CHAPTER IX.
THE PROFESSOR'S ESCAPE.
They did not expect to reach Huejugilla el Alto without being molestedby bandits, for it was presumed that Pacheco's lieutenant would carrythe word to his chief, and the desperadoes would lose no time in movingagainst them.
Knowing their danger, they were exceedingly cautious, traveling much bynight, and keeping in concealment by day, and, to their surprise, thebandits made no descent upon them.
Huejugilla el Alto proved to be a wild and picturesque place. Being farfrom the line of railroad, it had not even felt the touch of Northerncivilization, and the boys felt as if they had been transported back tothe seventeenth century.
"Hyar, lads," said Bushnell, "yer will see a town thet's clean Greaserall ther way through, an' it's ten ter one thar ain't nary galootbesides ourselves in ther durned old place thet kin say a word of UnitedStates."
The Westerner could talk Spanish after a fashion, and that was about allthe natives of Huejugilla el Alto were able to do, with the exception ofthe few whose blood was untainted, and who claimed to be aristocrats.
However, for all of their strange dialect and his imperfect Spanish,Bushnell succeeded in making himself understood, so they found lodgingsat a low, rambling adobe building, which served as a hotel. They paid inadvance for one day, and were well satisfied with the price, althoughBushnell declared it was at least double ordinary rates.
"We ain't likely ter be long in town before Ferez locates us an' comesarter his hawses. Ther derned bandits are bold enough 'long ther line ofther railroad, but they lay 'way over thet out hyar. Wuss then all, therpeople of ther towns kinder stand in with ther pizen varmints."
"Stand in with them--how?"
"Why, hide 'em when ther soldiers is arter 'em, an' don't bother 'em atany other time."
"I presume they are afraid of the bandits, which explains why they doso."
"Afeared? Wa'al, I'll allow as how they may be; but then thar'ssomething of ther bandit in ev'ry blamed Greaser I ever clapped peeperson. They're onery, they are."
Frank had noted that almost all Westerners who mingled much with thepeople of Mexico held Spaniards and natives alike in contempt, callingthem all "Greasers." He could not understand this, for, as he hadobserved, the people of the country were exceedingly polite andchivalrous, treating strangers with the utmost courtesy, if courtesywere given in return. Rudeness seemed to shock and wound them, causingthem to draw within themselves, as a turtle draws into its shell.Indeed, so polite were the people that Frank came to believe that abandit who had decided to cut a man's throat and rob him would first bega man's pardon for such rudeness, and then proceed about the job withthe greatest skill, suavity, and gentleness.
Having settled at the hotel, Bushnell ordered a square meal, and, whenit was served, they proceeded to satisfy the hunger which had grown uponthem with their journey across the desert.
Bushnell also took care to look after the horses and equipments himself.
"Ef Ferez calls fer his hawses, I don't want him ter git away with thisyar balloon an' gas generator," said the Westerner, as he saw thearticles mentioned were placed under lock and key. "Ef we should losethem, it'd be all up with us so fur as gittin' ter ther Silver Palace isconcerned."
Frank expected to hear something from Pacheco as soon as Huejugilla elAlto was reached, but he found no message awaiting him.
"Poor professor!" he said. "I expect he has suffered untold tormentssince he was kidnaped."
"Yah," nodded Hans. "Uf Brofessor Scotch don'd peen britty sick uf disvild life mit Mexico, you vos a liar."
That night they were sitting outside the hotel when they heard a greatcommotion at the southern end of the town.
"Vot vos dot?" gasped the Dutch boy, in alarm. "Sounds like dere vosdrouple aroundt dot logality."
"That's right," agreed Frank, feeling for his revolvers; "and it iscoming this way as fast as it can."
"Mebbe another revolution has broke out," observed Bushnell, lazily."Best git under kiver, an' let ther circus go by."
They could hear the clatter of horses' hoofs, the cracking of pistols,and a mingling of wild cries.
All at once Frank Merriwell became somewhat excited.
"On my life, I believe I hear the voice of Professor Scotch!" heshouted.
"Yah!" said Hans, "I belief I hear dot, too!"
"They may be bringin' ther professor in," said Bushnell. "Ef he's thar,we'll take an interest in ther case, you bet yer boots!"
Into the hotel he dashed, and, in a moment, he returned with hisWinchester.
Along the street came a horseman, clinging to the back of an unsaddledanimal, closely pursued by at least twenty wild riders, some of whomwere shooting at the legs of the fleeing horse, while one was whirling alasso to make a cast that must bring the animal to a sudden halt.
"Ten to one, the fugitive is the professor!" shouted Frank, peeringthrough the dusk.
"Then, I reckon we'll hev ter chip in right hyar an' now," saidBushnell, calmly.
He flung the Winchester to his shoulder, and a spout of fire streamedfrom the muzzle in an instant.
The fellow who was whirling the lasso flung up his arm and plungedheadlong from the horse's back to the dust of the street.
