Swift and Sure: The Story of a Hydroplane

by Herbert Strang

  CHAPTER VII--CARABANO'S PLANS

  Azito after a few steps turned aside from the stables, from the otherside of which came the heavy tramp of the sentry's feet, and struck intothe undergrowth towards a small plantation about three hundred yardsfrom the house. They bent low to avoid observation, but the night wasso dark that they must have been invisible at the distance of ten feet.Not till they were safe among the trees did either speak a word; thenWill asked the Indian to stop. They looked back towards the house.Several of the rooms were lit up, and broad beams of light threw aghostly radiance on the gardens around.

  "Thank you, Azito," said Will in low tones.

  "I did it, senor, not Jose," replied the man.

  "Ah! what do you know of Jose?"

  "We wanted, both of us, senor, to make a hole in the wall, but we didnot know where the senor was in the stables. Jose tried to find out,but Senor Machado caught him."

  "And where were you?"

  "I was in the wood on the other side of the lake. I saw all thathappened, senor."

  "Where is Jose now?"

  "I do not know, senor. I did not see him come out of the house."

  Will wished that his rescuer had been Jose rather than the Indian, forthe negro boy had been his servant for many months, and had often helpedhim with the hydroplane. To find the hydroplane and set off in it toBolivar was the immediate duty of the moment. It would be no easymatter to find his way to it in the dark, and he felt the lack of Jose'sguidance; but since it seemed impossible to have Jose, he determined todo his best with Azito.

  They had not gone far, however, when Azito remarked that when hiding inthe wood he had heard Jose cry out, as if he were being whipped.

  "Why didn't you tell me before?" demanded Will, stopping short.

  "It was so little to tell, senor," replied the man.

  It was indeed a trifling matter to Azito. The Indians were accustomedto being struck, sometimes in punishment for faults, sometimes in wantonmischief and delight in witnessing pain. But it was no trifling matterto Will, and remembering the Chief's suggestion that Machado hadcaptured Jose in order to discover from him the whereabouts of thehydroplane, Will resolved to retrace his steps, go to the house, and atleast try to find out what was happening to the boy. When he told Azitothis, the Indian said the senor was not wise.

  "It must be done," replied Will.

  "I will go, senor."

  "No, no; stay where you are. You have done enough. Lend me your knife,and wait for me here."

  He took the Indian's long knife, and having no belt, had to carry it inhis hand.

  "Which room did Jose's cries come from?" he asked.

  "A room in the front, senor."

  This was awkward. In order to get to the front of the house he musteither go past the stables or make a long circuit through the gardens.Since there were lights in the side of the house visible to him, it wasvery probable that the rooms in the front were also lit up. This wouldmake it difficult to approach unseen, and he thought for a moment ofwaiting until the lights were put out for the night; but he saw onreflection that his chance of discovering the negro in the dark would bevery small. He decided therefore to make for the back of the house, andto let his future proceedings be guided by circumstances.

  As he left the shelter of the plantation he saw to his right the lightsof the camp, from which came a continuous hum. It was long past thetime for "lights-out" with any well-disciplined force; but disciplinewas lax in the army of General Carabano, liberator of Venezuela. Willmoved along rapidly, keeping at a distance from the house until he hadassured himself as to the extent to which the back was illuminated.There was a dim light in one room: the rest were in darkness. Then hestruck directly towards the house, avoiding, as he drew nearer, thetriangle of ground illuminated by the light in the room, and so came tothe veranda.

  The general construction of the house was familiar to him through havingbeen several times the guest of De Mello. The rooms opened on to thepatio within, and several had doors of communication between them. Theonly door to the outside besides that of the main entrance led from theservants' quarters on the right-hand side looking towards the lake. DeMello's own sanctum was the centre room on the left-hand side oppositethe stables. To reach it from the back of the house one had either togo along the patio until one came to the door, or to enter from thebedroom adjoining. It struck Will as probable that General Carabanowould have appropriated the private den of the owner, as it wascertainly the most comfortable room in the house, and convenient inhaving the bedroom next to it. The important matter at the moment,however, was not General Carabano's quarters, but Jose's.

  Will stood in the darkness under the veranda, considering what he hadbetter do. He peeped into the lighted room: it was a small bed-chamber.A candle-lamp was burning on a bracket. The next room was in darkness,but the French window was open, and from the patio beyond came themuffled hum of voices. Evidently some of the officers were taking theirease there. Listening to make sure that no one was approaching, Willstepped into the room, stole to the door, and gently opened it an inch,so that he could see into the patio. It was cloudy with tobacco smoke.Half-a-dozen officers sprawled in comfortable chairs, within easy reachof small tables on which stood bottles and glasses. But Will could notsee General Carabano or Captain Espejo.

