Cuivaca. While a couple of miles in the rear followed Pesita

with the balance of his band.

Billy rode until the few remaining lights of Cuivaca shone

but a short distance ahead and they could hear plainly the

strains of a grating graphophone from beyond the open windows

of a dance hall, and the voices of the sentries as they

called the hour.

"Stay here," said Billy to a sergeant at his side, "until you

hear a hoot owl cry three times from the direction of the

barracks and guardhouse, then charge the opposite end of the

town, firing off your carbines like hell an' yellin' yer heads off.

Make all the racket you can, an' keep it up 'til you get 'em

comin' in your direction, see? Then turn an' drop back slowly,

eggin' 'em on, but holdin' 'em to it as long as you can. Do

you get me, bo?"

From the mixture of Spanish and English and Granavenooish

the sergeant gleaned enough of the intent of his commander to

permit him to salute and admit that he understood

what was required of him.

Having given his instructions Billy Byrne rode off to the

west, circled Cuivaca and came close up upon the southern

edge of the little village. Here he dismounted and left his horse

hidden behind an outbuilding, while he crept cautiously forward

to reconnoiter.

He knew that the force within the village had no reason to

fear attack. Villa knew where the main bodies of his enemies

lay, and that no force could approach Cuivaca without word

of its coming reaching the garrison many hours in advance of

the foe. That Pesita, or another of the several bandit chiefs in

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