some good reason," Ned replied.

In a moment a searchlight shot out from the gunboat and prowled over the
sea. The boys could see it moving about, but could not see that it
picked up the ships which had previously shown the lights. One of the
vessels, it appeared, was too far to the south and the other too far to
the north to be reached by the traveling rays from the gunboat.

"She's slowing down!" Pat cried, in a moment. "She's going to search the
islands. Glory be!"

"You may not want to meet her people, after you find out what they
want," said Ned. "Remember that battle with the Filipinos back there."

"I'm willing to take chances with them," was the reply.

The boys now hastened back to camp and Ned passed on to the creek where
the _Manhattan_ lay in hiding.

"Jimmie," he said, turning to face that young gentleman, "do you
remember whether those rockets we bought at Manila were put on board?"

"Sure they were!" was the reply. "Want 'em?"

Ned replied that he did, and the boy went prospecting in the lockers of
the boat.

"Got 'em!" he cried presently.

"Do you know how to send them off?" asked Ned.

"Do I? Well, if you'd ever seen me bossin' the fireworks at Tompkins
Square, in little old N. Y., I guess you wouldn't ask that!"

Just then Jack came blundering along through the brush and half fell
into the boat.

"You'd make a fine scout!" Jimmie said. "You move through the thickets
with the stealth and grace of an elephant!"

"What's that firing about?" asked Jack, paying no attention to the boy
and facing Ned anxiously, his face only half seen in the semi-darkness.

"That is what I want you to find out," was the reply. "I want you and
Jimmie to put the boat in running condition, everything ready for a
spurt of speed. And I want you to remain here in the boat, ready to
shoot out in a second."

"All right! That's easy."

"You may have to wait a long time," Ned went on, "and you may have to go
inside of five minutes. When you go, muffle the engine as much as
possible, but run like the Old Nick was after you--run for the gunboat
out there!"

"They'll pinch me!" wailed Jimmie.

"And when you get to the gunboat," Ned continued, "tell the officer in
charge that Nestor is a prisoner on this island, and that the
insurrectos are about to land guns and ammunition here."

"You a prisoner!" Jack echoed. "What's the use of lying about it?"

"I shall be a prisoner by the time you reach the gunboat," Ned sa