"Thank you for coming." "Yonder, where you see the lights is Valmosa. Goodness only knows how you will reach it." "Leave that to me." Once more Young Glory was alone, riding rapidly to the scene of his desperate undertaking. "Halt!" It was a challenge by the sentry. Young Glory had, of course, expected this, and he was ready. "Dispatches from Monterey!" he cried, instantly, thinking by so doing that the sentry would not demand the watch-word for the night. The scheme was successful. The sentry told him to advance, keeping his rifle on him the while, until he had satisfied himself of the truth. One look seemed to give him confidence. "You are from Monterey, capitan?" "Yes. I am Captain Ruiz Calderon." "Pass, capitan." One obstacle was surmounted. The rest was easy. In a few minutes Young Glory found himself in Valmosa. There all was excitement. Instantly Young Glory went to the commandant of the garrison. "If he knows Ruiz Calderon, I'm lost," was Young Glory's reflection as he entered the commandant's room. "A dispatch from General Lopez," said Young Glory, saluting. The commandant took the letter and tore it open, scarcely giving Young Glory a glance. "So you are Captain Calderon?" he said, after reading the dispatch. "Yes, colonel." "General Lopez says you are a brave and energetic soldier." Young Glory bowed. "To-night you have work before you that will prove your strength. You are to command the expedition that starts for Monterey." "So the general told me." "Everything is in readiness. There is no reason for delay." "I think you are right, colonel. There seems to be every reason for hurrying. You spoke of danger." "Yes." "From what quarter do you expect it?" "From the Americans. The rebels are on shore. They can do us no harm." "How can the Americans do so?" "They have a cruiser in these waters." "She will not see us." "Who knows? Those ships carry great searchlights now, and they can light up the water." "Let them. They have to sink us after they find us and it's not easy to hit a small boat at long range." "Good. That's the way to talk, capitan. You are a man after my own heart." Young Glory was leaving the room when he passed a man he thought he knew, but it was somewhat dark and he only had a mere glance. He heard a few words, though, that disquieted him somewhat. "That's Captain Calderon--" it was the commandant speaking--"he leads the expedition." "Calderon of Lopez' division?" "Yes." "Caramba! but he's grown." With beating heart Young Glory hurried on. "I know that voice," he muttered. "Strange! where can I have heard it?" During the last few months he had been through so many scenes, and he had met with so many strange faces, that he was quite unable to satisfy himself as to the identity of the owner of the voice. The boats were all in readiness.