he ebb. This came at length, and, clambering over the
rocks, we entered the surf and waded as before. After an hour's toil we
reached Punta Hornos, and a little beyond this point I was enabled to
hail one of our own pickets, and to pass the lines in safety.

At ten o'clock I was in my own tent--just twenty-four hours from the
time I had left it, and, with the exception of Clayley, not one of my
brother officers knew anything of our adventure.

Clayley and I agreed to "mount" a party the next night and carry the boy
to his friends. This we accordingly did, stealing out of camp after
tattoo. It would be impossible to describe the rejoicing of our new
acquaintances--the gratitude lavishly expressed--the smiles of love that
thanked us.

We should have repeated our visits almost nightly; but from that time
the guerilleros swarmed in the back-country, and small parties of our
men, straggling from camp, were cut off daily. It was necessary,
therefore, for my friend and myself to chafe under a prudent impatience,
and wait for the fall of Vera Cruz.

CHAPTER THIRTY.

A SHOT IN THE DARK.

The "City of the True Cross" fell upon the 29th of March, 1847, and the
American flag waved over the castle of San Juan de Ulloa. The enemy's
troops marched out upon parole, most of them taking their way to their
distant homes upon the table-lands of the Andes.

The American garrison entered the town, but the body of our army
encamped upon the green plains to the south.

Here we remained for several days, awaiting the order to march into the
interior.

A report had reached us that the Mexican forces, under the celebrated
Santa Anna, were concentrating at Puente Nacional; but shortly after it
was ascertained that the enemy would make his next stand in the pass of
the Cerro Gordo, about half-way between Vera Cruz and the mountains.

After the surrender of the city we were relieved from severe duty, and
Clayley and I, taking advantage of this, resolved upon paying another
stolen visit to our friends.

Several parties of light horse had been sent out to scour the country,
and it had been reported that the principal guerilla of the enemy had
gone farther up towards the Puente Nacional. We did not, therefore,
anticipate any danger from that source.

We started after nightfall, taking with us three of our best men--
Lincoln, Chane, and Raoul. The boy Jack was also of the party. We were
mounted on such horses as could be had.