iculating and stood still to wait.

The captain ran in as close as he dared, and then stopped. He stepped
into the bow.

"What do you want?" he roared.

"Send a boat," the man shouted back. "I must come aboard. Quick!"

The captain muttered an exclamation of astonishment under his breath;
but his curiosity alone would have been sufficient to move him. The
gunboat's wherry boat was quickly gotten away.

As for Clif, he was simply wild with delight. For he could see that it
was Lieutenant Hernandez after all.

Bessie Stuart was so overcome by the sudden shock of the discovery that
she was scarcely able to stand, breathlessly the two watched the rowboat
speeding in.

The lieutenant waded out as far as he could, and when the boat reached
him he climbed into the bow. In a few moments he was speeding back to
the gunboat.

And when he stepped on board he found the captain staring at him.

"Lieutenant Hernandez!" he gasped.

"Yes," said the other with a bow.

But he scarcely glanced at the man until his eager eyes had sought out
Clif and Bessie. When he saw them alive and unhurt a look of relief
swept over his face.

And then he turned to the captain.

"What in the world is the matter?" the man cried.

The other nodded toward the two Americans.

"It is about them," he said.

"What about them?"

"Why did you stop them?"

"Stop them! Why they are Americans, and they were prisoners in Morro."

"I know that," said the officer. "But they were released."

"What!"

"Yes. And I was charged with the duty of seeing them safe on board the
American ships."

The Spanish captain stared in amazement.

"Carramba!" he muttered. "Why didn't they say so?"

"I don't see that you gave them a chance," said the other. "You fired on
them too soon."

"But I had no idea of this!" cried the other.

To doubt that story never once entered his head; he seemed to know who
the lieutenant was.

"What in the world am I to do?" he asked, after a moment.

"I don't see that there is but one thing," said the other.

"Take them back to Havana and let them be sent from there?" asked the
captain.

"No," said the lieutenant, quietly. "That will not do; for the
government has pledged its word that they shall be on the ships by
daybreak. To make haste is very important."

"But what else?"

"Give them your small boat."

"Carramba! I haven't got but one! And how will I ever get it back?"

The lieutenant was puzzled for a momen