By ELMER SHERWOOD
Author of The Ted Marsh Series
and The Buffalo Bi I! Series
Illustrations by-Neil O'Keeffe
AND
HIS FRIEND STE
Copyright 1922 by
WIITMAVTUBUSHING CO.
RACINE, WISCONSIN
Printed in
United States of America
Here's to 
America 
First
Last 
Always
[
CONTENTS
Chapter	Page
I OFF DUTY 	 15
II SANDY'S FRIEND TERRY MeMAHON 21
III TERRY'S AWAKENING	 29
/V TERRY'S SUCCESS 	 34
V ON CONVOYING DUTY	 48
VI ON PATROL DUTY	 52
VII IN AMARILLO 	 58
VIII FISHING 	 66
IX THE MEXICANS WONDER	 74
X CONRAD QUESTIONS ALBERTO	 79
XI ALBERTO ACTS 	 87
XII THE BOYS ACT QUICKLY	 94
XIII SANDY GETS HIS CHANCE	 201
XIV HOMEWARD BOUND 	 107"
XV IN FRISCO 	 112
XVI CONCLUSION 		11't
ILLUSTRATIONS
"A LARGE NUMBER OF US WENT ASHORE"
	 (Frontispiece)
"GO TO THAT WINDOW, MY FRIEND, LOOK
OUTSIDE" 	 46
THE WIZARD WAS BOUND SOUTH	 54
A`u
CHAP,TER I
OFF DUTY
THE wizard, one of Uncle Sam's
destroyers, was one of a number con-
voying transports for Somewhere in France.
Sandy, one of the gunners on board, was 
off duty. He was the center of a small 
group, the Twins, (Herbert and Arthur 
Vine,) ensigns on the destroyer, Steve Car-
ney, his mate, and Ted Marsh, a likable, 
unassuming American lad, whom many of 
our readers have already met.
You have guessed Ted's age to be about 
sixteen. He was well built, clean cut; his 
face indicated a certain self reliance, his eyes 
were clear and litlhest. Of his experiences 
and adventures, we must refer the reader to 
the stories already written about him; it 
would not be fair to those who have followed 
Ted's activities to rehearse them here.
16
16 TED MARSH AND HIS FRIEND STEVE
But we hope to be excused for but the 
barest resume of Ted Marsh's Great Ad-
venture so that our readers may become suf-
ficiently acquainted with the boy's most 
recent doings.
At the earnest behest of John Strong, a 
Canadian secret operative, who had made use 
of Ted two years before, the boy agreed to 
help him follow two German spies, mas-
querading under the names, Rellier and 
Sloan. Strong had found the boy resource-
ful and possessed of an unusual matured 
judgment. He knew that Ted had courage, 
for the boy had been tried in that earlier 
experience and had come through with fly-
ing colors. The Canadian was certain that 
the lad's youthful appearance would be a 
great asset. How the two had followed 
Rellier and Sloan on board the Alaska, how 
they had watched the two spies, how the 
Alaska was submarined is part of another 
story of Ted Marsh's Great Adventure. 
The boy had discovered the two Germans 
attempting the rescue of over a hundred 
pounds of platinum, had been attacked by 
the two, and left unconscious on the sinking
.;;.
ship. He had been rescued by the twins, 
taken on board the Wizard. There, because 
his condition was serious, he was not re-
moved. When he had recovered sufficiently, 
the destroyer was too far from land and so 
he had remained on board.
The boy and the Twins had become very 
close friends, for 'though he was younger 
than they, he appeared older than his age. 
Because his friends were devoted to Sandy 
and Steve, above mentioned, he was drawn 
into the circle of five. Next to the Twins, he 
was most attached to these two, who were 
wont to relate, at. such times when they 
were off duty and the spirit possessed them, 
tales of the doings of the men in the Navy.
The talk at the particular time referred 
to at the beginning of this story, had been 
about gunnery; Sandy had made some re-
markable shots in the trials that day.
It was early evening, the sky seemed 
crowded with stars, so clear was the night. 
The moon, full and brilliant, helped to make 
the view so clear that the nearest transport, 
quite a distance away, could be easily de-
18 TED MARSH AND HIS FRIEND STEVE
fined. Although, still quite a distance 
from the usual zone of U-Boat activity, a 
sharp watch was being kept.
"Say, Sandy," said Arthur, "I hear the 
men are going to protest against your com-
peting with them. They say that it's all 
right to compete with human skill, but it 
isn't fair to make them line up against 
magic—that you and your gun have some 
strange power."
Sandy laughed.
"I'm ready to admit, I am, that Bob's a 
wonder."
"It's all in the care you take of your 
gun," Sandy continued. "Guns are human 
They have their little ways about them; 
you've got to learn them. You see Bob and 
I, we know each other.
"But speaking about real gunners, we're 
all children. Guns are made these days-- 
well, pretty soon they won't need us at all, 
a gun will handle itself. It isn't so long 
ago, well, a man had to be a man to handle 
one of them and handle it well.
"Your Uncle Sam may not have the big-
gest navy in the world, but no other has had 
ibetter gunners. You fellows think I'm good 
----you should have seen Terry McMahon, 
gunner, United States Navy. Faith, it's 
twelve years ago, he was as big as life, and 
I was just old enough to play general nuis-
ance, mostly in the neighborhood where he 
was, so he said.
"Terry had been with Schley at Santiago, 
seven years before. You couldn't call him 
a pacifist; he used to say, 'What's a warship 
for without a war or two.'
"But shucks, first thing I know, I'll he 
rambling about Terry. Instead of letting 
his soul rest in peace. If it's resting that 
way, I doubt not, it's the first peace Terry 
ever had."
"That's a bad place to stop, Sandy," said 
Arthur.
"He doesn't want to stop, he just wants 
to be urged," answered Steve Carney.
"It's a great night to listen," added Ted. 
k of it, Sandy, they may be
20 TED MARSH AND HIS FRIEND STEVE
telling stories about you some years from 
now."
"Go to it, Sandy," Herbert also urged.
"Seeing as you're begging me, I'll tell 
you. I was going to, anyway."
CHAPTER II
SANDY'S FRIEND, TERRY MCMAHON
icT 'M WONDERING," began Sandy, as
-I- the men set themselves comfortably, 
during the pause in which the narrator 
mused over the past two years. "I'm wonder-
ing how the good St. Peter decided when 
Terry McMahon appeared before him. 
'Twas a most difficult decision, I don't mis-
doubt.
"It's Ted here who has said that they 
may be telling stories of us in the days to 
come. It sets me thinking. After all, I'm 
just wondering if St. Peter, begging his 
saintly pardon, doesn't work it all out on the 
theory—Judge not that you be not judged.'
•"If folks will say half the good things
of me that can be said of Terry, peace
be with his soul, I'll count it worth while.
erry had his faults, you could not be deny-
22 TED MARSH AND HIS FRIEND STEVE
ing it, but it's drink more than he that was 
to be blamed for them.
"There was none better hearted than he. 
Fun loving and generous, he would give his 
last sou to a pal and go further than that. 
And loyal? There was one young lieuten-
ant on board the ship who stood up to him 
one night down at San Martino when Terry 
was drunk and crazy—But I'm running 
ahead of my story.
"Once drink got him, Terry was a changed 
man. His good heart turned vicious, his 
love of ,fun became black deviltry, his very 
comradeship a thing that brought disgrace 
and trouble.
"Things are different now. Folks may 
argue that it's against the rights of men, but 
that's an argument that begins nowhere and 
ends, well it ends in the same place. At 
any rate, in those good old days of fifteen 
and twenty years ago, drink was every-
where and to be a sailorman almost meant to 
be a booze hound.
"Yes, they're different now. I'm not the 
preaching kind, but I'm glad of it. I've
SANDY'S FRIEND TERRY	23
seen it both ways. I've seen other men like 
Terry McMahon, good fellows, until the 
drink got them.
"I had better come back to Terry,— 
Terry, whose markmanship was second to 
none, who had received mention in the war 
with the Spaniards, who had been promoted 
and reduced time and again.
"And the event I am about to relate was 
just seven years after the end of that scrim-
mage when the navy had men who were 
keen for service but who found small oppor-
tunity to satisfy their wish. Our navy 
made itself known on every sea. Roosevelt 
was the president, as you know. It was 
about the time when the Panama Canal was 
becoming really possible and when Colom-
bia saw opportunity and many millions of 
dollars just ahead of it.
"It didn't see it long. For Panama 
started a revolution and became a republic. 
Colombia insisted that the Yankees insti-
gated the whole thing; and how those Col-
ombians did love the Gringo.'
"About this time the Memphis, in its
24 TED MARSH AND HIS FRIEND STEVE
travels hither and thither, was assigned to 
Colombia. It made a quick voyage across 
the Pacific, coaling but once, without any 
shore leave, and arrived at San Martino, 
with all of us crazy to get on shore, as you 
may guess.
"Until the day before we reached; the 
South American country, Terry seemed least 
desirous of shore leave. The rest of us 
talked about it and planned all the things 
we would do. But Terry to all appear-
ances seemed to be lightheartedly content 
with things aboard, never had he a scowl or 
an ugly word for any one, and he was the 
life and joy of the mess and of all activities.
"We had no idea of any ugliness brooding 
against Americans, had had no word of it. 
I remember so well, how the captain al-
lowed an unusually large number of us on 
shore and among these were Terry and my-
self.
"He couldn't reach a gin parlor soon 
enough. Some of the others joined him, 
but there were a number of us who either 
had no intentions of finding our amusement
SANDY'S FRIEND TERRY	25
in that way or else had later plans for the 
booze.
"Did I say that we knew nothing of the 
feeling of the Colombians against us? Well, 
we knew it right soon after we landed. 
Scowls and jabbering met us everywhere, 
and some of the more reckless among us 
took delight in provoking the inhabitants. 
'Maybe they'd bite?' hopefully suggested 
Jimmy Lind. None of us had much respect 
for their fighting qualities.
"Thanks to a few among us who were a 
calmer lot than the rest, our own particular 
party had very little trouble. It may be, too, 
that it was due in the main to the fact that 
our ways during the afternoon and evening 
were in places that were not trouble grounds.
"Terry's party was making the rounds of 
all the disreputable holes of the town, and 
each drink Terry had, was bringing more 
and more of the black deviltry of the man 
to the surface. He and the eight men with 
him forgot the rules laid down by the cap-
tain which applied to all shore leaves, and 
they taunted and plagued the none to
•W*
_
26 TED MARSH AND HIS FRIEND STEVE
pleasant townspeople Yet strangely, there 
were no answering taunts, and the jeers of 
the sailormen met no response.
