by G. A. Henty
CHAPTER VI.
A TALE OF THE MEXICAN WAR.
Mr. Hardy was rather surprised at Seth Harper, the Yankee, havingremained so long in his service, as the man had plainly stated,when first engaged, that he thought it likely that he should notfix himself, as he expressed it, for many weeks, However, he stayedon, and had evidently taken a fancy to the boys; and was still moreinterested in the girls, whose talk and ways must have been strangeand very pleasant to him after so many years' wandering as asolitary man. He was generally a man of few words, using signswhere signs would suffice, and making his answers, when obliged tospeak, as brief as possible. This habit of taciturnity was no doubtacquired from a long life passed either alone or amid dangers wherean unnecessary sound might have cost him his life. To the youngpeople, however, he would relax from his habitual rule of silence.Of an evening, when work was over, they would go down to the benchhe had erected outside his hut, and would ask him to tell themtales of his Indian experiences. Upon one of these occasionsCharley said to him: "But of all the near escapes that you havehad, which was the most hazardous you ever had? which do youconsider was the narrowest touch you ever had of being killed?"
Seth considered for some time in silence, turned his plug oftobacco in his mouth, expectorated two or three times, as was hiscustom when thinking, and then said, "That's not altogether an easyquestion to answer. I've been so near wiped out such scores oftimes, that it ain't no easy job to say which was the downrightnearest. In thinking it over, I conclude sometimes that one go wasthe nearest, sometimes that another; it ain't no ways easy to saynow. But I think that, at the time, I never so much felt that SethHarper's time for going down had come, as I did in an affair nearSan Louis."
"And how was that, Seth? Do tell us about it," Maud said.
"It's rather a long story, that is," the Yankee said.
"All the better, Seth," Charley said; "at least all the better asfar as we are concerned, if you don't mind telling it."
"No, I don't mind, no how," Seth answered. "I'll just think itover, and see where to begin."
There was a silence for a few minutes, and the young Hardyscomposed themselves comfortably for a good long sitting, and thenSeth Harper began his story.
"Better than five years back, in '47, I were fighting in Mexico. Itwasn't much regular up and down fighting we had, though we had sometoughish battles too, but it were skirmishing here, skirmishingthere, keeping one eye always open, for man, woman, and child hatedus like pison, and it was little mercy that a straggler mightexpect if he got caught away from his friends. Their partisanschiefs, half-soldier, half-robber, did us more harm than theregulars, and mercy was never given or asked between them and us.Me and Rube Pearson worked mostly together. We had 'fit' theIndians out on the prairies for years side by side, and when UncleSam wanted men to lick the Mexicans, we concluded to go intogether. We 'listed as scouts to the 'Rangers,' that is, we agreedto fight as much as we were wanted to fight, and to go on in frontas scouts, in which way we had many a little scrimmage on our ownaccount; but we didn't wear any uniform, or do drill, whichcouldn't have been expected of us. We shouldn't have been no goodas regulars, and every one knew that there were no better scouts inthe army than Rube Pearson and Seth Harper. Lor', what a fellowRube was, to be sure! I ain't a chicken," and the Yankee lookeddown at his own bony limbs, "but I was a baby by the side of Rube.He were six feet four if he were an inch, and so broad that helooked short unless you saw him by the side of another man. I dobelieve Rube Pearson were the strongest man in the world. I haveheard," Seth went on, meditating, "of a chap called Samson: folkssay he were a strong fellow. I never came across any one who hadrightly met him, but a good many have heard speak of him. I shouldlike to have seen him and Rube in the grips. I expect Rube wouldhave astonished him, Rube came from Missouri--most of them very bigchaps do. I shouldn't wonder if Samson did, though I never heardfor certain."
The young Hardys had great difficulty to prevent themselves fromlaughing aloud at Seth's idea on the subject of Samson. Charley,however, with a great effort, steadied himself to say, "Samson dieda great many years ago, Seth. His history is in the Bible."
