"Admirable! admirable!" exclaimed the rear admiral, when the brief narrative was finished. "I am proud of the bravery of yourself and the men with you."
"And now, if you please, sir," said Clif, calmly, "I want to go back there."
"Back there!" exclaimed the admiral. "Where do you mean?"
"To the spot where I met the Cuban," replied Clif.
"What do you mean? According to your account the place is swarming with Spanish soldiers."
"Not many of them, sir," said Clif. "And it is not my intention that they should see me. I left something behind that I think is important."
Then he told of the shell that came crashing through the trees where they stood, and of the series of incidents that had prevented his examining it as fully as he wished.
He insisted strongly that the recovery of the shell was of the greatest importance, and intimated something of his ideas concerning the mystery that it suggested. He spoke to such good purpose that at last the rear admiral was disposed to grant his wish.
"But it would be better to wait until you have had a chance to rest a bit," said the latter. "To-morrow night, for instance."
"Delay is dangerous, sir, I think," said Clif. "Others are seeking it, I know, and it may not be there unless I go at once. There are still several hours of the night left, and I can easily accomplish it."