.

When they joined the main company, Billie told Mr. Black what
they had done and repeated to him what Brooks had said.

"I think he is right," said Mr. Black, "and my advice is that we
should give Piedras Negras a wide berth."

"We can't get too far away from the railroad," explained Billie,
"or we shall miss Don and his company. They are coming out for
just such an emergency."

They rode rapidly forward for a couple of hours and then, turning
sharply off the highway, took to the woods which now grew dense
all along the mountain sides.

About ten o'clock they stopped for breakfast and then all took a
nap until the sun drew near the western horizon.

"We should reach our rendezvous with Don about dark," explained
Billie, "and that would get us into Vera Cruz about daylight."

As they approached the appointed spot, Billie and Adrian, ever on
the alert, noticed almost as one that the place had a changed
appearance and mentioned it to the others.

"What do you mean?" asked the corporal.

"I can't exactly explain," was Adrian's reply, "but my prairie
training always warns me to go slow when I sense danger."

"A mighty good idea," muttered one of the troopers, an old
campaigner who had seen service with Funston in the Philippines.
"These are slippery chaps."

"If I could walk," was Adrian's comment, "I'd soon find out what
is wrong; but you can't scout on horseback."

The cavalcade came to a halt and the men examined their weapons
to be sure they were in order.

"What do you think we'd better do, Ad?" queried Billie.

"I don't know. How far are we from the rendezvous?"

"Not more than half a mile."

"If it were not for the possibility of making matters worse,"
suggested Adrian, "I'd fire a few shots; but of course what we
want is to get into Vera Cruz without a fight. What do you think,
Mr. Black?"

"This is new business to me, boys," was the reply. "I'll have to
leave it to you."

"What's the matter with my going on a scout?" asked Billie.

"Nothing the matter with your going," laughed Adrian, "but there
might be with your coming back. No, I shall have to go, ankle or
no ankle."

He slid from his horse, and almost before any one realized what
he was doing he had slipped away on his hands and knees.

"He is certainly a brave boy," was Josie's remark, "and I hate to
think of his taking all this risk on my account."

"Not so much risk for him as for us, I'm thinking," muttered the
old trooper. "