by Frank Fowler
CHAPTER VI.
A FEARFUL EXPERIENCE.
"Well?" queried Donald when Strong had finished reading thepaper, "what are we going to do about it?"
"We are going to find out, if we can, whether Jose Rodriguez toldthe truth, and if he did, whether any one else has tried to proveit."
"What do you think of it, Pedro?" asked Billie, indicating theopening at their feet.
"Exactly."
"Have you ever been down in it?" asked Adrian of Strong.
"No! I did not feel equal to the task and I was afraid to askhelp of any of these cutthroats."
"What do you think of it, Pedro?" asked Billie, turning to theMexican lad, who had made no comment whatever.
"It's an old tale," was the reply, "this story of the Rosarioviejo. I have heard it many times and I presume this shaft hasbeen explored by every prospector in this section. In my opinionit is a huge hoax."
At Pedro's words, Strong's face became ashen.
"Are you telling the truth?" he asked hoarsely.
"Indeed I am. My father knows of several who have searched theplace and nothing has ever been found."
Strong drew a long breath and passed his hand over his face.
"I have believed it true," he finally said, "ever since I firstcame into possession of this paper. There is something about itthat rings true and I have counted upon finding sufficient wealthto enable me to achieve a long cherished plan. If what you say,"turning to Pedro, "is true, my chance of attaining my ambition isvery slim."
"I'm sorry, sir, but if I had known for certain what your objectwas in coming down here I might have saved you the trouble.Isn't there any other way you might obtain the money you wish?"
"If there is, I don't know it."
"Pedro may be right," spoke up Billie suddenly, "but I am infavor of making an inspection of our own, now that we are here.What do you say, Don?"
"I'm with you." Then to Strong: "How are we to get to thebottom?"
Strong reached over and from behind a nearby boulder producedanother bundle of rope.
"I had intended making a rope ladder," he said.
"All right, then," from Donald, "a rope ladder it shall be."
The boys set to work and in the course of an hour had made a ropeladder more than fifty feet in length. Lowering it into theshaft, it seemed to reach to the bottom and Billie started to godown, but Strong prevented him.
"I shall go first," he said. "If there is any danger frompoisonous gas, or from reptiles, I shall take the risk. You boyshave parents and homes. I have no one. If I should suffer anymishap, do not attempt to rescue me. It would not be worthwhile."
"Nothing will happen," declared Adrian. "I have a hunch and myhunches are usually right."
The rope having been properly fastened and warded off the side byan ingenious arrangement of several large rocks, Strong began hisdescent. In his left hand he carried a flaming torch and Donaldleaned over the edge, looking down, with rifle sighted, to fireupon any reptile which might be brought to light by the torch'sruddy glare.
Step by step Strong went down, stopping every now and then tohold his torch below him, if perchance it might come into contactwith fire damp or any other noxious gas.
He had descended at least three-fourths of the way, when, as heswung his torch below, he uttered a cry that was almost a shriekand the torch fell from his hand.
At the same instant Donald gave vent to a loud exclamation andhis rifle cracked.
"Hold on," he cried as he arose from the ground, "as you valueyour life, don't lose your hold."
"What is it?" asked the others in one voice.
"Snakes! Dozens of them," replied Donald. "Climb up, Strong, asfast as you can."
"All right," came a feeble reply, followed almost immediately bya louder call of "Help!"
"Hold fast," called Donald. "I'm coming."
But before he could turn to step down the ladder, a chatteringfigure sprang past him and shot down the rope.
It was the ape. He had heard his master's call and had gone tohis assistance.
A moment later came a joyful cry that told as plainly as wordsthat Ambrosio had reached his master in time.
"Are you all right now?" called Donald.
"Yes. I'll be up in a minute. Good old boy," the last remarkevidently addressed to the ape.
When Strong's head appeared above the edge of the shaft a coupleof minutes later he was as pale as a ghost and when he at lengthcame into the full light of the torches, it was seen that hishair was as white as snow. The fright had completely changed itscolor.
"Let's get out of here," he gasped as soon as he was helped tohis feet. "I wouldn't go down into that place again for all thegold and silver in the world."
"It was pretty rough for sure," admitted Donald. "I just caught aglimpse as the torch fell among them, but it was so quicklyextinguished by the wriggling mass I only shot once for fear ofhitting you."