"It was in a big place in the center of the 
town that Terry, who was now crazy drunk, 
reeled over to a group who were sitting at 
a table and, grabbing one of them by the 
collar, threw him to the floor. The men 
with him tried to follow his example. They 
wanted that particular table.
"This was the last straw. The Colombians 
swarmed all about the eight men. Not a 
whit deterred, Terry and his men welcomed 
the joy of the probable battle. Yet it 
would have gone hard with him and them.
"And just when they were about to mix 
it, Lieutenant Stewart, a young officer on 
the Memphis who had heard the clamor as 
he passed the door, came through it. He 
realized the situation at once. It was more 
than a brawl; it would give a black eye to 
the Memphis, to the American Navy; it 
might even be the last straw to prevent 
hostilities between the two countries.
"And he knew which of his men to go to.
SANDY'S FRIEND TERRY	27
He had been on the Memphis long enough 
to realize who would be the ringleader. He 
made for Terry McMahon.
" 'You fool. You're drunk and crazy. 
Get yourself out of here and at once.'
"If Stewart had not known Terry Mc-
Mahon his words would have held no unusual 
meaning. But he knew his man. Terry, 
sober, was the easiest man to handle, drunk 
he held respect for no man, not even his 
superior. What Stewart wanted was to turn 
Terry's rage so that it should be against 
himself.
"It was one thing to report the mutiny of 
one of the men against an officer; it was 
another to report a brawl of men of Uncle 
Sam's Navy in a strange land. The first 
was considerably easier to adjust, possibly 
quieted even before a report was necessary.
"Terry stiffened into attention for a mo-
ment. But he was too far gone in his senses.
"He grasped the lieutenant by the shoul-
der. It was a vise-like grip but Stewart 
never winced.
28 TED MARSH AND HIS FRIEND STEVE
" 'Faith,' said Terry, 'there's no denying 
I'm drunk. But I'll stand no bossing from 
better men than you. Go you, yourself. I'm 
staying for these hearties. Come on you 
greasers, if you're coming.' And he lurched 
toward them.
"Stewart turned to the other men. 'You 
fools, don't you know what this means? 
Get him out of here.'
"Either the men were not so drunk or 
they had some realization of the situation. 
They tried to obey the officer. They jostled, 
pushed, and forced the reluctant Terry to-
ward the door. Nor did they stop to see 
whether Lieutenant Stewart was following.
"They made their way safely on board. 
There was considerable worriment on their 
part as to the upshot of the embroilment. 
But least concerned was Terry, who slept 
peacefully and drunkenly through the night.
"But the anti-climax of the event came the 
next morning. Lieutenant Stewart was re-
ported missing—he had not returned to the 
ship the night before.
CHAPTER III
TERRY'S AWAKENING
tiWORD of the absence of the officer 
did not come down to us at once. 
The rest of us had heard of the trouble of 
the night before—and those of us who knew 
Stewart, were fairly certain that he would 
not press the matter further. He was no 
stickler; he was a favorite among us—and 
then again it was Terry who was the trouble 
maker and, well—folks just forgave lots in 
Terry for the fineness that was in him when 
he was sober.
"But where Terry usually had no memory 
of these escapades, in this particular instance 
he remembered everything of the night be-
fore. He was for going before the lieuten-
ant and apologizing, for he did not know as 
yet, it being early in the morning, that there 
was no lieutenant on board to whom to make
29
30 TED MARSH AND HIS FRIEND STEVE
apology. He had no intention to - seek 
mercy, not he. You never saw a bluer man 
than him. For some of us, you see, the navy 
was but an incident—a few years of it and 
we were through. But to Terry it was home, 
he could never find comfort elsewhere. And 
now, he insisted in seeing dismissal from it, 
as the upshot of his wild night.
" 'And faith,' he added contritely, 'It's a 
deserving case I am.'
"We could not, the one or two who at-
tempted to persuade him, keep him from 
seeking the lieutenant's quarters. It was 
the nature of the man to have it over with.
"When he reached the lieutenant's quar-
ters he found more than he had bargained 
for. The captain was there and so was the 
first lieutenant.
"'Jimmy,' he thought, 'they're already 
sitting at the wake of Terry McMahon.'
" 'What is it, Terry?" the captain asked, 
worried like.
" 'I'm seeking Lieutenant Stewart, c4. '
41111111MIL	II
TERRY'S AWAKENING	81
replied Terry, pretending an innocence he 
did not feel.
"The captain looked at him for a moment; 
then he looked at his assistant. There was 
no reason for surmising that the request of 
the gunner to see the missing officer had 
anything to do with his absence.
" 'Terry, Lieutenant Stewart did not re-
turn to the ship last night. No word from 
him has come. Did you see him on land?'
Terry made no answer for many seconds.
How could he? Though the pounding on 
his head and heart, he kept wondering should 
he say anything or should he not. It was 
hard for him to make his decision but he 
made it.
"He told his story to the captain. He 
painted his part as black as he could. Then 
the captain called some of the other men be-
fore him and each told what he had remem-
bered of the evening before. And none 
remembered Stewart leaving the place 'with 
them or before them.
" 'He must have run into trouble after 
the men left. The greasers probably found
,
32 TED MARSH AND HIS FRIEND STEVE
themselves brave enough to attack one man.' 
This from Lieutenant Phillips.
" 'Will you, Lieutenant Phillips, go on 
shore, extend my compliments to the mayor, 
and tell him Stewart is missing and that we 
shall expect his safe return? Take a number 
of the men with you.'
" 'Yes, sir,' the Lieutenant replied, and 
saluted.
"When all the men had left, Terry still 
stayed behind. The captain observed him for 
a moment and realized that it was no time 
for the things that Terry had in store for 
himself.
" 'What is it, Terry?' he asked.
" 'I should like permission, Captain,' he 
said, 'to go on shore for a few hours. I 
should like to go without explaining my pur-
pose. I'll say this, however, that I'll not 
touch a drop during my stay on shore.'
"The captain did some swift thinking. 
He had a rather definite suspicion as to the 
purpose of the gunner's request. Yet after 
all, why not? It might be a way to finding
et
TERRY'S AWAKENING	33
3tewart. He had little hope from Philip's 
mission. lie inclination and desire was to 
make demand for the return of his officer or 
shell the town. But he remembered, rather 
bitterly, that only six months before he had 
been criticized for being hasty and lacking 
in diplomacy. So he decided to await the 
outcome.
"'You may have six hours on shore, Mc-
Mahon,' he said in his stiffest manner.
"Terry saluted and made for the door. 
But before he reached it, the captain grasped 
his hand. 'Good luck to you, Terry,' he add-
ed kindly.
34
CHAPTER 'IV
TERRY'S SUCCESS
it	ERRY took ten minutes to get into
is civilian clothes. He had not worn 
them for years—and they looked it. He 
made rather a queer figure in them. Nor did 
he wear them because of any desire to hide 
his identity. What he had to do was no 
sleuthing—he had decided that the only pos-
sibility . of success in finding the missing 
officer was to club his way to him if necessary. 
But in case of trouble, the lack of a uniform 
would make his case less official.
"He had no thought of self in the matter. 
After all, whatever he was to do, he could 
do no less Tor the lieutenant, and as for him-
self, better the chances he took than the 
disgrace, that was sure to follow.
"He inade his way to the scene of last 
night's trouble.
TERRY'S SUCCESS	35
"What Terry did after that was very 
simple, in its simplicity lay its success. He 
had reasoned it out that Stewart had stayed 
behind to quiet the natives, so that no fuss 
would be made by them. Then something 
had evidently occurred, and the percentage 
of chance favored the fact that it had hap-
pened then and there.
"He entered the drinking place. There 
were but two men there; it was still early 
day. Neither of them knew him in his 
civilian clothes. He made his way to the bar 
and the bartender, after the manner of his 
kind, greeted him expectantly. Terry or-
dered a drink and several cheroots.
"The bartender returned to resume his 
conversation with the other man who was 
partaking of some light wine. In a few mo-
ments the other man had left—and the man 
behind the bar • turned to fix some bottles, 
whistling softly to himself.
"Terry called the man. The drink un-
tasted stood before him. The latter came 
innocently.
"Something in
36 TED MARSH AND HIS FRIEND STEVE
caused him to pause, uncertain. Then came 
recognition.
" 'Come here,' Terry repeated impatient-
ly. There was a scowl on his face; there was 
that something in his voice which brought 
the man pronto.
"'There is the officer?' Terry asked,point 
blank.
"'I don't understand,' replied the other 
in Spanish.
"'You understood me well enough last 
night, my friend. I'll give you just two 
minutes. Two minutes, mind you. Then 
I will shoot you down like a dog.'
Terry pulled out his watch.
"'I do not know where the officer is. He 
left here last night. If anything happened 
to him it was elsewhere.'
"'You know where he is—you'll tell me, or 
by heaven, you die. Time flies.'
"Terry held his gun ready. There was 
something about him that told the Spaniard 
he meant business. There was the uncon-
TERRY'S SUCCESS..	37
cerned, obviolis matter-of-fact way, in which 
he waited for the Spaniard's decision.
"The minute was almost up. A man came 
in. The bartender cast uncertain eyes upon 
the newcomer, then back again on Terry, 
whose gun, hidden from the newcomer, was 
still pointed at him.
" 'Will you tell?' Terry whispered. "Or 
shall I use this gun?'
"'I will tell," the man replied. 'As soon 
as I am through here.'
"Terry nodded his head in assent. The 
bartender turned to the newcomer. And as 
he served him he kept his eye upon the reck-
less American who stood there cool and un-
concerned.
"Whatever idea the bartender had had to 
act otherwise, he decided against. After all, 
why risk his own life—it was extremely 
precious to him. The new man left in a 
minute or two, and the bartender came back 
to Terry, hesitatingly.
" 'It was these men who were here last 
night. The officer, he came to speak to me.
38 TED MARSH AND HIS FRIEND STEVE
He was sorry for all the trouble—I was 
sorry, too. Then one of the men who saw his 
money came behind him and hit him hard— 
on the head he hit him, so that we thought 
he was dead. Then they took the money, 
and some were for throwing his body in the 
river. But some thought to hold him until 
a ransom was paid.'
" 'Where is he now?' Terry interrupted.
"'He is down near the river under guard,' 
was the reply. It was evident that the man 
intended to make a clean breast of it. Into 
his voice now came a touch of cupidity.
"Terry recognized this. He wondered 
what he should do—in those few seconds, he 
weighed the pros and cons.
"He was working the whole thing out in 
the belief that the man was telling the truth. 
The man risked much in not telling it, and 
Terry was sure he realized that. Now how 
was Terry to find the house? Should be 
return to the ship—and put it up to the 
captain? Should he make the man guide 
him to the house and make the attempt at 
rescue singlehanded? That he would will-
11111111111116
TERRY'S SUCCESS	39
:ngly do—but would his chances of rescue 
be good?
