woman led the way, Billie insisting upon
carrying the little girl.

After a walk of more than two hours, the woman stopped in a
little clearing from which a view of the mountainside for miles
could be gained.

"There is my house," she said, pointing to the roof of a really
noble mansion constructed of stone. "But what is that flag I see
on top of it?"

The boys took one good look at it and then they let out a wild
yell.

"Hurrah!" they cried. "It's the Stars and Stripes."

"I don't know what it means away out here," said Donald, "but
wherever it is it means something. Come on!" and he dashed down
the mountainside, followed by the others.

CHAPTER XI.

FRIENDS IN DISTRESS.

Half an hour later the boys stopped beside a ruined wall in which
was a still more ruined gate.

It was the home of Gen. Luiz Blanco, whose wife and child it was
that the boys had saved from the mountain lion.

Above the house, on a lofty turret, waved the American flag--a
fact which caused the boys to enter the gate and approach the
house without hesitation.

But when they reached the great front door leading into the
patio, they found it shut and barred.

Here they knocked loudly.

For some minutes there was no reply, despite repeated knocks, but
finally a voice called out in English:

"Who's there?"

"American boys in trouble."

"What?" was the surprised reply. "Say it again, till I see if it
is true."

"It's true all right, all right," said Billie. "If you don't
believe it we'll sing the 'Star Spangled Banner,' or 'Hail
Columbia'."

They could hear some one removing the bars and a moment later the
gate swung open, and a huge, bewhiskered man in ragged garments
and a Winchester rifle in his hand stood before them.

"Come in quick," he commanded, "and let's get this gate barred.
There is no knowing when that band of robbers will be back."

"Robbers?" queried Billie, as he set the little girl on the
ground and extended his hand to the man. "What robbers?"

"They call themselves soldiers," and the man seized Billie's hand
and gave it a mighty grip, which made even Broncho Billie wince,
"but what do we care for them? With four Americans we can defy a
hundred of them." Then, as Donald and Adrian finished barring the
gate: "It's certainly good for sore eyes to see such faces," and
he grasped each boy in turn.

"Well, we're mighty glad to see you," replied Donald. "We
expected to find the place deserted."

"How