"Is it, though?" Seth said, much interested. "Well now, what did hedo?"
"He carried away the gates of Gaza on his back, Seth."
Seth remained thoughtful for some time. "It all depends on how bigthe gates were," he said at last. "That gate down there is a prettyheavyish one, but Rube Pearson could have carried away two sich asthat, and me sitting on the top of them. What else did he do?"
"He was bound in new cords, and he broke them asunder, Seth."
Seth did not appear to attach much importance to this, andinquired, "Did he do anything else?"
"He killed three hundred men with the jawbone of an ass."
"He killed--" Seth began, and then paused in sheer astonishment.Then he looked sharply round: "You're making fun of me, lad."
"No, indeed, Seth," Charley said; "it is quite true."
"What! that a man killed three hundred men with the jawbone of anass? It couldn't have been; it was sheer impossible--unless theywere all asleep, and even then it would be an awful job."
"I don't know how it was, Seth, but the Bible tells us, and so itmust be true. I think it was a sort of miracle."
"Oh, it was a miracle!" Seth said thoughtfully, and then remainedsilent, evidently pondering in his own mind as to what a miraclewas, but not liking to ask.
"It was a very long time ago, Seth, and they were no doubt adifferent people then."
"Was it a very, very long time back?" Seth asked.
"Yes, Seth; a very, very, very long time."
"Ah!" Seth said in a thoughtful but more satisfied tone, "Iunderstand now. I expect it's that. It's the same thing among theIndians: they have got stories of chiefs who died ever so long ago,who used to be tremendous fellows--traditions they call 'em. Idon't expect they were any braver than they are now; but a thinggrows, you see, like a tree, with age. Lor' bless 'em! if they tellsuch tales now about a Jew, what will they do some day about RubePearson?"
The young Hardys could stand it no longer, but went off into ascream of laughter, which even the surprised and offended looks ofthe ignorant and simple minded, but shrewd, Yankee could not check.So offended was he, indeed, that no entreaties or explanations weresufficient to mollify him, and the story was abruptly broken off.It was not for two or three days that the boys' explanation andassurance sufficed; and then, when Charley had explained the wholehistory of Samson to him, he said:
"I have no doubt that it is all true, and I wish I could read itfor myself. I can just remember that my mother put a great store onher Bible, and called it the good book. I can't read myself, andshouldn't have time to do it if I could; so it's all one as far asthat goes. I am just a hunter and Indian fighter, and I don't knowthat for years I have ever stopped so long under a roof as I havehere. My religion is the religion of most of us out on theprairies. Be honest and true to your word. Stick to a friend todeath, and never kill a man except in fair fight. That's about all,and I hope it will do; at any rate, it's too late for me to try andlearn a new one now. I listen on a Sunday to your father's reading,and I wish sometimes I had been taught; and yet it's better as itis. A man who acted like that wouldn't be much good for a roughlife on the prairies, though I have no doubt it could be done inthe settlements. Now I must go on with my work. If you and theothers will come over to the hut this evening I will go on withthat yarn I was just beginning."
After tea the young Hardys went down to the hut, outside which theyfound Seth awaiting their arrival. They were now comfortablyseated, and Seth, without further introduction, went on.
"One day our captain sent for Rube and me, and says, 'I've got ajob for you two scouts. It's a dangerous one, but you won't like itany the worse for that, I know.'
"'Not a bit,' said Rube with a laugh. He was the lightest-heartedfellow, was Rube; always gay and jolly, and wouldn't have hurt asquirrel, except in stand-up fight and as a ma
tter of business.
"'What is it, Cap?' said I; 'you've only got to give us the word,and we're off.'
