d the tug left no doubt of the frightful
purpose of the raging creature on the larger boat. Holding the tiller
steady and keeping the head of the small craft straight toward shore,
the Major said to his sister:

"If they hit us, it will be by accident; you would better stoop your
head."

She instantly obeyed and he leaned forward himself, so as to offer as
small a target as possible. Captain Guzman and Martella sat
motionless, watching the tug rushing down upon them and ready to leap
ashore the instant they came within reach.

All a-tremble with the intensity of his rage, General Yozarro stood to
the rear and beside the six-pounder whose muzzle was pointed toward
the little boat. He measured with his eye when the right instant came,
and snapped the lanyard. A spout of smoke and flame shot from the
muzzle and the boom rolled across the river and was echoed from the
further shore, as the solid missile sped on its errand.

Barely more than a hundred yards separated the two craft, when the
explosion came. General Yozarro had aimed to sink the other boat,
reckless of the lives he sacrificed. It may have been and it probably
was because he took the best aim he could, that the ball missed the
catboat by twenty feet and crashed harmlessly into the jungle beyond.

The delay caused by the slackening speed of the tug gave our friends
the chance they were prompt to use. Not the slightest change had been
made in the course of the craft, whose prow the next moment impinged
sharply against the shore, and Captain Guzman and Martella sprang out.
Instead of running away, however, they seized the gunwale and tugged
to draw the bow up the bank.

Grasping the hand of his sister, Major Starland dashed after them.
They had the length of the boat to travel, but quickly did it and
joined their friends on land.

"Why do you dally?" he called angrily; "if you wait another minute,
you will be taken! Off with you!"

"Fret not about us," was the gruff response of Martella; "attend to
the Senorita, and we'll look after ourselves."

The great fear in the minds of all was that General Yozarro would fire
the rear gun. It would take a few minutes to bring it to bear, and,
although neither he nor his men knew how to aim to hit, an accident
might result in harm. The passing seconds were of measureless value.

But, before the tug could veer, a gleam of returning reason came to
the ruffian. He had done an outrageous thing, but providentially
wit