Young Glory and the Spanish Cruiser Part 11

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."

"Pa.s.s, 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 sh.o.r.e. 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 pa.s.sed 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 ident.i.ty 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 pa.s.sed 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 sh.o.r.e 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!"