CHAPTER XVIII
CAPTAIN DYNAMITE FINDS JUANITA
While these events had been transpiring in the Spanish town, CaptainDynamite had not been idle. As the last man of the little Cuban armyfiled down the mountain-side, he rose from his chair, and tightening hisbelt stretched his big body as was his custom when any action wasimminent.
"Well, my lad, I must be off. There is no time to spare if we hope to beof use. You will remain at Cubitas and when it is all over I will sendWashington and a squad to pick you up."
"Oh, no you won't, Cap. When it's all over I shall be right where youare."
O'Connor could not repress a laugh. Mason bristled with indignation atthe thought of being left behind.
"There may be a good bit of fighting, my lad," said O'Connor.
"Well, I'm not spoiling for a scrap, but I can't stay behind when I maybe of some use to the fellows. Better let me go along with you, Cap, forI shall be close on your trail if you don't."
"Suppose I have you locked up for safe keeping?"
"Now you wouldn't do that, Cap, would you? You can't expect a fellow tosit still and chew his thumbs in safety while his chums are in danger.You wouldn't do it, would you?"
"All right, youngster, come along. I don't blame you for wanting to havea hand in it. And you may be of some use after all."
"I hope you will give me a try, Cap," said the Midget, straightening uphis small form boldly.
"Do you think you can stand the tramp? You haven't had much sleep andyou may not get any more for twenty-four hours."
"That little nap I got on the bench was as good as a night's rest.Besides, this country is so strenuous one doesn't need much sleepanyway. I think if I lived here long I should give up sleeping as auseless accomplishment."
They started on down the mountain and before daybreak had overtaken themen camped on the bank of the narrow stream where they were preparingbreakfast. O'Connor and Mason joined Gomez and his staff. They ate alight meal and were ready for the march again. The men all seemed toknow O'Connor and the officers saluted him respectfully as he passedamong them. After a conference with the general the latter called one ofthe officers to him, and said:
"Captain Dynamite is in command. You will take your orders from him.With your company he will take the lead in the advance."
The man saluted and then turned to O'Connor for instructions.
"Report to me when you are ready to move."
"I am ready now, sir."
"Very well, detach your company and cross the ford. We will keep abouthalf a mile in advance of the main body until I give you otherinstructions. Deploy your men in twos and advance as rapidly as you can.You know the rendezvous and understand the necessity for caution. Thatis all."
The man saluted and in five minutes his men were fording the stream withO'Connor and Mason close in their rear. Across the open valley they maderapid progress, the men marching in regular order, but when they reachedthe wooded country at the foot of the next mountain the officer incommand gave an order in Spanish and the men deployed in twos anddisappeared like shadows into the brush. In a moment not a man was to beseen, and as O'Connor and Mason entered the woods there was not even asound to be heard that would indicate that fifty men were making theirway through the thick bushes ahead of them.
The route O'Connor followed was not so precipitous as that taken byWashington and they reached the summit of the mountain by noon. StillO'Connor pushed on, stopping only to drink from a mountain stream and todash the cool water over his head and face, an example that Masonquickly followed. They had scarcely spoken since leaving the ford,O'Connor saving breath for the work in hand. Once or twice he had turnedto the Midget who toiled manfully on at his side and asked him if hefelt tired. Satisfied with the boy's ready answer that he was "allright," he would plod on again.
They had made their way about a mile down the mountain side when anofficer stepped out of the bushes in front of them and saluted O'Connor.
"Well, what is it?" asked the captain in Spanish.
"A scout has brought in a prisoner."
"Who is he?"
"A boy. He is apparently faint from exhaustion."
"A boy?" said O'Connor, wonderingly. "I wonder if they can haveescaped?" He repeated the man's words to Mason who despite his ownfatigue, leaped and capered wildly.
"It's Hal Hamilton, I'll bet," he said joyfully. "They must haveescaped. Trust Hal to fool the Dons."
"He knows the countersign and your name, sir, and he keeps repeatingthem in a dazed way. That's why the captain thought you might want tosee him."
"I guess it's one of the boys all right, but I wonder where the otheris. If I know them as I think I do one would not leave without theother. Where is he?" he asked turning again to the man.
"About a mile below, sir. We found him lying in a little clearing."
"All right, I will go to him."
"Ask him how he was dressed," said Mason as they hastened on.
The man described the boy's suit as well as he could.
"That's Hal, sure," said Mason when the reply had been translated tohim. "Bert can't be far away."
"Did he have light hair?"
The man shook his head.
"Black," he answered.
"Pshaw, he's made a mistake. It must be Hal."
As they entered the clearing the prisoner sat with his back against atree. His head was turned almost away from them, but Mason recognizedthe clothing and rushed forward with a glad cry.
