by G. A. Henty
CHAPTER VII.
SETH CONTINUES HIS NARRATIVE OF THE MEXICAN ADVENTURE.
The next evening the young Hardys again took their seats by Seth,and, without any delay, he went on with his story.
"After El Zeres had ridden off, the lieutenant, Pedro, selected tenfrom the men around--for pretty well the whole camp had gatheredround us--and told them, in the first place, to clear the house ofthe hammock and other belongings of El Zeres, and when this wasdone to carry Rube in. Bound and helpless as he was, there was avisible repugnance on the part of the men to touch him, so greatwas the fear which his tremendous strength had excited. However,six of them took him up and carried him into the hut--for it waslittle more--and threw him down like a log in the inner room. Iwalked in of my own accord, and sat down on the ground near him. Iheard Pedro give orders to some of the men outside to take away thedead bodies and bury them, and for the rest to go down to theircampfires. Then he entered the house with his other four men.
"The house was just the ordinary Mexican hut. It contained tworooms, or rather, one room partially divided into two, the innercompartment forming the sleeping-room of the family. There was nodoor between the rooms, nor was there any window; the lightentering through the wide opening into the outer room. The outerroom had no regular windows, only some chinks or loopholes, throughwhich a certain amount of light could come; but these were stoppedup with straw, for the Mexicans are a chilly people; and as thedoor was always open, plenty of light came in through it. The housewas not built of adobe, as are most Mexican huts, but of stones,with the interstices plastered with mud."
"Never in my life did I feel that the game was up as I did when Isat down there and looked round. The men were seated on the groundin the next room, in full view of us, and every now and then onewalked in to look at us. Helpless as we were, they had an uneasydoubt of what we might do. Rube still lay at full length on theground. For a quarter of an hour I did not speak, as I thought itbest to let him cool and quiet down a bit; and I thought andthought, but I couldn't, for the life of me, think out any plan ofgetting clear away. At last I thought I would stir Rube up."
'How do you feel, Rube?'
'Well, I feel just about tired out,' Rube said; 'just as if I hadwalked a hundred miles right on end. I've been a fool again, Seth,sure enough; but I've given some of them goss, that's a comfort.I'll just take a sleep for a few hours, and then we'll see aboutthis business. 'Hello, there!' he shouted in Spanish; 'water.' Forawhile no one attended to him; but he continued to shout, and Ijoined him, so that the men in the next room were obliged to leaveoff their talk to do as we wanted them. One of them got up and tooka large copper pan, filled it with water from a skin, and placed itdown between us; and then giving me a hearty kick--even then he didnot dare kick Rube--went back to his pillow. It took some troubleand much rolling over before we could get so as to get our mouthsover the pan to drink. When we had satisfied our thirst we rolledover again, made ourselves as comfortable as we could under thecircumstances--which warn't saying much--and in a short time wereboth asleep, for we had only been four hours in bed for two nights.I was pretty well accustomed to sleep on the ground, and I sleptwithout waking for nearly seven hours; for when I did so I saw atonce it was nearly sunset. I can't say it was an agreeable waking,that; for I felt as if my shoulders were out of joint, and that Ihad two bands of red-hot iron round my wrists. My first move was toroll over and have another drink. Then I sat up and looked round.Rube was sitting up, looking at me.
'So you are awake, Seth?'
'Yes,' said I. 'Are you all right now, Rube?'
'As right as can be,' Rube said in his ordinary cheerful tone;'except that I feel as if a fellow was sawing away at my ankles andwrists with a blunt knife.'
'That's about the state of my wrists,' I said.
'I don't mind my wrists so much,' he said; 'it's my feet bothersme. I shall be such a time before I can walk.'
'You needn't bother about that, Rube,' said I. 'It isn't much morewalking your feet have got to do.'
'I hope they've got more to do than they've ever done yet, oldhoss,' Rube said; 'at any rate, they've got a good thirty miles todo to-night.'
'Are you in earnest, Rube?' said I.
'Never more so,' said he. 'All we've got to do is to get away, andthen tramp it.'
'How do you mean to get away, Rube?'
'Easy enough,' Rube said carelessly. 'Get our hands loose first,then our legs, then kill them fellows and make tracks.'
