orward to see if the coast is clear."

"A good plan, Sergeant; but take mighty good care of yourself!"

"Yes, sir. If you hear sounds of trouble up ahead then I suppose you'll
push right on through."

"If there's any sound of trouble, whatever, Sergeant, you can depend
upon our rushing through."

Saluting, Overton turned and slowly vanished into the darkness ahead.
Just as he came out of the gully Hal heard a cautious, warning:

"Sh-sh!"

The muzzle of a rifle was thrust to his breast.

"Noll?" whispered Hal.

"Yes," whispered Terry.

"Where's the real sentry at this point?" breathed Hal.

"The poor fellow was chilled through. I got chummy with him, talking
sign language, and then volunteered to stand duty for him. The Moro has
gone off to take a sleep where it's drier."

"Bully, old Noll!"

"The troops are behind you, Hal?"

"Yes."

"Then march them ahead straight on for a hundred yards due west. You
won't run into any of the enemy there. I've made it my business to
know."

Hal flew back to the advance guard.

"Fine!" glowed Captain Freeman, when he had heard the report.

The advance was quickly in motion. Captain Freeman was soon up with
Noll, who, after whispering, led the advance to the point he had
mentioned to his chum. Hal, in the meantime, remained to receive and
pilot Lieutenant Prescott's command.

"How on earth did you do this?" demanded Prescott in a whisper.

"Some of Sergeant Terry's work, sir," whispered Hal. "When you're ready,
sir, just keep on straight ahead until you come upon the advance. I'll
remain here, sir, if you permit, to warn the men behind you that they're
marching inside the Moros' lines."

"Do so, Sergeant," directed Lieutenant Prescott, at the same time making
the motion for his men to move ahead. On came the rest of the command in
single file.

"Softly," warned Hal, as the men passed by him. "You're inside the
enemy's lines."

Then, as the last man passed him, Hal whispered:

"Fall out, Gleason. Remain here to warn the rear guard when it arrives."

"All right, Sergeant. But this kind of work in the dark makes one
creepy. I feel as though I were robbing a judge's chicken-roost."

Hal laughed softly and hurried after the vanishing troops. Within a few
minutes more the rear guard had arrived.

By this time the rain had begun to come down again in torrents, but this
favored the work of the American troops.

Led by the two young scouts, the entire command m