"'I've had a message,' he said, 'from Colonel Cabra of theirservice, that he is ready to turn traitor, and hand us over somecorrespondence of Santa Anna, of which he has somehow gotpossessed. Being a traitor, he won't trust any one, and the onlyplan we can hit upon is, that he shall make a journey to SanMiguel, thirty miles north of this, as if on business. I am to makean expedition in that direction, and am to take him prisoner. Hewill then hand over the papers. We shall bring him here, and, afterkeeping him for a time, let him go on parole. No suspicion willtherefore at any future time arise against him, which there mightbe if we met in any other way. The papers are very important, andthe affair must not be suffered to slip through. The countrybetween this and San Miguel is peaceful enough, but we hear that ElZeres' band is out somewhere in that direction. He has somethinglike two hundred cutthroats with him of his own, and there is arumor that other bands have joined him. Now I want you to go ontomorrow to San Miguel. Go in there after dusk, and take up yourquarters at this address; it is a small wine-shop in a street offthe market. Get up as Mexicans; it only requires a big cloak and asombrero. You can both speak Spanish well enough to pass muster.Stay all next day, and till daybreak on the morning afterward, andthen ride back on this road. You will find cut in the first placewhether Cabra has arrived, and in the next place whether El Zeresis in the neighborhood. I shall only bring forty men, as I do notwish it to be supposed that I am going on more than a mere scoutingexpedition. You understand?'
"'All right, Cap; we'll do it,' I said, and we went off to ourquarters.
"I can't say I altogether liked the job. It was a long way fromheadquarters, and, do what they may, two men can't fight more than,say, ten or a dozen. I was rather surprised to see by Rube's facethat he rather liked it; but I did not find out till late thatnight what it was pleased him--then the truth came out.
"'We had better start early, Seth,' said he; 'say at daybreak.'
"'What for, Rube?' I said; 'the Cap said we were to go in afterdusk. It's only thirty miles; we shan't want to start till threeo'clock.'
"Rube laughed. 'I don't want to get there before dusk, but I wantto start at daybreak, and I'll tell you why. You remember Pepita?'
"'There,' said I, 'if I didn't think it had something to do with awoman. You are always running after some one, Rube. They will getyou into a scrape some day.'
"Rube laughed. 'I am big enough to get out of it if it does, Seth;but you know I did feel uncommon soft toward Pepita, and reallythought of marrying and taking her back to Missouri.'
"'Only she wouldn't come, Rube?'
"'Just so, Seth,' said he, laughing. So we agreed we would be thebest friends; and she asked me, if ever I went out to San Miguel,to go and see her. She said her father was generally out, but wouldbe glad to see me if he were in. She lives in a small hacienda, aleague this side of the town.
"I saw that it was of no use to argue, but I didn't like it. TheMexican women hated us worse than the men did, and that warn't easyto do; and many of our fellows had been murdered after beingenticed by them to out-of-the-way places. Still, in the presentcase, I did not see that the girl could have expected that Rubewould be there unless the rest of us were near at hand, and I didnot attempt to oppose Rube's wishes."
"So next morning off we started, and by ten o'clock we rode up tothe door of the place which Rube said answered to the descriptionPepita had given him. It was a pretty place, with trees round it,and might have been the residence of a small proprietor such asPepita had described her father to be. As we rode up to the door itopened, and I saw at once that Rube were right, for a dark-eyedMexican girl came out and looked at us inquiringly.
"'What can I do for you, senors?' she asked.
"'Don't you remember me, Donna Pepita?' Rube said, laughing, as helifted the sombrero which had shaded his face.
"The girl started violently. 'Ah, Signor Americano, is it you? Imight have known, indeed,' she said, smiling, 'by your size, evenwrapped up. This, of course, is Signor Seth--you are alwaystogether. But come in,' she said.
"'Who have you got inside, Donna Pepita?' Rube asked. 'I know thatI can trust you, but I can't trust others, and I don't want itknown I am here.'
"'The house is empty,' Pepita said. 'My father is out. There isonly old Jacinta at home.'
"At this moment an old woman made her appearance at the door, andat a word from Pepita took our horses, while Pepita signed to us toenter.
