[Illustration: cover]

A VOYAGE WITH CAPTAIN DYNAMITE

[Illustration: Suddenly he half rose in the tossing boat and shouted tothe rowers (_Page 13_)]

A VOYAGEWITHCAPTAIN DYNAMITE

BYCHARLES EDWARD RICH

[Illustration: Publishers mark]

NEW YORKA. S. BARNES & COMPANY1907

COPYRIGHT, 1907, BYA. S. BARNES & COMPANYAll rights reserved

CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER PAGE

I. CAUGHT IN A GALE 1II CARRIED AWAY TO SEA 11III "SHE'S LIKE A WARSHIP BELOW" 24IV. A LESSON IN PATRIOTISM 37V. SENDING THE MESSAGE 51VI. "VIVA, CUBA LIBRE!" 63VII. IN THE DANGER ZONE 73VIII. A BRUSH WITH THE GUNBOAT 86IX. THE MIDNIGHT MESSAGE 99X. INTO THE ENEMY'S COUNTRY 112XI. CAPTURED BY SPANIARDS 125XII. ON TO GOMEZ 139XIII. HARRY REFUSES TO BETRAY CAPTAIN DYNAMITE 151XIV. THE SECRET PASSAGE 165XV. THE EXECUTION AT DAWN 177XVI. THE ESCAPE 185XVII. "YOU WILL BE SHOT AS SPIES" 198XVIII. CAPTAIN DYNAMITE FINDS JUANITA 208XIX. DRAWING THE NET CLOSER 218XX. CAPTAIN DYNAMITE TO THE RESCUE 231XXI. GENERAL SERANO MEETS CAPTAIN DYNAMITE 242XXII. THE ESCAPE--VILLAMONTE AGAIN BEATEN 254XXIII. BACK TO THE MARIELLA 266XXIV. THE ESCAPE FROM THE LAGOON 275XXV. HOME AGAIN 291

A VOYAGE WITH CAPTAIN DYNAMITE

CHAPTER I

CAUGHT IN A GALE

"Let go the jib halliards, Mason. Lay out there, Bert, and get in thatslack sail. It's blowing a bit. Gee, see that bank of wind coming up. "

The little pleasure boat careened and took aboard a few barrels of wateras she faced a sudden puff of wind that almost put her on her beam ends. But she was a game little craft, and came back from the onslaught of theelements with a sturdiness that indicated strong timbers, and a buildthat was meant to cope with the sudden squalls that come out of a clearsky off the coast of Martha's Vineyard during the early autumn days. 

"She's good for anything that you will get around these parts, and sheis the fastest boat of her length in these waters. "

This recommendation by Tom, the veteran skipper of the summer fleet, hadbeen sufficient to complete the sale of the sloop to three enthusiasticboys. And the boat had made good her reputation and served her purposewell. During the two months that the boys had owned her, there had beenfew days when she had not been in commission, either cruising for bluefish, or skimming along the shores of the island in a pleasant, summerway, lazily passing the days away for the youngsters, who lolledcontentedly on her deck. 

Since we shall follow the crew of the yacht through many adventures, letus make their acquaintance at once. At the helm stood Harry Hamilton, aboy of sixteen, strong of build and an athlete of renown within thecircles of his school. Honest and straightforward in all his dealings, and with a cheery disposition, he commanded the respect and admirationof his fellows, and because of his natural characteristics, was usuallylooked upon as the leader in their sports. With his parents he wasspending his vacation at their summer home at Cottage City. 

With him were two schoolmates, Geoffrey Mason and Bertram Wilson, whowere staying with him. Bertram was about Harry's age. Geoffrey, nicknamed "Midget" Mason, or the "Midget, " was a year younger than hischums, and although small for his age, was strong and wiry. Lighthearted and fun loving, he was always the life of any gathering of boys. He was one of Harry Hamilton's staunchest friends and admirers. Forweeks the boys had enjoyed the sailing, bathing, fishing, golf, andother sports, but their particular diversion was sailing. Under theinstruction of old Tom, the boys were soon able to handle alone thelittle boat that they had bought by clubbing together their resources. 

"Don't worry, mother, she's as safe as a scow, " Harry would say, as hesaw the expression of anxiety spread over his mother's face when heannounced that they were off for a day's cruising. 

On this day they had started early in the morning for a blue-fishingcruise, and all had gone well until the homeward voyage. The cockpit wasfull of big fish and the boys took much pleasure in anticipating theirreception when they made fast to the pier. The little sloop was skimmingalong under full sail, when just off Edgartown a stiff puff of windstruck them. 

Harry jammed the helm hard down and the boat responded gamely, comingquickly up into the wind. It was then that he called sharply to Mason tolet go the jib halliards. The sail was so light and the wind slapped itfrom side to side with such angry vehemence that it would not run downon the stay. Harry dropped the helm, and holding it down with thepressure of his leg, seized the down haul and brought the jib, flappingand pounding, down to the bowsprit. 

"Get out there and furl that jib, Bert, " he shouted. "We'll have to reefdown the mainsail soon. "

Bert climbed cautiously out of the cockpit and made his way along theslippery deck until he reached the bowsprit. Clinging to the mainmast, he steadied himself while he surveyed the thrashing sail, whose folds ofcanvas hung over and trailed in the water until, caught every now andthen by the wind, it bellied out like a balloon. A wave bigger than therest completely submerged the bowsprit as the boat plunged into thetrough of the sea. 

To furl the jib it was necessary to climb out on the lower stay, whichacted as a foot rope, and it required the agility of a cat to hang onand drag the water-soaked, wind-thrashed sail onto the bowsprit and makeit fast with canvas stops. For a moment Bert hesitated, but Harry wavedto him eagerly to go on. Bert nodded in assent and began to climbgingerly out onto the stay. Harry held the boat up into the wind to aidhis companion in getting in the wet and flapping sail. 

They plunged into wave after wave, carrying Bert almost completelyunder, as a bather goes under a comber in the surf. But he hung onto thelight spar with one hand while he dragged in the sail with the other. When his task was completed and he climbed inboard again, Bert was aswet as if he had been overboard. 

Then came the task of reefing the mainsail, which the boys accomplishedsuccessfully, though not without a hard struggle, for the wind increasedin violence every moment. Holding the boat, which now carried only a fewsquare yards of canvas, well up into the wind, they pounded along withthe gunwale under the rushing water. She rode a little easier and theboys settled down for a breathing spell. 

"There is nothing to be done now but to let her run, " said Harry, as hegripped the helm hard to meet a sudden plunge into a head sea. 

"But we are heading straight out to sea, " said Bert, with a tone ofworriment in his voice. 

"Can't be helped. This wind has not reached its limit yet, and I wouldnot dare to try to take her in before it. It might take the mast out ofher. "

"It's getting dark, too, " said Mason, nervously. 

"That can't be helped either. "

"Can't you ease her off for the Massachusetts shore?"

"I tell you, Bert, there is nothing to be done with safety but to keepher right up into the eye of the wind. "

"But this blow may last for a day or two. "

"Now look here, Bert, you and I have been caught in one or two hardblows and we have pulled out all right together. If you think you knowmore about handling this boat than I do, I will turn the helm over toyou and you can have your own way. "

"Skipper, " said Bert, with a return of his natural good humor, "I seekneither the honor nor the responsibility. Keep the helm and sail her onto whatever port this blooming gale may be heading us for. It looks tome as if we would make the coast of Ireland for our first stop. "

"She is not making as much headway as she appears to be. I have got herjammed way up into the wind. "

The sky was constantly growing darker and the wind seemed each moment toincrease in fury. To add to the discomfort of the situation, it began torain. The wind howled and shrieked and lashed the surface of the waterinto a white foam, lifting at times the crests from the waves andhurling the fine spray into the faces of the boys. 

Darkness was falling rapidly, and away off in the distance behind themthe lights of Cottage City flashed out as the cottagers began to lightthe lamps. 

Harry sat silently at the helm, with his eyes fixed on the sail, now andthen changing their course a little as the gusty wind veered a point ortwo. 

On they plunged into the teeth of the ever increasing gale. Sooncomplete darkness shut in around them and it was impossible to seebeyond the bow of the boat, that at times rose high on the crest of arushing wave and then swooped down to meet the next with a crash thatsent a shiver through her timbers. But she was a sturdy little craft, and shaking herself like an animal, she would rise lightly to the top ofthe next wave, ready to fight it out to the end. 

Mason and Bert perched grimly on the windward rail of the cockpit. Neither had spoken for a long time. 

"Take a turn at the pump, Bert, " said Harry, "I think she is takingwater. "

Bert started towards the pump, slipped on the fish that filled thecockpit and pitched head-foremost into the lee scuppers. 

"Throw half a dozen of those fish into the cuddy and chuck the restoverboard, " said Harry, who, notwithstanding their serious situation, could not refrain from laughing at Bert's frantic efforts to regain hisfeet among the slippery cargo. "We may need some of them for food beforewe get out of this, but the others are in the way. "

Mason climbed down from his perch with care and helped to throw the fishoverboard. 

"Pretty dangerous situation, skipper, " said the imperturbable youngster, "when we have to sacrifice the cargo. However, over they go. "

The little cabin, or cuddy, of the boat was so low that it was withdifficulty that one could crawl into it. On either side the boys hadfitted up small bunks that served for lounging during calm weather, andin the middle of this space, on the centreboard box, they had arranged atable on which stood a small oil stove. Here they frequently cookedtheir luncheons when cruising. 

After the fish were disposed of, Bert manned the pump, and for fiveminutes was busy getting the water out of the hold. 

"This blow has opened up some of her seams, " said Harry, as Bert beganto puff. "We shall have to work to keep the water out of her, boys. "

"What about eating?" asked Mason, whose stomach never quailed, even inthe face of danger. 

"We'll go without eating for the present, young man, and you may thinkyourself very lucky if you get out of this even with an empty stomach. "

"O, fudge, I can sneak down into the cuddy and fix up a nice mess ofbaked beans that will make your mouth water. There are three cans left. Besides, if we are going to drown, what's the use of drowning on emptystomachs?"

"Don't you even put your head in that cuddy, Midget, " said Harry, sharply. "If anything should happen to this boat you would be drownedlike a rat in a trap, in there. "

"Pish, pish and tush, tush, what's the use of having a skipper if he isgoing to upset his craft? Bert, it is high time the crew mutinied. What--"

At this moment a big wave struck the bow of the boat and swept her fromstem to stern, filling Mason's open mouth with salt water. 

"Skipper, " he sputtered, as soon as he could speak, "I confidentlybelieve you did that on purpose. "

"This is not a time for your nonsense, Mason, " said Harry, somewhatsternly. 

As he spoke, a fiercer gust of wind, veering a point or two, caught thesloop amidships, and before Harry could let go the sheet or bring hercloser up, she heeled over to the blast until the water poured in atorrent into the cockpit. Harry jammed down the helm and let go themainsheet and she righted herself, trembled under the strain and plungedahead once more into the seas. 

It was mere chance that both Bert and Mason were not swept into the seaby the sudden careening of the boat. As it was, they were thrown intothe cockpit, and when they climbed back in the darkness to their placeson the weather rail, the Midget wore a much more serious expression onhis naturally comical face. 

"You are right, Hal, " he said, solemnly, "I guess it's no joke afterall. "

The rain was now coming down in vicious torrents that beat in the boys'faces, almost blinding them. 

Suddenly in the blackness ahead there flashed a bright, green light likethe eye of some monster of the deep. It appeared to be about as highabove them as the mast head of the sloop. They each saw it at the sametime, and each knew, with a thrill of horror, what it meant. 

"Hold fast, " shouted Harry, in tones that could just be heard above thehowling of the gale, and at the same time he put the helm hard down. "She's almost on us. "

It was too late. There was a crash and the sound of splintering timbers. 

The big steamer cut the little craft in two as cleanly as with a knife. 

CHAPTER II

CARRIED AWAY TO SEA

As the big, black hull of the steamer crashed into the sail boat, a loudshout went up from her deck. The note of fright in it penetrated eventhrough the shrieks of the gale. 

"Boat under our starboard bow, sir--we've run her down. "

The warning shout and the cry that announced the disaster werepunctuated only by a breath. Then followed a babel of orders and thequick clanging of signal bells in the engine room. The sudden churningof the screws in the angry waters told that the steamer's engines werereversed. 

A man rushed out of the cabin and took a commanding place on thesteamer's bridge. 

"Where did she go down?" he shouted in the ear of the mate, who clung tothe rail and peered back into the darkness. 

"About a hundred feet aft, sir, " the man answered, pointing into theblackness that enveloped the steamer. 

"Lower the port lifeboat, " shouted the newcomer on the scene to the menwho were collected on the forward deck. 

He darted back toward the cabin as he spoke and the sound of creakingropes told that his orders were being rapidly carried out. 

"The boat will never live in this sea, " shouted the mate. 

The man turned at the cabin door with a scowl. 

"You heard my orders, " he said, sharply. "There are lives to be savedand it is not a question whether the boat will live. We will make herlive. Call for volunteers if the men have any scruples about trustingthemselves with me, but get the boat into the water at once. Everyminute counts. "

He was gone but a second and emerged from the cabin in a heavy suit ofoilskins. He sprang nimbly down the companionway to the deck. 

"Who goes with me in the boat?" he shouted to the assembled crew. 

"I, sir, and I, " cried the men in chorus, all anxious to be in the boatwith their commander. 

"You, and you, and you, " he shouted, as he designated six men with aquick movement of his forefinger. The men tumbled over the side into theboat that was tossing like a cockle shell in the waves that threatenedto dash her to pieces against the big steamer. The captain slipped overthe side and took his place in the stern. It was a difficult task to getthe boat safely off, but it was finally accomplished by skill andstrength; and as she rode away from the side on the top of a nastyroller she was greeted with a cheer from the disappointed men who hadbeen left behind and who longed to be with their commander in hisperilous undertaking. 

As they rowed away from the steamer there was no sign in the darkness ofthe little boat they had run down, but the man at the tiller steered asdeterminedly as if he knew for just what point in the blackness he washeaded. With his head bent slightly forward and his big body swayingwith the rock and pitch of the lifeboat he kept his eyes fixed straightahead. 

Suddenly he half rose in the tossing boat and shouted to the rowers, whowere bending their backs to the oars that every now and then would sinkdeep into a towering wave and the next instant swing viciously throughthe air as the boat rolled up on the crest of a big billow. 

"Steady all, " he called in a deep growl. "Now hold her. "

The men dug their oars into the tumbling sea in an effort to bring theboat to a standstill, but the waves caught her and hurried her on. Thesailors caught a fleeting glimpse in the darkness of the bottom of anupturned boat to which three boys were clinging. The man at the tillerswung the boat's head around as they swept by and, caught broadside onby a big wave, she rolled for a moment as if she was about to capsize. But the trained sailors held stoutly to the leeward oars, and the boatrighted herself and rose like a cork on the wave and settled down soclose to the wrecked yacht that the man in the stern leaned over andtossed the end of a rope beyond the heads of the boys. 

"Catch it and make fast to something, " he cried, as the rope fell. "Wecannot get any closer to you without smashing this boat. Jump!"

 * * * * *

When Harry came to the surface after the collision he found that he wasnot hurt and, shaking his head like a dog, he prepared to make a fightfor his life against the sea. His first thought was of his companions, but it was impossible to tell what their fate had been. It took all hisstrength to battle with the waves and keep himself afloat. Now and then, as he was carried helplessly to the crest of a big billow, he tried topeer into the darkness that surrounded him. He could see nothing butempty blackness. It was impossible to swim, had he known in whichdirection to head. All he could do was to husband his strength to keepon the surface and to breast and rise with each wave that passed underhim. 

He knew it would be useless to shout, for his voice was weak from hisexertions and could not be heard above the howling of the wind and thelash of the sea. He could faintly hear the commotion on the steamer andsee the lights from her portholes when she rode a high wave. But he hadno hope that any boat that might be lowered could reach him in that sea. 

Once he thought he heard faint cries for help near him, and as he sankinto the trough of a sea, a black mass swept by him. He groped wildly toreach it and his hand touched a dangling rope. He seized it with thefrenzy of a drowning man and the next instant had pulled himselfalongside of what proved to be the wreck of the yacht. He draggedhimself up and threw his arms over the keel and for the first time sincehe had been swept under the surface of the water drew a long breath. Thetouch of something solid in that angry sea put new life into him and heshouted feebly for very joy. 

An answering cry, weak as his own, came from the other side of the wreckand he saw two heads just above the line of the keel. Bert and Mason hadalso been fortunate enough to reach the upturned half of the boat, andfor a time at least all were saved from the maw of the sea. 

Just then the lifeboat reached them and the rope cast by the captain'sstrong hand fell over their heads. Harry caught it and managed to makeit fast to a ring bolt. Then without hesitation the boys one by onedropped off into the water and half swimming and half draggingthemselves by the rope, made their way from the wreck to the lifeboatinto which they were pulled by strong hands. As soon as they weredragged aboard, the boys sank to the bottom of the boat exhausted. 

"How many of you were there?" asked the captain, as the last of thethree boys was pulled into the boat. 

"Only three, " answered Harry, weakly. 

"All right, then, " said the captain, with a tone of relief in his voice, "You are all accounted for. Pull men. "

By the time they reached the steamer the boys had revived and were ableto scramble up the rope-ladder that was lowered over the side. Thecaptain was the last to go aboard. As he reached the deck he looked atthe bedraggled youngsters with a good-natured smile. 

"Better come below and get on some dry clothes, " he said, as he noddedhis head to the mate on the bridge. 

The bells in the engine-room jingled and the big steamer began to forgeahead again into the storm as if nothing had happened to delay hervoyage. The drenched boys gladly followed the captain into his cabin. Hewas a man of enormous build, big-boned and muscular. His head wascovered with a mass of curling blond hair and his face was clean-shaven. As he threw off his oilskins and tossed them into a corner of the cabinthe boys saw to their astonishment that he wore a fashionable suit ofsummer flannels and a handsome negligée shirt. His trousers, which wereturned up at the bottom in the latest mode, were suspended by a fancyleather belt and his feet were encased in low tan shoes. He looked likethe owner of a yacht off on a summer pleasure cruise, but to the eye ofthe veriest land lubber it would be at once apparent that the steamerwhich he commanded was not a yacht. He was about thirty years old andcarried his size and weight with an ease that showed the training of anathlete. 

After he had thrown aside his oilskins, he began to rummage through abig chest and finally threw out a lot of old togs for the inspection ofhis involuntary guests. 

"Good deal like a Baxter Street fit, I guess, " he said, laughing. Therewas just a touch of brogue in his voice. "Never mind. Chuck off the wetones. These will have to do until we can get the others dried in theengine-room. Roll up the trousers and sleeves and look out that I don'ttread on the tails of your coats. "

The boys were glad to get out of their wet and chilled clothing andneeded no second invitation. They were a funny looking trio when theyhad rigged themselves out in the captain's duds. The sleeves of theMidget's coat hung to the ground and his trousers' legs doubled up twicebefore he could walk. Harry was the tallest of the three and yet thecaptain's clothes hung on him like a sack on a pole. 

"Now I'll bet you are hungry, " said the captain as he surveyed the boyswith a twinkle of amusement in his eyes. "What do you say to a cup ofhot coffee and bite of biscuit? This ship is no hotel, as you will findbefore you get through with her. Nothing better in the cabin than in thefo'c'sel. But we have plenty of the sort we have and as often as we wantit. "

He stepped to the door of the cabin as he spoke and called to a man ondeck:

"Send the cook aft. "

"Aye, aye, sir, " came an answering shout through the howling of thewind. Presently another man appeared in the doorway and stoodrespectfully awaiting orders. 

"Cook, have these clothes taken to the engine-room to dry and then bringus a pot of coffee and some biscuits. And serve coffee to the men onwatch--it is a nasty night. "

"Aye, aye, sir, " answered the man cheerily. It was plain the men wereglad to serve their captain. 

In a short time the boys were sitting around the small table in thecabin eagerly discussing the coffee and hardtack as if it had been themost delicious repast. 

A remark made by the captain had stuck in Harry's mind, and he took thefirst opportunity to put the question that was bothering him. 

"Where are you going to land us, captain?"

The big man leaned back in his chair and laughed long and loud. The boyslooked at him in surprise. It was not an agreeable laugh although therewas no ill-humor in it. 

"What in thunder does he see to laugh at?" whispered Bert to Harry in adisgusted tone. 

"Wait, we shall find out in good time. "

"We should like to be put ashore at Cottage City, if you please, "continued Harry, ignoring the captain's merriment, "but if that is toomuch out of your way, Nantucket will do and we can take the boat home inthe morning. "

Again the captain went off into a paroxysm of laughter. The peals ofloud guffaws grated on the ears of the anxious boys. 

"He can't be a bad man at heart, " whispered Mason to Harry, "or hewouldn't have taken so much trouble and run so much risk to pick us upafter his steamer ran us down. "

"No, I don't understand it. I feel as if I were being kidnapped, " saidBert. 

Presently the captain's fit of humor passed and his face became seriousagain. 

"Boys, " he said, "I shall have to ask you to take things as they are andask no questions. You are my guests. Do not worry. "

"But, captain, we must get home, " said Mason petulantly. 

The man smiled at the speaker. 

"I hope we will all get home sometime, " he said, quietly. 

"You speak as if there were some doubt about it, " said Harry quickly. 

"There is, " answered the captain, slowly. 

The boys looked at one another in dismay. What did it mean? Harry wasthe first to recover his composure. 

"You surely intend to land somewhere, " he said, half questioningly. 

"Sure--if we are lucky. "

"You mean that this storm is so bad that there is danger we may notweather it?"

Again the captain laughed his big laugh. 

"We'll weather this all right. It's only a capful of wind for the old_Mariella_. She has ridden out many a storm that would make this onelook like thirty cents. "

"Then if there is no danger from the weather, we demand that you land usat the nearest port. "

Harry drew himself up and looked very important as he spoke. The captainonly smiled indulgently. 

"You might as well learn at the start, young gentlemen, " he saidquietly, "that there is no such word as _demand_ recognized by CaptainDynamite. "

"Sounds like a pirate name, " whispered the irrepressible Midget, loudenough to be heard by the captain. 

"I am something of a pirate, " said the big man as if in reply. "Now Iwill be quite frank with you. I shall not make any port except that ofmy destination and that will be, if we have luck, in about six days fromto-night. I am sorry that you will have to remain with me against yourwishes, but you will admit that I am not responsible for your comingaboard. In fact, if you will pardon the allusion to the little accidentback there, you are very lucky to be where you are and not tucked awayin Davy Jones' locker. I shall consider you my guests and you may havethe free run of the ship, but it will be impossible for you to leave ituntil we reach port. Make the best of the situation, boys. It has beenforced on us both. "

Harry jumped up impulsively, and held out his hand to the big man acrossthe table. 

"Do not think we are ungrateful, sir. We know that we owe our lives toyou and that you risked yours to save us from drowning. But you forgetthat we have folks ashore who will think we are drowned if we cannot getsome word to them. "

The big skipper jumped to his feet, grasped Harry's outstretched handand shook it warmly. 

"My boy, " he said, "it is unfortunate and I regret it as much as you, but it cannot be helped. If we pull through this voyage all right, youwill be able to get a message to your folks in the course of two weeks. Now, it is pretty well into the night and I must go on deck for the lastwatch, so you had better turn in. "

As he spoke, the captain opened a door that led off the cabin anddisclosed a room as large as an ordinary stateroom with two berths oneach side. 

"Here are four bunks. Turn in and sleep well. By the way, begin to feelany little qualms at the stomach yet?"

The steamer, while like a house in comparison with the small boat inwhich they had been tossed about, was still rolling and heaving in theheavy seas with which she was battling. But the boys were all goodsailors and none of them felt anything like an attack of seasickness. 

Harry, whose anxiety for the worry and pain which his absence wouldcause those on shore, could not get off his mind the subject, and in apersistent way returned to it like a terrier to a bone. 

"Well, captain, " he said, "admitting that for some reason which you donot care to tell us, it is impossible for you to land until the end ofyour voyage; will it not be possible to hail some passing vessel andsend a message back that we are safe and sound?"

The captain's face darkened, and a look such as the boys had not seenthere before, spread over his countenance. Instinctively they fell backfrom him in his anger. 

"I have told you that the situation cannot be remedied. Let us notdiscuss the matter further. You are my guests. Do not force me to makeyou my prisoners. "

CHAPTER III

"SHE'S LIKE A WARSHIP BELOW. "

As the captain left the cabin the boys looked at one another withoutspeaking, for some minutes. 

"What do you make out of him?" asked Bert, who was the first to breakthe silence. 

"Sure enough pirate" said the Midget, confidently. "Gee, did you see hisface?"

"Yes, he evidently has a very bad temper and it will be well for us notto cross him too far, " said Harry, thoughtfully; "but I don't propose tostay on this ship any longer than is necessary, whatever her mission, and I shall keep my eyes open for a chance to get ashore, or to signalsome passing vessel. "

"Well, we cannot do anything in the escape line to-night, so we might aswell take his advice and turn in, " said Bert, with a yawn. 

An inspection of the stateroom showed a very comfortable room fittedwith two narrow bunks on each side. They were neatly made up, and thelinen was fine and clean. Thoroughly worn out, the boys prepared for bedand for the time cast their troubles aside. 

As they were about to jump into their bunks, a slight grating noise washeard. They all stopped and waited in silence. There was no furthersound. It seemed to have come from the cabin beyond. After a second'sthought, Harry stepped quickly out of the stateroom and to the door thatled to the deck. 

"We are no longer guests, " he said, quietly, as he turned back into thestateroom and jumped into his bunk with resignation. 

"What do you mean?" asked Bert, in a whisper. 

"I mean that we are prisoners, " answered Harry. "The door of the cabinis locked on the outside. That is the noise we heard. However, we can donothing to-night, and as I am very tired and sleepy I am going to turnin. "

"Say, Hal, " said Mason, in an awed tone, "what are we up against?"

"Search me, " replied Harry, in a sleepy voice. "We may be able to learnsomething in the morning. Let's go to sleep now. We may need all ourwits by and by. "

Notwithstanding the mystery of their situation the boys were soon fastasleep, and when they awoke, the sun was streaming through the portholes of the cabin. The steamer seemed to be moving along on an evenkeel. Apparently they had ridden out the storm of the night before. Harry was the first to spring from his bunk. He hastened to the cabin, his first impulse being to try the door and see if they were stillprisoners. He started with surprise when he reached the outer room. Atthe table in the centre sat the captain working at some maps and papers. He looked up pleasantly as Harry entered. 

"Good morning, " he said cheerily, "did you sleep well after yourducking?"

"Perhaps we should have slept better if we had not been locked in, "answered Harry, a little surprised at his own temerity. 

The man laughed good-humoredly. 

"Oh, that should not have disturbed you, " he said. "You see we did notseem to understand each other very well last night when I left you. Ithink we shall do better to-day. Now what do you say to some breakfast?You have slept pretty late. It is twelve o'clock. There are yourclothes. You all better tumble out and get dressed. I am hungry myselfand just about to turn in. I have been on deck all night. The storm haspassed, and we are making very good time on our voyage, you will be gladto hear, no doubt. "

All the temper of the night before had disappeared, and the captain wasagain the big, bluff, good-natured man that had first impressed theboys. There was nothing to do but to follow his advice and watch fordevelopments, and Harry, putting aside any thought of further pryinginto the affairs of the mysterious ship and her strange skipper for thepresent, returned to the stateroom and began to dress. The captain wentto the door of the cabin and called. Again the same man answered with arespectful salute. 

"Tell the cook to serve breakfast. "

"Aye, aye, sir. "

These words seemed to be the extent of the man's vocabulary. The boyssoon learned that it was the only spoken formula of the ship's crewunless in reply to questions, which were rarely asked. The captain'swords were commands. He ruled the entire ship's company with a power asabsolute as that of a monarch. But the yoke did not seem to gall. Themen's obedience was the sort that is given to one loved and honored. 

By the time the boys had gotten into their clothes, which had beencarefully dried and pressed, they found that breakfast had been spreadin the cabin. It was as tempting as a meal at home. The hard tack of thenight before had been replaced by an omelet, hot biscuits, friedpotatoes, and a steaming pot of coffee, which from previous experiencethe boys knew to be good. The savory odor of the food appealed stronglyto their appetites, and for the moment they forgot everything exceptthat they were very hungry and that there were good things to eat athand. The captain took his place smilingly at the head of the table, andthe Midget whispered to Harry:

"He's not such a bad sort, after all. I wonder what kind of a pirate heis, anyway. "

"Sit down, boys, and buckle to. Hard tack does not stay long by you, butI told you last night I only eat what I give my men so that I couldoffer you nothing better then. I hope you will enjoy your breakfast. Ihave a very good cook. Used to sub at the Waldorf but got into a littletrouble on shore and is trying the sea. Stuck his mate under the ribwith a carving knife and is taking a voyage with me for the benefit ofhis health. "

"Aren't you afraid he might do the same to you some time if he lost histemper?" asked Mason, looking at the captain with his eyes as big assaucers. He did not like the idea of sailing with a desperado of thatsort. 

"Oh, no, " answered the big man, carelessly; "I should stick first, youknow, and then it was in self defense that the blow was struck. Let megive you some of this omelet. You will find it as good as any you couldget at home. "

The boys looked at the strange man in wonder. They could not make outhis character. But they ate their breakfast with a relish just the same, and the captain entertained them with tales of the sea that made themalternately laugh at his drollery or wonder at his daring. Not that heever brought himself into the stories, but the boys knew that he was thehero of the adventures which he related, because they felt that he wouldhave acted in just the way his heroes did. There was a strange air aboutthe man that attracted them to him. They felt that he would be a firmfriend and an unrelenting enemy. They liked to be with him, liked tohear him talk, liked to see him smile, but they all felt that theyshould dread to incur his anger. 

He was rough and unpolished, but he dressed like a dandy. He hadevidently changed his clothing since coming off watch, for he wore atbreakfast another flannel suit and low, patent leather shoes. Histrousers were carefully creased and turned up. He resembled more, inappearance, a prosperous broker than the captain of a steamer whosemysterious character made him seem all the more out of place aboard. When they had finished breakfast he took a gold cigarette case from hispocket, and offered it to the boys. 

"Smoke?" he asked, carelessly. 

The boys declined with thanks. The captain stretched himself and yawnedas he rose from the table. 

"Now, young gentlemen, " he said, "I am going to turn in. Make yourselvesat home. I take it that I have your word that you will not concernyourselves with that which does not concern you. "

"That depends upon how you construe the remark, " said Harry, promptly. "I should prefer to remain a prisoner in this cabin than not to use mysenses to my own advantage. For one, captain, I shall not promise exceptthat I will not do anything that might be considered prying into youraffairs. We feel sufficiently under obligations to you to prevent usfrom taking advantage of your hospitality. It might be proper for me totell you, though, that I shall make every effort to get off your ship. Not that I object to your company, but because we all feel that we oweit to the folks at home. "

The captain laughed. He did not seem at all annoyed at Harry's frankstatement. 

"Begorra, I like you for your honesty. Go on deck and get the air. Youwill find that I have not much to fear in the way of losing your companyjust at present. Believe me, though, youngsters"--here he became seriousagain--"if I could do so--with--what shall I say--with safety, I shouldbe only too glad to put you ashore and to relieve the anxiety of thosewho are waiting for you. But in this matter I must be the judge, forthere are more persons involved and more interests at stake in thevoyage of the _Mariella_ than you can conceive. But I will put norestrictions on you. Go on deck and amuse yourselves as well as you canand make the best of the situation. Before we part company you willunderstand my position better. Wait, I will introduce you to the mate. "

He stepped to the cabin door and called:

"Suarez. "

"Aye, aye, sir, " came the prompt response, and a small man appeared inthe doorway. 

"Suarez, " said the captain, "these are the young gentlemen we picked outof the sea last night. They are rather unwilling voyagers, for whichthey cannot be blamed. Take them on deck and let them have the run ofthe ship. "

The mate looked up quickly at the captain in a questioning manner, as ifhe would like to protest, if he dared. The captain smiled. 

"The run of the ship, Suarez, " he repeated, as if in answer to theunspoken protest. 

Again the mate saluted, and turned gravely to the deck, followed by theboys. He was a small, swarthy man, in great contrast to the captain. Helooked like a Spaniard. His hair was black and he wore a mustache andgoatee, and his small, black eyes were as alert as a cat's and seemed totake in everything at once in all parts of the ship. His expression wasone of keen shrewdness, but there was a look of care and anxiety thatsoftened it. His actions and manner were those of a man who does notwish to attract attention. As they reached the deck he turned to theboys, and bowing, said with a slight foreign accent:

"Good morning, young gentlemen. I hope you rested well after yourunfortunate experience. The captain says you are to have the run of theship. Make yourselves at home, and if there is anything that I can do toadd to your pleasure, pray call upon me without reserve. "

His voice was soft, and he spoke with a great politeness of manner. 

"He's too smooth, " whispered Mason. "He will bear watching. "

The mate did not seem inclined to further conversation. He bowed again, waved his hand as if to indicate that the ship was theirs, and turnedand walked to the bridge. 

The boys looked around them. There was nothing to be seen but an expanseof water. There was not a sign of land or a vessel. The storm of thenight before had subsided, except that the waves were still runninghigh under a brightly shining sun. Harry put his hand to his eyes toshade them, and scanned the horizon in every direction, but there wasnot even a speck to be seen. 

"The captain was right when he said there was not much danger of losingour company, " he said, as he finished his observation. 

"Unless we jump over and swim for it. "

"What would we swim for?"

"I am very well satisfied to keep the planks under my feet and wait forsomething to turn up. "

"Me, too, " piped the Midget. "Let's make a round of the ship. "

The steamer was comparatively small. In the darkness of the night andthe storm, and viewed from the little sloop, she had looked like anocean liner as she suddenly came upon them. Everything about her wasspick and span. The decks were as clean as holy stone and water couldmake them, and all the brasswork shone brightly in the sun. The decksseemed strangely deserted. Suarez, the mate, paced the bridge stolidly. On the forward deck two men were on lookout. In the pilot-house a sailorstood at the wheel, while behind him stood a man whose eyes roamedconstantly from the compass to the horizon. 

The boys walked to the gunwale and looked over at the broad expanse ofsea. For some time no one spoke. Each was thinking of the worry andanxiety that those at home were suffering. 

"Say, Hal, " said Bert, finally, "what do you make out of this craft? Ofcourse it is out of the question to think of a pirate in these days, butthere is certainly some mystery about this steamer and her captain. "

"Did you notice he said that if he could do so with safety he would putus ashore? What does that word 'safety' mean? There is no danger fromthe elements, he admits. What other danger threatens him if he goesashore? There is some mystery here and as we have become a part of it itis up to us to find out what it is. "

"Yes, but how?"

"By keeping our eyes and ears open is all I can suggest now. "

"Let's go forward and take a look around. "

The boys strolled along the deck that narrowed into a passage aboutthree feet wide as they reached the forward house, which apparentlycontained the petty officers' rooms. In the centre was the door thatopened into the engine-room. Only the upper works of the big engineswere visible. The boys stopped. A man, evidently the engineer, or one ofhis assistants, sat on a leather-covered seat facing the levers andindicators. He looked up for a moment from the paper he was reading, andnodded to the boys with a smile, and then returned to his readingwithout a word. 

"Fine morning, sir, after the storm, " said Bert. 

The man nodded again without raising his eyes from his paper. 

"Cheery lot of conversationalists, " said Bert, in disgust, as they movedon. 

At the forward end of the house was the galley. As they reached this ablack, woolly head popped out of the open half-door. The negro grinnedwidely and quickly drew back his head. 

"Good morning, Sambo, " said the persistent Bert. 

The negro bobbed his head, and grinned still more broadly, but did notspeak a word. 

"All lost their tongues, " said Bert. 

