Frank at Don Carlos' Rancho

by Harry Castlemon

  CHAPTER XIII.

  AN OLD ACQUAINTANCE.

  "Bars an' buffaler! You keerless feller!" exclaimed the trapper,pulling out his knife and liberating Frank's hands and feet. "I reckonyou've seed fun enough fur one day, haint you? You'll never comenigher to bein' rubbed out nor you were a minit ago without goin'; Ican tell you that. Now toddle. We aint out of danger yet, by nomeans."

  There was no time for greetings and congratulations. Scarcely had thetrapper lifted Frank to his feet, when a clatter of hoofs was heard,and upon looking up the two friends saw a squad of Rancheros comingtoward them at the top of their speed. Frank, without an instant'shesitation, acted upon the trapper's suggestion, and started for thewoods; while Dick ran off in the opposite direction, loading his rifleas he went.

  Frank, wearied with his former exertions, and aching in every limbfrom the effects of the rough treatment he had received at the handsof his enemies, was in no condition for a long run; but, even had hebeen in the best of trim, he could not have hoped to escape. TheRancheros were mounted, and they had thrown themselves between him andthe woods. Still, he exerted himself to the utmost, and his speed,although greatly diminished, would have carried him ahead of every oneof his enemies had they been on foot. But the swift horses quicklyovertook him, and one of his pursuers, without in the least slackeninghis pace, galloped up beside him and seized him with both hands.

  "You're caught now," said he, in a tone of great satisfaction, "and Iam a poor herdsman no longer. I'm rich."

  The Ranchero did not attempt to lift Frank upon his horse, but heldfast to his collar, and dragged him over the ground. He went at thetop of his speed, and whenever Frank tried to regain his feet, so thathe could run along beside his captor, the latter would touch hishorse with his spurs, and the animal would spring forward so suddenlythat Frank would be thrown back again. It was a most uncomfortable andpainful situation to be in, but, strange as it may appear, Frank madeno attempt at escape; indeed, he scarcely bestowed a thought uponhimself. A scene which he had witnessed just after his enemy seizedhim, had deprived him of every particle of courage and strength. Hehad seen the friend who had stood by him through innumerable dangersstrangled before his very eyes.

  We said that, when Frank ran toward the woods, the trapper started offin the opposite direction. He had done this, hoping to draw theattention of the Mexicans to himself, and thus give Frank a chance forescape. He had succeeded in one part of his object, and failed in theother. Three of the Rancheros wheeled their horses and started inpursuit of him, while the others kept on after Frank. They had nodesire to take the trapper alive, for the Don had not offered a rewardof fifty thousand dollars for him; but they believed that he was quiteas dangerous to them as Frank was, for he was acquainted with theirsecret. They had tried their best to shoot him when they met him inthe woods, but Dick had escaped unhurt. Now they had caught him on theopen prairie, where they could use their lassos, and they weredetermined that he should not return home to tell his friends what heknew about Don Carlos and his rancho. They charged toward the trapperwith loud yells, discharging their pistols at him with one hand, andswinging their lariats around their heads with the other. One of theirnumber rode to his death, for when Dick's rifle cracked, the foremostMexican threw up his arms, and fell heavily from his saddle; butbefore the trapper could turn to run, a lasso was thrown over hishead, and he was pulled to the ground. A yell of defiance rang out onthe air, and then the Ranchero wheeled his horse and galloped off,dragging his victim after him.

  Frank could scarcely credit his senses. Was it possible that theredoubtable Dick Lewis, the hero of a thousand desperate encounters,had met his match at last, and in these cowardly Mexicans, too? It didnot seem to him that it could be so, and yet the whole thing hadtranspired in plain view. If Dick had possessed the strength of adozen men, he could not have escaped while that lasso was around hisneck. Beyond a doubt, Frank had seen the last of him. The brave fellowhad lost his life in trying to save him, and the boy could not havebeen more horrified if he had heard his own doom pronounced. He closedhis eyes, that he might not see the terrible sight; and when he openedthem again, his captor was on the point of dragging him into thewoods. Still urging his horse forward with reckless speed, he nowlifted Frank from the ground and laid him across the horn of hissaddle and held him there with one hand, while, with the other, heguided his horse through the bushes. Arriving at the creek, he dashedin, and upon reaching the opposite bank, again entered the woods, andcontinued his flight as rapidly as ever.

