d at the throat of his
captor. Taken so utterly by surprise the Mexican strove to leap back.
But Hal had grappled with him and wrenched the revolver away. The
Mexican reached for his handy knife. It was no time for niceties. Hal
dealt the fellow a swift blow on top of his head with the butt of the
revolver.

Mr. Mexican crumpled and lay where he had stood. But the other Mexican
was closing in now.

"Get your hands up as high as you can, fellow!" ordered Hal. Just in the
nick of time he remembered Captain Foster's instructions, and spoke in
English instead of Spanish. But his gesture was eloquent enough for no
words to be needed.

The second Mexican showed no cowardice, yet in this threatened battle at
close quarters he dropped his revolver for the more trusted knife.

"Put your hands up and stop this nonsense!" commanded the young officer,
stepping forward, holding the revolver at his belt, the muzzle covering
the body of the swarthy foe.

The Mexican proved to possess no mean courage. With his knife-hand
uplifted he sprang at Hal.

At that very instant a form hurled itself through the air. Private Simms
fell at the feet of the Mexican. Without pause the soldier wrapped his
arms about the Mexican's knees, throwing the fellow backward with
jarring force. In another second Simms had possessed himself of the
knife.

"Good!" came a devout chorus from the five bound but watching soldiers.
"Great!"

"That was a fine specimen of soldierly wit and promptness, Simms,"
commended Lieutenant Hal heartily.

"Not half equal to what I've heard that you've done in the Philippines
and elsewhere, sir," replied Simms modestly, as he seated himself on the
fallen foe. "Will you take this knife, sir, and free the other men, or
shall I leave this fellow in your care while I set the men free?"

"I'll free them," agreed Hal, taking the knife. Inside of a minute the
young officer had five more serviceable soldiers at his orders.

"Now, lash these two rascals," commanded Lieutenant Overton. "This
fellow, first, whom I was obliged to beat with his own revolver."

The tying was done by two of the soldiers. Then the wretch whom Simms
bestrode was treated to some of the same sort of consideration. The pair
of Mexicans were laid side by side, after which the soldiers sprang to
get their cartridge belts and rifles.

"Check and Varnum, you two stay here with your prisoners, and give them
no license to shout or pass signals. Check, fix y