"Cheer up, Hal, old man," he shouted as he bounded across the clearingand dropped on his knees at the boy's side. He was on his feet in amoment, his face scared and white.
"It's not Hal, Cap," he whispered as O'Connor approached at a moredignified pace. "But he's got Hal's clothes on."
"What mystery is this?" said the big man as he strode around so that hecould see the face of the prisoner. The next moment he turned as whiteas marble, but his eyes gleamed with joy as he sank down and took thealmost inanimate form in his arms.
"Juanita," he gasped. "Thank God, you are safe. Quick boy, some water."
"Thunder, it's a girl," said Mason as he stooped and looked into theface that was now resting on Captain Dynamite's shoulder. He broughtsome water in his cap and O'Connor bathed the girl's head and chafed herhands until she began to show some signs of returning vitality. Sheraised her head and looked around in a dazed manner. Then her eyes fellon O'Connor.
"Michael," she whispered, and her head sank again on his shoulder with asigh of relief.
The men knew well the story of O'Connor's love and they silentlywithdrew from the glade leaving only Mason and an orderly with thestrangely reunited couple. Finally Juanita was strong enough to sit upand leaning back against the tree again, she smiled into O'Connor'sanxious eyes.
"I could go no further, Michael," she whispered, "but I thought youwould find me here."
"How did you escape, Juanita?" asked O'Connor, softly.
"Ah, yes, the brave American boys saved me. Oh, I fear they will suffermuch for it. I tried not to go for they are suspected already of beingCuban spies and this will make it worse for them; but the one they callHal would listen to no reason, no argument. They had a friend in theAmerican consul, he said, who would look out for them and I--I wasalready doomed."
"Doomed," repeated O'Connor, starting forward, his eyes snapping.
"Yes, it was to have been this morning at dawn."
O'Connor choked back something suspiciously like a sob and for a fewminutes neither spoke. The man was thinking with a chill at his hearthow near to death she had been. Then he beckoned to Mason.
"Come here, youngster, and hear what your brave comrades have beendoing. This is the young woman we set out from the _Mariella_ to save.Your friends have done that nobly for us; now we must return thecompliment with proper interest."
The Midget bowed gravely and sat down on the ground beside O'Connor.
"They are resourceful youngsters, Juanita, as I have reason to kno
w, buthow under the sun did they manage it? I see you are wearing the suit ofone of them."
"Their cell was next to mine. Night before last they heard me crying atmy window. They could not see me but they spoke and asked me what theycould do to help me. There was nothing to be done, so we talked and theytried to cheer me up and in some way they learned who I was andthey--they told me you were safe and then I didn't mind so much. Thenthe guard came and we had to go away from the windows. As one of themjumped down from the table on which they had been standing, he touchedthe spring of an old secret passage between the cells. The next day, Idon't know how, they got a pass from General Serano to visit theAmerican consul. The pass was good anywhere within the lines. Thatnight, just after dark, they touched the secret spring and rolled backthe rock between the cells and one of them insisted that I should put onhis suit and take the pass and escape. As I have told you he wouldlisten to no form of argument and in the darkness of the cell I put onhis clothes and he took my dress. I felt so strangely that I was surethe deceit must be discovered at once, but no one questioned me fromthe time I left the prison until I passed safely through the lines."
"Hooray for Hal Hamilton," shouted Mason, enthusiastically. He hadlistened breathlessly to the girl's story of her escape and the part hischums had played in it.
"But your escape must have been discovered in the morning if not before.What were the boys to do then? How was Hamilton to account for theabsence of his clothes?"
"They would not explain that or anything."
"And why are they suspected of being Cuban spies?"
"Because they will not explain their presence on the island for fear ofendangering you."
O'Connor leaped to his feet excitedly.
"May Providence guard them until I get there. Juanita, our paths divergehere again for a little time. My duty lies where those boys areimprisoned. You will go on with an escort to the _Mariella_. She liessafely in the old place and your mother awaits you there."
"Oh, Michael, how can I thank you?"
O'Connor called the orderly.
"Tell Captain Fernandez to send me a guard of ten men, all of whom knowthe route to the lagoon, and tell him that one of them must speakEnglish." Then turning to Mason he said: "I am going to ask a favor ofyou. I cannot take Miss Juanita on with me, nor can I leave her here.Will you take command of the guard and escort her safely to the_Mariella_?"
"Cap, I had hoped to get closer into the mix-up, but I see you areembarrassed by the presence of this young lady and I assure you, Missand you, sir, that as a gentleman I am pleased to serve you both."
A Voyage with Captain Dynamite Page 18