  All this while the prisoner's mind had been so fully occupied with thescene he had witnessed on the prairie, that he scarcely knew what wasgoing on; but now he became aware that his captor was not taking himto the rancho, but that he was making the best of his way toward themountains. Frank was at a loss how to account for this, until heglanced at the dark, lowering face above him. Could he believe hiseyes? He raised his head and looked again; and it is hard to tellwhether he was the more astonished or alarmed. That one look wasenough to satisfy him that his troubles were but just beginning. Hewould much rather have found himself in the power of Don Carlos, thanin the hands of the man who was bending over him.

  "Ah! You know me, do you?" exclaimed the Mexican, glancingtriumphantly down at his captive. "I'm glad to meet you again."

  "Pierre Costello!" cried Frank, in dismay.

  "Ay! It's Pierre, alive and well, no thanks to you or your friends!"

  Frank gazed long and earnestly at the Ranchero. The last time he sawhim he was on his way to the prison at San Diego, bound hand and foot,and guarded by trusty men; but here he was, in full possession of hisliberty, and ready to carry out the scheme in which he had beenfoiled a few weeks before.

  "Oh, it's I," said the robber, seeing that his prisoner was looking athim in utter bewilderment. "We were pretty well acquainted at onetime, and it is strange that you do not recognize me."

  "I would know that villainous face of yours among a thousand," repliedFrank. "I was wondering how you escaped from the prison."

  "Easy enough. It wasn't strong enough to hold me--that's all. I didn'tstay there three days. I came back here, and set myself to watch you;and now that I have found you, I do not intend to lose sight of youvery soon. When the Don gives me the reward he has offered for you, Iwill deliver you up to him. I am taking you to the mountains, becauseI want to see the color of the money, before I give you up; andbecause I don't want to be compelled to divide with any one."

  There was no need that Pierre should take the trouble to explain hisplans. Frank knew what they were before he said a word about them, andhe could see no way to prevent them from being carried out. He wassatisfied that it was quite useless to think of escape, and knowingthat it would be the height of folly to provoke Pierre's anger, he didnot make the slightest show of resistance.

  "I shall always hold a grudge against you," said the Ranchero,tightening his grasp on Frank's collar, "and, if it were not for themoney you are worth, I would settle accounts with you in a hurry. I'vehad two chances to make myself rich, but you knocked my calculationshigher than a kite. I am all right now, however, and if I ever meetyou, after I deliver you up to Don Carlos, you are a goner. But thatis not at all likely," added the Mexican, "for when the gate of thatrancho once closes upon you, it will never open for you again. The Donknows how to deal with men who learn his secrets. You are alwaysmeddling with other people's business, but you have done it now forthe last time."

  Frank listened in silence to this disheartening speech, and toldhimself that this was the worst predicament he had ever got into. Whenhe was delivered into the Don's hands, the latter would make an endof him; and if he did not, Pierre would. It was plain that if hiscaptor could have his own way in the matter, Frank had not much longerto live.

  The course which Pierre was taking to reach the mountains, lay througha dense forest, which, even in the day-time, was almost impassable forhorsemen. He might have chosen an easier route, but knowing that hewould be followed by his c
ompanions, who would not willingly surrendertheir claims to a share of the reward, he kept in the deepest part ofthe woods to elude their pursuit. His horse went at the top of hisspeed, and Frank was jolted about, and dashed against the trees, untilit seemed to him that he could not possibly survive a moment longer.To his great relief, Pierre brought him to the edge of the woods atlast; and after carrying him some distance up a ravine, stopped hishorse, and began making preparations to bind his captive.

  "I shall leave you here for an hour or two," said he. "I am going backto the Don, and, if he comes down with the fifty thousand, I'll turnyou over to him; and if he doesn't, you and I will lead a free andeasy life here in the mountains, until your uncle ransoms you. I'vegot two strings to my bow this time."