Just forward of the deck house a small hatch stood open. It led to anarrow iron ladder that ran almost perpendicularly down into the darkdepths below. The boys peered into the blackness without being able todistinguish anything. 

"I am going down, " said Harry, after a moment's pause. 

He stepped over the edge and placing his foot on the first rung of theladder, began to descend with great caution. The others watched himanxiously until he disappeared in the darkness. They waited at the hatchfor a long time before he reappeared. When he did he climbed out with aserious face and drew his companions away to the other side of thesteamer's deck. 

His expression indicated that he had discovered something of more thanordinary interest. 

"What is it?" whispered Bert, when they were out of range of the galleyand engine-room. 

Harry leaned toward his companions impressively as he answered in anawed tone:

"Say, fellows, she's a regular warship down below. "

CHAPTER IV

A LESSON IN PATRIOTISM

The boys huddled together at an obscure part of the deck and Harrydescribed to them what he had seen below decks. 

"There are two eight pounders and two rapid fire guns with their nosespoked against port holes that can be opened at a moment's notice. Andbesides these, there is an arsenal of small arms like rifles, pistols, swords, and cutlasses. Everything seems to be in apple pie order and allready for use. If we were living in the days of the old pirate ships, Ishould say that we were likely to fly the black flag at any moment. "

"What do you make of it, Hal?" asked Bert. 

"I tell you I cannot make anything of it. It is beyond me. The onlything we can do is to keep our weather eyes open and watch fordevelopments. It is certainly a ship of mystery and the captain does notapparently propose to enlighten us as to her character. But he seems tobe an honest man, and I think we are perfectly safe in leaving all tohim, and I believe that sometime we shall know what we are up against. In the meantime, however, as I warned him, I shall make every effort toget off the ship, or to notify some passing craft that we are on boardsafe and sound, so that word may be carried to those on shore. They mustbelieve that we are drowned by this time, particularly if they havepicked up the wreck of the yacht. "

"Let's go aft and take a look over the cabin while the captain isasleep. All's fair in love and war, you know, and we are certainlyentitled to find out all we can about our surroundings, particularly inview of Hal's investigations below. "

The boys strolled leisurely aft, taking care not to arouse thesuspicions of any one about the decks. They entered the cabin. All wasstill. The sun shone brightly through the port holes and lay in a widebeam on the big map that the captain had been studying when the boysturned out of bed. 

"Let's have a look at this, " said Bert, quickly approaching the table ashe spoke. "It may tell us something of our destination. "

The boys gathered eagerly around. 

The map was a hydrographic chart of the Caribbean Sea. Cuba and PortoRico appeared on a large scale. The boys studied it in silence andfinally Mason shook his head in despair. 

"That does not tell much, " he said. "We may be going to Cuba or PortoRico, but if we are, why all this secrecy and those firearms?"

"They may fit in together more closely than you think, " said Harry, whohad been studying the map thoughtfully. 

"What do you mean?" asked Bert. 

"I do not mean anything yet. Let us wait. Speculation and guessing willnot solve this mystery. "

"Look here, " said the Midget, who had been browsing around the cabin. Hehad lifted one of the cushions from a settee and disclosed beneath alocker which contained a number of flags of different colors and shapes. 

"What are those?" asked the boys in chorus. 

"They are signal flags. Now let's find the code and then we can signalsome passing ship. "

"Here's the code, " announced Harry, who, as soon as Mason had spoken hadgone to a little book shelf on the wall of the cabin. "But how are we toget the flags up without attracting attention?"

"Easy. We will make up our signal and then take the flags necessary toshow it and conceal them where we can get them at any moment. Then whenwe sight a vessel we can bend them onto the halliards and have themaloft before anyone can interfere. It would be a minute or two beforethey could haul them down, even if they discovered them at once, and inthat time it is likely that the other ship would have read them. Anyway, it is worth trying. "

"I think you are right, " said Harry. "Nothing venture, nothing have. Let's make the signal. "

He took the code book from the shelf and opened it on the table. 

"In the first place, it is necessary to know what you want to say beforeyou pick out your flags. Now what shall the message be?"

"Say we have been kidnapped by a pirate ship and want assistance, "suggested the Midget, wisely. 

"Nonsense, " replied Bert, "we don't want to say anything about the ship. We have nothing against her, nor her captain. Didn't they save ourlives? All that we want is to be taken off and if that is not possibleto have word sent home that we are all right, and then we can see thething out comfortably. In fact, I for one, would much prefer stayingaboard if it were possible to get word ashore. We do not know whatinteresting adventures may be in store for us aboard this strangecraft. "

"Well, anyway, let's frame a message. "

"It's got to be short, for we cannot use any more flags than isabsolutely necessary, as we may be discovered before we can get them up. How's this: 'Report Hamilton, Mason, and Wilson picked up from wreckedyacht off Cottage City by steamer _Mariella_. All well. '"

"Fine, " said Mason. "Hal, your massive intellect astonishes me more andmore each day. "

After some discussion, the boys selected the proper flags and laid themto one side. The problem of getting them aloft then presented itself. 

"There must be halliards already bent for the use of signals, " saidHarry. "I will go out on deck and have a quiet look for them. "

He returned shortly from his inspection. 

"Everything is ready for instant use, " he reported, "but we must havethe flags bent onto a separate piece of rope so that all we shall haveto do is to fasten the rope to the halliards and send the flags aloft. And then we must also stow the flags somewhere where we can get at themeasily as soon as we see another vessel. "

"Leave that to me, captain, " said Mason, saluting with a grin. "Rightunder my bunk is a place. All you fellows watch where I put them, sothat if I am not with you when the ship comes along you can do thetrick. No telling when a man of my fiery temper may be put in irons on aship like this. "

The boys carefully stowed away the flags after they had bent them intheir proper order to a spare piece of rope which Mason picked up ondeck. They now felt that they had done as much as lay within their powerto relieve the anxiety of the folks at home, and all that remained wasto keep a sharp lookout for a passing ship. They arranged watches sothat one of them should be on deck during all of the daylight hours, andall hands were to keep their eyes open through the port holes and fromsuch other points of vantage as they could take at all times when it waslight enough to see a passing ship. 

This satisfactorily off their minds, the boys took more interest in asurvey of their prison ship, for so they had begun to look upon her, although each one of them had made up his mind that he would like to seethe adventure out. 

That night before dinner they met the captain again in the cabin. Themaps were still lying on the table. 

"Do you see this big island here, boys?" he asked. "It looks big on themap, but it is a very small spot on the face of the earth, and yet itspeople have suffered more misery, injustice, and oppression than theworld will ever know. "

"Discontented people always quarrelling with their government areusually unhappy. They bring most of their misery on themselves. "

Harry spoke carelessly. He was not much interested in the wrongs ofCuba. He was surprised to see the captain's eyes flash again with thatfierce fire that had marked them when he first defied him. 

"Discontented, is it, " almost shouted the captain. "And do you know why, boy?"

"I am sure I do not, Captain Dynamite, except that it is apparently bornin them. "

"Yes, that's the way most of the world, ignorant of poor Cuba's trials, looks at the matter. Statesmen have investigated and reported back tothe halls of Congress and Cuba and her wrongs have been laid away in thedusty archives. "

"Look, " he said, pointing again at the map, and involuntarily the boysgathered closer around him and peered at the parchment. "That land, asGod made it, was the fairest that the eye ever looked upon. "

Captain Dynamite paused for a moment and seemed to grow more calm. Heseated himself with his elbows on the table behind him and deftly rolleda cigarette with one hand. The boys, interested now because of hisintense feeling, waited for him to continue. 

"Youngsters, " he said finally, "let me give you a little piece ofhistory of these 'discontented' folks and perhaps you will regard theircondition with different eyes and hearts. Your text-books at schoolhave undoubtedly told you that Spanish rule in Cuba began in 1511, whenDiego Valesquez subjugated the peaceful natives, and the Spanish methodsof conquest made a record that lives to this day. 

"See this island here, " said the captain, pointing to Hayti. "At thattime almost uninhabited, its wild shores and hidden inlets served asplaces of concealment for buccaneers. These pirates of the Spanish Mainnot alone indulged in the adventurous pastime of smuggling, but theyattacked and plundered Spanish trading ships and even made forcefulexpeditions upon land, ravaging cities and towns. They were encouragedin their depredations by other nations unfriendly to Spain. HenryMorgan, one of these buccaneers, who was commissioned as a privateer, was knighted by England in 1671 because of his prowess as a legalizedpirate. 

"In 1762, Havana was besieged by the English and the Seven Years Warbegan. The British were successful and under English rule the ports ofCuba were opened to free trade and an era of progress was inaugurated. But it was short lived, and in 1763 Cuba fell again into the hands ofSpain, England trading the island for Florida. The two first governorsunder the new Spanish régime were liberal, just, and progressive. Theywere Luis de Las Casas, appointed in 1790, and the Count of Santa Clara, who succeeded him in 1796. 

"It was about 1810 that the general discontent of the colonist with thetyrannical home government resulted in the formation of politicalsocieties whose purpose was to plan insurrections in the hope ofwresting the island from Spanish rule, as did Buenos Ayres, Venezuela, and Peru. There was no open revolt for ten years, when the revolutionaryleaders proclaimed a governing law, and after two years of turmoil theking yielded to their demands. But as Spain's promises were made only tobe broken, other insurrections soon sprang up among the colonists. Oneof the most important revolutionary movements of those days was led byNarciso Lopez, a Venezuelan. This was in 1848. He was unsuccessful, butescaped with many of his followers to New York, where he found manysympathizers and practical aid. The United States government frustratedhis attempt in 1849 to return to Cuba with a small invading force. Ayear later he reached the island with six hundred men, but was forced totake to his ship again, and with a Spanish gunboat close astern, madeKey West and disbanded the expedition. 

"By this time the Lopez revolution had gained much fame and manysympathizers in the United States who, while they were not inspired withthe patriotic sentiment that stirred him, were strong admirers of hiscourage and determination. With a small band of four hundred and fiftymen, and with Colonel Crittenden, of Kentucky, a West Pointer who wonhis title in the Mexican War, as second in command, Lopez started forCuba from New Orleans the next year. On landing, Crittenden and onehundred and fifty men remained near the shore to guard the supplies, while Lopez, with the rest of the little invading army, marched inland. Both parties were discovered by the Spaniards, surrounded, and after adesperate resistance, completely wiped out. "

"Do you mean that Lopez and Crittenden were both killed?" asked Bert, who had listened to the captain's recital with intense interest. 

"Lopez and Crittenden and every man jack of the expedition, " replied thecaptain, solemnly. 

"Who was the next to try it?" asked Harry, whose eyes shone withexcitement. 

"Up to this time the grievances that inspired the Cuban colonists torevolt were mostly of a political character, based upon that bone ofcontention that inspired your own revolution against theBritish--taxation without representation. The little island to-day paysto Spain every year over $20, 000, 000 in revenue. In 1868, a lawyernamed Cespedes declared independence of Spanish rule on a littleplantation at Yara. He had back of him only one hundred and twenty-eightmen, but in a few weeks after his declaration ten thousand men gatheredunder his leadership. A republican form of government was established, with Cespedes at its head. General Quesada commanded the poorly equippedbut determined and patriotic army. Until 1878 the insurgents held thefield with about fifty thousand men. They constantly met and vanquishedthe Spanish forces under the Count of Valmaseda, but the resources ofthe Spaniards were greater, and finally the Cubans were disintegrated, but still maintained a guerilla warfare, constantly harassing anddefeating the Spanish forces sent against them. But neither side madeany progress toward the end and at the end of the year both were readyfor a compromise, which resulted in the treaty of El Zanjon. At thistime the Spaniards were commanded by General Campos, and the insurgentsby Gen. Maximo Gomez--that grand old warrior who still holds the fieldfor Cuba against the forces of Spain--I kiss his hand. "

Captain Dynamite, as he mentioned the name of Gomez, rose to his feet, bowed solemnly and reverentially, and lifted to his lips an imaginaryhand. 

"Fighting, still fighting for Cuba, " he whispered as he resumed hisseat. After a moment's pause he shook himself as if awakening from adream and continued his narrative. 

"That treaty promised Cuba representation in the Spanish Cortes, orcongress, but while it was kept in the letter it was broken in spirit. The government obtained control of the polls and the deputies, orrepresentatives elected were always government tools or sympathizers. Sopoor Cuba, after her long struggle, was no better off than before, andin 1894 José Marti, at the head of a new insurrection, set sail from NewYork with three ships, men, and munitions of war. But the United Statesauthorities stopped them. Marti then joined Gomez in Cuba and was killedin a skirmish. He was succeeded in command by General Gomez, who stillfights on with a hungry, ill-clad handful of men against the best ofSpain's army. One hundred and forty-five thousand men have been sentagainst him but he still fights; he still lives to fight, although he isover seventy-five years old. 

"I have told you of the dogged determination, the splendid patriotism ofthe men who are fighting to lift the yoke of Spain from poor Cuba. Surely there must be something more than mere political wrongs toinspire such a spirit. You have heard of Weyler--'Butcher Weyler' theycall him, and he is proud of the title. Frightened by the courage andresistance of the insurgent army, Spain looked about for a man capableof crushing the indomitable spirit of the rebels. In Weyler she thoughtshe had found the man. He arrived in Havana in 1896. Among his firstacts looking to the pacification of Cuba was his order of concentration. You have heard perhaps of the wretched 'reconcentrados?' They are theproduct of Weyler's order. Under this policy nearly a million peacefulCubans, farmers and dwellers in the country, have been driven from theirhomes into nearby cities and their deserted houses burned to the ground. These people are mostly women and children and old men--non-combatants. In this way Weyler sought to stop the aid that was being given to theinsurgents in the field. From the 'pacificos, ' as they are known therebels could at any time secure food, clothing, and shelter. 

"Concentrated in the towns, without food or money to buy it, and manywithout clothing, these reconcentrados quickly became the victims offamine and disease. A part of Weyler's order of concentration providedfor the gifts of ground to cultivate, and the Spaniard's answer to thecharge of inhumanity is a shrug of the shoulders and the reply that thereconcentrados starve because they are too lazy to work. 'We give themthe land, ' he says, 'and they will not till it. ' True, they gave themland, but no seed to sow and no tools to reap and they have no money tobuy them. Everything they owned is in the heap of ashes that marks thespot where the little thatched cottage once stood. Thousands andthousands of human beings are herded together like cattle, with no meansto feed themselves, and, unlike cattle, with no one to feed them. 

"Why, I have seen--I have been told by those who have seen it--of littlechildren with the skin drawn like parchment over their bodies. And boys, when you think that among these poor victim's of Spain's pacificationpolicy are the wives and children, sisters and sweethearts of thestruggling insurgents in the field, is it any wonder that the spirit ofindependence will not down in the Pearl of the Antilles?"

That the captain was a man of feeling and education there could be nofurther doubt in the minds of the captive boys. That he should havetaken the trouble to thus enlighten them on the subject of Cuba's wrongswas a compliment to their understanding which was not lost. 

CHAPTER V

SENDING THE MESSAGE

The captain no longer interfered in any way with the actions of hisyoung guests. They were entirely free to do as they pleased on the ship, and apparently were under no surveillance. As they came on deck on thefourth morning at sea, the day was beautifully bright and clear. The skywas taking on that peculiar blue that is seen only in the lowerlatitudes. The atmosphere seemed to have thinned, and the horizon tohave moved away a mile or two. The sea was as smooth as glass and thesteamer was ploughing her way along at the rate of fifteen knots (miles)an hour. As usual, the decks were deserted, with the exception of theman at the wheel and the two lookouts who were always on post, day andnight, no matter how clear the day, or how unnecessary the double watchmight seem. 

It was the custom of the boys in the morning to distribute themselvesaround the deck so that they could take in all the points of thecompass, and for a time each would study the horizon with carefulscrutiny, in the hope of sighting some vessel to which they mightsignal. Everything had been carefully arranged so that as soon as aship of any sort was seen, word was to be passed quietly from one toanother without attracting the attention of anyone on deck, and theneach knew his duty. 

Hamilton was the custodian of the flags. On him rested theresponsibility of displaying the signal so that the passing ship mightread the message. 

The boys had studied the compass and the maps that were each daydisplayed in the captain's cabin, and they knew that they were headedsouth. Although that gave them little or no clew to their ultimatedestination, they felt some comfort in the knowledge that the shore ofAmerica lay to the starboard, and away off somewhere beyond the drearyhorizon was the country they all loved, and where their anxious friendsand families were awaiting some word from them. 

Bert's post was a little forward of the beam on the starboard side. Ashe took his place this morning, his heart was heavy. He was thoroughlytired of the monotony of the voyage, and the mystery that enveloped theship was beginning to wear upon him. For days now they had sailedwithout seeing anything but a dreary expanse of water on every side, unbroken by anything that was human. Porpoises played around the bowsof the steamer, and gulls shrieked as they swooped above her. Now andthen a fish leaped out of the water as the steamer ploughed through thewaves. 

Bert leaned on the rail with his chin resting in his hands and his eyesfixed upon the blank before him. Suddenly he raised his head, and anexpression of surprise crept into his face. He turned and lookedstealthily around him. Harry was slowly walking up and down the maindeck just aft of the fo'c'sle where the lookouts were stolidly pacing. 

Bert again turned his eyes toward the horizon. What appeared like athread in comparison with the vastness of space around them waveredabove a small black speck. Bert watched it with eager eyes. At thismoment Harry stopped in his walk as he approached the starboard side, and placing his arms on the rail looked out over the sea in thedirection of the black thread. Then the boys turned to one another and aquestioning glance passed between them. Little by little they moved intoward one another until they met. 

Harry looked carefully around him before he whispered:

"Bert, I think it is a steamer. "

"I'm sure of it, Hal. Have you got the signals ready?"

"I can get them in a minute, but she is too far away yet. "

"You know passing vessels always study one another with a glass. "

"But I do not believe she could make out our signals even with a glass, yet. "

At this moment one of the men on lookout turned and looked up at thesecond mate, who silently paced the bridge. 

"Steamer off the starboard bow, sir, " he said, quietly. 

"Keep closer watch. I've seen her, " replied the mate, gruffly. 

"Aye, aye, sir, " came the usual response, without a change in tone. 

Involuntarily the boys turned their eyes aft to the captain's cabin. Asthey did so the door opened gently and the natty, flannel-garbed figureof the commander moved out onto the deck and to the bridge. He carried aglass in his hand, which he raised to his eyes after he had spoken a fewwords to the mate. 

"I thought so, " said Bert, dolefully. "You can't lose him. "

"Never mind, " said Harry, "if she comes near enough I will get thesignals up before he can stop me, and we will have to take chances ontheir being read before he can get them down. "

"But aren't you afraid of what he may do?" asked Bert, in some fear. 

"What can he do?"

"He seems to be capable of doing a whole lot that might be unpleasant. For instance, he might put you in irons and chuck you down in the hold. "

"I do not think he would dare do that. But anyway, I am going to takethe chance. We owe it to the folks at home. "

"You are right there, Hal. I'm with you whatever comes of it. "

"Oh, he's not a cannibal, or a pirate. He might be pretty mad andperhaps use us a bit rough at first, but I think he would laugh at itafterward, when he recovered his temper. "

"Gee, but think of all the unpleasant things that might happen before hedecided that it was time to laugh. "

Harry smiled at the mournful face of his chum, and turned again to lookat the speck in the distance. Seemingly, it had grown larger. Thecaptain, who had finished his scrutiny, looked down at them and smiledand waved his hand. 

"Sleep well, lads?" he called to them pleasantly. 

They nodded sheepishly in reply. 

"I can't help liking him, " replied Bert. 

"There is something big and honest about him like a Newfoundland dog, "answered Harry. "I feel sort of mean about trying to trick him. He wouldbe a good friend and a mighty bad enemy. "

The captain took another look at the approaching vessel, spoke in aconfidential tone to the mate, and again disappeared into his cabin. 

"She's coming on, " said Harry, with satisfaction. "Unless she changesher course, I will send up the signals in five minutes. " He looked athis watch as he spoke. "Pshaw, I'm always forgetting that the salt waterhas somewhat interfered with the internal arrangements of this affair, "he continued, laughing. 

By this time the strange steamer was pretty well hull up and the boyscould distinguish her masts and funnel as well as see what appeared tobe flags fluttering in the breeze. 

"In order that we shall not cause any suspicion, Bert, " said Harry, presently, "you go and get the Midget and stroll forward. I do not needyour help any more than to distract attention from me as much aspossible. "

Bert turned, and walking around the deck, joined Mason who, while he hadheard the call of the lookout man and knew that there was a steamer insight, had not deserted his post, although he was keen with anxiety whenBert reached him. 

"Where is she?" he asked, eagerly. 

"She's off the starboard bow, but don't ask fool questions. Move upforward so that Hal can get a chance to have the flags up. "

Although burning with a desire to watch the proceedings, the boys kepttheir faces steadfastly turned to the bow as Harry began in anunconcerned manner to work his way aft. He slowly climbed thecompanionway that led to the upper deck, and carelessly approached themast to which the signal halliards were attached. 

He stood there for a moment as if watching the oncoming steamer, but hiseyes were scanning the decks and the bridge on which the second mateslowly paced to and fro. Then he turned his back to the mast and as hestood with his hands clasped behind him, he cast off the halliards fromthe cleat to which they were fastened. He was almost concealed from viewby the big mast. 

When he had loosened the ropes, he turned quickly, and taking the end ofanother rope from under his coat tied the two together. After one finalpeep around the mast he threw his coat open boldly, made several quickturns and unwound from his body the rope to which the signal flags wereattached. Then with a strong pull he began to send them aloft rapidly. 

As the colors sped upward and broke into the wind, his heart almoststopped beating from excitement. 

Now they were half way up to the masthead and no one had seen them. Thesecond mate still paced the bridge with his back to him. He glanced atthe captain's cabin. No one appeared from there. 

"I shall get them up, " he whispered to himself through his tightly shutteeth, "but will they be read?"

Now they were chock with the pulley block and he made the ends of thehalliards fast to the cleat and stood back to view his work. It seemedscarcely possible that they should not be seen and read by the passingsteamer which was now so close that he could almost make out her colorswith the naked eye. 

With a feeling of triumph he looked aloft at the flags that, aided by afriendly breeze and the motion of the steamer, were fluttering outstraight from the masthead. As he dropped his eyes from aloft he startedback with a slight cry of fear and surprise. 

The head of Suarez, the mate, appeared above an after companionway, hiseyes flashing with anger. He rushed at the boy like an enraged animal, but Harry, determined to protect his signal as long as possible, steppedto the mast and took a capstan bar from its place at the base and stooddefiantly awaiting the onslaught of the mate, who rushed upon himregardless of his threatening attitude. Before Harry knew what hadhappened the bar flew out of his hands, and he lay sprawling on the deckfrom a blow from the open hand of the mate. 

Suarez paid no further attention to him, but seizing the halliardshauled down the signal. The scuffling of feet and the fall of the heavycapstan bar caused the second mate to turn quickly, and at the samemoment the captain's door opened and he stepped out on the deck. Hisface flushed with anger as he saw the signal-flags, and then he turnedquickly to the other vessel. 

As he did so, Harry, whose eyes followed his, saw what he believed to bean answering signal, creep up the mast of the passing steamer. Suarezsaw it, too, for he turned to Harry with an ugly look in his eyes. 

"The mischief is done, you young devil, " he said. 

"I hope so, " answered Harry, quietly rubbing the arm on which he hadfallen. "Your hand is heavy, Suarez. "

"I am sorry if I hurt you, Master Hamilton, " said the man, somewhat morecalmly, "but you are guilty of insubordination and you have broken yourword to the captain. "

"You are mistaken, Suarez, " said a deep voice behind them, and they bothlooked quickly around to find Captain Dynamite beside them, his glassraised to his eyes as he scanned the passing steamer. "Master Hamiltonmade me no promise; in fact, he warned me that he would take the firstopportunity that presented itself to get ashore, or to communicate witha passing ship. He has been too sharp for us, that is all. "

"Message received all right, captain?" asked Harry, eagerly. 

Dynamite smiled at the boy's assurance. 

"Yes, received and acknowledged, " he answered; and then turning toSuarez he continued, in a low tone:

"I do not think it has done any harm. She does not apparently wish tolearn anything further of us. "

"Captain Dynamite, " said Harry, warmly, "there is a big load off mymind, and now we will stick to you through thick and thin. We owe ourlives to you, and we are not ungrateful. Whether you wish to take usinto your confidence or not, I do not believe, whatever may be themystery of your voyage, that there is anything dishonorable about it, and you can count on us as part and parcel of your crew. We havesucceeded in getting word to our friends at home as I told you I wouldtry to do; now we are yours to command. "

The captain looked down into Harry's earnest face, his own quite seriousand solemn. 

"You are a fine lot of lads, " he said, "and if I was on a pleasurecruise I would not ask for better companions, but look you, this voyageof mystery, as you call it, is a very serious piece of business and Iwish you were all safe ashore and well out of it. "

"But we don't want to be out of it, captain, " asserted Harry, stubbornly. Bert and Mason had now joined the group on the after deck. 

"No, captain, " piped the Midget, "we are in it so far and we want tostick. You can't chuck us overboard very well, and as long as we havegot to be a part of your expedition, I think you better muster us in asa part of the crew. "

"Well, youngsters, as much as I regret it, you may have to cast yourfortunes in with ours after all, but until that necessity arises we willgo along as we are, I your host and you my unwilling guests. "

"No, not unwilling now, cap, " replied Mason. "So long as the folks knowwe are safe and sound I think I had rather be aboard this queer craftwith you than any place I can think of just now. What do you say, Bert?"

"Right, as usual. "

"Well, boys, while I have perfect confidence in your integrity and allnecessity for further secrecy is about past, still I think for your owngood, in view of possible happenings, it is best that I and my missionremain a mystery to you. "

The captain turned toward his cabin as he spoke, as if to terminate theconversation. 

"Perhaps it is not such a mystery after all, captain, " said Harry, quietly. "We must be pretty near the coast of Cuba. "

The man turned quickly, a glint of that fierce light in his eyes, andthen he burst into a hearty laugh. 

"Pretty sharp youngsters, eh, Suarez?" he said. "We may be able to makesome use of them yet. I think they better dine with us to-night. "

CHAPTER VI

VIVA, CUBA LIBRE!

Although used to the eccentricities of costume in which the captainindulged, Harry was not prepared for the formal gentleman who greetedthem as they entered the cabin that night. 

Captain Dynamite was in full evening dress, and Harry could not helpthinking how well he looked with his big, athletic form draped inconventional attire. But he had not looked for such dress on shipboard, or at least on a ship of the mysterious character of the _Mariella_. 

"Welcome to our little dinner party, " said the captain, solemnly, as heshook each boy by the hand and pointed to seats on the big divan. "Thisis the first time that strangers have graced our board on this occasion. I hope it portends a successful ending to our voyage. "

"We certainly hope so too, captain. We should be very sorry to feel thatour presence on your steamer might cause trouble to you. "

"O, one never knows what the morrow may bring. This is our farewellnight. To-morrow we enter the zone of danger. But to-night we will bemerry. Is not that an excellent idea?"

"The idea is all right, captain, but where is the danger?"

"Ah, that you may know to-morrow. "

"All right, cap, " said Mason, carelessly throwing one leg over the otherand thrusting his thumbs into the armholes of his vest, "we'll stick toyou. "

"I believe you will, boys, but it will be my care to keep you free fromharm if possible. That is one reason why I have made so much of amystery to you of the voyage of the _Mariella_. Whatever may befall usyou will have had no part in the purpose of this voyage, and remember, above all things, that you are American citizens. There are Americanconsuls in every port and Uncle Sam will take care of his own, perhapsnot with the alacrity that we sometimes could wish for, but in duecourse of time. So shout loudly for Uncle Sam if you need him and if hedoes not hear you, don't forget that John Bull speaks your language. "

The boys were puzzled by the captain's speech, but they knew him wellenough to realize that it would be useless to question him. At thispoint the mate entered the cabin. His appearance was so odd that Berthad to hide his face behind his handkerchief to laugh. His expressionwas as solemn as the captain's. He wore a pair of blue pilot clothtrousers, a vest with brass buttons and an old-fashioned swallow-tailedcoat. The trousers, which were badly creased and puckered from longservice inside the tops of his sea boots, were now pulled down outside, but the wide tops of the boots showed in a ring at the knee. 

The captain greeted him in the same dignified way that he had receivedthe boys, and he gravely took a seat on the divan beside them. The nextto put in an appearance was the engineer, who wore his service uniform. The second mate was the last to arrive. He was dressed in blue flannelvest and trousers and a Tuxedo coat. Notwithstanding his own almostfaultless attire, the captain did not seem to notice the negligé of hismen. He greeted each warmly and in the same sober manner. When they hadall assembled, he rang a bell and the steward promptly responded. 

"You may serve dinner, " he said. "There are seven at table to-night. "

"A fair prospect for a good run to-morrow, captain, " said Suarez, rubbing his hands with the air of one who looked forward with pleasureto a coming event. 

"Sure one never knows what the daylight will show, " answered thecaptain, with a touch of his brogue. "We may find ourselves in the verydivil of a hornets' nest when the sun shows over the horizon. But Suary, me boy, we have pulled together out of many a bad hole, haven't we, oldman, and we are ready for another, eh?"

"The captain knows he can count on me when there is any fighting to bedone in the good cause. "

"Fighting, eh, " whispered Bert to Harry. "What do you suppose thesequeer guys are talking about?"

"I think I begin to have a small notion. "

"What do you divine, most noble chief?"

"I do not think it would be wise to say until I am surer of my facts. "

"And do your suspicions point to some dreadful mystery of the deep?"whispered Mason, with mock fear, while his mischievous eyes sparkledwith fun. 

"Something perhaps a little more serious than we have been mixed up inbefore, if I am right. "

"Really. "

"As serious as powder and bullets can be. "

"Powder and bullets, " repeated Bert in some alarm. "What do you mean, Hal?"

"I tell you I cannot speak until I am surer of my ground. You know Imade an expedition into the hold to-day while the hatches were open. "

"Yes, but you did not tell us that anything that you saw there was atall suspicious. "

"I do not know that it is, but I can tell you this: instead of carryinga general cargo of merchandise for trading purposes, as we are supposedto do, we are loaded to the gunwales with guns and ammunition. "

"Well, guns and ammunition are perfectly legitimate articles ofmerchandise. "

"That all depends upon where and for what purpose they are shipped. "

"What do you mean?"

"If two nations are at war and a nation supposed to be friendly to eachshould send arms and ammunition to one or the other, it would be aviolation of international law, and would be looked upon as an act ofwar on the part of the friendly nation. "

"But suppose the nation had nothing to do with it and that the cargo wasshipped by individuals who were in sympathy with the cause of one or theother?"

"The friendly nation is supposed to see to it that no such cargo isshipped from its shores, and the vessel undertaking such a task ranks asa pirate and is called a filibuster. "

"But there are no two nations now at war, so that theory cannot holdgood. "

"There are no two nations at war, but there is a nation that has had onits hands for many years a warfare within its own borders as CaptainDynamite told us very entertainingly to-day. "

"O, Cuba?"

"Yes, Cuba. "

"And do you think that Captain Dynamite is one of those buccaneers thathe told us about?"

"Let us wait and see. "

"Say, but that would be fine, wouldn't it, Hal?"

"You might not think it so fine if a Spanish warship should open fire onus. "

"But we will not mix up in their quarrel. "

"No, but a Spanish gunboat would mix it up with us very quickly if shesaw us first. "

"What right would she have to interfere with a ship flying the Americanflag?"

"If we could not give a proper account of ourselves in her waters shewould stand on very little ceremony. "

"And do you think we are likely to get mixed up in any real fightingwith real powder and bullets?" asked Bert, in some dismay. 

"I don't know. Look out, the captain is watching us. "

"Gee, " whispered Mason, "I wish I was back in Cottage City. "

Captain Dynamite, who had been talking with his officers while the boysdiscussed their situation in whispers, now looked over at themcuriously. Harry did not care at present to have to explain hissuspicions. At this moment, fortunately, the steward entered with thesoup and created a diversion. Captain Dynamite rose, and waving his armtoward the table, said:

"Gentlemen, dinner is served. Let us be seated. "

The captain took his place at the head of the table, and his men groupedthemselves around him while the boys found seats near the bottom andfacing all. It was certainly a curious gathering for a dinner table: thefour bronzed, earnest-faced men at one end of the table and the threefresh-faced, wondering youngsters at the other. For a moment there was adeep silence, and Bert leaned over to Harry and whispered:

"Say, Hal, I feel as if something ought to explode, or the captain oughtto break out the black flag. This atmosphere is getting too tense forme. "

"'Sh, keep quiet, " said Mason, "don't you see old Dynamite is going tosay something? Perhaps he may let us into his secret. He seems to befeeling pretty good natured. "

"Gentlemen, " said the captain, rising at his seat, "fill your glasses. "

As he spoke, he passed a black bottle that stood at his right hand tothe mate, who filled his glass and passed the bottle on to theengineer. 

"There is lemonade in that pitcher at your hand, youngsters, " said thecaptain. "Fill your glasses. "

The boys did as directed and the captain raised his glass of grog highin air. His men rose silently from their seats and did likewise. 

"Here's to the good cause and confusion to its enemies, " he said, in adeep voice. 

"Good luck to the cause, " shouted the men as they dashed off theirliquor and sat solemnly down again. 

For half an hour scarcely a word was spoken, as they all did fulljustice to the cook's excellent dinner. When they were through, thesteward removed the cloth and the captain brought out a box of cigarswhich he passed around, this time not overlooking the boys, but theyeach refused, with thanks. The steward replaced the black bottle and itmade another circuit of the table. After a short silence, during whichthe men puffed vigorously on their cigars, the captain said quietly:

"Men, to-morrow we begin to get busy. You all know what dangers we arefacing and you have all been through them before. I know you will acquityourselves well if it comes to a tight rub, for your hearts are allwith the cause. That we may all know to what end to bend our individualendeavors, and in case anything should happen to any of us, I will nowread to you the orders under which we are sailing. Always remember ourcompact. We have our numbers. If number one falls, number two takescommand, and to him you give your true allegiance, always with yourminds free from personal ambitions and petty jealousies, working only ashuman machines for the good of the cause. "

The men turned and looked nervously in the direction of the boys. Thecaptain noticed their suspicious glances. 

"Do not fear, " he said, addressing particularly the furtive-eyed Suarez, "I will answer for them. They are my guests. "

There was in the captain's tone just a touch of defiance, as if hechallenged opposition to his views. 

"Now listen, and mark well the directions in the order. It is inSpanish, but I will read it to you in English, as I believe none amongyou, save Suarez and myself, understand Spanish. "

The captain produced from a large wallet a paper which he read slowly, dwelling long upon those passages containing detailed instructions:

 HEADQUARTERS OF THE INDEPENDENT GOVERNMENT AT CUBITAS. 

 TO CAPTAIN DYNAMITE, Boston, Massachusetts, U. S. A. 

 GREETING: When, with the assistance of a power higher than mortal endeavor, you shall have safely brought your expedition within the lines of the enemy's ships, proceed with all possible dispatch to that point on the coast mutually agreed upon by us at our last meeting. There, should a kind and just Providence so will it, you will find your landing covered by five hundred men under Captain Morgan, who is your friend. From him you will receive any necessary further instructions. May our just cause shield you from harm and bring you safely through your dangerous mission to the arms of your friends who kiss your hand. 

 (Signed) BETANCOURT. GOMEZ. 

"You know those names, my friends, " said Dynamite, after reading theorder. "In their name and in ours, out of the fullness of our hearts, Igive you our toast--Viva Cuba Libre!"

The men sprang to their feet and raising their glasses while their eyesshone with the fever of excitement, shouted:

"Viva, viva, Cuba libre!"

"I thought so, " said Harry, as the sound died away. 

