hardly daring to draw a breath, and with his heart pounding against his ribs as if it would break them, ned waited. it was overpoweringly hot in the brush. the sweat dribbled from his forehead and rolled down his nose, itching it in maddening fashion, but he did not dare to move a hand to mop his brow. a moment of inattention, he felt, might cost him his life.

suddenly the crackling was repeated, this time close at hand. ned could not repress a start, and as his frame twitched nervously the brush directly in front of him parted. to his astonishment, something red was thrust through. in the sudden relief to his feelings, ned almost burst into a roar of laughter, for the rubicund object quickly revealed itself as herc’s scarlet thatch. the former farm boy raised a red, dripping[289] face, and gazed inquiringly about him, his countenance framed oddly in the dusty brush.

“i’ll swear i heard something,” he muttered.

“and you did, too,” whispered ned, in a cautious tone, but one which carried.

“ned——” almost shouted herc.

“hush, you red-headed indian! do you want to bring the insurgent army down on us?

“what on earth are you doing here?” demanded ned, as herc drew closer.

“why, i saw you slip from your horse, and i guessed you were going to do something risky. i couldn’t help it, ned, i had to be with you.”

“but, herc, this is a dangerous errand. it may mean death.”

“i know that,” rejoined herc simply. “that’s the reason i came—so that i could be with you in case of trouble.”

“herc, you are a brick!” exclaimed ned, his voice shaken with real feeling. he reached out and clasped the dreadnought boy’s hand.

“we’re in this thing together now,” he went on.

“and we’ll see it through together.”

“you bet. now, come on.”

forward crept the two boys. in a few minutes they gained the edge of the declivity, through which they hoped to crawl, unseen by the insurgent gunners. without a word, for it was not a situation which any words would fit, they emerged from the friendly cover of the brush, and began crawling along the bottom of the dusty dip. it seemed terribly shallow, now that they were in it, and, flat as they stretched themselves, ned felt that they must look as big as elephants.

“reminds me of the time i played in a show at the village hall,” whispered herc, as they crawled through the dust. “i felt like i was the only thing on the stage.”

in times of great physical risk the mind sometimes remains almost dormant during the most dangerous part of the performance. so it was that, almost without knowing it, the dreadnought boys crossed the dip in the road and emerged unscratched in the government lines.

they were rudely recalled to themselves, however, by a sharp voice almost in their ears. looking up, they saw a dark-skinned soldier, in a shabby uniform standing over them. his bayonet was fixed, and he looked formidable.

“what did he say?” whispered herc.

“something like ‘speak, or i’ll shoot,’” rejoined ned, holding up one hand in token that it was empty.

“americanos,” he said.

the soldier seemed to comprehend, and nodded. beckoning, he led the dreadnought boys through a thick grove to where a group of officers stood chatting.

“you’d think they were going to play tennis to look at them!” exclaimed herc.

“yes, if colonel lazard is worrying, they are not,” agreed ned.

fortunately the leader of the halted government infantry and artillery spoke english, so that ned was able to explain to him his errand. many and loud were the congratulations the americans received on their bravery in daring to cross the[292] road. such a deed was, in fact, beyond the comprehension of the costavezans, brave enough though some of them were.

ned noted with satisfaction that fully twenty machine guns and a good-sized body of infantry were scattered about under the trees. their commanding officer explained coolly enough that he had ordered a halt till he heard from colonel lazard.

“but suppose he could not have communicated with you?” asked ned.

“then,” said the officer, with a shrug, “we should have had to remain here.”

“nice sort of soldiers,” thought ned.

but now that they had definite orders to advance on the hill, the troops became animated enough. in five minutes the guns were ready to be rushed into position, and the infantry was so arranged as to surround the precious implements of warfare and protect them.

ned’s blood thrilled as the advance was sounded. that what was to come would be real warfare he had no doubt.

as the government troops advanced up the road, the expected happened. from the insurgent guns to the north a raking fire opened. the infantry surrounding the guns replied, but their fire was half-hearted. in fact, there was no object in wasting time and ammunition in retaliating. to gain the hill in the speediest possible time was the object of the dash.

