Part 10 (1/2)

If Jack counseled patience in waiting for the insurgent's return, he quite forgot his advice before Manuel Marlin put in an appearance, and with good reasons, for it was well into the following night before he came. He seemed then greatly excited, and told his story in a disjointed way.

”Senors' friends came ash.o.r.e in a boat from the _Libertador_,” he declared, in what seemed an exultant tone. ”Then Castro's spies captured them and threw them into prison. But senors need not fear, for the Sons of Liberty will soon free them. Even now Matos is hewing his way toward the capital. Many recruits are being added to his army, and never did the prospects of down-trodden Venezuela look brighter.”

”So our friends are held as prisoners of war?” asked Jack.

”As spies under Matos,” replied Manuel. ”Perhaps I should add, senors, that Francisco de Caprian has been recognized as an old offender against Castro. But they cannot hold him any more than they can hold long El Mocho.”

If this information did not disturb the spirits of Manuel Marlin, it did awaken considerable uneasiness on the part of Ronie and Jack.

”Perhaps, if we should see the authorities at San Carlos they might set Harrie, at least, free,” said Ronie.

Manuel shook his head.

”No power below Castro's can free them until Matos enters San Carlos.”

Ronie was about to reply, when a commotion outside of the dwelling arrested their attention, and before they were able to understand what it meant, the wife of the Venezuelan hurriedly entered the apartment, exclaiming:

”Fly, for your life, Manuel! The yard is full of soldiers searching for the Gringos!”

Even Ronie knew this last word was a term applied by the Spanish races to Americans, and that he and Jack were the objects sought for by the newcomers.

Manuel Marlin quickly antic.i.p.ated the truth, and he cried out in alarm:

”We have been betrayed! Some one has carried the news of your coming to El Capitan. Quick! flee from here, if you value your lives and mine.”

[1] President Castro was horn of humble parentage, his parents being of mixed blood, mostly Indian, in the mountainous district of Western Venezuela. Thus the revolutionists were wont to paint him as an untamable savage, who had come to the surface in the turbulent broil of the uprisings of the times and had hewn and burned his way to the presidency. Manuel Matos was of superior birth, and was related by marriage to the Guzman Blanco family. He had had some military experience under President Blanco, but was more of a civic leader. He claimed that the Castro administration was corrupt.--AUTHOR.

[2] Singularly enough, General Castro was elected President for a term of six years on February 20, 1902, within a few days of this talk.--AUTHOR.

CHAPTER XI.

A PERILOUS FLIGHT.

Renewed outcries now came from outside the building, and it seemed evident that the mob was about to enter the place. Certainly it would unless something could be done to evade such a movement. Jack Greenland was the first to speak:

”Can't you or the woman parley with them long enough for us to slip away by the rear of the building, Manuel?”

”Me--parley? They would string me up like a dog. Curses upon their pig heads!”

By this time his wife had become calmer than he, and she showed that if he was lacking in courage to meet the enemy, she was not. So she immediately offered to keep the crowd at bay long enough for them to effect their escape, her husband showing great eagerness to profit by her heroism. Accordingly, she returned to the front part of the dwelling without loss of time, and a moment later Ronie heard her challenging the leader of the would-be captors.

”While it may not be good policy for us to use them too freely, it may not be amiss for us to provide ourselves with firearms,” said Jack.

”Si, senors,” replied Manuel, quickly darting away from them, but returning in an incredibly short time with a couple of short, but serviceable weapons, one of which he handed to each of his companions.

”Follow me, senors. They are getting impatient, and Dolores will not be able to hold them back long. I think we had better cross the bay to the other sh.o.r.e. I have a boat.”