"Put on your hat and come with me. Order the passengers back on to the train and give your engineer instructions to cover just as much of the distance between here and Vera Cruz by daylight as he knows how!" The captain shrugged his shoulders as he arose from his seat. "I see you think it will be easy to escape. Just put any such idea out of your mind. There is no possible chance." Donald turned to Billie. "This is what must be done. We shall walk directly back to where the passengers are. The captain will give his order without any hesitation. Otherwise I shall shoot him through my pocket. You will keep right behind us. If I fire, you fire also. One of us will be sure to kill him." Donald led the way from the car and Billie brought up the rear. Through the dark they marched, each with a hand on the captain, so they might feel his slightest tremor. Arriving at the engine the captain summoned the sergeant. "Order the passengers to board the train," was the brief command. The sergeant hastened to obey. "Bueno!" said Donald, as the passengers rushed back. Then under his breath to Billie: "Call Adrian." Billie did so. "Where are you?" Adrian called back. "Down near the engine." A moment later Adrian appeared coming through the crowd of hurrying passengers. "Where's Don?" he asked as soon as he caught sight of Billie. "Not far. Stay here. We may need you." Adrian's face showed some surprise, but he said nothing. "Now, captain," said Don quietly, "your orders to the engineer," and under cover of the darkness he pushed the point of his revolver into the captain's side, while Billie touched him significantly in the back. The captain gave the order as he had been instructed. "Now for the conductor," ordered Donald. The order was given, but the conductor refused to obey. "I must have a written order," he said. "Why?" asked Donald, in his role of lieutenant. "To countermand the order of Gen. Maas." "Captain," was Donald's quiet hint, "don't you think it would be well to place the conductor under arrest?" and again he poked his revolver into the captain's side. The order for the conductor's arrest was quickly given. "Now, then, vamose," called Adrian. Then to the engineer, "I will act as conductor." The guards and extra soldiers who had been detailed for this special service, sprang aboard; the engineer pulled open the throttle and the train began to move. "Aren't you going, too?" asked Adrian. "Yes," whispered Billie to Donald, "hurry aboard with your prisoner." The captain was evidently of the same mind, for he started to board the already moving train. "No you don't," exclaimed Donald, pulling him back. "You're going to stay here with us!" "Do you mean it, Don?" asked Billie in surprise. "Sure! What do you think he'd do to us as soon as it was light?" By this time the train was under headway; a second later the last coach passed them and in another minute the tail lights were disappearing in the darkness.