Mr. Fortescue by William Westall (best books for 8th graders .TXT) 📕

with Mejia's caballeros, some of whom he had himself seen within the hour a little lower down the valley.

This was good news, and we went on in high spirits.

"Didn't I tell you so?" said Carmen, complacently. "I knew Mejia would not be far off. He is like one of your English bull-dogs. He never knows when he is beaten."

After a while the country became more open, with here and there patches of cultivation; huts were more frequent and we met several groups of peons who, however, eyed us so suspiciously that we thought it inexpedient to ask them any questions.

About an hour before sunset we perceived in the near distance a solitary horseman; but as his face was turned the other way he did not see us.

"He looks like one of our fellows," observed Carmen, after scanning him closely. "All the same, he may not be. Let us slip behind this acacia-bush and watch his movements."

The man himself seemed to be watching. After a short halt, he rode away and returned, but whether halting or moving he was always on the lookout, and as might appear, keenly expectant.

At length he came our way.

"I do believe--_Por Dios_ it is--Guido Pasto, my own man!" and Carmen, greatly excited, rushed from his hiding-place shouting, "Guido!" at the top of his voice.

I followed him, equally excited but less boisterous.

Guido, recognizing his master's voice, galloped forward and greeted us warmly, for though he acted as Carmen's servant he was a free _llanero_, and expected to be treated as a gentleman and a friend.

"_Gracias a Dios!_" he said; "I was beginning to fear that we had passed you. Gahra and I have been looking for you all day!"

"That was very good of you; and Senor Fortescue and I owe you a thousand thanks. But where are General Mejia and the army?"

"Near the old place. In a better position, though. But you must not go there--neither of you."

"We must not go there! But why?"

"Because if you do the general will hang you."

"Hang us! Hang Senor Fortescue, who has come all the way from England to help us! Hang _me_, Salvador Carmen! You have had a sunstroke and lost your wits; that's what it is, Guido Pasto, you have lost your wits--but, perhaps you are joking. Say, now, you are joking."

"No, _senor_. It would ill become me to make a foolish joke at your expense. Neither have I lost my wits, as you are pleased to suggest. It is only too true; you are in deadly peril. We may be observed, even now. Let us go behind these bushes, where we may converse in safety. It was to warn you of your danger that Gahra and I have been watching for you. Gahra will be here presently, and he will tell you that what I say is true."

"This passes comprehension. What does it all mean? Out with it, good Guido; you have always been faithful, and I don't think you are a fool."

"Thanks for your good opinion, senor. Well, it is very painful for me to have to say it; but the general believes, and save your own personal friends, all the army believes, that you and senor Fortescue are traitors--that you betrayed them to the enemy."

"On what grounds?" asked Carmen, highly indignant.

"You went to reconnoitre; you did not come back; the next morning we were attacked by Griscelli in force, and Senor Fortescue was seen among the enemy, seen by General Mejia himself. It was, moreover, reported this morning in the camp that Griscelli had let you go."

"So he did, and hunted us with his infernal blood-hounds, and we only escaped by the skin of our teeth. We were surprised and taken prisoners. Senor Fortescue was a prisoner on parole when the general saw him. I believe Griscelli obtained his parole and took him to the _quebrada_ for no other purpose than to compromise him with the patriots. And that I, who have killed more than a hundred Spaniards with my own hand, should be suspected of deserting to the enemy is too monstrous for belief."

"Of course, it is an absurd mistake. Appearances are certainly rather against us--at any rate, against me; but a word of explanation will put the matter right. Let us go to the camp at once and have it out."

"Not so fast, Senor Fortescue. I should like to have it out much. But there is one little difficulty in the way which you may not have taken into account. Mejia never listens to explanations, and never goes back on his word. If he said he would hang us he will. He would be very sorry afterward, I have no doubt; but that would not bring us back to life, and it would be rather ridiculous to escape Griscelli's blood-hounds, only to be hanged by our own people."

"And that is not the worst," put in Guido.

"Not the worst! Why what can be worse than being hanged?"

"I mean that even if the general did not carry out his threat you would be killed all the same. The Colombian gauchos swear that they will hack you to pieces wherever they find you. When Gahra comes he will tell you the same."

"You have heard; what do you say?" asked Carmen, turning to me.

"Well, as it seems so certain that if we return to the camp we shall either be hanged or hacked to pieces, I am decidedly of opinion that we had better not return."

