"Do you mean it, Don?" asked Billie in surprise.

"Sure! What do you think he'd do to us as soon as it was light?"

By this time the train was under headway; a second later the last coach pa.s.sed them and in another minute the tail lights were disappearing in the darkness.

"It looks to me," remarked Adrian with a long breath, "as though we were in the consomme."

"Perhaps," was Donald's laconic reply, "but those women and children will be safe in Vera Cruz under the guns of Admiral Fletcher's fleet by daylight, or I'm greatly mistaken."

"And what are we going to do with our friend the captain?"

queried Billie.

"He'll have to accept our hospitality under the stars until morning and then we'll see."

In telling about his experiences later Billie said it was the longest and the shortest night he ever knew. It seemed a long time for daylight, but it seemed a short time for the train which was bearing his countrymen to safety.

When day finally began to break, the first thing that became visible was the snow-tipped peak of Mt. Orizaba, against which the sun threw his brilliant rays long before he could be seen above the horizon. It was a beautiful sight and the boys voiced their admiration with many exclamations of delight. Then they turned their attention to the more serious thoughts for the day.

The first thing they did was to release the lieutenant from his unpleasant predicament and restore to him his uniform.

"We should like to return you your arms also," said Donald, "but your government took ours from us and I think we shall have to keep yours in their place."

Neither of the officers made any reply, but their dark looks boded no good for the boys.

"You might just as well look pleasant," laughed Billie. "All is fair in love and war."

"We'll make you sing a different song when we get you in Vera Cruz," said the captain.

"And when do you think that will be, Captain?" queried Adrian.

"As soon as the next train comes along."

"Oh, that's it, is it?" said Donald. "That being the case, I guess we will not wait for another train. By the way, how far is it to Vera Cruz?"

"About a hundred kilometers."

"That's about eighty-four miles, isn't it, Ad?"

"Just about."

"And it's down hill pretty much all the way, isn't it?"

"I should say so by looking down the valley."

"A right nice little walk, Captain. Let's be going. We ought to make it easily in four days."

At this cordial invitation the captain lost his temper.

"Carramba!" he exclaimed. "Am I a boy to be made sport of? I will not go. If you wish me to go you will have to carry me," and he deliberately laid himself down on the ground.

In spite of themselves the boys were obliged to laugh.

"We carried the lieutenant last night, but we don't desire your company badly enough to carry you," laughed Billie. "If you don't want to go, I for one vote to leave you. We have to forage for something to eat and the fewer there are, the easier it will be.

And speaking of eats, it seems to me I smell something cooking right now."

At Billie's words the others sniffed up their noses.

"It's a fact as sure as you're born," declared Donald.

"And I'm going to find out where the odor comes from," said Billie. "There must be a house around here somewhere."

Again he sniffed the air and smiled jubilantly.

"The wind's in the east," he laughed. "It must be somewhere in this direction. Come on, Captain."

The captain refused to move, but Billie led the way, followed by the two boys. They had not gone many rods when through an opening in the trees they beheld a good-sized adobe house. Pushing hastily toward it, they soon reached a cleared s.p.a.ce, and there, gathered about a bunch of some forty or fifty horses, were a dozen men, while through the open door of the house many more were to be seen seated at a table--eating.

"Come on!" exclaimed Billie. "I'm going to have something to eat; I don't care who they are."

"We might as well make the best of it," declared Donald. "We are discovered any way and the best thing we can do is to put on a bold front."

Without further words the three boys walked boldly toward the house.

CHAPTER X.

A TIMELY RESCUE.

The minute the boys' presence became known, there was a commotion in the house and in the clearing surrounding it. Those in the yard sprang toward their guns and those in the house jumped from the table.

"Don't move," called out Billie. "We are friends."

But the men were not sure and at once surrounded the boys.

They appeared to be soldiers, but their uniforms were of a great variety and many hues. Only the officer in command had anything the appearance of a real soldier.

"Who are you?" he demanded as he came forward.

"Friends! Americanos!" replied Donald.

"Yes; and hungry ones," added Billie with a gesture that brought a smile to the officer's face.

"Where did you come from?" was the next inquiry.

Donald explained that they had been left by a train that had stopped nearby. He did not think it necessary to enlighten the officer as to the circ.u.mstances.