Part 19 (2/2)
The Indian grinned and motioned to the captive to go back. Then Floyd understood. This Indian was a sentry, placed on guard to prevent the captives leaving.
”Well?” questioned Rosemary, as Floyd slid back to where she was spreading out some blankets that had been tossed in with their food.
”No go,” was the discouraged answer. ”They've got us hemmed in.”
”We'll just have to wait--that's all,” said the girl. ”I don't believe they'll do us any real harm now. They probably want money for letting us go. I expect they'll be having us write notes, soon, to Uncle Henry, asking him to forward ten thousand dollars, or some amount like that.”
”Ten thousand dollars!” gasped Floyd.
”Mexican!” laughed Rosemary with a joking spirit she did not altogether feel.
Thus left to themselves, in a sort of natural prison of the rocks, a roofless cave, the captives spent the night, rolled in blankets. It was cool without a campfire, but none was allowed them. Sore, stiff and disheartened, Rosemary and Floyd arose soon after the sun was up, and made a pretense at breakfast. They were given some tin cups of black, bitter and muddy coffee, without sugar, but it was most comforting.
”I never tasted anything better!” declared Floyd, draining the last drops.
”Nor I,” agreed his sister.
There was a movement among the Indians, and it was evident that they were about to take to the trail again. Rosemary and Floyd wondered how far they would thus be led into the mountains. Surely if a demand for ransom money was to be made it must be made soon.
But then they did not know how far they were from the ranch of their uncle, whom they had set out to visit. They might be going toward it or away from it. They had lost all sense of direction.
Suddenly something seemed to take place down in the main camp of the Indians that indicated a new element in the grim adventure. There were shouts and excited cries--cries of alarm, it was very evident.
”Oh!” cried Rosemary with s.h.i.+ning eyes. ”Maybe it's a rescue party after us?”
”I hope so!” shouted Floyd.
A moment later Mike, his face showing unmistakable signs of fear, came rus.h.i.+ng in, and by signs, and talk in his own tongue, of which Rosemary and Floyd could understand a few words, he indicated that they were to follow him.
Meanwhile the confusion and alarm in the main body of the Yaquis increased.
What had happened?
CHAPTER XVIII
SEPARATED
Though realizing how useless it was to question Mike--useless because she doubted if he understood her, and equally futile because he would not bother to answer her--still Rosemary fired a volley of questions at the Indian.
”If I had my way I'd fire a volley of bullets at him--provided I had them to fire!” growled Floyd. But he had not, and Rosemary did not deem this an occasion to again produce her weapon, which she was keeping as a last resort.
Besides, Mike did not betray any specially hostile intentions. He seemed merely anxious to get Rosemary and Floyd out of their prison pen, so to speak, and on the move.
”But what's it all about?” demanded Rosemary. ”What's the excitement, and what's the hurry?”
For that there was excitement and an alarm, and that she and her brother were being urged to hurry was very evident.
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