"I heard nothing, sir," confirmed Private Bolton, "until I heard a roaring in my own ears just after I got the noose trick, and then a lot of other Greasers piled on me." Again Guarez laughed, though he added with a snarl: "You will do well to stop the use of that word, Greaser, fellow. Otherwise you will feel the weight of a boot in your face. So!" Guarez swung his foot back as though intending to plant a vicious kick in Bolton's face. "Have done with cowardice, Guarez!" ordered Lieutenant Hal sternly. "Oh!" sneered the Mexican. "Me? I do as I please, and it would give me joy to kick your head off." "I'd bide my time, and make you swallow your own foot in time, if you did," retorted Hal undauntedly. "Be not too bold, my very young friend," warned Guarez, "or I shall deal with you at my leisure by taking you across into Mexico with me to-night." "Try it!" dared Hal contemptuously. For answer Guarez struck his boot lightly against Overton's lips. It was not a hard blow, nor did it cause any pain, but the meanness of the action brought the hot blood to Lieutenant Hal's face. "I'll wait my own time to make you apologize humbly for that, you contemptible, cowardly Greaser!" broke impetuously from the Army boy's insulted lips. An instant after the words were out Lieutenant Hal regretted the use of the word Greaser. That word, as a term of contempt for people of another country should not have been uttered by an officer of the Army. "Bah!" retorted Guarez. "Some other time for you, my young jaguar." As he went away Guarez signed to his companions, who followed him. There were now left as guards over the military prisoners two Mexicans. These were each armed with a forty-five Colt's revolver, and both appeared to be wholly alert. "If any one among you calls for help," remarked one of the guards, "my orders are to reward you with steel." Throwing back his coat the fellow displayed the hilt of a poniard. "What's the use of shouting?" demanded Hal indifferently, "when my other guards are beyond reach of my voice?" The Mexican laughed quietly, adding something in Spanish in an undertone to his companion. "I hope you don't blame us, sir?" asked Private Simms. "How can I censure any of you?" asked Hal bitterly, "when I was caught myself by the same easy trick?" "Don't tell me, after this," muttered Private Simms, "that a Mexican is stupid and has no brains." Conversation, though allowed in low tones by the two Mexican guards, soon died out among the soldiers, every one of whom felt secretly disgusted and ashamed of himself. Twenty minutes, or more, passed before Hal, lying with one ear to the ground, heard the somewhat distant sound of moving horses. Soon after the roll of wheels came to him. Then, around a corner of the road, not far away, wagons turned and made toward the shore of the Rio Grande. "Moving day with you fellows, is it?" demanded Hal of the guard who spoke English. The fellow chuckled quietly.