e again in their
possession; and it cannot appear strange that the young soldiers went
into boyish ecstasies of delight at their good-fortune, embracing,
patting, and talking to Sancho and Chiquita as if they understood all
that was said to them.

But at last they joined Clary at the fire, and the three, while they
continued to carry on the interrupted cooking of their captives,
discussed ways and means of returning to La Paz, and it was decided to
send the setter with a message. A note was pencilled on a page of
Frank's diary, attached to Vic's collar, and she was taken to the
river-bank and given a stick, with orders to deliver it to her master.
With but little hesitation she plunged into the murky current, and
soon disappeared in the darkness in the direction of the other shore.

While the boy sergeants were going through these adventures I remained
in La Paz. At retreat and tattoo roll-calls Corporal Duffey had
reported Private Clary absent, adding the words "and unaccounted for,"
and at Mr. Gray's table the boys were absent from supper.

At first I gave myself no anxiety over the absentees, but at midnight,
becoming alarmed, I began a search for them. I soon learned that Henry
had been seen to paddle out of the lagoon on a Mojave _balsa_,
accompanied by Vic, and that Frank and Clary had gone quail-shooting.
I did not feel especially anxious about the older boy, for he was in
the company of one of the most trustworthy of our veteran soldiers,
and would probably soon turn up safe. But Henry--gone down the
turbulent river on a frail bundle of grass--what might I not fear?

I led all the men of the detail--every one of them as anxious as
myself--on a long and fruitless search beside the river, without
coming upon a clew. Returning to Mr. Gray's, and dismissing the men, I
sat upon the veranda alone, sadly reflecting upon the absence of my
young companions and Vic.

In the midst of my sad reflections there scrambled up the steps a wet
and bedraggled dog, who dropped at my feet a chip. Carrying her in my
arms to my room, I lighted a lamp and examined her collar, and found a
few leaves of a memorandum-book covered with Frank's hand-writing.

The news of Vic's arrival with a message spread quickly, and soon the
household was gathered in my room and in possession of the news of the
exploit of the boys and Tom Clary.

"Good! good!" exclaimed the director of the Navigation Company. "Come
with me to the _Cocopah_. We'll