CHAPTER XIII.
IN THE ENEMY'S COUNTRY.
The last words of Jose Pelado were called forth by the suddenappearance of a peon with the announcement that a body of insurgentshad been seen the night before, and that a flock of cattle had beenkilled or driven away by them. Upon receiving this intelligence, thecoffee planter replied in Spanish in a tone that showed great anger.When he had conversed with the messenger for a few minutes he turnedback to his guests, saying:
"The hungry hounds are again abroad. That mountain outlaw, JuanRhoades, is at his old pranks, and this time he has become bolder thancommon from the fact that he has succeeded in calling about him morethan five hundred rebels. News also comes from San Carlos that twospies are in this vicinity, and that efforts are being made to huntthem down. Well, let the fools look after themselves. Rhoades hadbetter give me a wide berth."
Ronie and Jack were beginning to think it was about time for them to beon their way. Their horses were well rested by this time, so theyproposed to Senor Pelado that they bid him good-by. He seemeddisappointed to find they were not going to stay longer, and showed hisgood-will by offering to send an escort of men to protect them in casethey should be attacked by Rhoades and his outlaws. But our heroesstoutly opposed this, while thanking him for his kindness.
"Two will be able to get through where a larger body might attractattention and find it difficult to escape," replied Jack.
"You seem like plucky fellows, and I think you will get through allright. In case you do need help, do not hesitate to call on JosePelado. If you succeed in meeting General Castro give him my regards."
These parting words were not spoken until Ronie and Jack had regainedtheir saddles, and were heading their horses toward Caracas. As theydashed out upon the road they noticed a crowd of peons watching themwith looks not altogether friendly.
"Did you notice that tall fellow--the one with the extraordinarymustache--who stood somewhat in the background while we talked withPelado?" asked Ronie.
"That I did, lad, and I says to myself: 'That fellow is hatchingmischief.' He was not in sight the last part of our stay."
"I did not see him, Jack. What do you think he will do--follow us?"
"Not exactly; but if we do not meet some of his confederates beforenight I shall be happily disappointed. At any rate, it behooves us tobe on the lookout continually."
The way now wound through a coffee country, and they were frequentlymet by these small planters, sometimes singly, but more often by twosor in squads.
"The idleness that usually follows in the footsteps of war seems lohave fallen on the inhabitants," remarked Jack.
As this did not seem to call for any reply, Ronie remained silent, hismind busy with the thoughts of past adventures and conjectures over thepossibilities ahead. So the midday was passed, and the afternoon cameon apace, while they moved leisurely on so as not to exhaust theirhorses. These were given their noon meal, and allowed two hours ofrest under the friendly shade of a tacamahaca, which was fragrant withthe resinous substance that it exuded from its trunk, an opaque,lemon-colored sort of wax which the natives on the Orinoco used verymuch for torchlights. This was a tree of great size and beauty. Theywere now in a region broken by the outlying spurs of mountain, andabout sunset reached a mountain hamlet which bore a decidedly desertedappearance.
It had been their intention to push on beyond this place, preferring topass the night at some isolated planter's than here, but Ronie's horse,which had showed slight lameness for several hours, now became unableto go any farther. In this dilemma they looked about for a stoppingplace. In this matter they soon found they were not to be given muchchoice. The dwellings were so nearly alike, and built after thepyramidal style of architecture already described, slanting roofsreaching nearly to the ground, thatched with palm leaves, four postswith ox hides stretched between composed the walls, so the collectionlooked like a colony of beehives. Unfortunately, they were soon tolearn that it was not "a land of milk and honey." The houses possessedno doors and windows, professedly for the reason that they were notneeded in that climate. Neither were they needed to protect theoccupant from prowling thieves, for the very simple reason that theowner owned nothing worth stealing!
After passing nearly the length of this poverty-marked hamlet, ourheroes hailed with delight the appearance of a building which lookedlike a palace when compared to the others. It did prove to be a sortof public house, or, rather, a hospital where people seeking thebracing atmosphere of this mountain retreat and the mineral water to befound here could stop. The lower half of the walls were made of stoutplanks in the rough, with doors and windows. The upper portion wasleft open to allow free passage of air and light. Ample protectionfrom sun and storm was afforded by the slanting roof, which reached towithin five feet of the ground. Under these overhanging eaves a narrowveranda encircled the building.
Half a dozen swarthy-hued men in loose attire, a pair of breeches,tightly buttoned at the knees, and a shirt of bright colors, marked offlike a checkerboard, lounged about the abode, but not one of themoffered them any attention, except to stare upon them with undisguisedcuriosity, as our twain paused in front of the main entrance. Upondismounting and entering the building, they were greeted by theproprietor with many smiles and much scraping and bowing.
"Senor, Americanos have heard of the wonderful curative powers of thewaters of San Andrea, and have come hither to recover their wastedvitality?" he half questioned, half answered, bowing at almost eachword which he delivered in a musical tone.