"What does that lingo mean?" asked Bert. 

"It means 'hurrah for free Cuba, '" answered Harry. 

CHAPTER VII

IN THE DANGER ZONE

Harry was awakened the next morning by the clanking of heavy chains, rumbling of iron trucks, banging of doors, creaking of cordage, and thehoarse shouts of men. Above the unusual din the voice of the captainrose deep and resonant. Harry sat up in his bunk in wonderment. Theusually quiet and methodical ship seemed to have in an instant beentransformed into what to the ear might easily resemble an iron foundry. The noise also aroused Bert and Mason. 

"What's our friend the buccaneer up to now?" queried Mason, rubbing hissleepy eyes. 

"The sooner we get on deck, the quicker we shall find out, " answeredHarry, jumping from his bunk and beginning to dress hurriedly. 

"Sounds to me suspiciously like a pirate chief and his blood-thirstycrew preparing to board an unsuspecting ship, " said the irrepressibleMidget, as he poked his head into his shirt. "Shouldn't be a bitsurprised when we get on deck to find a lot of evil-faced men armed tothe teeth--you know pirates are always evil-faced. By the way, did youever know how the expression 'armed to the teeth' originated? Well, yousee, after a pirate has stuck his belt full of pistols and cutlasses, and has both hands full of guns, he just chucks a dirk in his mouth andthen, of course, he is armed to the teeth. Singular how you fellows arealways drawing on my fund of general information. One dollar, please. "

"Stop your nonsense, Midget, " said Harry. "Remember what CaptainDynamite said last night. We are in the zone of danger to-day. "

The noise had now somewhat subsided, and by the time the boys weredressed the usual quiet pervaded the ship. 

Harry stepped from their stateroom into the main cabin and was surprisedto see the captain sitting quietly at the table with his back turned tohim. His elbows were resting on the table and his face was in his hands. He was looking intently at some object in front of him. He did not moveas Harry approached, and the boy could see that he was gazing at aportrait. 

"Good morning, sir, " said Harry, stopping at a respectful distance. "Have we struck the danger zone, yet?"

"Danger--danger?"

The captain almost shrieked the words as he leaped to his feet, andclasping the portrait to his breast as if to protect it, turned fiercelyon the boy. 

"O, it's you, " he said quickly, on recognizing Harry. Then he passed hishand over his eyes as if returning from a trance. 

"I was with her when you spoke, " he said softly, "and then the thoughtof danger drives me mad. See----"

The captain held out the photograph for the boy's inspection. It was thepicture of a beautiful young woman of Spanish type, with dark hair andeyes. 

"This time I take her home as my bride. She has promised it. I have lefther too long at the mercy of Weyler's bloodhounds. But Gomez will seethat no harm comes to my Juanita. He has promised. The general haspromised, and soon--very soon, I shall take her away--away from thisdanger zone. "

The big man seemed dreaming again as his eyes rested with an expressionas soft as a woman's on the fair face of the girl. Then with thatcharacteristic shake of his huge body he placed the portrait carefullyin an inner pocket, next his heart, and turned again to Harry with hisdare-devil laugh on his lips. 

"Ha, ha! Danger zone? Oh, sure, we are in it. But we are ready for 'em, my boy. All's in shipshape for friend or foe. We've set a smiling faceto the fore, my lad, but a broad laugh would uncover some moighty sharpteeth. " At this moment the mate hurriedly entered the cabin and saluted. 

"What is it, Suarez?" asked the captain, quickly. 

"Smoke off the starboard bow, sir. "

"Can you make her out?"

"Not yet, sir. "

"Call me when you can. "

The mate saluted again and retired. The captain turned away from Harryunceremoniously, and Bert and Mason having joined him, the boys went ondeck. There was no change apparent that would have accounted for thestrange noises that had awakened them, except that the hatches were nowfastened down with heavy iron bars and the little forward hatch whereHarry had made his first tour of inspection was guarded by two men, whostood with folded arms on either side. There were now two men on lookoutaft as well as forward. They paced slowly to and fro, their eyes fixedastern. Amidships, on both the starboard and port sides, a man walkedbackward and forward over a space of about fifteen feet, always closelyscanning the sea on either side. Off the starboard bow could be seen athin thread of smoke that rose almost perpendicularly in the still air. 

The boys had never before seen so many men on deck at the same time. Not a word was spoken as the lookouts fore and aft passed and repassedeach other. On the bridge both mates were on duty. 

"Say, where do you suppose all these dummies sprang from, anyway?" askedMason, as he surveyed the scene in astonishment. "I wonder if there areany more where they came from?"

"Let's go down and interview our friend Sambo, " said Harry. "He has beengrowing communicative lately. Yesterday he deigned to say 'Yas, sah. 'Maybe we can coax something more out of him. "

When they reached the galley, to the boys' great surprise, the negropoked his head out over the half door and grinning broadly, said:

"Mornin', sahs. "

"Why, Sambo, " said Bert, in astonishment, "where did you find yourtongue?"

"Always pick it up again in danger zone, sah. "

"There goes that danger zone again, " said Mason, in disgust. "I don'tbelieve there is any danger between here and the equator, Sambo. "

"Name not Sambo, sah. George Washington Jenks, New York, U. S. A. , atyo' service, gents. "

Finding the negro in such an unusual mood the boys grouped themselvesabout the door intending to draw the man out if possible, and learnwhat they could that might serve to confirm their suspicions as to thepurpose of their cruise. As Harry stepped up to the door and brought theman's entire body into view, he noticed with amazement that he wore acartridge belt and pistol holster from which the butt of a revolverpeeped. 

"Why, George, what are you carrying a pistol for this morning. Afraidthe crew will mutiny?"

"Always carry gun in danger zone, sah, " replied the negro, grinningstill more. 

"The whole ship has gone crazy over the danger zone, " said Bert. 

"Yas, sah, " said George Washington. "May have mix-up bime-by, " and hejerked his thumb over his starboard shoulder. 

"Mix-up with the captain?"

"Humph. George Wash'n Jenks not such a blame fool's that. Mix-up withsteamer coming up to starboard. May be, may be not. Not such a mucher atguessing. "

"Is that why you are carrying a pistol; because a steamer is coming up?"

"Always carry gun in danger zone, sah, " and again the negro grinnedtantalizingly. 

"George Washington Jenks, New York, U. S. A. , I have a nice, green onedollar bill saved from a watery grave, " said Harry, "and if you willtell us what the danger zone is, you can have it. "

As Harry spoke he pulled a bill out of his pocket and displayed ittemptingly before the negro. George Washington Jenks looked at itcovetously out of the corner of his eye. Then he shook his head proudly. 

"Better go ask Cap'n Dynamite. Might be he need the money. George WashJenks don't. "

"I guess you are true blue, Wash, " laughed Harry, as he put the moneyback in his pocket. 

"You pretty good guesser, sah. Not such a mucher myself. "

The boys, convinced that they could gain no information from the negro, and realizing the uselessness of attempting to question any others ofthe crew, strolled aft again. It seemed to Harry that the thread ofsmoke had grown a little thicker. The captain opened his door andstepped out on deck, glass in hand. He signalled to Suarez, who came aftat his bidding. 

"Can you make her out yet, Suarez?"

"Not yet, captain, but she is headed to cross our bow and should be hullup in a few minutes. "

For five minutes both men stood with their glasses trained on the smoke. Finally Suarez dropped his to his side with the air of a man who haslearned what he wished to know. 

"Yes?" said the captain, interrogatively. 

"It's the little one we dodged last time. "

"The _Belair_. So I thought. Change the course two points to starboard. We will go astern unless she gets curious and I suppose she will. Yes, see, she is heading up for us. Hold your course; it would be folly tochange it now. If we can't bluff it through, why we can--well, do thenext best thing, Suarez, eh--call her hand. "

Dynamite threw back his head and laughed heartily. 

"Everything is in readiness for the call, sir, " said the mate, gravely. 

"Very well, Suarez; tell Battersea to notify the men below to stand by. "

The boys looked at one another in mute wonder. Then there were other menbelow, and for what? Harry's mind reverted to that forward compartmentso well stocked with munitions of war. 

"Bert, " he whispered, "I guess they were right about that danger zone, and although I'm not 'such a mucher' at guessing, as our friend Jenks ofNew York, says, maybe we'll have that mix-up. "

For nearly an hour the quiet routine aboard the _Mariella_ continued. The captain slowly paced the after deck, now and then scanning theoncoming stranger through his glasses. There was an air of suppressedexcitement in the silence. By this time the other steamer was clearlydiscernible with the naked eye, and the boys could see that she was asmall gunboat flying a foreign flag, which they guessed to be Spanish. She had two large guns mounted forward, and a number of rapid fire gunsaft and amidships. 

She was a tiny craft for a fighter and apparently had once been apleasure yacht; but she looked saucy and dangerous as she came on towardthem. As Harry looked along the quiet decks of the staid and sober_Mariella_ he could not help comparing her to a big dignifiedNewfoundland dog with a snapping terrier perking boldly up to her. 

They could now distinguish the forms of men on the gunboat's decks. 

"Come over here to the starboard rail, boys, " said the captain, suddenlyturning to them. "You may help to carry out more successfully the littlefarce we are about to attempt. Show yourselves as much as possible andact as if you were curiously interested in our friend, the gunboat, asno doubt you are. "

At this moment a black-bearded little man, who had been struttingpompously on the bridge of the gunboat, raised a megaphone to his lipsand a volley of foreign words, perfectly unintelligible to the boys, was shot out into the atmosphere. 

In a moment the captain sent back a reply to what had evidently been ademand for a description of his ship. 

"The _Mariella_, Boston for San Juan, Porto Rico; general merchandiseand three passengers returning from school. "

"That's us, " whispered Mason. "Look important now. This is as good asplaying charades. Can you guess the word, Hal?"

For a few minutes those on the deck of the gunboat seemed to bediscussing the reply. The little man on the bridge gesticulatedviolently as he apparently argued with a subordinate officer. Finally heput his marine glasses to his eyes again and for fully a minute Harryfelt that he was studying them and Captain Dynamite, who stood facinghim, his big form looming up to its full height, while a smile playedaround the corner of his mouth. 

Suddenly the little man danced up and down like a jumping jack, shot hisarms in the air and waved them wildly. Then he seized the megaphone andaimed it at the captain's head. This time the boys could understand thewords that he poured out, for he spoke in broken English. 

"Ah, ah, " he shouted, "I know you now, you el Capitaine Dynamite, elfilibust, el buccaneer, el pirate. Surrend--surrend in Queen's name. "

The little man's words had an electrical effect on the captain. Thesmile faded away and his mouth became a set, straight line. In a momenthe was all action. 

"Go ahead full speed, Suarez, " he shouted. "All hands to quarters. "

In a moment his orders were transmitted from mouth to mouth and asquickly the quiet decks became transformed. Men in a seemingly endlessstream rushed up through the forward hatch from below and scatteredabout the decks with soldier-like regularity, each taking, without theleast confusion, a station to which he had apparently been assigned. Every man was armed with sword, pistol, and rifle, and almost before theboys had recovered from the first gasp of astonishment, the bulwarkswere lined with rows of fully armed, determined looking men, who stoodsilently at their posts awaiting further orders. 

George Washington Jenks stepped out of his galley, his black, shiningface as usual on a broad grin. He looked aft at the boys, pointed to thegunboat and chuckled. 

"George Wash Jenks is not such a bad guesser after all, " said Harry. "Mix-up has arrived all right. "

"Say, but Hal, do you think there is going to be any real fighting?"asked Bert. All of the boys were intensely excited and nervous fromtheir unusual surroundings. 

"It looks a heap like it. "

"And here we are right in the middle of it without as much as a hat pinto do business with, " moaned Mason. 

The captain, who had darted into his cabin a moment before, now emergedwith a cartridge belt buckled around his flannel coat and two armypistols at his sides. He carried three other pistols in his hands. 

"Here, boys, " he said, as he approached them and handed one to each;"these are for protection only. Do you know how to use them?"

"Only give us something to shoot at and we will show you, " piped theMidget. 

"Well, if you have to shoot, there are your marks, " was the reply, as hepointed to the gunboat. 

In the meantime equal activity had been displayed on the Spaniard. Herdecks swarmed with men, and over the still water was borne a jargon ofunintelligible orders. 

Suddenly there came a sharp command from the little man on the bridge. Dynamite understood it and raised his hand as if to warn the boys back. There was a puff of smoke at the gunboat's bow and then a loud report. 

A solid shot whistled across the bows of the _Mariella_ and ricochettedover the water into the distance. 

"Crowd on all steam, Suarez, " shouted the captain, shaking his fist atthe gunboat. "We will first try the wise man's course and run away, butif we cannot shake off that little terrier, we'll have to show ourteeth. "

Then turning to the Spaniard again he put his megaphone to his lips andshouted to the little commander, who still capered and gesticulated onthe bridge:

"Yes, I _am_ el Capitaine Dynamite. Come on and take me if you can. Viva, Cuba Libre. "

CHAPTER VIII

A BRUSH WITH THE GUNBOAT

The _Mariella_ swung slowly around until she presented only her sternand the width of her hull as a mark for her enemy, and then under a fullhead of steam she started to show her heels to the Spaniard. But cloudsof heavy, black smoke began to roll upward from the gunboat's funnel, showing that she, too, was crowding on steam for the chase. 

The puff of smoke, the bark of the gun, the shot skipping over the wateracross their bows, much as a child scales a flat stone across a millpond, opened the boys' eyes to the seriousness of the situation. Theyfingered their revolvers nervously and watched the black bow of theSpaniard anxiously, expecting to see another white burst of smoke. 

But the little commander evidently believed he could rely on the speedof his vessel to overtake the _Mariella_, for after the warning shot, hedid not fire again, and with throbbing engines the steamers settled downto a trial of speed. 

"If we could only imagine that as a starting gun this would make afirst-rate yacht race, " said Bert, after they had been running for someminutes. 

"Yes, and for a richer stake than ever a yacht raced for before, "replied the captain, who had overheard the remark. Harry thought of theportrait of the beautiful girl that lay next the man's heart, andwondered if he meant her, but when he remembered the ringing defiance inhis voice as he shouted back to the Spaniard, "Viva, Cuba Libre, " he wasinclined to believe that the man's spirit of patriotism rose superior tohis love just now. 

By this time the veil of mystery that had hung over the ship and herpurpose had been pretty well lifted by the sequence of events, and theboys were convinced that they were a part of some secret mission againstSpain in the interests of Cuba. 

Harry had little time for speculation as to the motives that inspiredthe captain, for another puff of white smoke appeared at the gunboat'sbow and a shot whistled by close to the starboard rail. The _Mariella_had been slowly drawing away from her pursuer, and the Spanish commanderevidently feared his prey would escape. 

Suarez, on the bridge, turned anxiously aft as if expectinginstructions, but Captain Dynamite only set his lips into that firm, straight line and raised his glasses to watch the enemy's movements. 

Another puff of smoke, a sharp report, and a shot struck the water onehundred yards astern, but in direct line with the _Mariella_. 

"They've got the direction, but not the range, " muttered the captain. "Hard a-starboard, Suarez, for half a minute, and then take your courseagain. We'll give that gunner another guess. "

The _Mariella_ swung to starboard just enough to take her out of thedirect course of her pursuer. 

"Now, try it again, Mister Sharpshooter, " sung out the captain, althoughthe Spaniard was by this time far out of range of his voice. "It willtake you some time to pick up your target once more. "

The Spaniard sent two other shots after them in quick succession, butthey fell harmlessly to port. The quick swinging of the _Mariella_ outof her course had disconcerted the gunners. 

"Don't you think you youngsters better go below?" said the captain, joining the boys, while he calmly rolled a cigarette. "I haven't muchrespect for their marksmanship, but you never can tell where a strayshot may fall. "

By this time the sensation of nervousness and anxiety that had followedthe first shot had passed, and the boys were as eager to see the affairto an end as if they had been spectators at a play. They did not yetseem to feel themselves a part of the drama that might so easily beturned into a tragedy. 

"If we are not in the way I should much prefer to remain here, " saidHarry, "and if we are going to be shot I had rather have it done on deckthan in a stuffy cabin. "

"Very well, I guess you are safe enough. Anyway, we shall be out ofrange in about fifteen minutes. Ah, she's going to try it again. "

Another shot fell only a few feet astern. 

Captain Dynamite placed his glasses on the roof of the deck house, tossed his cigarette over the side, and removing his coat, folded itcarefully and placed it beside the glasses. 

"You are getting a little too close, Mister Goodshot, " he said, rollingback his cuffs. "I guess a dose of your own medicine is about due. "Turning to the bridge, he called:

"Keep her steady, Suarez. "

"Aye, aye, sir, " responded the mate. There was a note of glee in hisvoice and he rubbed his hands together with an air of greatsatisfaction, as he watched his commander's preparations. He seemed toknow what they portended, although the boys could see no purpose inthem. 

The captain now stepped quickly to the after rail, and placing hisfinger underneath it, seemed to be pressing upon something. A squaresection of the deck began to slide silently and mysteriously away, leaving a black hole up through which there rose slowly a rapid firegun. There was a sharp click of snapping bolts as the new section ofdeck came into place. 

"Now there will be something doing, " whispered Bert. 

Quickly taking his place on the saddle of the gun the captain trained itwith the hand of an expert. It seemed but a second from the time he ranhis eye along the sights before the discharge came. Without waiting tosee the result of his shot, he turned the muzzle a little to the right, sighted it again quickly and fired. 

The boys watched breathlessly, straining their eyes to see the result, but without avail. Captain Dynamite rose, wiped his hands with a silkhandkerchief and walked to the deck house for his glasses. 

"They are both out of commission, bedad, " he said, after a minute'sinspection. "Scoot for the inlet, Suarez, me boy. "

"Aye, aye, sir, " replied the mate, gleefully. "Don't you think youbetter give them one more for good measure, sir?"

"Enough's a-plenty, Suarez. We'll have her hull down before eight bells. Would you like to see what a little gun like that can do?"

He turned to Harry as he spoke and handed him the marine glasses. Theywere a powerful pair and as Harry regulated them to his vision he seemedto be almost on board the Spanish gunboat. All was confusion on herdecks. The "both" referred to by the captain as being out of commission, were the port and starboard guns, with which she had been potting at the_Mariella_. Captain Dynamite's shots had each scored a bull's-eye. 

In the turmoil, Harry could see that someone had been injured and wasbeing borne away by his companions. He lowered the glasses and held themout to the captain. 

"You have laid up a man for repairs, I think, sir, " he said. 

The captain waved the glasses back with something like a shudder. 

"I am sorry, " he said, quietly. "The poor chap was only doing his duty. I aimed at metal and not human bodies. I hope he is not much hurt. "

He turned to the rail again, touched the spring, and the gun slowly sankout of sight, the section of the deck that concealed it slipping intoplace again with a click. Putting on his coat he entered the cabin, leaving the boys in possession of the glasses. For some time they weregreatly interested in watching, turn by turn, the proceedings on thedeck of the gunboat, but finally the _Mariella_ made such good use ofher heels that even with the glasses, they could make out nothing butthe outlines of the Spaniard. 

When they turned again to the deck of their own steamer, they weresurprised to see that it had once more resumed its usual appearance. Thearmed men had disappeared, the second mate paced the bridge, and onlythe lookouts occupied the decks. It was now twelve o'clock, and eightbells sounded clearly on the still, tropical air. The boys recollectedfor the first time that they had had no breakfast, just as CaptainDynamite stuck his head out of the cabin door. 

"Come on, lads, " he called, cheerily; "sure we've let the Spanishterrier cheat our stomachs. "

The exciting events of the morning had not impaired the boys' appetites, and they promptly responded to the call. When they went on deck againonly a speck on the horizon marked the pursuing gunboat. 

"Few of their old tubs can measure paces with the old _Mariella_, " saidthe captain, with satisfaction, as he swept the sea with his glasses. 

"She looked as if she had once been a pleasure yacht, " said Harry. 

"So she was, my boy. The Spaniards bought her from a New Yorkmillionaire, but she was an old model then, and they have top-hamperedher with armor and guns until they have knocked what little speed shehad out of her. We'll not even see a whiff of their smoke in half anhour. "

"Will she continue so hopeless a chase?"

"O, sure she will. She hopes to trap us down the coast. See, there arethe shores of Cuba. "

The boys turned quickly as he pointed over their starboard bow and saw alow dark line in the distance. 

"Hurrah, " shouted Bert. 

"Hurrah for what?" asked the captain, smiling at the enthusiastic boywho swung his cap as he shouted. 

"Why, just hurrah, " answered Bert, sheepishly. "I began to think allland had disappeared from the face of the ocean. "

"Then you don't like the water?"

"Heretofore I always considered myself dead stuck on it, but hereafterterra firma for mine. Something that you can dig your heels into andwhere disagreeable Spaniards don't send bullets whistling around yourears. How soon will we make Havana, captain?"

One of Dynamite's roaring laughs greeted this question of Bert's. 

"Me boy, " he said, as soon as he caught his breath, "if we should sailinto Havana harbor every mother's son of us would be shot by sunriseto-morrow. "

"But you are going to land somewhere?" questioned Harry. 

"Sure there's a fine bit of a place down the coast that we'll take apeep into before the moon's high to-night--barrin' any more Spanishterriers. Sure they're thick on this coast. A pack of snarling mongrels, and all snapping at the heels of Captain Dynamite. It's a proud man Ishould be with a head on me that's worth five thousand dollars to theman who can take it to Weyler. "

"Do you mean that the Spaniards have put a price of five thousanddollars on your head?" asked Harry in amazement, as he backed away fromthe man instinctively. 

"That was before my last voyage, " chuckled the captain. "I would not besurprised if they had boosted the quotation a point or two since then. Gomez will know the latest market price. "

The boys looked at him with awe. Here was a man who, though sailing intothe enemy's waters, boldly laughed at the thought that there was a priceon his head. 

"He's the finest buccaneer I ever met outside of story books, " whisperedMason, as if meeting buccaneers was an every day occurrence with him. 

"Suarez, " called the captain, "lay off and on until eight bells, thencall me. I'm going to take a nap. We can't make the inlet untilsundown. "

Slowly Cuba rose out of the sea as the _Mariella_ ploughed her waytoward her shores. The long dark line began to take shape against theazure sky and to form itself into hills and valleys. The dark massturned to a deep shade of brown and then to green as the brilliantverdure of the island caught the rays of the sun. When they were nearenough to distinguish the contour of the coast line, the steamer'scourse was changed and for a time she stood out to sea again. 

"What are we doing that for?" enquired Bert, anxiously. 

"Didn't you hear the captain tell Suarez to stand off and on until eightbells? We are probably going to make a landing somewhere here, but it isnot yet time. "

At this moment eight bells struck and without waiting to be called, Captain Dynamite opened the door of the cabin and stepped out on deck. Once again he had changed his costume and was now attired in white duckand wore a white yachting cap. As a breeze blew his coat aside, the boyscould see that he still wore the cartridge belt and pistols. He scannedthe shore for a moment and then turning to the mate, who still stood onthe bridge, he said:

"Well done, Suarez. At sundown I will take her in. "

The coast at this point seemed covered with a thick, tropical growth ofpalms and high, rank weeds, interlaced thickly with vines that reachedto the water's edge. Back a few hundred feet the land rose abruptly, forming the foothills of the mountainous inland. The boys looked closelyfor some inlet or bay into which the _Mariella_ might steam, but thereseemed to be no break in the thick foliage so far as the eye couldreach. In the silhouette formed by the rising hills two palms, tallerthan the others, stood out against the sky like lone sentinels guardingthe shore against invading buccaneers. 

At dinner, the captain was in a particularly agreeable mood. 

"Well, my young pirates, how are you enjoying your cruise?" he askedjokingly. "It's pretty nearly at an end and all danger for you is aboutpast. In an hour or so we shall be safely within the sheltering arms ofCuba, and I think it is about time I introduced myself to you. I amplain Michael O'Connor, sometimes known as Dynamite Mike, but moregenerally styled Captain Dynamite--at your service. I am neither abuccaneer, pirate, nor privateer, but an humble Cuban sympathizer whotakes his life in his hand now and then to bring arms and ammunition tothe men who are fighting for the good cause of Cuba libre. I do this, first, because I love Cuba; second, because it is a very lucrativeprofession; third, because I like danger. "

"But, Captain Dynamite, why should an Irishman love Cuba?" asked Harry. 

"Sure, I'm only half Irish. My mother was a Cuban and I was born on theisland on my father's little sugar plantation. The Spaniards shut him upas an insurgent. He died in jail--tortured to death I shall alwaysbelieve--and my mother died of a broken heart in the arms of mychildhood sweetheart, Juanita. I was not there. I left the island whenonly a youngster, to shift for myself in the States. I took to the seaand I shall always be thankful that I did, for it has enabled me in somemeasure to avenge the death of my father. But now to your own affairs, my boys. After we have safely disposed of our cargo, I shall be free tomake a straight run for the States, and as I shall have others aboardfor whose safety I shall be responsible, I think probably you had betterstick to the old _Mariella_. I did think of getting you onto therailroad to Havana, but your lack of passports might cause youtrouble. "

"We'll stick by the _Mariella_, captain, " said Harry. "What do you say, fellows?"

"Sure, the _Mariella_ for us. "

"All right, that's settled. I think it's about time to run to cover. "

As they stepped out on deck the tropical twilight was fading and thesteamer was now close within the dark shadow of the shore. CaptainDynamite went forward to the bridge. 

"Turn in, Suarez. It has been a long day for you. I will take her now. "

The mate saluted and left the bridge. The captain entered the wheelhouseand the man relinquished the spokes and stood silently to one side. Thecaptain swung the wheel over quickly, with a sure, firm hand, and thebow of the _Mariella_ came around until she was headed directly for thewooded shore. Harry saw him raise his eyes and look once at the sentinelpalms. 

Then the engine-room bell clanged loudly and the _Mariella_ shot at fullspeed, head on for the shore. 

CHAPTER IX

THE MIDNIGHT MESSAGE

Harry clutched the rail involuntarily. It seemed as if at any momentthey would strike the shore with a crash, and yet he could not butbelieve that the captain knew what he was doing. He stood quietly at thewheel, scarcely moving it after he had once taken his course, but hiseyes were fixed intently ahead. 

Nearer and nearer they rushed to the shore. Now they were almost uponit. Harry steadied himself, and cast one quick glance at the captain. Now the bow cut the thick foliage like a knife, but there was no shock, and the _Mariella_, with trees and vines scraping her sides and risingalmost to her funnel-top, shot into a broad lagoon that lay completelyhidden by the dense foliage at the entrance. 

As they passed in, Harry looked back. The passage through which they hadentered was scarcely wider than the steamer, and formed on either sideby two points of rock. It needed a bold and skillful hand to bring themsafely through that naturally-masked channel. The foliage dropped partlyback again but there still remained a gaping hole to show where thesteamer had pushed her way through. 

Again the bells in the engine-room clanged, the screw churned the waterviolently; there was a roar and rattle of the anchor chains, and withintwice her own length the _Mariella_ came to a standstill and herdangerous voyage was safely terminated. 

"Washington, " called the captain, leaning out of the wheelhouse; "shutthe door. "

"Aye, aye, sah, " responded the negro, as he emerged from the galley. "George Wash Jenks knows his duty. "

Two of the men lowered a boat and jumped in. The negro followed with along boat hook. They rowed back to the entrance of the inlet, and Jenkswith his hook, deftly pulled the vines and creeping plants across itagain. In five minutes none could have told that the luxurious growthhad been disturbed. 

The tropical night now began to settle rapidly over the still lagoon. The business of making the steamer snug at her anchorage, which isusually attended by the creaking of cordage, the clanking of chains, andthe discordant shouts of sailors and commanders, was carried on almostin silence. The orders of the captain and mate were given in tonesscarcely louder than used in ordinary conversation, but the menresponded with alacrity. Within half an hour the _Mariella_, herthrobbing engines stilled, lay silently at anchor and not a sound brokethe stillness of the night. The shore of the main coast piled up in ablack mass, without shape or color, in front of them, while theprotecting arm that shielded them from the ocean loomed high above thesteamer's funnel, showing in silhouette against the star-lighted sky infantastically waving lines of palm leaves. 

Tired out with the exciting and unusual events of the day, the boys, after gazing for a time at the strange, silent scene around them, retired to their bunks, and were soon fast asleep. 

Captain Dynamite lay dreamily back in a steamer chair on the quarterdeck, lazily puffing a cigarette, but his eyes were intently fixed onthe black shore. The steamer was in total darkness. Not a lamp waslighted except a small red lantern, like a signal light, that hung overthe side facing the shore. 

The captain lighted a match and looked at his watch. 

"Five minutes to midnight, " he murmured. "They are late. Can anythinghave gone wrong? Ah, there's the signal now. "

A small red light flashed out of the darkness of the shore. Three timesit showed, and then disappeared. A dark figure that had been standingby the light on the _Mariella_ swung it three times from side to side. 

Captain Dynamite rose from his chair, stretched his great body lazilyand walked to the rail. As he did so, he threw open his coat and easedup one of the pistols in its holster. His hand remained resting on thebutt. 

A small boat with two rowers, and a man in the stern, shot out from theblack shadow of the shore onto the star-lighted surface of the lagoon. They rowed without the splash of an oar straight to the _Mariella_. 

"Who goes there?" called Dynamite in a whisper, as the boat shot underthe steamer's quarter. 

"_Independencia_, " came the prompt reply, and in a second the dark formamidships tossed over a rope ladder. In a moment more the man in thestern of the small boat had scrambled over the rail of the _Mariella_and strode rapidly aft. He sprang lightly up the steps to thequarter-deck, and seizing the hand of Captain Dynamite, who met him atthe companionway, shook it vigorously. 

"Captain Morgan, sure it's glad I am to see ye again. "

"God bless you, O'Connor. Another of your dare-devil expeditions safelyended. We didn't look for you for two nights yet. "

"Fair weather and only one little brush with a small gunboat. Altogether, quite an uneventful trip. And how goes the cause ofindependence, Captain?"

"We still hold our own, O'Connor, despite the butcher's boasts. We leftthem two hundred dead and wounded at our last three meetings, while ourloss was only five killed and ten wounded. "

"Bravo, Morgan, we'll wear them out yet. Let them pour their troops intoCuba by the thousand. Disease, our insidious ally and insurgent bulletswill take care of all they can send. "

"Aye, but the bullets are getting scarce, O'Connor. "

"Ah, but there are enough here to do for ten thousand Spaniards, " criedDynamite, stamping excitedly on the deck, "and there will always beenough to go around so long as O'Connor lives, and the planks of the_Mariella_ hold together. "

The woolly head and grinning countenance of George Washington Jenksshowed above the top step of the companionway. 

"And what of Gomez, Morgan?"

"Gomez is now with President Betancourt at Cubitas, waiting for a reportof your expedition. "

"He shall have it within forty-eight hours Are your men ready for thelanding?"

"The lagoon is guarded inland and shore. There is not a Spaniard withintwenty miles. "

"Then we will begin at once. What are you doing on the quarter-deck, youblack rogue?"

The captain had just discovered Jenks as he stood respectfully at thehead of the companionway, apparently awaiting orders. 

"Sut'nly, the Cap'n call?"

"No, I didn't call, blockhead. Get below. "

"Ah, ain't such a mucher as a guesser, but sut'nly I guess the cap'nstamp him foot. "

"You're right, Washington. I did stamp, but I didn't want you. However, as long as you are here bring out a chair for Captain Morgan and thatbox of cigars on my cabin table. "

"Well, Washington, you are back in Cuba with a whole skin again, " saidMorgan, cordially extending his hand to the negro. 

"Cap'n Morgan, suah, " said Jenks, carefully rubbing his hand on histrousers before accepting the captain's. "Ah'm right glad to see youagain, sah. O yes, sah, George Wash Jenks' skin am whole, sah. Cap'nDynamite, he see to that, sah. Nevah leave Cap'n Dynamite, sah. "

"That's right, Washington, stick to the captain and he'll pull youthrough, and Cuba needs a few more honest hearts like yours. "

"Ah serve Cap'n Dynamite, sah. He serve Cuba. "

With great dignity the negro turned away and entered the cabin. 

"An honest fellow, O'Connor, and seems devoted to you. "

"Yes, I think Washington would follow me to the ends of the earth; butwhat are the orders, captain? We must be up and doing. I should not liketo lie here long enough for the Spaniards to discover ourlanding-place. "

"Ah, there I am as ignorant as you. Here are sealed instructions fromGomez. "

Captain Morgan handed a packet to O'Connor, who broke the seal eagerly. When he had read what the message contained the hand that held itdropped nervelessly by his side. He gasped as if for breath, and pullednervously at the collar of his shirt like a man choking. Morgan, whonoticed his singular actions started toward him. 

"What's the matter, O'Connor?" he asked, anxiously. "Are you ill?"

For a moment the captain did not answer, and then he said, faintly:

"Wait. I must think. "

Morgan, wondering, but respecting his mood, stepped back. CaptainDynamite folded his arms and his head sank low on his chest. For fullyfive minutes he sat thus, and then suddenly leaped to his feet, clenchedhis hands, straightened up to his full heighth, and stamped his foot, loudly on the deck. The negro appeared with the steamer chair. Hestopped in terror at the wild appearance of Captain Dynamite, andbelieving that he was the cause of his anger, stammered and stuttered inan effort to speak. 

"Ah, sut'nly, came as fast as ah could, sah. George Wash Jenks noloafing nigger, sah. "

"Call Suarez, " said Dynamite, in a low voice, ignoring the negro'sattempted apologies. 

"Misser Suarez turned in, sah. "

"Call Suarez, " roared the captain, taking a threatening step in thedirection of Jenks. 

"Yas, sah, " answered Jenks, his eyes big with wonder. "Needn't be souppish. Ah shall sut'nly call Misser Suarez. " Jenks backed away to thecompanionway in an effort to keep his face to the angry skipper andmiscalculating his distance rolled backward down the stairs. 

"You clumsy idiot, " bellowed Dynamite, stepping to the top of the stairsand peering down into the darkness, out of which came a whisper:

"Yas, sah. Ah shall sut'nly call Misser Suarez. "

Dynamite stepped back, and without speaking to Morgan, who watched himanxiously, paced the quarter-deck with nervous strides. Suarez appearedin his pajamas, rubbing his eyes. The captain stopped as he saluted, andlooked from one to the other of the men. Finally he said, holding outthe message to Suarez:

"Suarez--Morgan--here are the instructions regarding the removal of thecargo. They are simple. There is also news--bad news--but that concernsonly me. Take this paper, Suarez, and with Captain Morgan's assistancecarry out the orders to the letter. You are in command. "

Then he turned to Washington, who had followed Suarez to thequarter-deck. 

"Bring me my night coat, Washington, and my rifle. Suarez, have the giglowered. I am going ashore. "

"Alone, captain?"

"Alone. "

"And may I ask the captain where at this hour of the night?"

"To Gomez. "

"Take a file of my men, O'Connor. The country between here and Cubitasis full of Spaniards. "

"Thank you, Morgan. I have good, true men of my own who know the countryas well as I do myself, but they would only hamper me. I must makespeed--speed, do you hear? Suarez, why do you stand there like a woodenIndian? Get my gig into the water. "

"If you are bent upon going, O'Connor, and I know how useless it is totry to swerve you, why not take my boat. It is manned and lying at theladder. "

"That is better, Morgan. I will send it back to you. Come on, you lazyrascal, with that coat. "

He seized his coat and rifle, and ran down the stairway to thecompanionway, and along the deck to the point where Morgan's boat lazilyfloated on the black water. 

"Take your orders from Captain Dynamite, " called Morgan to his men asO'Connor slid down into the boat. The negro who had followed close athis heels peered over the side and whispered pleadingly:

"Cap'n Dynamite, sah, you'se not going without George Wash Jenks?"