"'Look here, amigo,' he said to the Span-
iard. 'You will show me the place now. If 
I rescue the officer—you will get fifty dol-
lars. I have no money With me—but you'll 
get it. If you help me get into the'house, I 
shall tell no one that you did.'
"The Spaniard hesitated. "I cannot, 
senor, leave the place to itself.'
"'Well, you will. Either your body goes 
or I'll send your soul on a long voyage. This 
is no child's play—I've got to find the lieu-
tenant. It's either fifty dollars and nothing 
said—or a bullet. Take your choice.'
"'The Spaniard still hesitated. It was bad 
business, any way he looked at it. There 
was not a moment's doubt in his mind as to 
the American's intentions.
" 'I will show you, senor. And I shall 
expect that nothing will be said as to that, 
and the reward, too, if the AmeriCan officer 
is freed, Am I right?'
"'Right you are. Now then, let's go."
40 TED MARSH AND HIS FRIEND STEVE
"The man decided to close the place until 
his return. The two went off toward the 
river, the Spaniard at all times conscious of 
the proximity of the American's gun.
"Terry was still undecided as to what to 
do. And then, just in front of him, he saw 
Lieutenant Phillips and his men. They had 
mot seen him, and his first impulse was to 
evade them. After all, the errand he was 
bound on could not be an official one. Terry 
knew enough of the red tape and the absence 
of desire on the part of the civil officers of 
these pest holes to realize that Stewart could 
be removed a dozen times if the matter were 
put up to the officials. But another thought 
came to him wherein the Lieutenant and his 
men could be useful and still not find it 
necessary to take official action.
"He hurried the wondering Spaniard be-
fore him until he came up to the party. 
He saluted the officer.
" 'What are you doing her, McMahon, 
and who is this man?' Phillips asked him.
"'This man is a friend of mine. The cap-
tain gave me six hours on shore. And as you
TERRY'S SUCCESS	41
see, I'm sober,' he added with a touch of 
humor.
"'Meet any success, sir, if I may be so bold 
as to ask?' he continued.
"'Nothing but red tape and a polite assur-
ance of good intentions,' replied the officer.
" 'Well, sir, may I speak to you in con-
fidence and not officially?' Terry asked with 
a smile.
"Phillips looked at him for a moment. 
Then he seemed to feel something of the im-
portance of what was ahead. Besides, 
Stewart was his own companion. The devil 
take the fact that his own hands were tied, 
so he thought.
" 'Rather a vague thing to promise too 
nd I suppose there's a catch somewhere, 
ut go ahead,' he answered grimly.
" 'Well, sir, this man tells me he knows 
here Lieutenant Stewart is, and we were 
ound there when you came• along.'
"Phillips whistled. 'But—why—Don't 
11 me Terry—. In fact I don't think I 
eard you, but go ahead. I'm hard of h
42 - TED MARSH AND HIS FRIEND STEVE
ing today and so I may not hear all you say.'
" 'Well sir, what I wanted to say was— 
would you find the time to stand at a certain 
place for a little while? There are some 
friends I'd like to show the American Navy 
to—they might be impressed by it.'
"'Well, we've been showing ourselves for
long, long time, so I cannot see the objec-
tion to a few more folks seeing us. I think 
we can lag awhile. But you had better have 
one of the men to help you point us out, 
don't_ you think so?'
" 'I reckon not, sir. I don't think it will 
be necessary to do more than point to you. 
And one more thing, sir. If this gentleman 
is telling me the truth—and I am successful, 
well, faith, I'll be in his debt up to fifty 
dollars. And I, well, I'm financially embar-
rassed.'
" 'Well, when you are sure that you are 
'successful, senor,' and the officer turned to 
the Spaniard, 'I will see that this man's debt 
is paid to you.'
"'Thank you, sir, the senor officer is kind.'
"Terry and the Spaniard went on ahead. 
Lieutenant Phillips and his men, the men 
suspecting Terry's mission but not daring 
to satisfy their curiosity, followed.
"In an alley leading to the river, the man 
turned and Terry with him. The Spaniard 
pointed out a house—and Terry waited un-
till his friends came up. He had no wish to 
lose the Spaniard until the party was over, 
and so he continued his careful watch of him.
"Terry made his way to the house. It was 
but two floors above the ground. The front 
door was not locked. Three men were in 
the large room to the left, and at his entrance 
they sprang up in surprise. Terry had them 
covered on the instant.
" 'Hands up. Hands up.'
"One of the Spaniards evidently under-
stood, for up went his hands instinctively. 
The others were a little slow to follow his 
example, but when Terry threatened him, 
they also put them up.
"'Now you,' Terry turned to the one who 
seemed to understand. 'Where is the Am-
erican officer?'
44 TED MARSH AND HIS FRIEND STEVE
"What officer? What American? You 
make a mistake.'
" 'I make no mistake. What's more, I 
mean business. Go to that window, my 
friend. ,Look outside.'
"The man went.
" 'Now tell these mends of yours what 
you see.'
"The man spoke excitedly to the others 
who also came to the window. It must have 
put the fear of God into their hearts to see 
Uncle Sam's jackies outside. Terry let 
them look—the more they did so, the less 
he had to fear.
"You see, he was the last one to want 
bloodshed. There would be no excuse for 
that, and it would lessen the possibilities of 
rescue. Besides which, it would reflect back 
on a goodly number of people and things 
that were dear to Terry.
"The Spaniards came back to him.
" 'We should be glad to help the senor. 
We know nothing as to the officer—some 
other men brought him here. If we show
,
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1111t1111111111111	11111111	111
ItiniliFiri4	P•14111'5 °it'll"'	114°11111
	t	t,	I	11, Jper. 1,*7).;,/'
=	- :tv
--
"GO TO THAT WINDOW, MY FRIEND,
LOOK OUTSIDE"
,
46 TED MARSH AND HIS FRIEND STEVE
the senor where he is—shall we then escape 
harm?'
" 'If the officer has not been hurt further 
than what happened to him last night, if he 
returns safely to the ship—no harm shall 
come to anyone. Nor will we report it to 
the mayor and the police. But if anything 
has happened to him, then mark this, you. 
will die. Show me where he is.'
"The men, cowed, guided Terry to the 
cellar. There, bound, he saw Lieutenant 
Stewart. A great feeling welled up in his 
heart. A black rage came to him at the ill 
treatment the latter received.
"'Here, you scum,' he ordered. 'Help me 
up with him.'
"Stewart seemed to but dimly recognize 
what was being done to him. The three 
Spaniards carried him carefully to the upper 
floor. At the door, Terry signaled Lieuten-
ant Phillips—who sent three of the jackies 
to relieve them.
"'Now go,' Terry ordered the Spaniards. 
'And you, Greasers pray to all your saints 
for the mercy they showed you this day.'
TERRY'S SUCCESS	47
"The men needed no second invitation. 
They scampered back to the house, making 
sure to close the doors behind them.
"When Terry came up to Lieutenant 
Phillips, the latter was paying the guide the 
fifty dollars.
"'Here you,' Terry shot at him, 'the next 
-time you are in business like this—it may 
be better business to just kill you. Remem-
ber that.'
- " 'Si Senor 'American°, si,' he was gone 
the next second.
Lieutenant Phillips walked beside 
Terry and sat beside him in the boat on the 
way to the Memphis. It did not take that 
long for Terry to tell what had happened— 
he made it very pithy and to the point.
" 'Terry,' Phillips said, 'you're a pan's 
man—when you're sober."
CHAPTER V
ON CONVOYING DUTY
tiW ELL, it's been a long story, hasn't
it?" said Sandy, as he stretched 
himself. Somehow the words seemed to 
bring the boys and the men back to the pre-
sent.
"What happened to Terry, Sandy?" 
Arthur asked.
"Why, he went his way. He wasn't cured 
by that happening; not by a long shot. He 
was always on the verge of being fired from 
the navy—and always something just saved 
him."
"But how.could he have escaped in this in-
stance?" Arthur inquired. "I thought that 
his two offenses would be more than enough 
for his dishonorable discharge."
"Sure, they would have been. But you
48
ON CONVOYING DUTY	49
see, everyone seemed to forget all about 
them. Only once did the captain make men-
tion of it to Lieutenant Stewart.
"'Say, Stewart,' he said to the latter when 
he was still tied down. He was a sick man 
for weeks, you see. I'm sending a report of 
our visit to San Martino. Have you any re-
port to make to me r
"Stewart looked up at him. 'Nothing 
happened at all, so far as I remember. Stupid 
place, that.'
"The captain just smiled. 'That's what I 
thought. All the things that might have 
happened, didn't.'
"So you see there being no record of any-
thing of the kind, Terry was never up on 
charges."
"I'll say this much," said Ted. "It would 
have been a shame if anything had. Terry 
wasn't wonderful because he rescued the 
Lieutenant—although that was a big thing— 
he was wonderful in that he managed to save 
him with out any fuss being raised. And also 
because—he just knew it was up to him:--he
gotten the officer into the trouble."
50 TED MARSH AND HIS FRIEND STEVE
"Well, it was fine of Stewart not to bear 
any ill will," added Herbert. "But how could 
he, when Terry was the one who rescued 
him," he answered himself.
"Who put up the fifty dollars?" asked the 
practical Steve Carney.
"Search me," replied Sandy. "Didn't I 
tell you enough?"
The next day dawned bright and clear. 
The Wizard was convoying a number of 
ships on this day. They were on their way 
to the good old U. S. Somehow, word had 
gone about that the great General Wood 
was on board one of the ships, and Ted was 
anxious to get a sight of the man who was 
one of the big military figures of the country. 
But the general kept to his cabin at such 
times when the Wizard was near.
• Practice continued. There would come 
a day, so Sandy had predicted, when the 
great Allied army on the one hand, having 
defeated the Hun on land, would deploy a 
vast division against the coast fortifications 
on the land side; and when the Allied navies 
in battle formation would steam up against
ON CONVOYING DUTY	51
the German navy, sheltered under the pro-
tecting monsters of Heligoland, and all the 
other fortifications and there throw the gage 
of battle. Then would the air fighters— 
in numbers that would cloud the sky do their 
bit in making the German bite the ground.
"If we only had them ready now," Herbert 
had voiced, referring to the air fighters. 
"Enough of them to do battle by themselves 
if need be."
"Well," said Arthur, "in a day or so, we 
will have been a year in this war. Some of us 
think we have done a lot already. All I can 
say is that I wish we had done more."
"And we will do more. We're going to 
give the Germans their big surprise. Think 
of all the men in France already. And aren't 
they the soldiers ?"
"At any rate," Steve Carney concluded 
the discussion, "there are some wars that are 
altogether naval—this one is all Army. It 
makes me wish I were there instead of hunt-
ing submarines that are becoming as scare 
as hen's teeth."
