Dave himself assisted the woman to alight from her carriage on the dock, at the end of which lay an American steamship.

After she had thanked the young officer earnestly, Darrin, cap in hand, remarked: 

“I am afraid I shall have to trouble you, madam, for your name.  I shall have to turn in a report on this occurrence on my return to my ship.”

“I am Mrs. Alice Black,” replied the woman.  “My home is in Elberon, Ohio, and I shall probably go there soon after I reach New York.  This steamship does not sail immediately, but my money will be safe on board with the purser.”

Darrin gave his own name.

“You have done me the greatest service possible, Mr. Darrin, for you have saved me from utter poverty.”

“Then I am very glad indeed,” Dave assured her, and promptly took his leave.

Before going off the dock Darrin secured the name of the boatswain’s mate, also, for inclusion in his report.

Then, with Rogers, he returned to the launch and was speedily back on his own ship.

The packet of papers entrusted to him by the consul were at once handed over to Captain Gales.

The launch was left fast to a swinging boom, and soon after was employed to take ashore Lieutenant Cantor, who had received shore leave for a few hours.

For the first time in several days, Dave and Dan had time to chat together that afternoon.  That was after Darrin had turned in a brief report on the assistance rendered an American woman ashore.

“Cantor seems to have let up on you, apart from being as grouchy as he knows how to be,” Danny Grin observed.

“That is because there is nothing he can really do to me,” Dave answered, with a smile.

“Just the same,” urged Dan, “I would advise you at all times to keep your weather eye turned toward that chap.”

“He really isn’t worth the trouble,” Dave yawned, behind his hand.  “And, fortunately, I shall not always be compelled to serve under him.  Officers are frequently transferred, you know.”

“If Cantor found the chance, you might last only long enough to be transferred back to civil life,” Dan warned him.  “Dave, I wish you would really be more on your guard against the only enemy, so far as I know, that you have.”

“I’m not interested in Cantor,” retorted Dave.  “It would do me a heap more good to know what reply General Huerta will finally make to the American demand for satisfaction over the Tampico incident.”

“Huerta won’t give in,” Dan predicted.  “If he did, he would he killed by his own Mexican rabble.”

“If Huerta resists, then he’ll have to fight,” Dave exclaimed, warmly.