"It was the darkness that frightened me," Strong explainedfeebly. "If I hadn't let go my torch to hold on with both hands,I don't think I would have minded so much. But the darkness hidwhat was below and it just seemed as though they were right afterme. I'd have been a goner sure if it hadn't been for good oldAmbrosio," and he laid his hand affectionately on the ape's head.
"Do you think you'll be able to climb out of the mine?" askedBillie as they reached the main shaft.
"Yes, with Ambrosio's aid; but I'm going out first. I don't thinkI have nerve enough left right now to be the last out."
The exit from the mine was much slower than the descent had been,but in the course of an hour they were all once more out underthe stars.
"What about the bandits?" queried Billie.
"Take my advice," said Strong, "and let them alone. This is noneof your quarrel. If the Mexicans want to fight among themselves,let them. It's a family quarrel and you will only make mattersworse by interfering. The time may come when these very men mayprove your best friends."
"That's the advice I gave when we first discovered them to-day. Iwish now we had all followed it."
"If we are not going to do anything," declared Adrian, "thequicker we get out of here the better."
"I consider that more good advice," laughed Billie, "especiallyas I am just reminded that I haven't had a bite to eat sincenoon. But I have no horse."
"That's easily remedied," replied Strong.
He went into the old ruin and in a few minutes returned with avery good animal, all saddled and bridled.
"It will not be missed," he said. "Now ride for your lives. Takethe trail to the left and don't let moonlight catch you withinfive miles of here."
"Aren't you coming with us?" asked Donald.
"No! I am better off here."
"How will you account for your white hair?"
"I'll tell them it is a charm. They'll believe it and it willmake me that much more valuable. Now go!"
Without wasting more words the boys put spurs to their horses andwere soon out of the basin and on their way to Pachuca.
"It seems like a year since we came down here," remarked Adrianto Billie as they galloped along.
"It sure does," was the reply as Billie rubbed his stomachsuggestively. "I'll never go out again as long as I'm in thisrevolutionary republic without a haversack full of grub."
"Who said grub?" called back Donald.
"What a question," laughed Adrian. "Who is it that's alwayshungry? It's all he thinks about."
"Oh, it is, eh?" from Billie. "Well, I'm thinking about somethingelse now. There's the moon coming up over the valley and we'renot three miles from the old Rosario. We'd better keep our eyespeeled and see that our shooting irons are in shape. We may haveto fight our way home even yet."
As though to verify the prediction there appeared at the momentthe figure of a solitary horseman silhouetted against the risingmoon.
"You're a prophet of evil all right," said Adrian. "Now what?"
"Just keep on riding."
"But that ch
ap is right in our way."
"Then ride him down. He'll be worse scared than we are."
The advice seemed good and the boys spurred forward.
"If you think he means us any harm," Donald remarked, "I mighttake a shot at him."
"I don't believe he does."
Again Billie proved a good prophet as the rider rode directlytoward them, waving his hat in his hand.
"It's Tony," exclaimed Pedro as the rider approached a littlenearer.
Tony was one of Gen. Sanchez' servants.
"Why, so it is," laughed Donald. "I suppose he is out looking forus."
Which was exactly the case. The news of the fight had reachedPachuca along with the part the boys had played in saving thebullion, and Pedro's father had heard it along with the others.
Later, word had been brought that one of the boys was missing andthe others had gone to look for him. When none of them returnedafter all these hours, Gen. Sanchez had organized a searchingparty, of which Tony proved to be the advance guard.
A few minutes later, several horsemen dashed up and the boys weregiven a rousing reception.
"The _Jefe politico_ is waiting to greet you," Tony told theboys.
The jefe politico is the mayor.
Billie smiled broadly and once more rubbed his stomach.
"This begins to look encouraging," he remarked to Pedro. "I thinkI can taste the good things already."
Half an hour later the boys reached the city and were given acheer as they passed through the main street and up to Gen.Sanchez' home, which was located half a block from the plaza. Andin another ten minutes Billie was facing the mayor over a plateof steaming soup, while a mozo stood at his back waiting to servethe leg of a twenty-five pound turkey. Raising his eyes from thetable, he caught sight of what was coming and gave Donald, whosat next to him, a dig in the ribs with his elbow.
"How's this for a prophet of evil?" he asked.
Donald took a look at the great bird which was rapidly fallinginto pieces under Gen. Sanchez' skillful hand, and remarked witha wink:
"Great!"