoyed having you with me," Lieutenant Bowers responded. +"Trent, you've obliged me hugely by giving me so good an assistant. +Good-bye, fellows." + +The birdman was again several hundred feet up in the air. + +"What kind of a trip was it?" asked Dalzell. + +"It was wonderful," Dave breathed. "And I've brought back news of +great importance!" + +"Did you get it from Mexico City or Washington?" Trent broke in. + +"Of course not," Dave said, wonderingly. + +"Then you've no such news as we can tell you," Danny went on, +quickly, sadly. "Can you guess what it is?" + +"Our government isn't going to surrender us to the Huerta forces, +is it?" + +"Not quite so bad as that," Dan admitted. "But listen! The +governments of Brazil, Argentine and Chili have offered their +services in arranging mediation between Washington and Mexico +City. And Washington has accepted!" + +"No war?" gasped Dave Darrin, thunderstruck. "No war against +a country that has treated our citizens so outrageously? Has +Huerta accepted, too?" + +"We haven't heard, as yet," Trent took up the thread of information, +"but there is a rumor that Huerta will be only too glad to accept, +even if only as a bluff. If, by any kind of a scheme, he can +hold us off for a few weeks, he will then have his army consolidated, +will have the railroad and bridges destroyed, and the mountain +roads to Mexico City all planted with mines, and then be able, +most likely, to make the advance of our Army to Mexico City cost +us hundreds of good Yankee lives per mile!" + +"And Funston's brigade of regulars is on the way, too!" Danny +Grin added, sorrowfully. "Won't there be some mad soldier-boys?" + +Ensign Dave Darrin stood with bowed head for a few moments. To +him it seemed hard indeed, if the Mexicans, after almost countless +outrages against American citizens, even to the extent of +assassination---and worse---were to escape their richly deserved +punishment through a few tricks of diplomacy. + +Then the spirit of the service, so strong in him, came to the +surface. To others belonged the right of command, his only the +privilege to obey. + +He raised his head, smiling. Then his own matter of report leaped +back into his mind. Bringing his heels together, straightening +up, he saluted: + +"Sir, I have the honor to report that, while on the air flight, +I noted the location of a solitary adobe house about four miles +out. From that house came two men whom I distinctly recognized +through my field glass to be Lieutenant Cantor and the bandit, +Cosetta. Lieutenant Cantor, after one or two upward looks, bowed +his head and kept his eyes to the ground, but I am positive, sir, +of my identification of both men." + +"And Cosetta's bandits?" inquired Trent. "Did you see any signs +of them?" + +"No, sir, but the adobe house is large enough to hide them all." + +"Any trenches near the house?" + +"No, sir." + +"I am afraid it would do little good to approach the house in +broad daylight," Lieutenant Trent reflected, excitedly, "but it +should make an excellent enterprise late in the night. I will +report this matter to Commander Dillingham, in command of the +advanced line. With his permission, we'll try to-night for the +capture of that much needed pair of rascals." + +"Our signalman is being called from the advanced line, sir," reported +a saluting sailorman. + +Wheeling, Trent ordered his own signalman to wig-wag, "Go ahead." +Then the lieutenant stood reading the message. + +"You will fall back upon the advanced line," the signal read. + +"Send 'O.K.,'" called the lieutenant. + +"Sir," cried a sentry, "There's a party coming in. You can just +make 'em out, sir." + +Stepping forward, Trent brought up his fieldglasses, while Dave +informed him: + +"That was the second matter upon which I intended to report to you, +sir. I observed those people from the airship. I believe them +to be refugees." + +Immediately Lieutenant Trent signaled the advanced line, reporting +the party seen out on the plain. + +"Then wait and escort them in," came Commander Dillingham's order. + +"O.K., sir," the detachment's signalman wigwagged back. + +In three-quarters of an hour more the painfully moving party reached +the detachment. They were truly refugees, released from Mexico +City and nearby points. + +The sight of these suffering people, some hundred and twenty in +number, and mainly Americans, was enough to cause many of the +sailormen to shed unaccustomed tears, and not to be ashamed of +them, either! + +Every degree of wretchedness and raggedness was represented by +these sufferers of indescribable wrongs. + +Men, and women too, showed the marks of rough handling by brutal +prison guards. There were many disfigured faces. One man carried +in a crude sling, an arm broken by a savage Mexican captor. + +Such spectacles were of daily occurrence in Vera Cruz! These +wretched men, women and children had been on the way on foot since +the middle of the night, having painfully trudged in over the +twenty-five-mile gap in which the tracks had been torn up. + +Ordering his men to fall in, Lieutenant Trent escorted the patient, +footsore procession in to the advanced line. The sailormen adjusted +their own steps to those of the sufferers. As they moved along +Coxswain Riley vented his feelings in an undertone: + +"We need only a band and a dead march to make a funeral of this! +And---yet---no war!" + +From the slow-moving ranks came only a deep, surly growl. Lieutenant +Trent turned around, then faced front once more; he had no heart +to utter a rebuke. + +Mingled cheers and growls greeted the arrival of the pitiful fugitives +at the advanced lines. The cheers were for the fact that the +refugees had at least escaped with their lives. The growls were +for the Mexicans responsible for this spectacle. + +"We must secure conveyances of some kind to take these poor people +into the city," declared Commander Dillingham. "I will send a +messenger to ask for the best sort of carriages that can be found +in a place like Vera Cruz. Lieutenant, as the second airship +is returning yonder, your duty outside the lines is over. You +may march your men to the camp yonder and let them rest until +they are needed." + +"I wish a word with you, sir, when possible," Trent urged. + +"At once," replied Commander Dillingham. Darrin was with Lieutenant +Trent when he reported the discovery of the whereabouts of Cantor +and Cosetta. + +"It wouldn't do any good to go out in the daytime," the commander +decided. "The fellows would see you coming, and take to their +heels toward the interior before you came within rifle range. +You will have to go after dark, Lieutenant, and better still, +towards midnight. In the early evening they might be watching +for an American advance, but late at night they would decide that +their hiding place is not suspected. You will plan, Lieutenant, +to leave here at a little before eleven o'clock to-night, which +will bring you to the adobe house about midnight. I will communicate +my information to the commander of the forces ashore, and, if +not reversed by him, my present instructions will hold." + +The orders were not reversed. At 10.45 that night Trent marched +his detachment beyond the advanced line. Every man moved as softly +as he could, and there was no jingling of military accoutrements. + +Finally the adobe house stood out dimly against the night sky at +a distance of less than half a mile. + +"If Cosetta has his men with him, they are doubtless sleeping +outside, on their arms, tonight," Lieutenant Trent explained, +after a softly ordered halt. "When we attack, Cantor and perhaps +Cosetta, will try to escape from the rear of the house, making +a quick dash for the interior, while Cosetta's men try to hold +us in check. Therefore, Darrin, I am going to let you have fifteen +men. You will make a wide detour of the house, and try to work +to a position in the immediate rear. You will have your men lie +flat on the ground, and I will take every precaution that my men +do not fire upon you. If you see Cosetta or Cantor, you will +know what to do." + +"Aye, aye, sir," responded Ensign Darrin. + +With the stealth of a cat Dave advanced, revolver in hand. He was +behind the house, and within forty feet of the back door, when a +crashing fire ripped out in front. + +Cosetta's men, lying on the ground, had failed to note Darrin's +flanking movement, but had discovered Trent's advance. + +Suddenly the rear door flew open, and two men dashed out. + +"Halt!" shouted Dave, dashing forward. + +Cosetta reached for a revolver. Before he could produce it Darrin's +bullet laid him low. + +But Cantor sprang at the young ensign with such force as to bear +him to earth. + +One of Cantor's hands gripped at Dave's throat. In the traitor's +other hand flashed a narrow-bladed Mexican knife. + +"The score is settled at last!" hissed Cantor, as he drove the +weapon down. + + + + +CHAPTER XXIV + +CONCLUSION + + +It's the thought that can take shape in the hundredth part of a +second that saves human life at such a crisis. + +The instant he felt the hand at his throat there flashed into +Dave's mind a sailor's trick that had come to him, indirectly, +from Japan. + +Clasping both of his own hands inside of Cantor's arm, and holding +both arms rigidly, Darrin rolled himself over sideways with such +force as to send the traitor sprawling. + +Dave got to his feet with the speed of desperation that rules when +one is in danger. + +Yet the traitor was hardly a whit behind him in rising. + +Crouching low, with the knife in his hand, Cantor watched his +chance to spring. + +Ensign Dave's revolver lay on the ground. To take the second +needed to recover the weapon would cost him his life at the point +of the knife. + +Cosetta, lying desperately wounded, tried to crawl over the ground +a few feet in order to reach his own pistol. + +"Take it!" hissed Cantor, leaping forward, panther-like, and making +a sudden lunge. + +Throwing up his left arm to ward off the weapon, Dave felt the +sharp sting of steel in his forearm. + +Heedless of his wound, Dave, with his right hand, gripped the +wrist of the traitor. + +It was a struggle, now, of trained athletes. Each used his left +hand in struggling for the advantage, watching, warily, also, +for a chance to use his feet or knees. + +On the other side of the house the firing still continued. + +Neither Dave nor his antagonist spoke. Silently they battled, +until both went to the ground. + +Though Dave might have won with his fists, Cantor's superior weight +and muscle counted in this deadly