r the freaks of these military Americanos, so I
went to my bed. If I sat up at night taking note of the movements of the
soldiers sent here, I should get no rest at all, besides laughing myself
sick over the foolishnesses of them."

Ned was watching the fellow with interest. He had no doubt that he was
telling the truth about what he had seen there the previous night--that
is, the truth so far as he went in the recital. Still, Ned did not trust
the fellow. He believed that he had seen more than he had described,
even if he had not been a party to what had taken place.

"What else did you see here last night?" he asked.

"Nothing--nothing at all."

"And you say you went to bed without satisfying your natural curiosity
as to what you had seen?" roared the Captain. "I don't believe it! Buck
up now, and tell us what was done after the fourth man entered the hut,
or I'll send you to the military prison at Manila."

"I have told everything," said Tag with a sniffle. "You Americanos
expect us to see everything and know everything! If we are so wise and
capable, why don't you permit us to govern ourselves--send away your
soldiers and let us handle the situation here?"

The Captain frowned and fumed about for a moment, and Ned was afraid he
would carry out his threat of placing the Filipino under arrest. This,
he believed, would be about the worst move that could be made. Seeking
to conciliate the fellow, he said:

"There is a great deal of sense in what you say, and I honor you for not
playing the spy on the officers. Captain Godwin will not send you to
prison, I am sure, as we need you here. For instance, we want the story
of the men who worked the fan. Will you talk with them and tell us what
they say?"

Tag hastened away, somewhat mollified, and Ned turned to the Captain.

"The fellow knows more than he pretends to," he said. "We must keep him
here, and make him think that we trust him."

"I can talk with the fanmen myself," grunted the Captain, not very well
pleased with Ned's interference. "I know the lingo."

"Of course," Ned replied, "but I want to know if Tag will tell us the
same story, as coming from them, that they will tell you under a rigid
cross-examination. In other words, I think Tag, as you call him, will
shape their stories to suit his own purposes."

"And so you want to set a trap for him? All right! Go ahead, lad, and
make what you can out of this mess. What do you think those visitors
came her