CHAPTER XXII.
A FIGHT WITH THE GUERRILLAS.
Our scouts had gone about a mile, and Ronie was riding slightly inadvance, when he became aware of the approach of a body of horsemencoming at a leisurely trot. In a moment he signaled for his companionsto stop.
"We cannot avoid meeting them," he said, "and no doubt they are a partof El Capitan's army. We have started too late to escape them. Isthere any path turning off from the road that we can turn into, Riva?"
"None, senor."
"Then we must turn aside here. Quick! push your horses back into theforest, making as little noise and disturbance as you can."
They were so successful in this work that before the approaching ridershad come into sight they were all safely ambushed where they could peerout upon the passers-by without being seen, except by some scrutinizingeye. Ronie and Jack sat in their saddles, side by side, while Riva andhis companion were only slightly removed. As the sound of the horsemenindicated their close proximity, our hero parted the bushes enough toenable him to obtain a good view of the road.
"If our horses will only keep quiet," he began, "there is a----"
Ronie's attention, in the midst of his speech, had become fastened uponthe foremost of the approaching riders, so his companions never knewwhat he was about to say. Nor did he speak until the horsemen werewithin half a dozen yards of them. The body of men were riding two andtwo, and what had arrested his eyes was the sight of the nearest riderin the lead.
"It must be--it is Harrie!" he whispered.
"Ay, lad!" responded Jack, who had been watching as eagerly and closelyas his companion.
"He is lashed upon the horse, and his hands tied behind him. What doesit mean?"
Jack had no time to reply, but the situation was plain to both. Thehorsemen were a portion of El Capitan's followers, and were on theirway to attack the don. Could they stand idle there and see Harrietaken to some fate they could not understand? Ronie's impetuoustemperament would not permit it. He believed a sudden attack, a fewshots, and the unsuspecting enemy could be routed, and their friendrescued. Jack must have been revolving the same daring scheme in hismind, for at this critical moment he nudged Ronie, whispering:
"Ready when you say the word, sergeant."
Our hero spoke hastily to Riva and his companion, who quicklycomprehended what was wanted of them. Then the clear command of theyoung sergeant broke the stillness of the lonely scene:
"Ready, men, fire!"
In the twinkling of an eye the flashes of the Mausers lightened thenight, and three of the leading riders reeled in their seats, whilesudden commotion took place among the others.
"Forward--charge!" thundered Ronie, setting the example by dashingfuriously from his covert. "Look sharp, Harrie; we are here to saveyou."
The animal bestridden by the young engineer began to snort and plungeexcitedly, but Ronie was soon at its bit. His comrades were as swiftlycharging upon the surprised insurgents, who, no doubt thinking they hadbeen attacked by superior numbers, broke and retreated in wild disorder.
"Give them a parting shot, lads!" cried Jack, who, in his adventurouscareer had led more than one regiment upon an enemy.
The Mausers spoke right merrily, the reports mingling with the yells ofthe discomfited rebels, who fled down the road as fast as they couldmake their steeds go.
In the midst of this rout and confusion Ronie freed Harrie, but he hadbarely accomplished this before the thunder of horses' hoofs down theroad suddenly increased in volume, and loud shouts reached their ears.The clatter of retreating horses abruptly stopped, and it was apparentto the scouts that the insurgents had come to a stand.
"El Capitan is on the road," declared Ronie. "He is rallying his men.Come on, boys! We can do no better than to return to the don's. Ha!who comes here? Halt! Who comes?"
"A friend from Don Isadora," was the prompt reply. "Word came to himof a party of rebels taking an American prisoner to El Capitan, and hesent me to warn you."
"In good time, senor. We have saved our friend. Hark! Yonder ridersare El Capitan's hornets. Back to the estate, and we will go with you."
There being no need of silence now, the six horsemen rode back to theestate at a furious gait, the messenger going ahead when they hadnearly reached the avenue leading to the building, so as to inform thedon of the approach of friends. He hailed them with hearty gladness,but quickly prepared to meet the expected onset of the enemy.
