ely staring after them.

"That's the advantage of scouting within the lines of an enemy where
many tongues are spoken," whispered Noll in his chum's ear.

The Army boys had not gone twenty feet, however, when they ran into
another Moro sentry, who stood under a tree evidently trying to keep out
of the rain.

This sentry addressed them with two or three words in the Moro tongue.

"Banda nokku him slengo mat," replied Hal.

Again the sentry spoke to them, accompanying his words with a gesture
that seemed to order them to pass on. The Army boys were glad enough to
obey.

"We're right in the middle of the hornet's nest," whispered Noll.

Fifty feet further on the Army boys came upon a rudely built shack under
which a number of brown men were huddled to escape the rain.

"The outpost crowd," whispered Hal. "Noll, I believe we're getting into
the heart of the Moros' camp."

Noll was about to answer, but at that moment discerning another sentry,
a few yards ahead, checked his reply. This sentinel they managed to pass
without words. Being well within the enemy's lines now, and apparently
natives themselves, the Army boys were not as likely to attract
suspicion to themselves.

A heavier downpour of rain drove the young scouts for a moment under the
spreading branches of a large tree.

"This job is almost as easy as stealing the marmalade from mother's
preserve closet," chuckled Sergeant Noll, despite his discomfort.

"This place is like a good many traps," replied Hal. "It seems easy
enough to get in, but remember, boy, we've got to get out."

As soon as the rain slackened somewhat the two scouts sauntered on
again. Here and there they passed rude shacks in which Moros and allied
natives were sleeping. Then the young scouts came upon a new scene that
made them fairly catch their breath.

They were standing by a mud wall now, a wall of about nine feet in
height. There could be no doubt that this was a Moro fort, erected for a
particular purpose, and Hal's active mind immediately fathomed that
purpose.

"The datto's own headquarters!" he whispered in his chum's ear. "Oh,
Noll, I hope that I am right!"

Terry nodded. He was as excited as was his comrade.

The wall, as well as the Army boys could judge, was more than two
hundred feet long. About half way down they came to a gate. Here six
Moro sentries, armed with rifles and protected from the storm by woven
rush raincoats, stood on guard.

Hal boldly stepped