Now it ain't very often that I larf out. I don't suppose I'velarfed right out three times since I was a boy; but Rube's coolnesstickled me so that I larfed out like a hyena. When I began, Rube hebegan; and when he larfed it was tremendous. I don't think Rubeknew what I war larfin' at; but he told me afterward he larfed tosee me larf, which, in all the time we had been together, he hadn'tseen. What made us larf worse was that the Mexicans were sostartled that they seized their rifles and rushed to the doorway,and stood looking at us as if we were wild beasts. Keeping the gunspointed at us, they walked round very carefully, and felt our cordsto see that they were all right; and finding they were, went backinto the next room, savage and rather scared. Our larfing made themterribly uneasy, I could see; and they had an idea we couldn't havelarfed like that if we hadn't some idea of getting away. When wehad done I said:
'Now, Rube, tell me what you have planned out, that is, if you'redownright in arnest.'
'In arnest!' says he, almost angry; 'of course I'm in arnest. Doyou think I'm going to be fool enough to stop here to be frizzledand sliced by that El Zeres to-morrow? 'No, it's just as I said: wemust get our hands free; we must kill all these fellows, and beoff.'
'But how are we to get our hands free, Rube?'
'That's the only point I can't make out,' he said. 'If thesefellows would leave us alone, it would be easy enough; we couldgnaw through each other's thongs in ten minutes; but they won't letus do that. All the rest is easy enough. Just think it over, Seth.'
I did think it over, but I did not see my way to getting rid of ourthongs. That done, the rest was possible enough. If we could gethold of a couple of rifles and take them by surprise, so as toclear off four or five before they could get fairly on their legs,I had little doubt that we could manage the rest. No doubt theywould shut the door as it got later, and it was possible that therow might not be heard. If that was managed, I was sure we couldcrawl through the lines and get off. Yes, it was straightforwardenough if we could but get rid of our cords. As I was thinking itover my eye fell upon the pan of water. An idea came across me.
'I don't know, Rube, that it would stretch them enough to slip ourhands out, but if we could wet these hide thongs by dipping them inwater, we might stretch them a bit, anyhow, and ease them.'
'That would be something, Seth, anyhow.'
We shuffled by turn, next to the pan, and leaned back so that ourwrists were fairly in the water. The water relieved the pain, and Icould feel the thongs give a little, but it was only a little; theyhad been tied too carefully and well to render it possible tounloose them. We came to this conclusion after an hour's straining,and at the cost of no little pain. We agreed it was no use, and satthinking over what was the next thing to do, and taking it by turnsto cool our wrists. We did not altogether give up hope, as weagreed that we must try, in the short intervals between the visitsof the Mexicans, to untie the knots of each other's cords withour teeth. It was possible, anyhow, for the knots would draw prettyeasy now that the leather was wet. Suddenly an idea struck me. Isqueezed myself back to the wall, and leaned against it.
'It's all right, Rube,' said I; 'our cords are as good as off.''How's that?' said Rube. 'This wall is made of rough stones, Rube,and there are plenty of sharp edges sticking out through the mud.They will cut through these wet thongs like knives.'
'Hoorah!' shouted Rube at the top of his voice, with a yell thatstartled the Mexicans from their seats again, and then he commencedthundering out one of the songs the soldiers used to sing on themarch.
Several Mexicans came running up from the camp to ask ifanything was the matter, Rube's yell having reached their ears.They were told it was only those mad Americanos amusing themselves,and with many angry threats of the different sort of yells weshould give next day, they sauntered off again.
'That's rather a good thing,' Rube said to me when he stoppedmaking a noise. 'If any sound of the little fight we are going tohave here reaches the camp, they will put it down to us shoutingfor our amusement.'
By this time it had become perfectly dark, and the guard lighted afire in the middle of the room in which they sat. A pile of woodhad been brought in for the purpose, and when the smoke had alittle abated, the door was shut and barred. Every three or fourminutes one of the men would take a lighted brand and come in tosee that we were not near to each other, and that all was secure.
'What time shall we begin, Seth?' Rube asked.
