General's wife for spectators, they were more than
pleased to show their dexterity after true cowboy fashion.

The remainder of the afternoon was therefore spent in riding,
throwing the lariat and in shooting, much to the gratification of
Mr. Black, who declared he had never seen a better exhibition of
its kind.

As a result of their experience, the boys picked out three
medium-sized horses, which Mr. Black emphatically stated showed
their good judgment of horse flesh, as completely as their riding
had proved their horsemanship.

They were all in the saddle early the following morning, Josie's
wound having healed sufficiently to permit her to ride without
danger.

Early morning in the tropics is the pleasantest time of the day,
and although the road from Mr. Black's hacienda to Moreno would take
them from an altitude of over four thousand feet down to about two
thousand feet above sea level, they would be sufficiently up in
the mountains to make riding fairly comfortable.

The route chosen took the little party first to the headquarters
of the Carranza force operating in that section. They were warmly
greeted by General Dorantes, the commanding officer, who
furnished them with a guard of four men and passes through the
lines, "if," he added as he bade them good luck, "you should find
it necessary to pass our lines. If my reports are correct, we are
in possession of all the territory to the south."

For hours the cavalcade rode on without incident, stopping only
long enough to partake of a mid-day meal at the hacienda of Don
Alvaro Flores, a friend of Mr. Black's. Late in the afternoon,
however, when about six miles from their destination, there came
to their ears the sound of heavy firing--of field pieces mingled
with the occasional roll of a machine gun.

They stopped and listened intently.

"Which direction do you make the firing to be?" asked Mr. Black
of the corporal in command of the escort.

"In the direction of Tierra Blanca, sir. It sounds as though our
forces might have been attacked."

"How will that affect our journey?"

"Hard to tell, sir. If we win, as we shall, the enemy may fall
back toward Santa Lucrecia, or they may retreat toward Moreno. If
you will take my advice, you will halt here until the action is
over."

The advice seemed most excellent and the cavalcade came to a halt
and the riders dismounted to give themselves a much-needed rest.

The firing lasted something like twenty mi