ight proved not to be fastened.

Only a minute before had the machine gun stopped its murderous
hail. Now some thirty Mexican soldiers crept to the edge of the
roof to try their luck again with the sailormen up the street.

"There is only a handful of them," shouted one Mexican. "The
gringos must be under the hotel, or in it!"

At that announcement there was a swift rush toward the skylight.
Just before they reached it Darrin sprang into sight, followed
by his men. Short, sharp conflict followed. Twelve Mexicans,
three of them killed, went down, and two American sailormen had
been wounded when the enemy sent up their appeal for "_piedad_,"
or quarter.

Saluting, a sailorman reported to Lieutenant Trent that Ensign
Dalzell had found the American women in the annex of the hotel.
None had been injured, but all were much frightened.

Leaving a petty officer in charge on the roof, Trent turned to
Dave to say:

"Come along, Darrin. We'll see what can be done for our countrywomen."

Hastily descending, and following the messenger, the two officers
were met at the door of a spacious room by Ensign Dalzell.

"Ladies," said Dan, turning, "here are Lieutenant Trent and Ensign
Darrin. The former commands this detachment."

On the floor lay more than a dozen wounded Mexicans.

Two of the American women, having had nursing experience, had taken
good care of the injured.

"Ladies," asked Lieutenant Trent, "have you been roughly treated
by the Mexicans?"

"Far from it," said one of the women. "The Mexican officer in
command treated us with great consideration. We were in the main
part of the hotel, the wooden building. The Mexican officer told
us that his men were going to occupy the roof as a military necessity,
and that there would be fighting. He assured us that we would
be safer in the annex, and escorted us here."

"Where is that officer now?" asked Trent, promptly. "I would
like to shake hands with him."

"I am afraid you would have to travel inside the Mexican lines,"
said another woman. "A little while ago a party of horsemen rode
up to the rear of the hotel, and one officer, a lieutenant-colonel,
came up into the hotel and sought the officer in command here,
ordering him to withdraw with his men, leaving only a few behind
to keep up a show of resistance."

"I will see that you are taken at once inside the American lines,"
declared Trout. "There you will be safe."

Preparations were quickly ma