About ten o'clock they stopped for breakfast and then all took a
nap until the sun drew near the western horizon.
"We should reach our rendezvous with Don about dark," explained
Billie, "and that would get us into Vera Cruz about daylight."
As they approached the appointed spot, Billie and Adrian, ever on
the alert, noticed almost as one that the place had a changed
appearance and mentioned it to the others.
"What do you mean?" asked the corporal.
"I can't exactly explain," was Adrian's reply, "but my prairie
training always warns me to go slow when I sense danger."
"A mighty good idea," muttered one of the troopers, an old
campaigner who had seen service with Funston in the Philippines.
"These are slippery chaps."
"If I could walk," was Adrian's comment, "I'd soon find out what
is wrong; but you can't scout on horseback."
The cavalcade came to a halt and the men examined their weapons
to be sure they were in order.
"What do you think we'd better do, Ad?" queried Billie.
"I don't know. How far are we from the rendezvous?"
"Not more than half a mile."
"If it were not for the possibility of making matters worse,"
suggested Adrian, "I'd fire a few shots; but of course what we
want is to get into Vera Cruz without a fight.
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