THE ADMIRAL TO THE RESCUE.
When Donald struck the water he allowed himself to go clear to
the bottom, as he wanted to find out just about how deep it was.
It was, as he had expected, about the depth of the water in the
harbor and he made up his mind that he could not be far from some
of the wharves that constitute the water front.
When he came to the surface, he struck out away from the wall,
and by the light of the moon was soon able to see the vessels in
the offing. He could also see that he was well north of the
principal docks.
"I guess I'll land at the first place that offers," he thought,
"and find my way to headquarters from there."
He struck out lustily, but had not been swimming more than a
couple of minutes, when he heard the sharp exhaust of a gasoline
launch.
Realizing that it must be an American craft, he shouted at the
top of his voice.
At first there was no response, but as the boat came nearer and
he shouted even more loudly, a friendly hail came over the
waters.
"Where are you?" came the voice as the boat came to a stop.
"Here, to your port side," he replied.
The launch was started again slowly and Donald was soon able to
make himself visible.
"Who are you?" was the first question pumped at him by the
officer in command.
"Special messenger for Gen. Funston," was the response.
"Where is your uniform?"
"I'm not a soldier. I am a civilian."
"A likely story," snapped the officer, who chanced to be an
ensign.
"I can't help how likely it is," snapped Donald in return. "It's
true, and I want to be put ashore as quickly as possible. I have
an important message and the safety of one of his staff is
involved. There is also a plot on foot to capture the general
himself."
"Nonsense! And besides, I can't put you ashore. I am carrying a
message to Admiral Fletcher."
"But my business is important," insisted Donald.
"So is mine," declared the ensign.
He ordered his launch full speed ahead in the direction of the
flagship.
"It's pretty tough," commented Donald, "but I'll prove I am right
when I get to the ship."
"I hope so," was the reply. "I haven't anything against you and
you may be telling the truth, but I can't take any chances."
Fifteen minutes later they drew up beside the flagship.
"Up you go," said the ensign, motioning Donald up the ladder.
"I'll present you to the officer of the deck," which he quickly
did.
"Here's a man I picked up in the water, sir, who says he has a
message for Gen. Funston, but I had no time to put him ashore."
"Looks more like a boy than a man," replied the officer. Then to
Donald: "What's this about you having a message for Gen.
Funston?"
Donald repeated what he had told the ensign.
"What's that?" asked another officer, coming forward out of the
shadow of the after turret.
The first officer saluted.
"Tell the Admiral your story, my lad," he said.
Again Donald repeated his story, this time going more into
detail.
"Come with me," ordered the Admiral, and he led the way to the
wireless operator.
"Get into communication with Gen. Funston at once," was the
admiral's order.
"Here he is, sir," was the report a couple of minutes later.
"Ask him if he has three American boys on a special mission."
The answer came back promptly that he had.
"Ask him if Lieut. Grimes is missing."
Again came back the answer that he was.
"Tell the general that we have one of the lads on the _Arkansas_,
and that he has had a strange adventure. Tell him I will send the
lad ashore immediately."
"Thank you, sir," said Donald. "I knew some one would know what
to do."
"You're a brave lad," was the Admiral's comment, "and I shall be
glad to hear the end of the adventure. You and your companions
must come out and dine with us as soon as your mission is ended."
Donald thanked him for his kindness and hastened to the launch
which was to take him back.
Twenty minutes later he stood before Gen. Funston.
"You seem to have been in the water," was the general's first
words.
"Yes, sir," laughed Donald. "I jumped from a wall north of town,
leaving Lieut. Grimes on top of it."
"What! Lieut. Grimes on top of a wall? How did he get there?"
"He was kidnapped, sir! It was a case of mistaken identity!"
"Mistaken identity! I don't understand!"
"They took him for you, sir, because his beard is trimmed like
yours."
The general smiled grimly.
"Think I shall have all my staff officers do the same," he
commented. Then more seriously: "Can you lead us to the house?"
"I'm not sure about the house; but I can take you to the stone
wall from which I jumped. That ought to guide us to the house."
"Right," said the general.
He called another member of his staff and gave a few brief
orders.
In another ten minutes two launches loaded with regulars and
armed with a rapid-fire gun in each, steamed swiftly up the
harbor.
"There's the wall!" exclaimed Donald a few minutes later, "and
there's where I jumped," pointing to a spot near the abutment.
The officer in command headed the boats for the shore.
"It is not only a question of freeing Lieut. Grimes," said the
officer, "but we also want to capture the conspirators. This is
a much more serious matter than Gen. Funston is willing to
admit."
"Then if you will take my suggestion, sir," said Donald modestly,
"I would let a few soldiers go over the wall as well as entering
the front of the house."
The officer looked up twenty feet. The wall was absolutely
perpendicular and as smooth as the side of a house.
"I'm afraid none of my men can scale it," he said.
"Can't we throw a grapnel over it, sir?"
"We might; but it would be a very slight hold."
"If you can make it hold at all," laughed Donald, "I'm willing to
make the effort. At best I can only fall back into the water."
"True," declared the officer. "We'll try it."
A grapnel was tied to a long line, such as is used in tying the
launch to the shore, and after several vain attempts the grapnel
caught in the top of the wall.
Donald sprang forward and tested it with his weight and it held.
Then, without another word, he braced his feet against the wall
and in almost less time than it takes to write it, he was at the
top.
"Do you see any one?" asked the officer from below.
"No, sir; but there is the sound of pacing footsteps on the walk
that runs along the side of the house."
"Good! Now make fast the grapnel and we will see if there are a
dozen men here who can climb to the top."
The dozen were quickly found and they were soon at the top of the
wall. The officer finally decided to add to their armament one of
the rapid-firers.
"If there is any resistance," he said, "we'll knock the side of
the house in."
"What shall I do?" asked Donald.
"You'd better come back into the boat. You can help us to enter
the house in front."
Donald slid down the rope and the expedition quickly made a
landing. Silently, so as not to alarm those within the house, the
men took their way to the front of the mansion, which was at once
recognized as one of the finest in Vera Cruz.
"Do you know who lives here?" asked the officer.
"No, sir," replied Donald.
"I was told it was the residence of one of Huerta's generals,"
said a soldier. "It was pointed out to me the first day we
landed."
"Good!" from the officer. "I shall now have no compunction about
entering the place."
With Donald and a couple of soldiers, the officer approached the
door and gave a vigorous knock.
There was no response and he knocked again.
"Who is there?" finally came a voice, evidently a mozo.
"An American officer. Open the door in the name of the law."
There was a still further delay and then another voice asked:
"How do we know it is an officer?"
"Open and find out, before I force the door."
There was a still further delay.
"It's a good thing we guarded the rear," said Donald. "They are
evidently trying to gain time to spirit Lieut. Grimes away,
thinking it is Gen. Funston."
"True," said the officer. "We'll wait no longer. Corporal, force
the door!"
The corporal placed a small stick of dynamite under the door and
fixed a fuse.
"Step back a little," he said.
All obeyed, when at the instant the door was thrown open and a
hand, in which was an automatic revolver, was thrust out,
directly in the face of the officer.
But quick as was the action, Donald was not taken off his guard.
With a single swift blow he struck the weapon into the air.
At the same instant a fusillade from the rear of the house gave
evidence that the men stationed upon the wall had done their
work.