"To the shore, lads, and pull for your lives, " said O'Connor. The boatshot away from the steamer's side and was soon lost in the dark shadowof the shore. 

Washington shook his head deprecatingly, and returned to thequarter-deck, where he gravely saluted the mate. 

"Your servant, sah, " he said. "Cap'n Dynamite he say you in command. "

"Bring a lantern, Washington, quick, " said Suarez. Then turning toMorgan, he continued:

"What do you suppose the bad news can be that has so affected the chiefand which he says concerns only him?"

"Gomez's message will tell. Quick, boy, with that lantern. "

As Jenks stepped into the cabin, Harry, fully dressed, came out of hisstateroom. The unusual noise on deck and the loud commands of thecaptain had awakened him. 

"What's up, Wash?" he asked. 

"Plenty. Cap'n Dynamite get bad news in message, and bang--he scoot forshore. "

"Captain gone ashore, to-night?"

"Suah, enough. "

"What's the bad news, Wash?"

"Nobody knows yet. George Wash Jenks get cap'n's lantern and then wefind out. "

He took the lantern from the hook, and with Harry behind him returned tothe deck. Morgan took the light and held it so that Suarez could readthe message. 

"Ah, here it is" said the mate, after he had scanned the instructions. He read aloud:

"'My heart is full of grief for you. Notwithstanding the heavy guardmaintained around the house the Spaniards succeeded last night inseizing Juanita and have taken her to prison. She is charged with aidingthe rebels. Come to me at once that we may plan together to effect herescape or rescue. '"

"Spaniards got Missee Juanita?" shouted Washington, who had listenedeagerly while Suarez read. "I guess I go to cap'n. "

The negro made a flying leap for the rail and in another instant wouldhave dived into the sea toward the shore. Morgan was too quick, though, and seizing him by the collar dragged him back to the deck. 

"Never was such a mucher at guessing, " murmured the negro. 

"What do you say to putting the boy ashore and letting him joinO'Connor?" asked Morgan. "He knows the country and might be of muchassistance to that stubborn man in his dangerous journey. "

"Please, Misser Suarez, sah, lemme go after Cap'n Dynamite. He andMissee Juanita need George Wash Jenks. "

The negro dropped on his knees as he pleaded with the mate. 

"And we will go with you, Washington. "

It was Harry who spoke, and the men turned to him in astonishment. 

"You do not know the danger, my boy, " said Suarez, quietly. 

"We'll chance it. We owe Captain Dynamite a big debt. If there is achance to help him in his trouble it is our duty to do so. "

"It is a question whether you would help or hinder him. "

Suarez was undecided. While he bore the boys no malice he had alwayschafed at their presence on the ship. No interest in them as individualswould have caused him to oppose their wishes. His thoughts, hopes, desires, and ambitions were all Cuba's. The fate of the three boys whoselives meant nothing to the cause, was nothing to him. Deep down in hisheart he would be glad to rid the ship of them. But he feared the wrathof his chief. He walked the deck in silence for a few minutes and then, as if speaking to himself he said:

"If any one should take one of the boats and make the shore during thenight, their escape might not be discovered until daylight. "

As he finished speaking, George Washington Jenks beckoned to Harry, andtogether they made their way silently down to the main deck. 

CHAPTER X

INTO THE ENEMY'S COUNTRY

Harry called Bert and Mason and explained the situation to them. Bothwere eager to accompany the expedition on shore. Washington was busyforward when the boys joined him. He had gathered and piled up under therail a supply of guns and ammunition sufficient to arm a company of men. He had made good use of the few minutes the boys had occupied indressing, for a small boat already lay alongside the steamer. Harrysurmised that the men, who were all exceedingly fond of their commander, had assisted Washington in order that he might set out to give what aidhe could to Captain Dynamite. There was scarcely a man among them buthad made several voyages with him, and they well knew the danger thatattended a journey through that part of the island, and the fate thatawaited their chief if he should fall into the hands of the Spaniards. The mate was still in close conference with Captain Morgan, and eitherintentionally, or because of his preoccupation, paid no attention to thepreparations of the little expedition. 

"What are you going to do with all those guns?" asked Harry, as hesurveyed the pile. 

"May be some big shooting, " replied Washington, nodding his head, wisely. "More guns, more shooting. "

"But how are we to carry that arsenal? If I am not mistaken travellinghereabouts is not the easiest thing in the world, and we shall want aslittle to hamper as possible. "

"I guess young gemman right, " said Washington, looking regretfully atthe heap of guns. 

"Let us each take a gun and a pistol----"

"And machete--machete, " interrupted the negro, his eyes bulging, whilehe swung his arm as if wielding one of the short Cuban swords. 

"All right, Washington, machete if you choose. They may do to cut ourway through the underbrush. "

"Cut way through Spaniard, " said Washington, still waving his armexcitedly. 

"You can do all that kind of cutting, George Wash Jenks. Perhaps youwould prefer a razor. "

"No, machete. "

"All right; machete it is, and I hope you will find something to use iton and work off some of that cutting energy. "

They then each selected from the supply of arms a rifle, pistol, and allthe ammunition they could comfortably carry. They lowered them into thesmall boat and were about to climb in when Harry stopped them. 

"What about food, Washington?" he asked. "We'd better tote some along, Ithink. "

With his usual energy, Harry had naturally taken command of theexpedition. 

"How much of a tramp is it to where Captain Dynamite is going?"

"Captain Dynamite go to Gomez--Gomez at Cubitas. "

"That does not mean anything to us. How far is it from here to Cubitasand how long will it take us to reach it?"

"'Bout two days. "

"All right. Now Washington, you get some ship biscuit, dried beef, andcoffee from your stock in the galley and we will each carry our ownrations. I guess we can get through on that grub for two days. "

"And ah guess a leetle lasses for coffee, Misser Harry, " pleaded thenegro. 

"How under the sun are you going to carry molasses, Washington? I guessyou will have to take your coffee black and without sweetening. "

"Never was such a musser at guessing, " murmured Washington, as he turnedinto the galley. He soon reappeared with the rations, four oilskinjackets, and a coffee pot. They divided the food and each bundled uphis supply in an oil skin and tied the package on his back. They werenow ready to begin their journey, and one by one they silently slippedover the side and dropped into the boat below. 

"Washington, you take the tiller, " said Harry. "You know the way. "

"Yas, sah. "

"Do you know where to make a landing in the dark?"

"George Wash Jenks knows every inch of the coast hereabouts with himeyes shut. "

"All right then. You get up in the bow, Midget, and keep a lookoutahead. Bert and I will row. It's not more than three hundred feet to theshore. "

The boys bent to the oars and the little boat shot across the narrowstreak of starlit water into the shadow of the rugged shore. 

"Stop!" whispered Mason quickly, when they were within a few feet of thebeach. The boys backed water and brought the boat up within her ownlength. 

"What is it?" asked Harry, anxiously. 

"There's a man on shore with a gun aimed plumb at us, " replied Davis, pointing into the darkness ahead. 

"Him one of Misser Morgan's men, " said Washington. "Him all right, ahguess, maybe. "

The boys started to row again when a loud command from shore made themrest on their oars with great dispatch. 

"Halt, or I'll fire. "

The words came out of the darkness in deep, determined tones. The boyscould dimly distinguish the form of a man standing on a little bluffabove them, with his rifle aimed with disturbing accuracy directly attheir boat. 

"We are friends from the _Mariella_, " called Harry, "and are on our wayto join Captain Dynamite. "

"Captain Dynamite passed through the lines half an hour ago. He said hewas travelling alone. "

"Yes, that's right, " answered Harry. "He thinks he is, but we want tohelp him. Let us come ashore and I will explain to you. "

"Halt, or I fire, " again came the command. 

"Don't you think we better go back, Hal?" whispered Mason, who hadcrouched down in the bow out of the way of a stray bullet. "I don't caremuch for this real gun business. It's too exciting for my constitution. "

"Don't you understand, " persisted Harry, "that we are friends of CaptainDynamite and the cause?"

"Friends of the cause will give the countersign, " said the voice in thesame even tone. 

"Washington, you ought to know the countersign, " whispered Harry to thenegro, who had listened to the conversation with open mouth. He shookhis head as if he did not comprehend. 

"You know--the word that tells people that you are a friend of Cuba. "

"O, dats de password--suah. " Washington grinned with joy. 

"Well, the password then; what is it?"

"Ah guess it is 'Independencia. '"

"I hope you have guessed right this time. "

"Not such a mucher, " murmured Washington, deprecatingly. 

"Independencia, " repeated Harry, loud enough for the man on shore tohear. 

"Advance friends, " said the sentinel, quickly lowering his gun. 

The party landed without further opposition and found instead of oneman, whose form they had been able to distinguish from the boat, ten ora dozen more a few feet back from the shore, squatting around a smallfire, the light of which was masked by a thick growth of underbrush. They were all dark-skinned men with heavy growths of black beard. Theylooked up without displaying any particular interest as the boyslanded, but the sentinel who had challenged them came forward and heldout his hand in greeting. He was undoubtedly an American. 

"Glad to see any one who speaks English, " he said, as Harry approachedand took his offered hand. "What are you boys doing here?"

"That's a long story, " replied Harry, smiling. "Briefly, though, CaptainDynamite ran down our sail boat while we were sailing off Martha'sVineyard, picked us out of the water and brought us along whether wewould or no. "

"And where are you going now?"

"To join Captain Dynamite. He may need our assistance. "

The man smiled. 

"I am afraid you will be more likely to need his if you persist in yourpurpose, " he said. 

"That, of course, is a matter of opinion, " replied Harry, drawinghimself up indignantly. "And to return the compliment may I ask what youare doing in Cuba?"

"Certainly, " laughed the man. "I came with Morgan. We are soldiers offortune. "

"Then you are not a patriot?"

"Not exactly. I believe in the cause and I also believe that we willeventually win. "

"And then you expect your reward?"

"That's what we are fighting here for. "

"Sort of playing with fortune, " chimed in Mason. 

"Not exactly--sort of throwing dice with fate. "

"Well, come on, fellows, " said Harry. "We are losing time and lettingthe captain get more of a lead on us. "

"So you are determined to go on?"

"I see no reason yet to turn back, " replied Harry. 

"But you do not know the country and its dangers. "

"We have a good guide, " said Harry, pointing to Washington. 

The man leaned forward and peered in the darkness at the negro. 

"Why, it's George Wash Jenks, " he said in surprise. "Captain Dynamite'sman. How are you, Wash?"

"Ah guess ah's all right, sah. "

"Still guessing I see, Wash. "

"Not such a mucher, sah, " the negro grinned broadly. 

"Well boys, you are right about your guide. You can't go wrong aroundhere while Wash is with you. Good luck to you. You will have to travelfast to catch up to Dynamite though. He was making express time andwould not even stop to shake hands. All I could get out of him was:'Gomez--I must get to Gomez. ' Nothing wrong, is there?"

"No, nothing--nothing that concerns the cause. Good-bye. Come on, Washington. "

Harry turned and started into the brush. 

"Not that way, Misser Harry, " called Washington. "We keep by the shore apiece yet. Never get no further than six feet in there, ah guess. "

He turned along the narrow beach below an overhanging bluff. For half anhour they hugged the shore. 

"Did the captain come this way do you think, Washington?" asked Harry. 

"Don't guess this time, Misser Harry. No other way to come. "

So far the going had been comparatively easy. They had to now and thenclamber over jagged points of rocks that made out into the sea, and inthe darkness they several times stumbled and fell, but no one was muchhurt. Most of the way, however, had been along the sandy beach. NowWashington stopped and seemed to be looking for something. He peered outinto the darkness over the sea and then shook his head. Then he steppedback toward the water and looked up at the skyline of the quickly risinginland country. 

"Lost the trail?" enquired Harry, after he had watched the negro'smovements for some time in silence. 

"Not lost 'em, Misser Harry. Tryin' to find 'em. Big tree on leetleisland. Can't see 'em. " He pointed out over the sea where he had beengazing. Then he turned and pointed inland. "Big tree there. Can see himall right. "

The boys looked up to where he pointed over the land and saw a largepalm rising high above its fellows and clearly marked against the sky. It resembled the two big trees that had guided Captain Dynamite inmaking the entrance to the hidden lagoon. Evidently Washington wassearching for some spot that was to be discovered by bringing the bigtree on shore and the now invisible one on the island into line. 

"George Wash Jenks, he find 'em. Don't worry 'bout dat, " he said, as hewalked about five feet to the right and then faced about and approachedthe bluff, which at this point was twenty feet high and thickly grownwith brush and low entangling plants. He fumbled around among the vinesand then turning to the boys called: "All right now. "

As Harry came up he pointed at the bluff and then pulling aside theunderbrush began to slowly work his way inward. The boys followed him. The branches scratched their faces and the ground vines clung to theirfeet. They were entering a narrow cleft in the hill which was filledwith rank vegetation. 

"Keep a pushin', " said Washington. "Not so bad when we get in leetlemore. "

They struggled on for about one hundred feet when the brush became lessthick and finally they reached a narrow lane that had been hewed andtrampled through the high growth. Their progress now became easier andwith Washington in the lead they pushed ahead rapidly. They had madetheir way about half a mile inland when out of the brush came a voicethat brought them to a standstill with a start. 

"Alto! Quien Va?"

"Dat another Misser Morgan's men, " whispered Washington. 

"Independencia, " said Harry, when he had recovered his breath, for thechallenge coming unexpectedly from one concealed by the darkness and thebushes was somewhat startling. There was a low reply in Spanish and theyproceeded without molestation. 

About every half a mile a mysterious voice challenged them, but thecountersign secured for them uninterrupted progress. Through the waningnight they pushed on, until the light in the sky told them that day wasbreaking. Then Washington stopped. He had scarcely spoken since theytook the trail. 

"Missers, " he said, as they halted, "better have breakfast now. "

"Can we light a fire here safely?"

"Yes, now; not bime bye. "

They unslung their improvised knapsacks and gathering some dry brushsoon had a small fire burning. Washington made the coffee, procuringwater from a stream that ran through the brush. The boys, thoroughlytired out, threw themselves down for a brief rest. They munched theircrackers and dried beef with relish and drank coffee in turn from a tincup that Washington had had the foresight to provide. 

"This seems very much like camping up at school, " said Mason. 

"Yes, only I would prefer to have the boys in the bushes than a lot ofSpaniards and Cubans with real bullets in their guns, " replied Bert. 

"You always do look at the unromantic side of things, Bert. We haven'tseen a Spaniard yet. "

"Good and plenty when we get in the open, " said Washington. 

"How do you know this country so well, Washington?" asked Harry. 

"Born here, Misser Harry. I'se Cuban nigger. "

"I thought you said you were 'George Wash Jenks, New York, U. S. A. ?'"

"I suah are now, sah. I was only a picaninny when I ranned away withMassa Cap'n Dynamite. "

"So you ran away with your young master, eh?"

"Yas, sah, dat's it. "

"And you've been with him ever since?"

"Him couldn't lose me, sah. " George grinned. 

"And who is Miss Juanita?"

"Missee Juanita live on next plantation. She and Massa Capt'n Dynamitegoin' to get married bime bye. He tell her so when he ranned away. "

"Well Washington, it's sun up now and we better be moving if we expectto catch up with Massa Captain Dynamite. "

"We not catch Cap'n until we get to Cubitas. "

"Why not?"

"Cap'n travel through this country faster'n any mule, and he not stop'til he get there. "

"Not stop to sleep?"

"No sleep, no eat. Missee Juanita in danger. I know the Massa Cap'n. "

CHAPTER XI

CAPTURED BY SPANIARDS

The party, after breaking their fast, packed up their rations andstarted on again. The tangled forest of low growth through which theystruggled began to thin out, and they found themselves in an almost opencountry at the foot of a range of mountains. Before they left theshelter of the bushes, Washington motioned the boys back, and droppingon his stomach, wriggled to the edge of the woods, where he made a longsurvey of the country. Seemingly satisfied, he beckoned to the others tocome on, and they all cautiously crept out into the open country. 

"Must keep eyes peeled now for Spaniards, " said Washington. "Plenty of'em 'tween here'n Cubitas. "

"Which way now, Washington?" asked Harry. 

The negro pointed straight ahead. 

"Over that mountain?" queried Mason, in dismay. 

"Suah--and then another--but that's Cubitas. "

They toiled on while the hot sun began to mount high in the sky. Theperspiration dripped from their faces as they walked. The mountain wasthickly wooded to its very base and they made as rapid progress aspossible in the wake of the doggedly plodding negro in the effort togain the shade and the security of the trees. 

"Half hour more and we find good place for siesta. Can't go on 'til sungoes down, " said Washington, who had noticed the boys' fatigue. 

When they reached the foot of the mountain the negro struck off into thethick woods, and after a long climb they came out into a small glade, through which trickled a tiny stream. The boys drank greedily of thecool water, and Washington gathered boughs and leaves and soon rigged upa temporary shelter under the trees. Throwing themselves down beneaththis, with their coats for pillows, all hands dropped off into a deepsleep. 

When Harry awoke it was late afternoon. Bert was sitting up rubbing hiseyes. Washington and Mason still slept on. 

"I'm getting very tired of this sort of thing, Hal, " whispered Bert, "Iam afraid I was not cut out for a strenuous life. Do you think there areany Spaniards loafing around in this neighborhood?"

"Let's take a look while the others finish their nap, " suggested Harry. 

The boys picked up their rifles and cautiously entered the woods, moving from tree to tree and dodging around rocks and boulders in trueIndian fashion. The excitement of thus picking their way through thewoods caused them to forget that they were proceeding in anything but adirect line, and when they at last bethought themselves, neither couldtell in which direction the camp lay behind them. 

They dared not shout, and they looked at each other in dismay. 

"We are a brilliant pair, " said Bert in disgust. "Now what are we to do?Have you any idea how far we have come, or in what direction?"

"I think I have a general notion. Let's work back anyway. "

They faced about and began to make their way as rapidly as possible inthe direction from which they believed they had come. Both were prettywell frightened for they realized the danger of becoming separated fromtheir guide in that wild country, aside from the possibility of fallinginto the hands of Spaniards. In their nervous scare they hurriedrecklessly on, tripping now and then over trailing vines and plunginghead on into thickets. Still they did not come upon the glade from whichthey had so unwisely strayed. 

At last, convinced that they were not proceeding in the right direction, they stopped and tried again to figure out the position of the camp. Itwas useless. They were now hopelessly lost. Harry looked up at the sunanxiously. It was getting low. 

"It looks as if you and I were in another scrape, Bert, " he said, tryingto smile. 

"We might wander for days without getting out of this labyrinth. "

"It's not so bad as that. We can get into the open all right by simplyfollowing the mountain down. But I do not know what good that would dous, for we could never find the pass through which we came. "

"No, and then there are the Spaniards. "

"Well, I suppose the Spaniards are a pretty serious proposition toWashington, who is their natural enemy, but I do not think they would dous much harm. We're American citizens, you know. "

"They are not looking for American citizens out here, and we should havea hard time explaining. We couldn't say we came on the _Mariella_. "

"No, that would hardly do. Still, we have not done anything to injureSpain, and we were certainly unwilling passengers on the _Mariella_. Ido not see how they can do anything very disagreeable. "

"Judging from what Captain Dynamite says, they are inclined to considerevery one except a Spaniard as an enemy and a Cuban sympathizer. "

"Well, we've got to take some sort of a chance, so we might as wellshout. "

"All right, both together. "

They sent up a "holloa" that rang through the trees. 

"Mason--Washington, " they shouted. "Answer. We have lost you. "

Away in the distance they heard a faint answering call. In their effortsto retrace their steps they had wandered still further from theircompanions. They could not distinguish the words of the reply, but thesound gave them the direction, and with glad hearts they set off. 

Suddenly they heard a crackling in the bushes behind them. 

"Quien Vio?" called a voice. Their hearts sank within them. Turningquickly, they looked into the muzzles of four rifles. 

"Gee, it's the Spaniards at last, " whispered Bert. "Still I don't knowbut I had rather see them than no one. It was getting mighty lonesome. "

"They may be more of Morgan's men, " said Harry. 

"By jove, that's so. Let's try the countersign on them. "

"Don't, " commanded Harry, quickly, catching his arm. "Suppose they werenot. The word would convict us at once. "

"You're right. "

Had Washington been with them he would have recognized the Spanishchallenge. 

In the meantime the men had advanced, keeping the boys covered withtheir guns as if they were a pair of desperadoes who might attack themat any moment. They wore old and dirty uniforms, but it was plain thatthey had once been of regulation color and pattern. 

"They are Spaniards fast enough, " whispered Harry, as the menapproached. "Cubans have no regular uniform. " Then to the men he said:

"Good afternoon, gentlemen. We are glad to see you. We are lost out hereon your mountain. They are your mountains, I believe. We're Americans, you know. "

"Ah, Americanos, " said one of the men. "Surrend. "

"Yes, Americanos if you prefer it so, but what do you want us tosurrender?"

"Surrend, " repeated the man, laying his hand roughly on Harry's rifle. 

"O, the guns? Certainly. They are of no use to us, apparently. "

Harry and Bert believing it to be the best policy to be tractable, heldout their guns with amiable smiles. They were snatched rudely from them. When the rifles were safely in the hands of the soldiers, a little fatman whom they had not seen before stepped out of the bushes, where hehad evidently intended to remain until the prisoners were disarmed. Hewas an officer, judging from his side arms, and with great pomposity henow advanced, puffing and blowing, toward the boys. He said something inSpanish to one of the men, who replied: "Americanos. "

"Who you are doing here?" he demanded of Harry. 

"O, sir, " said Harry, "it is an agreeable surprise to find a gentlemanwho speaks our language so fluently, " and he advanced with handextended. The little man jumped back as if he feared the boy was aboutto strike and dodged behind his men, jabbering rapidly in Spanish. Evidently in response to some command, the four men rushed upon the boysand pinioned their hands behind their backs, tying them with gun straps. 

"Look here, " said Harry, indignantly. "I don't know who you are, butthis is an outrage on two American citizens--do you understand?" Hewalked boldly up to the fat officer as he spoke and notwithstanding theboy's hands were now tied, the man backed away from him in fright. 

"You will have to answer for this to the United States--do youunderstand that?" continued Harry. 

"Poof to United States, " said the little man, snapping his fingers. Hethen gave another order in Spanish, and two of the men took up aposition in front of the boys and two behind. The men in front began tomarch and those behind prodded the prisoners in the back with theirguns, to indicate that they were to go on. There was nothing for theboys to do but submit, and slowly they began the descent of themountain, the valorous commander keeping well to the rear. 

"These are your gentle Spaniards who wouldn't do a thing to you, " saidBert, as they marched unwillingly along between their guards. 

"O, this pompous little fat man is some subordinate officer who ispuffed up with his own importance. We will be all right when we get toheadquarters and can see the commanding officer. "

"I'm not so sure of that. They do not seem to be bubbling over withkindly respect for the United States. "

"Wait till we see the consul. You know O'Connor told us to call for ourconsul if we got into trouble. "

"They may not let us see him. "

"Then we'll--what will we do then, Bert?"

"Then it will be a case of measuring our wits against these fellows', and trying to make our escape. We may be able to get word to CaptainDynamite. Anyway Mason and Washington will probably discover that wehave been captured and will go on to the captain. "

"Yes, but he has troubles of his own now to attend to. "

"Still I do not think he is the man to desert us entirely. He might gethis friend Gomez to do something for us. "

"Well, a great deal depends on whether we have fallen into the hands ofa small or large detachment of Spaniards. If it is only a skirmishingparty, Gomez or Morgan might rescue us. "

"Let us hope it is a small outfit. I don't like the spirit these chapsshow, nor the contempt in which their fat commander seems to hold theUnited States. "

They were now getting near the foot of the mountain. Suddenly Harryclutched Bert's arm. 

"What is it?" asked Bert, startled by Harry's movement. 

"Don't look to right or left. I just saw the Midget's white face peekingout at us as we passed that last clump of bushes. It's all right now. They know we are prisoners and you can trust Mason for getting a moveon. " The boys tramped along with lighter hearts now that they wereconfident that their companion knew of their predicament. 

"I hope they will not get pinched too, " said Bert. 

"Don't always look on the dark side of things, old chap, " said Harry, alittle testily. "Cheer up. "

They were now in the open country again and made more rapid progress. The Spaniards moved along without any attempt at caution now. They wellknew the Cuban methods of warfare, and did not fear an attack in theopen. Opposed always by much superior numbers, the insurgents hadlearned that the only way to successfully cope with their enemy was tokeep under cover and prosecute a guerilla warfare. 

As they climbed the top of a small hill the boys were surprised to seein front of them the outlying buildings of what seemed to be a town orcity of some size and importance. When they approached nearer they foundthat these buildings were but poor huts or cabins, and formed a sort ofirregular, narrow street that led into the town, which was situatedabout a mile beyond. As they entered the street the character of theseshed-like habitations flashed upon the boys. They were the homes of the"reconcentrados" of whom O'Connor had told them. The boys shuddered asthey passed them and for a time scarcely dared to look to one side orthe other for fear that they might see some horrible sight, so forciblyhad O'Connor's description impressed them. Most of the huts were withoutdoors and the interiors were open to a passing view. So hopeless werethe miserable inmates that they did not even care to hide theirsuffering from the heartless eyes of the curious. The men laughed andjoked as they passed on and Harry could not but feel that their jestswere pointed by the misery of the reconcentrados. 

Finally a horrible curiosity turned their heads and they saw in front ofone of the huts a group of four persons. They were a man, a woman, achild of perhaps fourteen, and a babe in its mother's arms. The man laystretched at full length on his back at the roadside. His eyes, whichwere open, were turned upward to the sky. The woman sat with her back tothe mud wall of the hut. Her eyes were fixed on the man at her feet. Thechild stood in the doorway looking with expressionless eyes out intospace. The few rags that covered them only served to emphasize theemaciation of their bodies and limbs. It needed no trained eye to tellthat they were starving. As the party passed, not one of the fourchanged position or once turned their eyes. In their mute suffering theyseemed unconscious of their surroundings. 

One of the guards looked and laughed brutally. 

Harry tugged at his bonds. In his fierce indignation he would havestruck down the man. 

Finally they passed out of this street of misery and entered the town. The boys had forgotten their own troubles in the contemplation of thesuffering of the unhappy creatures behind them. The guards who had beenslouching along at a swinging gait now straightened up and assumed amore soldierly air. At a word of command from their fat commander theyhalted before a building which was more imposing in appearance than itsneighbors, and looked to be a public edifice of some sort. They marched, with their prisoners still between them, up the few steps that led to awide doorway and into a large room on the right, where an officer wasreclining in a lounging chair, lazily puffing a cigarette. It was nowgrowing dark outside and the room was dimly lighted by a lamp that stoodon the flat desk in front of the only occupant. 

The man straightened himself up as the squad entered, and the littlecommander saluted with great deference. 

"I told you so, " said Harry, who noticed the air of deep respect thatnow marked their captor. "The little fat man is only an understrapper. Now we shall have a hearing. "

While the little officer reported to his superior, the latter looked theboys over with some apparent curiosity. He asked a few questions andthen uttering something that sounded like a judicial decision, he sankback in his chair again and lighted another cigarette. 

The guard faced about, prodded the boys in the back again with theirguns to indicate that they were to move on, and the procession filed outinto the street again. For a moment the boys could scarcely realize thatthey were to have no hearing, and then Harry turned to the fat manindignantly. 

"Are we not to be permitted to tell our story?" he demanded. "Where areyou taking us? I demand a hearing as an American citizen in the presenceof the American consul. "

The little man, who evidently understood much of what he said, chuckled, and the men, taking their cue from their commander, jabbed the boys oncemore in the back. 

"It's no use, Hal, " said Bert. "We might as well wait and see what theyintend to do with us. "

They passed from one narrow street to another until they again haltedin front of a building whose narrow windows were closely barred. 

"Looks uncomfortably like a jail, " said Harry, as he surveyed the whitefront of the gloomy structure. A door on the level with the streetopened, the guns prodded the boys in the back again, and they enteredthrough the low portal into a dark corridor. The door closed behind themand they found they were alone with a black-bearded man who carried abunch of large keys that jangled unpleasantly. 

He motioned silently for the boys to follow him, and as they had nochoice in the matter, they did so. At the end of the corridor the manopened a door and pointed in. The boys entered and the door swung tobehind them silently. 

It was almost dark, but through the barred window of the room justenough twilight crept to show the boys that they were in a room thatcontained only a wooden table, two chairs, and two low wooden beds. 

CHAPTER XII

ON TO GOMEZ

When Mason and Washington awoke and discovered that their companionswere missing, the negro became greatly excited. 

"You stay here, Misser Midget, " he said. "I go see if I can find 'em. They get lost in these woods, or catched by Spaniards. Don't you move'til George Wash Jenks come back or you get lost too. "

Washington took his rifle and disappeared among the trees, while Masonanxiously paced the small glade. The time passed slowly and the boy'snerves were strung to their highest tension. He started at the smallestrustle of the leaves in the trees around him, and began to imagine allsorts of disagreeable possibilities. What if Washington should be unableto find his way back or should fall into the hands of the Spaniards? Andwhat if the Spaniards should discover him before Washington returned. His excited mind began to reflect pictures of a lone boy starving todeath in the woods. And then the picture would change and he would bestruggling against an overwhelming number of Spaniards, who would seizeand bind him and rush him off to suffer the horrors of the inquisition. 

Suddenly in the distance he heard the boys' shout. It sent the bloodtingling through his veins. At least he was not quite alone in the woodswhile his companions were within hailing distance. He sent up a glad cryin response. Again came the shout and again he replied, and then withhis heart more at ease, he sat down on a rock and waited for them toappear. 

There was a slight crackling in the bushes behind him. He turnedquickly. Washington burst into the clearing, his eyes bulging withexcitement. 

"Quick, Misser Midget, " he said, seizing the boy's arm and dragging himoff into the thicket. 

"Spaniards got Misser Harry and Misser Bert and comin' this way. "

Crouching low in the bushes, they saw the prisoners marched by and werehelpless to aid them. Once Washington gripped his gun and made amovement to dash out of cover, but his better sense prevailed. 

"No use, " he whispered. "Spaniards too many and must be more close by. "

When the party was well down the mountain, Washington pushed aside thebushes and straightened up. Turning to Mason, who was pale fromexcitement, he said: "Now we make tracks for Massa Cap'n Dynamite. Theytake Missers where they take Missee Juanita. Massa cap'n he come backwith one--two--three hundred men and he and Cap'n Morgan they make 'emsorry. "

As there seemed to be nothing else to do but to seek reinforcements, Mason, with a heavy heart picked up his bundle and his rifle, andfollowed Washington through the woods. Their progress was slow, as thenegro proceeded now with more caution. Darkness soon came upon them andmade their advance still more difficult. The route that Washington wasfollowing often necessitated a climb up the almost perpendicular face ofa rock as the mountain became more precipitous. Mason's hands bled fromcontact with the rough rocks, and he panted for breath. Still Washingtonpushed on, and when morning broke they found themselves at the top ofthe mountain. 

"Take short rest, " said Washington, unslinging his pack and sitting downwith his back to a boulder. "Eat a bite and Wash make some coffee. Heapeasier goin' down mountain. "

"But you said there was still another mountain to climb, Washington, "said Mason, wearily. 

"Yas, sah, but Cubitas and Massa Cap'n Dynamite on top that one. Maymeet 'em comin' down with one--two--three hundred men. "

"I hope we meet them at the foot, Washington. I do not long for anotherclimb like this one. "

"Pretty tough one, suah 'nough, sah. "

The descent was of course much easier than the climb, but neverthelessthey found many obstacles in their way, and as caution dictated thatthey should keep well aside from any open trail, their progress down themountain was scarcely more rapid than their climb had been. But they hadthe advantage of daylight and passed over the rough places with fewerbruises and cuts. They made one more short stop at about noon, and thenpushed on again although the sun was now excessively hot, even as itfiltered through the thick foliage. It was late afternoon when theyreached the bottom of the mountain and entered the valley between thetwo ranges of hills. This valley was about a mile wide and through itflowed a narrow stream. The shores were wooded, but the rest of thecountry was an open plain. They waded the little river, and as they wereabout to clamber out on the other side, the familiar challenge rang out:

"Alto!"

"That General Gomez man. Say password, " said Washington. 

"Independencia, " said Mason, with a slight quaver in his voice. 

These unexpected challenges from invisible sentinels were somewhatwearing on the nerves. They passed on without interference. 

"Where was that man stationed, Washington?" asked Mason. 

"Up top of head in big tree, " chuckled the negro. "Good place to popover Spaniard if he comes along. Not get by the next one so easy. "

Washington was right. When they reached the foot of the mountain theywere again challenged, and although Mason promptly gave the countersign, they were at once surrounded by a dozen armed men, who talked rapidly inSpanish. Washington, who spoke the language imperfectly, explained thatthey were the bearers of an important message for Captain Dynamite, andafter many conferences aside and further questioning, two men were toldoff to accompany them, and they were allowed to proceed practically asprisoners. 

"All right now, " said Washington, with a broad grin. "Got a suah 'noughbody guard. "

A wide, well-used trail made the ascent of this mountain comparativelyeasy. When they reached the top, Mason was surprised to find a smallsettlement in the middle of which was a large, low, wooden building, all four sides of which were patroled by sentinels. Toward this buildingtheir guard headed. They entered through a wide doorway and foundthemselves in a large, square room, with three other occupants. It wasnow quite dark, so that for a moment Mason did not recognize CaptainDynamite as one of the men. The three were in earnest converse at a longtable, and for some time did not notice the new comers, who paused onthe threshold. 

"That Massa Cap'n Dynamite, General Gomez, and President Betancourt, "said Washington, pointing to the notable group. 

Mason looked with interest at the old general who stood at the head ofthe table. He was easily distinguished because of his military bearingand accoutrements, for the grizzled warrior had one little weakness--alove of display. He was a much smaller man than Mason expected to see, but there was that in his rugged, tanned face and firm chin that at oncecommanded respect and attention. He bore his seventy odd years lightlyand his slight form was as straight as a ramrod. His uniform, unlikethose of his faithful followers, was immaculately spotless. His carbine, on which he rested, was gold mounted; the sabre at his side waselegantly chased and decorated, and the silver on his pistol handlesglittered in the waning light. As he turned his eyes on the group inthe doorway, his heavy iron-grey eyebrows contracted into a scowl and hespoke quickly to O'Connor. The latter turned and started from his chairangrily. 

"What are you doing here?" he demanded. 

"If you please, Massa Cap'n, ah----"

"Let me explain, Wash, " said Mason, advancing a step when he felt thehand of one of the guards fall heavily on his shoulder. "I think, captain, " he continued, pointing to the man, "that we can get along nowwithout the protection of these gentlemen. "

O'Connor waved his hand and the two men saluted and filed out. 

Mason advanced boldly to the table and facing O'Connor, said:

"Captain Dynamite, you should not blame Washington. It is his love foryou and Miss Juanita that brings him here. "

"I suppose you are right, boy, " said the captain, still scowling, "but Iam in great trouble and I do not like to have my plans interfered with. But what brings you here?"

"Well, we heard that you were in trouble, and as Washington was going tojoin you, we thought we would come along, too, and be of what assistancewe could. "

The scowl faded from the man's face. He turned to General Gomez andspoke to him in Spanish. When he had finished, the old warrior lookedthe Midget over from head to foot and the stern lines of his face brokeinto a genial smile, gentle and reassuring. O'Connor stepped forward, and taking Mason's hand, shook it warmly. 

"I thank you, my boy, for your good intentions. You must have madeexcellent time over a rough and dangerous road, for you are here closeat my heels. And your journey has left its marks, I see, " he said, as henoticed Mason's cut and bruised face and hands, and his torn clothing. "But where are your friends?"

"The Spaniards have got 'em, " said Mason, laconically. 