CHAPTER VI
ON PATROL DUTY
TED had wondered if the Wizard was 
to dock at the Navy Yard. Luckily 
for him, however, sealed instructions had 
come when the ships were still two days 
from land.
The commander of the Wizard had satis-
fied himself as to the lack of objection on any 
one's part as to Ted's staying on board. The 
boy had been so anxious to stay—this, 
coupled with the report from London that 
the two men who had been on the Alaska, 
Sloan and Rellier, had been arrested in 
England as spies and that it was the boy's 
discovery thathad convicted them—made it 
easy for the commandant to overlook some 
of the rules. Then too, of course, the Wiz-
ard had never really docked, so that the op-
portunity to land him had not appeared.
52
-
ON PATROL DUTY
If mention has not been made of Ted's let-
ters home, it must not be inferred that Ted 
had not written so often as opportunity pre-
sented itself. It may even be said for the 
boy that he was homesick for the ranch— 
his family, the Deans, and Wayland. He 
wondered what his chum Sydney was doing 
and he, ever so often, wished that the latter 
could be with him during all these experi-
ences.
Ted had not heard from Mack since the 
latter had left him at Cincinnati. No word 
had come to him of the mine—but he knew it 
was in good hands and, no doubt, reports 
were being made to his father as per instruc-
tions to Mr. Day, who had it in charge.
The Wizard was bound south—and the 
crew wondered where to.
They soon found out; for when the ship 
was off the Florida coast, the sealed instruc-
tions were opened. The, news as to their 
destination soon became general—they were 
to go to the Pacific coast, from where Word 
had come of the appearance of submarines. 
They were to pass through the canal, and-
.	•
ON PATROL DUTY	55
patrol the western coast of Mexico, where 
rumor had it, there was a submarine station.
The journey was uneventful, although 
Ted welcomed the opportunity -to pass 
through the Panama Canal. By some 
strange chance they stopped at San Martino, 
and the boys, Arthur, Herbert and Ted, 
watched with added interest the situation of 
the town and remembered the adventures of 
Terry. Sandy pointed things out to them as 
best he could, none of the men being allowed 
on shore.
A few days later they were at their sta-
tion. An extra sharp lookout was kept now 
for possible submarines. Often too, the com-
mander detailed a crew for investigations. 
It was not his wish to make his coming 
known, but a suggestion had been made to 
him that it might be wise to deploy a man or 
so to visit the town of Amarillo and make in-
quiries.
56 TED MARSH AND HIS FRIEND STEVE
Steve Carney spoke Spanirsh quite well, 
and Ted had a smattering of it, which he had 
picked up while down on the Mexican 
border. It was Ensign Herbert who took 
the occasion to advise the commander of 
Ted's knowledge.
For very good reasons, it served the pur-
pose of the commander best to have two go 
on this mission rather than one. He called 
Ted before him and questioned him.
Ted was more than willing, and Steve 
made no objection to his going with him.
"There is of course small danger attached 
to this," remarked the officer as he gave them 
final instructions. "But you also understand 
that if there is anything to be found out on 
shore, you will not discover the same unless 
your identity is unknown."
Steve nodded understandingly. The work 
ahead was not new to Ted, but he did not 
tell this to anyone.
It was close to the midnight hour when the 
two were landed on shore. By an all night's 
walk they would land in Amarillo at early
ON PATROL DUTY
morn. They were attired in clothes that were 
the worse for Wear, and they seemed to be two 
young irresponsibles who were making the' 
way from place to place without a care in the 
world.
CHAPTER VII,
IN AMARILLO
AMARILLO, a lazy Mexi6an town not 
altogether on the Pacific but near 
enough to count on it for its livelihood,
seemed unaware of the world struggle half 
a world away, on the morning that Ted and 
Steve arrived. Here and there, the boys 
found signs indicating that the town was a 
fishing center. A wooden bridge spanned a 
wide creek which ran through the town, and 
the winding road running parallel to the 
creek brought them to the ramshackle build-
ing which was termed the hotel.
Here the boys stopped and asked for food. 
They did not wish for a room; so they in-
formed the landlord, but inquired of him a-
bout the roads leading further south, and 
then debated whether to continue on foot or
58
IN AMARILLO	59
by the stage which was to leave that after-
noon. The listening curious landlord, waited 
for his opportunity.
"Where then are the young gentlemen de-
sirous of going?",he asked in an English that 
was almost too perfect.,
"We don't know, except that we are on 
our way," replied Steve. "When we like a 
place we stop; but we're not in a hurry, are 
we?" he asked Ted.
"Not we," Ted replied. "But I say Steve, 
let's not take that stage, walking is good for 
us. It's cheaper, too."
"Why worry about the cost?" Steve re-
plied, catching the cue. "Things are cheap 
enough about here—and the money we have 
will last us for months. Up in the States it 
wouldn't go far, but down here," and Steve 
whistled expressively.
"If the gentlemen are not in haste, why do 
they not stay here for a few days?" the land-
lord suggested persuasively. "It is of 
magnificent fishing they may want perhaps, 
if so, it is here. Other enjoyments, too, are 
plentiful."
60 TED MARSH AND HIS FRIEND STEVE
"Perhaps," Steve replied dubiously. "At 
any rate, we shall be here for some hours."
"Could we go fishing in an hour or so?" 
Ted asked the landlord.
"I will so arrange, if it is wished," their 
host answered eagerly. Business was not 
so good, and the prospect of these Americans 
staying in Amarillo for a few days was a 
pleasing prospect. It was something to be 
wished for.
"Shall we do it, Steve?" Ted. asked his 
companion.
"Just as you say," the other replied in a 
tone that betokened indifference.
The landlord hastily departed to make ar-
rangements, and the boys continued their 
meal slowly and without haste.
"Well, we've gotten somewhere, haven't 
we?" Steve spoke exultantly. His indif-
ferent manner fell from him when he knew 
that they were alone.
Ted was about to reply. He was equally 
pleased at the way things had worked out. 
But as he sat there, he could see into the room
IN AMARILLO	61
where several Mexicans had congregated— 
a room similar to the barrooms still to be 
found in many of the small hotels in the smal-
ler towns of our country.
As he listened to Steve, he was almost cer-
tain that he saw two men in conversation, 
and his attention was drawn to the fact 
that one of the men had pointed toward the 
room in which they were.
"I think," he whispered to Steve, "that 
we are the sub j ect of conversation outside. 
Two of them are whispering together, and I 
noticed one of them pointing this way," he 
explained.
"Maybe so," Steve made answer. "But 
suspicion is not part of our game, although it 
may be in the game of some others. Let's 
not notice it," he continued.
They called for some more coffee, and a 
slatternly woman appeared at the kitchen 
door. Her gestures indicated that she did 
not understand. Two or three of the men 
who were in the other room appeared at the 
door. The woman called shrilly., to them.
•
62 TED MARSH AND HIS FRIEND STEVE
"She do not understand what it is you may 
wish," one of the men informed them.
No one knew that better than the boys, but 
it was decided by them to keep the fact to 
themselves that they could understand Span-
ish.
"We want some coffee, tell her," Steve re-
plied.
The man interpreted to the woman, who 
disappeared.
"Not everyone around here understands 
English," Ted remarked to the Mexican civ-
illy.
"No, senor. But very few. Do not the 
senors understand to speak Spanish.
"That's what makes our traveling hard." 
Steve replied. "But someone has always 
been around who could explain for us," he 
added. "So it hasn't bothered us very 
much."
"It may, when we get further down south," 
Ted added to the conversation.
The woman appeared with the coffee, and 
the man who had interpreted for them came
■••
IN AMARILLO	63
still nearer. The other two stood at the door.
"How far do the senor go?" the Mexi-
can inquired.
"We don't know yet. We're just on our 
way—it doesn't matter where we go. We 
got tired of the states and decided we'd see 
what Southern California was like."
The listening Mexican turned to the men 
at the door. Some signal no doubt was ex-
changed, although neither Ted nor Steve 
could detect same.
"Where is good country?" Ted inquired. 
"I mean something we'd like, good for camp-
ing, hunting and fishing."
"It is the landlord who could tell of a cer-
taintly," the Mexican replied. "He has trav-
eled far. Myself, I have been but a little 
way from here so I cannot tell."
The boys were through and were about to 
arise, when the landlord appeared. With 
him was a youth whom he had engaged for 
the boys' fishing _expedition.
The men drifted out of the room while the 
boys made arrangements with the Mexi-
;.4
64 TED MARSH AND HIS FRIEND STEVE
can youth as to the cost and time. The land-
lord, too, had also disappeared.
It was Steve who did the bargaining and 
arranging. The Spanish lad spoke a broken 
English. Ted had partaken in the bargain-
ing during the first few minutes, but his at-
tention had been concentrated on the other 
room.
With or without reason, sonic intuition had 
told him to distrust the Mexican with whom 
they had conversed. He was sure he was 
one of the two whom he had perceived in 
conversation when one had pointed toward 
the dining room. Now he wandered toward 
the door and without being himself seen, he 
watched three of them in earnest conversa-
tion with the landlord.
As he watched, a big, burly man entered 
the other room. The next minute the door 
between the two rooms was closed. It 
opened a few seconds later and the Mexican 
of whom Ted was suspicious entered.
"It is Senor Sanchez, the landlord, who 
has asked that I show the young senors the 
room which they may use while in Amaril-
lo," he said.
IN AMARILLO	65
Ted would have given a good deal to 
have seen into the other room. Yet he real-
ized that a curiosity of that kind would have 
defeated the purpose of their visit.
"Come, Steve, let's go. And you, Alber-
to, you may come for us in an hour."
The Mexicans led them to their room and 
left them immediately.
Ted sat down and examined things about 
him. He turned to speak to Steve of what 
he had seen. But that worthy was in the far 
corner near the door. He was signalling Ted 
to keep silent. And while Ted wondered, 
the other listened at the door.
After a while he turned and came toward 
his companion.
"I'm beginning to think we are where we 
want to be," he whispered. "Better speak 
low," he continued. "They didn't give us 
this room by pure chance. They can either 
see us or hear us. I'm fairly certain."
"I noticed a few things myself," Ted re-
plied, speaking equally low. "I'll tell you 
about it when we leave here."
CHAPTER VIII
FISHING
LBERTO waited around for the boys
to come out for their fishing trip. He 
did not have long to wait for they appeared 
in quick time. Neither Ted nor Steve were 
keen about fishing—but it presented an op-
portunity they were quick to grasp. For 
one thing, it would give them a chance to 
make some investigation of possible subma-
rine bases of supply.
