"Let's keep just far enough ahead to see what will happen," said Donald. "We must get in touch with Adrian somehow." They started ahead, but it speedily developed that the others were not following. Instead they had been halted a short distance from the locomotive, back from the track, and surrounded by soldiers. "There seems to be a hitch somewhere," Don finally remarked. "They don't seem to know just what they do want to do." "Come on back and find out," said Billie. "It's up to us to do something." Cautiously they crept back to where they could hear the conversation among the passengers and the questions they asked the guard. Some were laughing and more were expressing indignation. A few of the women were crying, but above all they could hear the voice of the florid-faced man telling what he would do as soon as he could get into touch with Admiral Fletcher. "Which won't be very soon, unless I'm mistaken," laughed Donald. Presently some one began to whistle a popular air, but in such a way that the boys recognized the well-known whistle of Adrian. "Do you hear that?" asked Billie. "Ad wants to know what we are doing." "He'll have to want for the present," said Don, "but there go a couple of officers back to the train. Let's follow them." The boys darted into the shadow of the coaches and crept back only a few steps behind what proved to be the captain in charge of the company and his second lieutenant. "If I only had my automatic, I'd soon settle this whole matter," declared Billie. "You wouldn't hurt anybody, would you?" "I'd capture the officer and make him take us to Vera Cruz." "Of course," from Donald. "Why didn't I think of it before? Let's do it." "But we have no weapons." "Then we must get some." "How?" "Keep your eyes open. There must be some way." The officers kept on their way until they reached the first Pullman, where they stopped for a minute. "Are the orders in here?" asked the captain. "No; the conductor has them. He wouldn't stop the train without I gave them to him." "Carramba! Why didn't you tell me so before? Go and take them from him and bring them here at once." "Bueno, Capitan! Will you wait here?" "Yes, I'll go inside. Hurry." The lieutenant turned and hurried back. The boys only saved themselves from being detected by throwing themselves flat on the ground. For a moment the captain remained looking after his companion and then turned and entered the car. "We must have that order," said Donald. "We must!" echoed Billie. "Then we'll get it," they exclaimed as one. So alike were the thoughts that passed through their minds that they did not even feel obliged to speak the plan aloud. "Which one of us will stop him?" asked Donald. "You'd better. I'm heavier and I can handle him easier." They walked back some ten feet, where Donald stopped, while Billie went about ten feet farther and drew off into the darkness.