Outlined against the sky at the top of a small knoll, they could see a small body of hors.e.m.e.n.

"Keep away to the right," said Donald. "Keep in the valley and in the shadow," and he drew off the beaten highway, with Adrian close behind.

On the soft earth their horses' hoofs made no sound and in a couple of minutes more they descended into a little valley and the noise of the alarm pa.s.sed out of hearing.

"It was a mighty close shave," declared Adrian a few minutes later, when they pulled their horses down to a walk to allow them to catch their breath.

"Sure was," from Donald, "but we got the information we went after."

Half an hour later they were challenged by the American pickets, which had been thrown even further forward than where the boys had pa.s.sed through the lines. They stated their mission and were at once sent under guard to the officer of the day.

"Oh, it's you!" was the lieutenant's salutation as he saw who it was. "Did you get what you went after?"

"Yes, sir," from Donald. "The enemy has halted at Tejeria, fifteen miles away."

"Well done. I'll send an orderly to carry the report to headquarters. You boys are ent.i.tled to a rest."

"Where's Billie?" asked Adrian, looking around after the orderly had departed.

"Who?"

"Billie. Our chum."

"Oh, yes," replied the lieutenant. "He's disappeared."

"Disappeared?"

"Yes. He went into this house here," pointing to the building before which he had stationed himself, "and when I went in later to see how he was coming on with his wounded horse, I found the horse standing in the middle of the patio, but your chum had disappeared."

"And then what?" queried Donald.

"Nothing. I made up my mind he had gone after something to put on his horse and I haven't thought much about him since."

"Then it's up to us to find him. Can we go inside?"

"Sure," laughed the lieutenant. "Go as far as you like, only keep inside the lines."

Without more words the boys entered the patio.

CHAPTER XVII.

BILLIE GETS A SURPRISE.

When Billie found himself looking into the muzzle of a rifle in the hands of Santiago, his first impulse was to call out; but the expression on Santiago's face caused him to remain silent.

While the strange man owed his life to the lad, as is related in the story of the "Broncho Rider Boys with the Texas Rangers,"

there was that in the man's face which told that he was under a severe mental strain, and Billie did not think it wise to presume upon his former friendship.

Therefore, he remained quiet, waiting for Santiago to speak.

If he recognized Billie, he gave no intimation of the fact; but in a harsh voice commanded: "Up with your hands!"

Billie obeyed.

"Turn to the left and march. In there," he continued a moment later as Billie approached an open door in the rear of the patio.

Into the house Billie went--into a large room, but dimly lighted.

Santiago followed, closing the door behind him with a kick.

"Why shouldn't I shoot you down like a dog?" asked Santiago as soon as the door was closed.

"I can't see any reason," was the reply, "except that it might cause you a lot of trouble when it was found out. I imagine that Admiral Fletcher is going to be pretty severe upon snipers and others who shoot Americans."

"Bah!" exclaimed Santiago angrily. "I spit upon Americans! Bah!"

"That's all right," Billie agreed, "if it's the way you feel about it."

"Just because you Americans have driven away a few soldiers with the guns of your great fleet, you don't think you can conquer Mexico, do you?"

"I hadn't thought much about it."

"Then it's time you did, as you may never have another chance."

"Well, then," explained Billie, "I'll tell you how it looks to me. You might a great deal better be governed by the United States than by a man like Huerta."

"Huerta! Huerta!" fairly screamed Santiago. "He is not the governor of Mexico."

"No," from Billie. "He calls himself the provisional president.

In reality he is a dictator."

"He is a murderer!" shouted the thoroughly excited man.

"Then what are you worrying about? All that the Americans want is to get rid of Huerta. They don't want Mexico. Didn't you know that, Santiago?"

"What? Who calls me Santiago? I am Ixtazhl, Prince of the Aztecs and guardian of the treasures of Montezuma. Who calls me Santiago?"

In his excitement he rested the stock of his rifle upon the floor and bent upon Billie a gaze so fierce as greatly to disconcert him for the moment.

But Billie was not a lad to be easily unnerved and after a moment he replied calmly:

"I call you by the only name I know. It was the one you used on the Rio Grande when you sent me on a mission to Pancho Villa."

"Villa! Villa!" repeated Santiago, as though trying to recall something that had pa.s.sed from his memory. "Villa! Where have I heard that name before?"

"On the Rio Grande is all I can tell you. Do you remember Don Rafael?"