In that little time the boys had been in 
Amarillo, they had found enough reason to 
keep them there. The Mexicans' concern 
over their coming and their business in Am-
arillo boded but one thing—that something 
was going on in the Mexican town which 
they did not want to be known. What was 
that thing?
Ted and Steve had had no chance to ex-
'	66
FISHING	67
change confidences. Each of them had 
gained definite impressions. Ted had seen 
the Mexicans' concern over them, he had 
noticed the quick closing of the communi-
cating door when the big, burly newcomer 
appeared and the evident desire of the one 
Mexican to hustle them to their room and 
away from the scene of the appearance of 
the new arrival. Steve had kn. turn become 
suspicious WI the room they were in and had 
cautioned silence when Ted was about to 
voice his suspicions.
The boys decided to make but a short stay 
in the room, each- of them thought, they 
would find opportunity to communicate 
elsewhere.
Alberto, the Mexican lad, sitting on the 
steps, grinned cheerfully when they ap-
peared. He had a charming simplicity about 
him and his smile was disarming. There was 
about him a friendly, open manner that
found a quick response from the lads. They 
took a quick liking to him and their instinct 
was a good one for they were to find in the 
boy much help and comfort in the next few
68 TED MARSH AND HIS FRIEND STEVE
hours of adventure and experience. He 
moved quickly to the little stream where a 
small boat was waiting for them.
"If the senors would like, we can row to 
the fishing boat, or we can walk to it, if 
they would like?"
"We'll row, Alberto," Ted replied.
They settled themselves comfortably, and 
the Mexican youth took hold of the oars and 
skillfully and swiftly started the boat to-
ward the harbor, more than a mile away.
"Everybody fishes, here?" Steve com-
mented questioningly to their guide.
"Most everybody," the boy replied.
"Do many people come here from the 
United States?" Ted inquired.
"Not so many, now. More than a year be-
fore they come in plenty, muchos. But 
now, no."
"How far out do you go?" Ted further 
inquired.
"I sail so far as you want. I, myself, I 
go everywhere."
There was more conversation. Alberto
FISHING	69
and the boys became quite friendly. The 
fishing was good, although the boys stayed 
quite near shore. The boys showed a great 
enthusiasm over their few hours in the fish-
ing smack and enthusiastically made ar-
rangements for the following day, when, as 
Steve remarked, "You will take us as far as 
you want to, Alberto."
Alberto was pleased with the arrange-
ment and more than pleased with the pay-
ment the boys made for that day'. He 
offered to guide them back to their stopping 
place, but the boys declined his offer and 
professed their ability to find their own way.
"I like this Alberto, don't you?" Steve re-
marked to Ted.
"You bet. I think we will be able to rely 
on him, in case of necessity. Queerish feel-
ing about all this, haven't you?"
Steve nodded in assent. Then Ted told 
him of what he had noticed at the hotel and 
what he had surmised.
"Well," Steve added, "when we came 
into the room I would have sworn that the 
little mirror on the wall was moving. I
70 'FED MARSH AND HIS FRIEND STEVE
might have been unduly suspicious and yet 
I could almost swear that I saw it—as if 
someone had looked into the room from 
other, and the second before our entrancell 
had hastily covered the opening with the 
mirror."
"I didn't dare to investigate then, of 
course, but I will when we return," he con-
tinued. "At any rate, we were put into a 
room where we can be watched and prob-
ably overheard."
"I'm wondering over the reason for all 
this precaution on their part. What do 
you suppose makes them so concerned over 
our being here?" Steve continued.
"Of course, it may not be because the sub-
marines are near here. It may be some-
thing else, which at the present time can be 
no concern of ours. But Whatever it is, it's 
for us to find out that submarines are not at 
the bottom of it all." And then Ted laughed. 
"We'll want to help keep them there, if they 
are."
"The thing for us to do, is to appear as 
if it doesn't. matter a bit to us as to what is
going on here. Submarines are furthest 
from our minds. We must make them 
think we are just two carefree boobs who 
do not spend much of their time in thinking."
"Right-o," Ted assented. "I don't think 
the landlord has part in any of this business, 
do you?"
"I don't think so, although it's hard tell-
ing. I suppose he's indifferent, like a lot 
of folks, he doesn't care what goes on. All 
he's interested in, is his own business and 
his own affairs. If the Germans have a sub-
marine base—it is not his affair, so he pro-
bably figures. If anything, it probably 
brings him business."
"And after all, Mexico isn't in the war. 
Although, even if it were, it would mean 
very little to him, I suppose," Ted replied.
"We'll expect everything without seem-
ing to do so. A sharp lookout and with
berto to help us, we should get anywhere."
ve suddenly thought of something else.
"Who do you suppose that newcomer was, 
Ted ?"
"I don't want to jump at conclusions-
72 TED MARSH AND HIS FRIEND STEVE
and yet, I am almost ready to say he's a 
Hun. I may be wrong though."
"Well, we're not promised a dull time, 
are we?"
"No," Ted agreed. "And when the land-
lord will urge us to stay on for a few days, 
we'll decide we will—succumb to his urg-
ing, eh?"
"He couldn't drive us away," Steve re-
marked grimly.
They had now arrived at the hotel. The 
landlord met them. He was still friendly, 
expressed a great pleasure over their success, 
and hastened to prepare a midday meal, a 
meal that was long past due.
While the boys were doing full justice to 
the excellent food, their host appeared again. 
"Did the young gentlemen say they would 
continue their journey this afternoon?"
Ted and Steve exchanged looks. Why 
had not the landlord urged them to stay? 
He was no longer eager to have them there. 
Why?
"We don't know," Steve replied. "We
73
like fishing, and it seems to be good here. 
At any rate we shall stay another day."
"In fact we're already arranged to go 
out again tomorrow with Alberto," Ted 
added.
"That is excellent," their host replied. 
But his tone was extremely dubious and un-
certain.
CHAPTER IX
THE MEXICANS WONDER
Wbe IEN the communicating door b- 
tween the barroom and the dining 
room had been closed, hiding from Ted's 
view all further happenings in the former, 
one of the Mexicans had whispered to the 
other to show the boys to the room which 
they were to occupy. He himeslf had has-
tened to the room adjoining to make sure 
that the mirror, which covered a peephole, 
was in place. He had lingered for a few 
minutes, but he had overheard nothing, 
thanks to Steve's precaution.
He had returned to the barroom. His 
companion was already there, and he was in 
the midst of an account of the boys' arrival, 
and the attempt on his part and that of his 
companion to find out if there were any 
purpose in the boys being there.
74
THE MEXICANS WONDER	75
"I didn't overhear anything," Pedro, the 
Mexican who had lingered, remarked.
The newcomer had listened to the re-
marks of the Mexican without comment. 
When he had finished, he turned to Pedro.
"Where are they now?" he asked, and 
with his speech, there was no longer un-
certainty as to his nationality.
"In their room," Pedro replied.
"I must see them," the German insisted. 
"Your precautions are good. You say they 
are young?"
"But boys, your excellency," Enrich% 
the 'other Mexican advised.
"What will they do here?" the new ar-
rival questioned.
"Perhaps Sanchez can tell," Enricho of-
fered. "I will call him."
The landlord returned with Enrich°.
"What business brings these American 
boys here, Sanchez? 'What do they say?" 
the German inquired.
"They are on their way to the south. 
They come; they go. They care not, so they
76 TED MARSH AND HIS FRIEND STEVE
•
say. And since they have money, I have 
urged them to stay here. I know not that 
they will. I have made arrangements for 
them to go fishing."
The landlord's eye traveled to the window.
"See, there they go now." And he pointed 
to the boys now on their way.
The German looked as the other pointed.
"With Alberto ?" he inquired. His tone 
was furious.
"And why not?" Sanchez's tone was ques-
tioning. But his tone bristled.
"That confounded imp knows the entire 
shore line. I believe he knows where our 
boat is, too. I have tried to please him, have 
offered him money, have tried to make 
friends with him. But he will not—nor can 
I find out from him how much he knows."
"Yet, senor," Sanchez interposed, he 
holds his own counsel, does he not?"
"True, but will he?"
"That I cannot say. But it is my belief 
that these Americanos—they are but boys— 
have not a thought of submarines hereabouts.
Allill111111111111111111111111L
THE MEXICANS WONDER	77
You have not reason to worry over them, so
I think."
"I do not know," replied the German.
"And so I ask you, my friend, that you do 
not urge them to stay in Amarillo."
"Wherefore, shall I hurt my business? If 
they stay it means that I shall be so much 
the gainer."
"How much do you figure, Sanchez?" the 
other asked.
"Perhaps twenty-five dollars," the other 
replied with a note of cupidity in his voice.
"I will give you fifty," the German offer-
ed.
Sanchez agreed after a moment of hesita-
tion, hesitation due to the fact that he won-
dered how he could make the sum higher. 
But he saw no way.
"Agreed," he replied.
The man counted out the money which 
Sanchez took greedily.
The Hun now turned to the other two. 
"Xou	. watch these youngsters while
78 TED MARSH AND HIS FRIEND STEVE
they are hereabouts. And see that Sanchez 
keeps his bargain," he added in a louder 
voice. "I shall be gone for a few days-- 
we are about to make a little voyage."
CHAPTER X
I
CONRAD QUESTIONS ALBERTO
THE wily Senor Sanchez did some quick
 thinking. These boys would stay—yet 
he must urge them not to. Yet why coUld 
they not stay? Did not this German pig say 
he would be gone for a few days? And if he 
were what harm should they stay those days. 
It would mean that he, Sanehez, would be 
the richer and the happier for it. Even if 
they were what the Germans suspected, 
what concern was it to him. If the Gringos 
and these Germans saw fit to cut each others 
Throats, well and good, if an honest Mexi-
Can could make a dollar or so out of it all.
So that his tone became more cordial, 
much to the boy's surprise.
"Of a certainty, the young gentlemen will 
find it a pleasant stay for two or three days."
Steve agreed with him. But his thoughts
79
80 TED MARSH AND HIS FRIEND STEVE
were struggling with the reason for the sud-
den change on the landlord's part.
A little later the boys made for their room. 
Steve immediately made an investigation of 
it and found what he had suspected and 
more. From the adjoining room one could 
overhear and see into their own.
"It behooves us to be careful," he remark-
ed.
"Do you know Steve," Ted said, after a-
greeing with him, "we must make a strong 
effort to gain Alberta's friendship. He 
would be in position to know much of what 
happens about here—we could learn much 
from cues he might give us."
"I know," Steve answered thoughtfully.
The subject of their conyersation had just 
completed to his satisfaction the cleansing 
of his tiny vessel. He was whistling over 
his work, happy and carefree. He had en-
joyed the companionship of the young Am-. 
ericans, he had a strong admiration for all 
things American, an unusual feeling in a 
Mexican.