O'Connor looked first at the boy as if he thought it a joke, and then atWashington, in whose troubled face he read confirmation. 

"Yas, Massa Cap'n; Spaniards got 'em, suah 'nough, " said Washington, nodding his head vigorously in the affirmative. 

"When, where, how did it happen?" asked O'Connor, rapidly. 

"It was on the far side of the fust mountain, after we pass the fustclearing. Boys left the camp and before George Wash Jenks could find 'em'long came Spaniards and snapped 'em up. "

"Why did you let them leave the camp, you rascal? You know this countrytoo well for that. "

"Went while George Wash Jenks was asleep, " answered the negrosheepishly. 

"Well, where did they take them?"

"Leettle town 'bout mile down clearing, ah 'spect. ". 

"Humph! You don't know, then?"

"George Wash Jenks think it best to come to Massa Cap'n and not gosnoopin' after Spaniard in the open. Got cotched too. "

"Yes, I guess you are right. Now, what is to be done? I wonder if theboys will know enough to keep their tongues still about the _Mariella_?"The captain looked questioningly at Mason as he spoke. 

"You needn't fear, sir, that they will say or do anything likely to getyou into trouble, " said the boy, promptly. 

O'Connor smiled at the boy's defence of his comrades. 

"I was not thinking of myself, my boy; but if it were known that theywere in any way connected with the expedition of the _Mariella_ it mightgo hard with them. "

"I think they will understand that, sir. "

"Now, the next question is how to aid them. I think my own mission liesin their direction. But you need freshening up a bit, and I'll wageryou are hungry. I will send a man with you to my quarters. You will findsoap and water there and a tin basin. The accommodations are a littleprimitive and not quite up to the _Mariella's_, but you can get some ofthe dirt out of those cuts. We will sup here when you are ready. Washington, you know the way to the mess-room. Go and fill up that emptystomach of yours and then return to me. You go back to Captain Morgan inan hour. "

"O, Massa Cap'n, not goin' to send George Wash Jenks back?"

"You will be best serving me, Washington. You will bear a dispatch ofthe utmost importance. It must be in Captain Morgan's hands withinthirty-six hours in order that he may co-operate with us. I know of noother man who knows the road well enough to cover it in that time. Youwill also act as an escort to Miss Juanita's mother and her attendants. "

Proud of the distinction and eager to serve his master, as he insistedupon calling O'Connor, the negro straightened up. 

"Message shall be there, sah. Missee Juanita's mother shall have escort, too. "

O'Connor called an orderly and sent him with Mason to his quarters. After washing and tidying up his tattered clothing as well as he could, the boy returned to the military headquarters, where the three men wereagain in earnest conference. O'Connor motioned to a big wooden settee atone end of the room. Mason stretched out on this and, utterly worn out, his eyes closed and in five minutes he had dropped off into a heavyslumber. 

For half an hour longer the men continued their conference, and then, having come to some unanimous conclusion, they rose from the table. O'Connor, seeing the sleeping boy, stepped over to the settee andremoving his coat, rolled it up and placed it gently under his head. Then, with a military salute to President Betancourt, he and GeneralGomez passed out of the building. 

Mason was suddenly awakened by the shouts of men and the jangling ofguns and sabres. He sat up quickly and rubbed his eyes, looking aroundthe room in a bewildered manner. At first the train of recent eventswould not form themselves properly in his mind. He could not for amoment recall the room in which he found himself, or how he got there. The moonlight was streaming in at the low open windows and fell upon thelong table at which again sat the three men, while an orderly stoodsilently behind the chair of the general. They were apparently eating, and hunger gnawing at the boy's stomach dulled any sense of delicacy andhe rose and walked directly to the table. 

"I think you said we would sup here, Captain, " he said. 

O'Connor turned and motioned to the orderly to bring a chair. 

"I certainly did, my boy, but seeing you asleep I thought I would notdisturb you at present. Sit down, and while you eat tell me all you knowof the capture of the boys and the movements of their captors. "

Mason told the details of the boys' capture and O'Connor repeated it inSpanish to Gomez and Betancourt. In the meantime outside of the buildingall was confusion, and through the open door and windows the boy couldsee that armed men were rapidly gathering in response to the loudcommands of leaders. As fast as one squad or company formed, it movedoff and down the mountain trail by which Mason and Washington hadapproached the plateau. Another squad began forming at once. Thereseemed to be a constant stream of men pouring down the mountain side. 

CHAPTER XIII

HARRY REFUSES TO BETRAY CAPTAIN DYNAMITE

Harry and Bert had hardly time to inspect the bare room in which theywere imprisoned, when the door opened again and two men entered. Theyremoved the straps from the boys' wrists and retired without a word. Akey grated in the lock after the door had closed. Harry walked overquickly and tried to open it. There was no handle or lock on the insideand it would not yield to pressure. 

"Well, " said Harry, after a short silence, dropping onto one of thebeds. 

"Well, " repeated Bert in the same half-questioning tone. 

"We are prisoners hard and fast. What do you think they mean to do withus?"

"Send us on to Havana, maybe, for the inspection of Weyler. But in themeantime what are we going to do? I don't believe in letting them haveit all their own way, do you?"

"No, not when I can get my breath, but their methods are so rapid andone-sided that they make me dizzy. "

"The first thing to consider is some plan of escape. "

"And if we escaped we wouldn't be any better off than we were in thewoods. We wouldn't know where to go. However, it would be wise to make amore careful inspection of our prison house for possible future use. "

Acting on this suggestion the boys made a survey of the room. It was asquare apartment, with walls of grey stone. The floor was composed ofsmooth stone slabs. The ceiling was heavily timbered. There were twobarred openings in one of the walls just above their heads. They pushedover the table, and climbing up on it, looked out. In the moonlight, they could see that the outlook was on what was apparently the jailyard, a large space enclosed by a high wall. Nothing interposed betweenthem and the free air outside but two iron bars. They shook these withall their strength, but they were sunk firmly in the stone frame andwould not budge. 

"I don't think they need feel uneasy, for fear we will escape, " saidHarry, after they had finished their inspection. 

"Nothing left but to knock down the turnkey. Must always call 'emturnkeys in a stone jail like this. "

There was a sound of a key in the lock and the door swung open again. The man with the clanking keys entered, followed by two others, whopromptly slipped a pair of handcuffs on the wrists of the boys, andtaking each boy by the arm they led them out of the jail and back to thebuilding into which they had first been ushered at the muzzles of theguns. 

The same dignitary who had ordered their incarceration still sat at hisdesk, although in a more dignified attitude. At his right, sat a man whoseemed to be a clerk. On the left, stood the fat officer and the foursoldiers. An elderly man with grey side-whiskers stood near the desktalking with the presiding personage. When the boys entered heapproached them and held out his hand. 

"I am Consul Wyman. I understand you are Americans and in some sort oftrouble. "

Both boys grasped his hand warmly. It was a great relief to find one whospoke their tongue and who could make their situation clear to theircaptors. And the thought that he represented officially the Governmentof the United States, restored much of their waning confidence inthemselves. 

"Mr. Wyman, " said Harry, "we certainly are glad to meet you. We areAmericans and we are in trouble with these Spanish gentlemen. We do notknow why yet. We did not know it was a crime, or against the laws totravel in Cuba or we should have selected some other country for ourexplorations. "

"The trouble is that your presence in this part of the island strikesthe authorities as suspicious. You have apparently passed through noneof the regular ports of entry, for a careful watch is kept on allstrangers here now, and travelling through a country so infested as thisis with Cuban bandits----"

"Bandits?" interrupted Harry, looking Mr. Wyman straight in the eye. Captain Dynamite's teachings had taken very deep root in the heart ofthe American boys. 

"Well, " said Mr. Wyman, "they call themselves insurgents, but they arenot recognized belligerents you know. " Here Mr. Wyman lowered his voicealmost to a whisper: "And you know we have to be very diplomatic indealing with these Spanish gentlemen, they are so sensitive. "

"Mr. Wyman, " asked Harry, "are you an American or a Spaniard?"

"Oh, an American--an American always, " replied the consul, proudly. 

"Then it seems to me, sir, that you should not let the Spaniards selectyour words for you, " said Harry, with some indignation. 

"Ah, diplomacy, my son, diplomacy, " said the consul, drawing himself upwith comical dignity. "You do not understand the need for diplomacy. Why, I was selected by our President for this delicate mission, becauseof my large experience in matters diplomatic. But let us return to yourown affairs. I see the general is getting nervous. This is the Bureau ofJustice and I shall see that you have an impartial hearing. "

"Bureau of Justice, " sniffed Bert. "Humph, a pretty one-sided oldbureau. I should say it had lost a castor or two. "

"Ah, you misjudge General Serano, " said Mr. Wyman. "He is an exceedinglyfair-minded gentleman. "

The consul stepped before the desk of the general and beckoned to theboys to follow him. He spoke in Spanish for a few minutes, and thenturned to the boys again. 

"The general will examine only one. He thinks that will be sufficient. "

"Very well, " said Harry, stepping up to the desk. "I will go the generalone round. "

"My young sir, " said Mr. Wyman, with some concern, "let me advise you totreat the court with due deference. This gentleman will act asinterpreter, as I understand you do not speak or understand thelanguage. "

A man with a heavy black mustache waxed to needle points, and who seemedto wear a perpetual smile, took a position beside Harry, and theexamination began. 

"What is your name?"

"Harry Hamilton. "

"Your age?"

"Fifteen. "

"Your nationality?"

"American, " answered Harry, "but look here, Mr. Interpreter, I wish youwould ask the general what right he has to ask me these questions; why Iwas interfered with by his soldiers; why I was prodded in the back bytheir guns; why I was thrust into your old prison; why I am handcuffed, and why I am here; and just tell him firmly, Mr. Interpreter, that I donot propose to answer any more of his questions until he answers a fewof mine. "

The clerk, who was transcribing the testimony looked up in amazement asthe interpreter began to literally and faithfully translate Harry'swords. Mr. Wyman looked worried and leaned forward, and said:

"Treat the court with due deference, my young sir, or even my diplomacymay not be powerful enough to save you from the wrath of the general. "

"I think I must have a few rights here, Mr. Wyman. I certainly have aright to know with what crime I am charged before I am examined. "

"Yes, yes, that is quite true, quite true, " replied the consul, advancing to the desk and speaking to the general. 

"You are charged with being suspicious characters, " said theinterpreter, repeating the words of the presiding officer. 

"Oh, thank you, " said Harry, politely. "You can now tell the judge hemay proceed. "

The interpreter wisely refrained from repeating Harry's words. 

"What are you doing in Cuba?"

"Travelling. "

"How many were there in your party?"

"Now, that's such a foolish question, general; that little fat officerthere knows there were only two of us. In fact, here we are; you can seefor yourself. "

"How did you reach Cuba?"

"By steamer. "

"Where did you land?"

"On the coast. "

"General Serano says your answers are not satisfactory, " said theinterpreter. 

"Surely he wants me to tell him the truth, " said Harry, affectingsurprise. 

"Yes, but he wants all the truth. "

"I have answered his questions truthfully and directly. If he wantsfurther information and doesn't know how to ask for it, he cannot expectthe prisoner to supply the questions. "

"At what point or place on the coast of Cuba did you land?"

"I do not know. "

"Does your companion know?"

"He is as densely ignorant on that point as I am. "

"What was the name of the steamer?"

"I refuse to answer. "

The little fat officer poked one of his soldiers in the ribs in a veryunmilitary fashion, and the general looked at the consul with anexpression that said, "I told you so. " The consul himself looked atHarry in honest amazement. 

"Do you refuse to answer on the ground that you might incriminateyourself?"

"No, on the ground that I might incriminate someone else, " answeredHarry, promptly. 

"Who is that someone else?"

"Now, general, that is another one of those foolish questions. If Icould answer one I could answer the other. "

"Then you refuse again?"

"I do. "

"Will you tell the court why you came to Cuba?"

"Because I had to. I assure you we are not travelling for our health, and would have been very glad to have been back in the United Stateslong before we met your little fat officer on the mountain. "

"Then why did you come?"

"To be perfectly frank, general, we were out yachting off Martha'sVineyard--I don't suppose you know where that is--when a steamer ran usdown during a storm, picked us up, and brought us along to Cuba--that'sall. "

"And you still persist in refusing to give the name of the steamer?"

"Yes, sir, but with due respect to the court, " Harry smiled pleasantlyat the consul. He looked upon the examination as a mere farce, and didnot now regard their position as at all serious. Although he did notconsider the consul a particularly forceful representative of the UnitedStates, he felt confident that the Spanish general would not dare toignore his demands. Could he have forseen the occurrences of the nextfew days he would not have felt so easy in his mind. The general turnedagain and addressed the boy. 

"According to your testimony, " repeated the interpreter, "your presencehere on the island is entirely accidental, therefor it is difficult toreconcile this testimony with your refusal to answer the simplequestions of the court. In this I wish to say that your consul andrepresentative here concurs with me. I now warn you that you mustanswer the questions that I am about to ask you or take the consequencesthat your refusal will entail. Personally, I believe that you could, ifyou would, clear yourself and your companion of all suspicion, and ifyour explanation of your presence on board this mysterious steamer istrue, and I believe it is, your refusal to answer the questions willonly further complicate the case against you. "

"The general is quite right, my boy, " said the consul earnestly. "Youcan see that he means to give you every opportunity to clear yourself. "

"Very well, sir. Suppose you have another try, " said Harry, turning toGeneral Serano. "I assure you that I will answer any question that Ihonorably can. "

"Very well: I repeat, what is the name of the steamer that brought youto Cuba?"

"I cannot answer, " replied Harry, promptly. 

"Remember, I have warned you. At what place on the coast did you land?"

"I have told you, general, that I do not know. "

"How far from here in miles?"

"I couldn't even guess that, general. "

"How long had you been away from the steamer when my men found you?"

"I cannot answer. "

"Do you mean that you are unable to answer, or that you refuse?"

"I refuse. "

"Where were you going?"

"To tell the plain truth we were very well lost when your friend thereovertook us. "

"But you had an objective point that you were trying to reach. What wasthat?"

"I cannot answer. "

"Very well; you may step aside. "

After a few words from General Serano, the interpreter turned to Bert, and said:

"Step forward, please. The general wishes to ask you a few questionsalso. "

"All right, " answered Bert, stepping promptly to the front. 

"You have heard the questions that have been asked your companion?"

"Yes, sir. "

"And you have heard those that he refused to answer?"

"Yes, sir. "

"Will you answer them?"

"No, sir. "

The answer was apparently not unexpected. The general and the consulbegan an earnest conversation in Spanish. The latter seemed to protestagainst the decision of General Serano who, however, was set anddetermined. Finally, Mr. Wyman turned to the boys. 

"I am very sorry, " he said, "that for some reason which I cannotconceive you will not satisfactorily answer the questions of the court. I have endeavored to have you paroled in my custody, but the generalwill not permit it. "

"Do you mean that we are to be sent back to jail?" asked Harry, insurprise. 

"That is the general's intention. It is not too late for you to answerhis questions, though, and I am sure that if you do, you will bepromptly released. "

"And has the United States Consul no power or authority?"

"He has the power to see that you have a fair and impartial hearing. Youhave had that, and must blame only yourselves for the position in whichyou now find yourselves. I shall not desert you, and if you care to makea confidant of me, perhaps I can suggest some way to extricate you fromthis tangle. "

"We will take a little time to think the matter over, Mr. Wyman, thankyou. It is not alone ourselves who are involved, or would be involved, if we attempted now to clear ourselves. "

General Serano now indicated that he wished to speak to the prisoners, and the consul fell back. 

"Young men, " repeated the interpreter, "the conditions in Cuba are such, and particularly in this province, that the utmost vigilance isnecessary on the part of the authorities. Your explanation of thesuspicious circumstances under which you are detained is entirelyunsatisfactory to me. You are found alone in a country infested by menwho are in revolt against the Government, travelling with seemingsecurity; you admit having landed on the coast from a steamer whose nameyou refuse to tell; you are apparently headed for the center of theinsurgent uprising. You will not tell where you are going or from whenceyou come. It is my duty to hold you, and you are therefore remanded tojail pending a further investigation. Perhaps in a few hours, or sayto-morrow, you may be willing to answer my questions, in which case youmay so inform your consul, and he will take such steps as are necessaryto reopen the hearing. I am sorry that you will not be guided by themore mature mind of Mr. Wyman in a matter that may be more serious inits consequences than you imagine. "

The general waved his hand, and the fat officer, with a malignant smileof triumph marshalled his men and approached Harry and Bert with themuzzles of their guns once more extended toward them. A sharp word fromGeneral Serano caused them to lower their guns and assume a lessdictatorial manner toward the prisoners. 

Once more the boys were conducted to the gloomy white jail and the doorsof their prison room closed upon them. 

CHAPTER XIV

THE SECRET PASSAGE

Two men entered the room shortly after the door had closed on the boys, and removed the handcuffs. They passed out in the same silent manner, and the prisoners were left alone again. There was no light in the room, but the moonbeams entered through the barred windows, and cast twostreaks of light across the floor that was sufficient to enable the boysto see almost as well as by daylight. They each sat down dejectedly upona bed and for a long time neither uttered a word. Harry was trying tothink out the true meaning of their position, which began to assume amore serious phase to him. There was no element of play in it, now. 

He reviewed his recent examination by General Serano, and wished he hadnot assumed quite so nonchalant an air, although he felt that he couldnot have answered the questions which would perhaps involve the safetyof Captain Dynamite. They were unquestionably in a disagreeablesituation. He realized that if he were to tell the entire truth theywould be immediately released, but the truth would at once set theSpaniards on the heels of O'Connor, and Harry could not forget thepersonal risk the man had taken to save their lives after he had runthem down, nor the kindness with which they, as unbidden guests on hisship, had been treated. To betray his confidence would be a dastardlyact, for, even if he could have doubted the words of O'Connor, theactions of the commander of the gunboat were sufficient to indicate thatit would go hard with the intrepid skipper of the _Mariella_ if heshould fall into the hands of the Spaniards. 

Mason and Washington were still to be counted on. He felt sure that theywould continue on their way to O'Connor and that he would make some moveto effect their rescue. There was one strong objection to waiting forO'Connor. Whatever plan he might adopt for their relief must necessarilybe attended by violence, for in no other way could he approach theircaptors, except it be by strategy, and there seemed to be no chance ofescape in that way. 

He feared for O'Connor's sake to take the consul into their confidence, except as a last resort. While he had the utmost respect for the man'sintegrity he feared the influence of General Serano. At all events therewas nothing that could be done to-night. He turned to Bert who wassitting in an equally dejected frame of mind on the edge of his bed withhis head in his hands. 

"Let's turn in, Bert, old man. Things may be brighter in the morning. "

"I don't see much hope. Do you think Captain Dynamite would care if wetold that Spanish gentleman the whole truth as to how we came here?"

"No, I don't, " replied Harry, indignantly. "If O'Connor could advise usI know the man well enough to believe that the first thing he would tellus to do would be to make a clean breast of everything. But I would hateto say what I should think of myself, or of you, if either of us didsuch a thing. Why man, you know as well as I do that it would set theSpaniards after him like a pack of hounds on the trail. And you knowthere is a price on his head and a big one, too. Don't let any more suchbubbles get into your think tank or you and I will have to partcompany. "

"You are right, Hal, " said Bert, sheepishly. "I didn't think of thedanger to him. "

"Well, then, let's go to bed. "

The boys threw off only their outer clothing and lay down on the hardhusk mattresses and were soon fast asleep notwithstanding theuncertainty and danger of their predicament. 

The place was in almost total darkness when Harry awakened suddenly andsat bolt upright in bed. He listened for a moment intently, as if forthe repetition of the sound that had awakened him. 

"What was it, I wonder. Something must have wakened me. "

He sat motionless for a long time, but not a sound broke the stillnessof the night. 

"I know I heard something, " he said to himself as he dropped back on thebed again. He could not sleep, however, for the sense that he had beenawakened by a strange sound, and the mental effort that he had made tocatch a repetition of it, had completely aroused him. He lay on his backlooking up into the darkness when he heard a sound like a smotheredsigh. 

"Bert, " he whispered, as he sprang up and sat on the edge of his bed, "was that you?"

"What's that? What's the matter, old man?" asked Bert, aroused from hissleep. 

"Was that you?"

"Was what me--what's the matter with you, Hal?"

"Have you been awake?"

"No, not until you called me. "

"Then you didn't sigh?"

"Not unless it was in my sleep. "

"This wasn't a sleepy sigh. "

"Say, Hal, what is the matter with you? You make me feel creepy. "

"I heard a sigh. "

Bert groped his way over to Harry's bed and sat down beside him. 

"Say, old man, you're not asleep, are you?"

"No; Listen! There it is again. "

The boys drew closer together and put out their hands until they touchedone another. The sound they heard seemed to come from nowhere inparticular. 

"What do you think it is, Hal?"

"I don't know. Wait until we hear it again. "

By this time their eyes had become accustomed to the darkness of theroom, and aided by the star-lighted sky, they could see into everycorner. There was no one in the room. Somewhat reassured they waited. The next time the sound was an unmistakable sob, and it seemed to bewafted through the barred windows on the still night air. 

"I know what it is, " said Harry, eagerly jumping from the bed andpulling the table under the window. "It's some one in the cell next toours. Let's try to talk to him. "

"He's probably a Spaniard or a Cuban, and will not be able to understandyou. "

"I'm going to try, anyway. Misery loves company, you know. "

Harry mounted the table and put his face between the bars. 

"Hist, " he said. 

A low moaning cry answered him. 

"Bert, it's a woman, " said Harry, turning in amazement to his companion, who now mounted the table beside him. 

"How do you know?"

"Couldn't you hear? It was a woman's voice. "

"Hist, " said Harry, again, as loudly as he dared. "Who are you? Can wehelp you in any way?"

He hardly expected a reply for he felt, as did Bert, that they would notfind any other English-speaking prisoners confined there. His surprisewas great therefore, when a low voice, with just a suspicion of softSpanish accent, asked:

"Who are you?"

"We are two American boys who would like to assist you if we can. "

"Are you prisoners also?"

"We are. "

"Then I fear you can be of little assistance to me, but I thank you verymuch for your interest. What have they shut you up for; are you friendsof the insurgents?"

"We have one very good friend among them, but until we met him we didnot know an insurgent from a Spanish regular. May I ask what offense youhave committed against the laws of this fussy country?"

"I am a Cuban, " said the soft voice, with a little gasping sob. 

"Is that a crime?"

"Yes; to be a true Cuban. "

"O, I see. You are what they call a sympathizer. "

"Yes. "

"How long have you been here?"

"I have lost count of the days and nights. I think a week. "

"Have they ill-treated you?"

"Not yet, but they threaten to if I do not give them the informationthey seek, to-morrow. "

"What do they want to know that you can tell them?"

"Much, very much, about the insurgent arms. "

"And you will tell them to-morrow?"

"Not to-morrow--not ever. "

The voice was low and full of tears, but there was a ring ofdetermination that told of a strong heart despite her woman's weakness. 

"Hooray, " whispered Bert. "Good for you. "

"And have you no friends who can aid you?"

"Yes, one, but he may even now be dead or dying in a Spanish dungeon. Itis for him I weep, not for myself. There is a price upon his head. "

"What, " said the boys in a breath. 

"Is he Captain Dynamite of the _Mariella_?" asked Harry, excitedly. 

"He is sometimes called so. His name is Michael O'Connor. What do youknow of him?"

The woman's voice trembled with excitement. 

"Hoop la, " whispered Harry, hardly able to refrain from shouting. "Captain Dynamite is not in any dungeon cell, Miss Juanita, and if I amnot mistaken he is already devising some plan with Gomez to effect yourrescue. "

"Who are you, " whispered the girl in amazement, "who know O'Connor andmy name so well?"

"I told you, Miss Juanita, that we had one friend among the Cubans; thatis Captain Dynamite. We made the last trip with him on the _Mariella_, though not willingly. We'll tell you that story some other time when youare well out of this. "

"He was well?" nervously whispered the girl. 

"Yes, until he got the dispatch from Gomez telling him that you had beencaptured. Then he was off to Cubitas like a shot in the middle of thenight. We were trying to join him when they nabbed us. "

"But they have not learned from you where he is?"

"Miss Juanita, you wrong us. We do not betray our friends. "

"Oh, and it is because you will not betray him that you are here. I kissyour hands. "

"Permit us to kiss yours--figuratively--Miss Juanita, " said Harry, gallantly, while Bert gulped down a lump in his throat when he thoughtof his suggestion to tell the Spanish general the truth. 

"But I wouldn't have done it, Hal, old man, " he said, involuntarily. 

"Wouldn't have done what?"

"Not when it came right down to bed rock. "

"What are you talking about, Bert?"

"Oh, nothing. I was just thinking. "

"Well, don't think so loud unless you are going to take me into yourconfidence. Any chance of getting out of that dungeon cell of yours, Miss Juanita?"

"None. "

At this moment they heard the sound of regular footsteps outside. 

"'Sh, " whispered the voice. "It is the guard. Go away from the window. "

The boys jumped down from the table, and as they did so, Bert stumbledand fell heavily against the wall. When he recovered his balance theyheard a strange grinding sound like a heavy door creaking on rustyhinges. The boys listened in wonder. 

"Gee, but this is a creepy old place, " said Bert, as the noisecontinued. "Now, what do you suppose that is?"

"It sounds as if it came from the wall there. Let's investigate. "

They moved nervously over to the stone wall that separated their prisonroom from that of Miss Juanita. The noise seemed nearer and moredistinct, but they could see nothing that might cause it. Still thestrange sound continued. In the semi-darkness they watched in wondermentthe blank face of the wall from which the sound seemed to proceed. Suddenly Harry seized Bert by the arm. 

"Look!" he whispered in a tense voice. He pointed to a large stone inabout the centre of the wall. "Doesn't it move?"

The stone to which Harry referred was larger than any other, being threefeet square, and placed about waist-high from the floor. Bert watchedintently. It seemed to him that he could see a slight trembling movementand then an almost imperceptible jump as the hand of an electric clockadvances with a jerk. The face of the stone, too, seemed to be out ofline with the others. 

They advanced closer, and Harry passed his hand cautiously under thestone. Unquestionably it had moved, either by accident or design. Theupper edge projected into the room beyond the line of the wall at leastan inch and the lower edge receded in the same way. As Harry's handrested on the stone he felt it tremble and jump and the upper edgeadvanced another quarter of an inch into the room. 

"That stone is revolving on a horizontal axis, " said Harry, confidently, after his inspection. "Now the question is: How and why?"

"It seems uncomfortably like the times of the inquisition, " said Bert, shuddering. 

"Oh, pshaw, don't you see that wall separates us from the cell of MissJuanita, and the Spaniards would have nothing to do with opening thispassage?"

"Do you think she is doing it, then?"

"No, for had she known of the stone she would have mentioned it when Iasked her if there was any chance of escape from her prison. It has comeabout through an accident, I feel sure, but how? Of course there must besome secret spring that works it, but where is it and how and by whomhas it been operated?"

"Hal, I believe I did it, " whispered Bert, excitedly. 

"What on earth do you mean?"

"You know when I jumped down from the table I fell against the wall. Itwas immediately after that we heard the creaking. "

"Thunder, you are right. You must have touched the spring. "

"I think so. Let's look for it. "

The boys carefully examined the wall near the place where Bert hadstumbled, and to the left of the revolving stone they found a small, diamond-shaped stone that to the casual observer would appear to havebeen set in the wall to fill in the broken corner of one of the largerstones. Upon close inspection they found that it was set loosely in thewall without mortar. They dared not touch it for fear it might stop theinvisible machinery that it had evidently set in motion. 

Slowly the stone continued its unsteady revolution, until at the end ofabout five minutes the creaking stopped, there was a clicking sound asif a cog had settled into place, and all movement ceased. The big slab, which was six inches thick, had now obtained a horizontal position, leaving an opening above and below into the next room, or cell. The axisupon which the stone revolved was a little above the centre, so that thelower opening was nearly eighteen inches high. 

The boys peered through into the darkness of the next cell. 

"Miss Juanita, " called Harry, softly. "May we come in? Perhaps thisscheme of opening walls may continue through to the outside world. "

CHAPTER XV

THE EXECUTION AT DAWN

"Who is there?" came a frightened voice from the farthest corner of theroom. 

"It's the American boys who were talking with you at the window, "answered Harry, reassuringly. "We are friends. Do not fear. "

"Oh, " came in a gasp of relief. "I thought they were about to inflictsome new horror upon me. What have you done?"

"We do not quite know ourselves. In some way we touched a secret springthat rolled over this stone and formed a passage between these twocells. It is just possible that there may be another one. May we come inand look?"

"Yes, yes, come in. Oh, perhaps it is true--perhaps we shall be able toescape from this horrible place. "

"Do not hope for too much. It was only a chance thought of mine. However, we better see. "

The boys climbed through the opening without difficulty and foundthemselves in a room exactly similar to the one they had left, exceptthat it was furnished a little more comfortably for a woman. 

The moon had set, but they were now so used to the darkness that withthe little starlight that penetrated through the barred windows theywere able to see quite well. They went at once to the wall directlyopposite and began an eager search for a diamond-shaped stone. There wasnone, nor was there any big slab-like stone resembling the revolving onein the wall through which they had just passed. They tried the other twowalls, but also without avail. It was evident that only these two cellswere connected. 

"Well, Miss Juanita, " said Harry, when they had assured themselves thatthere was no other opening, "we have only succeeded in widening ourprisons. There is no other means of exit but the doors. I am very sorryto have raised your expectations. "

The girl, who had followed them eagerly from place to place as theyexamined the walls, held out her hands in protest at Harry's words. 

"Oh, let me thank you for the ray of happiness you have brought me, " shesaid, quickly. 

"I can't think that we have in any way lightened your burden, exceptthat you may count on us to do anything in our power to help you, but Ifear that is very little. "

"Ah, but you brought me news of him and--and the knowledge of the nearpresence of friends is cheering. "

"Yes, Miss Juanita, and I think you can bank on hearing more news fromhim in the very near future. "

"I hope so for--for all our sakes. "

"Now that we are literally up against a stone wall, I think we betterclimb back into our own cell before the guard takes it into his head tolook around. Cheer up, Miss Juanita, Captain Dynamite will be on themarch before long, I'll warrant you. Good night. "

"Good-night, my friends. "

"Now I wonder how the old stone works backwards?" said Harry, when theyhad returned to their own room. 

"Press the button and the stone will do the rest, " said Bert, with agrim attempt at humor. He pressed the diamond-shaped stone as he spoke, but there was no answering creak, nor did the slab move. 

"It is not likely that the same spring does double duty. We will have tohunt up the other, " said Harry. "Now, by all the laws of symmetry thereshould be another similar stone on the other side of the slab--and hereit is. "

He pushed on this as he spoke, and at once the grinding sound beganagain and the stone slowly settled back into place. 

"Well, our discovery of the Don's secret inquisitorial passage does notappear to have done us much good, " said Bert, as they stretchedthemselves out on their beds again. 

"I'm not so sure of that, " replied Harry, thoughtfully. "I think I see away by which at least one of us three can benefit by it. "

"How?"

"Wait until I get it all thought out. In the meantime I am going to geta little more sleep. "

They did not return to their own cell any too soon, for they had no morethan turned over for their second nap when a light flashed in their eyesand they sat up to find their silent jailor had opened the doornoiselessly and was inspecting the room with the aid of a large lantern. He nodded his head in a satisfied way and passed out again. 

"Say, Hal, old man, this sort of thing is getting on my nerves, " saidBert, when the man had gone. 

"I wouldn't mind a few streaks of daylight myself, Bert. "

Tired as they were, the boys' nerves were so worked upon that they wereunable to go to sleep again and tossed on their cots until the gray dawnbegan to show through the windows. They lay in a sort of lethargywatching the sky grow brighter and brighter until they were aroused toaction by the loud voices of men and the clanking of guns in the jailyard below. 

"Holloa, I wonder what's up now, " said Harry, jumping up and climbing onthe table to peer out. 

The yard was still full of dark shadows and the forms of men were notfully distinguishable, but Harry could make out a group of armedsoldiers standing at ease, chatting and smoking cigarettes near one ofthe gray walls. An officer, apart from his men, strutted pompously upand down the yard. 

"I guess they must be going to drill, " said Bert, who had climbed upbeside Harry. 

"Pretty early for drill. "

"Time doesn't seem to cut any figure in this country. I've been doingsomething night and day ever since we struck the place. I should like toget home to a quiet life again. "

Another officer entered the yard and approached the man who paced to andfro. He handed him a paper which the other read, nodded as if in assent, and turning to the men gave an order in a sharp voice. The soldiers fellinto a file of threes and at another word of command marched quicklyinto the jail, the officer following them, leisurely rolling acigarette. 

In another moment the boys heard the tramp of feet at the lower end ofthe corridor outside of their cell. 

"Are they coming for us, do you think, Hal?" asked Bert, in a tremulousvoice. 

The footsteps came nearer and nearer. Now they were just outside thedoor and the boys involuntarily caught their breath. They passed onwithout stopping and they heard them die away down the passage. Againthere was silence and then a sound as if a heavy iron door had beenclosed with a bang. This was followed again by the regular tramp of thesoldiers' feet as they returned along the corridor. They passed the doorof the boys' cell and again the sound died away. 

Harry turned again to the window. The soldiers filed rapidly into theyard, but this time there was another in their ranks. A man in his shirtsleeves with his hands bound behind his back marched with head erectbetween the two middle ranks. He was a tall, muscular man, broad ofshoulder and lithe of limb. His face was pale, but the expression wascalm and determined. His step was firm and the soldiers at his backfound no need to urge him on. They marched straight to the wall of theyard that faced the jail, and at a command from the officer, thesoldiers parted, leaving the man standing with his back to the wall andfacing his captors. 

As the soldiers fell back they formed ranks of six on either side of theprisoner, the butts of their rifles resting on the ground. Down thisnarrow human alley the commander strode until he stood face to face withthe man against the wall. He spoke to him in Spanish and the prisonerreplied briefly, at the same time lifting his head proudly and lookinghis questioner firmly in the eye. Although the boys could understandnothing that was said, it was easy to tell that the officer had madesome offer which the other proudly rejected. The boys looked on with afeeling that they were about to witness a tragedy, but some strangefascination prevented them from turning away. 

The commander turned to the jail and lifted his hand as a signal. Afriar in long solemn robes walked slowly down between the ranks ofsoldiers, his eyes fixed on the ground. As he reached the prisoner, hestopped in front of him and raised his head. In his thin, worn facethere was an expression of gentle sorrow. He spoke a few words andraised a cross before the face of the other, who leaned eagerly forwardand kissed it. The friar bowed his head and fell back a few paces. In alow voice he repeated what was apparently a prayer, and then once moreholding the cross for a moment before the eyes of the doomed man, heturned and walked slowly back to the jail, his lips still moving inprayer. 

A man stepped out of the ranks and tied a silk handkerchief over theeyes of the prisoner. The boys, watching breathlessly through the barsof the window, were pale with the horror of the scene. They nowunderstood the tragedy that was about to be enacted, but they could notshake off the desire to look. 

The soldier moved back into the ranks, there was another sharp commandand the lines wheeled and marched in a single rank of twelve back to thejail wall. They were now directly under the boys and out of their lineof vision. All they could see was the man with the bound hands andbandaged eyes standing calmly facing them. 

There was another quick command, followed instantly by a rattle of arms. 

The boys cast off the spell that had held them, and with a cry of horrorjumped down from the table and throwing themselves on the beds placedtheir hands over their ears. 

Another command in a low tone, and the discharge of twelve guns as oneended it. 

"I hope she did not see, " said Harry, raising his white face. 

He had scarcely uttered the words, when the wild shriek of a woman rangout on the morning air. 

A loud, coarse laugh from the jail yard followed the pitiful cry andHarry clenched his hand in futile anger. 

