ans so much to
them. Now that the troops have come Guarez and his associates will take
time to think this matter over. None the less I shall have to be as
vigilant as though I knew that they meant business to-night. It would be
a fearful black eye on my record as an officer, right at the start, if I
allowed the Guarez crowd to get anything real over the river to-night."

As he strolled along the water front the young lieutenant passed one of
his sentries every few hundred feet. Part of the Army boy's purpose in
going along by himself was to make sure that each and all of his men
were alert. Their vigil would last until daylight.

In course of time the young officer passed the public pier, standing
empty and deserted at the foot of the street leading from the village
down to the water front. There were several row-boats tied up here at
one side. During the day-time they had been under other guard, but now
they lay unwatched--to the casual eye. However, within short distances
of the pier on either side the young lieutenant knew that he had
sentries hidden.

Neither sentry communicated with Lieutenant Overton as he passed.

"They're wise men not to hail me here," thought the young lieutenant.
"They can see who I am, and, if there are any Mexicans prowling about
here in the shadows, the sentries will not betray themselves."

Hal went on past the pier a little distance.

"The whole village seems asleep," he muttered, looking toward the town.
"Yet, if we have blocked Guarez's little game I'll wager it will be late
before he retires to-night. He'll be too mad to sleep."

Hal had halted in the shadow of two trees, growing close together. As he
stood there, glancing about him, he was certain that he saw some one
moving behind a growth of bushes a little way up the road.

"Halt! Who's there?" called the young Army officer, in a low voice, yet
one that would carry.

There came no answer, but Hal was positive that he had seen some one
moving.

"Answer, there!" he called sharply, running forward, "or stand where you
are. I'm going to look you over."

Being a good sprinter young Overton was soon on the spot where he was
sure that he had seen some one. But now there was no one in sight. There
were other clumps of bushes near, and the prowler might easily have
hidden.

"If you won't come out," called Lieutenant Hal, as he began to move
quickly from clump to clump, "I'll rout you out!"

Then, of a sudden, just as Lieuten