there."

"And your comrades?"

"They are safe. We left them behind."

"And this young man's story?"

"Quite true, general, only he forgot to say that he had left two prisoners in the hut."

"Two!"

"Yes, general," said Young Glory. "One of them is the man who lives in the hut."

"How did it all happen?"

As Young Glory told the story of the marvelous escape of Dan Daly from the firing party, with the subsequent details of the pursuit and eventful safety, the men gathered round and listened with bated breath.

"Senor, it is marvelous!" exclaimed the general, when the recital was ended. "I had heard something of the extraordinary escape of the American prisoner before. Now tell me of your future plans."

"That is for your ear alone."

"Stand back, senores," said the general, waving his hand, "except Colonel Mendez, my chief."

"That is the same as yourself, general," replied Young Glory, bowing to the officer who had been named.

When Young Glory had told them what his plan was, they were lost in amazement.

"And you mean to do it?"

"Certainly. That's what I'm here for."

"Do you want any of my men?"

"If you can send some of them on the road with me to point out the way I shall be glad, but they must not go near Valmosa. If they were seen with me that would spoil all."

"Success to you, Young Glory," said the general, pressing his hand as he was riding off.

"Oh! then you believe I'm Young Glory now?"

"Caramba! my friend, your deeds show that. There's not another man would do such things. Adios."

Once more Young Glory was in the saddle with two of the patriots riding alongside him. Under their guidance he made rapid progress.

"We must leave you now, senor," said one of the men.

"Thank you for coming."

"Yonder, where you see the lights is Valmosa. Goodness only knows how you will reach it."

"Leave that to me."

Once more Young Glory was alone, riding rapidly to the scene of his desperate undertaking.

"Halt!"

It was a challenge by the sentry. Young Glory had, of course, expected this, and he was ready.

"Dispatches from Monterey!" he cried, instantly, thinking by so doing that the sentry would not demand the watch-word for the night.

The scheme was successful. The sentry told him to advance, keeping his rifle on him the while, until he had satisfied himself of the truth.

One look seemed to give him confidence.

"You are from Monterey, capitan?"

"Yes. I am Captain Ruiz Calderon."

"Pass, capitan."

One obstacle was surmounted. The rest was easy. In a few minutes Young Glory found himself in Valmosa.

There all was excitement.

Instantly Young Glory went to the commandant of the garrison.

"If he knows Ruiz Calderon, I'm lost," was Young Glory's reflection as he entered the commandant's room.

"A dispatch from General Lopez," said Young Glory, saluting.

The commandant took the letter and tore it open, scarcely giving Young Glory a glance.

"So you are Captain Calderon?" he said, after reading the dispatch.

"Yes, colonel."

"General Lopez says you are a brave and energetic soldier."

Young Glory bowed.

"To-night you have work before you that will prove your strength. You are to command the expedition that starts for Monterey."

"So the general told me."

"Everything is in readiness. There is no reason for delay."

"I think you are right, colonel. There seems to be every reason for hurrying. You spoke of danger."

"Yes."

"From what quarter do you expect it?"

"From the Americans. The rebels are on shore. They can do us no harm."

"How can the Americans do so?"

"They have a cruiser in these waters."

"She will not see us."

"Who knows? Those ships carry great searchlights now, and they can light up the water."

"Let them. They have to sink us after they find us and it's not easy to hit a small boat at long range."

"Good. That's the way to talk, capitan. You are a man after my own heart."

Young Glory was leaving the room when he passed a man he thought he knew, but it was somewhat dark and he only had a mere glance.

He heard a few words, though, that disquieted him somewhat.

"That's Captain Calderon—" it was the commandant speaking—"he leads the expedition."

"Calderon of Lopez' division?"

"Yes."

"Caramba! but he's grown."

With beating heart Young Glory hurried on.

"I know that voice," he muttered. "Strange! where can I have heard it?"

During the last few months he had been through so many scenes, and he had met with so many strange faces, that he was quite unable to satisfy himself as to the identity of the owner of the voice.

The boats were all in readiness.

Two large craft contained ammunition. A smaller one was in advance, filled with sailors and soldiers, in order to tow the heavier craft along.

Young Glory speedily took in the whole of the arrangements. He might have preferred to make some changes, but his object now was to get out of Valmosa with all speed. Rapidly he gave his orders. The men seemed to have no suspicion, and all was going smoothly. Yet Young Glory could not get out of his mind the stranger who had passed him at the commandant's headquarters.

"Cast off!" he cried.

Instantly the men on the pier let the boats loose, and the men bent to their oars.

"Row, my lads, long and steady. You've a hard pull before you," said Young Glory, "and you'll need all your strength."

The sailors showed at once they did not intend to overexert themselves.

"Rather different to our blue jackets," was Young Glory's reflection. "Why, Dan Daly and half a dozen of our fellows would lick the whole crowd."

There was commotion on shore at this instant. Anxiously Young Glory looked towards the pier. He could see nothing on account of the darkness, but he heard the pattering of feet. One man, if not more, was hurrying towards the end of the pier.

Then Young Glory heard some shouting, but the roar of the sea prevented him from distinguishing the words.

The shouting continued.

"Traitor!"

This word came distinctly across the water.

"They've caught a spy," exclaimed Young Glory, quickly, to turn the men's thoughts away from himself. "Hurry up, lads, and you may get back in time to see the fun, for he'll have to die, that's sure."

Not another word reached the boat. Yet, Young Glory felt by no means safe. He knew that a boat might be sent off to overtake him, and then he was lost entirely.

But as the minutes passed, and he heard no sound of pursuing oars, he became easier in his mind.

To get out of possible danger from shore, he ordered the men to row out towards the sea, but here he was beaten. The waves ran high and the boats were in great danger of being swamped. Back to the shore again he had to go, and adhere to the original plan of creeping along by the beach.

The coast was rocky hereabout.

Suddenly above their heads a figure, which looked unnaturally tall in the darkness, rose on a great bowlder which overshadowed the water.

"You have a traitor in that boat!" cried this apparition. "The man with you is not Captain Calderon. It is Young Glory!"