The Motor Scout: A Story of Adventure in South America

by Herbert Strang

  CHAPTER XVII

  IN POSSESSION

  Felipe Durand was enjoying an after-dinner cigar with Dr. Pereira whenthey heard the first commotion in the town consequent upon Pardo'sarrival from the hacienda. Regarding it as nothing more than a streetbrawl they went to a window overlooking the plaza, and watched the crowdgathering, and the gendarmes come from the direction of the barracks tokeep order. After a few minutes they returned to their chairs.

  Presently a servant entered, and reported what was being said in thetown. A wild and exaggerated rumour had spread that the Mollendists hadswooped in vast numbers on Mr. O'Hagan's hacienda; the Prefect's troopshad been sent to drive them out.

  "Young Tim did not tell me that anything of that sort was incontemplation," said Durand.

  "It is a mad proceeding," said the doctor. "By all accounts theMollendists are a very small party, and badly provided. I am surprisedat O'Hagan."

  "Perhaps it is a move of Tim's," suggested Durand. "He's mad enough foranything at times."

  "That boy has as many lives as a cat. It's a marvel that he hasn'tbroken his neck long before this."

  "He was just the same at school. If he fell from a tree he never seemedto hurt himself. I remember once at rugger--a sort of football, youknow--he had a terrible collision with a forward twice his size, and wethought he was killed for a certainty. But he got up after a minute andrubbed his shins and chaffed the other fellow about his fat. 'Soft as acushion,' he said, 'lucky for me.'"

  They sat smoking and talking until a renewed uproar drew them again tothe window. There they watched what ensued upon Tim's capture of thebarracks. They came to the conclusion, surprising as it was, that theMollendists had attacked in force. The rumours brought from below stairsmagnified every detail. The numbers of the assailants were greatlymultiplied; Dr. Pereira was inclined to believe that Mr. O'Hagan, ofwhose exploits in the Chilian war he knew, had himself organised adashing descent on the town. It was only later, when Tim led the chargeinto the plaza, that the two onlookers had an inkling of the truth.

  "It's Tim after all, the young demon!" exclaimed Durand.

  "But he must be backed up," said the doctor. "He would never attemptsuch a foolhardy exploit unless he could rely on support from hisfather."

  "You don't know Tim so well as I do, senor," said Durand.

  "You must stay the night, Felipe. We can't tell what may be happeningon the road, and you mustn't risk being shot. The affair is evidentlymuch more serious than I thought. In the morning we shall learn thetruth of it."

  A little while after the plaza had been cleared and the excited populacehad melted away, two of the principal men in the town, both strongopponents of the Prefect, came to see Dr. Pereira. They pointed outthat the town was now without responsible authorities. No gobernadorhad yet been appointed in place of Senor Fagasta, still under arrest;Captain Pierola, in command of the garrison, was reported killed; andnext day the place would be in anarchy. They therefore begged thedoctor to proclaim himself provisional gobernador, and to authorise theenrolment of special constables to keep order until matters developed.

  "I don't think I can do that," said the doctor. "The town is nowpractically in the possession of the Mollendists. Any such action on mypart would be resented by them, unless indeed I issued a proclamation inthe name of Senor Mollendo. Do you suggest that I should do that?"

  His visitors, one of whom was the principal lawyer in the town,hesitated. They recognised that to take such a step would be a burningof their boats. The Prefect was still to be reckoned with.

  "My idea was to remain neutral between the two parties, senor doctor,"said the lawyer, "and set up a provisional administration in theinterests of the general order."

  "That cannot be done without the consent of the gentleman now inmilitary occupation," replied Dr. Pereira.

  "But he is not in effective occupation, senor," the lawyer persisted."He has withdrawn his men to the barracks."

  "The Prefect's men are not in occupation, at any rate," said the doctor,dryly. "They have abandoned the town. The utmost that we can do is tosend a deputation to the Mollendist leader, and ask him to authorisemeasures for the protection of the life and property of the civilpopulation. I am willing to form one of such a deputation, and Isuggest that you accompany me, senores."

  "Let me come too, senor," said Durand eagerly.

  "You had better remain here, Felipe," replied the doctor. "This is amatter for grave and reverend signors."

