Merritt made a discovery about this time, which he announced in tones of delight.
"Looky there, boys! The enemy is in full flight, believe me! You can see them skipping out everywhere. Guess they've glimpsed the train coming along, and know that they'll soon be outnumbered five to one. And it's going to take them some little time to reach the place where they've left their mounts; so good-bye to you, Mr. Huerta's crowd!"
In a short time it was considered safe to show one's head above the rocks, and presently some of the rebels were running back toward the remains of the bridge, shouting at the top of their lungs with joy.
"There's the train!" cried Merritt, as he stood on the rock behind which he and his three chums had established the Red Cross field hospital, and done such effective work among the wounded.
Tubby gave several loud cheers; in fact, every one was calling out now, even the fugitives in the sink, some of whom appeared in view, hurrying back to the cars, possibly to stand by their precious luggage and keep inquisitive hands from opening the packages.
The long troop-train came to a stand close to the other side of the river. Immediately a swarm of dark-faced men dropped from the heavily laden cars, and there was a concerted rush in the direction of the smoking bridge.
Just as Rob had said, many of the more daring, finding that the steel work had cooled to some degree, started to make their way across like monkeys, just as though they had lingering hopes of being able to come to hand-grips with the Regulars who had set fire to the railroad property. Others began to ford the stream, the water hardly coming up more than to their waists, as the dry season was on at the time.
"Well, I'm glad that it's all over and none of us got so much as a scratch!" Tubby was saying, while with his comrades he watched the swarm of men crossing the river.
"Yes, but I feel bad because I never got a chance to bang away even once," Andy grumbled, as, with gun tucked under his arm, he leaned dejectedly against the end car, and took in all the bustling sights.
"It's just as well," Rob told him. "If you knew right now that you had made one of those men go limping off to suffer all sorts of pain, because you felt that you just had to use your gun, when it wasn't your fight at all, do you think you'd feel any better because of it, Andy?"