“this is warm work, herc!” exclaimed ned, as they stumbled forward with the troops. beside the dreadnought boy one of the infantrymen had just fallen, badly wounded. ned picked him up and placed him on a gun carriage.

general de guzman had been completely taken by surprise by the sudden move of the government troops. he had been depending on his guns to prevent communication between the two bodies, and thus hamper them till the expected ships arrived in the harbor below. the booming of their guns he intended to make the signal for his advance. suddenly, from the harbor, there sounded a loud report.

boom!

its echoes clashed back against the hills. ned and herc looked seaward surprised. they were still more surprised when they saw, making for the harbor entrance, two vessels. one of them they recognized even at that distance as the barrill. the other they guessed to be the de barros.

“hooray! captain gomez made good!” exclaimed ned. “i’ll bet he’s got a prize crew on the de barros now.”

and so it afterward proved. the plucky captain had made a night sortie on santa anna, lured the de barros seaward, and, after a brief engagement, forced her surrender. then, placing a prize crew on board, he started for boca del sierras. the gun they had heard was his salute of triumph. but de guzman mistook the report for the approach of the insurgent navy, and at once gave orders to advance. his position was screened from a sight of the sea, so that his eyes had not fallen on the same spectacle as had the boys. otherwise the command might never have been given.

under a raking fire from the advancing insurgents,[295] the hill was gained at last. the guns were soon rushed to the summit. as they gained it, to the westward of the town firing began. another small hill in that direction burst into smoke and flame. the heavy booming of the guns was distinctly borne to their ears.

the other section of the insurgent army was taking up the attack at that point. a short distance from the hill, de guzman, seeing that it was impossible for him to cut off the government artillery, halted his troops. as a means of harassing the enemy by every means possible, he ordered a raking fire on the gunners, as they began to operate the machine guns. man after man was mowed down as he worked at the guns. it began to look as if, after all, the hill of the ten saints might become the scene of a disastrous rout. the native troopers, easily influenced by a turn of luck one way or the other, began to waver. ned could see that it only needed a little more to throw them into a complete panic. revolver in hand, he rushed up to the gunners, urging them to their work. from[296] the boxes he seized, with his own hands, the long bands of ammunition—six hundred shots to a band—and fed them into the breeches of the guns.

“now, pull the triggers,” he shouted.

from one or two of the guns a raking fire opened, but even as it started it was stopped by de guzman’s sharpshooters.

“we’ve got to dislodge those fellows from that position!” exclaimed ned to the native commander. the other nodded.

“but our guns, senor. we must protect them. if the insurgents seize them, we should be powerless.”

“you leave me the artillery to look after,” exclaimed the boy excitedly, “and take your infantry round on de guzman’s flank. that will give me a chance to get this battery in shape.”

the officer nodded. he saw and understood ned’s strategy. it was, in fact, the one chance they had of holding the position.

“they’re throwing up trenches!” exclaimed herc suddenly, pointing down the road.

ned followed the direction herc indicated, and saw that de guzman’s men were, indeed, busy in erecting earthworks.

“if they get them up they’ll dislodge us from here in half an hour!” shouted the boy.

all the time their “sappers” were at work on their trenches, the insurgents kept up a steady fire on the hill. the infantry had departed, on their mission to divert this steady hail, some minutes before. would they attack the insurgent flank before it was too late and the trenches completed?

herc and ned worked like demons, driving the men to the guns. but the natives’ courage, never of the strongest quality, was waning fast. moreover, the dreadnought boys knew that occasionally in those countries whole regiments had been known to give up and go over to the enemy if the day was going against them.

suddenly, however, below them a sharp barking of rifles broke out to the left, or to seaward.

“hooray! it’s the infantry!” shouted ned.

immediately the fire on the guns slackened,[298] while the insurgents turned to face this new attack.

the moment had arrived.

