carry me," and he
deliberately laid himself down on the ground.

In spite of themselves the boys were obliged to laugh.

"We carried the lieutenant last night, but we don't desire your
company badly enough to carry you," laughed Billie. "If you don't
want to go, I for one vote to leave you. We have to forage for
something to eat and the fewer there are, the easier it will be.
And speaking of eats, it seems to me I smell something cooking
right now."

At Billie's words the others sniffed up their noses.

"It's a fact as sure as you're born," declared Donald.

"And I'm going to find out where the odor comes from," said
Billie. "There must be a house around here somewhere."

Again he sniffed the air and smiled jubilantly.

"The wind's in the east," he laughed. "It must be somewhere in
this direction. Come on, Captain."

The captain refused to move, but Billie led the way, followed by
the two boys. They had not gone many rods when through an opening
in the trees they beheld a good-sized adobe house. Pushing
hastily toward it, they soon reached a cleared space, and there,
gathered about a bunch of some forty or fifty horses, were a
dozen men, while through the open door of the house many more
were to be seen seated at a table--eating.

"Come on!" exclaimed Billie. "I'm going to have something to eat;
I don't care who they are."

"We might as well make the best of it," declared Donald. "We are
discovered any way and the best thing we can do is to put on a
bold front."

Without further words the three boys walked boldly toward the
house.

CHAPTER X.

A TIMELY RESCUE.

The minute the boys' presence became known, there was a commotion
in the house and in the clearing surrounding it. Those in the
yard sprang toward their guns and those in the house jumped from
the table.

"Don't move," called out Billie. "We are friends."

But the men were not sure and at once surrounded the boys.

They appeared to be soldiers, but their uniforms were of a great
variety and many hues. Only the officer in command had anything
the appearance of a real soldier.

"Who are you?" he demanded as he came forward.

"Friends! Americanos!" replied Donald.

"Yes; and hungry ones," added Billie with a gesture that brought
a smile to the officer's face.

"Where did you come from?" was the next inquiry.

Donald explained that they had been left by a train that had
stopped nearby. He did not think it necessary to enlighte