s it?" asked Dalzell.

"It was wonderful," Dave breathed. "And I've brought back news of
great importance!"

"Did you get it from Mexico City or Washington?" Trent broke in.

"Of course not," Dave said, wonderingly.

"Then you've no such news as we can tell you," Danny went on,
quickly, sadly. "Can you guess what it is?"

"Our government isn't going to surrender us to the Huerta forces,
is it?"

"Not quite so bad as that," Dan admitted. "But listen! The
governments of Brazil, Argentine and Chili have offered their
services in arranging mediation between Washington and Mexico
City. And Washington has accepted!"

"No war?" gasped Dave Darrin, thunderstruck. "No war against
a country that has treated our citizens so outrageously? Has
Huerta accepted, too?"

"We haven't heard, as yet," Trent took up the thread of information,
"but there is a rumor that Huerta will be only too glad to accept,
even if only as a bluff. If, by any kind of a scheme, he can
hold us off for a few weeks, he will then have his army consolidated,
will have the railroad and bridges destroyed, and the mountain
roads to Mexico City all planted with mines, and then be able,
most likely, to make the advance of our Army to Mexico City cost
us hundreds of good Yankee lives per mile!"

"And Funston's brigade of regulars is on the way, too!" Danny
Grin added, sorrowfully. "Won't there be some mad soldier-boys?"

Ensign Dave Darrin stood with bowed head for a few moments. To
him it seemed hard indeed, if the Mexicans, after almost countless
outrages against American citizens, even to the extent of
assassination---and worse---were to escape their richly deserved
punishment through a few tricks of diplomacy.

Then the spirit of the service, so strong in him, came to the
surface. To others belonged the right of command, his only the
privilege to obey.

He raised his head, smiling. Then his own matter of report leaped
back into his mind. Bringing his heels together, straightening
up, he saluted:

"Sir, I have the honor to report that, while on the air flight,
I noted the location of a solitary adobe house about four miles
out. From that house came two men whom I distinctly recognized
through my field glass to be Lieutenant Cantor and the bandit,
Cosetta. Lieutenant Cantor, after one or two upward looks, bowed
his head and kept his eyes to the ground, but I am positive, sir,
of my identification of both men."

"And Cosetta's band