Up the Forked River by Edward Sylvester Ellis (ebook audio reader .txt) 📕

and, therefore, need feel no fear."

With ill grace, the Dictator stepped carefully down and seated himself at the bow of the smaller boat.

"And now myself," was the good natured remark of the American, as he lightly followed. It was a trying moment, for he half expected a shot in the back, even though it would have meant the death of General Yozarro and the destruction of the tugboat. Captain Ortega must have feared something of the kind, for he stepped to the edge of the upper deck, leaned forward with his revolver grasped and kept a keen watch upon every man. It is not impossible that his vigilance averted a tragedy.

With the same even stroke, the small boat was rowed across the brief, intervening space, and the mate, Dick Horton, reached down, took the hand of the General and gave so lusty a pull that he stumbled forward and barely saved himself from sprawling on his hands and knees. The next instant Jack sprang among his friends, who crowded around, grasped his hands and showered him with congratulations.

During the flurry, Aunt Cynthia and Miss Starland had been kept beyond reach of harm, but they were now among the group that welcomed the owner of the pretty craft.

"Had you wished to give them the safest place," said he, "you should have let them stand at the bow in plain sight."

"Only the fear of a possible accident prevented that being done," replied the mate.

When General Yozarro saw the young woman in the laughing, happy company, he took off his hat, bowed low and said with his old-time obsequiousness:

"The pain of this meeting is turned to delight by the sight once more of your beauteous countenance and your charming self."

Looking him in the eyes, she measured her words:

"_Que V. se atreva a dirigirse a mi, es el mayor insulto de mi vida._"

The face crimsoned as if from the sting of a whiplash across the eyes, and those of the bystanders who understood the words, broke into a thrilling murmur of applause. General Yozarro tried to hide his repulse by turning to Major Starland:

"I have come aboard this vessel at your command; what do you desire of me?"

"Your sword."

The Dictator meekly drew the blade from its scabbard and extended the hilt toward the American, who recoiled.

"I refuse it; keep it; and take with you the remembrance that the most dangerous thing mortal man can fool with is an American." "Are you through?"

"I am, and I hope never to look upon your face again."

"_Mal rayo te parta!_ Your wish is reciprocated; I will return to my boat."

"_Adios_, General Yozarro!"

The sullen fellow made no reply, and was assisted over the side and rowed back to the crippled tug by the two sailors who had brought him away. During the unique interview, the crew and officers crowded the gunwale and watched proceedings with the keenest interest. Among them was the bulky General Bambos.


CHAPTER XXXIX.

It may be thought that the most galling experience of General Yozarro was the scarifying repulse of Miss Starland, when he presumed to address her; but unknown to all except the author of the insult and himself, he was compelled to taste a deeper dreg in the cup of wormwood and gall. While he paused, facing the group of Americans, a man on the outer fringe succeeded in catching his eye and made the most taunting grimace conceivable. He repeated it several times, the last being accompanied by a flirt of the forefinger across the throat to signify that that was the way he would like to serve the murderous tyrant. The man who thus grossly insulted him was Martella, the deserter, who chuckled with delight when he heard the stinging answer given to General Yozarro by Miss Starland. The others were too interested in what was going on before them to observe the by-play. General Yozarro set his teeth, and took consolation in the thought:

"General Bambos will give him to me and I will punish him; I will do the same with Captain Guzman for aiding the foul ingrate."

But the Dictator never did either. Jack Starland was not the one to forget the service of his friends. He had no trouble in persuading Martella to engage himself as one of the firemen on the _Warrenia_, for wages that were three-fold what he had received--when he did receive them which was not often--in his own country. Something in the nature of a compromise was made with Captain Guzman. He could not be induced to go so far as the great Republic of the North, but halted at Caracas.

"I am so accustomed to revolutions," said he with a grin and shrug, "that I should die of weariness in your noble country, but here I shall have all that my heart craves."

"It has much that look," replied Major Starland, as he shook him by the hand, after compelling him to accept a generous _douceur_ from himself and Miss Starland.

Returning from this digression, the small boat was kept under careful survey until it returned from the _General Yozarro_. Some feared that a musket shot might be fired at the seamen, for the Atlamalcan is hot-headed and reckless, and the fully loaded saluting gun was kept pointed.

"If I have to fire again," grimly said the mate, "I shall send the ball through her boiler, and sink the whole gang."

