mfortable as to the fate that he might expect.

"If they meant only to rob me," he reflected, "then why didn't they
proceed at once? But not a single brown rascal of the lot took the
trouble to thrust an exploring hand into my pockets. What, then? Do
they want an Army prisoner, and if so, for what?"

The longer the young soldier thought it over, the greater the puzzle
became. Nor did it escape his imagination that possibly he was not to be
allowed ever to see his comrades again. That thought, of course, sent a
chill of horror chasing up and down young Overton's spine. He was not
afraid to die in battle, if need be--but to be treated like a rat in a
trap--that was different.

"Well, they've got me, and I don't see any likelihood of getting away,"
decided Hal at last, after fully an hour devoted largely to futile
efforts to wriggle out of the bonds that held his wrists secure behind
his back. "These knots have been tied by masters. I don't believe I
could get out of them in hours. If they had only tied my hands in front
of me, so that I could work them loose. Confound the pirates!"

After what seemed like the passage of hours, the boy heard a slight
sound. Listening intently, he heard it repeated.

Next a light was turned on--from the same dark lantern.

Behind the light Hal's dazzled eyes could make out the figure of a man.

Toward him the light came, Hal blinking in the glare until the newcomer
halted beside him.

"Ah, Senor Sergente!" cried a mocking voice.

Then the new comer bent over the Army boy, and Overton knew him in an
instant--Vicente Tomba.

"That hemp in your mouth looks as though it might give you discomfort--a
thousand pardons," observed Tomba mockingly, as he removed the cord that
held the hemp in place.

Tomba now squatted on the ground beside the young soldier's head and
drew out the wad of hemp.

"So you are in this, Tomba?" inquired the Army boy coldly. "What's the
game, anyway?"

"Possibly," sneered the Filipino, "when you know more, you'll feel like
making a noise. Let me assure you that no friend will hear if you do
call. But any great amount of noise on your part might provoke me, and
that would not be wise under the circumstances."

Showing his white, even teeth in an evil smile, Tomba took out of the
breast of his blouse a small, bright-bladed creese that might have been
borrowed from one of the wall cases in Cerverra's shop.

"Why has this trick been played on me?" demanded Se