  His eyes twinkled. He suspected that his visitors were as yet unawareof the identity of the "Mollendist leader," and relished the anticipatedscene of Tim receiving the deputation. In a few minutes the threegentlemen set forth, the doctor bearing a note which Durand had hastilyscribbled.

  Meantime Tim, while his men were at supper, had been taking mental stockof the position. It did not occur to him that he was master of thetown. No boy of his years and limited experience could suppose that bya single charge at the head of twenty men he had swept away alleffective opposition. He did not know that the enemy had scattered inall directions over the surrounding country; and while he felt that theywould probably not attack again during the night, he expected that theywould rally and at any rate keep him closely invested pending thearrival of the Prefect. Consequently, after arranging for the efficientguarding of the barracks during the remaining hours of darkness, hethrew himself on Captain Pierola's bed to snatch a rest in preparationfor the anticipated work of the day.

  He was called up about midnight by one of the sentries, who reportedthat three men were approaching from the plaza under a flag of truce.He hurried to the gate, and was surprised to hear Dr. Pereira's voice inanswer to the question he asked through the wicket.

  "We come as a deputation on behalf of the citizens," said the doctor.

  Tim threw open the wicket, and the three gentlemen entered. The lawyerand his friend stared when they recognised in the "Mollendist leader"the boy whom they regarded as a harum-scarum young giddy-pate. Tim'ssurprise equalled theirs when the doctor, who thoroughly enjoyed thesituation, explained the object of their visit.

  "We have come to you, as the gentleman in military possession of thetown," said the doctor, "to request that you will take measures for themaintenance of civil order. The official garrison has withdrawn; thegobernador is unable to act; and we fear that disturbances may ariseamong the populace. We offer no opinion and take no sides in thedissensions which presumably have led to the present circumstances; weapproach you merely in the interests of the general good."

  The doctor's words were grave and formal, but Tim caught the humoroustwinkle of his eyes. He knew that Dr. Pereira was no friend to thePrefect. Maintaining equal gravity, he tried to adjust his thoughts tothe new situation. If the doctor had been alone, he would have spokento him freely, and asked his advice. The presence of the other twoPeruvians, whom he knew only slightly, imposed a reserve. Quick-wittedas he was, for a moment he found himself at a loss. But when he realisedthe full import of Dr. Pereira's words, he pulled himself together, andsaid:

  "I am honoured by your visit, senores. I will at once send men to patrolthe plaza." A sudden idea struck him. "Perhaps it would be in order ifI issued a proclamation."

  "That is the usual formality, senor," said the lawyer, with professionalapproval.

  "Then will you be good enough to draw it up for me, senor? You willemploy the correct forms. Announce that I hold the town in the name ofSenor Mollendo, and that it is under martial law until the civilgovernment is re-established. You will find paper and ink in theguardroom upstairs."

  The lawyer and his friend having departed to draw up the document, Timwas left alone with his old friend.

  "Bravo, Tim!" said the doctor. "You have carried it off well."

  "But is it true?" asked Tim eagerly. "Are we in possession of the town?"

  "Without a doubt. You have only to act boldly. Toujour
s l'audace! Thegarrison have bolted; without good leadership they won't rally, andCaptain Pierola is dead, I hear."

  "He is only wounded," said Tim.

  "He is not here, at any rate. The Mollendists have a strong party inthe town, and if you put a bold face on it the Prefect's adherents willnot dare to rise. Of course your father is near?"

  "I hope so, senor. I have sent a messenger for him."

  "You don't mean to say that you have done this on your own account,unsupported?"

  "We _have_ been rather lucky," said Tim with a smile.

  The doctor uttered an ejaculation of amazement.

  "You must tell me all about it presently," he said, as the lawyerreappeared with the proclamation. Tim, with an ingenuous blush,scrawled his signature at the foot: "Timothy O'Hagan, Lieutenant;" andwith grave salutations the three gentlemen withdrew. At the moment ofparting, Dr. Pereira put into Tim's hand the note written by Durand.Opening it, he read:

  "Good old Tim! I wish I had been in the scrum. I am going to ask mypater if I may join you."