on us," yelled the same hoarse voice. "There are
ladies aboard!"

"A likely yarn!" Hal jeered hotly.

"If you fire you'll find that there are. Now, sheer off!"

"You lay to," insisted Lieutenant Hal. "We're coming aboard."

"You only think you are!"

"Will you lay to?"

"No!"

"Run up alongside. We'll have to board 'em under way," Hal said, in a
low voice. "Noll, head the men in the cabin. Order 'em to fix their
bayonets. Don't bring them on deck until you find that we're boarding.
Then be brisk about it!"

As the "Restless" leaped in to lay alongside the stranger there could no
longer be any doubt as to the grim intentions of the United States
forces.

From the deck of the stranger came another sheet of flame. Hal felt one
of the bullets tear through his left sleeve, though without cutting the
flesh of his arm.

"Fire!" he gave the order.

When they shoot, regulars are taught to do it coolly and with effect.
Two or three yells from the stranger's deck greeted the volley,
indicating that some had been hit.

But above all there rose a woman's piercing shriek.

"They really have a woman on board!" gasped Hal, feeling chill and sick
for an instant.

"Yes, you infernal scoundrels!" came in the same hoarse voice. "Oh,
you'll pay for this outrage!"

"Fix bayonets!" Hal ordered, quietly, for now the two boats were close
together, and Helmsman Hank was running the "Restless" right in for a
boarding.

Bump! The two boats came together.

"Prepare to board! Board!" shouted Hal, and was first to leap to the
deck of the stranger, a craft some seventy feet in length and rather
broad of beam.

His soldiers followed him. All the young officers went over the side,
and Lieutenant Noll led the reserves from the cabin of the "Restless."

Right on the heels of the soldiers followed Skipper Tom and Engineer
Joe, to lash the two craft fast.

"Who commands here?" demanded Lieutenant Overton.

There was no answer.

"Where's the gentleman with the fog-horn voice who appeared to have so
much to say?" Hal questioned sharply.

None of the crew of the boarded vessel spoke. Nor was any further effort
at resistance made.

On the deck Lieutenant Overton found one Mexican dead, and another badly
wounded. Near each lay a rifle. Another Mexican seemingly unarmed, stood
by the wheel, looking on with a sickly grin, but saying nothing. Down in
the engine-room huddled two other Mexicans.

"Sergeant, search the man at the w