ld be afraid to go home, and we cooked up a nice
little battle. When the men got into it, however, it turned out to be
quite a skirmish, and a number were killed on both sides. Then they
surrendered and we went in and put a guard at the gates, and wouldn't
let the niggers in. You wouldn't believe it, but they actually kicked
at it. They're an unreasonable, sulky lot of beggars."

"Then what happened after that?" asked Sam.

"Oh, after that we sent the Castalians home and the Cubapinos moved
back their lines a little, and we agreed to a sort of neutral zone and
a line beyond which we weren't to go."

"What was it that started the fighting between us and them?" said Sam.

"It's a little mixed up. I was at the theater that night, and in the
middle of the play we heard firing, and all of us rushed off and found
everything in motion, and it grew into a regular fight. We made them
move back, and before long the firing ceased. I tried to find out the
next day how it began. The fact is, the day before, General Notice had
ordered the 68th to move forward about half a mile, and they did so.
The Cubapinos objected and insisted on crossing the new picket-line.
That evening an officer of theirs walked across it and was shot by the
sentinel. That started it."

"Was the regiment moved across the line fixed on their side of the
neutral zone?" said Cleary.

"Oh, yes. But that was all right. Don't we own the whole place? And the
regiment was only obeying orders."

"I wonder why the general gave the orders?" asked Cleary, musing as he
looked into the smoke which he was puffing forth.

"They say it was because he had what he called 'overmastering political
reasons.' That is, there was the army bill up in Congress and it had to
go through, and he was given the tip that some fighting would help it,
and he took the hint. It was good statesmanship and generalship, too.
All subordinate things must bend to the great general interests of the
country. It was a good move, for it settled the business. Gomaldo sent
in the next day and tried to patch up a truce, but Notice wouldn't see
his messengers. He told them they must surrender unconditionally. It
was fine, soldierly conduct. He's a brick."

"What has he gone home for?" asked Sam.

"Why, he'd conquered them. Why shouldn't he go home? They're giving him
a grand reception at home, and I'm glad to see it."

"But he says that he has pacified the isla