'In another hour or so,' I said; 'by eight. They will be gamblingand quarreling round the fire by nine o'clock; and the talk, andthe noise of the horses, will prevent them hearing anything here.We must not think of going out for two hours later, and even thenthey won't be all asleep; but we dare not put it off later, for ElZeres may come back earlier than he said he should, and if he doesit's all up with us. Let's arrange our plans for good,' I said,'and then we can each sit up against a corner and pretend to go tosleep. When I am going to cut my cord I will give a very littlecough, and then you do the same when you are free. We had better dothat before very long, for you will be a long time before you willget any feeling in your feet. Rub them as hard as you can; but youcan't do that till you get the use of your hands. When you arequite ready, snore gently; I'll answer in the same way if I amready. Then we will keep quiet till the fellow comes in again, andthe moment he is gone let us both creep forward: choose a time whenthe fire is burning low. You creep round your side of the room; Iwill keep mine, till we meet in the corner where the rifles arepiled. We must then open the pans, and shake all the powder out,and, when that is done, each take hold of one by the barrel andhit. Do you quite understand and agree?'
'Quite, Seth. Is there anything else?'
'Yes,' I said; 'you take the door, I will take the corner where thearms are. We must try and keep them from coming within arm's reachto use their knives; but if either of us are hard pressed he mustcall, and the other must come to him.'
'All right, old hoss, I long to be at work.'
'So do I,' I said. 'And now don't let's have any more talk; shutyour eyes, and keep quiet till I cough.'
The men were engaged now in talking over the deeds in which theyhad been engaged, and so revolting and cold-blooded were theatrocities of which they boasted that I longed for the time whenRube and I should fall upon them. In half an hour I gave thesignal. I had picked out a sharp stone in a convenient position,and it was not a minute before I felt the coil of cords loosen witha sudden jerk, and knew that I was free. I found my hands werecompletely numbed, and it was a long time before I could restorethe circulation. It must have been a good half-hour before Rubegave the signal that he had got the cords that bound his anklesloosened, as of course he could not begin at them until he had thefree use of his hands. As I had anticipated, the visits of ourguards were rather less frequent now that they believed us to beasleep. Fortunately, the din and talk in the next room was now loudand incessant, which enabled Rube to rub, and even stamp his feet alittle. In half an hour I heard a snore, which I answered. Themoment the next visit was over I crawled to the door, and then,lying pretty nigh on my stomach, crept round to where the rifleswere piled.
The fire was burning low, and the guard were sitting so closelyround it that the lower part of the room was in black shadow; sothat, though I was looking out for Rube, I didn't see him till hewas close enough to touch me. It was a delicate job opening all thepans, but we did it without making as much noise as would scare adeer, and then, each taking a rifle by the barrel, we were ready.Pedro was just telling a story of how he had forced an old man tosay where his money was hid, by torturing his daughters before hiseyes, and how, when he had told his secret, and the money wasobtained, he had fastened them up, and set the house alight--astory which was received with shouts of approving laughter. As hefinished down came the butt of Rube's rifle on his head with asquelch, while mine did the same on the head of the next man. Foran instant there was a pause of astonishment, for no one knewexactly what had happened; then there was a wild yell of surpriseand fear, as our rifles came down again with a crashing thud. Allleaped to their feet, the man I aimed my next blow at rolling over,and just escaping it. Rube was more lucky, and just got his man ashe was rising.
'Hoorah! Seth,' he shouted, 'five down out of eleven.'
We drew back now to our posts as agreed on, and the Mexicansdrawing their knives, made a rush forward. They ain't cowards, theMexicans--I will say that for them; and when these fellows foundthey were caught like rats in a trap, they fought desperately. Theyknew there was no mercy to expect from Rube and me. They divided,and three came at each of us. Two went down as if they were shot,and I was just whirling my rifle for another blow, when I heard acrash, and then a shout from Rube,
'Help, Seth!'
I saw at once what had happened. Rube's rifle, as he was making ablow at a man, had struck a beam over his head, and the shock hadmade it fly from his hands across the room. In another moment thetwo Mexicans were upon him with their knives. He hit out wildly,but he got a gash across the forehead and another on the arm in amoment. I made two strides across the hut, and the Mexicans whowere attacking me, instead of trying to prevent me, made a rush tothe corner where their rifles were, which I had left unguarded. Itwas a fatal mistake. My gun came down crash upon the head of one ofRube's assailants before he knew of my approach, and another minutedid for the second. As I turned from him the remaining two Mexicansleveled at Rube, who had rushed across to pick up his gun, andmyself, and gave a cry as the flints fell and there was no report.For a minute or two they fought desperately with the guns; but itwas no use, and it was soon over, and we stood the masters of thehut, with eleven dead men round us. For they were dead every one,for we examined them. The stocks of our guns had broken with thefirst blow, and the rest had been given with the iron, and in nocase had we to hit twice. I don't say it was anything like Samsonand the donkey's jaw-bone you were telling me about, but it warvery fair hitting. It was scarcely over when we heard several mencome running up outside.