  He felt himself at a check. Certainly he could not venture into thepatio; the room in which he stood did not communicate with those oneither side of it. He went out again: it occurred to him to try DeMello's dressing-room, which was on the left-side of the house, next tothe bedroom. From the plantation he had seen that the bedroom itselfwas lit up, but he did not remember whether there had been a light inthe dressing-room also. Stealthily creeping round the wall, he came tothe window of the dressing-room, and found that it was itself indarkness, though a light came through from the bedroom, the door beingslightly ajar. He tried the catch of the French window: it was notfastened, so that he could enter the room. His heart almost failed himat the thought of the risk of being discovered, but having come so farhe was not disposed to return without making an attempt to discover whathad happened to Jose. He noiselessly opened the window and stepped in.

  Now he heard muffled voices. He peeped into the bedroom: it was empty.A lamp stood on a table. The door opening into De Mello's sanctum waspartly open, and it was from this room that the voices proceeded. Therebeing no sound of movement, he stole across the room on tiptoe andpeeped into the room beyond. A screen stood just within, completelyhiding the occupants. He now distinguished General Carabano's fruityvoice, and it suddenly flashed upon him that he might discover somethingeven more important than Jose's whereabouts. Slipping back into thebedroom, he glanced quickly round to learn the position of the articlesof furniture in case he had to escape suddenly; then he turned out thelight and crept back to the door. The General was still speaking.

  "The only doubtful point, Espejo, is whether we can time our attack fromthe railway so that it is simultaneous with Colonel Orellana's from thesouth-east. The Jefe at Bolivar has no doubt received the messagerecalling the reinforcements that have just reached him--that is to say,if your friend at the central telegraph office is as clever as you were,Senor Machado. He has something to work for, and be sure neither younor he shall be forgotten when Caracas is in our hands."

  "If any one can pull off your little plan, Excellency," said Machado'ssmooth voice, "it is my friend Pereira."

  "Good. Now this is the only doubtful spot." Will heard the crackle ofpaper: the General had apparently unfolded a map. "Colonel Orellanashould be through the swamps south of Bolivar by mid-day to-morrow. Ifour good fortune holds he may get close to the city unobserved. At anyrate, as he will be marching for the greater part of the night, hismovement will scarcely be discovered before the Government troops leaveon their return journey in the early morning. At that time ColonelOrellana should be about twenty-five kilometres from the city. Hisattack from the south-east will be
commenced at noon, a good time tocatch them napping. If we start before eight we can run through in fourhours provided the line is clear, and I think we can trust the signalmanat the junction: he has too much at stake to fail me. The only doubtfulpoint, as I say, is here--Santa Marta. All depends on our surprisingthe man there. How much of the line is visible from the station atSanta Marta, Senor Machado?"

  "About three kilometres, Excellency."

  "A pity. If anything arouses the suspicion of the man there he can senda message to Bolivar in a few seconds and wreck the whole scheme. How isit he also is not a friend of yours?"

  "His mother's cousin holds a good position in the administration,Excellency."

  "That place shall be yours when I form my administration."

  "Is it certain, Excellency," asked Espejo, "that the bridge beyond SantaMarta is mined?"

  "I can trust my information on that point, and I am pretty sure that ourcoup here has not leaked through, thanks to Senor Machado's friend atthe junction and our other precautions. There is one risk: that Senorde Mello has given information. It was a bad mistake of yours not tosecure him, Espejo, and I am annoyed with you. But it cannot be helped.The only thing wanted to complete the perfection of our arrangements isto surprise the station at Santa Marta. How is it, Senor Machado, thatyou cannot find the hydroplane about which we have heard so much? If wehad it, it would be quite easy to approach Santa Marta from the river;they would think it was the mad Englishman on one of his jaunts. If wecould only capture the signalman there, and you took his place, we couldquite rely on your ability to keep the people at Bolivar from becomingsuspicious. I compliment you, senor, on your extreme ingenuity inconducting the communications with Bolivar during the past few days. Itrequired a man of genius to prevent the railway people from smelling arat."

  "You do me too much honour, Excellency," said Machado, his gratificationmanifest in his tone of voice. "But I fear I can't keep it up foranother day. I have to make so many excuses and explanations; and fromthe last two or three messages that have come through from Bolivar Ican't help feeling that the people there are becoming uneasy."

  "The more reason for striking at once. Why can't you find thehydroplane?" asked the General with some impatience.

  "I have done my best, Excellency. I believe the negro knows where itis, but he is a perfect mule, and neither starvation nor whipping hasany effect upon his stubbornness."

  "Caramba! are there not other means of taming mules? Fetch the boy.We'll see."

