oof had been reinforced,
for now the fire in that direction broke out heavier than ever.

"Shall I have the machine gun brought up, sir?" Dave hinted.

"Yes," approved Trent, crisply. "We'll see what a machine gun
can do when brought to bear on a roof."

So Ensign Darrin ran back to give the order. The gun was brought
up instantly, loaded, aimed and fired.

R-r-r-r-rip! Its volleys rang out. A rain of bullets struck
at the edge of the hotel roof, driving back the snipers amid yells
of pain.

Yet the instant the machine gun ceased its leaden cyclone the
snipers were back at work, firing in a way that showed their rage.

"We can keep 'em down with the machine gun," declared Trent, "But
it might take all the ammunition of the fleet to keep it running
long enough unless we can make more hits."

In their recklessness the Mexicans exposed themselves so that four
more of them fell before the seamen's rifles.

"Probably the Mexicans can get reinforcements," Dalzell muttered.
"Though we may hit a few in an hour's firing, they can replace
every man we hit."

"At least we can give those fellows something to think about between
now and daylight," Dave returned, compressing his lips grimly.

"Grenfel is wounded, sir, and Penniman has just been killed,"
reported a petty officer, saluting.

Lieutenant Trent hastened back to confirm the death of Penniman,
and also to see if anything could be done for the comfort of the
wounded man. He decided to send Grenfel back, two sailormen being
detailed for that purpose.

"Look out for snipers," the officer warned the bearers of the
wounded man. "Carry your rifles slung and be ready for instant
work. If we hear you firing behind us I'll send men to help you
through."

Along the street, ahead of the detachment, a man came crawling
from the direction of the hotel.

In an instant a dozen sailormen leveled their weapons.

"Hold up there, men!" Darrin called, sharply.

"Don't shoot at him."

An instant later snipers on the hotel roof discovered the crawling
man, opening fire on him so briskly that the endangered one rose
to his feet and came sprinting toward the sailors with both hands
uplifted.

"Lower your hands!" shouted Darrin. "They make targets. We won't
fire on you!"

That the man understood English was plain from his instant obedience.
With Mexican bullets raining about him, the fugitive came on at
headlong speed.

"Here! Stop!" Ensign Darrin ordered, catc