CONRAD QUESTIONS ALBERTO	81
he boy's father had been a well known 
Mexican, in high position when Diaz had 
been in power. He had been killed in one 
of the many revolutions by one of the outlaw 
bands, and his entire estate had been con-
fiscated. The mother had been dead since 
the birth of the boy. Alberto, forced upon 
such resources as he might find to sustain 
himself, from the age of eight years had been 
helped a little by Sanchez, who, whatever his 
shortcomings, and they were many, had kept 
an unswerving loyalty to Senor Alledero, 
the boy's father.
The boy knew something of the world war; 
how little, one might gather from the loca-
tion of Amarillo, the lack of communication, 
and also whatever sympathy there was, was 
pro-German. Yet instinct or whatever it 
was, kept his own sympathies pro-Ally.
Such Americans as the boy had met, he 
had admired and liked. Yet naturally, it 
meant very little to him, that a German ves-
sel found it necessary to find occasional an-
chor there, and also to receive supplies. It 
meant nothing to anyone else, it could mean
82 TED MARSH AND HIS rRIEND STEVE
nothing to him. It did not concern him. 
Naturally, because of his environments, he 
had found it wise to keep things he learned 
or found out to himself.
Alberto, as so many of us do, trusted en-
tirely to his instincts, which were highly de-
veloped. And true to them, he disliked the 
German, the Senor Wechsler. The latter 
had tried, as he had told Sanchez, to make 
friends with the boy, but he found the job 
a difficult one. There was something about 
him the boy disliked. Added to that, in 
offering the boy money, his manner had been 
one which was offensive to any son of an 
Alleder°.
Now as the boy completed the final touches 
which made his boat spick and span and 
trim, who should appear but this same Ger-
man, Conrad Wechsler.
"Good afternoon," the latter said with an 
ingratiating smile.
"Good afternoon, senor," the boy replied 
politely. lie was sitting on the edge of his 
boat, his bare feet hanging over.
CONRAD QUESTIONS ALBERTO	83
"Did you have luck this day?" Wechsler 
inquired.
"Yes, senor," the boy replied.
"Yes, they told me up above that there 
were guests who went fishing with you, I 
suppose the fishing was good."
The boy nodded his head but offered no 
further information.
"Did you go far?" Wechsler asked in a 
tone which implied friendly curiosity.
"We did not, senor. The young Ameri-
canos had no wish to go further than but a 
little way."
Bul Alberto did not add that they would 
go on the morning and that then they would 
go far.
"I shall go fishing with you some day and 
pay you well," Wechsler informed him. 
Then he bade the boy a pleasant afternoon 
and continued on his way.
"Perhaps Sanchez is right," he mused. 
"These boys have certainly shown no curio-
sity. Yet it is best that they go on their
84 TED MARSH AND HIS FRIEND STEVE
way. One can never tell about these Am-
ericans."
"Wonder what he was after," Alberto on 
his part thought to himself. "Why of 
course." The boy suddenly realized the 
purpose of the man's questions. "He is 
worried over what they are doing here. 
Wonder what they are doing here?" lie fol-
lowed up his train of thought.
"Well, whatever it is, Alberto will help. 
Here's hoping they are after something. I 
do not like this man. I do like them." 
Alberto's conclusions were simple and di-
rect.
And in the meantime, Conrad Wechsler 
went but a little further, before he came to 
a car. When he came up to it, another man 
also appeared.
"So it is you, Conrad. You have been a 
long time," this man remarked.
"I have found something that at first I 
thought disturbing. A couple of Yankees 
appeared in Amarillo to-day. They are but 
boys but I thought it wise to investigate."
IL
CONRAD QY tONS ALBERTO	85
"That is good. And what did you find?"
"No occasion for alarm, I think. They 
are not there with any purpose; seem to be 
without curiosity."
"It requires some imagination to think of 
submarines hereabouts at any rate, eh, Con-
rad?
"True, Fritz. And yet, one cannot be 
too careful. But I find no reason for alarm."
"Did you make arrangements for all the 
supplies?" Fritz queried.
"Of a certainty. They will be there when 
we return. Now let us make haste. The 
captain will become impatient."
The car dashed off. It went several miles; 
then turned to the right. The men got out 
and walked on the beach—a natural harbor 
which Nature had presented to man, but 
which had been little used until German 
agents had found it two years before and had 
noted the same for possible use in the future 
—that future having become the present.
Conrad stood on the edge of the shore. He 
signaled—a signal that was noted through a
86 TED MARSH AND HIS FRIEND STEVE
periscope a mile from shore. A few minutes 
later a U-boat appeared above water—a 
boat was sent toward shore and the men 
taken on. The boat returned to the sub-
marine. The periscope disappeared below 
water a little later.
The Hun was after new prey.
,AMINNÃOil
ORNING came again. The uneasy
landlord had had a rather stormy ses-
sion with Pedro and Enricho. But he found 
them open to conviction, the astute Sanchez 
had found it necessary, however, to draw to 
their attention the fact that he had certain 
knowledge and information which both wor-
thies preferred that he keep to himself.
Ted and Steve were anxious for the time 
to arrive for the fishing trip. They had de-
cided to say little as to this, and Alberto had 
made no appearance during the afternoon 
and evening. Neither Pedro nor Enrico had 
troubled them with their presence. The boys 
had spent the afternoon on a long hike, but 
it had led them nowhere in particular.
Alberto arrived promptly. The three ex-
:thanged friendly greetings, and they were 
off.
88 TED MARSH AND HIS FRIEND STEVE
An hour later the boat was making its 
way down the coast. Alberto, who had been 
busy at first, now found time to gi've the boys 
some attention.
"Where do you young gentlemen wish to 
go?" lie asked politely.
"Look here, sonny," Steve announced. 
"I'm Steve, this is Ted. None of this gentle-
men business. You're Bert. We like you 
and we're friends, unless , you wish other-
wise."
Alberto looked at him a minute, then 
smilingly, he announced: "All right Steve."
"How do you like things about here?" 
Ted inquired.
Bert shrugged his shoulders. "There is 
nothing for me to do but like it."
"Do you dislike Americans, as most peo-
ple down here do?" Ted inquired. There 
was a note of anxiety in his tone and Steve 
too, waited the answer with somewhat bated 
breath.
"Such Americans as I have seen, I like," 
the boy's reply was cautious.
ALBER 0 ACTS
Then Ted's talk turned to the war.
"I wish so much I could know about that," 
Bert spoke eagerly. "We know so little 
here."
"Of course," Ted replied, and he spoke 
earnestly and quietly, "hearing it from Us, 
you get only our side of it, the Allies' side. 
You understand, of course."
The Mexican youth nodded, "I have 
heard—what I have heard is mostly the other 
side."
Then Ted went into the beginning of the 
war, the attack of Germany upon Belgium, 
and the way Germany had fought, what it 
had done to Belgium.
"They sent submarines out. Their own 
navy couldn't .get out because the navy of 
England is so much better, so much bigger. 
Soon the Germans announced that they 
would sink all ships, even ships that were 
not battleships. This meant ships that car-
ried passengers, ships that carried people 
who did not fight; it meant that they would 
sink a ship that carried English, French, 
Americans, Spaniards, Mexicans, people of 
South America.
'Tut no one believed they would do that.
90 TED MARSH AND HIS FRIEND STEVE
"But they did. They sank a big ship, a 
ship that had no guns. And twelve hundred 
people and more lost their lives. These 
twelve hundred were not soldiers, they were 
women and children of all lands, and they 
were men who were not fighting but who 
were on their way to Europe. They sank 
other ships, too. And many innocent people 
were drowned.
"That isn't the way to fight, is it? It isn't 
fair."
"But Germany did more. She sent air-
ships over big cities, and let bombs drop on 
people who were not fighting, and more wo-
men and children were killed. They sank 
more ships; and then when people tried to 
escape in life boats, they fired on these boats. 
They did so many other things—bad, cruel, 
wicked, and needless things.
"Then they promised they would only 
sink certain ships, and they would give ships 
that were not war-ships a chance to let the 
people on them escape. And for awhile they 
were only a few times that they broke this 
decision. But it couldn't last. Our presi-
ALBERTO ACTS	91
dent had told them that if they ever again 
did sink a ship without cause, we would find 
no other way but to fight them too. Soon 
they began to sink ships again. And we al-
so found proof that they were trying to make 
trouble for us in Mexico. And so many 
other things, that we found it necessary to 
fight them."
"There have been many Germans here-
abouts," the Mexican boy remarked quietly, 
"and they tried hard to make us hate you."
And Ted went further. Simply, earnest-
ly, he told the tale of the Hun. It had to be 
told simply, but it lost none of its effective-
ness. The Mexican youth listened.
And when Ted had completed his account, 
Alberto made no comment Somehow neither 
Ted nor Steve could get themselves to ask 
him then, if he knew aught of any submarine 
bases. It did not seem to be the right time 
for it.
Alberto turned his entire attention to his 
steering. He turned the ship's bow to the 
west until it was three or four miles from
92 TED MARSH AND HIS FRIEND STEVE
shore. Then he made a sharp turn and the 
little vessel headed direct for shore.
He piloted them into a harbor, the harbor 
which the two Germans had come to the day 
before. And when they were inside of it, he 
turned to them and made his first comment.
"You will find, Ted and Steve, this makes 
a nice place for a German U-boat. It left 
yesterday; I saw it go. But it will come 
again, I am sure."
Ted and Steve stared at him speechless.
"That is what you wanted to know, is it 
not, my friends?"
"That is what we wanted to know, Bert," 
Ted replied in a quiet voice. "You are a 
wonderful lad, a wonderful lad, to under-
stand so well."
Steve said nothing. But his hand went 
out to the Mexican youth. There was a firm 
handclasp.
"Down with the Hun," Ted exclaimed. 
They went on shore. Alberto showed
ERTO ACTS	93
them the storehouse where the Germans 
kept their supplies.
"Now what shall we do?" Steve inquired. 
"What's our next step?"
Their answer was unexpected. They 
heard the sound of a truck, men's voices.
It was Ted who was quick to think and 
act.
"Back to the boat. We'll hide there. 
They won't be suspicious if they see Bert 
alone. If they try to make trouble for him, 
we'll surprise them and give them all they 
want."
They were back on the boat in almost a 
second: The two, Ted and Steve, iid, while 
Bert prepared to set sail again.
But the truck was now in view. There 
were two men on it, and the boy recognized 
them as Pedro and Enrico. They saw him 
almost at once.
CHAPTER XII
THE BOYS ACT QUICKLY
AT HAT are you doing here?" they call- 
VV	to him.
"Sailing around," Alberto answered quiet-
ly. "Nothing in particular, to tell the 
truth."
He smiled easily. Then he added: 
"What, may I ask, are you doing here?"