"'Excuse me, signora,' I said. 'We will go first and see our horsesstabled. It is our custom; one never knows when he may want them.'
"I thought Pepita looked annoyed, but it was only for a moment, andthen she said something in one of the country dialects to the oldwoman. She nodded her head, and went off round to the back of thehouse, we leading our horses, and following her. The stables, Iobserved, were singularly large and well kept for a house of itssize; but, to my surprise, instead of going to the long range ofbuildings, the old woman led the way to a small shed."
"'Ain't these stables?' said I.
"She shook her head, and said in Spanish, 'They were once, but wehave only two horses. Now they are used as a store for grain; themaster has the key.'
"I could not contradict her, though I believed she was telling me alie. However, we fastened our horses up in the shed, put thepistols from our holsters into our belts, and, taking our rifles inour hands, entered the house.
"Pepita received us very warmly, and busied herself assisting theold woman to get us something to eat; after which she and Rubebegan love-making, and it really seemed as if the girl meant tochange her mind, and go back with Rube, after all. There wasnothing, in fact, to justify my feeling uneasy, except that, whilePepita had promised me when I entered the house not to tell the oldwoman who we were, I was convinced that she had done so by theglances of scowling hatred which the old hag threw at us whenevershe came into the room. Still I was uneasy, and shortly made someexcuse to leave the room and saunter round and about the house, toassure myself that Pepita had spoken truly when she had said thatthere was no one there except the old woman and herself. I foundnothing to excite the smallest suspicion, and was therefore contentto return to the room and to throw myself lazily down and go offfor a siesta, in the wakeful intervals of which I could hear thatPepita had given way, and that the delighted Rube was arrangingwith her how she should escape and join him when the army retired;for of course neither had any idea that her father would consent toher marrying one of the hated enemies of his country.
"At three o'clock I roused myself and soon after the old woman cameinto the room with some lemonade. I observed that Pepita changedcolor, but she said nothing, and a moment after, making someexcuse, she left the room. I was about to speak to Rube on thesubject, when the window was darkened with men, Five or six shotswere fired at us, and with a yell a crowd of Mexicans rushed intothe room.
"As they appeared Rube sprang up with the exclamation, 'Trapped, bythunder!' and then fell flat on his back, shot, I believed, throughthe head.
"I rushed to my rifle, seized it, but before I could get it to myshoulder it was knocked from my hand. Half a dozen fellows threwthemselves upon me, and I was a prisoner. I didn't try to resistwhen they laid hands on me, because I knew I should have a knife inme at once; and though I knew my life was not worth an hour'spurchase--no, nor five minutes'--after I was caught, still upon thewhole it was as well to live that five minutes as not.
"There was such a hubbub and a shouting at first that I couldn'thear a word, but at last I picked up that they were a party of theband of El Zeres, who was in the neighborhood, and had been fetchedby a boy that traitress Pepita had dispatched for them directly wearrived. Pepita herself was wife of one of the other chiefs of theband. Much fun was made of poor Rube and myself about our courting.I felt mad with myself for having been caught so foolishly. Icouldn't feel angry with Rube, with him lying dead there, but I wasangry with mysel
f for having listened to him. I oughtn't to haveallowed him to have his own way. I warn't in love, and I ought tohave known that a man's head, when he's after a gal, is no more usethan a pumpkin. While I was thinking this out in my mind I had myeyes fixed upon poor Rube, whom no one thought of noticing, whenall of a sudden I gave quite a start, for I saw him move. Icouldn't see his face, but I saw a hand stealing gradually outtoward the leg of a man who stood near. Then there was a pause, andthen the other hand began to move. It wasn't at all like theaimless way that the arms of a badly hit man would move, and I sawat once, that Rube had been playing 'possum' all along."
"Doing what, Seth?" Ethel asked.
"Just pretending to be dead. I held my breath, for I saw he hadcome to the conclusion that he could not be overlooked much longer,and was going to make a move.
