"No express train was ever made that's fast enough for me to-night," muttered Lieutenant Dick Prescott between set teeth. The running lights were out, for it was nearly dark when the "Restless" had left Agua Dulce. Only the movement of a switch was needed to turn them on. "Ever been to Holmesville?" demanded Dave Darrin, turning almost fiercely on Tom Halstead when he showed his head on deck. "No, sir." "Wouldn't know the place by sight?" "No, sir." "Nor I, either--from the water front," groaned Darrin. "But surely you have some chart of the river?" Tom Halstead was already out of sight again. When he came on deck he remarked: "I've been looking at the chart. Now, I'll know Holmesville to a dot when we sight the place." "Nice sort of a town some one took the trouble to name after me, isn't it?" grunted Lieutenant Holmes. "Say! Look there!" gasped Lieutenant Noll, pointing ahead just as the craft rounded a bend of the river, and something was visible that the trees had shut out before. A thrill of dismay went through all. Ahead the sky was angrily red at one point. "The miscreants have fired the town!" roared Dick Prescott, in anguish. "Captain Halstead, is there no more speed to be wrung out of this boat?" "We're going like the wind, now, Mr. Prescott," Halstead answered. "To try for any more speed would be to endanger either the engine or the propeller." "Let this young skipper alone, Dick," whispered Holmes soothingly, in his chum's ear. "He knows his business, if ever a man did!" As more miles were covered the red blur against the dark sky became larger and brighter. Prescott and Darrin watched it as though dazed. Once in a while their hands wandered to their weapons. "We'll be there in ten minutes more," announced Halstead finally, after a glance at his watch. "Thank Heaven!" devoutly muttered two young officers. "Oh, I hope we're _in time_!" groaned Lieutenant Hal, turning to Noll Terry. Three or four enlisted men were on deck. The others, after the cool indifference of their kind until the moment of action comes, were below in the cabin. But every soldier started to his feet as Raney's voice rang out: "Ready, men, for a quick landing!" "You'll go back out into the stream, won't you, Halstead?" Lieutenant Overton asked, as Hank directed the "Restless" in toward a dock. "Joe Dawson will," answered Skipper Tom. "He and I have already drawn lots to see which one of us would stay on the boat." "You're not going ashore into this hades of riot and arson, are you?" "Where American women are in danger?" retorted Skipper Tom. "Nothing less than a file of soldiers could keep me back!" A dozen irregular shots rang out just as Halstead and Hank leaped ashore to hold the lines. "Tumble off there, men. Don't wait for any gang-plank!" roared Lieutenant Prescott.