'Is anything the matter, Pedro? We thought we heard a yell.'
'No, nothing,' I said, imitating Pedro's gruff voice, which I feltsure they would not know through the door; 'it's only these madAmericanos yelling.'
The men were apparently quite satisfied with the explanation, forin a minute or two we heard their voices receding, and then allbecame still. Presently we opened the door and looked out. Many ofthe fires had begun to burn low, but round others there was still asound of laughing and singing.
'Another hour,' Rube said, 'and they will all be asleep,'
We threw some more wood on the fire, took some tobacco andcigarette paper from the pocket of one of the Mexicans, and satdown to smoke comfortably. We were both plaguey anxious, andcouldn't pretend we warn't, for at any moment that rascal El Zeresmight arrive, and then it would be all up with us. At last weagreed that we could not stand it any longer, and made up our mindsto go outside and sit down against the wall of the hut till it wassafe to make a start, and then if we heard horses coming in thedistance we could make a move at once. We each took a hat andcloak, a brace of pistols, and a rifle, and went out. There we satfor another hour, till the camp got quiet enough to make theattempt. Even then we could hear by the talking that many of themen were still awake, but we dared not wait any longer, for wecalculated that it must be near eleven o'clock already. We chose aplace where the fires had burned lowest, and where everything wasquiet, and, crawling along upon the ground, we were soon down amongthe horses. We had been too long among the Indians to have a bit offear about getting th
rough these fellows; and, lying on our faceswe crawled along, sometimes almost touching them, for they lay veryclose together, but making no more noise than two big snakes. Aquarter of an hour of this and we were through them, and far enoughout on the plain to be able to get up on to our feet and break intoa long stride. Ten more minutes and we broke into a run: there was nofear now of our steps being heard.
'Done them, by thunder!' Rube said; 'won't El Zeres curse?'
We might have been a mile and a half from the camp, when in thequiet night air we heard the sound of the howl of a dog. We bothstopped as if we were shot.
'Thunder!' Rube exclaimed furiously, 'if we haven't forgot thebloodhound.'
I knew what Rube meant, for it was a well-known matter of boast ofEl Zeres that no one could ever escape him, for that his bloodhoundwould track them to the end of the world.
'There's only one thing to be done,' I said; 'we must go back andkill that critter.'
'Wait, Seth,' Rube said; 'we don't know where the darned brute iskept. He warn't up at the hut, and we might waste an hour infinding him, and when we did, he ain't a critter to be wiped outlike a babby.'
'We must risk it, Rube.' I said. 'It's all up with us if he's onceput on our track.' Rube made no answer, and we turned toward thecamp.
We hadn't gone twenty yards when Rube said, 'Listen.' I listened,and sure enough I could hear out on the plain ahead a lowtrampling. There was no need of any more talk. We ran forward ashard as we could go, turning a little out of our course to let thehorsemen who were coming pass us.
'In another quarter of an hour they'll know all about it, Rube. Itwill take them as much more to get ready and put the dog on thetrack. They'll have some trouble in getting him to take up ourscent with all that blood in the room. I should say we may fairlyreckon on three-quarters of an hour before, they're well out of thecamp.'
'That's about it,' Rube said. 'They will have to tie the dog, so asnot to lose him in the darkness. They won't gain on us very fastfor the next two hours; we can keep this up for that at a pinch.After that, if we don't strike water, we are done for.'
'We passed a stream yesterday, Rube; how far was it back?'
'About an hour after daylight. Yes, nearly three hours from camp.But we are going faster now than we did then. We ought to do it intwo hours.'
"After this we didn't say any more. We wanted all our breath. Itwas well for us we had both been tramping half our lives, and thatour legs had saved our necks more times than once on the prairies.We were both pretty confident we could run sixteen miles in twohours. But we dared not run straight. We knew that if they found wewere keeping a line, they would let the dog go their best pace andgallop alongside; so we had to zigzag, sometimes going almost backupon our own track. We did not do this so often as we should havedone if we had had more time."
"But how did you know which way to go, Seth," Hubert asked.
