will be as prisoners
of war."

"Sir!" cried Ridge, "I am an American, and an officer in the American
army."

"Pardon, senor; I forgot," replied the General. "I was allowing myself
to utter aloud my thoughts, a thing extremely wrong and ill-advised. I
have really no doubt in the world that your gallant countrymen will
conduct themselves most admirably. Now if you will come to my poor
camp I will make you as comfortable as possible for the night, and in
the morning we will decide what is best for you to do."

"Thank you, sir," said our young trooper, "but with your permission I
should prefer to make a start at once, with the hope of reaching
Enramada before my comrade, and thus preventing a sad mistake on the
part of your troops."

"But, my young friend, you have already travelled far to-day and are
exhausted."

"I still have some strength left."

"Night is upon us, and the trails are very dangerous."

"There is a young moon, and you will furnish reliable guides," replied
Ridge, smiling.

"If I should not furnish them?"

"Then I would set forth alone."

"You are determined, then, to proceed at once?"

"I am, sir, unless detained by force."

"Ah, heavens! These Americans!" cried the General, with an air of
resignation. "They will leave nothing for to-morrow that may be
squeezed into to-day. They know not the meaning of 'manana.' Ever
impatient, ever careless of consequences, and yet they succeed. Can it
be that theirs is the way of wisdom? But no, it is their good fortune,
what they call 'luck.' Yes, senor, it shall be as you desire. In an
hour all shall be in readiness for your departure."

"Couldn't you make it half an hour, General?" asked Ridge, with an
audacity that drew forth only a grunt from the Cuban leader.

So it happened that in something less than an hour from the time of
this important interview our young American, well fed, and provided
with a pass through the Cuban lines for himself and one friend, was
retracing his steps down the northern slope of the Sierra Maestra. He
was mounted on a raw-backed but sure-footed Cuban pony, and escorted by
half a dozen ragged cavalrymen. They had barely started before he was
thankful that he had not attempted to make the journey unguided; nor
had they gone a mile before he knew that he could never have
accomplished it alone. Often he found himself traversing narrow trails
on the brink of black space where a single misstep would have broug