  Pierre pulled his prisoner to a tree, to which he tied him securelywith his lasso, Frank offering no resistance. He was too weak to lifta finger in his defense, and, as for remonstrance, he knew that wouldbe useless, and so he held his peace.

  "You take it very coolly," remarked Pierre. "Why don't you saysomething?"

  "If I hadn't been knocked about until the strength was all beaten outof me, I should have _done_ something before this time," repliedFrank, boldly. "Give me my liberty, and fifteen minutes' rest, andI'll make trouble for you."

  "H'm!" said Pierre. "I can't see it. You have made trouble enough forme already."

  "And you haven't seen the last of me yet," added Frank.

  "I know it. I told you that I should come back to you, didn't I?"

  "I mean that you will meet me under very different circumstances. Wewill change places in less than twenty-four hours."

  Frank said this with no other object in view, than to let Pierre knowthat he still kept up a brave heart, if the future was dark beforehim. There was nothing in his prospects, just then, to encourage thehope that he and his enemy would "change places," and he littledreamed that such would be the case; but, after all, something verylike it did happen, and in less than half the time Frank hadmentioned. Pierre, however, happy in the belief that his dreams ofwealth were about to be realized, had no misgivings. He laughed at hisprisoner's warning, and springing into his saddle, disappeared in thedarkness. Frank listened to the sound of his horse's feet until itdied away in the distance, and then rested his aching head against thetree, and thought over his situation. What an eventful day it hadbeen! What astonishing adventures had been crowded into the shortspace of ten hours! Frank's mind was in a perfect whirl; and, if hecould have freed his hands, he would have pinched himself to see if hewas really wide awake. But, after all, he knew that the events of theday were no dream--his aching limbs and throbbing head assured him ofthat. The fight with Old Davy, Archie's mishap, and his mysteriousdisappearance at Don Carlos' rancho, the death of the trapper, and theunexpected encounter with Pierre Costello--all were realities. It wasno dream, either, that he had been bound to a tree and left in thosedark woods; and it was equally certain that he was not the only livingthing there. He heard a stealthy step on the leaves, and a momentafterward, saw a pair of eyes, which shone like two coals of fire,glaring at him from a thicket not far distant.

  "It's a panther!" exclaimed Frank, trembling all over with terror, andmuch more alarmed now than he had been when he found himself in thepower of his old enemy; "and here I am perfectly helpless. Hi! hi!"

  Acting upon his first impulse, which was to frighten away hisdisagreeable neighbor, he uttered a series of yells which awoke theechoes far and near. The result greatly astonished him. An answeringshout came from the farther end of the ravine, and hasty footstepswere heard approaching. Frank's heart beat high with hope. Had friendsbeen following him? More likely they were some of the settlers, whohad been out hunting, and were returning to their homes. In eithercase he would soon be free once more, and his first care would be toshow Pierre that, if he had come back to the settlement, expecting tohave things all his own way, he had reckoned without his host. Heshouted again, and the eyes in the bushes disappeared, and he heardthe panther bounding up the mountain.

  "Hallo!" called a voice through the darkness.

  "Hallo!" replied Frank. "This way. Here I am."

  The unknown persons were prompt to answer the call, and came throughthe bushes with all possible speed. Presently, Frank saw two darkforms approaching, and in a few seconds they were close at his side,and peering into his face. Why was it that he did not speak to themand tell them what had happened to him? Simply because there was noneed of it. The men knew quite as much about it as he did. He had seenthem before, and knew that they were members of Don Carlos' band. Thefirst words they uttered explained their presence there, and toldFrank that they perfectly understood the matter.

  "Pierre thinks he is smart," said one, untying the lasso with whichFrank was bound to the tree; "but he will find that there are men inthe world as sharp as he is. We knew what was up when we saw him rideinto the woods, instead of going toward the rancho. He tried toswindle us out of our share of the money, and now we will see how muchof it he'll get."

