but they were not allowed to take their rifles or
revolvers aboard the train. They had no more than found seats and
made themselves comfortable than the conductor shouted "Vamanos,"
and the train pulled slowly out of the shed.

"Well," remarked Donald as they rolled slowly along, "this is a
pretty tough ending to a friendly visit. I think I've seen about
all I want of Mexico for some time to come."

"What do you suppose will happen?" asked Billie. "Do you think
we'll really go to war with Mexico unless Gen. Huerta orders the
salute?"

"I don't know," was Donald's cautious reply. "I hope not."

"And I hope we do!" exclaimed a somewhat florid gentleman who sat
in the seat ahead and who had overheard the conversation. "I'd
just like an opportunity to come down here with an army and wipe
the whole nation off the earth."

Donald made no reply, but Adrian asked sympathetically: "Have
they treated you badly, sir?"

"Have they treated me badly? Well, I should say so. They wouldn't
let me out of my hotel for two days and now they have refused to
carry my trunk and made me leave it with the express company. I
guess they don't know who I am."

"I'm sure they do not, sir."

"Well, I'll show them who I am as soon as I get to Vera Cruz and
can see Admiral Fletcher. He'll know how to protect Americans!"

"I'm sure he will, sir."

"And when the first marine lands, I want to be right there with a
rifle to help drive the Mexicans off the earth."

"It would be wise not to say too much," whispered Adrian. "I see
that officer in the end of the car has his eye on you. He may
speak English."

"I don't care who hears me," said the florid man angrily. "I mean
it."

At the same moment a guard who had approached from the other end
of the car laid his hand upon the angry man's shoulder.

"If the Senor is not satisfied," he said, "we shall be pleased to
send him back to the City of Mexico."

"Oh, no-no-no," was the stammering reply. "I am very well
satisfied. All I want is to get out of the country."

"Let us hope there will be no trouble about that," was the polite
response, and the florid man lapsed into silence.

Ordinarily it is a pleasant day's journey from the City of Mexico
to the seaport city of Vera Cruz; or if one prefers he may make a
night ride of it in times of peace. The train which left the City
of Mexico that April morning made no such time. After a tiresome
all-day ride with numerous aggravating stops, when