"We went by the stars," Seth said. "It was easier than it wouldhave been by day, for when the sun's right overhead, it ain't avery straightforward matter to know how you are going; but therewould be no difficulty then to scouts like Rube and me. Well, wehad run, maybe, an hour and a quarter when we heard a faint, shortbark far behind."
'The brute is on our trail,' Rube said; 'they haven't given us somuch start as I looked for. Another half-hour and he will be at ourheels sure enough.'
I felt this was true, and felt very bad-like for a bit. In anotherquarter of an hour the bark was a good bit nearer, and we couldn'tgo no faster than we were going. All of a sudden I said to Rube,'Rube, I've heard them dogs lose their smell if they taste blood.Let's try it; it's our only chance. Here, give me a cut in the arm,I can spare it better than you can; you lost a lot to-night fromthat cut.'
We stopped a minute. I tore off the sleeve of my hunting shirt, andthen Rube gave me a bit of a cut on the arm. I let the blood runtill the sleeve was soaked and dripping, then Rube tore off a stripfrom his shirt and bandaged my arm up tight. We rolled the sleevein a ball and threw it down, then took a turn, made a zigzag or twoto puzzle the brute, and then went on our line again. For anotherten minutes we could hear the barking get nearer and nearer, andthen it stopped all of a sudden. On we went, and it was half anhour again before we heard it, and then it was a long way off.
'I expect we're all right now, Seth,' Rube said.
'I guess we are,' I said; 'but the sooner we strike water thebetter I shall be pleased.'
It was nigh another half-hour, and we were both pretty nigh done,when we came upon the stream, and the dog couldn't have been morethan a mile off. It was a bit of a thing five or six yards wide,and a foot or two deep in the middle.
'Which way?' says Rube. 'Up's our nearest way, so we had better godown.'
'No, no,' says I; 'they're sure to suspect that we shall try thewrong course to throw them off, so let's take the right.'
Without another word up stream we went, as hard as we could run. Ina few minutes we heard the dog stop barking, when we might havebeen half a mile up stream.
'We must get out of this, Rube,' I said. 'Whichever way they trywith the dog, they are safe to send horsemen both ways.'
'Which side shall we get out, Seth?'
'It don't matter,' I said; 'it's all a chance which side they takethe dog. Let's take our own side.'
Out we got; and we hadn't ran a quarter of a mile before we heard atramping of horses coming along by the stream. We stopped tolisten, for we knew if they had the dog with them, and if he was onour side of the river, we were as good as dead.
'If they take the trail, Seth,' Rube said, 'it's all up with us.Don't let's run any more. We are men enough to shoot the four firstwho come up, and I only hope one of them may be El Zeres; that'llleave us a pistol each, and we will keep them for ourselves. Betterdo that, by a long way, than be pulled to pieces with hot pincers.'
'A long way, Rube,' I said. 'That's agreed, then. When I give theword, put the barrel against your eye and fire; that's a prettysafe shot.'
As the Mexicans got to the place where we had got out, we stoppedand held our breath. There was no pause--on they went; anotherminute, and we felt certain they had passed the spot.
'Saved, by thunder!' Rube said; and we turned and went off at asteady trot that we could keep up for hours. 'How long shall weget, do you think, Seth?'
'That all depends how long they follow down stream. They can't tellhow far we are ahead. I should think they will go two miles down;then they will cross the stream and come back; and if they don'thappen to be on the right side of the stream as they pass where wegot out, they will go up another two or three miles, and near asmuch down, before they strike the trail. We're pretty safe of halfan hour's start, and we might get, if we're lucky, near an hour. Weain't safe yet, Rube, by a long way. It's near thirty miles fromPepita's to the camp. We've come sixteen of it good--eighteen Ishould say; we have got another twelve to the road, and we ain'tsafe then. No; our only chance is to come across a hacienda and gethorses. There are a good many scattered about; but it's so dark wemight pass within fifty yards and not see it. There won't be astreak of daylight till four, and it ain't two yet.'
'Not far off, Seth.' By this time we had got our wind again, andquickened up into a fast swing; but our work had told on us, and wecouldn't have gone much over seven miles an hour. Several times, aswe went on, we could hear a trampling in the dark, and knew that wehad scared some horses; but though we had a lasso we had broughtwith us, we might as well have tried to catch a bird with it. In anhour we heard the dog again, but it was a long way behind. Therewas nothing for it now but hard running, and we were still sevenmiles from the road, and even that didn't mean safety. I began tothink we were going to lose the race, after all. In another quarterof an hour we stopped suddenly.