"So am I. At the same time, it is quite evident that we cannot remain here, while every man's hand is against us. Is there any possibility of procuring horses, Guido?"

"Yes, sir. I think Gahra and I will be able to bring you horses and arms after nightfall."

"Good! And will Gahra and you throw in your lot with us?"

"Where you go I will go, senor. Let Gahra speak for himself. He will be here shortly. He is coming now. I will show myself that he may know we are here" (stepping out of the thicket).

When the negro arrived he expressed great satisfaction at finding us alive and well. He did not think there would be any great difficulty in getting away and bringing us horses. The _lleranos_ were still allowed to come and go pretty much as they liked, and if awkward questions were asked it would be easy to invent excuses. The best time to get away would be immediately after nightfall, when most of the foraging parties would have returned to camp and the men be at supper.

It was thereupon agreed that the attempt should be made, and that we should stay where we were until we heard the howl of an _araguato_, which Guido could imitate to perfection. This would signify that all was well, and the coast clear.

Then, after giving us a few pieces of _tasajo_ and a handful of cigars, the two men rode off; for the night was at hand, and if we did not escape before light of moon, the chances were very much against our escaping at all.


CHAPTER XVIII.

A NEW DEPARTURE.

"We seem always to be escaping, _amigo mio_," said Carmen, as we sat in the shade, eating our _tasajo_. "We got out of one scrape only to get into another. Your experience of the country so far has not been happy."

"Well, I certainly have had rather a lively time of it since I landed at La Guayra, if that is what you mean."

"Very. And I should almost advise you to leave the country, if that were possible. But reaching the coast in present circumstances is out of the question. All the ports are in possession of the Spaniards, and the roads thither beset by guerillas. I see nothing for it but to go on the llanos and form a guerilla band of our own."

"Isn't guerilla merely another name for brigand?"

"Too often. You must promise the fellows plunder."

"And provide it."

"Of course, or pay them out of your own pocket."

"Well, I am not disposed to become a brigand chief; and I could not keep a band of guerillas at my own charge even if I were disposed. As we cannot get out of the country either by the north or east, what do you say to trying south?"

"How far? To the Brazils?"

"Farther. Over the Andes to Peru."

"Over the Andes to Peru? That is a big undertaking. Do you think we could find that mountain of gold and precious stones you were telling me about?"

"I never entertained any idea so absurd. I merely mentioned poor old Zamorra's crank as an instance of how credulous people could be."

"Well, perhaps the idea is not quite so absurd as you suppose. Even stranger things have happened; and we do know that there is gold pretty nearly everywhere on this continent, to say nothing of the treasure hidden in times past by Indians and Spaniards, and we might find both gold and diamonds."

"Of course we might; and as we cannot stay here, we may as well make the attempt."

"You are not forgetting that it will be very dangerous? We shall carry our lives in our hands."

"That will be nothing new; I have carried my life in my hands ever since I came to Venezuela."

"True, and if you are prepared to encounter the risk and the hardship--As for myself, I must confess that the idea pleases me. But have you any money? We shall have to equip our expedition. If there are only four of us we shall not get beyond the Rio Negro. The Indians of that region are as fierce as alligators."

"I have a few _maracotes_ in the waistband of my trousers and this ring."

"That ring is worth nothing, my friend; at any rate not more than a few reals."

"A few reals! It contains a ruby, though you don't see it, worth fully five hundred piasters--if I could find a customer for it."

"I don't think you will easily find a customer for a ruby ring on the llanos. However, I'll tell you what. An old friend of mine, a certain Senor Morillones, has a large estate at a place called Naparima on the Apure. Let us go there to begin with. Morillones will supply us with mules, and we may possibly persuade some of his people to accompany us. Treasure-hunting is always an attraction for the adventurous. What say you?"

"Yes. By all means let us go."

"We may regard it as settled, then, that we make in the first instance for Naparima."

"Certainly."

"That being the case the best thing we can do is to have a sleep. We got none last night, and we are not likely to get any to-night."

As Carmen spoke he folded his arms and shut his eyes. I followed his example, and we knew no more until, as it seemed in about five minutes, we were roused by a terrific howl.

We jumped up at once and ran out of the thicket. Gahra and Guido were waiting for us, each with a led horse.

"We were beginning to think you had been taken, or gone away," said Guido, hoarsely. "I have howled six times in succession. My voice will be quite ruined."

"It did not sound so just now. We were fast asleep."

"Pizarro!"