  In less time than it takes to tell it, Frank had been tied upon ahorse behind one of the Mexicans, and was being carried back to therancho. He did not experience much inconvenience from the ride, forthe Mexicans traveled slowly, and avoided the woods altogether. At theend of half an hour they stopped in front of the walls of the rancho;and when the ponderous gate closed behind him, Frank shuddered andthought of the prediction Pierre had made. He glanced around thecourt, and saw that it was lighted up by numerous dark-lanterns, andfilled with men, who seemed to be highly excited and enraged aboutsomething. They were all talking at the top of their voices, and thebabel of English and Spanish was almost deafening. Archie had been thecause of this disturbance. Not more than half an hour before he hadbeen flying about that court with all the speed his horse couldcommand; and, having failed in his attempt at escape, he had takenrefuge in the house. The Mexicans had seen him run through the hall,and into the Don's reception-room, and had, of course, expected tocapture him there; but they found the room empty, and could notimagine where Archie had gone. His disappearance astonished andalarmed them. They did not know that he was acquainted with the secretof that spring in the painting of the Indian warrior.

  Conspicuous among a group of men who occupied the center of the court,stood the Don, who was, if possible, more excited and noisy than anyof his band. He looked up when Frank's captors stopped in front ofhim, and rubbed his hands gleefully together.

  "Ach! Here is von of dese leetle poys," said he. "Now dis ish _all_right!"

  As soon as the lasso, with which Frank was confined to the horse, hadbeen untied, he was assisted rather roughly to the ground. He put on abold front, and unflinchingly met the angry glances that were directedtoward him from all sides; but his heart was sinking within him, andhe waited anxiously for the chief to speak.

  "Vel," said the latter, at length, "you peen trying to shpy outsomethings about mine house, aint it? You peen von grand, leetlerascal. Vare ish dis other leetle poys?

  "Who--Archie? I don't know where he is; and, if I did, it is notlikely that I should tell you. I hope he is safe at home."

  "Oh no, he don't peen at home," said the Don, shaking his headvehemently; "he ish somevares in dis house. Dake him down and lock himup."

  The chief's looks had prepared Frank for some terrible sentence. Hewould not have been much surprised if he had heard that he was to behanged or shot immediately; but, when he found that he was to belocked up, his courage rose again, and he began to indulge in the hopethat a chance for escape might yet be offered him. In obedience to theDon's order, the Rancheros conducted him to one of the rooms in theunderground portion of the rancho, and after tying him hand and foot,left him to his meditations. But he was not destined to remain therelong, for Archie fortunately stumbled upon him and released him.

  We left the boys struggling with the Ranchero who had come in tosatisfy himself that Frank had not yet found means to effect hisescape. Archie was holding fast to his legs, and Frank h
ad grasped himby the throat and stifled his cry for help.

  "I can hold him now," said the latter. "Shut that door, and getsomething to tie him with."

  The ropes with which Frank had been bound were brought intorequisition, and in a few seconds, the Mexican, in spite of hisfurious struggles, was helpless. Archie had shown considerablegeneralship in the part he had played in this transaction. If theRanchero had been permitted to return to his friends, he would, ofcourse, have informed them that Frank had been liberated by somebody,and that would have told the Don just where to search for Archie. Heknew that Archie was somewhere in the rancho, but thus far he had beenunable to get on the track of him. The building was large, theunderground rooms and passage-ways numerous, the doors all locked, andas long as the boys could keep their enemies from learning their exactwhereabouts, there was little danger of capture.

  "Now, then, what is to be done with this fellow?" asked Frank, whenhis cousin had securely bound the prisoner.

  "Let's give him one for Dick Lewis," said Archie, brandishing hisheavy pistol in the air. "A crack over the head with this would do hima wonderful sight of good."

  "No! no!" exclaimed Frank. "He took no part in that affair."

  "No doubt he would if he had had the chance. Let's lock him in here,and leave him."

  "He'll call for help, won't he?"

  "We don't care if he does. Even if he succeeds in making himself heardthrough these thick walls, his friends can't release him until theyhave cut down one of these doors; and by the time they get that done,we may be out of this den of robbers, and half way home."

  Archie began trying his keys in the lock of of the door, and finallyfound one that would fit it. Then, after the prisoner had been pulledinto one corner, the cousins passed out of the room, locking the doorafter them.