“Acting under the orders of Cosetta, or, I might say, under his threats, Mr. Carmody has sent appeals in every direction he could think of for the funds to pay the hundred thousand dollar ransom demanded for the party.  These requests have been carried on through agents of Cosetta, but none of the appeals have borne fruit.  Wearied, Cosetta has announced that on a certain morning, if the ransom has not arrived, Carmody and all the members of his party, even including the children, shall be shot and buried in hidden graves.  There is little doubt that Cosetta will carry out his threat, and to-morrow morning is the time set for this wholesale murder.”

Fire flashed in the eyes of the Navy officers who heard this announcement.

“As you may be certain,” continued Captain Gales, “Admiral Fletcher has wired me that this proposed atrocity must be prevented, and the American captives rescued at all hazards.  Now, attend me while I show you the detail chart for this part of the coast.”

Captain Gales turned to his desk, where the map was spread.

“Here, as you will see,” he continued, “is a sugar mill belonging to the Alvarez plantations.  Ten miles to the eastward of the Alvarez mill is the Perdita mill; ten miles to the westward of the Alvarez mill is the Acunda mill.  To-night there will be no moon.  At nine o’clock we shall lie to off the Alvarez mill, and three sixty-foot launches will be lowered to the water.  Lieutenant Cantor will command one of these launches, Ensign Darrin another and Ensign Dalzell the third.  Each launch will carry one automatic gun, and a landing party of a corporal, six marines, a petty officer and twelve seamen.  Each party will be armed, but, gentlemen, I must caution you as to the extreme seriousness of any conflict on shore, or of firing, even though your fire is not directed at human beings.  These are days when our relations with Mexico are of an extremely delicate nature.  If we send an armed party on shore, and its members fight, it will be difficult, indeed, for our government to make the claim that an act of war was not committed on the soil of a nation that is, at present, at peace with us.  The consequences of a fight are likely to be grave indeed.  Therefore, the officer in command of each landing party is especially warned that the rescue of the American prisoners must be accomplished by strategy, not by fighting.”

Captain Gales looked keenly at each of the three young officers concerned, to make sure that they understood the full gravity of the situation.

“Strategy, remember—–­not fighting,” Captain Gales repeated.  “Now, the ‘Long Island’ will not go within four miles of the coast.  Yet, despite the darkness to-night, it is likely that a craft as large as this ship would be noted from the shore, and her errand suspected.  That might result in the execution of the American captives before aid could reach them.  So, when we reach a point opposite the Alvarez mill, Lieutenant Cantor’s launch will be put over the side first, while the ship continues under slow headway.”