me dry brush
soon had a small fire burning. Washington made the coffee, procuring
water from a stream that ran through the brush. The boys, thoroughly
tired out, threw themselves down for a brief rest. They munched their
crackers and dried beef with relish and drank coffee in turn from a tin
cup that Washington had had the foresight to provide.

"This seems very much like camping up at school," said Mason.

"Yes, only I would prefer to have the boys in the bushes than a lot of
Spaniards and Cubans with real bullets in their guns," replied Bert.

"You always do look at the unromantic side of things, Bert. We haven't
seen a Spaniard yet."

"Good and plenty when we get in the open," said Washington.

"How do you know this country so well, Washington?" asked Harry.

"Born here, Misser Harry. I'se Cuban nigger."

"I thought you said you were 'George Wash Jenks, New York, U. S. A.?'"

"I suah are now, sah. I was only a picaninny when I ranned away with
Massa Cap'n Dynamite."

"So you ran away with your young master, eh?"

"Yas, sah, dat's it."

"And you've been with him ever since?"

"Him couldn't lose me, sah." George grinned.

"And who is Miss Juanita?"

"Missee Juanita live on next plantation. She and Massa Capt'n Dynamite
goin' to get married bime bye. He tell her so when he ranned away."

"Well Washington, it's sun up now and we better be moving if we expect
to catch up with Massa Captain Dynamite."

"We not catch Cap'n until we get to Cubitas."

"Why not?"

"Cap'n travel through this country faster'n any mule, and he not stop
'til he get there."

"Not stop to sleep?"

"No sleep, no eat. Missee Juanita in danger. I know the Massa Cap'n."

CHAPTER XI

CAPTURED BY SPANIARDS

The party, after breaking their fast, packed up their rations and
started on again. The tangled forest of low growth through which they
struggled began to thin out, and they found themselves in an almost open
country at the foot of a range of mountains. Before they left the
shelter of the bushes, Washington motioned the boys back, and dropping
on his stomach, wriggled to the edge of the woods, where he made a long
survey of the country. Seemingly satisfied, he beckoned to the others to
come on, and they all cautiously crept out into the open country.

"Must keep eyes peeled now for Spaniards," said Washington. "Plenty of
'em 'tween here'n Cubitas."

"Which way now, Washington?" asked Harry.

The negro pointed