"No business of yours, you imp," Enrico 
replied. "Where are the Gringos?"
"No business of yours," the boy replied, 
mimicking the man.
Pedro and Enrico conferred in a low voice. 
Their gestures were eloquent of their state of 
mind.
They came toward the boat. Ted motion-
ed to Alberto to let them come. When
94
41111.111111L
THE BOYS AC QUICKLY	95-
they reached it, Ted and Steve suddenly 
stood up.
The Mexicans faced two business-like wea-
pons.
"Hands up," Steve called to them "Quick."
Enrico's hands went up. But Pedro 
clinched with Ted.
There was a sharp report, and he sank to 
the ground. Steve had fired.
"Now, you," Steve kept his eye on Enrico. 
"Turn around but keep your hands up. If 
you try to run, I'll fire."
PI
 w
work on it. The Mexican had
r"Got a rope, Bert?" Ted called to Al- 
berto.
A rope was instantly forthcoming. Ted 
and Bert bound Enrico in thorough fashion.
They now gave their attention to the other 
Mexican.
"Is he dead?" Ted inquired.
,,No, his shoulder seems smashed." Steve 
not yet returned to consciousness.
1
1 i	While Steve was at work, Ted was doing 
some quick thinking.
96 TED MARSH AND HIS FRIEND STEVE
The former now looked up at him from 
his kneeling position over the wounded Mex-
ican.
"Thinking of a plan, Ted?" he grinned 
cheerfully.
"I think I have one, Steve," Ted replied. 
"But we need Bert's help."
"Count on me, Ted," quietly answered 
Bert.
"Let's put these things in the storehouse." 
And Ted motioned to the truckful of sup-
plies. "If the Huns return they will not sus-
pect anything. After that let us take this 
boat, with these fellows, and make for the 
Wizard and put it up to the captain."
"How long will it take?" Steve asked.
Ted told Bert how long it had taken them 
to reach Amarillo.
"We can get there in several hours," Bert 
informed them.
"Good enough," Steve assented. "What 
say you, Bert?"
The Mexican was returning to conscious-
ness. Steve had made him as comfortable as
THE BOYS ACT QUICKLY	97
he could. Now he tied his feet, as an extra 
precaution and then the three quickly stored 
the supplies for the Hun U-boat.
When they were through, Ted drove the 
truck a distance from the place. When he 
felt he had gone far enough, he gave the 
horses free rein by the simple method of 
removing himself as driver, and returned to 
the others.
The boys now carried their prisoners to 
the boat and a little later Bert set sail.
There was a fine favorable breeze. But 
it was more than three hours before the little 
boat sighted the Wizard in the distance.
Steve stood up and signalled—"We are 
coming."
After some hesitation there was an answer-
ing signal. "Who are you?"
Steve replied—"The good ship Alledero, 
carrying Steve Carney, Ted Marsh and 
other passengers."
They were near enough by now to see 
those on board. There was a group excitedly 
watching them.
98 TED MARSH AND HIS FRIEND STEVE
When they were near enough, Herbert 
Vine hailed them. "Hello Ted, hello Steve. 
Hurry up."
Willing hands reached down to them as 
they made their way on board. Steve, who 
was the last of the three, had difficulty in 
making the bashful Bert go up ahead of him. 
But Ted dragged him on deck.
"Some prisoners below," Steve announced 
to a number of the men. "Get them on 
board. And be careful of the Alledero."
"Captain wishes to see you," Arthur came 
forward and announced.
"We thought he might," Steve replied 
with a grin. And he and Ted with the re-
luctant Bert went forward.
It was quite an account, but the boys 
went through it briefly. And when they 
were through, the Commander made Bert 
feel thoroughly at home. His words were 
few, but Bert understood how much he ap-
preciated what he had done.
"Do you know bow soon the U-boat will 
return?" the captain asked.
THE BOYS ACT QUICKLY	99
tit
"Do you Bert?" Ted asked.
"They are away, six days, almost all the 
time," the Mexican lad advised them. "They 
went yesterday."
"You did extremely well, young men. I 
shall call you again a little later."
The boy's saluted and retired.
A group was waiting for them; and others, 
on duty, were gazing their way.
It was Sandy, who was off duty, who was 
the first to speak.
"Well, tell us the tale, you lucky dogs," he
I said. But there was a great pride in his 
voice, pride which belied his words. 
Steve told them. He dwelt mainly on 
what Bert had done. When he was through, 
the men crowded about the boy. Their 
friendliness and interest took great hold of
the boy.
"Come on, Bert," Ted took him below and 
made him comfortable. He realized that the 
lad had a lot to think about.
'Where are our prisoners?" Steve inquired 
in an anxious voice.
100 TED MARSH AND HIS FRIEND STEVE
"One is receiving doctor's care, the other 
is quite comfortable where he is," Sandy re-
plied.
Ted joined Herbert and Arthur and gave 
them some further details.
"Wonder what the captain is going to do?" 
Arthur remarked.
That was exactly what was in the mind 
of every(4ne on board.
And truth to tell, it was also in the mind 
of the captain.
CHAPTER XIII
ANDY GETS HIS CHANCE
T was no easy thing for the captain to
come to a decision. He wanted that sub-
marine, and the very best way of getting it
was barred to him. He did not know, nor
did he care for the moment what complica-
tions might come from what had happened
to the two Mexicans he now had on board.
Mexico could make quite a fuss over the 
forcible seizure, not alone assault, upon her 
citizens on her own soil. But if she did, it 
was a matter for the State Department to 
settle. The thing was, it was done.
To get the submarine, beyond any ques-
tion, the Wizard could station herself near 
the little harbor which his boys had discov-
ered. But that was in the three mile zone 
and not so possible. To send a machine gun
102 TED MARSH AND HIS FRIEND STEVE
and men on shore was also not possible— 
since it was Mexican soil.
"Well," he decided regretfully, "we'll 
hang around the three mile zone. If she 
comes up anywhere near gunshot, I'm going 
to shoot and let any questions that may come 
up be settled afterward. Be they what they 
may be, it will be after the goose is cooked, 
after the U-boat has gone down, never to 
come up again."
It showed the mettle of the commander 
that he did not ask the first officer to share in 
the responsibility of the decision. But hav-
ing decided, he called the latter into confer-
ence.
"If the U-boat comes up two and one-half 
miles from shore, you won't let her escape, 
will you? the lieutenant asked.
"I'm going to find it extremely difficult 
to measure distance, I'nlafraid," his superior 
replied.
They conferred further. When night 
came, the captain ordered the ship to steam 
south. A little later they lay quietly to.
The next day, and the day after, and the
(
SANDY GETS HIS	10
third day, without any let up, there was a 
sharp look-out kept on all sides.
And on the fourth day, a day of mist and 
loud, Sandy was given his chance.
Oir
Sometime about noon a lookout sighted
the submarine. It had appeared out of the 
fog and mist almost suddenly.
It was half submerged when Sandy's Bob, 
the first to speak, hit it squarely. It was all 
that was needed. Everyone was on deck, the 
captain included.
There was a loud hurrah. It had all 
happened so quickly, it was hard to realize.
The captain at once ordered the boats for 
rescue. But the II-boat had sunk at once be-
cause it was submerging at the time. An 
oily waste appeared, then wreckage, but 
there was no sign Of life anywhere.
When the excitement had somewhat sub-
sided, and Sandy had been sufficiently com-
plimented, the captain called Ted, Steve, 
and Bert to his cabin.
"I was wondering if you boys could give
104 TED MARSH AND HIS FRIEND STEVE
any suggestion as to what we should do to 
the Mexicans," he said to them.
Steve made no reply.
It Was Ted who made a suggestion with 
great diffidence.
"It's all a question of money with them, 
sir. They do not care about the Germans. I 
would suggest, that you land them on Am-
erican soil and threaten them with complaint 
to the Mexican government. Possibly give 
them a little money. They'll be sure to keep 
quiet."
"What do you think, Alberto?" the cap-
tain asked.
"I think as Ted does," the boy replied.
"Well, I wondered if that were the solu-
tion. I'll speak to them."
The Mexicans, wondering what was to 
happen to them, appeared.
But as the captain spoke to them, Bert 
whispered to Ted.
The latter interrupted the commander. 
"Bert suggests turning over the Alledero
SANDY GETS HIS CHANCE	106
to them. He himself does not dare to return.
He will give them a little note that he sold 
the boat to them, as he is going to the United 
States. Then they can leave at once."
The Mexicans, who had expected dire pun-
ishment if not death, called all the blessings 
of the saints upon the officer and upon Ted 
and Steve and Bert impartially. The cap-
tain made them doubly grateful when in
addition he gave them some money. Bert 
gave them the crude bill of sale and the two 
men were off at once.
"I don't think we'll have any trouble 
through them," the captain remarked. "But 
then what is a captain to do, when he has a 
band of pirates who land on friendly shores 
and wound and make prisoners of its citi-
zens? But you can't expect anything else 
of American youtIC
The captain's eyes twinkled.
"I fancy, Stephen, you may receive a sur-
prise in the way of promotion. A little bird 
has whispered it to me.
"As for you Ted, I fear me, we'll have to 
you on shore soon. Or else you'll land
,
106 TED MARSH AND HIS FRIEND STEVE
us in trouble with some other government. 
Wish you could stay, boy.-
"And Bert, we'll find a place for him, a 
place that will make him happy."
"Bert's coming with me, sir. He's going 
home, out on the Double X when I go."
"To your home, lad?"
"Yes, sir. It's out in Western Canada."
"Good enough. I'm glad of that. And 
now boys, I've got to make my report."
The boys, thereupon, retired, quite happy.
OW the Wizard was ordered to make
for Frisco. It made its way North as 
swiftly as it could. Everyone on board was 
anxious to get on shore; they had been a long 
time from home.
Ted, too, had had a touch of homesickness. 
The big ranch, the Double X, his mother, 
his sister, and father seemed to be calling 
to him. It was a long time since he had left 
home. He wondered about the Deans, who 
owned the big ranch, and who had been so 
kind to him, and to whom he owed so much.
Something of remorse came to the lad. 
He had sent no word to his mother since 
they had passed through the Panama Canal. 
Of course, opportunity had not presented it-
self, yet nevertheless he knew she Was worry-
ing about him.
108 TED MARSH AND HIS FRIEND STEVE
He followed a sudden impulse. He left 
Bert and hastened to Lieutenant Spencer, 
the first officer.
"What is it Ted?" the latter asked the boy.
"Could I send a wireless, sir? I am very 
anxious to do so."
"Where to?" the officer asked doubtfully. 
"To my mother, sir. She hasn't heard 
from me for so long, I know she'll be worry-
ing."
"Well it's not according to the code, but 
since you are our guest it would be discour-
tesy to refuse you. You may. So get your 
message ready."