"In another minute there was a crash and a shout as the two menfell to the ground with their legs knocked clean from under them,catching hold of other men and dragging them down with them. Fromthe midst of the confusion Rube leaped to his feet and made a rushfor the window; one man he leveled with a blow of his fist; anotherhe caught up as if he had been a baby, and hurling him against twoothers, brought them on the ground together, and then leaping overtheir bodies, dashed through the window before the Mexicans hadrecovered from their astonishment. I could have laughed out loud atthe yell of rage and amazement with which they set off in pursuit;but two or three of them remained to guard me, and I might have gota knife in my ribs, so I kept quiet. I did just feel so glad to seeRube was alive, that I hardly remembered that it warn't likely thateither he or I would be so long, for I did not for a moment expectthat he would make good his escape. The odds were too great againstit, especially in broad daylight. Even on horseback it would benext to impossible. No one but Rube would have attempted such athing; but he never stopped to think about odds or chances when hisdander was up. In less than no time I heard a shot or two, then wasa silence for a time, then a shout of triumph. I knew it was allover, and that Rube was taken again.
"He told me afterward that he had made a dash round to the stable,where he had found seven or eight Mexicans looking after thehorses; that he had knocked down one or two who were in his way,had leaped upon the nearest animal, and had made off at the top ofhis speed, but that a dozen others were after him in an instant;and seeing that he would be lassoed and thrown from his horse, hehad stopped and thrown up his arms in token of surrender. Rube'shands were bound tightly behind him, and he was led back into theroom.
"He gave a loud laugh when he saw me: 'That was a boy's trick;wasn't it, Seth? But I couldn't have helped it if I had been shot aminute afterward. There were those fellows' legs moving about mejust as if I was a log of wood. The thoughts came across me, "Agood sharp rap above the ankle and over you'd go;" and when I'd oncethought of it, I was obliged to do it. It was fun, though,Seth; wasn't it?'
"'It was, as you say, Rube, a boy's trick, and just at present ishardly the time for that. But don't let us say anything we don'twant overheard, Rube; some of these fellows may understand.'
"'Right you are, Seth. I am main sorry, old hoss, that I've got youinto this scrape, but I expect we shall get out again somehow. Idon't think Rube Pearson is going to be wiped out yet.
"I hoped not too. I warn't a bit tired of life, but I did not seemy way out of it. However, I had one comfort: I knew if any two mencould get out of an ugly mess, those two men were Rube and I.
"We were now told to sit down on the ground in one corner of theroom, two fellows taking up their station by our sides. Then therewas a hot discussion about our fate, which warn't exactly pleasantto listen to. Some were in favor of hanging us at once, but themajority were for taking us to the main body under El Zereshimself, because the chief would be so glad to have us in hispower. He had frequently vowed vengeance against us, for we wereknown as the most active scouts in the army, and had led troops inhis pursuit many a time, and had once or twice come very near tocatching him. He had vowed solemnly to his patron saint that if wefell into his hands he would put us to death with unheard-oftortures; and as El Zeres was rather celebrated that way--and itwas the anticipation of an unusual treat which decided the majorityto reserve us--it warn't altogether pleasant to listen to. But weput a good face on the matter, for it would never have done to letthose Mexican varmints see that two backwoodsmen who had 'fit' themand beaten them time after time were afraid to die when their timecame. Presently there was a little stir, and Pepita came into theroom. I rather think that, though the girl hated us like pison, shedidn't like to come into the room where one of us was, she thought,laying dead. Now she came in, looking, I will say for her,uncommonly pretty. She came straight up to us, and looked us fullin the face. I paid no attention to her, but Rube nodded quitecheerfully.
"'Well, signora, so you were making fools of us, after all! Well, Iain't the first chap that's been fooled by a pretty woman; that'sone comfort, anyhow. I suppose our engagement is to be consideredat an end, eh?' and he laughed.
