re, and it would have been more
perilous than ever for a fellow like him to have been caught in the
streets by any of the reckless, angry men who swarmed among them. On the
evening of the 14th of September, nevertheless, he was standing in the
Paez piazza with Senorita Felicia, and he saw a column of soldiers
coming up the street.

"Senorita!" he suddenly exclaimed. "Look! Our flag! Our men! Hurrah!
Those are the colors of the Seventh! It is my own regiment, and if there
isn't Lieutenant Grant himself!"

"Do not go!" she said. "Do not leave me!" but she was too late, for he
had darted away, and in a moment more he was greeted with:

"Hullo, Ned! I'm glad you didn't make out to get killed. I knew you
couldn't get out, and I'd about given you up. Is that where you live?"

"It's the house I told you of," said Ned. "They are the best kind of
people--"

"Go back there, then," commanded the lieutenant. "Your father is out
among the hospitals just now, taking care of the wounded, but I want to
know where to send him. I'll see you again. I must go on to my post."

Back he ran to the piazza, and even Felicia was compelled to admit that
her friend Senor Carfora's own regiment was splendid, as its close ranks
swung away in such perfect order.

"But," she said, "you might have been killed, if you had been with them,
and I am glad you did not have to kill any of our people."

"So am I," said Ned, "now that it is all over. I guess this is the end
of the war. But how I shall miss poor General Zuroaga!"

Rapidly and prudently, General Scott was occupying the city and
restoring order. With such wisdom and moderation did he perform his
duties as military governor that almost immediately the previously
distressed inhabitants began to regard the arrival of the United States
army as a positive blessing. At the same time, it was obvious to
everybody that months might be required for the necessary peace
negotiations. A new and firm Mexican government would have to be
established, and much difficult legislation would be called for on the
part of the Congress of the United States, since that body was to
appropriate large sums of money in payment for the territory to be
acquired from Mexico.

During three whole days, Ned went from camp to camp and from hospital to
hospital, in search of his father, but Mr. Crawford had heard tidings of
his son which satisfied him, and he stuck to his wounded soldiers. It
was not, therefore, until the