“It was a glorious fight,” Lieutenant Duros said, still hiding his head, as they landed. Then he lifted his head, and Hike was astounded to see that he looked very sick. “A glorious fight,” he went on, “and it means the end of these robbers—but I am as sorry for every man I have to kill like he was my brother. _Santo Cuerpo!_ Poor devils—they were just led by bad men.” Then the Lieutenant straightened his shoulders, wiped his eyes, and climbed out of the _Hustle_, to greet Jack Adeler, who came charging down on them, shouting his thanks and admiration to Hike and the Mexican lieutenant. “I know you are an American army officer,” said Duros to Jack, “but do not be afeered, sir, for we shall keep it—uh—dark, is it? I congratulate you on the brilliant help you get from this other officer,” motioning to Hike. “He is perhaps a lieutenant of the Signal Corps? I am still amaze to find him looking so young—I would think he is a—a—almost not a young man yet, if I have not seen him run the aeroplane.” “Me? An officer?” blushed Hike. “Why, I’m a kid—a youngster; that’s all just a _muchacho_!” The Mexican officer smiled at what he considered a jest and bowed, with his hand on his breast, “As you weesh, sir. You shall keep your disguise! With your permission—of course my commander have put me under your orders—I and my men, we will each take two of these horses of the insurrectos, and ride back to Torreas.” “Oh, let me take you back in the aeroplane,” insisted Hike. “The government needs the horses, permit me to say, sir?” He seemed to be begging for permission, still; and suddenly Hike realized with a shock that the Mexican officer _meant_ it—that he, Hike, really had been and was commander of this expedition, and that Lieutenant Duros could do nothing without his permission! “Very well, Lieutenant,” he said, as gravely as he could. “You take command of the party, now, and take back all the horses you can handle. It’s been a pleasure to meet you, sir, and permit me to congratulate you on the way you handled the machine-gun from the aeroplane. By the way, can you carry that on horseback?” “Yes, sir, it is very light.” “Well, _adios, señor_!” “Adios!” cried the Lieutenant, and gathered his men for the trek to Torreas. When their backs were turned, Hike solemnly rolled over on the ground, and he was shouting with laughter when he arose. “Say, Jack, did you get that?” he howled to Adeler. “Me, a Santa Benician, a kid—and he thought I was an American Signal Corps officer. Say, wouldn’t that _jar_ you?” For once Lieutenant Adeler did not see a joke. “Why,” he said, quite seriously, “of course you do look awfully young, but from the way you handled the _Hustle_—and the federal troops—you might just as well be an officer, and a mighty good one. There were eighteen-year-old _colonels_, in the Civil War. And I know several men older than I who don’t _look much_ older than—”