Ronie and his companions having decided to lend their assistance to thedefenders of the estate, Harrie asked for a rifle, that he might joinhis friends. This was soon forthcoming, and while they waited for theattack of the mountain rabble he found opportunity to say to Ronie:
"I don't know how glad I am to see you, for I have supposed you weredrowned on the night we started to escape from the _Libertador_. Howis it I find you here?"
"It is a long story, Harrie. I will tell it at the first opportunity.Jack and I have seen our share of excitement, and it looks as if itwasn't over yet. Did you escape from the prison at San Carlos?"
"Not through my own efforts. An order came from General Castro for meto be set at liberty. This was done, and a small escort started withme to find the regiment of Colonel Marchand. Only think he issomewhere in this vicinity. We were surprised by a body of rebels, whoput my guard to rout and made me a prisoner. I do not know what wouldhave become of me if you had not rescued me as you did. Hark! the foesare coming!"
It was a part of the don's plan to hold back his men, and not to fireupon the enemy until they should come into close quarters, so noresponse was given to the shouts and shots of the oncoming horde, whoseleader expected to carry everything before him by storm. A tempest oflead followed his command to attack, but not a man was injured on theestate. Thinking that an easy victory lay before him, El Capitan thenordered his men to the double-quick.
Don Isadora proved that he had had some military experience, as his menwere not only all well armed, but they stood coolly at bay waiting forhis word to open the fight on their part. Even Ronie began to getimpatient before his stentorian voice cried:
"Now, men, mow them down like grass--fire!"
The entire side of the estate toward the road was illuminated by asheet of flame as his followers obeyed the sharp command, and it waslike mowing a swath through grass to see how the motley mob led by the"mountain lion" went down. The roar of rifles was followed by wildshouts and shrieks of pain, while those who had escaped the deadly firebeat a hasty retreat.
"Follow them up, men!" cried the don, but he had barely uttered theorder before a bullet from a stray shot hit him, and staggering back,he fell into the arms of Jack Greenland, while he murmured:
"I am a dead man!"
It was a sad occurrence. The moment the Venezuelans found their leaderhad fallen, confusion and disorder reigned.
"Is he fatally hurt?" asked Ronie, anxiously, as Jack bent over him.
"I cannot tell yet, sergeant. The wound is bleeding profusely. Someof you help me get him where I can examine him more closely. Is therea surgeon about the place?"
No one seemed to know. But half a dozen lusty fellows lifted thewounded don and bore him into the house, while others stared after themin complete dismay.
"El Capitan is rallying," said Ronie. "It's too bad for us to be inthis condition. He will sweep the place, now the don has fallen."
"Why not take the lead, Ronie?" asked Harrie. "Some one must, or weare all lost."
"I am not sure they would follow me. Here comes Senor Riva."
"Sergeant Rand, Don Isadora begs me to tell you that he is better, butis not able to lead his men. He beseeches of you to do this."
There was no opportunity for hesitation. El Capitan was alreadyadvancing for his second attack.
"Help me rally them, Riva, and I will do it," replied Ronie.
Swiftly the word was carried along the ranks, when new life wasenthused into the men, who were really brave
fellows. The youngsergeant decided that prompt action would be the most successful, andto meet El Capitan halfway would show him that the forces on theplantation were alive to the situation. So the word for an advance waspassed along the line. It met with a hearty response, and as Roniesprang forward with his rousing command he found himself supported by adetermined force.
"Open fire--charge!"
The volley of shots was succeeded by loud cheers from the Venezuelans,who bounded forward under the lead of their gallant champion.
"Forward!" cried Sergeant Rand.
Harrie was close behind him, and so was Riva Baez, all three havingdismounted from their horses as soon as returning to the estate. Arandom volley from the rebels answered their first fire, and at thesecond, in spite of all that the mountain chief could do, his followersfled in wild disorder, disappearing from the scene with a rapidity thatwas surprising.
That night, at the very outset of his campaign, El Capitan received hisfirst defeat.
Where Duty Called; or, In Honor Bound Page 26
