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The raiders had approached San Antonio de los Banos across the fields at the rear, but Colonel Lopez led their retreat by way of the camino real which followed the riverbank This road for a short distance was exposed to the fire froround

O'Reilly, aratulating himself upon the fortunate outcome of the skirmish when he saw Colonel Lopez ride to the crest of a knoll, rise in his stirrups and, lifting his cupped hands to his lips, direct a loud shout back toward the town Lopez was followed by several of his an to yell and to wave their arms excitedly

Johnnie turned to discover that Leslie Branch had lagged far behind, and now, as if to cap his fantastic perfor the river-bank to a place where a large washing had been spread upon the stones to dry He was quite exposed, and a spiteful crackle from the nearest blockhouse showed that the Spaniards were deter the rocks--even from this distance their sharp explosions were audible--others broke the surface of the strea

While Johnnie looked on in breathless apprehension Branch appropriated several suits that promised to fit him; then he climbed up the bank, ree

Now this was precisely the sort of harebrained exploit which delights a Cuban audience When Leslie rejoined his coreeted with shouts and cheers

"Caramba! He would risk his life for a clean shirtThere's a fellow for you! He enjoys the hum of these Spanish bees!Bravo! Tell us what the bullets said to you," they cried, crowding around hi circle

O'Reilly, unable to contain hie: "You infernal fool! Do you want to be shot robbing a clothes-line?"

"Rats!" ejaculated Leslie, sourly "I TOLD you I had to have some clothes"

"Lopez ought to court- to do with that junk, now that you have it? You can't take it with you on theto be comfortable, if--" He paused, with a peculiar, startled expression on his face "Did you hear anything?" he queried after a " The two men rode on in silence for a ti happened back there while those Ro"