for the evening, but every place
of amusement was closed, and the streets were deserted. Since the
occurrences of the afternoon all the people had locked themselves into
their houses, to await the departure of the Americans. But, even though
the casino was closed, the Yankees managed to have a good time. They
sang and danced and played the banjo until an early hour in the morning,
when they finally went to sleep, leaving only two for a night watch,
for there was no danger that the insurgents would return, after their
engagement, in which they had lost six men.

When morning came, some officers landed from the cruiser, and all
the villagers were summoned to the public square and made to swear
allegiance to the American flag.

In the afternoon the cruiser steamed away again on her errand of
forcible pacification, and more days of quiet watchfulness followed, as
the vessel steamed along near the shore. There were many small
villages along this coast, but all of them seemed peaceful and free
of insurgents. The captain even said that some of the people in them
probably didn't know that there had ever been a war between Spain and
the United States. Archie, who had enjoyed his experiences during the
occupation of the last village, now began to be impatient again at
the long quiet. The day when the cruiser bombarded the administration
building would be a memorable one to him, and the succeeding events were
just such as he had been longing to see for months. And then to think
that he had taken part in the occupation of the village. It was all very
wonderful, but very real, too, and for several days he took much pains
in writing an article for the paper describing the events leading up
to and including the capture of the village. And in the narration Bill
Hickson was an important character. He had again proved himself a hero
of the first water by insisting that the boat proceed when the first
attempt was made to land, and by being the first man ashore when a
landing was finally effected. He was a leader in everything that was
done. He marched at the head of the squad when they marched through the
streets of the village, calling all the people to assemble in the public
square, and he stood beside the officers with his rifle handy when the
ceremony of swearing allegiance was gone through with. When it was
all over he was called to the admiral's cabin aboard the cruiser and
congratulated for being so brave and so ever-ready to lead