CHAPTER XVI

THE ESCAPE

It was sometime before the boys recovered from the unpleasant effects ofthe scene they had witnessed in the jail yard. 

"I wonder who he was?" said Bert, after a long silence. 

"Probably an insurgent. But whoever he was, he was a brave man. "

The door of their cell quietly opened at this moment and a man broughtfood and set it on the table. The boys, who had not eaten anything formany hours, disposed of the porridge and some mysterious sort of meatstew with relish. They had scarcely finished their meal when the celldoor opened again and the gentleman with the genial smile, who had actedas interpreter, appeared. 

"Good morning, " he said, cheerily. "Did you sleep well?"

"Very well, thank you, " replied Harry, wondering what the purpose of theman's visit might be. 

"Thought I would drop in and see if there was any message you would liketo send to the general or to Consul Wyman. "

"You mean that you were sent to see if we were ready to talk yet, don'tyou?"

"Just a different way of putting it. "

"Well, you may tell General What-You-May-Call-Him that we have nothingmore to say than we said yesterday; and you may also inform him that oursituation is known to our friends by this time, and that he will be heldto a strict accounting by Uncle Sam for this outrage upon two Americancitizens. "

"You have communicated with your friends--how?"

The genial smile on the man's face faded into a look of surprise andanxiety. He glanced quickly around the room to see if there was anymeans by which they could have communicated with the outside world. 

"That is another one of those questions that we claim the privilege ofrefusing to answer. "

"I will deliver your message, but I warn you that it will not be wellfor you to arouse the anger of General Serano. He fears no one. "

"It is entirely up to the general whether he gets angry or not. I reallydo not see any necessity for it. "

"Will you send any message to Consul Wyman?"

"No--yes, come to think of it, I should like to speak to Mr. Wyman. Will you ask him if it will be too much trouble for him to see us here?"

"General Serano will be pleased to furnish you with an escort to theconsul's. The air will do you good this morning. "

"When I go to the American consul I shall go without an escort, as youcall it--guard I think would be more like it. "

The man shrugged his shoulders. 

"I will send your message to the consul, " he said. 

"What do you want of the consul, Hal?" asked Bert, when the man hadgone. 

"He is a part of my secret-passage plot, but I do not know whether hewill be game or not. "

Mr. Wyman did not keep them waiting long. He bustled in behind theturnkey and greeted them heartily. 

"Good morning, boys, " he said. "I understand you want to see me. I hopeyou have changed your minds and will now sensibly answer the general'squestions and set yourselves at liberty. "

"No, Mr. Wyman, we will never do that--at least not until we know thatthe one we might injure by so doing is quite safe. We did think, however, sir, that we would like to take you into our confidence. "

"The best thing you can do, boys. I may be able to help you out of yourtrouble; at least, I can act with more intelligence in your interests. "

"Yes, sir, so we thought, " answered Harry meekly, glancing at Bert, whosat open mouthed, utterly in ignorance of Harry's plans. "Do you thinkthere is any chance of our being disturbed?" he continued, looking atthe door. 

"None whatever. The man with the key will not open the door until I rapthree times. "

"Very well, sir, if you will take that chair I shall be quitecomfortable here on the bed. "

The consul drew his chair up close to Harry and sat down. Bert alsoseated himself on the bed. Beginning with the wreck of their sail boat, Harry then told Mr. Wyman in sequence the events that had led up totheir present incarceration in a Spanish jail in Cuba. 

"Now, sir, " he said, as he concluded, "you can understand why we cannottell anything that will in any way bring harm to Captain Dynamite. "

"Yes, yes, " said the consul, who had been deeply interested in the boy'sstory. "A marvelous man, and there are many more like him in the serviceof Cuba. I believe they will win. I--I hope they will win. "

Mr. Wyman lowered his voice and looked around the room as if to seewhether there was anyone to overhear him. Harry looked at him insurprise. 

"I thought you were a Spanish sympathizer, Mr. Wyman, " he said. 

"Diplomacy, my boy, only diplomacy. "

"I am very glad to hear you say so, sir; you may fall in with my planquicker. "

"What plan?" asked the consul, suspiciously. 

"I will tell you presently, but I have not finished my story yet. Yousee that wall?" Harry pointed to the wall between their cell and the oneoccupied by Miss Juanita. The consul nodded. "Behind that wall is ayoung woman--a Cuban sympathizer--who is awaiting torture, perhapsdeath, at the hands of her captors, because she will not betray thecause. And that young woman is Miss Juanita, the sweetheart of CaptainDynamite. "

"How do you know this, boys?" asked Mr. Wyman, springing to his feet inexcitement. 

"Do you see that big slab in the wall?"

"Yes. "

"That closes a secret passage between this room and hers. Last night weaccidentally touched the spring that rolls back the stone, and we talkedto her. If you can depend upon our not being disturbed, I will open itnow and you can see for yourself. "

"I will answer for the man with the key. He now and then gets a littlepresent from me. I find it convenient to be in touch with all hands. Diplomacy, my boy, diplomacy. "

Harry stepped to the wall and pressed the diamond-shaped stone. Thegroaning and creaking of the rusty mechanism of the revolving stonebegan and in five minutes the passage was open. Harry peered through andstarted back with a cry. 

The young woman lay face downward on the stone floor of her cell. 

"Miss Juanita, " called Harry, softly. "What is the matter? Get up. It isyour friends again. "

She did not stir. 

"She may be dead, " said Harry, in fear, as he climbed through thepassage. He kneeled down beside her and turned her limp body over sothat he could see her face. "No, she still breathes. "

"Perhaps she has fainted, " said Mr. Wyman from the other side of thepassage. "Take some water from that pitcher there and bathe her face. "

Harry did as directed and soon a faint sigh escaped from her pallidlips, and in a moment more she opened her eyes and looked up, dazed andfrightened. 

"Do not be afraid, Miss Juanita, " said Harry, nervously. "It is theAmerican boys again. What has happened?"

"I think I fainted, " she said, weakly. "Oh, it's all so terrible. "

Painfully she dragged herself to her feet and sank into a chair thatHarry placed for her. 

"What is so terrible?" he asked. 

"First the shooting in the jail yard this morning. Did you see it?"Harry nodded his head. "I cried out. I tried not to, but the horror wastoo great. They laughed. They had wrung from me the first sign ofwomanly weakness. Then they came to me and repeated their demands forinformation. But I was strong again and they left me with curses. To-morrow I shall stand where he did in the jail yard. I must havefainted when they left me. But do not mind. It is soon over. Tell himwhen you see him that I died bravely for--for him and the cause. "

The woman buried her face in her hands and sobbed softly. 

"Do you mean, Miss, " asked Mr. Wyman anxiously, through the opening, "that they told you that to-morrow--that to-morrow----" He could notfinish the sentence, but she understood him and nodded her head. 

"Yes--to-morrow--at dawn. "

Harry stooped down and whispered:

"Do not fear, Miss Juanita, it will not be at dawn to-morrow, nor anyother day. But much will depend upon yourself, so dry your eyes, Miss, and be ready to do your part when the time comes. "

The woman looked up at him wonderingly. 

"Have you heard from him?" she asked. 

"Not yet, but you will if you will only arouse yourself a bit and beready to do as I tell you when I come back. "

Harry turned from her quickly and hastily climbing through the passage, touched the spring that closed it. 

"Now, Mr. Wyman, " he said, as the stone rolled into place. "You haveseen and heard. "

"What an outrage--what a horrible outrage, " murmured the consul, gazingblankly ahead of him. 

"Will you listen to my plan now, Mr. Wyman?" said Harry. 

"Yes, yes, " replied the consul, eagerly. "What is it?"

Harry drew him down on the bed beside him and in a whisper that evenBert could not hear, unfolded the scheme that had come suddenly into hishead in nebulous shape when they had discovered the secret passage. 

"But think of the sacrifice, " said the consul in an uncertain tone whenHarry had concluded. 

"Never mind that, sir--that is for me to consider, and I have done so. Iam willing to take the chance. "

"But if you come to my house I shall be at once connected with theescape and that would bring my office into disrepute. I do not care formyself, but the United States must not be brought into the case. "

"But if I never reach your house you cannot in any way be responsible. Listen--all you have to do is to tell General What's-His-Name that Ihave promised you to tell the whole truth in regard to our landing, butthat I insist that I shall be paroled and permitted to visit you aloneand without guard. Bert will remain as hostage, so that there can be nosuspicion. "

"Say, Hal, " said Bert, nervously, "you are not going to leave me herealone?"

"Not for long, old man. What do you say, Mr. Wyman? Think how you wouldfeel if these men carried out their threat, and they are quite capableof it. "

"I'll do my best, my boy. Your risk is the greater, but it is a nobleact. "

Mr. Wyman rose and shook Harry's hand vigorously. He rapped three timeson the door and as the jailer opened it he turned again and said: "Youwill hear from me shortly, when I have laid your case before GeneralSerano. "

"Say, Hal, " said Bert, as soon as the door closed, "what is this plan ofyours, and why am I kept in the dark like an outsider?"

"Because I want to take all the responsibility and do not want to haveyou mixed up in it if it should fail. "

"But I am willing to take equal chances with you, old man. It isn'tfair. "

"Oh, yes, it is. You will understand later. "

Bert moped for a time in resentment, but as Harry refused to be affectedby his mood, he soon cheered up and determined to watch for developmentsthat might enlighten him as to the plot that Harry and the consul werehatching. But nothing developed. A guard brought in their dinner and itwas nearly nightfall before their door opened again and the smilinginterpreter entered. 

"So you have thought better of it, after all, young gentlemen?" he said. 

"I do not know whether it is better or worse, but we have thoughtdifferently, if that's what you mean, " answered Harry. 

"I mean that you have decided to tell the general what he wants toknow. "

"No, I have decided to tell Consul Wyman. "

"Yes, but he will tell the general. "

"That will be his concern. "

"Very well. Here is a pass from General Serano through the guards. Whenyou are ready to go, rap three times on the door and it will be opened. Only one of you is to leave this place; the pass is for only one. Shouldboth of you attempt to use it you would be at once arrested. I simplywarn you. "

"Thank you. We have no intention of trying to escape. We enjoy yourhospitality too much and the longer we board with you the longer thescore you will have to settle with Uncle Sam. "

Harry took the pass from the man, who then left the cell. 

"Now to work, Bert, " said Harry, eagerly, as the door closed. "Listen!When it is dark I am going through the passage. You must close it atonce, so that in case any one should come in it will not be discovered. "

"But suppose the jailor should come in; how can I account for yourabsence?"

"You cannot understand him nor he you, and he would probably rush off tomake a report of my escape. Before his return I will be back. But thatwill not be very likely to happen. When I have been in the other cellten minutes, open the passage again, and when I come through do notspeak, no matter what you may see or hear. Then close the passage atonce. Do you understand?"

"Yes. "

"And after I have left this room see to it that the door is safelyclosed again, and then once more open the passage. "

"What for?"

"Never mind that now. Do you know what you are to do?"

"Yes; close and open the passage twice and say nothing. "

"That's it. "

They did not have to wait long for darkness. Night was now fallingrapidly. They sat in silence as the dark shadows began to fill the room. Harry was in a serious, thoughtful mood and talked but little. Finally, when the room became so dark that they could not see one another'sfaces, he rose. 

"It is time now, Bert, " he whispered. "Remember your part. "

He stepped to the wall and groping around until he found the spring, pressed it and the stone began to revolve. When the passage was fullyopen, he peered through into the darkness of the other cell, andwhispered:

"Miss Juanita, do not be afraid; it is the American boys. Are youthere?"

"Yes, " came a soft answer. 

Harry climbed through the passage and Bert promptly touched the springthat closed it. The heavy stone moved slowly back into place and Bertwas alone. 

He had no watch, so he counted the seconds. The ten minutes seemed anhour to him. At last they passed and he opened the passage again. Forsome reason he expected to see Harry and the young woman climb through, but only the form of the boy appeared in the gloom. He waited a momentto be sure that the girl did not follow, and then closed the passage. Asthe stone settled into place, the form moved quickly to the door andrapped three times. Almost instantly it swung open and the jailor withhis lantern stood without. As the boy's form glided silently out pastthe stolid turnkey, Bert started back and with difficulty suppressed acry of amazement. For a moment the light of the lantern had fallen onthe face of the form in the doorway. 

CHAPTER XVII

"YOU WILL BE SHOT AS SPIES"

When Bert had somewhat recovered from his surprise, he rushed to thewall and pressed the spring to open the passage. A form in girl'sclothes climbed quickly through, but it was the voice of Harry thatwhispered:

"Hustle, Bert, and close the passage. No telling when they may discoverthat the bird has flown. I must get under cover with these duds on. "

He jumped into bed and drew the sheet up close around his neck. 

"I'm quite ill, you know; sudden attack of malaria. Can't receive anycallers. "

"Has Miss Juanita gone to see the consul?" asked Bert. 

"Not unless the consul has taken a trip to the mountains. "

"What do you mean--why don't you let me in on your plot now that youseem to have carried it out successfully?"

"Can't be sure of success just yet, but I think it will work. "

"And when do we get out?"

"I don't know; maybe we are in it tighter than ever. Sure to be if theyfind that we or rather I had anything to do with her escape, and I guessthey must sooner or later. "

"Where has she gone?"

"I hope by this time she is pretty well out of the town, headed for theopen between here and the mountains. In the darkness she is all rightand the deception will not be discovered. She makes a very good boy andas she is about the same heighth as I am my clothes fit her first rate. The pass will carry her through the lines all right and as she knows thecountry like a book, I hope she may make the mountains and the road toCubitas before daylight. If she does she is safe, and I have a strongconviction that she will meet Captain Dynamite on the march beforemidday to-morrow. And gee, what a meeting that will be--I should like tobe there and see the expression on big O'Connor's face when he seesher. "

"Then your plan did not have anything to do with our release from thisplace?"

"Nope--only Miss Juanita's. She was in danger; we are not. "

"We may be after this. "

"Yes, but I think we can depend upon O'Connor. Mason and Washingtonshould have reached him by this time. "

"What can he do to help us?"

"I don't know, Bert, but I think he is the sort of man who will findsomething to do. "

"What are you going to do for clothes?"

"That's another problem that will have to work itself out. Meanwhile Ishall have to stick to Miss Juanita's dress. Didn't you think it fittedwell? I shall have to have it let out around the waist a little, Ithink. I guess they don't serve any supper in this hotel, and as I gotvery little sleep last night, I think I will take a snooze while we waitfor something to happen. "

Harry was soon fast asleep, but Bert, though also very tired, was moreanxious as to the outcome of their affairs and sat for a long time onthe edge of his bed, thinking. The moon rose in a clear sky and cast twobright beams through the barred windows and across the prison floor. Bert's revery was disturbed by the sound of hurrying feet in thecorridor and the clamor of loud voices approaching their cell. 

"I guess something's going to happen, " said Bert, nervously to himself. "Perhaps I better be asleep, too. " He rolled over onto the bed andappeared to be deep in slumber when the door was thrown open roughly andthree men entered the room. They were General Serano, who was scowlingdarkly; Consul Wyman and the ever-smiling interpreter. 

"I wonder why he always mixes up in everything, " thought Bert as hepeeked at their visitors out of the corner of his eye. 

Serano stopped just beyond the threshold and in surprise pointed to thetwo occupied beds. Then he said something in Spanish to Mr. Wyman, whoreplied calmly:

"I told you that neither of them had been at my house. You see foryourself that they are both here. There must be some mistake. "

"But there can be no mistake about one of them having left this placewithin two hours, " said the interpreter. "The jailer let him out. "

"Then he must have let him in again, for there they both are soundlysleeping. "

"But the jailor says that he did not, and it was the boy's long absencethat caused the general to send me to your house to see if he was there. You have not seen him; some one unquestionably left the prison; no onehas returned and yet they are both here--what does it mean?"

Mr. Wyman shrugged his shoulders and turned to the general. 

"The boys indicated to me that they were ready to give the informationthat you desired. I made arrangements as you know, to have one of themcome to my house and there tell his story. Neither of them came. Perhaps they changed their minds. "

"Let us question them. "

The interpreter stepped to Bert's bedside and as he did so the boy satup and rubbed his eyes as if just awakened. 

"Good evening, gentlemen. Good evening, Mr. Wyman. What can we do foryou? Is it morning yet?"

"Did either of you leave the prison to-night?" asked the interpreterquickly, without preliminary. Bert, who was entirely ignorant of whatcourse Harry intended to pursue, dared not answer, fearing that he mightundo some of his companion's plans. 

"Why, I've been asleep for some time and my friend has a bad attack ofmalaria, " he answered yawning. "I see that is moonlight and notdaybreak. Can't you call around in the morning on your way to breakfast?We'd ask you to take a bite with us, but I do not think you would likethe bill of fare. "

"Will you or not answer a plain question? The general waits. "

"Tell the general not to let me detain him. Ask him to drop in in themorning, too, when he has more time. "

The man turned to Serano and shook his head. 

"They are impossible, sir. "

Bert saw an amused smile creep around the corners of the consul's mouth. 

"Let us try the other. "

As he spoke the general touched Harry on the shoulder. The boy drew thesheet closer around his neck, and murmured:

"Please go 'way. "

"We only want to know if you left the prison to-night to see Mr. Wyman. He is here with us. "

"No, I haven't been out of your old prison since you put us here. "

"But you intended to go. "

"Yes, but I changed my mind. I'm very apt to do that. I'm sorry if itput you out any, but I do not see why you couldn't wait until morningfor my apologies. "

"But the jailor says he let one of you out to-night and that no onereturned. "

"Your jailor is very silly. If he let one of us out and didn't let himback how could we both be here now? I don't want to cast any reflectionson General What's-His-Name's intellect, but I should think he mightfigure that out for himself. Come around in the morning and we will talkit over. But I should advise you to look around for another jailor. Thisone's imagination is too strong. "

"Then if you did not leave the jail and you have changed your mind, youhave no use for that pass that General Serano sent you, " said theinterpreter, with his genial smile. Bert looked at Harry in dismay. Howwas he to get out of this snarl?

"No, that's quite true. Bert, will you get the pass for the general outof the pocket of my coat on the chair there?"

"Your coat is not here, Hal, " said Bert in apparent surprise as hestepped to the chair. 

"Not there? What nonsense. Tell the general that I shall hold his jailorresponsible for my clothes. How under the sun am I to go about in myunderclothes. It is not the value of the suit at all. It is pretty wellused up now, but it's the principle of the thing. "

As Harry talked he thrashed about under the bed-clothing as if in anger. 

"And then there was nothing of importance in the pockets--no papers thatcould be of any possible value to any one. It is an outrage--tellGeneral What-You-May-Call-Him that I consider it an outrage on ahelpless prisoner to have his clothing sneaked away in the middle of thenight, either for the profit of the jailor or the possible informationof his captors. Mr. Wyman, is there nothing that can be done in thismatter?"

General Serano spoke a few words to the interpreter, who promptlyrepeated them with evident glee. 

"The general says you are to get out of bed. "

"It's all up now, " thought Bert, and his face turned a shade paler. 

"The general is inconsiderate; however, since he insists I will take thechances of another chill. "

As Harry spoke he drew his legs up from under the sheet and stood downon the floor clad only in his underclothing. He had somehow managed toslip out of the girl's dress while he protested against thedisappearance of his clothing. Bert drew a breath of relief; but therespite was brief. General Serano, either thoughtlessly or by design, threw back the sheet from Harry's bed as soon as he touched the floorand disclosed the dress from which he had with difficulty extricatedhimself. 

"Whose is this?" demanded the general, pouncing on the garment andholding it out for inspection. 

"Whose is this?" repeated the interpreter like a parrot. 

"How should I know, " answered Harry. 

"Probably belongs to one of your former tenants. "

"It's a woman's dress. "

"Yes, it looks like it. Better look up your register and see who hadthis room last. "

At this moment there was a sound of hurrying footsteps in the corridoraccompanied by a volley of Spanish expletives uttered in a frightenedvoice. 

"I wonder what's going to happen now, " whispered Harry to Bert. "Thesepeople are so full of life it makes me tired to watch them. "

The turnkey burst into the room with hands uplifted and eyes bulging. Hespoke a few panting words to General Serano who seized him by the neckin anger. 

"She is gone, fool? How can she be gone unless you let her out?"

Then, as if struck by a sudden thought, he dropped his hold on the manand turning to Mr. Wyman, held out Juanita's dress excitedly. 

"See, she is gone. "

"Who is gone?" asked the consul, calmly. 

"She--she in the next cell. This dress is here; the boy's clothes aregone and some one left this room to-night. "

"You mean to infer that the boys contrived the escape of the woman inthe next cell?" asked Mr. Wyman. 

"Yes, yes, what other inference is there?"

"But can you explain how they could have communicated with her, how theycould have exchanged clothes and how she could have left this cell?"

"No, no, I cannot explain that, but here is the evidence--here andthere;" and he pointed excitedly to the wall of the next cell. 

"The irascible old general seems to be wise on the passage, " said Harry, under his breath. 

"How can that be evidence if you cannot explain it, general?" asked theconsul, gravely. 

"No, he's not on, after all, " whispered Bert. 

"They shall explain, " said the general, sternly pointing to the boys. 

"We're in it again, " said Bert. "I wish he wouldn't do that. It makes menervous. "

The general seemed to be working himself into a fury. He raised hisvoice as he delivered what was apparently an ultimatum to the consul. 

"No, no, not that, " cried Mr. Wyman, in frightened protest. 

Without a word in reply General Serano turned on his heel and strode outof the room. 

"What did the angry gentleman say, Mr. Wyman?" asked Harry. 

"He said that if you did not explain the disappearance of Miss Juanitawithin forty-eight hours you would be taken out into the jail yard andshot as spies. "

"Ah, Miss Juanita, eh. Then they know her, " said the genial interpreteras he slunk from the room. "I must tell General Serano. "

Before the eyes of the boys there rose with vivid distinctness thepicture of the jail yard at dawn. 

CHAPTER XVIII

CAPTAIN DYNAMITE FINDS JUANITA

While these events had been transpiring in the Spanish town, CaptainDynamite had not been idle. As the last man of the little Cuban armyfiled down the mountain-side, he rose from his chair, and tightening hisbelt stretched his big body as was his custom when any action wasimminent. 

"Well, my lad, I must be off. There is no time to spare if we hope to beof use. You will remain at Cubitas and when it is all over I will sendWashington and a squad to pick you up. "

"Oh, no you won't, Cap. When it's all over I shall be right where youare. "

O'Connor could not repress a laugh. Mason bristled with indignation atthe thought of being left behind. 

"There may be a good bit of fighting, my lad, " said O'Connor. 

"Well, I'm not spoiling for a scrap, but I can't stay behind when I maybe of some use to the fellows. Better let me go along with you, Cap, forI shall be close on your trail if you don't. "

"Suppose I have you locked up for safe keeping?"

"Now you wouldn't do that, Cap, would you? You can't expect a fellow tosit still and chew his thumbs in safety while his chums are in danger. You wouldn't do it, would you?"

"All right, youngster, come along. I don't blame you for wanting to havea hand in it. And you may be of some use after all. "

"I hope you will give me a try, Cap, " said the Midget, straightening uphis small form boldly. 

"Do you think you can stand the tramp? You haven't had much sleep andyou may not get any more for twenty-four hours. "

"That little nap I got on the bench was as good as a night's rest. Besides, this country is so strenuous one doesn't need much sleepanyway. I think if I lived here long I should give up sleeping as auseless accomplishment. "

They started on down the mountain and before daybreak had overtaken themen camped on the bank of the narrow stream where they were preparingbreakfast. O'Connor and Mason joined Gomez and his staff. They ate alight meal and were ready for the march again. The men all seemed toknow O'Connor and the officers saluted him respectfully as he passedamong them. After a conference with the general the latter called one ofthe officers to him, and said:

"Captain Dynamite is in command. You will take your orders from him. With your company he will take the lead in the advance. "

The man saluted and then turned to O'Connor for instructions. 

"Report to me when you are ready to move. "

"I am ready now, sir. "

"Very well, detach your company and cross the ford. We will keep abouthalf a mile in advance of the main body until I give you otherinstructions. Deploy your men in twos and advance as rapidly as you can. You know the rendezvous and understand the necessity for caution. Thatis all. "

The man saluted and in five minutes his men were fording the stream withO'Connor and Mason close in their rear. Across the open valley they maderapid progress, the men marching in regular order, but when they reachedthe wooded country at the foot of the next mountain the officer incommand gave an order in Spanish and the men deployed in twos anddisappeared like shadows into the brush. In a moment not a man was to beseen, and as O'Connor and Mason entered the woods there was not even asound to be heard that would indicate that fifty men were making theirway through the thick bushes ahead of them. 

The route O'Connor followed was not so precipitous as that taken byWashington and they reached the summit of the mountain by noon. StillO'Connor pushed on, stopping only to drink from a mountain stream and todash the cool water over his head and face, an example that Masonquickly followed. They had scarcely spoken since leaving the ford, O'Connor saving breath for the work in hand. Once or twice he had turnedto the Midget who toiled manfully on at his side and asked him if hefelt tired. Satisfied with the boy's ready answer that he was "allright, " he would plod on again. 

They had made their way about a mile down the mountain side when anofficer stepped out of the bushes in front of them and saluted O'Connor. 

"Well, what is it?" asked the captain in Spanish. 

"A scout has brought in a prisoner. "

"Who is he?"

"A boy. He is apparently faint from exhaustion. "

"A boy?" said O'Connor, wonderingly. "I wonder if they can haveescaped?" He repeated the man's words to Mason who despite his ownfatigue, leaped and capered wildly. 

"It's Hal Hamilton, I'll bet, " he said joyfully. "They must haveescaped. Trust Hal to fool the Dons. "

"He knows the countersign and your name, sir, and he keeps repeatingthem in a dazed way. That's why the captain thought you might want tosee him. "

"I guess it's one of the boys all right, but I wonder where the otheris. If I know them as I think I do one would not leave without theother. Where is he?" he asked turning again to the man. 

"About a mile below, sir. We found him lying in a little clearing. "

"All right, I will go to him. "

"Ask him how he was dressed, " said Mason as they hastened on. 

The man described the boy's suit as well as he could. 

"That's Hal, sure, " said Mason when the reply had been translated tohim. "Bert can't be far away. "

"Did he have light hair?"

The man shook his head. 

"Black, " he answered. 

"Pshaw, he's made a mistake. It must be Hal. "

As they entered the clearing the prisoner sat with his back against atree. His head was turned almost away from them, but Mason recognizedthe clothing and rushed forward with a glad cry. 

"Cheer up, Hal, old man, " he shouted as he bounded across the clearingand dropped on his knees at the boy's side. He was on his feet in amoment, his face scared and white. 

"It's not Hal, Cap, " he whispered as O'Connor approached at a moredignified pace. "But he's got Hal's clothes on. "

"What mystery is this?" said the big man as he strode around so that hecould see the face of the prisoner. The next moment he turned as whiteas marble, but his eyes gleamed with joy as he sank down and took thealmost inanimate form in his arms. 

"Juanita, " he gasped. "Thank God, you are safe. Quick boy, some water. "

"Thunder, it's a girl, " said Mason as he stooped and looked into theface that was now resting on Captain Dynamite's shoulder. He broughtsome water in his cap and O'Connor bathed the girl's head and chafed herhands until she began to show some signs of returning vitality. Sheraised her head and looked around in a dazed manner. Then her eyes fellon O'Connor. 

"Michael, " she whispered, and her head sank again on his shoulder with asigh of relief. 

The men knew well the story of O'Connor's love and they silentlywithdrew from the glade leaving only Mason and an orderly with thestrangely reunited couple. Finally Juanita was strong enough to sit upand leaning back against the tree again, she smiled into O'Connor'sanxious eyes. 

"I could go no further, Michael, " she whispered, "but I thought youwould find me here. "

"How did you escape, Juanita?" asked O'Connor, softly. 

"Ah, yes, the brave American boys saved me. Oh, I fear they will suffermuch for it. I tried not to go for they are suspected already of beingCuban spies and this will make it worse for them; but the one they callHal would listen to no reason, no argument. They had a friend in theAmerican consul, he said, who would look out for them and I--I wasalready doomed. "

"Doomed, " repeated O'Connor, starting forward, his eyes snapping. 

"Yes, it was to have been this morning at dawn. "

O'Connor choked back something suspiciously like a sob and for a fewminutes neither spoke. The man was thinking with a chill at his hearthow near to death she had been. Then he beckoned to Mason. 

"Come here, youngster, and hear what your brave comrades have beendoing. This is the young woman we set out from the _Mariella_ to save. Your friends have done that nobly for us; now we must return thecompliment with proper interest. "

The Midget bowed gravely and sat down on the ground beside O'Connor. 

"They are resourceful youngsters, Juanita, as I have reason to know, buthow under the sun did they manage it? I see you are wearing the suit ofone of them. "

"Their cell was next to mine. Night before last they heard me crying atmy window. They could not see me but they spoke and asked me what theycould do to help me. There was nothing to be done, so we talked and theytried to cheer me up and in some way they learned who I was andthey--they told me you were safe and then I didn't mind so much. Thenthe guard came and we had to go away from the windows. As one of themjumped down from the table on which they had been standing, he touchedthe spring of an old secret passage between the cells. The next day, Idon't know how, they got a pass from General Serano to visit theAmerican consul. The pass was good anywhere within the lines. Thatnight, just after dark, they touched the secret spring and rolled backthe rock between the cells and one of them insisted that I should put onhis suit and take the pass and escape. As I have told you he wouldlisten to no form of argument and in the darkness of the cell I put onhis clothes and he took my dress. I felt so strangely that I was surethe deceit must be discovered at once, but no one questioned me fromthe time I left the prison until I passed safely through the lines. "

"Hooray for Hal Hamilton, " shouted Mason, enthusiastically. He hadlistened breathlessly to the girl's story of her escape and the part hischums had played in it. 

"But your escape must have been discovered in the morning if not before. What were the boys to do then? How was Hamilton to account for theabsence of his clothes?"

"They would not explain that or anything. "

"And why are they suspected of being Cuban spies?"

"Because they will not explain their presence on the island for fear ofendangering you. "

O'Connor leaped to his feet excitedly. 

"May Providence guard them until I get there. Juanita, our paths divergehere again for a little time. My duty lies where those boys areimprisoned. You will go on with an escort to the _Mariella_. She liessafely in the old place and your mother awaits you there. "

"Oh, Michael, how can I thank you?"

O'Connor called the orderly. 

"Tell Captain Fernandez to send me a guard of ten men, all of whom knowthe route to the lagoon, and tell him that one of them must speakEnglish. " Then turning to Mason he said: "I am going to ask a favor ofyou. I cannot take Miss Juanita on with me, nor can I leave her here. Will you take command of the guard and escort her safely to the_Mariella_?"

"Cap, I had hoped to get closer into the mix-up, but I see you areembarrassed by the presence of this young lady and I assure you, Missand you, sir, that as a gentleman I am pleased to serve you both. "

CHAPTER XIX

DRAWING THE NET CLOSER

"I hold, sir, that there has been no connection shown between the escapeof the woman prisoner and the presence of this dress in the cell ofthese boys, and I therefore ask that the charge against them bedismissed. "

It was Consul Wyman who spoke, addressing General Serano who again satin judgment on Harry and Bert in the Hall of Justice. It was two daysafter the discovery of the escape of Miss Juanita and following the direthreat of the general to have the boys shot as spies if they did notmake a full and complete confession. There had been little sleep forthem after the night visit to their cell, and the next day no one hadvisited them save the jailor with food. The following morning, however, after their breakfast had been served, they had been summarily hauledbefore the still fuming commander, heavy-eyed and pale, Harry wearing anold Spanish uniform which the jailor had given to him. 

Again they had been subjected to a severe cross-examination, and againthey had firmly refused to answer any question that in any wayendangered the safety of Captain Dynamite. 

Mr. Wyman, who fully appreciated the serious position in which the boyswere placed, also showed the effects of loss of sleep. He was an ableman and beneath his little exterior conceit about his powers ofdiplomacy, there beat an honest and fearless heart. He had come to theconclusion that the existence of the secret passage was unknown to thepresent authorities, and without this knowledge no case could be madeout, legally, against the boys. He also knew that the legal rights ofprisoners were not always considered by General Serano, and for thisreason he had determined, as a last resort, to fall back on his officialprerogatives and demand the release of the boys in the name of theUnited States, or, failing in this, a hearing before a higher authorityin Havana. 

"Admitting that your contention in regard to the presence of the dressof the escaped prisoner in the room of the accused to be well taken, howcan you account for the fact that the pass which was given to them inorder that they might communicate with you was used by another?"

General Serano smiled grimly as he put this question to the consul. Mr. Wyman staggered. He had forgotten the pass. For a moment he did notreply, and then, pulling himself together, he said:

"We do not admit that fact, sir. "

"Very well. Let the captain of the guard step forward. "

A man with a sword clanking at his side stepped up and saluted. 

"What was your duty night before last?" asked the general. 

"I was in command of the picket line three miles outside of the city, "replied the man. 

"Did any one pass through the lines from the city while you were incommand?"

"Yes, sir. "

"Who?"

"A boy. "

"A boy--are you sure of that?"

"A person wearing boy's clothes, sir. "

"Very well; why did you let the person wearing boy's clothes passthrough your lines?"

"He--the person wearing boy's clothes showed a pass from you, sir. "

"At what hour was this?" continued General Serano, looking triumphantlyat the consul, who bit his lip and thought hard. 

"About two hours after sundown. "

"That will do. Now, Mr. Wyman, can you explain this for the benefit ofthe prisoners?"

"All this does not prove that the pass presented by a boy to thisofficer was the same pass that was given to the prisoners. "

"I issued but one pass that day. "

"There is nothing to show that that was the one. "

"Captain of the guard, what date did the pass bear?"

"It was of even date. "

"Now, Mr. Wyman. "

The consul hesitated a moment and then stepped closer to the desk ofGeneral Serano. Lifting his arm impressively, and looking the generalsteadily in the eye, he said:

"I still hold, sir, that there is not a scintilla of legal evidenceagainst the prisoners. We might admit for the sake of argument, that thedress found in their room was that of the escaped woman prisoner; wemight also admit, that the pass used by the boy in passing through thelines last night was the one issued by you to the prisoners, but whatevidence is there to show that the one using the pass obtained it fromthese prisoners, or that it was the escaped prisoner?"

"The evidence is absolutely circumstantial. "

"That is just it. It is purely circumstantial; there is no directevidence connecting these boys in any way with the escape of the woman. "

"Let me inform you, Mr. Wyman, " said General Serano, scowling savagely, "that I shall assume that the person who passed through the lines lastnight was the prisoner and further, " here he leaned toward the consul, "I shall assume that the clothes she wore was the boy's missing suit. "

"Very well, then, " said Mr. Wyman, calmly, "let us admit that the personwas the woman, and the clothes she wore were the boy's, do not all theknown facts point to a plot conceived and executed by those outsiderather than inside a prison cell? Those inside had absolutely no meansof communication; those outside had easy access to both cells. Unlesssome method can be shown by which these prisoners could havecommunicated with the prisoner in the next cell there can be no legalconstruction of the present evidence that will connect either of theboys with the escape of the woman. You know the strength of your locksand the thickness of your jail walls. How could these two boys here havecontrived to release this woman through stone and iron? By way of thebarred windows, ten feet apart? Even if the exchange of clothing couldhave been accomplished by this means, which I contend is impossible, wholiberated her, General Serano? There was only one means of escape andthat was through the door of her cell. If these boys, themselves, confined by locks, walls, and bars, could have unlocked the door of herprison-house, then they are possessed of supernatural powers that shouldenable them to walk out of your jail themselves. No, General Serano, unless you can establish the fact of physical communication betweenthese prisoners and the escaped woman they can in no way be heldresponsible for her disappearance, and I ask that the unfounded chargeagainst them be dismissed. "

Mr. Wyman bowed to the general and stepped back. He had made a goodfight and fired his last shot in the boys' behalf. General Serano, impressed by the wisdom of his argument, was silent for a time, as ifthinking. Then he leaned forward to the consul and said in a low tone:

"There is one thing more, Mr. Wyman. After the discovery of the escapeof the woman prisoner her name was not spoken in your presence nor inthe presence of the other prisoners, and yet when I had left the cellyou referred to her by her given name. Will you tell me how this was?"