'Thunder!' said Rube; 'what's that?' Some animal, that had beenlying down, got up just in front of us.
'It's a horse! Your lasso, Rube!' Rube, however, had made atremendous rush forward, and, before the animal could stretchhimself into a g
allop, had got close, and grasped him by the mane.
'It's no go,' Rube said, as the horse made a step forward; 'he's anold un, dead lame.'
'Don't leave go, Rube,' I said. 'He'll do for our turn.' He was amiserable old beast, but I felt that he would do as well as thebest horse in the world for us. Rube saw my meaning and in a minutewe were both astride on his back. He tottered, and I thought he'dhave gone down on his head. Kicking weren't of no good; so I outwith my knife and gave him a prod, and off we went. It weren't far,some two hundred yards or so, but it was the way I wanted him,right across the line we were going. Then down he tumbled.
'All right,' said I. 'You've done your work, old man; but youmustn't lay here, or they may light upon you and guess what's beenup.'
So we lugged him on to his feet, gave him another prod, which senthim limping off; and on we went on our course, sure that we were atlast safe, for we had thrown the bloodhound altogether off ourtrail. For a mile or so we kept right away from our course, forfear that they should keep straight on, and, missing the scent,lead the dog across the trail, and so pick it up again; then weturned and made straight for the road.
'I don't think, Rube,' I said after awhile, 'that we shall strikethe road far off where we left it at Pepita's.'
'No, I expect not, Seth. We had better bear a little more to thesouth, for they will most likely make for Pepita's, and day willsoon be breaking now.'
'We'd better not strike the road at all, Rube; likely enough, theywill follow it down for a few miles in hopes of picking us up.'
'I hope they will,' Rube said; 'and I expect so. Won't it be alark, just?'
'What do you mean, Rube?'
'Mean? Why, didn't the Cap tell us to leave San Miguel beforedaybreak, and to ride to meet him? It warn't likely that he meantus to ride more than ten miles or so; so that he will be withinthat distance of San Miguel by an hour after daybreak, and will beat Pepita's half an hour later. If them fellows ride on, they aresafe to fall into as nice a trap as--'
'Jehoshophat!' said I. 'You're right, Rube. Let's make tracks. Itcan't be more than another four or five miles to the road, and daywill break in half an hour.'
'How strong do you reckon them, Seth?'
'Fifty or sixty,' said I, 'by the regular sound of the horses.'
'That's about what I guessed,' Rube said. 'There are forty of ourchaps, and they will be fresh. We'll give 'em goss.'
"We had now long ceased to hear the baying of the dog, which hadbeen most unpleasantly clear when we got off the old hoss that haddone us such a good turn. We made sure, too, that we were wellahead, for they would likely wait an hour in trying to pick up thetrail again. Daylight came at last; and when it was light enough tosee we stopped and took a look from a slight rise, and there,across the plain, we could see the road just where we expected.Nothing was moving upon it, nor, looking back, could we see anysign of the Mexicans. Away to the left, a mile or so, we could seea clump of trees, and something like the roof of a house amongthem. This, we had no doubt, was Pepita's. About a mile down theroad the other way was a biggish wood, through which the road ran."
'Let's make for that wood, Rube, and wait; the Cap will be up inanother half-hour, and it ain't likely the Mexicans will be alongmuch before that. They're likely to stop for a drink at Pepita's.'
In another ten minutes we were in shelter in the wood, taking carenot to get upon the road, in case the Mexicans should come alongwith the hound before our men. We hadn't been there twenty minutesbefore we both heard a trampling of horses; but it was a minute ortwo more before we could decide which way they were coming. Atlast, to our great comfort, we found it was the right way. Justbefore they came up I had an idea I caught a sound from the otherway, but I couldn't have sworn to it. We lay till the troop camefairly up, as it might be another party of Mexicans; but it was allright, and we jumped out, with a cheer, into the middle of them.Mighty surprised they were to see us, on foot, and all dust andsweat. Rube's face, too, was tied up; and altogether we didn't lookquite ourselves. They all began to talk at once; but I held up myhand urgent, and when they saw it was something particular theyshut up, and I said to the Cap: 'Don't ask no questions, Cap; I'lltell you all arterwards. El Zeres with about fifty of his men willbe here in about three minutes, I reckon. They've ridden thirtymiles, and the beasts ain't fresh; so it's your own fault if onegets away.'