Fortunately the necessity did not arise. The most prominent form on the tug was that of Captain Ramon Ortega, standing in front of the pilot house on the upper deck. Pistol in hand, his watchfulness no doubt prevented any treacherous act, for all who knew him knew his unflinching sense of honor and his personal bravery. When the peril passed, he put away his weapon and stood with hands thrust in the side pockets of his light jacket.

Up went the hand of Miss Starland and she fluttered aloft her handkerchief.

"I see no reason why he should not recognize me as a friend _now_," she explained to the Major at her side.

The other saw her and lifted his hat and bowed low. Jack Starland did the same and called a cheery good bye to him.

"He is the foremost gentleman of the Atlamalcan Republic, and Senorita Manuela will secure a prize in him."

"No greater than he will secure in her; but what is to become of them?"

"Of whom?"

"Their boat is so injured that they are helpless."

"No doubt General Yozarro will be able to float another loan big enough to provide his navy with a new screw; until then, he may limp along as best he can."

At this moment, Mate Horton came forward with the same question.

"We might tow them down to Zalapata, even with General Bambos on board, but I am not impressed that it is my duty. Let them drift with the current and they will bump up somewhere. It is well that they should have a few hours for meditation. Besides, they have the tender and catboat and can send ashore for help, if they need it. No; I shall have nothing more to do with the gang; they must look out for themselves."

Captain Winton emitted a resounding blast from the whistle, to which the tug responded, and steamed down the river. His intention was to maintain a moderate speed, passing Zalapata without stop, and to make the first halt at San Luis, which ought to be reached some time during the night.

The Captain did not forget one important fact. While he had been fortunate in ascending the forked river, he had the slightest possible knowledge of it. The utmost circumspection was necessary on his part. The stream was broad and deep, but it had its snags, its "sawyers" like the Mississippi, and its dangerous shoals and shallow places. An experienced pilot can generally locate such spots by the crinkling circles at the surface, but there was a certain risk which would baffle even Captain Ortega. Below San Luis, the river so broadened and deepened, and was so comparatively free from obstructions that practically all peril would be left behind.

Captain Winton strove unremittingly to keep the channel, though that was not always possible. His good fortune in coming up the stream gave him confidence of making the down trip in safety. Fifteen minutes after expressing this belief to Major Starland, the bow of the yacht suddenly rose several feet, there was a quick slackening of speed and the boat settled to rest. No one needed to be told what it meant: the _Warrenia_ had run upon a mud bank and was fast.

"Captain Ortega's performance over again!" said Major Starland, "with the exception that he did it on purpose and I don't think you did."

"I am somewhat of the same opinion myself," growled the Captain, "but here we must stay for several hours at the least."

An instant investigation showed that the yacht had suffered no injury. She was staunchly built, and the impact was like that of a solid body against yielding cotton. Had the mud been rock or compact earth the result must have been disastrous.

The screw was kept viciously going, but it could not drag the boat off. Then the crew toiled for an hour shifting what was movable to the stern, but without result. Next, an anchor was carried a hundred feet up stream and imbedded in the oozy bed of the river, while sturdy arms on board tugged at the connecting hawser by means of a windlass, with the screw desperately helping, but the hull would not yield an inch. Finally the efforts were given up. Nothing remained but to wait till the rising tide should lift the mountainous burden and swing it free.

When the accident occurred, the tug had been left far out of sight in the winding stream, but about the middle of the afternoon it slowly drifted into view around a sweeping bend. The fact of its coming sideways showed that it was swayed wholly by the current.

"That is curious," remarked the puzzled Major to Mate Horton; "why don't they anchor, or pole to land, or tow the tug ashore with the smaller boats? There is no need of letting the vessel become a derelict simply because she has lost her screw."

The interest of those on the yacht naturally centred in the gradually approaching craft, which was closely scanned through the various glasses. Miss Starland stood beside her brother, her instrument leveled, while he used only his unaided eyes. After a time he remarked:

"That boat seems to be moving slowly."

"It isn't moving at all."

She handed the binocular to him, and a moment after pointing it, he exclaimed:

"You are right; it looks as if they did not care for a closer acquaintance."

Mate Horton joined them. He had noticed the same thing.

"What do you make of it, Major?"

He glanced at Miss Starland and then at his friend without speaking. She caught the by-play.

"Don't be afraid to speak before me; you do not seem to have noticed something else about the boat yonder."

"What is that?"

"It has a good many more men on board than when we parted company with it."


CHAPTER XL.

Major Jack Starland flashed up the glass and studied the other craft.

"By Jove! you are right; where do you suppose they came from, Dick?"

"The General must have established communication with