Mr. Wyman's face flushed, and he drew himself up defiantly, as hereplied:

"It is immaterial to this case how I came by that knowledge. "

"It is material so far as it influences my decision. "

Mr. Wyman bowed without speaking. Nothing could be gained by dwellingupon this unfortunate occurrence. At this point an aged and decrepit manwas led into the room by two soldiers. He was so weak that he had to besupported on either side. General Serano looked up and scowled at him asan intruder, and turned to an aide for an explanation, when the smilinginterpreter glided to his side and whispered in his ear. He started backin eager surprise, and then cast another glance of triumph at the consulas he said:

"Bring him forward. "

All eyes were now turned on the tottering old man as he was slowly ledto a chair which was placed in front of General Serano's desk. 

"You have some information in regard to this case which you wish toimpart to me?" asked the general. 

"What case?"

The old man's dim eyes turned in the direction of the speaker like thoseof one who is almost blind. He seemed dazed and frightened. 

"Well, never mind the case. Were you ever the warden of the jail here?"

"Oh, yes sir, but that was many, many years ago. "

"Yes, I know, " said the general, coaxingly, "but what do you know aboutthe jail?"

"Nothing much now, sir, not for many, many years. "

"No, no, what do you know that no other man now living knows?"

"Much, sir, much, for they have all gone on before. "

"Do you know any secret of the jail?"

"Secret? Oh, yes, a secret. No man knows but me, no man knows. "

The old man shook his head stupidly, and rubbed his gnarled hands. 

"What is the secret?" General Serano leaned forward to catch the answer. 

"I have forgotten. "

"No, no, you knew it ten minutes ago--think. "

"No man knows--they've all gone before, " muttered the old man. 

Mr. Wyman uttered a sigh of relief. The old jailer evidently knew of theexistence of the secret passage, but his mind was so far gone that theconsul was hopeful that General Serano's examination might fail. 

"Do you know of any secret passage?" asked the general in an insinuatingtone. 

"Passage--who said passage, " said the old man bristling up and lookingaround the room with unseeing eyes. "There is no passage; it's a lie. Noone knows--no one knows but the old jailer. "

The interpreter stepped up to the old man and whispered something in hisear. The wrinkled face cracked into a hideous grin that showed hisalmost toothless gums. 

"Money, " he chortled, "yes, give me money--gold. " He reached out hisgnarled hands and grasped at the air. The interpreter at a sign fromGeneral Serano, placed a peseta in one of his outstretched palms. Hefelt it for a moment, and then held it close to his nearly sightlesseyes. 

"No, no, you can't fool the old jailer, " he whined. "That's silver. Gold, give me gold. The secret's worth it. 'Sh. You can go at night. Just touch the spring and slowly--slowly the stone will roll back. Andthen the rack. Ha, ha, the rack--that makes 'em talk. "

Mr. Wyman shuddered when he thought of the scenes of horror the oldjailer might have witnessed. 

"Here is gold; will you show us the passage, now?"

"Yes, come. "

The man started to his feet, and the interpreter, taking the place ofone of the soldiers, guided his steps toward the door. General Seranorose from his seat and followed. 

"Mr. Wyman, will you accompany us? The old man's mysterious secretpassage may interest you. "

"The old man is imbecile. His evidence is valueless. "

"But his secret passage cannot be imbecile too. "

"He is dreaming. "

"Let us see. Bring the prisoners. " He motioned to an officer, whodetailed two men to accompany the boys. Harry and Bert were ignorant ofwhat had been going on, all having spoken in Spanish, and as theyfollowed the old man to the jail, Mr. Wyman explained to them brieflywhat had taken place. Harry's first thought was of the girl. 

"Then Miss Juanita has gotten away safely, " he said with satisfaction. 

"Yes, " replied Mr. Wyman, "I think there is no doubt she is all right, but think of the price. "

"We haven't paid it yet, Mr. Wyman. "

When they reached the jail the old man was led directly into the boys'cell. He was weary from his exertion, and sank into a chair and his headfell on his breast. In a moment he was fast asleep. The interpreter, whoseemed to be general factotum to Serano, shook him roughly by theshoulder. 

"Come, come, you have your gold, now show us the passage. "

The man roused himself and looked stupidly around the room. By chancehis eyes rested upon the big slab in the wall, but he could not see it. Still he raised his bony finger either by intuition or luck, and pointeddirectly at it. 

"It is there, " he said, and his head dropped again. 

Mr. Wyman shuddered. The scene was a gruesome one, and the possibilitythat the man might disclose the passage was so imminent that his nerveswere at their greatest tension. All hope of clearing the boys of thecharge of being Cuban spies it seemed would be lost if the old man'smind should clear sufficiently for him to indicate the secret spring. 

"Yes, yes, it is there, old man, but where is the spring?"

Again he raised his head and looked blankly at the wall, and then oncemore his head drooped. 

"I cannot remember, " he murmured. Mr. Wyman drew a long breath. It wasat least another respite. There was a sound of clanking chains in thejail corridor. The old man trembled and raised his head feebly. 

"What's that?" he whispered. "Chains?"

Again the sound was heard. 

"Yes, yes, they're coming. Quick, we'll chain him down--chain him handand foot. Quick--open the passage. "

He struggled to his feet and tottered to the wall. For a moment hegroped in blindness, while the boys held their breath and then, with alow chuckle he placed his finger unerringly on the little diamond-shapedstone. The creaking and grinding noise began, and the stone slowlyrevolved before the astonished eyes of General Serano. When the passagewas fully open the general stepped to the wall and inspected itcuriously. Then he turned to Mr. Wyman and said:

"The case against the accused is complete. You may inform them that thesentence imposed will be carried out unless they make a full confessionbefore sundown to-night. "

"And I, General Serano, knowing that they are innocent of any connectionwith the cause of the insurgents, warn you in the name of theirGovernment that you will commit an outrage for which you must paydearly. I shall communicate with General Weyler at once. "

Serano shrugged his shoulders. 

"General Weyler has the utmost confidence in my judgment. "

"Will you suspend sentence until I can communicate with my Government?"

"No. Your Government has nothing to do with the matter. All that can besettled afterward. "

"One last request, General Serano--give me forty-eight hours tocommunicate with General Weyler. "

"Oh, as it will be the same in the end, you may have the forty-eighthours. "

He turned to the jailer, who had watched the opening of the wall inwonder. "Take the prisoners to another cell where they cannot find asecret passage. "

As the boys were being led from the cell they passed the interpreter, who smiled genially at them. Harry could scarcely refrain from showinghim how much he despised him. 

CHAPTER XX

CAPTAIN DYNAMITE TO THE RESCUE

Consul Wyman sat in his study in deep thought. His heart was heavy andin his mind plan after plan to save the boys from their threatened fatewas formed, only to be abandoned as not feasible. His wife sat with himaiding now and then by a suggestion. She, too, was deeply interested inthe fate of the American boys, of whose adventures and self-sacrificeher husband had told her. 

"Everything falls to the ground, Annie, " he said finally. "There is onlyone hope and that is an appeal to the government. "

"But you know the red tape and delay that means, John, " said his wife. 

"We have forty-eight hours from dawn to-morrow. "

"Far too short a time to reach Washington through Spanish sources, Ifear. "

"I believe you are right. "

"And you cannot stir Serano?"

"He is adamant. "

"Then I can see nothing but an appeal to Weyler. "

"There is scarcely time for that. "

"There can be no delay. "

"But the courier. I know of no one whom I can trust and who would act inthe boys' interests. It is a diplomatic mission. There must be neitherpleading nor threatening. "

"Then you must go, John. "

"That is what I have been thinking, my dear. I am glad you see it in thesame way. "

"When will you start?"

"Within an hour. If you will leave me now, I will prepare a brief topresent to General Weyler. "

Mrs. Wyman left the room and the consul drew his chair closer to hisdesk where a student lamp burned. The room was large, opening by acasement window upon a garden filled with luxuriantly growing plants andshrubs. The night was warm and the window stood open, admitting theheavy perfume of flowers. The lamp, which was the only light in theroom, cast a bright circle on the desk. All the rest of the apartmentwas in deep shadow. 

Mr. Wyman had been writing about half an hour when he turned to thewindow behind him as if he had heard an unusual sound. Then he returnedto his writing. Again he swung around in his chair and listened. Then herose and walked quickly to the window. 

"Annie, is that you?" he called. 

There was no reply. 

"I am sure I heard a sound in the garden, " he said to himself. 

"Probably you are right, consul, although I tried to make as littlenoise as possible. "

Mr. Wyman started back involuntarily. The words which were spoken in awhisper, seemed to come from a clump of bushes at the right of thewindow. Mr. Wyman peered into the darkness but could see no one. 

"Who are you?" he asked loudly, "who comes stealing into my garden underthe cover of darkness?"

"Are you alone?" was the only reply. 

"And of what concern is that to you?"

"Sure, and if you were me you would concern yourself a good bit aboutit. "

"Well, I am alone; now who are you and what is your business here atthis time of night?"

For answer a dark form crept stealthily out from the shadow of the bush, leaped lightly in the window, and as quickly drew the hanging curtainacross it, shutting out all view from the outside. Although the nightwas warm, the man wore a coat with the broad collar turned up so as toconceal his face, and a broad sombrero slouched down over his eyes. Hekept close within the shadows in the corner of the room. 

"Pardon me, Mr. Wyman, for entering your house in this unceremoniousmanner, but there was no other way that offered just at present. Mymission is of the utmost importance, but it would not be well for eitherof us if I were discovered here. Can we depend upon being undisturbed?"

"How do you know that I wish to be undisturbed? You seem to know me, butrefuse to disclose your identity. I cannot consent to this one-sidedinterview. Who are you?"

"If I tell you that I am a friend of the American boys, is that enough?"

"Quite. You need have no fear; we shall be undisturbed here. "

The man, reassured, stepped forward and threw off his coat and hat. Mr. Wyman looked him over curiously for a moment and then pointed to achair. 

"Be seated, Captain Dynamite, " he said, quietly. 

O'Connor started back in some dismay. 

"You know me?" he said. "How?"

"The boys described you to me very accurately. You have a pair of verystaunch friends in those youngsters, sir. "

"Yes, yes, I know, " said O'Connor, eagerly. "Tell me of them--they aresafe?"

"They are alive and well, but they are not safe. "

"What do you mean?"

"In the first place tell me if Miss Juanita reached you in safety?"

"Yes, thank God, and she has told me much of what the boys have riskedfor her and me. That is why I am here. "

"Yes, and there is not another man with a price upon his head who wouldplace it in the lion's mouth as you are doing. Why did you come herealone? You can do no good single handed. "

O'Connor leaned forward and whispered:

"But I am not alone. There are twelve picked men with me. "

"Where are they?"

"Pardon me the liberty, but they are out there in your garden. "

"How did you get here?"

"By methods known only to Indians and Cubans. "

"Humph, " said Mr. Wyman, somewhat annoyed, "I may not get clear of thisaffair without getting shot myself. But what can twelve men do?"

"Twelve such men as those can do much. But tell me, please, so that Imay act with proper dispatch, just what the situation is in regard tothe boys. "

The men drew their chairs closer together and in a low tone Mr. Wymanbegan to tell in sequence the events that had transpired since he hadbeen involved in the affair. 

"So, " said O'Connor, when Mr. Wyman had finished, "then I am not muchtoo soon. Now, let us consider what is the best way to proceed. I shallprobably have to ask you for a trifle of aid. "

"But I must be off to Weyler. I have not a minute to waste if I wish toreach him in time. "

"In time for what?" asked O'Connor, in surprise. 

"In time to secure a reprieve. "

"Nonsense, man. "

"May I ask what is nonsense, Captain Dynamite?" said Mr. Wyman, whosedignity was injured. 

"In the first place, it is nonsense to expect any aid from Weyler, whoalways staunchly supports his lieutenants, whether right or wrong, andin the second place, we do not want a reprieve. We've got to get themclean away from here before they will be safe--clean off the bloomingisland. I'll take them back to the old _Mariella_--that's the safestplace for them. I wish to goodness they had never left her. "

"But how, my good sir--how under the sun are you going to get them tothe _Mariella_ when they are locked up in a Spanish jail?"

"No jail is impregnable. "

"But you cannot storm it in the face of a garrison of men with a handfulof twelve. "

"There are more than fifty times twelve almost within gunshot, but Istill think the twelve will be sufficient for my purpose. "

"Do you mean that the city is threatened by insurgents?" Mr. Wymanlooked worried. "I must get my wife away, sir. "

"Don't worry, consul. If it comes to that the American flag is sacred tothe insurgents; but if there is any fighting it will be on the picketline only, I fancy. "

"But what is your plan?"

"To take the boys out of that jail first. "

"How?"

"Is it strongly guarded?"

"Inside and out. It is a military prison. "

"How many men?"

"Four outside and four within, in charge of an officer. "

"Oh, that's easy. "

"But the first sound of a conflict would arouse the garrison, which isdirectly in the rear of the prison. "

"There will be no sound of conflict after we get to work, Mr. Wyman. "

"How can I aid you?"

"By securing permission to visit the boys in their cell. Can you do it?"

"I am not sure. General Serano's mood is not the best in the world justnow. The boys have tantalized him beyond measure. He cannot seem to beatthem, and aside from his official pride, his personal dignity hassuffered. My position as defender of the youngsters has gained for mehis ill-will. But I will try. What am I to do?"

"Simply leave the jail at a time that I shall fix. We will do the rest. You will not be involved in any way, except that you may be seeminglyhandled a little roughly, but that will only be done to divert suspicionfrom yourself. Do not resist. "

"There will not be too much violence, I hope?"

"No more than is needed, sir. I do not like violence myself. There maybe a broken head or two, but they are soon mended. It it now nineo'clock. What time does the watch change?"

"At midnight. "

"Very well. Now, if you will permit me, I will call one of my men. "

"Make what use you please of me and my house. I wish to aid you in anyway I can. "

O'Connor stepped to the window and drew aside the curtain. As he didso, a dark form darted into the shadow of a bush. O'Connor saw it andpaused. 

"There is someone in your garden beside my men, " he whispered to theconsul. 

"Impossible. The servants have gone to bed. "

"Someone was listening at this window. "

"Whom can it be?"

"Someone who suspects you. Can you think whom it would be?"

"No. " The consul shook his head nervously. 

"Very well, we'll see. "

O'Connor turned and darted out of the window. In a moment he returnedholding General Serano's official spy by the scruff of the neck. Theinterpreter's genial smile had given place to a look of terror and hetrembled with fear. O'Connor swung him around so that he faced theconsul. 

"Do you know him?" he asked. 

"Yes, " answered Mr. Wyman, as he looked the man over with an expressionof disgust, "he is General Serano's man Friday. " Then to the man he saidsternly: "What are you doing here, in my garden, at this time of night?"

"Preoccupation, Mr. Wyman, preoccupation of the mind. I must havestrayed in by mistake. I hope you will pardon me. "

"Well, we will think that over, my man, " interrupted O'Connor. "Howlong had you been listening at the window?"

"Listening! O, sir, far be it from me to listen at the window of ouresteemed consul. "

"You weren't very far from it just now. "

"I had just discovered my error, sir, and was about to retrace mysteps----"

"Having heard all that you wished, " O'Connor broke in. 

"I hope the gentleman is jesting. I should be grieved indeed if he heldso evil an opinion of me. "

"Please consider yourself grieved. Now, Mr. Wyman, I should like tostill further impose on your hospitality. This gentleman, I believe, isvery anxious to serve me--is that not true, Mr. Friday?"

"Oh, quite true, sir; it shall be my pleasure; but the name, sir, is notFriday--it is Villamonte. "

"Mr. Wyman, can I trouble you for a short piece of rope?"

The consul left the room and returned with a piece of clothes-line aboutthree feet long which he handed to O'Connor. 

"Now Mr. Monte, I shall have to ask you to extend your hands behindyou. "

"Surely your excellency will not bind me?"

"My excellency sure will. Stick 'em out and be quick about it. "

"I protest. General Serano shall hear of this outrage. "

"I am quite confident of that, but I am not ready to lose your companyyet, Monte. "

O'Connor turned the man around much as he might have done a child, andbound his hands behind him. Then he led him to a chair into which hethrust him and lashed his hands tightly to the back, Villamontejabbering vehemently in Spanish the while. 

"Now, Mr. Wyman, " said O'Connor, when he finished, "this gentleman'sprovidential preoccupation of mind will relieve you from the necessityof visiting General Serano. I think he will be very glad to carry outany instructions I may give him. " As O'Connor spoke, he carelesslyremoved a pistol from his belt, and as he examined it he held the muzzleso that it covered the trembling Villamonte, who cowered back in thechair. 

"Won't you, Mr. Monte?"

"Whatever his excellency wishes shall be my pleasure, " stammered theinterpreter. 

"Good; now we understand each other, Monte. "

CHAPTER XXI

GENERAL SERANO MEETS CAPTAIN DYNAMITE

The new cell in which the boys had been placed when the escape of MissJuanita was discovered, looked out through its barred windows onto themain street of the little straggling town. In the distance, although thehouse was concealed from view by intervening buildings, they could seethe American flag floating over the consulate. This outlook had affordedthem some occupation during the day, and even when night fell they stoodtogether gazing silently out into the deserted street, lighted only bythe brilliant moon. They began now to feel that their position wascritical, and Bert, who more easily yielded to the depressing effects ofcircumstances, bemoaned his fate and all the series of events that hadled up to their present unenviable plight. He was inclined to blameHarry for the initial step. 

"If you only hadn't taken it into your Quixotic head to try to aidCaptain Dynamite, who is able to take care of himself, we might now besafe on the _Mariella_, " he growled, "instead of waiting patiently forsome one to take us out and shoot us. "

"Why, Bert, old man, we've got two more days before we step out and playtargets. Many things may happen in that time. "

"Nothing to help us out of this scrape that I can see. "

"Mr. Wyman will surely do all that lies in his power to aid us. "

"Yes, but you know yourself that since Serano suspects his connectionwith the escape of Miss Juanita his power has been very much curtailed. "

"Well, there's Captain Dynamite yet to be counted on. "

"Humph, where is he and what could he do if he were here?"

"I don't know, Bert, but you can't make me believe that he would abandonus completely to our fate. It's not like him, I tell you. "

"If all the hope we have is centred in Dynamite or Wyman I think it istime we began to think of doing something for ourselves. "

"Sure, " answered Harry in surprise, "but what under the sun can we do, Bert?"

"We might----" Bert hesitated and glanced nervously at his companion;"we might effect some compromise with Serano. "

"How?" asked Harry, coldly. 

"We might agree to tell him what he wants to know about how we got tothe island when we can be assured that it will injure no one. "

"There are two reasons why that plan would be useless. In the firstplace how are we going to tell when Captain Dynamite is safe, and in thesecond place the affair has gone so far now that I do not think Seranowould be satisfied with simply that information. He is pretty wellconvinced that in some way we are connected with the Cuban cause. "

"Oh, gee, I wish I had never gone sailing. "

"That's going back a long way to make a connection between cause andeffect, Bert, " said Harry, who could not help smiling at his companion'shopeless view of the situation. 

They were silent again for a time. Not a sound broke the stillness ofthe night save the regular steps of the sentinel below them. Some lightclouds scurried across the moon, shutting off for a time the flood ofsilver light and throwing a gray shadow over the street. 

"Look, " said Harry, suddenly. "Didn't you see a man creeping alongthere?"

"Where?" asked Bert, eagerly. 

"In the deep shadow close in by the wall of that house. "

"I can see no one, " said Bert, after straining his eyes in an effort topenetrate the darkness. 

"Watch, " whispered Harry. "I know I saw some one creeping along as ifhe did not want to be seen. "

"Even if you did, what does it signify?"

"Captain Dynamite would come that way, " answered Harry, confidently. 

Suddenly the clouds swept on and again the street was flooded with aradiance that made the shadows cast by the walls of the houses as blackas the darkest night in contrast. 

"Then did you see?" asked Harry, excitedly. 

Bert nodded quickly in the affirmative. 

As the moon flashed out they had both seen a man dart closer into theprotection of the deep shadow of the wall. 

"There's another, " whispered Bert, pointing out through the bars in hiseagerness, to a point about ten feet beyond where the first man hadappeared. "What if the guard should see them too?"

"The sentinels are on the same level and cannot see as well as we can uphere. I wonder who they are. See, there is another. "

"Who can they be?"

"I'll bet you a dinner when we get home that Captain Dynamite is intown. "

"O, Hal, do you think we will ever get home?"

"I'm beginning to feel very sure of it. See, there are other men in thedistance and all are coming toward the jail. "

The prison stood in a narrow plaza or square facing the main street. Toward the dark shadow of a building that formed a corner of the squarethe indistinct forms of the men seemed to be making their way. The boyscounted nearly a dozen, closely hugging the walls of the low houses, slip one by one into the wider shadow of the corner building. Still theregular steps of the guard below told that the mysterious gathering hadnot been discovered. 

Presently four men emerged boldly from the shadow, and arm in arm, andwith unsteady gait approached the prison. In hiccoughing tones they sanga Spanish drinking song. In the bright glare of the moonlight the boyscould see that they wore the uniform of Spain. 

"Pshaw, " said Harry, in a disgusted tone. "They are only a lot ofdrunken Spanish soldiers after all, making their way back to thebarracks. "

Harry was keenly disappointed. He had been confident that the strangemovements of the men indicated that some action was on foot which heimagined Captain Dynamite was directing. 

"But where are the others?" whispered Bert. "There are more in theshadow. "

"Probably waiting a chance to slip into the barracks without attractingtoo much attention from their officers. "

The four men reeled on. The regular pacing of the sentinel ceased and hehailed the approaching quartet in a jocular way. They answered withthick tongues and coarse laughter. Presently they passed out of view ofthe boys, having come close within the shadow of the wall below them. 

Then suddenly there was a muffled sound as of one trying to cry out witha heavy pressure on his throat, the hard breathing of men desperatelystruggling, and then silence. 

The boys looked at one another in wonderment. What could it mean?Possibly a drunken squabble between the men and the guard. Now the slowpacing of the sentinel was resumed. Apparently the difficulty had beenadjusted. 

"I think we might as well get to bed, " said Harry, after they had waitedfor ten minutes without any further developments. "There is nothingdoing to-night, I guess. "

As he spoke, the cry of a night bird sounded on the still air, but, strangely enough, it seemed to come from directly below their window, instead of from the air above. Almost immediately an answering call washeard in the distance, and then all was still again. 

"I am not so sure, after all, that those men were Spaniards, " saidHarry, as he turned eagerly to the window again. 

"Why?"

"Did you hear those signals?"

"I heard a bird. "

"I don't think it was a bird. "

"Listen; if they were birds we shall hear them again. "

The boys listened patiently for several minutes, but the sound was notrepeated. 

"I believe they were signals, and--look--look! Isn't that CaptainDynamite himself coming out of the shadow further up the street?"

"It certainly looks like him, " gasped Bert, "but who is that with himand how does he dare to walk openly in the streets?"

"It's the Spanish interpreter, " whispered Harry, after a minute'sinspection; "and--and Captain Dynamite, sure. Hooray. "

"Don't hooray yet, " said Bert, wagging his head disconsolately. "Remember there are more Spaniards in the shadow there. "

"Yes, if they are Spaniards. "

"And see how closely the interpreter walks. Can Captain Dynamite be aprisoner?"

"Not of that little man, " sniffed Harry. "Look at the size of him besideO'Connor. "

The two men whom the boys had seen in the distance were indeed O'Connorand Villamonte. They came on through the bright moonlight apparently asunconcerned as if there were not a price on the head of one. And theywalked as close together as bosom friends, but a pistol in the coatpocket of Captain Dynamite pressed closely against the side of hiscompanion. 

"Now you are sure you know your part, Monte?" said O'Connor, as theyneared the prison. 

"Sure, your excellency. "

"And you know what it means to play any tricks, do you?" As he spokeO'Connor emphasized his remark by jabbing the muzzle of the pistol intoVillamonte's ribs. 

"Surely your excellency can trust me, " quaked the interpreter. 

"Yes, under the circumstances. You also want to recollect that Iunderstand Spanish, so you cannot fool me in that way--- and my fingeris always on the trigger. At the first word or sign of warning off itgoes. Now take that scared expression off and look pleasant; we arenearly there. "

At the door of the prison they were met by a Spanish officer, whoreceived Villamonte with great deference and looked wonderingly atO'Connor, who wore his cloak and sombrero so that little of his face wasvisible. 

"Now you've got your cue, " said O'Connor, in English, in a low tone, atthe same time pressing the pistol harder into Villamonte's side. 

"We come from General Serano, " said the interpreter reluctantly. "Hewishes the American boys removed secretly to the government house, as heanticipates a plot to release them. "

The officer bowed and Villamonte and O'Connor passed into the jail. 

"Do you wish your escort to enter also?" asked the officer. 

Villamonte turned in surprise and saw eight men close upon their heels, but as he quickly noted that they all wore Spanish uniforms, he smiledtriumphantly. 

"Yes, " said O'Connor, in English, and again the pressure against hisside brought Villamonte to his senses. 

"Yes, " he repeated to the officer, and the men filed silently in and thedoor was closed behind them. 

"Now, " said O'Connor, turning to the officer in command, and for thefirst time speaking in Spanish, "if you will kindly conduct us to thecell of the American prisoners we shall be obliged to you, and if wewish to please General Serano, haste is essential. "

The officer preceded them down the corridor, which was lighted dimly, and then ascended a winding stone staircase to the floor above. Heopened the door of a cell and stood aside for them to enter. 

As Harry saw O'Connor's big form in the doorway he rushed forward with aglad cry:

"I knew it, Bert, it's Captain Dynamite. I told you he would come. "

"Hush, " said O'Connor, as he took the youngsters in his arms, much asone would two children and gave them a bear-like hug, "not so loud. Wecan take no chances, for we are not out of the woods yet. "

"It's the terrible Captain Dynamite, " cried the officer in dismay. Thenhe turned and fled down the stairs. Villamonte, relieved from thepressure on his ribs, slunk towards the door. O'Connor saw him andlaughed. 

"Run along, Monte, if you wish. I don't need you any more. "

"But he will give the alarm, " said Harry, in a frightened tone. 

"No, I think not; but gather up your things, if you have any, for wemust lose no time in getting out of here. "

"We've got nothing but what we stand in, Cap, " said Harry, laughing, "and this old Spanish uniform does not fit me very well, at that. MaybeMiss Juanita is through with my clothes by this time. "

"God bless you, youngster, they served her well. "

"She is all right?"

"Right as a trivet and safe aboard the old _Mariella_ by this time, thanks to you. "

As they reached the lower corridor one of the men saluted and said:

"We put them in there, sir, " pointing to a room opening off thecorridor, which was used by the officer in command of the watch. O'Connor looked in and burst into one of his hearty laughs. 

"Come here, youngsters, and take a last look at the valiant jailers, " hesaid. The boys stepped forward and looked into the room. The foursoldiers, gagged and bound hand and foot, were sitting with their backsagainst the wall, and facing them, and also bound in the sameignominious manner, were the commander and Villamonte. 

Harry could not refrain from gloating a little over his fallen enemy. 

"How about the glory of Spain, Mr. Interpreter?" he enquired. Villamontescowled but did not reply. 

"Come now, boys, we must be moving. This place is pretty hot for me, "said O'Connor. 

At this moment some one knocked loudly on the door of the prison and adeep voice called in Spanish:

"Open, captain of the guard; it is I. "

"Who is I?" asked O'Connor. 

"Open at once. I am General Serano. "

The boys caught the name and it struck terror to their souls. O'Connorsmiled. 

"Is General Serano alone?" he enquired. 

"Yes; why do you keep me here. Open, I say. "

O'Connor motioned to the boys to step behind the men, who were grouped afew feet in the rear of the corridor awaiting instructions. Then hethrew open the prison door and stood back for General Serano to enter. 

CHAPTER XXII

THE ESCAPE--VILLAMONTE AGAIN BEATEN. 

As General Serano stepped ever the threshold of the jail, O'Connorslipped the heavy bolts and turned the big key in the lock; then heplaced the key in his pocket. 

"Who are you, and where is the captain of the guard?" asked Serano, starting back in surprise when he saw O'Connor. 

"The captain is engaged at present, " said O'Connor, bowing and smilingimpudently; "what can I do for your excellency?"

"Take me at once to the American prisoners. I have decided to revoke thetwo days' reprieve. Their sentence shall be executed in the morningunless they choose to bend their stubborn spirits and tell me for whomthey are acting. They are not alone in this thing. Even now theirfriends may be gathering and threatening our outposts. "

"That is quite true, your excellency; it certainly is wise to take everyprecaution. Your visit was very well timed, as a few minutes later youmight have found the prisoners out. They were just starting for a littleairing. The prison is very close, don't you think?"

Serano looked puzzled, and O'Connor said, in English:

"Step forward, boys, and say 'How-de' to his excellency. "

Harry and Bert came from behind the men, and stopping in front of thegeneral, saluted him gravely. 

"What does this mean?" demanded Serano, looking from the boys toO'Connor, as a suspicion that all was not right flashed into his mind. "Where is the captain of the guard? I insist that he shall report to meat once. And who are you, sir, who usurps the authority of thecommandant here?"

"I am Captain Dynamite, at your service, your excellency, " saidO'Connor, making an elaborate bow and doffing his sombrero so that hisfeatures were revealed to the now thoroughly frightened general. 

Serano leaped back and for a moment seemed dazed. Then his eyes fell onthe eight soldiers standing back of the boys. His waning couragereturned, and drawing himself up, he pointed his finger at O'Connor ashe addressed the men. 

"There is a price on that man's head. Seize him and see to it that hedoes not escape. "

Not a man stirred. O'Connor, who had rolled a cigarette, turned toSerano. 

"May I trouble you for a light, general. There is no reason why weshould not talk this thing over calmly. "

"Dogs, " continued the general, stamping his foot, "why do you not obeyme? Seize that man. He is a desperate outlaw. "

Some of the men jeered and others took a threatening step or two in thedirection of the general, who jumped back into a corner of the corridor. 

"What plot is this?" he gasped. 

"Those are my men, general, " said O'Connor calmly. "I should advise younot to be so violent. They do not like your language, you see. May Itrouble you for that light?"

Serano drew out his match box and held it at arms length, lest O'Connorcome too near him. 

"Have no fear, sir, " said O'Connor, who saw his perturbation, "No harmwill come to you if you are wise enough to follow my instructions. Yousee, you are helpless. We hold the jail and no one will discover theplot until the watch is changed at midnight. Your guards are bound andgagged, and enjoying a siesta with your spy, Villamonte, in there. ""Villamonte, too, " exclaimed Serano, in surprise. 

"Yes; he was kind enough to secure for me the entree to your jail, afavor any one in town would have been eager to grant, I doubt not, butMonte was the first to present himself. Perhaps you would like to seehim. You will find him in there with the others. "

General Serano walked to the door of the officers' room and looked in. He started back with an expression of anger. 

"This is an outrage on her majesty's soldiers for which you shall paydearly, sir. "

"Let's not talk about pay between gentlemen, General Serano. I think youwill admit that if it came to a settlement I have rather the best of itjust now, and if I were so inclined, I could remove one of Cuba's mostimplacable enemies with one stroke of a machete. But I am not here forthat purpose. There are others who will undoubtedly attend to thatlater. Now, all that I require of you is that you sit down at that tableand write me a pass that will take me and my friends through yourlines. "

"Never, sir. I will call the outside guard, " and the general made a leapfor the door. 

"The night is warm, general. Don't over-exert yourself. The door islocked and the key is in my pocket, and besides, if I should let you outyou would only fall into the hands of more of my men. Your outside guardis also bound and gagged, and reclining against the wall of the jail inthe shadow. The sentinels you saw on patrol when you approached the jailare my men. You see, there is no escape. "

"But the uniforms--they are Spain's. "

"Yes, they belonged to unfortunate men who fell fighting for your cause. We Cubans have quite a stock of them on hand. I think you said you wouldwrite that pass. "

"No, sir, never, " roared the general, with a rattling Spanish oath. 

"Very well, then I am sure you will pardon a few liberties. "

O'Connor turned to the waiting men and said: "Remove the general'suniform. "

"What is the meaning of this new outrage?" gasped Serano, backing intohis corner again as O'Connor's men started to execute his order. 

"Your uniform will serve as a passport if you refuse to write the pass, "said O'Connor laughing. 

"I'll write the pass, " said the general quickly, and O'Connor motionedback his men. "My uniform shall never be so disgraced. "

"Suit yourself, general--uniform or pass--it's all the same to me. Thereis pen and ink. "

Serano sat down and with ill grace wrote something on a piece of paperwhich he handed to O'Connor. The latter read it and handed it back, witha shake of his head. 

"You will have to try again, general, " he said. "Now write as Idictate. "

"Never, sir. "

"Your nevers come trippingly on the tongue, general. Boys, the general'suniform, please. "

"No, no, I'll write it. "

"Very well, but please to remember that I have no time for elocutionaryexercises. One more never and off comes that uniform. I'll give you justthree minutes to write this: 'Pass Captain O'Connor and his partythrough all Spanish lines and outposts. ' That's right; now sign it. "

Reluctantly Serano affixed his signature. 

"Thank you, " said O'Connor, with mock respect, as he took the paper. "Now there is just one more little favor that I feel sure you will bepleased to grant me, and that is to step upstairs with my men and seehow you like the room the American boys have just vacated. You will findit quite comfortable. Our accommodations are a little overtaxed justnow. Don't forget to leave your key at the office when you go out, anddon't blow out the gas. Now boys, show the new guest to his room. "

O'Connor laughed until he was forced to hold his sides as his men, delighted with their task, roughly hustled the astonished and fumingofficer along the corridor and up the steps. They heard an iron doorslam and the men returned and saluted with grinning faces. 

"Always find it a good thing to let your men have a little enjoymentmixed in with their work. Come on now, let's say good-bye to Monte andgo. It only lacks an hour of midnight and when the watch changes it willnot be long before our little game is discovered. "

As he spoke, O'Connor walked to the door of the officer's room andlooked in, followed by the boys. 

"Good-bye, Mr. Interpreter, " said Harry, "what are the quotations onglory to-night?"

Villamonte wagged the ends of his waxed mustache in an effort to speak. O'Connor laughed and turning to the door, unlocked it, and slipping backthe bolts, gave a low whistle, like the one the boys had heard fromtheir cell window. In a moment the answer came. 

"Come on, " said O'Connor, "the coast is clear. "

They passed silently out into the night. The eight men joined theircomrades and the next moment, one by one, they darted across the streakof moonlight and disappeared in the deep shadow of the building at thecorner of the square. O'Connor stopped and looked around to see if theyhad been observed, but the streets were deserted. 

"Aren't you afraid that General Serano will yell through the window andgive an alarm?" asked Harry, looking up to the bars of the cell they hadso recently occupied. 

"My men never leave a prisoner so that he can yell, " said O'Connor, chuckling. "We have about an hour's start, and if we make the best ofthat we should be well out of the woods before the escape isdiscovered. "

O'Connor walked rapidly and they soon reached the outskirts of thelittle straggling town without meeting anyone to question them. Now andthen Harry saw dark forms ahead gliding along in the shadows of the lowbuildings or darting swiftly across patches of moonlight, and he knewO'Connor's men were within call. O'Connor, himself, walked openly, witha boy on each side of him. In half an hour they had left the last of thehuts of the reconcentrados behind them and struck boldly out into theopen country, the twelve men, at a command from O'Connor, falling intomarching order behind him. 