"On my way home. Well and, happy. 
Love to all."
He took the message to the operator who 
had been instructed by the lieutenant to 
send the same. When the boy had watched 
the message on its way, he returned to Bert.
"Is it far, your home?" the latter asked.
Then Ted told him. He was glad to do so. 
He wanted to speak of it to someone.
HOMEWARD BOUND	109
"You should see it, Bert. It's a big coun-
try, with prairies and mountains. There are 
horses and horses and many cattle. And the 
boys on the ranch are the best ever. You'll 
like it, I know."
"Will they like me, though?" Bert ques-
tioned uncertainly.
"You bet they will. And you'll like them. 
And you and I, Bert, we'll do a lot of things 
together. Oh, you'll like it all right," Ted 
concluded, so positively that the other boy, 
who had felt somewhat alone and very lone-
some, found himself grow warm with the 
other's certainty of his welcome.
Herbert and Arthur appeared a little 
later.
"I hear you're going to leave us when we 
get to Frisco." Herbert remarked. "And 
that you are taking Bert with you."
Ted nodded in assent.
"Well, when the war is over, we're corn-
ing up to see you," Herbert advised him. 
"Even though we are not invited."
"You'll find your welcome when you 
wale," Ted replied. "We'll come a long 
i,y to meet you, Bert and I."
110 TED MARSH AND HIS FRIEND STEVE
"Good enough," Arthur answered. "What 
we're trying to work for is leave to go to 
New York."
"Worst about being twins," Herbert add-
ed, they're always willing to let one go with-
out the other. And what's the sense of that 
when we have all our good times together?"
"I think we'll get our leave though," Her-
bert spoke hopefully.
"You couldn't come up with us, could 
you?" Ted suggested hopefully.
"No, we couldn't, lad. We want to get 
home, don't you see? And I reckon dad and 
mother want to see us, too."
"I understand," Ted replied.
Bert, who had listened quietly, left them. 
With his going Ted suddenly came to a reali-
zation.
"What a brute I am." And he told the 
others of what had happened to the Mexican 
lad and how their talk of home and parents 
must have affected him.
"It must be awful to live in a land like 
that," Arthur remarked soberly.
"Well, if the Hun has his w,ay we'll also 
have that kind of a land," Ted replied.
The boys talked further. Evening came 
on. Their talk was of home and the things 
they expected to do when they got there.
Ted went in search of Bert. He found 
the latter, Sandy, and Steve in friendly 
conversation. The boy had become quite a 
favorite.
"You're leaving us, I've been hearing," 
said Sandy.
Ted replied that he was.
"The captain doesn't want me any 
longer," he replied with a laugh.
"You can be coming with me, when I'm 
a captain," Sandy replied. "Steve and I are 
making the first step that way, from what 
we hear."
"You certainly deserve it, both of you," 
Ted affirmed with great heartiness. He 
had grown extremely fond of these two.
"Tomorrow we'll be in Frisco harbor," 
;Sandy continued, "and it will be shore leaves 
and good-byes, I reckon."
HOMEWARD BO
CHAPTER XV
IN FRISCO
THERE were many early risers the 
next morning, Ted and Bert among 
them. The boat was lying to, in Frisco 
harbor.
"Land looks good, doesn't it, if it happens 
to be your own," Herbert remarked as he 
passed them. He was still on duty and could 
stop for but a minute.
Ted had packed the very few things that 
belonged to him. He had found it necessary 
to depend on things that Herbert and Arthur 
had turned over to him. Lucky they had 
had an over supply.
The boys paid their respects to the cap-
tain and to the other officers. Though they 
were all busy they bade them Godspeed and 
both were made to feel that they had the 
friendship and liking of them all.
112
IN FRISCO
Steve and Sandy and several of the other 
men gave them a warm send off. Ted was 
extremely popular, his simplicity and friend-
liness and also his proven ability had the 
men's respect.
"Come and see me when the war is over," 
he said to Steve and Sandy, "Or I will be 
coming to see Captains Carney and Martin."
"It'll be a long war but not long enough 
or us to become captains," Sandy replied. 
"Not even with the chance Secretary Dan-
iels is giving to the likes of us, may the 
saints bless him."
"I'm not so sure of that," Ted replied. 
"But as your friend Terry would have said, 
'It's wishin' I am.'"
"Thank you, lad. You've got our own 
good wishes and of all those on board, I 
guess. And as for you, Bert, we all owe 
you a lot and so does Uncle Sam. And I'm 
hoping that when you grow up you'll be-
come a citizen of a real country, with all 
due respect to Mexico."
"Everyone has been kind to me, so much 
" the boy replied. "You are all so good."
114 TED MARSH AND HIS FRIEND STEVE
"Nonsense, lad. You should be seeing us, 
-vhen we're not so good," Steve replied.
An hour later, the boys were on shore. 
Ted made inquiries at once as to train con-
nections and found that the first train would 
leave that afternoon. Luckily he had saved 
his money from the wreck of the Alaska, 
and he and Bert bought all the things they 
needed. Then the two found a restaurant, 
and a little later, Ted took Bert to the 
theatre. At five o'clock they left the the-
atre and made their way to the railroad 
station.
Bert had followed Ted in a trance. It 
was all new to him; something he had never 
suspected existed.
"How do you like it, Bert?" Ted asked
him.
"It is all -so big. There can be nothing 
bigger."
"You should see Chicago. And New 
York. But this is pretty big," Ted replied. 
Ted had arranged for sleepers as it was a 
journey of more than a full day.
Upon making sure when the train would 
arrive, he had sent another wire home an-
flouncing when the train was due. He
wanted someone from home to meet- him.
■
Early morning of the second day found 
them in Big Gulch. The boys alighted. 
Ted looked about uncertainly. Then he 
saw his sister, then his mother. His father, 
too approached quickly.
Ted, holding on to Bert's hand, rushed 
to meet them. His father waited until the 
warmth of the greeting between mother 
and son, sister and brother, had passed. 
Then he came forward.
"Well, lad, we've heard something about 
you. Not very much though."
"Yes, dad, but it's a long story and will 
wait. This is Bert, a friend of mine. And 
I've brought him home with me because of 
lots of reasons."
"He's more than welcome," Mrs. Marsh 
plied warmly.
"Sure thing, lad." While Helen made 
room in the car next to herself, Ted was 
placed between mother and father.
"Do you drive, Helen?" Ted asked, "And 
where did you get the car?"
116 TED MARSH AND HIS FRIEND STEVE
"It's ours and I drive."
The car went forward swiftly. And as 
it sped on, Ted found himself busy, an-
swering eager questions. While in the front 
seat, Helen, with a girl's intuition, was 
making Bert feel thoroughly at his ease.
"He's such a dear youngster," she thought. 
She began to understand something of why 
he was there, through her skillful, friendly 
questioning.
CHAPTER XVI
CONCLUSION
E story of Ted's adventures in the 
Navy is drawing to a close. The boy 
found home even more delightful than he 
had anticipated. It took many a day for 
him to account to the family of his adven-
tures. The Deans gave him a warm wel-
come and were proud of him, and young 
Amy Dean, born almost three years before, 
took to him at once.
The Deans liked Bert too. Ted explained 
about the boy .and what he had done. It 
made him liked so much the more.
John Dean still limped from that wound 
received at the Somme, early in the war. 
He had grown somewhat older, but Mrs. 
Dean was even more beautiful than when 
Ted had last seen her. Between many 
lushes Ted told her so much to her own 
d her husband's delight, especially so since 
compliment was so genuine.
117
118 TED MARSH AND HIS FRIEND STEVE
Ted found too, that Helen had been 
hearing from Red Mack periodically. He 
was over in France and hoped soon to be 
flying his own machine.
The Double X had none of the men who 
were there when Ted had first come. Most 
of them were older men; all of the former 
had gone to the war.
Bert was beginning to feel thoroughly at 
home. The Marshs were planning to send 
him to school and he was eager to go. He 
was a very grateful boy and he could not 
do enough for his friends.
When Ted had been home about two 
weeks, he was delightfully surprised by a 
visit of Sydney Graham, his chum at Way--
land. Sydney stayed for several weeks, 
much to Ted's delight. Syd did not take to 
Bert at once, which was a typically English 
trait of his. But when he did, he was a 
warm-hearted friend of the boy. And Bert 
learned very fast and was an apt pupil in 
the things that Ted and Syd could teach 
him.
When Ted was home about six weeks he 
received a letter from Strong, who was in 
New York. The Wizard had docked at
CONCLUSION	119
York, and Strong had made it a point 
am information of his young friend.
"I was not a bit surprised to hear what you did 
to help sink the submarine. I told the captain 
of some of the other things you have done, and 
you should have seen how wide he opened his eyes. 
There were two young men on board who had just 
returned from leave, twins they were, and they also 
told me something of you.
"You will be interested in knowing what hap-
pened to Rellier and his partner. The English 
Government made short work of them. They were 
shot one morning. No one deserved punishment 
more than they. It is a rather effective way of 
dealing with men of that kind, and necessary, too. 
I told the men at Scotland Yards what you had 
done—your share, but you were too far away by 
then. Isn't it queer, Ted, how you finally did get 
into the Navy and had your wish ? Quite a stren-
uous way of getting in, I would say, and rather a 
strenuous, if not a long stay.
"I hope to see you when you come this way. Or 
perhaps when I get out your way. I havn't told 
you how much I appreciate your help to me— 
but it is almost unnecessary for me to do so.
"The folks on the Wizard all want to be re-
membered to you and to your friend Bert. Write 
me,
"Cordially,
"John Strong."
Ted replied to John Strong almost at 
once. He went into details as to what had 
happened, how he liked being at home, So 
he closed his letter expressing the hope that 
hewould see Strong soon.
ife at the ranch held its fascination for 
y days. There was a time when adven-
called anew to Ted. But it was many
um/
i120 TED MARSH AND HIS FRIEND STEVE
days away. Mrs. Marsh made a point of 
having Ted with her every spare moment. 
She had grown very fond of Bert, too. 
The latter had been sent to Wayland at the 
suggestion of John Dean. He had not liked
it very much in the first month but had grown
accustomed to it all, and he was now writing
home enthusiastically of it.
The war continued. Ted watched events 
with eager eye. America was sending its 
mighty hosts Franceward, and with every 
arrival of a transport a fresh nail was driven 
into the sure doom of the Hun.
None was so pleased as John Dean at 
America's share in the war.
"I think Ted you're going to have an-
other share in it," he remarked prophetic-
ally one day, as the two on horseback, were 
riding over the ranch. "I often wish I 
could, too."
"You have had," Ted replied. "I hope," 
he added, "that your prophecy as to my 
share is correct."
It was, but as someone has said, that is 
another story.
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