Part 16 (2/2)

He turned on his heel, after giving a flouris.h.i.+ng bow, and stepped towards the door. At that moment his eye fell upon Hal, and he stopped abruptly; for, taking advantage of his satirical bobs, the latter had drawn his revolver, and now held it presented at the Spaniard's head, while at the same time, as if to mock Jose's manner, he leant one hand easily upon the table as if it were almost too much trouble to stand.

”By your leave, Senor Capitan,” he said, with a short laugh. ”You have given us a lesson in politeness, and I will follow suit. Hands up, at this instant!”

To say that Jose d'Arousta was surprised was to express the situation mildly. He staggered backwards, turned deathly pale, and then drove his hand into his pocket.

”Stop that!” said Hal, sternly, but in low tones, so that the sentry should not hear, holding his weapon within an inch of the Spaniard's head. ”Hands up!”

Jose lifted his arms slowly and grudgingly, while he glared at Hal as if he would kill him.

”That is well. Now, I warn you that I will shoot if you show even the faintest suspicion of treachery. Dora, cut your father loose, if you please.”

As if in a dream, for she was as yet unable to grasp the situation, Dora took a knife from the table, and released Mr. Brindle.

”Good,” said Hal. ”Now, Mr. Brindle, I will trouble you to lash this rogue in front of me.”

”Delighted, I'm sure,” exclaimed the latter; and at once set to work.

Taking the ropes which had bound his own limbs only a moment or two before, he wound them round the arms and feet of the Spanish brigand, and knotted them firmly.

”Now we will go on with the play,” said Hal calmly. ”Much depends upon you, Jose d'Arousta. If you give the alarm now, you and your comrades will suffer. First and foremost, you will run the danger of receiving a bullet from my revolver, and then the negro hands, who lie close outside, will fire upon your men. Pedro, too, whose clothes I was forced to borrow, will come in for very rough handling, for he is not a favorite with our good fellows. Now, you can prevent all this by doing as I tell you.”

”What is it? What do you want?” the Spaniard asked crossly.

”Go to the window and order all your ruffians to return to Santiago.

Tell them on no account to go for their mules, for they will be shot if they attempt it, and we are anxious to avoid bloodshed where they are concerned.”

”And after that?”

”We will settle with you and your rascally accomplice.”

Hal looked the man in the face and spoke sternly. For an instant Jose glowered at him, but realizing that he was beaten, he lowered his eyes, and muttered angrily beneath his breath.

”You've had your orders, so come along,” said Mr. Brindle, grasping him by the shoulders and hustling him unceremoniously to the window. ”Now, repeat them aloud, and be careful how you do it, for I have a strong hand, and will pinch your neck till the life is out of you.”

Caught in a cleverly laid trap, there was nothing for Jose d'Arousta to do but obey. In a crestfallen voice, therefore, he called loudly to his comrades, begging them to leave the clearing and the neighborhood of the hacienda, and return to Santiago at once.

”Tell them that if they attempt to take their rifles or advance towards the house, you will be shot,” said Hal, rising to his feet to get a clear view through the window.

And now his plan to compel Pedro to add his voice to the Spaniard's proved useful, for at first the remainder of the band were incredulous.

They could not believe their ears, and sat round the fire gesticulating and asking questions of one another. Then the sentry descended the hacienda steps, and, unmindful of the warning, walked towards the piled-up arms. There was a crack from the fringe of trees, a flash suddenly lit up the shadows, and he fell backwards with his hands wildly clutching the air.

”That will show them that business is meant,” exclaimed Mr. Brindle. ”It is just as well, too, for when a band of cut-throats attack a peaceful hacienda, they must be taught that punishment will follow. But, evidently, they have had enough.”

And this was the case. Hearing their leader calling from the house, and his second in command from the forest, and detecting a ring of entreaty in the voices, the remainder of the rascally band hurried away from the hacienda, and, once amidst the trees, took to their heels in the direction of Santiago.

”There they go,” said Mr. Brindle, throwing the latticed shutters wide open, and listening to the crash of men breaking their way through the jungle. ”Now we will deal with the others. Hal, you know what is happening. Give your orders. I must confess that I am perfectly bewildered.”

”It's all very simple,” answered Hal, relaxing into a smile now that the danger was past. ”Gerald and I were warned that you were in trouble.

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