and Noll had had with
Vicente Tomba on the Escolta, and their subsequent meeting with Tomba
and Draney on the south side of the Pasig. Hal also repeated what they
had overheard Tomba saying to Draney. Hal then described the flight of
the pair in the _quilez_.

"Yet Draney declares that he never heard of Tomba," said the captain
musingly. "Sergeant Overton, do you think it possible that you have
mistaken Mr. Draney for someone else?"

"It may be, of course, sir," Hal admitted. "But I hardly believe it
possible. Besides, I have pointed out Mr. Draney to Sergeant Terry and
he also is positive that it is the same man."

At that moment all three turned to look forward. There was some sort of
commotion going on there. It proved, however, to be nothing but the
herding of the Filipino passengers on deck near the bow, while one of
the regiment's officers was inspecting their quarters below.

The three officers returned to their conversation, but presently Hal
murmured:

"Don't look immediately, Noll, but presently take a passing glance at
the Filipino standing away up in the bow. Tell Captain Cortland who the
fellow is."

"It's Vicente Tomba, although I'd hardly know him in that costume of the
_peon_ (laborer)," Noll answered.

"You are both certain that the man is Tomba?" inquired Captain Cortland
keenly.

"Yes, sir," both young sergeants declared, and Hal added:

"There's Corporal Hyman up forward, sir. If you'll go up and speak to
the corporal, and allow us to accompany you, sir, you can see whether
Hyman knows the fellow. He, too, was approached by Tomba, at the nipa
barracks."

Accordingly the test was made.

"Why, certainly, the fellow is Tomba," replied Hyman, "though he looks a
lot different, sir, from the dandy who was talking to me last Tuesday
night."

Captain Cortland asked all three of the non-commissioned officers some
further questions as they stood there. None of the quartette discovered
the fact that, close to them, crouching under the canvas cover of a life
boat as it swung at davits, lay one of the keen-eyed Filipino
passengers. This swarthy little fellow was only about half versed in
English, but he understood enough of the talk to realize what was in the
wind.

In some mysterious manner what this swarthy little spy overheard
traveled, less than an hour later, to Mr. Draney, planter, and that
gentleman, as he sat in his stateroom and thought it all over, was
greatly disturbed.

Still lat