  Will heard Machado rise from his chair and open the door leading to thepatio. Jose was staunch, then. Will set his teeth at the thought ofthe ill-usage the boy had had to endure. His clutch tightened onAzito's knife, and he scarcely heeded what passed between Carabano andhis lieutenant during the few seconds of Machado's absence.

  "Here he is, Excellency."

  "Ah! this is the mule. Now, mule, answer my question: where is yourmaster's boat?"

  Will waited tensely: not a word came from the boy's lips. There was thesound of a blow.

  "Answer me," shouted the General, "or I will have you flogged. Where isthe boat?"

  "I cannot tell, senor," said the boy.

  "Dog, do you call his Excellency 'senor'!" cried Espejo; and again therecame the sound of a blow. "Where is the boat?"

  "I have a thought? Excellency," said Machado suddenly, as the boy wassilent. "I will try the electric battery: that will make him speak."

  "Caramba! you had better make him speak somehow, or I'll flay him alive.Are my plans to be ruined by a dog of a negro? Take him away, and shockit out of him."

  Will quivered as he heard the boy cry out: one of the three had struckhim again. But Machado was dragging Jose from the room: where was hetaking him? Will did not know of the temporary cabin erected for thetelegraphist at the railway line a few hundred yards away: surely, hethought, Machado did not intend to convey the boy at this time of nightto the old camp five miles distant. Yet he had seen no wire connectingthe line with the house. It flashed upon him that if Machado left thehouse, and was not accompanied by any of the officers, an opportunity ofrescue might offer. Quick as thought he slipped across the bedroom intothe dressing-room and out on to the veranda. Running round to the backof the house, he stood in a dark corner to watch. Presently he sawMachado issue forth with Jose from the door in the servants' quarter.The boy's hands were tied.

  Machado dragged him across the garden towards the railway line. Waitinga few moments to make sure that no one was accompanying them, Willfollowed quietly, losing them from sight as they passed through ashrubbery. He could not risk discovery by Machado yet, for a cry wouldbring a crowd in pursuit. Quickening his steps, he saw the twoproceeding towards a cabin just below the railway embankment. A lightshone through a small square opening in the wall. Machado lifted therough latch, pushed his victim into the cabin, entered after him, andshut the door. Will hurried to the unglazed window, and just as hereached it heard Machado say--

  "Has there been a signal?"

  "No, senor," was the reply.

  Peeping in cautiously, Will saw one of General Carabano's men, leftthere, no doubt, to summon Machado if there should come a call on thewires.

  "Hold this brute," said Machado.

  "What are you going to do, senor?" asked the man.

  "Make a pig squeal. Now, you mule, one more chance before I prick youwith a thousand pins. Where is that boat?"

  Jose was evidently terrified at the unknown torture before him. Helooked wildly around for a chance of escape, and struggled in the handsof his captor, who, however, held him fast. Meanwhile Machado haddisconnected a couple of wires, and reached up to a shelf to take down abottle of acid for re-charging the battery. Clearly he was for no halfmeasures now.

  ASSAULT AND BATTERY]

  "What's that?" asked the man.

  "Stuff to strengthen the battery," replied Machado. "I'm going to put awire on each side of him, and add cells--there are plenty of them--untilhe owns up."

  "Will it kill him?"

  "I shouldn't wonder."

  He laughed as he poured acid into the cell. Meanwhile Will had beenworked up to a white heat of indignation. Without stopping to measurethe risk, he slipped the knife into his pocket, sprang noiselessly tothe door, threw it open, and in two strides came within arm's length ofMachado just as he was replacing the bottle. A blow with the right, andone with the left almost at the same instant, hurled the telegraphist tothe ground. The man holding Jose was for the moment paralyzed withastonishment. Before he could recover himself, a heavy blow somewhereabout his middle sent him to join Machado. Then Will, catching Jose bythe arm, dragged him through the door and to the rear of the cabin,where with one stroke of Azito's knife he severed the cords binding theboy's wrists.

  He had scarcely done so when he heard one of the men run shouting fromthe cabin. But, as Will had expected, the man made straight towards thehouse. Hurrying along the foot of the embankment for a few yards, Willstruck to the right towards the plantation where he had left Azito, bothhe and Jose bending low to get what cover was possible from the longgrass and occasional bushes. Before they reached the plantation theyheard shouts from the house, which were soon answered from the camp somedistance to their left. They ran as swiftly as possible, and Will gavea low whistle as he approached the trees. It was answered by Azito.They waited but a few moments, to see whether any of the figures whichcould be descried moving near the house were coming in their direction.Then all three plunged into the depths of the plantation, Jose leadingin as straight a course as he could towards the recess where thehydroplane was hidden.