efficiency. There
was that bad hombre, Juan Calcano of Santo Domingo--Juan the Terrible,
the natives called him. Juan and his gang had a headquarters in the
mountains. From there they came riding down into the valleys--shooting,
robbing, standing quiet natives on their heads generally. Juan had quite
a little territory under tribute. He came down into La Ramona, where was
a custom-house and guard. He shot up the guards, took all the gold in
the custom-house, and rode away, saying: "Come after me who dares!"

The marines did not worry about the daring part; but he was too strongly
intrenched for a direct attack. Your professional soldier, above all
men, prefers not to throw away good men's lives. They considered
matters; and one day they set out, three marine officers and thirty men,
for Juan's country. One of those tropical hurricanes came along the same
day they started, blew down trees, filled rivers to over their banks,
and made them wade waist-deep in the mud of the roads. It was tough
going, but it had its good side--there were not many people abroad.

They arrived near the village where Juan was known to be. An American
marine would not have stood much chance to get back if Juan had known
one was around; but one of the officers rigged up as a mule trader and
went looking for Juan. He found him, taking it easy until the roads
after the storm should become passable, and allow himself and his men to
sashay into the valley again.

All kinds of people--white, and black, and brown--came Juan's way to do
business--to buy mules and horses, for instance. In the course of his
travels in the valley Juan had helped himself to some very fine mules
and horses. Along comes this man this day--American, English, French,
Spanish, who knows? Or cares? He talked money--cash--for a good pair of
mules. No old spavined creatures, but young, strong, sound ones.

Yes, Juan had just such a pair of mules. Oh, a superb young pair! He
would see. Truly yes. Would the stranger senor come into his house so
that Juan might speak more confidentially of them? The stranger would.
And did. But before Juan could unload all he had to say about his mules
the mule buyer drew a large service automatic and slipped Juan out to
where thirty-two marines, officers and men, were in hiding. And they put
Juan in jail, and all it cost was one mule--not Juan's--drowned while
crossing a stream during the hurricane.

The marines have a great fighting record; but