"Professor! professor!" shouted Frank. "Stop--stop here!"
"Can't do it," came back the reply. "The horse won't stop!"
"Jump off--fall off--get off some way!"
"All right! here goes!"
In another moment Professor Scotch, for it really was that individual,flung himself from the back of the animal he had ridden, struck theground, rolled over and over like a ball, and lay still within thirtyfeet of Frank, groaning dolefully.
In the meantime, Al Bushnell was working his Winchester in a manner thatwas simply amazing, for a steady stream of fire seemed to pour from themuzzle of the weapon, and the cracking of the weapon echoed through thestreets of Huejugilla el Alto like the rattling fire from a line ofinfantry.
After that first shot Bushnell lowered the muzzle of his weapon, as, inmost cases at short range, his motto was to "shoot low," for he wellknew more lead could be wasted by shooting too high than in any othermanner.
In about three seconds he had thrown the pursuing bandits into theutmost confusion, for they had never before encountered such a receptionin Huejugilla el Alto, and it was the last thing they had expected. Withall possible haste, they reined about and took to flight, hearing thebullets whistling about them, or feeling their horses leap madly at thesting of lead or go plunging to the ground.
The inhabitants of the town had fled into their houses before the rushof the bandits, so there was little danger that any of Bushnell'sbullets would reach innocent persons.
The confusion and rout of the bandits was brought about in a fewseconds, and Bushnell was heard to mutter:
"One white man is good fer a hundred onery Greasers any time! Therderned skunks hain't got a blamed bit of sand!"
Frank ran and lifted the fallen professor, flinging the man across hisshoulder, and carrying him into the hotel.
Hans followed with frantic haste, and Bushnell came sauntering lazily inafter the bandits had been routed and driven back.
"Are you badly hurt, professor?" asked Frank, anxiously.
"I'm killed!" groaned Scotch, dolefully. "I'm shot full of holes, andevery bone in my body is broken! Farewell, my boy! We'll meet in abetter land, where there are no bandits to molest or make afraid."
"Where are you shot?"
"Everywhere--all over! You can't touch me where I'm not shot! They firedmore than four hundred bullets through me! I am so full of holes that Iwonder you can see me at all!"
Bushnell made a hasty examination of the professor, who lay on thefloor, groaning faintly, his eyes closed.
"Look hyar, pard," said the Westerner, roughly, "ef you want ter pass inyer chips ye'll hev ter stand up an' let me put a few more holes in yer.I can't find a place whar you're touched by a bullet an' I'm blowed ef
I'low you broke a bone when ye tumbled from ther hawse."
The professor sat up with a sudden snap.
"What's that?" he cried. "I'm not shot? I'm not all broke up? Is itpossible? Can I believe you?"
"Yah," nodded Hans, gravely; "I can belief me. You vas all righdtbrofessor, und dot is sdraight."
"Wow!" shouted Scotch, bounding to his feet like a rubber ball. "That'swhat I call great luck! Why, I thought I must be killed sure! I don'tknow how I escaped all those bullets. And then the fall! Providence musthave been with me."
"Vell, I don'd know apoudt dot pefore you come der town in," said Hans;"but you vos alone mit yourself when we saw you, brofessor."
The landlord of the hotel came bustling up in a perfect tumult ofterror, wringing his hands and almost weeping.
"Oh, senors!" he cried, in Spanish, "what have you done? You have ruinedme! You stopped at my house, and you shoot the ladrones. Ah, senors, youknow not what that means to me. Pacheco will come down on me--he willraid my house; I am a ruined man, and you are responsible for it. Youmust leave my house without delay! If you remain here, the whole townwill rise against me! All the people will know this must make Pachecovery angry, and they will know he must take revenge on the place. Theywill be angry with me because I allow it. Carramba! How could I help it?I could do nothing. It came, and it was all over before I know what wasdoing. Senors, you must have pity on me--you must leave my houseimmeditely."
Bushnell caught enough of this to translate it to the others.
"Ther best thing we kin do is ter git out instanter," he said. "Ef wewait, ther outlaws will watch every road out of ther town, an' we'll hevtrouble in gittin' away."
"Then let's get away immediately," fluttered the professor. "If I fallinto their hands again, I'm a dead man!"
"Yes, we will get out immediately," decided Frank; "but we'll do it assecretly and silently as possible."
Bushnell nodded his satisfaction, and, thirty minutes later, the partywas ready to move. They left the hotel by a back way, and, guided by thelandlord, made their way along dark and narrow streets, creepingcautiously through the town till the outskirts were reached.
There Frank gave the landlord some money, and, after calling downblessings on their heads, he quickly slipped away and disappeared.
"Now we'll hustle right along," said the Westerner. "We'll put a goodlong stretch between ourselves an' Huejugilla el Alto before mornin'.We're off, bound straight inter ther mountains----"
"And straight for the Silver Palace," added Frank.
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