clinch. And now Darrin found +himself lying with both shoulders touching, while Cantor, kneeling +over him, fought to free his knife hand for the final thrust. + +On the ground beyond, through the hail of fire from their own +comrades, wriggled Riley and two sailormen. The instant they +neared the corner of the house all three leaped to their feet, +dashing to the aid of their young officer. + +"Don't shoot, Riley!" panted Ensign Dave Darrin. "Stun him!" + +In a twinkling Riley reversed his clutch on his aimed rifle, bringing +down the butt across the traitor's head. Cantor rolled over. + +"Shall I wind up this Greaser, sir?" asked one of the sailormen, +thrusting the muzzle of his rifle against Cosetta's breast. + +"No!" Dave commanded, sharply. "We don't kill when we can take +prisoners." + +So the seaman contented himself with standing guard over the wounded +brigand. + +Suddenly the machine gun began to rip into the ranks of the bandits +in front of the house. An instant later a dozen sailors whom +Riley had left behind reached the flanking position for which +they had rushed, and began pouring in a raking fire on the bandits. +Assailed from two sides Cosetta's now leaderless band broke in +wild confusion, and fled, leaving behind many dead and wounded. + +Quickly Trent surrounded the house, but there was no one inside. +And then Trout came upon his subordinate. + +"Why, Darrin, you're hurt!" he cried, pointing to Dave's left arm. + +As the firing died out Dave glanced down at his sleeve. + +"Off with your blouse!" spoke the lieutenant, in a tone of command. + +Riley helped to remove the blouse, meanwhile explaining: + +"We didn't crawl all the way to you, sir. We ran until we got +into a hail of bullets from our own messmates. Then, sir, that +we might reach you, we threw ourselves down and crawled a few yards." + +"Riley," declared Dave, heartily, "you're as good a man as there +is in the United States Navy!" + +Whereat the petty officer fairly blushed with pride. + +"All our men are so good," added Trent, genially, "that it's a +difficult task to pick the best." + +The surviving bandits had fled. Trent's orders forbade pursuing +beyond the house. So, while Riley and Dave were examining the +deep wound in the latter's forearm, Trent gave orders to bury +the dead in shallow graves and to pick up the wounded for removal +to Vera Cruz. + +Immediately upon returning to the advanced line Dave was ordered +back to the "_Long Island_" for prompt surgical treatment. Though +his wound was not dangerous, in itself, the climate of Vera Cruz +is one in which there is the gravest danger of blood-poisoning +setting in in any wound. + +The day after that, duty on shore being lighter, and officers +being needed aboard, Danny Grin was ordered back to ship duty, +while Lieutenant Trent remained ashore with his detachment. + +Having broken arrest, Cantor, on being returned to ship, was placed +behind the steel bars of the ship's brig. There was no further +escape for him. But his brother officers sighed their relief +when a board of surgeons declared Lieutenant Cantor to be hopelessly +insane, and expressed their opinion that he had been in that unfortunate +mental condition for at least some weeks. That removed the taint +of treason from the "_Long Island's_" ward-room, as an insane man +is never held responsible for his wrong acts. + +It was gambling to excess, and the fear of being dropped from the +Navy Register, that had caused the wreck of Cantor's mind. He is +now properly confined in an asylum. + +Mrs. Black had not left Vera Cruz, but still lingered on one of +the refugee ships in the harbor, where the Denmans found her. +Mrs. Black was a widow who devoted her time and her wealth to +missionary work in Mexico. Dave learned to his surprise that +she was the daughter of Jason Denman, and a sister of the girl +whom Dave had served so signally in New York. + +Mr. Denman, who was a wealthy resident of an Ohio town, had extensive +mining interests in Mexico, and had gone there to look after them, +leaving Miss Denman and her mother in New York. Cantor, who had +first met the Denmans in Ohio, when on recruiting duty in that +state, had planned to make Miss Denman his wife for purely mercenary +reasons. He had struggled to overcome his gaming mania, and had +planned that once Miss Denman became his wife her money should +be used to pay his gaming debts and free him from the claims of +the vice. + +But Mr. Denman, with the insight of a wise man, had discouraged +the suit. + +In New York, before the "_Long Island_" had sailed, Cantor had +met young Tom Denman in a gambling resort. Plying the young man +with liquor, Cantor had persuaded the young man, when unconscious +of what he was doing, to forge a banker's name to two checks, +which Cantor had persuaded an acquaintance of his to cash. Of +course the checks had been refused payment at the bank, but the +man who had cashed them had disappeared. + +Cantor had offered to save young Tom Denman. Without involving +himself Cantor could have testified that the young man was all +but unconscious, and without knowledge of his act, when he "forged" +the cheeks. + +The bank that had been deceived into cashing the checks before +they were forwarded to the bank upon which they were drawn, had +located Tom Denman easily enough. Tom would have been arrested, +but Mrs. Denman promptly applied to a great detective agency, +which quickly established the young man's mental condition at +the of "forging" the checks. Moreover, Mrs. Denman, after cabling +her husband for authority to use his funds, had made good the +loss to the bank. Then mother, daughter and son had journeyed +hastily to Vera Cruz, that the boy might be under his father's eye. + +That one lesson was enough for Tom Denman. He has never strayed +since. + +As to the theft of his landing plan, Captain Gales afterward explained +to several of his officers that no such theft had ever taken place. +"You recall, gentlemen," the captain explained, "that I +referred to the envelope which had contained the plans. And I +then stated that the envelope which had contained the plans had +disappeared. You will also remember, perhaps that I didn't state +that the plans themselves were gone, for they rested in my safe, +and are there at this moment. Acting that afternoon on an impulse +that I did not very well understand, I took the landing plans +from their envelope and filled the envelope with blank paper after +having put the plans in the safe. + +"Cantor had knowledge of the envelope, and supposed, as any one +would have done, that the plans were inside. When my back was +turned for an instant Cantor took the envelope, which I did not +immediately miss, as I had no idea that any of my officers was +untrustworthy. Cantor hurried to his own quarters, and there +discovered the blank paper substitution. Furious, yet hating +Darrin for reasons which you now understand, Cantor hastened to +Darrin's room and slipped the envelope in under Darrin's mattress. +Cantor has admitted it to me---whatever the word of an adjudged +lunatic may be worth poor fellow! + +"Now, as to Cantor's need of money, he was overwhelmed with gambling +debts in New York. Some wild fancy told him that he could win +money enough in Vera Cruz to pay his debts at home. He secured +leave and went ashore. In a gaming house there he lost all his +money, but still fought on against the game when he found that +his signature would be accepted. He plunged heavily, soon rising +from the table owing thirty thousand dollars to the house. Then +Cosetta, who was a silent partner of the house, noting the lieutenant's +despair, led him aside and cunningly informed him that he could +have all his notes back if he could only secure the authoritative +plans of the American landing. Cosetta, who had been a bandit +for many years, and who feared the time would come when his appearance +in Vera Cruz would be followed by arrest and execution, wanted +to turn the landing plans over to General Maas, the Mexican commander +here. Imagine the temptation to Cantor when he thought he had +the plans in his own hands! + +"Cantor afterwards secured my permission to go ashore in civilian +garb, on the plea that he had urgent private business. As the +landing had been made, I permitted him to go. I have since discovered +that Cantor had word of the Denmans being in Vera Cruz. Cosetta +found the family for him, and Cantor made one last, desperate +plea for Miss Denman's hand. He was obliged to urge his suit +through the open window of the house. Then, when Mr. Denman sternly +refused to listen to him, Cosetta tried to kill Mr. Denman and +his son, intending to abduct Miss Denman and to force her to marry +Cantor. + +"Cosetta died this morning. He had hoped to become at least a +colonel in Huerta's army. Cantor did not know Cosetta until that +chance meeting took place in the gambling house." + +A week later, Dave Darrin, his wound now almost healed, stood +on the bridge of the "_Long Island_," Danny Grin at his side. + +They had just watched the landing of the last boatloads of General +Funston's regulars. + +"I believe that winds up the Navy's chapter at Vera Cruz, Danny," +said Ensign Darrin. "The rest of it, if there is going to be +any 'rest,' will belong to the Army." + +"We had an interesting time while it lasted," declared Dalzell, +with a broad grin. + +"There is a world full of interesting times ahead of us. We'll +find time in every quarter of the globe. Isn't that so, Gunner's +Mate Riley?" he demanded of the former coxswain, who, promoted +that day, now stepped upon the bridge saluting, to show proudly +on his sleeve the badge of his new rating. + +Whether Darrin's prediction was realized will be discovered in +the pages of the next volume of this series, which will be published +shortly under the title, "_Dave Darrin on Mediterranean Service; +Or, With Dan Dalzell on European Duty_." + +In this forthcoming volume we shall encounter an amazing tale +of an American naval officer's life and duties abroad, and we +are likely, too, to hear from Lieutenant Trent and other good +fellows from the ward-rooms and from the forecastles of our splendid +Navy. + + + +***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK DAVE DARRIN AT VERA CRUZ*** + + +******* This file should be named 12776.txt or 12776.zip ******* + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +https://www.gutenberg.org/1/2/7/7/12776 + + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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