"They seem to know just what's going to happen to them pretty soon," continued Andy. "You can see how they hang their heads and walk along as if they didn't care a snap whether school kept or not. I guess you hit the nail right on the head when you said what you did, Rob! Perhaps they're on the way to execution now!"
"Whew!" gasped Tubby, a look of pity crossing his good-natured face, "if that's so I mean to stick my fingers in my ears so I won't hear the volley. Why, it would be sure to haunt me all the years of my happy natural life. Poor fellers! I'd like to put in a word for the lot with Villa; but I'm afraid he wouldn't stand for our meddling with his business; and it might queer my other game, too, which I'd hate to have broken up."
"Hello! what does this mean, boys?" suddenly exclaimed Andy.
One of the four dejected-looking prisoners, at sound of the boys' voices, had raised his head. They had a glimpse of a dirty face and streaming hair. Even as they stared, this fellow broke out of the line, sprang forward toward the four Boy Scouts, and throwing himself down on his knees in front of them, clasped his hands convulsively together, as he almost shrieked:
"Save me, Rob Blake. Oh! don't let them shoot me! I'll promise anything if only you get me off with your friend, General Villa! Oh! Rob, help me, please!"
CHAPTER XXV.
AGAIN UNDER THE FOLDS OF "OLD GLORY."
The four boys were so utterly astonished when this Mexican soldier made his appeal in excellent English, calling Rob directly by name, that they could hardly catch their breath for the moment.
"Oh! don't you know me—Merritt, Andy, Tubby,—your old schoolmate, Jared Applegate? For the sake of the good old days save me from being shot by these human wolves! I've got an old father and mother up home in Hampton, you know! Think what a shock it would be to them to hear what had happened to their boy. Save me, Rob! You can do it, because I heard General Villa promise you anything you asked!"