In the dim distance lay their haven of safety: the dark, woodedfoothills of the mountain that towered in black, ragged outlines beforethem, and the low-lying jungle at its base, within whose shelterO'Connor knew nearly a thousand determined men lay, only waiting wordfrom him that his mission had failed, to move like a whirlwind on theunsuspecting outposts entrenched between them and the town. 

"We must be getting close to their lines, " said O'Connor, looking at hiswatch. Then he turned quickly and put his hand to his ear in a listeningattitude. At first the boys could not distinguish the sound that hisquick ear had caught, and then indistinctly a faint, hollow clatter cameover the plain from behind them. They strained their eyes but could seenothing that might cause it. 

"It's a horse--galloping hard, " said O'Connor, and his mouth set intothat straight line that the boys knew so well. "Lie down. "

O'Connor set the example and dropped on his stomach, with his ear to theground. After a moment he raised his head slightly, and said:

"I think there is only one, but it will be safer to get under cover. Crawl to those bushes and lie low. "

They all wriggled along the ground until they were partially concealedfrom view by one of the clumps of low trees and shrubs that dotted theplain. 

"Do you think they have discovered our escape?" asked Bert. 

"Can't tell yet, " answered O'Connor, who was standing up behind a tree, trying to catch a glimpse of the rider whose approach was heralded bythe vigorous pounding of his horse's hoofs. "I am satisfied that thereis but one horse and it hardly seems likely that one man would set outin pursuit of a dozen, nor can I think it is a courier riding so hard atthis time of night. "

The clatter of hoofs now became distinct, and away in the distance theycould see a speck that grew larger each minute, until it took the formof a horse and rider. The course he was taking would bring him within aneighth of a mile of the party. As he came nearer O'Connor strained hiseyes to make out the rider. The moon was getting low, but there wasstill light enough on the plain to make it possible to distinguish facesat some distance. 

On came the horse, and the watchers could see that his rider was urginghim with voice and spur. Nearer and nearer they came until the foamflecks shone white in the moonlight. 

"By thunder, " said O'Connor, suddenly; "it's the old villain, Monte. Howdid he get out?"

"Who is it?" asked Harry, eagerly. 

"Villamonte, the interpreter. "

"Then the escape has been discovered. "

"Undoubtedly. "

"But what is he doing out here alone?"

There was a moment's silence while O'Connor watched the panting horsecome tearing on. Now he was almost abreast of the clump of trees, andeven the boys, with their untrained eyes, could make out theirpersistent enemy, Villamonte. 

"He's riding for the outpost to revoke this pass, " said O'Connor, slowlytapping the pocket that contained the paper. "They think that is thebest means of trapping us. "

"It's all up with us then, if he gets there first, " said Bert, "and wehave no horses to stop him. "

"No, but we have something just as good, " said O'Connor, turning quicklyto the man behind him; "let me have your Mauser, Pedro. "

He took the rifle and stepped out into the open. Dropping on his knee, he raised the weapon to his shoulder and seemingly without aiming at theflying mark, fired. The boys shrank back involuntarily. Bloodshed, nomatter how necessary, was revolting. Still, they could not help watchingto see the result of O'Connor's shot. The horse pitched forward androlled over on his side, pinning his rider beneath him. 

"Shoot the horse if he is not already dead, and bring in the man, " saidO'Connor, coolly handing the rifle back. Two men started on a dog trotfor the fallen horse and rider. 

"Is--is he dead?" asked Harry, hesitatingly. 

"The horse or the man?"

"The man. "

"No, there is nothing the matter with Monte more than a broken armperhaps. I shot at the horse. I am sorry--I would almost rather haveshot the man. But it had to be done. "

CHAPTER XXIII

BACK TO THE MARIELLA

Perspiration dripped from the drooping ends of Villamonte's waxedmustache as the men brought the discomforted interpreter beforeO'Connor. He had suffered nothing worse than a few bruises, but he wascovered with dust and dirt and his expression was a strange mixture offear and amazement. He could not seem to comprehend what had happened. 

"We couldn't lose you, could we, Monte?" said O'Connor laughing. "I amsorry to have had to deprive you of your horse, but you were ridingfaster than the speed limit. Now I think the safest thing to do with youis to take you right along with us. You seem to like our company. Pedro, bind the gentleman's hands behind him and slip a gag into his mouth. Wecannot take any more chances with you, Mr. Interpreter. "

Villamonte, who knew that it would be useless to protest, contentedhimself with scowling at O'Connor and the boys. Then they took up themarch again and met with no further obstacle until they were challengedby the outposts at the trenches. General Serano's pass took them intothe presence of the officer in command, who looked the party over withsome surprise. 

"You are escorting a prisoner, Captain O'Connor, I see, " he said. "General Serano does not mention him in his pass. "

"I did not know that General Serano had to explain his affairs to hissubordinates, sir. "

"It is a little unusual. "

"I should advise you to ask no questions in this matter. It is a missionin which the general is deeply interested. These two young men have beenfor some days his guests, awaiting an opportunity to get to the coast. This prisoner is a man of so desperate a character that it is not deemedsafe to even grant him ordinary privileges. I dare not remove the gagfrom his mouth even while safe within the lines, lest some secret signalhe might utter bring a horde of insurgents about our ears. There is aprice on his head. General Serano does not mention him in the pass, captain, because of this. In the strictest confidence I will mention aname to you that will explain the need for extraordinary caution. "

O'Connor lowered his voice almost to a whisper as he leanedconfidentially toward the officer and said:

"Captain Dynamite is in this party. "

"Ah! He is the terrible Captain Dynamite?" gasped the commander, takinga few steps backward and pointing at Villamonte. O'Connor put his fingerto his lips and said:

"'Sh! Remember I have not said so. "

"I understand, Captain O'Connor. I am honored by your confidence. Passon with your prisoner with what speed you may. "

The party made their way rapidly through the lines and within an hour, with O'Connor as guide, they had reached the shelter of the thick brushthat separated them from the lagoon where the _Mariella_ lay. 

"Now, boys, " said O'Connor, as he slackened his pace, "you are as safeas if you were under your own roof trees. There are a thousand men atour command lying within these woods and stretched from the coast to themountain yonder. All of Spain's army could not fight its way throughthat line. "

"Why have we not been challenged by the sentries?" asked Harry. "TheSpaniards might creep among them as we have done. "

"O, no, we are expected and our approach has been watched and covered byready guns for some time. There are men now within ten feet of us. See?"

O'Connor uttered that peculiar bird cry, which was answered at once fromthe bushes near at hand, and the next moment, as silently as an Indian, a man stepped out in front of them and saluted O'Connor. 

"Where is the general?" asked the captain. 

"At his headquarters in the clearing. He wished to be notified of thesafe arrival of your party. "

"We will go to him at once. Take this prisoner and keep him securelybound, but you can remove the gag now. My dear Monte, you will kindlyaccompany this gentleman. And now, my men, " he continued to his twelvecompanions, who still grouped themselves about him, "you have done yourpart well. I thank each of you for your fidelity. You can join yourseparate companies and present my thanks to your commanders. "

The men, as they passed O'Connor, shook his hand warmly. There wassomething about the man that made everyone with whom he came in contactglad to serve him. 

"Now, come on, boys; we will go to the general and thank him for hisaid. "

"What general is it?" asked Bert. 

"General Gomez, bless him, " answered O'Connor, doffing his sombrero toan imaginary presence. 

"Then we shall see General Gomez, " said Harry, eagerly. 

"That ye will, and a fine bit of a fighter ye'll see, too. "

With O'Connor in the lead they pushed their way through the dense brushuntil they came out into an open space that had been cleared by axe andmachete, but that it was no new rendezvous was evident from thedirectness with which O'Connor approached it through the pathlessunderbrush. It was about forty feet square and in the middle there hadbeen erected a rough shelter, or hut, without walls, the thatched roofbeing supported by four poles. Under this, in a reclining camp chair, sat the grizzled old warrior, with several of his staff officers. Herose as they entered the clearing and advanced toward O'Connor with hishand extended in greeting. 

For some time they talked earnestly together, O'Connor making a reportof his expedition into the town and the rescue of the prisoners. Now andthen the old general would turn his weather-beaten face toward the boys, and in the flickering light of the camp fire they could see theexpression of cold severity melt away into a smile as soft and gentle asa woman's. Presently, the conference ended, he stepped over to Harry andBert, shook each by the hand, and then retired to the hut again, and atonce began to issue orders to his staff. One by one they saluted andleft him. 

"Are they going to attack the town?" asked Harry. 

"No, my boy, not now. Had we not appeared the attack would have beenmade within an hour. As it is, the general will return to Cubitas tocontinue his campaign as originally planned, and Captain Morgan, whomoved up here to co-operate with the general, will return and cover theremoval of our cargo. All that remains now is to take the old _Mariella_safely out of these waters and then we can say, 'All's well that endswell!' In the meantime, as I am a bit anxious myself to get away, wewill press on and make the lagoon by dawn. Then you boys will have achance to put in a little sleep, for, as our friend Washington wouldsay, I'm not such a mucher at guessing, but I'll warrant you are runninga little short of rest since your arrival on these lively shores. "

The boys were indeed completely fagged out. The reaction following thenervous strain and the excitement of the past few days was beginning toset in, and Harry felt that if he could once more climb into his bunk onthe _Mariella_ he could sleep for twenty-four hours. Still, they pulledthemselves together and struck out again into the bush close in the wakeof O'Connor, who seemed to be made of iron. 

As they reached the shores of the lagoon the sky was just brighteningwith the gray dawn. The outlines of the _Mariella_ were dimlydiscernable. Bert and Harry, now completely exhausted, threw themselvesat full length on the beach. O'Connor put his fingers to his lips andagain that strange bird cry floated out on the still air over the darklagoon. There was no answer, but in a moment the sound of creaking ropescould be heard, and then there was the splash of a boat in the water, followed presently by the regular sound of oars. O'Connor lighted amatch and held it for a second above his head as a signal to the rowers. 

A boat's keel grated on the sand and Suarez leaped out and seizedO'Connor's hand in both of his. 

"Glad to see you back safe, sir, " he said, earnestly. "Miss Juanita andher mother are safe on board and I see you have the two young gentlemenwith you, so we are all accounted for again. "

"Good, Suarez, and how about the cargo?"

"Nearly all on shore. We shall be ready for sea again by midnight ifMorgan returns to take charge of the removal on shore. "

"Morgan and his men will be here within a few hours. Keep the cargomoving; I shall not feel at rest until I get well out to sea again. "

Suarez turned toward the boat and the boys heard him mutter:

"Petticoats always do knock the pluck out of a man. "

As they rowed alongside of the _Mariella_, day had dawned and the boyscould distinguish Miss Juanita, Mason, and Washington leaning over therail. Little Mason swung his cap and shouted in his joy. 

At this point Washington seized him and dragged him back, at the sametime placing his finger on his own lips to indicate that he should bequiet. 

"O, bother, " grunted Mason, "who's afraid now the cap's back?"

Miss Juanita greeted them warmly as they came over the side. She took ahand of each boy and kissed it with a pretty little courtesy. Washingtonwas so jubilant that he could not refrain from a few steps of a doubleshuffle on the deck. 

"Ah guessed Massa Cap'n Dynamite'd bring 'em all back all right, allright, an' ah ain't such a mucher at guessin' either, " he said, with awide grin. 

The boys, quite abashed by Miss Juanita's demonstrative thanks, stammered a few words in reply and turned to greet their eagercompanion. 

"Say, fels, tell me all about it, " said the Midget, dragging them off tothe forward part of the deck. 

"First got to go to the galley with George Wash Jenks and get somecoffee and bite to eat. Ah bet you suah hungry, Misser Harry an' MisserBert. "

"We suah are, Washington. What have you got to eat in there?"

"Ah guess ah got some suah 'nough fresh doughnuts. "

"Oh, doughnuts for ours, " cried the boys in chorus. 

"Also for mine, Wash, " said Mason solemnly. "I may not be a hero, butI've got just as good an appetite for fresh doughnuts as if I hadrescued the maiden all forlorn. How about that, Wash?"

"Suah, Misser Mason, you get doughnuts too. "

"Very well, then, lead on. "

They followed the grinning and happy negro into the galley, whileO'Connor and Miss Juanita joined her mother on the after deck. For halfan hour they were busy tucking away Washington's doughnuts and coffee, while Mason waited patiently for the story of their adventures. Fullstomachs and a sense of safety after a period of excitement and danger, however, brought about a lethargy that only rest and sleep could dispel, and with heavy eyes and weary legs they dragged themselves aft to theirstateroom, and crawling into their bunks, fully dressed as they were, fell into a heavy sleep despite the disgusted protests of Mason, who wasfinally obliged to leave them to their dreamless slumber. 

CHAPTER XXIV

THE ESCAPE FROM THE LAGOON

When the boys awoke it was dark again. They had slept through the daywithout a break. Mason, who had been hovering around restlessly all day, poked his head into the stateroom just as Harry was rubbing his eyes. 

"O, say, you chaps, have you returned to life again? Do you know youhave been pounding your ears for thirteen hours?"

"Where are we, Midget?" asked Harry, yawning. 

"Still in the blooming lagoon. "

"Oh, yes, I remember now. " Harry sighed comfortably and turned over. 

"Oh, say, you fellows; turn out. You have had sleep enough and I am aslonely as a cow in a strange pasture. You've had all the fun; now theleast you can do is to get up and tell me about it. "

"Fun, eh?" said Bert, who had been awakened by the conversation. "I wishyou had had my part of the enjoyment. More quiet amusement will do forme. "

"I am as hungry as a bear, " said Harry, jumping out of bed. "If youwon't let us sleep we must eat. Have you had supper yet?"

"No; Cap said he was going to wait until you waked up. "

"All right; if you'll get a bucket of water we'll be ready in shortorder. I've got to wash up. I'm as dirty as a digger Indian. "

When Harry turned out he found his own suit, carefully mended andpressed, laid out over a chair. He gladly discarded his badly fittingSpanish uniform, and after a good wash, donned his own clothing againand made quite a presentable appearance as he walked out on deck, wherehe found O'Connor and Miss Juanita and her mother lounging lazily insteamer chairs. 

O'Connor jumped up and warmly welcomed the boys, and Miss Juanitainsisted upon presenting them to her mother as "the brave American ladswho had saved her from the vengeance of General Serano. "

"And now, youngsters, " said O'Connor, as soon as they had blushinglyacknowledged the warmly expressed gratitude of Miss Juanita's mother, "Iknow you are hungry and dinner waits. My Waldorf chef has done himselfproud in honor of the occasion and George Wash Jenks, his assistant, hasbegged to be allowed to serve us. Let's get busy. " He rose as he spokeand the boys saw that he had dressed himself with scrupulous careagain, in a suit of light flannel, yachting cap, and immaculately whitecanvas shoes. 

It was a merry party that gathered around the cabin table, which, withits elaborate setting of crystal and silver, would have been a credit toany domestic establishment. Washington, in a white coat and apron, hisface wide ajar with a happy grin, served them skillfully. After desserthad been cleared away and O'Connor had secured permission from theladies to smoke his cigarette, Mason, who had been for many hoursimpatiently waiting to hear the story of his comrades' adventures, sawhis opportunity, and rising and bowing to the company with his funny, grave expression, said:

"Ladies and gentlemen, and our distinguished host: Little as I amaccustomed to public speaking, I wish right here to say that I considerthat I have been very shabbily treated. Fickle fortune robbed me of anopportunity to become a hero, and it looks as if I would now be deniedeven the poor gratification of enjoying the thrilling adventures of mybrave comrades by word of mouth. I know I'm little and perhaps my suitwould not have fitted Miss Juanita as well as my friend Hamilton's, butit was not because of my size that unkind fate singled him out for thehero part and left me not so much as an understudy. It was pure hardluck, and now I demand, as the slighted party, that the story of therescue from the Spanish prison be told in the minutest detail for thebenefit of the assembled company by those who acted the principal parts. Captain Dynamite, I leave it to you if it is not due to a disappointed, would-be hero?"

O'Connor laughed heartily at the boy, who kept a serious and sober faceduring his harangue. 

"Your position is well taken, Master Mason, " he said. "I propose thatMaster Hamilton begin the story at the point where he and his companionfell into the hands of the Spaniards. "

After some urging Harry told in an easy narrative style the story of hisand Bert's adventures, to which Mason listened breathlessly, whileWashington, who had been permitted to stand behind O'Connor's chair, alternately grinned and stared in amazement. The story of the misfortuneof Villamonte seemed to amuse him greatly, and as Harry described hisexpression as he lay bound and gagged in the prison, the negro slappedhis leg in glee, and for a moment forgetting himself, cried out. 

"Ah guess Misser Tree Card Monte not bother Massa Cap'n Dynamite nomore. He, he, ha, ha. "

They all joined with Washington in his mirth, and in the midst of theirhilarity the cabin door opened and Suarez, with a reproachfulexpression, looked in at O'Connor and waited for the noise to subside. 

"Captain Morgan's sentinels on the point report a light off shore, sir, "he said, as soon as he could make himself heard. 

"What sort of a light, Suarez?" asked O'Connor, without showing anyexcitement. 

"Probably a vessel's light, sir. "

"Very well. Call me if it seems to be making in shore. "

Suarez cast another glance at O'Connor that seemed to say, "Petticoatsare out of place on filibusters, " but he wisely refrained fromexpressing any such opinions aloud. 

Harry continued his narrative and O'Connor appeared to listen with asgreat an interest as if he were not familiar with the details already. Harry noticed, however, that every now and then he cast a glance at thedoor as if he expected Suarez to return. He had reached that point inhis story where they discover Villamonte riding madly after them on theplain and Washington's eyes were bulging with excitement, when the dooragain opened and Suarez stepped in and saluted. 

"I think you had better come on deck, sir, " he said, quietly. 

"All right, Suarez, " said O'Connor, jumping up quickly. "Go on with yourstory, my boy, I will join you again shortly. Keep up the interest;you've got your audience in the proper mood now. " With a light laugh, intended to allay any anxiety Suarez's words might have caused hisguests, O'Connor left the cabin. 

Harry realized that some danger threatened them, but catching asignificant look in the eyes of the captain as he left the room, fell inwith his purpose readily and continued his story as if nothing hadhappened. 

"What is it, Suarez?" asked O'Connor, as soon as they were alone ondeck. 

"She's headed in shore and directly for the inlet, sir. "

"Can you make her out yet?"

"I have not been ashore, sir, but Morgan's men say they can only see herlights. "

"Lower a boat and let me take your glasses. I do not want to alarm theladies by returning to the cabin for mine. "

"Women are a bit of a nuisance at such times, sir, " said Suarez, whocould no longer refrain from expressing his views, however mildly. 

"No, you are wrong there, Suarez, " said O'Connor, who understood themate's aversion to everyone and everything that was not workingdirectly for the good of the cause. "They are only an incentive to extracaution, which you must admit is an admirable thing for me. " Suarezshook his head doubtfully as he went forward to get the boat in thewater and O'Connor laughed at his officer's crochet. 

A boat was quickly lowered and manned, and O'Connor was rowed to thepoint of land that separated the lagoon from the ocean. He made his wayto a group of men who, in the shelter of some palm trees, were watchingthe red and green lights of an approaching vessel. 

"Can you make her out?" asked O'Connor, eagerly. 

"No, sir. We have no glasses. Perhaps you can tell what she is. "

O'Connor took a long look at the lights, which were yet mere specks. 

"I can't make her out yet, " he said, as he lowered his glasses, "butwhoever she is she must know the coast hereabouts pretty well to head inso close. "

He sat down with his back to one of the trees and his face to the seaand rolled a cigarette. He smoked calmly for ten minutes and then puthis glasses to his eyes again. 

"She's a gunboat, " he said finally. "Let me know in fifteen minutes ifshe still holds her course. "

He turned back to his boat and was rowed rapidly back to the _Mariella_. Suarez met him at the gangway. 

"Did you make her out, sir?" he asked eagerly. 

"Yes, she's a gunboat--I think our old friend the _Belair_, and if it beshe there is no significance in her presence here. She has probably beencruising up and down the coast since we left her trying to solve themystery of our sudden disappearance. But in any event you better preparefor the worst; but quietly, Suarez, quietly. We do not want to alarm theladies unnecessarily. "

"Bother the ladies, " grumbled Suarez to himself, as he went forward tocarry out the captain's orders. O'Connor leaned on the rail facing theblack point of land that hid them from view. Presently a boat put outfrom the shore and as she came under the _Mariella's_ quarter, O'Connorwhispered:

"Well?"

"Only the red light shows now, sir, " answered a man in the small boat. 

"She has changed her course, then. Good. Keep a sharp lookout and let meknow at once if she changes again. "

"It seems to be steady, sir. I think she has come to anchor. "

"Whew, " whistled O'Connor; "that's bad. "

The little boat put back to shore and O'Connor stood leaning over therail in deep thought. Meanwhile dark shapes moved quickly, but silently, across the deck as the men took their quarters. The mate arousedO'Connor from his reverie. 

"All is ready, sir, " he said. 

"Very good, Suarez. I think I know what her game is now. She's beatingthe coast for just such hidden spots as this lagoon. Get word at once tothe men on the point to watch carefully for the approach of a launch orsmall boat. There is to be no demonstration unless they find the inlet. In that case let them see that no one gets out again. And Suarez, themachete--no guns. There must be no noise to tell the _Belair_ what hashappened. "

O'Connor rejoined the party in the cabin with a smile on his lips thatbelied the weight of anxiety on his mind. 

"Now ladies, " he said cheerily, "if Harry has finished his tale ofadventure we will bid you good night, as I have to make ready for sea. You will occupy my cabin, as I have no doubt the boys will be quitewilling to bunk with me in a spare stateroom forward. "

The boys bade the ladies good night and retired to the deck with thecaptain. 

"What's up, Cap?" asked Harry, as soon as the door closed behind them. 

"Can't fool you, eh?" laughed O'Connor. 

"I knew something had gone wrong, sir, as soon as you left the cabin. "

"Well, I suppose I might just as well tell you boys, for you will findout sooner or later, but I do not want a word of it to reach the ladies;you understand?"

"We'll be as silent as clams at high water, " said Mason, "but I shouldlike to have it thoroughly understood that I am next in line for anyhero parts. "

"There is a Spanish gunboat--the same one we had the little mix-up withcoming down, I think--lying just off the inlet. I believe that hercommander suspects that we have hidden away in some such place as thisand he is beating the shore with small boats in the hope of locatingus. "

"But what chance would a small boat have if she did discover us?"

"If the boat crew discovered us and got away the gunboat could shell usout or sink us in the lagoon. "

"Another cheery outlook, " groaned Bert. "I thought we were safe on the_Mariella_ and it seems that it is only a choice between Spanish gunsashore and Spanish shells at sea. "

"Oh, it's not quite so bad as that, Master Wilson, " said O'Connorlaughing, but with an anxious look in the direction of the cabin. "Ifthey do not discover our hiding-place we shall sneak out all right undercover of darkness, and if they do discover it, we shall have to fightfor it; but in either event we shall get out. " O'Connor's mouthtightened into that straight line that indicated his desperate moods. Hestepped over to the rail and fixed his eyes on the black shore of thelagoon. It was his usual abrupt method of closing a conversation, andthe boys who were now familiar with his peculiarities, did not attemptto question him further. 

The tide was running into the inlet and the _Mariella_ had swung aroundon her anchor chains until she was pointed directly for the hiddenopening to the sea. The boys left O'Connor to his thoughts and strolledforward. The sky was partially overcast and the moon, which had justrisen, was almost obscured by heavy, slowly moving clouds. Now and then, however, it broke through a rift, flooding the lagoon with its silverylight and throwing the black sides of the _Mariella_ into bold relief. Not a breath of air stirred leaf or twig. 

"We are ready for action, " whispered Harry, as they passed the silentforms of the men standing quietly at their stations. "They won't catchCaptain Dynamite napping, any way. "

Near the fo'c'sle deck they found Washington at his post, a Mauser inhis hand and machete and pistols in his belt. 

"Hullo, Wash, " said Mason, "are we going to have another mix-up?"

The negro grinned and bobbed his head rapidly at the same time placinghis finger on his lips. 

"What's the matter? Lost your tongue again?"

"'Sh. George Wash Jenks can't talk on fightin' duty. "

"That's right, Wash; obey orders, " said Harry, as they passed on. 

The dark forms of the waiting men, the dead silence that hung over thesteamer, and the tense air of anxiety and doubt that pervaded all beganto have a disquieting effect upon the boys who, at first, full ofconfidence in the courage and experience of O'Connor, had regarded theirsituation as only remotely dangerous. For a long time they stood lookingoff at the screen of trees and vines that separated them from the sea, where the gunboat lay in wait for its prey. 

A black cloud that had obscured the face of the moon slowly passed overit, and again the shores of the lagoon stood out in detail, almost as ifthe sun shone upon them. Harry placed a hand quickly on Bert's shoulderand pointed ahead of them. There was a commotion in the leafy screen asif something was forcing its way through. The next moment the bow of aboat crept slowly out until its full length was visible within thelagoon. Another cloud began to draw a fleecy fringe across the moon, butbefore its darker center passed over the shining disc, the boys couldsee many black moving spots on the surface of the water, rapidlyapproaching the boat from behind. 

"We must tell the captain, " said Harry, turning quickly, only to findO'Connor with folded arms standing silently behind them, watching thescene with contracted brow. He did not appear to notice the presence ofthe boys. 

"Now, quick, " he hissed between his teeth, as if coaching someone in thedistance, and at the same time the boys saw the black spots rise fromthe water, as many arms shot up and seized the gunwale of the boat. Thena veil of darkness shut out the dramatic scene as the cloud shut out thelight of the moon. 

There was a sound of splashing water, a low cry or two and then silenceagain. O'Connor turned away and joined the mate, who had watched thebrief spectacle from the bridge. 

"It was well done, Suarez, " said O'Connor. 

"Aye, aye, sir; it was a neat job. Trust Morgan's men for that. " Thesplash of oars alongside interrupted them and the sentries' boatappeared again. O'Connor leaned over the bridge. 

"Boat and four men captured at the inlet, sir, " called a voice from outof the darkness. 

"Good; anyone hurt?"

"Not a soul, sir. We were two to one and they threw up their hands whenwe climbed over the stern of their boat. What shall we do with theprisoners?"

"Turn them over to Captain Morgan; and now, Suarez, when can we go tosea?"

"Whenever you please, sir. The cargo is all ashore. "

"Get up steam at once. "

"Are you going to take her out to-night, sir, in the face of the_Belair_?"

"If I don't take her out to-night we shall have to run the gauntlet in ahail of solid shot. It will not be long before they will suspect thatsomething has happened to that boat. By daybreak the _Belair_ will movein. Our only chance is to get out under cover of darkness. She is wellwithin range now, but we can get clear of the inlet with a bit of speedon before she discovers us, and if we've got to fight I prefer the opensea. "

"Very well, sir. Shall I heave the anchors?" asked Suarez. 

"You can't heave the anchors until you get up steam, man. "

"I told you we were ready for sea, sir, " said Suarez, in a reproachfultone. "The _Mariella_ is always at your command. "

Fifteen minutes later O'Connor stood in the pilot house with his hand onthe wheel. He looked back for a moment at the two sentinel palms andthen he rang the bell for full speed ahead. 

The engines throbbed, the screws churned the still water of the lagooninto a white froth and the _Mariella_, with rapidly increasing speed, poked her nose into the green foliage that barred her passage to thesea. Branches and vines scraped along her sides for a moment and then, released from their impeding embrace, she forged ahead with a trembleand start into the open sea. The red portlight of the waiting gunboatgleamed in the darkness a few points off her port bow. O'Connor swungher head around until the light was off the _Mariella's_ quarter. Thenhe turned the wheel over to the steersman who stood beside him. 

"Keep her steady, now, " he said, as he left the pilot house and returnedto the bridge, where Suarez stood with his glasses trained on the redlight. 

"No sign of movement, yet, sir, " he said. 

"You have no lights burning?"

"Not a light aboard, sir, except in the binnacle. "

"All depends upon the moon then. She'll hardly make us out against theshore. If the moon stays in for fifteen minutes we shall be out of rangeof her guns and we can outfoot her in a stern chase. "

CHAPTER XXV

HOME AGAIN

Mrs. Hamilton sat on the broad veranda of her cottage looking wistfullyout to sea. She was pale and languid from the weight of many anxiousdays and sleepless nights. Before her lay the treacherous ocean, nowcalm and peaceful, rippling laughingly in the summer sunshine. The whitesails of tiny pleasure craft skimmed lightly over its placid surface, and in striking contrast to her unhappy mood, nature and the worldseemed to show their cheeriest faces. The laughing voices of merryyoungsters, the twitter of the sparrows in the trees, the soft notes ofa girl's happy song wafted to her from a passing yacht, all gratedharshly on her overwrought nerves. Day in and day out, in sunshine andstorm, since Harry's disappearance, she had sat in a sheltered corner ofthe veranda and--waited. 

Mr. Hamilton stepped out of the cottage, and drawing a chair beside her, took her hand gently in his and caressed it silently. 

"There is no word yet?" she said, finally, without taking her eyes fromthe dancing water. 

"None. "

"And you have been unable to learn anything of the steamer, --the_Mariella_?"

"All that my agents can find out is that she is apparently a tramp, andthat she cleared from Boston for southern ports with a cargo of generalmerchandise. "

"And she has not been reported since?"

"No. "

"There can be little hope then?"

"We must not despair yet. "

"There could have been no mistake in the name of the steamer that pickedthem up?"

"I hardly think so. I saw the captain of the steamer that reported themand he is positive that he could have made no mistake in reading thesignal. "

"Then she should have arrived at some port long ago. "

"Yes; but these tramp steamers are sometimes very slow and it is notunusual for them to be many days overdue and turn up all right. I think, Mary, it is best that you should go home. This anxiety is killing youand the surroundings here keep you constantly overwrought. I have everypoint covered from which a report of the steamer might be received, andthen, who knows, if Harry should land in the South, he might go West atonce. "

Mrs. Hamilton shook her head and pointed out over the sea. 

"No, Edward, that is the way he went and I shall wait for him here. "

A boy on a bicycle rode up to the house. 

"Telegram for Mr. Hamilton, " he called, as he jumped from his wheel. 

"Quick, Edward, it may be news from Harry, " said Mrs. Hamilton, risingeagerly as her husband took the yellow envelope from the boy and brokethe seal hastily. 

"The _Mariella_ is bound in, " he almost shouted, as he passed the paperto his wife. She took it in her trembling hands and read:

EDWARD HAMILTON, Cliff Cottage, Cottage City, Mass. 

 Tramp steamer _Mariella_ just reported passing in. Bound for Boston. 

WILLIAM COFFIN, Nantucket. 

Mrs. Hamilton sank back into her chair, an expression of eager hopelighting up her wan face. 

"Do you suppose that Harry is on board, Edward? Can it be that he iscoming home at last?"

"I hope so, Mary, but I cannot understand it. Where has the steamer beenand why has she not been reported out?"

"Can this be a mistake?" asked the woman plaintively, holding out thetelegram. 

"No, I think not. "

"Then let us go to Boston at once and meet him. "

"That would be unwise. By the time we could reach there, Harry--if he isaboard--might be on his way here. It is best to wait, Mary, and hope forthe best. In the meantime, I will wire to my agent in Boston to meet thesteamer. "

With a sigh of resignation, Mrs. Hamilton resumed her weary vigil. Suddenly she started up with a new idea. 

"Edward, " she said, "if she is coming in she will pass out there. "

"Yes, but too far out for you to see her, Mary. "

"Never mind; bring me the glasses. It will help to pass the weary hoursof waiting. "

Mr. Hamilton brought her a pair of marine glasses, and rearranging thecushions behind her head with a tender hand, he left her eagerlyscanning the horizon for some sign of a passing steamer. 

When he returned from the telegraph office she called to him eagerly:

"Look, Edward, just off the point. There is a steamer. "

"Yes, probably a collier. "

"But she seems to be headed this way. "

"They go up the sound to New York. "

"But might she not be the--the----"

"No, Mary; she would have to head out around Cape Cod to make Boston. "

"I know, I know, but perhaps she may land him here. "

"That would take her out of her course and mean the loss of time. Hercaptain would not do that. "

For fifteen minutes more, Mrs. Hamilton watched the steamer in silenceand then she turned again to her husband, and said:

"She is not going up the sound, Edward; she is headed in here. " Mr. Hamilton took the glasses and scanned the steamer. 

"She does seem to be headed this way. "

"It is the _Mariella_, Edward. "

Mrs. Hamilton spoke in a low tone of deep conviction. Her husband lookedat her anxiously. 

"You are trying to make coincidences fit your wishes, Mary, " he said. "Do not build up false hopes; the disappointment will be too much foryour worn nerves. "

"I shall not be disappointed, Edward; see, she is headed straight innow. "

"It is strange, " said Mr. Hamilton, beginning himself to take aninterest in the steamer, which was now certainly headed almost for thecottage. 

"Quick, Edward, the glasses; I can see people on her decks. "

Mrs. Hamilton rose from her chair as she spoke and almost snatched theglasses from her husband's hands in her eagerness. For a long time shestood like a statue with the glasses trained on the steamer, and thensuddenly she took a white shawl from her shoulders and waved it wildlyabove her head. 

"It is Harry, " she cried, sobbing with excitement, as she thrust theglasses into her husband's hands. "See, they have seen us, too, andHarry is waving his hat. "

Her overwrought nerves could not stand the excess of joy and she sankinto her husband's arms. 

Mr. Hamilton carried her into a big room that overlooked the water andplaced her gently on a lounge. When she recovered consciousness andopened her eyes, she looked up into the face of her son, who bentanxiously over her. 

"Harry, " she whispered, her happiness sending the warm blood back intoher face again. 

"Mother, " he cried, seizing her in his strong young arms. 

When she was stronger they led her out to her seat on the veranda whereshe had kept her weary vigil, and she warmly greeted Bert and theMidget, who had just returned from the telegraph office, where they hadsent word at once to their homes telling of their safe arrival inAmerica. O'Connor who had come ashore at Harry's earnest solicitation, stood in the background talking with Mr. Hamilton, to whom he hadbriefly outlined the adventures of the three boys since they had beenhis guests on the _Mariella_. 

Harry took the big man by the hand and led him over to his mother. 

"Mother, " he said, proudly, "I want you to know my friend, CaptainDynamite. "

"Captain Dynamite?" repeated Mrs. Hamilton, in wonder. 

"Captain O'Connor, I mean; they call him Dynamite because when you touchhim off there's sure to be something doing. He saved our livestwice--once from the sea, and once from the Spaniards. "

"The Spaniards--my son, what are you talking about?"

"That's a long story, mother. I will tell you that to-night. "

After much persuasion, O'Connor was induced to remain overnight oncondition that all hands would dine on the _Mariella_. He went back tothe steamer and sent a large boat ashore for his guests and no happierparty could have been found that night than those who gathered aroundthe table in the cabin of the old _Mariella_. Miss Juanita made Mrs. Hamilton's heart glow with the pride of a mother as she told of Harry'ssacrifice to save her, and after dinner, as they all gathered on theafter deck under the starlit sky, Mr. And Mrs. Hamilton listened withbreathless interest as the various actors told the story of theiradventures during the voyage with Captain Dynamite. 

It was long after midnight when all the farewells had been said and theboat that was to put the departing guests ashore left the side of the_Mariella_. As the sailors pushed off, O'Connor and Juanita stood at therail, his big hand resting gently on hers. 

"Say, Cap, " shouted the Midget, as they moved away, "count us in whenyou cut that wedding cake. "

[THE END. ]