"'American dog!' the girl said, with her eyes flashing with rage,'did you think you were so good-looking that the women of thenation you tread upon are all to lose their hearts to you? We areMexicans, and we hate you!' and she stamped her foot with passion.
"Rube laughed unconcernedly. 'Well, signora, after what you nowpermit me to see of you, I am really thankful that you are so kindand lenient. Thunder! what a fate mine would have been if you hadtaken it into your head to marry me!'
"There was a general laugh among the men at the cool way in whichRube treated the girl, and the enraged Pepita struck him a box onthe ear. It was a hearty one; but Rube's face hardly changed, andhe said, still smiling:
"'We have a custom in the States, Pepita, that when a gal boxes aman's ears, he has a right to give her a kiss. You are reversingthat; I had the kisses this afternoon, and now I have got the boxon the ear.'
"There was again a roar of laughter among the Mexicans, and theenraged woman drew a knife, and would have stabbed Rube to theheart had she not been seized by the men standing round her andforced from the room. We were kept in that room under a guard sowatchful that any attempt to escape was out of the question, untilthree o'clock the next morning. The horses were then saddled, andwe were soon off, Rube and I riding in the midst of the party withour hands tied before us, so that we could just hold the bridle. Wehad found out from the conversation that El Zeres with his band wasabout twenty-five miles distant.
"Upon our ride I found an opportunity for the first time since ourcapture for a talk with Rube.
"'What do you think of it, Seth?'
"'Looks bad, Rube,' I said. 'If we find El Zeres in camp, I expecthe will make short work of us; if he is away I suppose we shall gettill to-morrow morning. If we are to escape at all it must beto-night.'
"'Escape!' Rube said scoffingly; 'of course we are going to escape.The question is, Which one of all the ways open to us are we tochoose?' and he laughed merrily.
"'I don't quite see all the ways yet, Rube; however, we shall seewhat sort of a place we are put in to-night, and can then come tosome conclusion. There comes the sun.'
"It was about nine o'clock when we rode into camp; and as weapproached it we acknowledged that a better place against a suddensurprise could hardly have been chosen. The ground was flat formiles round; but the site of the camp rose in a slight mound, ofnearly circular form and perhaps one hundred yards across; thecentral part was thirty feet or so above the general level. Roundthis the band of El Zeres was encamped. Rube and I guessed them atfour hundred strong. There was an attempt at military order, for,by the bundles of wearing apparel, etc., it was evident that themen slept round a series of bivouac fires, extending in a circleround the foot of the mound. Within the line of fires the horseswere picketed in two rows. In the center of the circle, upon thehighest point of the rise, was a small house. As we approached wecould see a stir in the camp: a party of men were mounting theirhorses as if for an expedition.
"'I hope El Zeres is on
the point of starting somewhere, Rube,' Isaid, 'and that he is in too great a hurry to stop to amuse himselfwith us as he has threatened: it will give us another day."
"'I hope so,' Rube said; 'it's hard if we don't manage to maketracks if we get twenty-four hours.'
"On reaching the camp we were ordered to alight; and upon its beingknown who we were, there was as many shouts of triumph as if we hadbeen generals.
"'We are quite celebrated characters, Seth,' Rube said, with hisusual laugh.
"'Ah,' said I, 'we could do without such celebrity just at present.'
"'I don't know,' Rube said. 'If we were mere American soldiers theywould cut our throats at once: as it is they may keep us for a moreceremonial killing.'
"As we were talking we were being led up toward the central hut,which was evidently the abode of the chief. He was standing at thedoor, tapping his riding-boot impatiently with a heavy whip; a manwas holding his horse in readiness. One of the other leaders wasstanding talking to him. 'Jehoshophat!' said I, 'he is going out.We are safe for awhile.'