"Partly for that, and partly for pleasure," replied Jack. "Our horsesare tired, and one of them is lame. We ourselves are weary and dustladen, and so desire rest and quiet more than we do food."
"_Si, senors_," waving one hand to a group of peons, who instantly leftthe apartment, ostensibly to look after the jaded animals, and theother toward an opening leading into an adjoining room. Thinking itwas meant for them to repair thither, Jack and Ronie did so at once.It must have been dark in the room at midday; it was certainly now toodusky for them to distinguish each other with clearness. Seeing two orthree clumsy, cedar chairs, covered with rawhide, standing near thewall, they each selected a seat, while they glanced about them withfeelings hard to describe. If the place boasted as the resort forinvalids and pleasure seekers, it had very little to offer in the wayof the comforts of either. It was in truth scarcely better fitted toaccommodate its guests than the tent of the wandering Arab of thedesert. In addition to the rude chairs mentioned, there was a roughtable placed against the wall, evidently because it could not standalone, and a couple of grass hammocks that were intended for the doublepurpose of bed and lounge. Nothing in the shape of a bowl in which tolave their dust-stained faces and hands was to be seen, while they wereto learn a little later that water was too scarce at this resort ofmineral springs to show any need of it.
"Well," said Jack, in a low tone, "this beats anything we have foundbefore. But if they will give our poor horses care we can get alongourselves."
"I suppose we had better give them our personal attention," said Ronie.
"In due course of time, lad. I wish now we had kept nearer theseacoast, but I will not borrow trouble. Who is coming now?"
The visitor proved to be an attendant of the house, who wished toinquire in regard to the wants of their "illustrious guests."
"We need nothing more at present," replied Jack, "than a couple ofbasins of cool water in which to lave these bodies and limbs of ours."
"_Si, senors_; your slightest wish is law at San Andrea," and, bowingvery low, the speaker withdrew, and our friends were left alone formore than half an hour, when the man returned bearing in either hand asmall calabash filled with water that was too thick with mud to spillover. These rude dishes possibly contained a quart of the dirty liquideach. Depositing these vessels on the table, the servant expressed thewish that they might enjoy a "very excellent bath."
"No doubt we shall," declared Jack
. "Did you have to bring this far?"
"From the river, senor; two kilometers away."
"Horn of rock--Gibraltar, if you please, we'll excuse you for the timeit took you. But haven't you water nearer than a mile?"
"A little, senor. Supper will be ready when you have washed."
After supper they went to examine their-horses, to find that Ronie'sdid not show much improvement. One of the peons, however, hadinterested himself so far as to bandage the limb in some blackdecoction that he claimed was good for a sprain, which was evidentlythe trouble with the creature. This man became very friendly uponfinding that his efforts were so well appreciated, and he began to talkglibly of other matters, saying, among other things:
"You come from Maracaibo, I think, senors. Did you see anything ofCaptain Rhoades and his bold riders?"
"We heard of him," replied Jack. "We have been looking for them. Areyou expecting them this way?"
"No one can tell where El Capitan will strike next, senor. He is verybrave, and he moves about as if he and his men had wings."
"Is it possible that Castro's hirelings have penetrated into thisregion?" asked Jack, as a feeler.
"Possible it may be, but not probable. He has been whipped on everyhand, and I have no doubt General Matos will ride into Caracas itsconquerer before we are much older."
"_Si, senor_," replied Jack, who, finding that nothing more was likelyto be learned, led the way back into the house. A few men werestanding about in the reception-room, but everything seemed very quiet,giving little indication of the storm so soon to rise.
Ronie and Jack lay down upon their hammocks without delay, believing itwould be good policy to rest while they; might, knowing not what anhour might bring forth. They had slept about three hours, when theywere awakened by a commotion in the adjoining apartment, supplementedby loud voices. In a moment they were sitting bolt upright, listeningto catch what was being said. The tones were loud enough for them todo this, but the speakers, all of whom were talking in Spanish, spokein such excitement and disjointed manner that it was some time beforeeven Jack could understand sufficient to explain the situation.
"I think it is a band of the mountain guerrillas," he whispered toRonie, as they moved close together. "It may be Rhoades' band, Icannot say. Ha! they are speaking of a couple of Americanos comingthis way. Now the proprietor is telling them there are two strangerAmericanos in here. Lad, they mean us! It looks so we have got to getout or fall into their hands."
Before his companion could reply an ugly-looking visage appeared abovethe edge of the woodwork forming the walls of the building, and which,as has been said, were built only half the height of the structure.Then it became evident from the sounds that the body of soldiers in theadjoining room were about to enter their quarters!
"We are in for it now!" said Jack. "We might as well make a bold dashfor liberty. The time for palavering is past."
Where Duty Called; or, In Honor Bound Page 16