may be killed. I think,
sir, that you ought not to be here, either. You are the general."

"My boy," said Morales, sadly, "I was thinking of the non-combatants
myself. This firing of the Yankees at the city is hideous. But it is
war, and it cannot be helped. Ah, me! Feeling as I do this morning, I
would ask nothing better than that one of these accursed shot or shell
should come for me. I would a hundred times rather die than be compelled
to surrender Vera Cruz."

He again motioned Ned toward the ladder, and no disobedience was
possible. He himself followed, for his solitary reconnoissance was
ended, and he had been practically assured that his walls were of small
value against heavy siege-guns. When he reached the ground, several
subordinate officers came to join him, and Ned heard him say to them:

"That reckless young scamp, Carfora, has the nerves of an old soldier.
He will make a good one by and by. We need more like him, for some of
our artillerymen left their guns under the American fire."

There was never any lack of courage among men of his kind, a Spaniard
descended from the old conquistadors, while some of the officers around
him were Indians fit to have led their tribes for Montezuma against the
men of Hernando Cortes.

As Ned walked homeward, he halted several times to tell some of his
army acquaintances what he had seen from the wall, and how he had talked
about it with General Morales. No doubt they esteemed him more highly
than ever for his patriotism and high social standing, but he spoke also
of the danger to the people, and they were sure that his heart was with
them. Truth to tell, so it was, for the bombardment shortly became to
him more horrible than ever. Something he could not see passed over his
head, with a hiss that was almost like a human screech. Then followed a
loud explosion, and there before him, on the bloody pavement, he saw the
mangled corpses of a Mexican mother and two small children, who had been
killed while they were hurrying away to a place of safety.

"Oh, the poor things!" sobbed Ned, as he burst out into tears. "What had
they to do with the war!"

He could not bear to take a second look at them, and he hurried on, but
when he reached the house he did not say anything about them to Anita.
He told her about the batteries and the ships, and about the brave
general on the parapet, and then she and her friends who were with her
went away back into the kitchen, to be as safe