“tell them to get to those guns,” he shouted to a native officer.

with shouts, threats and execrations the men were finally driven to the machine weapons. the rapid fire that resulted as they manipulated the firing levers seemed to give them new heart. they broke into wild cheers as the concentrated fire of the battery poured into the half completed trenches of the insurgents.

“hooray! let ’em have it!” yelled herc, as he saw the insurgents begin to waver.

filled now with foolhardy bravery, the government troops began to leap into the line of the insurgent fire, capering and shouting exultingly. several lost their lives in this way before the boy could check them.

suddenly there came the sound of hoofs behind them. the boys turned, to face a young officer.

“who is in command of this battery?” he demanded.

as nobody answered, ned assumed the responsibility.

“what is it?” he asked.

“i have ridden over from the other hill to find out,” explained the officer. “we are driving back the insurgents there, and were threatened with them on this flank when your magnificent fire turned them. your name, senor?”

luckily a desperate charge by the insurgents obviated the necessity of ned’s replying at that instant. led by de guzman himself, the insurrectos swept forward in a desperate effort to capture the hill by main force. but the guns were too much for them. half way to the foot of the hill their ranks wavered and broke. the advance turned suddenly into a wild, demoralized rush for safety. but nowhere could they find it. attacked on the left flank by the infantry, and on the rear by colonel lazard’s cavalry, the insurgents were driven back toward the mountains, dozens being killed in the rout.

the victory for the government troops was complete and final. yet, had it not been for the americans, there might have been another tale to tell.

“let’s get out of this!” exclaimed ned to herc, as the ranks of the insurgents broke and fled. “there’s no more work for us here.”

“and that dago is eying us as if he’d like to take us prisoners,” remarked herc, gazing sidewise at the young horseman who had demanded their names.

in the confusion they slipped off unobserved, making their way toward the city. on every hand they passed excited people. the news of the complete rout of the insurgents had spread broadcast. the insurrectos had been beaten back on the west, as well as at the hill of the ten saints. the day was saved for the costavezan government and for the americans holding concessions under it.

“what about the midshipman and stanley?” asked herc, as they hurried along toward the town and entered its scattering suburbs.

“mr. stark said that if we were separated we were to meet at the office of the american consul,” said ned. “we’ll head for there.”

rapidly the two dreadnought boys made their way along through the excited crowds, not one of whom dreamed of the part the two lads had played in what was actually the decisive engagement of the day. for, had de guzman’s troops gained the hill and captured the guns, they must have swept the city.

at last they entered the narrow street on which the consulate stood, and ned burst into a joyous cry.

“look at that, herc!” he cried, pointing.

“that” was the american flag floating above the door of the consulate. both dreadnought boys came to “attention,” clicked their heels together and saluted. then they hastened forward. but as they were entering the portal, they received a sudden check.

lieutenant timmons was just hurrying out. the dreadnought boys almost collided with him.

the officer started as if he had seen a couple[302] of ghosts. in truth, the boys’ appearance was startling. half ragged, powder-stained and bleeding from some minor cuts, they looked as if they had been in a desperate engagement, as, indeed, we know they had.

“great heavens! where did you come from?” exclaimed the officer, as the dreadnought boys drew themselves up and saluted.

“from the hill of the ten saints, sir!” exclaimed ned, with a twinkle in his eye.

“what, where that brave stand against the enemy was made? are you the two americans whom every one is talking about? great heavens! come inside at once——”

from the officer’s tone there was evidently something more than praise coming to them. nobody realized better than ned that their rash acts on the hill might result seriously. of one thing he was glad. they had not worn the united states uniform when they played their part in the government army.

as, with these mingled emotions, they turned to follow their officer, a sudden clatter resounded[303] up the street, and two horsemen appeared. they were midshipman stark and stanley.

lieutenant timmons gave a half-humorous groan as he saw them.

“thank heaven, you are alive!” he exclaimed, “but how on earth am i going to explain all this?”