The Cap didn't waste a moment in words. He ordered half his men toride back two hundred yards, and to charge when they heard hiswhistle; and he and the rest turned off into the wood, which wasvery thick, and screened 'em from any one passing. Rube and I, nothaving horses, were no good for a charge; so we went on in thewood, as near as we could guess, halfway between them, so as to beready to jump out and join in the skrimmage. It all takes some timeto tell, but it didn't take two minutes to do, and in anotherminute we could hear the Mexicans close. On they came: we knew nowthat they had passed the Cap, and we clutched our rifles tight andpeered out through the leaves. On they came, and we could see ElZeres riding first, with the bloodhound trotting along by the sideof his horse. Just as he was opposite we heard a loud, shrillwhistle, and the Mexicans halted with a look of uneasiness. Theyweren't left to wonder long, for in a moment there was a tramplingof horses, and down came our fellows on both sides of them. Justbefore they got up we stepped forward with our rifles up.
'El Zeres!' Rube shouted, and startled as the Mexican was, helooked round. He had just time to see who it was, when Rube's ballhit him in the head, and down he went as dead as a stone. The houndturned and came right at us with a deep growl of rage. I sent aball through his chest and rolled him over, and just as I did soour fellows came down upon the Mexicans. It was a fierce fight, forthe Mexicans were in a trap, and knew that there was no mercy forthem. Rube and I sprang out and paid a good many of 'em off for thescare they had given us. We wiped them right out to the last man,losing only six ourselves. I don't know as ever I see a betterskrimmage while it lasted. After it was over Rube and I mounted twoof their horses, and rode on with the rest of them to San Miguel;but before we started off we told our story to the Cap, and he senta couple of men back with a dispatch to the general, asking forfive hundred men to destroy El Zeres' band at a blow. We stopped atPepita's, and I never see a girl have a much worse scare than wegave her. She made sure it was El Zeres, and came running out tosee if he had caught us; and when she found that she had falleninto the hands of the Rangers, and that we were among them, she wasas white as a shirt in a minute. She was plucky enough, though; foras soon as she could get her tongue she cursed us like a wildwoman. I expect she made sure we should have shot her for hertreachery--and a good many of our bands would have done so right onend--but the Rangers never touched women. However, she warn't to goscot free; so we got fire, and set the house and stable in a blaze.
As we rode off Rube shouted out, 'If you change your mind againabout coming with me to Missouri, you just drop me a line, Pepita.'
"I thought, as I looked at her, it was lucky for Rube she hadn't arifle in her hand; she'd have shot him if she had been hung for ita minute afterward. We rode on to San Miguel, took Colonel Cabraprisoner, with his papers, and sent him back under an escort. Atdusk the same day we got on our horses and rode back to wherePepita's house had stood, and where our captain expected the troopshe had sent for. In half an hour they came up. They had a couple ofhours to rest their horses, and then Rube and I led them straightto the Mexican camp. No doubt they heard us coming when we wereclose, but made sure it was El Zeres, and so didn't disturbthemselves; and it warn't till we had wheeled round and fairlysurrounded them that they smelt a rat. But it was too late then,for in another minute we were down upon them, and I don't believetwenty out of the whole lot got away. It was, altogether, one ofthe most successful businesses in the whole war. And I think that'sabout all the story."
"Oh, thank you very much, Seth. It is a most exciting story. Andwhat became of Rube?"
"Rube married a year after we got back to the States, and took
up aclearing and settled down. It was then I felt lonesome, and made upmy mind to go south for awhile. I promised Rube that I would go andsettle down by him after a bit, and I've concluded that it's abouttime to do so. I've saved a few hundred dollars out here, and I amgoing to start to-morrow morning at daybreak to catch the steamerat Rosario. I shall go up straight from Buenos Ayres to NewOrleans, and a steamer will take me up the river in three days toRube's location. Good-by, all of you. I told your father thisafternoon."
There was a hearty leave-taking, and many expressions of regret athis leaving; and after a shake of the hand, and many good wishes,the young Hardys went up to the house, really sorry to part withtheir Yankee friend.
