patio below.

After a long period of quiet Mr. Black ventured the assertion
that they were waiting for daylight, and his surmise proved
correct.

No attempt was made to force an entrance until the first faint
light of day began to appear. Then there was renewed activity
below and a few minutes later the sound of a single shot.

"I wonder what that was," exclaimed Billie.

No one could answer, but had Billie been where he could see, he
would have known that it was Donald who fired.

As the light came, Donald, peering through a crack in the stable,
had seen a man climbing up the side of the house toward the roof.
Without a moment's hesitation he fired and the man dropped, shot
through the right hand.

But the shot was Donald's undoing. The flash of his gun was
detected and half a dozen men rushed his hiding place and took
him prisoner.

He was at once taken before the captain of the band and
questioned as to the number of defenders and as to the
whereabouts of Gen. Blanco.

To all the questions Donald gave an evasive answer.

"If you will tell me where Gen. Blanco is," said the captain, "I
will give you your freedom."

"That's easy," was Donald's reply. "He is with Gen. Carranza."

"I don't believe it."

"Well, I can't help that, nor does what you believe make any
difference. It is the truth and what you may believe has nothing
whatever to do with it."

The captain scowled.

"Who is it then, that is defending the house?"

"Americans. You had better let us go, or it will be the worse
for you. We had a safe conduct from Gen. Huerta, but we were
betrayed."

"If I had my way," said the captain, "I'd shoot every American in
the whole of Mexico."

"I don't see why," from Donald. "We have nothing against you."

"Take him away," ordered the captain, "and see that he does not
escape. Now let us capture the others."

There was a rush for the house as Donald was led back to the
stable.

Billie and Mr. Black heard them coming.

"Go to the roof," commanded Mr. Black, speaking to the two
females, "and keep yourselves and the little girl out of sight.
We will hold them back here as long as we can and then we will
also come to the roof."

The command had hardly been obeyed than the Mexicans began to
crowd up the stairs. They were met with shot after shot, but at
last all the weapons were empty.

"Run for the roof," said Mr. Black as he arose to his feet and
with his heavy boot kicked a head which was j