e they were
not. The word would convict us at once."

"You're right."

Had Washington been with them he would have recognized the Spanish
challenge.

In the meantime the men had advanced, keeping the boys covered with
their guns as if they were a pair of desperadoes who might attack them
at any moment. They wore old and dirty uniforms, but it was plain that
they had once been of regulation color and pattern.

"They are Spaniards fast enough," whispered Harry, as the men
approached. "Cubans have no regular uniform." Then to the men he said:

"Good afternoon, gentlemen. We are glad to see you. We are lost out here
on your mountain. They are your mountains, I believe. We're Americans,
you know."

"Ah, Americanos," said one of the men. "Surrend."

"Yes, Americanos if you prefer it so, but what do you want us to
surrender?"

"Surrend," repeated the man, laying his hand roughly on Harry's rifle.

"O, the guns? Certainly. They are of no use to us, apparently."

Harry and Bert believing it to be the best policy to be tractable, held
out their guns with amiable smiles. They were snatched rudely from them.
When the rifles were safely in the hands of the soldiers, a little fat
man whom they had not seen before stepped out of the bushes, where he
had evidently intended to remain until the prisoners were disarmed. He
was an officer, judging from his side arms, and with great pomposity he
now advanced, puffing and blowing, toward the boys. He said something in
Spanish to one of the men, who replied: "Americanos."

"Who you are doing here?" he demanded of Harry.

"O, sir," said Harry, "it is an agreeable surprise to find a gentleman
who speaks our language so fluently," and he advanced with hand
extended. The little man jumped back as if he feared the boy was about
to strike and dodged behind his men, jabbering rapidly in Spanish.
Evidently in response to some command, the four men rushed upon the boys
and pinioned their hands behind their backs, tying them with gun straps.

"Look here," said Harry, indignantly. "I don't know who you are, but
this is an outrage on two American citizens--do you understand?" He
walked boldly up to the fat officer as he spoke and notwithstanding the
boy's hands were now tied, the man backed away from him in fright.

"You will have to answer for this to the United States--do you
understand that?" continued Harry.

"Poof to United States," said the little man, snapping his fingers. He
th