Part 3 (1/2)
”Did you hear anything, Senor?” asked Manuel.
”Nothing.”
”I was sure I heard something,” a.s.serted his companion. They had reined in their horses and sat listening quietly for a few seconds.
”It was probably nothing but a calf by the roadside,” said the Senor.
The other shook his head doubtfully, then they turned and rode on towards the rancho.
When they were safely out of range, the party of pirates took up their line of march once more.
”So the greaser took me for a calf,” remarked Captain Broom. ”If it had been you, Jack Cales, there might be some excuse fer such a mistake.”
”Aye, sir,” replied Cales, glumly.
”Getting kind of close to the ranch, ain't you, Cap'n?” ventured old Pete.
”I thought of leaving you there, Pete, while the rest of us corralled those kids. You are getting too old for these long tramps.”
No more remarks were heard coming from the direction of Pete, for he was not at all sure but that the Captain might, in a moment of irresponsible humor, do just as he threatened without regard to the consequences.
After they had gone on for a mile from the point where the two men had overtaken them, Captain Broom led his party away from the road in a southerly direction, once more undergoing the harrowing experience of getting through the barbed wire fence. But this time Jack Cales was especially detailed by the Captain to get old Pete through so there would not be any unnecessary delay.
It was evident that they were getting into a different section, a short time after they left the road, for they began going up and winding among little rocky hills. At last they came to a stopping place. They climbed up an elevation and sat on some rocks among a group of dark trees.
”Now, lads, take it easy,” said the Captain, ”ye have had quite a footin' and when morning comes, there will be some more ahead and at a faster gait.”
”Gosh, Cap'n,” declared old Pete, ”It's the most walking we've done together since the time we corralled the last bunch of n.i.g.g.e.rs on the west coast of Africa.”
”We certainly made money that trip when we sold that cargo of c.o.o.ns to the traders on that Palmetto Island below Charleston. But we will clean up about as much money when we round up those four boys and twice as easy. Tell the two lads about that trip, Pete.”
The old sailor sat on a rock, and taking out his bag of tobacco filled his short black pipe with one th.o.r.n.y thumb, then he commenced his narrative, with the glow of his pipe lighting up his weatherbeaten face.
”Well, orders is orders, and the Cap'n wants me to tell this yarn. I might just as well begin it, lads. I never knew any good to come to sailormen cruising around on dry land any more than on this trip.” He cast a wary eye at Captain Broom, but that worthy merely grunted and Pete resumed his story.
”Our clipper lay at anchor in a wide bay with only a couple of men on board and the Captain, myself and six men trailing inland for to find a village of naygurs that our guides had told us of.
”It certainly was hot and steamy going through the jungles and every once in a while a big snake as large as my leg would crawl across our path and rustle away into the undergrowth. Once I felt one of 'em a-twisting and rolling under my foot like a big log that had came to life. I guess I must have jumped twice as high as my own head and I lit on the back of one of the naygurs that was guiding us.
”He didn't know what struck him; probably thought it was a tiger for I sunk my hooks into his hide. He let out a yell and went ripping and snorting through that jungle and me not having sense enough to let go, until a grape vine about as thick as a manilla rope chucked me under the chin and I fell flat on my back and I guess that naygur is still running.”
Here the captain who was evidently enjoying the narrative hugely, burst into a volcanic roar of laughter.
”I can see yer yet, Pete, on that bounding buck of a n.i.g.g.e.r, and him a-hiking through the jungle and a-yelling like a wild Injun.”
”I remember you got out of the way mighty quick,” said Pete, ”when you heard us a-coming behind you.”
”It certainly was a curious spectacle,” said the Captain, ”but go on with your yarn, Pete.”