In course of time the young officer passed the public pier, standing empty and deserted at the foot of the street leading from the village down to the water front. There were several row-boats tied up here at one side. During the day-time they had been under other guard, but now they lay unwatched--to the casual eye. However, within short distances of the pier on either side the young lieutenant knew that he had sentries hidden. Neither sentry communicated with Lieutenant Overton as he passed. "They're wise men not to hail me here," thought the young lieutenant. "They can see who I am, and, if there are any Mexicans prowling about here in the shadows, the sentries will not betray themselves." Hal went on past the pier a little distance. "The whole village seems asleep," he muttered, looking toward the town. "Yet, if we have blocked Guarez's little game I'll wager it will be late before he retires to-night. He'll be too mad to sleep." Hal had halted in the shadow of two trees, growing close together. As he stood there, glancing about him, he was certain that he saw some one moving behind a growth of bushes a little way up the road. "Halt! Who's there?" called the young Army officer, in a low voice, yet one that would carry. There came no answer, but Hal was positive that he had seen some one moving. "Answer, there!" he called sharply, running forward, "or stand where you are. I'm going to look you over." Being a good sprinter young Overton was soon on the spot where he was sure that he had seen some one. But now there was no one in sight. There were other clumps of bushes near, and the prowler might easily have hidden. "If you won't come out," called Lieutenant Hal, as he began to move quickly from clump to clump, "I'll rout you out!" Then, of a sudden, just as Lieutenant Hal turned away from a growth of bushes, he heard a stealthy step at his rear. Like a flash he turned. As he did so, a rope was cast over his head, pinioning his arms to his sides. Before he could move or resist he felt himself jerked to the ground with considerable violence. In another instant Hal would have been on his feet, contriving to get the noose loose or shifted in some way, and he would have been full of fight. But the stealthy one, a man of good size and swarthy of feature, hurled himself upon the body of the trapped young Army officer. A low whistle followed, and Hal heard others moving. Then he felt the prick of steel at his throat as the Mexican whispered: "Quiet! Our cause is worth more than your life!" CHAPTER XIII ENOUGH TO MAKE A MEXICAN LAUGH Though Hal's captor spoke English, he was unquestionably Mexican. His eyes gleamed with an unholy fire. Young Overton had no doubt that he recognized the type--a man who believed that he was serving the holy cause of liberty in his own country, and who would think a _Gringo_ life of little value if it interfered with the cause of the rebels across the river.