CHAPTER XXVIII.
IN THE HANDS OF THE GUERRILLAS.
Our hero knew only too well how dangerous a wild cat can be, and as hegazed at the beast looking in through the open doorway of the lonelycabin his heart was filled with dread.
"A wild cat!" he muttered. "Scat! go away!" he yelled.
The sudden cry caused the beast to retreat a few steps, and for theinstant Jack breathed easier. But then the beast approached once more.
"Go away! scat!" he repeated, but now the wild cat stood its ground, itseyes gleaming fiercely and its mouth half open, showing its sharp teeth.It was tremendously hungry, and this had caused it to find its way tothe habitation.
"Go away, I say," repeated Jack, and then, as the wild cat took anoiseless step forward, he let out a scream: "Help! Help!"
The wild cat now prepared to leap upon him. It crouched low, shaking itsshort tail from side to side. The leap was about to be taken when, of asudden, bang! went a gun, and the beast rolled over on its side.
"A good shot, Ben!" came in the voice of Columbus Washington. "I rackonye killed him."
"Ben!" cried Jack, in great joy, as the face of the faithful old negroshowed itself at the doorway. "You came in the nick of time!"
"Dat's so," answered Old Ben, as he came forward and poked the wild catwith his gun barrel. "Dead, are ye? Well, Old Ben will make suah," andhe hit the wild cat's skull a blow that crushed it completely.
"Ben, you saved my life," went on Jack joyfully. "I was certain I wasgoing to be chewed up."
"Wot fo' is yo' a prisoner yeah?" asked Columbus Washington, as he gazedat Jack's bonds curiously.
"Dr. Mackey made me a prisoner."
"What, dat man!" ejaculated Old Ben.
"Yes, Ben; he had me taken from the stable, where I had gone to watchthat guerrilla."
"And where am de guerrilla?"
"Dr. Mackey helped him to escape."
The faithful old colored man shook his head doubtfully.
"Massah Jack, do yo' dun t'ink dat doctor am your fadder?" he asked.
"No, Ben; I think nothing of the kind."
"Neider do I. He is a-plottin' against yo'."
"That is what I think, Ben. If I could manage it, I would have himarrested. Then we could get at the bottom of this affair."
Jack was speedily released, and the party of three left the lonelymountain cabin and started across the country for the Ruthvenplantation.
"Yo' mudder will be tickled to see yo'," remarked Old Ben, as theytrudged along. "She was worried to death ober yo' absence."
"After this I will see to it that they don't get me again," replied ourhero.
Half a mile was covered when, on turning a point in the trail, they cameunexpectedly upon a company of Confederate guerrillas who were taking iteasy, lying in the grass.
"Hullo! who are you?" demanded one of the guerrillas as he leaped up anddrew up his gun.
"Friends!" answered Jack.
Just then he caught sight of the men who had marched him away from thestable, and also of Pete Gendron, who was lying on some blankets in theshade.
"Friends, are you!" cried one of the men who had marched him off. "Upwith your hands, sonny!"
There was no help for it, and Jack put up his hands, and his negrocompanions did likewise.
"I reckon as how we cotched ye nicely," went on the man with the gun."Whar did ye come from--thet cabin up the mountain?"
"Yes."
"Whar is Dr. Mackey?"
"I do not know."
"Did he let ye go?"
"Of course he didn't let the boy go," growled Pete Gendron. "The niggersmust have released him."
"Is that true, sonny?"
"That is none of your business," answered Jack, not knowing what else tosay.
"Aint it, though? All right, ride yer high hoss, if yer want to. Butthrow down them arms fust."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean all of yer are prisoners, thet's wot I mean," drawled theguerrilla.
"You have no right to hold me up in this fashion."
"Ye forgit, sonny, thet might makes right in most cases. Come, hand overthem firearms."
Jack had been provided with a pistol by Old Ben, and this he wascompelled to surrender, and his companions were also disarmed. Theguerrillas numbered fully a score, so resistance would have beenfoolhardy.
"What do you intend to do with me?" asked our hero, after he had beenmade a prisoner by having his hands bound behind him.
"We'll hold ye till Dr. Mackey comes back."
"When will that be?"
"Can't say."
This ended the talk, and presently the guerrillas moved up the mountainside to where there was a fair-sized cave.
They marched our hero into this cave, and tied him and his companionsfast to some jagged rocks in the rear.
A fire was started up and the outlaws--for the guerrillas were nothingless--proceeded to make themselves comfortable by lying around,drinking, smoking, and playing cards.
Gendron was not badly wounded, and sat up to look on at thecard-playing.
So the hours wore away. Toward night a scout went out to learn what thearmies were doing, and he did not come back until the next day.
Two days were spent by Jack and his companions in the cave. During thattime the guerrillas treated them brutally, and gave them hardlysufficient food to keep them from starving.
Gendron was particularly bitter against Jack, and insulted our hero uponevery possible occasion.
"If I was the doctor I'd blow your head off, and get that money formyself," he said once.
"What do you know about that money?" demanded Jack.
At this the guerrilla closed one eye suggestively.
"I know a whole lot, sonny."
"Then you know what a rascal Dr. Mackey is?
"I didn't allow as how he is a rascal, sonny."
"Well, he is, and you know it. I can't see how he puts up with a fellowlike you, though."
This was said to draw Gendron on, and it had the desired effect.
"He can't help himself," chuckled the guerrilla. "I know too much."
"What do you know."
"I know all about the doctor's private papers--the ones he carries inthe tin box."
"The papers about the property?"
"O' course."
"Those papers won't help him any," went on Jack, wondering what theguerrilla would say next.
"Won't they? They'll prove that he is----. But never mind--you shan'tgit nothin' out o' me," and then Gendron relapsed into sudden silence,as though he realized that he had been talking too much.
On the afternoon of the next day Dr. Mackey appeared, accompanied byanother man, evidently an officer of the guerrillas. His face grew darkas he gazed first at Jack and then at Old Ben and Columbus Washington.
"So you were going to help Jack to escape," he said harshly to thenegroes.
"Jack is my young mastah," replied Old Ben. "Why shouldn't I try to sabehim?"
"You are the fellow who saved Jack years ago, when the shipwreckoccurred, I believe."
"I am, sah."
"Then I am glad I have you in my power," answered Dr. Mackey. "You mayprove useful to me."
Young Captain Jack; Or, The Son of a Soldier Page 29