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188 as the clumsy cart creaked over a bridge. "I think we'll be safe in ten minutes more."

He had scarcely finished when there came a loud command to halt, and the native brought his cart to a standstill. A brief parley followed, and a couple of Spanish guards came up to the cart and calmly confiscated several cocoanuts from the bag. Then the turnout was allowed to proceed in the direction of the market place.

"Now is your time," whispered the driver to Dan, as we passed through a rather dark portion of a thoroughfare. "Drop out and you will be safe."

"Here is something for your aid," whispered my chum in return, and handed him a Mexican silver dollar, much to the native's delight, for such a piece, even though worth but fifty cents, is a good round sum in the Philippines.

Dan then dropped from the tail-end of the cart and Matt Gory and I followed. An alleyway was close at hand and we darted into this, to plan out our next movement.

"We are a good half mile from the offices," said Dan. "And I must confess I don't know the way."

"Sure an' mebbe youse would have done better to have stayed in th' cart," said the Irish sailor. "Howsomeever, lead on an' Oi'll be afther followin' ye!"