The Boy Scouts Under Fire in Mexico

by John Henry Goldfrap

This they could easily do by dislodging the Federals who were in hiding on the return trail awaiting his approach.

Several times, when an opportunity occurred, Rob took occasion to raise his head slowly and peer over the top of some friendly rock. He moved carefully so that he might not draw attention to the spot; and his motive was more to take a peep at the stalled train than any desire to find out what the enemy might be doing. In this way, then, he saw the dozen rebels finally make a sortie and run headlong for the foot of the height, just about as he had done; only they failed to take advantage of the chances there were for concealment, which he had utilized.

And he could also see that those at the train had gathered in a throng on that side toward the scene of action, as though deeply interested in the outcome.

Yes, there were Tubby, Merritt and Andy; he could plainly make them out with his naked eye, and knew that they must be very anxious concerning his safety. Rob was almost impelled to wave his signal flag, so that its familiar white and red combination would catch their watching eyes and tell them that thus far all was well, but he decided not to do it. How was he to tell but that enemies might be close by who would take advantage of his indiscretion to send a pattering shower of lead about his ears?

Once he half raised his field glasses, being tempted to make use of them in order to see better what the boys were doing and whether they wore anxious expressions on their faces, as he believed would be the case. But again Rob's scout training held his hand, and he quickly decided that he would be taking too much risk. Then, too, the sun chanced to be shining in just such a way that if he moved the glasses it would be apt to flash a warning ray, very much on the order of the heliograph signals he was used to making with the aid of a broken piece of mirror, and such a slight thing might catch the suspicious eyes of those who lay in wait.

So Rob contented himself with taking another observation, and noting that the advancing rebels showed all the evidences of being very much in earnest.

All at once, even as he looked, he heard the quick detonation of a gun not far away from him. And at the same instant he saw a puff of white smoke burst out from a clump of rocks, showing that one of the Federals must be in hiding there.

Undoubtedly he was firing at the advancing rebels, understanding that they meant to dislodge himself and companions from their hiding-places on the hillside.

Derisive shouts answered the shot, and, so far as Rob could see, it had accomplished nothing save to let the rebels know that their intentions were understood, and that the concealed Federals would not run away without a fight.

Then came other shots. The second and third of those men who were lying in ambush had taken up the gage of battle, and were trying to wing some of the leaping, running rebels before they gained the shelter of the outlying rocks at the foot of the hill.