gnal had been quickly formed after
his first discovery of the strange vessel. He had seen at a glance that
it was not a warship, but a merchant steamer. It was moving slowly, and
apparently seeking, as much as possible, the concealment afforded by the
shadow of the coast. Every feature about it showed that it was trying
to quietly steal out past the blockading vessels.

Clif had not delayed, but on the impulse of the moment had sent up the
signal rockets while he was yet between the ship and the shore. But a
few steady strokes would carry him beyond the enemy and toward the
flagship, he thought.

But to his surprise he noticed, on glancing over his shoulder as he drew
nearer the vessel, that the latter was moving slower than before and in
fact had just stopped.

This was puzzling to him, for now, if at any time, the boat should be
showing its utmost speed. Those on board must surely know from the
signals that they had been discovered and that pursuit would instantly
follow.

A few words will explain the situation to the reader. The vessel was, as
Clif suspected, endeavoring to steal out past the American ships, which
were known to be in the vicinity. But a short time before Clif had left
the shore for the second time, the blockade runner had slowed down, and
a boat, manned by half a dozen sailors, had been sent ashore. An officer
in the Spanish army, with important dispatches, was to be taken aboard
at a point not far from where Clif had landed.

The work of the Spanish boat's crew had been expeditiously performed,
and when Clif sent up his signal, they were returning to the ship.
Unnoticed by Clif in his excitement at the time, they were close to one
side of his boat at that fateful moment.

A pistol shot suddenly ringing out in the air and a bullet flying not
far from his head apprised the cadet of danger from that quarter. The
Spaniards, as was natural for them to be, were aroused to a high pitch
of excitement against the youth whose vigilance promised to set all
their plans at naught.

With a hoarse yell of rage they tugged at the oars and their boat fairly
leaped through the water after the intrepid young cadet.

Clif saw the movement, and redoubled his efforts at the oars. It was a
race for his life--one against seven!

With frantic energy he tugged at the oars, and his boat shot forward
with encouraging speed. At that moment the searchlight on the flagship
sent its rays across the waters in answer to t