n open fighting than demolished
by all the heavy hardware on these two blocks."

Raising his voice, Trent ordered:

"Cease firing! Load magazines and hold your fire. We're going
to charge!"

From the sailormen a half-suppressed cheer arose. Hand-to-hand
fighting was much more to their liking than tedious sharpshooting.

"Keep close to the building on either side of the street!" Lieutenant
Trent ordered. "No man is to run in the middle of the road and
make an unnecessary target of himself. Ensigns Darrin and Dalzell
will run behind their men, to see that no man exposes himself
uselessly."

"Fall in! Ready to charge. In single file---charge!"

Heading the line on Darrin's side of the street, Trent dashed
around the corner, leading his sailormen at a run.

Dalzell's men rushed into the fray at the same moment, Dave amid
Dan, as ordered, bringing up the rear of the two files.

On the instant that the two lines of charging, cheering sailormen
came into sight, the Mexicans on the roof-top redoubled their
fire. It is difficult, however, to fire with accuracy at men
who are running close to the buildings. Either the bullet falls
short, or else goes wide of its mark and hits a wall behind the
line. So Lieutenant Trent's men dashed down the street for a
short distance, and pausing in the shelter of a building cheered
jubilantly.

Now the Mexican soldiers above no longer had the advantage. Whenever
one of their number showed his head over the edge of the roof
he became a handy target for the jackies below.

Heavy shutters covered the windows on the ground floor of the
building. The heavy wooden door was tightly locked.

"Ensign Darrin," sounded Trent's voice, "take enough men and batter
that door down."

It took a combined rush to effect that. Several times Dave led his
seamen against that barrier. Under repeated assaults it gave way.

"Through the house and to the roof!" shouted Trent. "We'll wind
up the snipers!"

What a yell went up from two score of throats as the sailormen
piled after their officers and thronged the stairs!

It was a free-for-all race to the top of the second flight of
stairs. Over the skylight opening lay a wooden covering tightly
secured in place.

"Come on, my hearties! Smash it!" yelled Trent, heaving his own
broad shoulders against the obstruction.

After the skylight cover was smashed the Mexican soldiers would
once more have the advantage. Only a man at a time