Page:The Campaign of the Jungle.djvu/92

72 "Well, if you are innocent, you will not object to helping me rejoin our soldiers," he ventured.

"I want nothing to do with the Americanos,—they mean to get me into trouble, even though I am innocent," growled Benedicto Lupez. "Come, José, we will go," he added to his brother, in their native language.

His brother was already at the doorway. The shouting and firing outside was increasing. Leaping forward, Larry caught Benedicto Lupez by the arm.

"You'll stay here," he began, when the Spaniard let out a heavy blow which hurled the young sailor flat.

"I will not be held by a boy!" cried the man. "Let go, do you hear?" For Larry had caught him by the foot. The boy's hold was good, and in a trice Benedicto Lupez lay flat on his back. Then he rolled over and over and a fierce tussle ensued, which came to a sudden end when José Lupez leaped forward and kicked Larry in the head, rendering him partly unconscious.

What followed was more like a dream than reality to the bruised youth. He heard a confused murmur of voices and a dozen or more shots, and then, as