“Why, sir, I have a plan in my mind. It came to me while we were talking. The _Barrill_ is exactly like the _Beale_, is she not?” “They were built at the same yards. The _Beale_ is slightly longer, and more modern, and heavily engined. But why?” “Well, you have an American flag on board?” “Yes,” rejoined the captain, still puzzled, “of course we carry saluting flags of every nation.” “Then why can’t we masquerade as the _Beale_?” “But how? The deception would soon be discovered.” “Not at all. How?” “Why, to begin with, the _Beale_ has four funnels and we have but three.” “That difficulty is easily surmounted.” The middy was beginning to warm to his subject now. “You have on board canvas, some spare lumber, and ‘war color’ paint?” “Of course.” “Then we’ll soon have a fourth funnel rigged, and then, with the Stars and Stripes flying, we’ll cruise up and down as we please, without exciting any attention.” “But, senor, we cannot use the American flag in an action with the insurgents.” “Good heavens, no. As it is, I must swear you to secrecy over our part in the whole affair. No, I only suggested the flag as an additional means of throwing them off the trail. If we go into action, of course, we’ll have to come out in our true colors.” “By the saints, sir, you have indeed been sent by Heaven in the hour of my need!” cried the captain, springing up impulsively and, much to the lad’s embarrassment, flinging his arms about the middy. “I feel new fire in my veins, new hope, new ambitions. Give us good luck, and we’ll beat them yet.” “But there’s a lot to be done,” admonished the practical middy. “And now, if you don’t mind, I would like to call into council my men, Strong and Taylor and the invaluable Stanley.” So it came about that for two days following a four-funneled torpedo-boat destroyer, flying the American colors, was observed by the outposts at Santa Anna, leisurely cruising up and down the coast. The presence of the _Beale_, and her description was, however, known to them, and so they took it for granted--as who would not--that the four-funneled destroyer was the Yankee. Her presence gave them no uneasiness, as the American government, it was known, had only sent the vessel down into tropic waters to safeguard the interests of her citizens. Had the wires to Boca del Sierras not been cut in the engagement to the south of Santa Anna, the insurgents in the latter place might have put themselves in possession of some information which would have been valuable to them. To wit, that while the supposed _Beale_ was cruising about seaward the real _Beale_ lay snugly at Boca del Sierras. But this, of course, owing to the broken communication, they had no means of knowing.