by Frank Fowler
CHAPTER XXVII.
THE ADMIRAL TO THE RESCUE.
When Donald struck the water he allowed himself to go clear tothe 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 theharbor and he made up his mind that he could not be far from someof 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 inthe offing. He could also see that he was well north of theprincipal 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 acouple of minutes, when he heard the sharp exhaust of a gasolinelaunch.
Realizing that it must be an American craft, he shouted at thetop of his voice.
At first there was no response, but as the boat came nearer andhe shouted even more loudly, a friendly hail came over thewaters.
"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 tomake himself visible.
"Who are you?" was the first question pumped at him by theofficer 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 anensign.
"I can't help how likely it is," snapped Donald in return. "It'strue, and I want to be put ashore as quickly as possible. I havean important message and the safety of one of his staff isinvolved. There is also a plot on foot to capture the generalhimself."
"Nonsense! And besides, I can't put you ashore. I am carrying amessage 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 theflagship.
"It's pretty tough," commented Donald, "but I'll prove I am rightwhen I get to the ship."
"I hope so," was the reply. "I haven't anything against you andyou 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 quicklydid.
"Here's a man I picked up in the water, sir, who says he has amessage for Gen. Funston, but I had no time to put him ashore."
"Looks more like a boy than a man," replied the officer. Then toDonald: "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 theshadow 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 intodetail.
"Come with me," ordered the Admiral, and he led the way to thewireless operator.
"Get into communication with Gen. Funston at once," was theadmiral'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 thelad ashore immediately."
"Thank you, sir," said Donald. "I knew some one would know whatto do."
"You're a brave lad," was the Admiral's comment, "and I shall beglad to hear the end of the adventure. You and your companionsmust come out and dine with us as soon as your mission is ended."
Donald thanked him for his kindness and hastened to the launchwhich 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 firstwords.
"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 likeyours."
The general smiled grimly.
"Think I shall have all my staff officers do the same," hecommented. Then more seriously: "Can you lead us to the house?"
"I'm not sure about the house; but I can take you to the stonewall 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 brieforders.
In another ten minutes two launches loaded with regulars andarmed with a rapid-fire gun in each, steamed swiftly up theharbor.
"There's the wall!" exclaimed Donald a few minutes later, "andthere'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 theofficer, "but we also want to capture the conspirators. This isa much more serious matter than Gen. Funston is willing toadmit."
"Then if you will take my suggestion, sir," said Donald modestly,"I would let a few soldiers go over the wall as well as enteringthe front of the house."
The officer looked up twenty feet. The wall was absolutelyperpendicular 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 tomake 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 thelaunch to the shore, and after several vain attempts the grapnelcaught 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 walland in almost less time than it takes to write it, he was at thetop.
"Do you see any one?" asked the officer from below.
"No, sir; but there is the sound of pacing footsteps on the walkthat runs along the side of the house."
"Good! Now make fast the grapnel and we will see if there are adozen men here who can climb to the top."
The dozen were quickly found and they were soon at the top of thewall. The officer finally decided to add to their armament one ofthe rapid-firers.
"If there is any resistance," he said, "we'll knock the side ofthe house in."
"What shall I do?" asked Donald.
"You'd better come back into the boat. You can help us to enterthe house in front."
Donald slid down the rope and the expedition quickly made alanding. Silently, so as not to alarm those within the house, themen took their way to the front of the mansion, which was at oncerecognized 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 welanded."
"Good!" from the officer. "I shall now have no compunction aboutentering the place."
With Donald and a couple of soldiers, the officer approached thedoor 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 o
fficer. 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 areevidently trying to gain time to spirit Lieut. Grimes away,thinking it is Gen. Funston."
"True," said the officer. "We'll wait no longer. Corporal, forcethe door!"
The corporal placed a small stick of dynamite under the door andfixed a fuse.
"Step back a little," he said.
All obeyed, when at the instant the door was thrown open and ahand, 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 gaveevidence that the men stationed upon the wall had done theirwork.