"El Zeres was a slight, wiry man, with a small wicked-looking eye,which gave one the 'squerms' to look at, and a thin mouth curved upin a cruel smile. He was the savagest and most bloodthirsty of allthe Mexican partisans. The man with him was a tall, swarthy,ferocious-looking villain.
"El Zeres looked at us for some time without a word. Then he said,'I've got you at last; I've been on the lookout for you for a longtime past.'
"'It hasn't been our fault we haven't met before,' said Rube; whichwas true enough, for we had given him a close chase several times.El Zeres only gave an evil smile, but the other Mexican exclaimedsavagely, 'You dog, do you dare to answer?' and struck Rube acrossthe face with all his force with his heavy whip.
"Rube turned quite white, and then with a tremendous effort hebroke the cowhide thongs which fastened his hands--not new rope,mind you, but cowhide--just as if it had been so much grass, andwent right at the fellow who had struck him. The Mexicans gave acry of astonishment, and threw themselves upon Rube, El Zeresshouting at the top of his voice, 'Don't draw a knife, don't draw aknife; I'll hang any man who injures him.'
"Rube had got the fellow by the throat with both hands, and thoughthe crowd of men who threw themselves upon him pulled him to theground, he never let go, but brought the man down too. I knew itwas all over with him. I was quite mad to join in and help; butthough I tugged and strained at my thongs till they cut right intomy wrists, I could not succeed. For awhile they lay in a strugglingmass on the ground, and then Rube shook himself free of them for amoment and got to his feet. A dozen men were upon him in a moment;but he was blind with rage, and would not have minded if it hadbeen a thousand. Those who came in front went down as if shotbefore the blows of his fists; but others leaped on him frombehind, and then the struggle began again. I never saw sich a thingbefore, and never shall again. It was downright awful. They couldnot hold his arms. Their weight, over and over again, got him uponthe ground, and over and over again he was up on his feet; but hisarms, somehow, they could not hold, and the work he did with themwas awful. Anything he hit went down, and when he could not hit hegripped. It was like a terrier with rats: he caught 'em by thethroat, and when he did it was all up with them. Some of them madea grab for their knives, but they had no time to use them. In amoment their eyes would seem to start from their heads; and then,as he threw 'em away, they fell in a dead lump."
How long this went on I can't say--some minutes, though--when aMexican snatched the lasso, which every Mexican carries, from thesaddle of El Zeres' horse, and dropped the noose over Rube's neck.In another moment he was lying half-strangled upon the ground, anda dozen hands bound his hands behind him and his feet together withcowhide thongs. Then they stood looking at him as if he was somedevil. And no wonder. Seven Mexicans lay dead on the ground, andmany more were lying panting and bleeding around. The Mexicans arean active race of men, but not strong--nothing like an averageAmerican--and Rube at any time was a giant even among us scouts;and in his rage he seemed to have ten times his natural strength.El Zeres had never moved; and except shouting to his men not to usetheir knives, he had taken no part whatever in it--watching thestruggle with that cruel smile, as if it had only been a terrierattacked by rats. When it was over he mounted his horse, and saidto one of his lieutenants who was standing near: 'I must go now. Ileave these men in your charge, Pedro. Fasten that one's handsbehind him; then take them inside. Put them in the inner room.Clear my things out. Take ten picked men, and don't let any one inor out till I return. I shall be back before daybreak. I shallamuse myself to-day with thinking how I shall try the nerves ofthese Americanos. I can promise you all a handsome amusement ofsome sort, anyhow.' And he rode off.
"I have often faced death, and ain't afraid of it; but theunruffled face and the cruel smile of that man made my flesh creepon my bones, as I thought of what Rube and I had got to go throughthe next day. And now," Seth said, breaking off, "it's gettinglate, and I haven't talked such a heap for years. I will finish myyarn another night."
Very warm were the young Hardys in their thanks to Seth for thisexciting story from his own experience, and great was thediscussion among themselves that arose as to how the two Americanscould possibly have made their escape from their terriblepredicament.
