with you," offered Trent. "Ensign Darrin, bear
in mind that we are in danger of being surprised here, and would
then find ourselves in something of a trap. Take ten men and
go into the street, keeping close watch."

Twenty minutes later Trent came out, followed by his command,
with whom marched the fuming Cantor, a prisoner.

"Darrin, there must be a secret passage from the cellar," Trent
told his subordinate, "but we have been unable to find it. We
are bringing with us the body of the sniper that Riley shot on
the roof."

Line was formed and the detachment started back, Danny Grin and
two sailormen acting as a rear guard against possible attack.

Arrived at the post-office Trent, accompanied by Cantor and the
latter's guards, hurried off in search of the commanding officer
of the shore force.

Fifteen minutes later Lieutenant Trent returned.

"I was sustained," he informed Dave and Dan. "It was tough, but
the commanding officer directed me to send Cantor under escort
back to the '_Long Island_,' with a brief report stating why that
officer was placed in arrest."

There followed more waiting, during which the sound of individual
firing over the city became more frequent. Cantor's guard returned
from the "_Long Island_," with word that Captain Gales had ordered
that officer in arrest in his own quarters.

At last orders for Trent's detachment arrived.

"We are to push on into the city," Trent informed his ensigns.
"Twenty more '_Long Island_' men will reach us within three minutes.
We are to silence snipers, and kill them if we catch them red-handed
in firing on our forces. Above all, we are directed to be on the
alert for any Americans or other foreigners who may be in need of
help. We are likely to have a busy night."

Then, turning to his men, he added:

"Fall in by twos! Forward, march!"

CHAPTER XX

THE SKIRMISH AT THE DILIGENCIA

Trent saw his reinforcements approaching, and advanced to pick
them up and add them to his command.

The column, now a strong one for patrol purposes, turned at right
angles at the first corner, and marched on into the city, from
the further side of which came the sound of firing.

Every man with the column carried a hundred and fifty rounds of
ammunition. A machine gun was trailed along at the rear, in the
event that it might be wanted.

Less than half a mile from the start, Lieutenant Trent's command
sighted the American advance line ahead. Some