"From what you say," was Donald's comment, "it is greatly to our advantage to do as you wish. Let's consider the matter settled and start at once."

"It's too late in the day to start now," was Mr. Black's reply.

"We shall wait until to-morrow morning and be on our way by daylight. I don't want to be riding through the mountains after dark. There are wild animals that are worse than the soldiers."

"As the Senora Blanco can testify," laughed Billie. "Every time I think of what a close shave she had, it gives me a chill."

That afternoon Mr. Black brought out half a dozen horses for the inspection of his guests.

"A day's ride on a strange horse isn't always an easy task," he explained, "and I thought you might amuse yourself trying these.

You can each pick out the one that suits him best."

It was a task which suited the boys better than any they had undertaken in days, and as they had not only Mr. Black, but Josie and the General's wife for spectators, they were more than pleased to show their dexterity after true cowboy fashion.

The remainder of the afternoon was therefore spent in riding, throwing the lariat and in shooting, much to the gratification of Mr. Black, who declared he had never seen a better exhibition of its kind.

As a result of their experience, the boys picked out three medium-sized horses, which Mr. Black emphatically stated showed their good judgment of horse flesh, as completely as their riding had proved their horsemanship.

They were all in the saddle early the following morning, Josie's wound having healed sufficiently to permit her to ride without danger.

Early morning in the tropics is the pleasantest time of the day, and although the road from Mr. Black's hacienda to Moreno would take them from an alt.i.tude of over four thousand feet down to about two thousand feet above sea level, they would be sufficiently up in the mountains to make riding fairly comfortable.

The route chosen took the little party first to the headquarters of the Carranza force operating in that section. They were warmly greeted by General Dorantes, the commanding officer, who furnished them with a guard of four men and pa.s.ses through the lines, "if," he added as he bade them good luck, "you should find it necessary to pa.s.s our lines. If my reports are correct, we are in possession of all the territory to the south."

For hours the cavalcade rode on without incident, stopping only long enough to partake of a mid-day meal at the hacienda of Don Alvaro Flores, a friend of Mr. Black's. Late in the afternoon, however, when about six miles from their destination, there came to their ears the sound of heavy firing--of field pieces mingled with the occasional roll of a machine gun.

They stopped and listened intently.

"Which direction do you make the firing to be?" asked Mr. Black of the corporal in command of the escort.

"In the direction of Tierra Blanca, sir. It sounds as though our forces might have been attacked."

"How will that affect our journey?"

"Hard to tell, sir. If we win, as we shall, the enemy may fall back toward Santa Lucrecia, or they may retreat toward Moreno. If you will take my advice, you will halt here until the action is over."

The advice seemed most excellent and the cavalcade came to a halt and the riders dismounted to give themselves a much-needed rest.

The firing lasted something like twenty minutes, then suddenly ceased, with the exception of an occasional "Boom!"

"It sounds as though we had beaten them off," said the corporal.

"Is there any way that we can tell in which direction they have retreated?"

"Only by a reconnoiter."

"Which is our long suit," declared Billie. "You just stay here with the guard, Mr. Black, and we three will soon have a report."

Looking to their arms, with which they had been well supplied by their host before leaving the hacienda, the boys rode forward toward an elevation something like a mile distant. From this they hoped to get a view of the country.

There was a fairly level road and they dashed along at a good rate despite their long ride. The horses were as hard as iron and the boys did not know the meaning of the word tired.

Reaching the top of the hill, they found a s.p.a.ce, from which they could see clear across the valley through which ran the railroad from Santa Lucrecia to Vera Cruz. To the right, some miles away, they could see a good-sized little city which their common sense told them must be Tierra Blanca. To the left, but nearer, was the smaller town of Moreno, for which they were headed.

Between the two towns, and coming directly toward them, was a band of galloping hors.e.m.e.n, probably one hundred or more in number.

"Great Scott!" was Billie's e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.i.o.n as he caught sight of the hors.e.m.e.n, "they're coming right at us."

"I believe you are right," from Donald. "They seem to be on this very road."

"What would you take them to be?" was Billie's next question.

"Give it up," replied Donald.

"I'll bet I can make a good guess," said Adrian. "They are a flying column of Huerta cavalry, sent out to test the Carranza lines. They have paid their respects to Tierra Blanca and now they are headed for Cordoba."

"They'll never get there," said Billie. "They'll run into General Dorante's men."

"But if it's a surprise, they'll cut their way through."

"It's up to us to see that it is not a surprise!" cried Donald.

"Come on!" and he turned and dashed back the road they had come.

In less than five minutes they were where they had left their companions. In another two minutes they had told their story and in another minute the corporal and his men were on their way back toward General Dorante's headquarters.

"It's only a question of whose horses are the best," said Mr.

Black. "And now let us to cover."

Leaving the highway, the Americans turned sharply to the left and dashed for the shelter of a piece of woodland something like a half a mile away. Pell-mell they went over rocks and shrubs, regardless of themselves or their horses, and succeeded in reaching the friendly cover just about three minutes before the cavalry came into sight over the hill.

"We're all right now," said Mr. Black, "if the troopers will stick to the road, but if they should take it into their heads to scatter, we might have trouble."

With eager eyes the boys watched the oncoming hors.e.m.e.n, prepared to flee for their lives if they should be discovered, as they realized how useless would be any resistance.

Nearer and nearer they came until the leaders were at the very spot they had just left, and then with a rush they pa.s.sed by, turning neither to the right nor to the left.

Every one in the party heaved a deep sigh of relief.

"It's a wonder some of them didn't stop," said Billie.

"Oh, I don't know," laughed Adrian. "Look yonder," and he pointed to the brow of the hill, where another, but much smaller body of hors.e.m.e.n had appeared. "They evidently didn't intend to have their mission interfered with by fighting a rear-guard skirmish."

"I think the best thing we can do," said Mr. Black, "is to surrender ourselves to the pursuers. They are evidently Carranzistas and our pa.s.ses will protect us."

Breaking off a piece of bamboo, Mr. Black tied a handkerchief to it and raising it above his head the little party rode out of the woods. They were sighted at once and a party of hors.e.m.e.n dashed toward them, and surrounded them.

It was as they had expected and Gen. Dorantes' pa.s.ses were immediately recognized by the officer in command. He was much pleased at the information given him concerning the corporal and thanked the boys in the name of Gen. Carranza for their good offices. He furthermore detached an escort of a dozen men to see that they reached Moreno in safety and commended them to the care of the jefe politico, with the verbal instruction that the boys be allowed to proceed on their way to Vera Cruz at their will.