e ground new to the Americans,
and in the gathering darkness it was several hours before the firing
line was compact once more. Then the expedition rested for the night.

Larry had landed with the soldiers, and, as the other cascos came up,
he was speedily joined by Luke Striker and Jack Biddle.

"I wonder what part we air to take in this comin' mix-up?" queried
Luke.

"Like as not they will leave us here to mind the boats," replied
Larry. "I can tell you that I am rather sorry I came along," he added
soberly.

"Sorry!" ejaculated Jack Biddle. "Surely, Larry, ye ain't afraid--"

"No, I'm not afraid," interrupted the youth. And then he told of the
scene in the casco, and of what Lieutenant Horitz had said. When he
had finished, Jack cut a wry face and Luke uttered a low whistle.

"You've run up agin a rock fer sartin, Larry," remarked Luke. "I
reckon he can make things look putty bad for ye if he's of a mind to
do it."

"Keep quiet an' say nuthin', an' he may forgit all about it," was Jack
Biddle's advice.

The boats having been cared for, the sailors followed the soldiers
through the field and into the woods. All told there were twenty-five
jackies, and by common consent they formed themselves into a company
of their own, with a petty officer named Gordell at their head.
Gordell went to General Lawton for directions, and was told to follow
the volunteers until given further orders. Each sailor was armed with
a pistol and a ship's cutlass.

The march was a hot one, but Larry was now getting accustomed to the
tropics and hardly minded this. The little company advanced with
caution, nobody desiring to run into an ambush. Soon the firing on the
right reached their ears, and they knew that some sort of an
engagement was on. Then came a halt, and presently the darkness of
night fell over them; and they went into camp beside a tiny
watercourse flowing into a good-sized stream which separated the
expedition from the outskirts of Santa Cruz.

Supper disposed of, Larry and Luke Striker took a stroll forward, to
find out what the firing line was really doing and if the insurgents
were in front in force. "We may have a bigger fight on hand nor any of
us expect," suggested the old Yankee gunner.

"You can trust General Lawton not to run his head into the lion's
mouth," returned Larry. "A soldier who has whipped the Apache Indians
isn't going to suffer any surprise at the hands of these Tagals, no
matter how wily they