"Follow me, Plum."
On the outer threshold they paused to take a hasty survey of the surroundings, soon satisfying themselves that a terrific battle was being waged at the upper end of the town.
"The quicker we get away the better," said Jack, begining to move laboriously toward the grand plaza, with Plum close behind him.
In that slow, tedious way the two crossed the yard in front of the town house, and then steering for the cover of a line of shrubbery bordering on the west side of the plaza, they crawled as fast as they could in that direction.
The sound of the cannon was not heard so constant now, but the storm of the musketry had not seemed to cease to any extent.
What meant infinitely more to them, the firing was rapidly drawing nearer.
The fire, too, of the burning town was growing brighter and brighter, even the plaza showing plainly under its vivid glare.
Upon reaching the shrubbery they stopped for a brief respite.
"Look, Jack!" exclaimed Plum, in a shrill whisper, "our prison is on fire!
We didn"t get out any too soon."
Jack had made the same discovery. He made no reply, his thoughts being busy in another direction.
An incendiary had kindled a fire at one end of the building and so fast did the flames increase and spread that while they watched them they sprang up and enveloped one whole side in a crimson sheet.
"We must get away from this place," said Jack. "The two factions of war are coming this way on a run. It must be the captors of the town have met more than their match this time."
Again the escaping couple began their slow retreat, now under cover of a dense growth reaching they knew not how far. Nor did that matter so long as it afford them shelter from their enemies.
Once, having gained a little summit from which they could look down on the exciting scene, they stopped to gaze back, their curiosity aroused by the wild medley of cries.
The town house was now all ablaze, the lurid fire feeding upon its walls lighting far the night scene, while throwing a weird glamor over the contending factions of war-crazed men, who had now both reached the further side of the plaza and temporally suspended hostilities.
There was a reason for this last, too, as explained by Jack"s words, as he a.n.a.lyzed the situation:
"They are Chilians on both sides, Plum!"
"Do you mean, Jack, that this attack on the Chilians of the town has been made by some of their own countrymen?"
"Yes; there has been some mistake made, which has cost many needless lives. What a painful surprise it must be to them!"
Jack afterwards learned that he had been right in his conjectures, and that through some unexplainable blunder one division of the Chilian army had been sent to capture the town already in possession of another portion.
Santa Rosilla was in the possession of the Chilians sure enough now!
But Jack and Plum dared not stop to see the outcome of this singular meeting between the armed forces, but improved every moment to get away from the ill-fated town.
Chapter XX
Preparations for Departure
Three days later, having actually worn off the bonds on their lower limbs by their long, painful journey on their hands and knees through the dense growth, until a friendly Peruvian lad finished their liberation, Jack and Plum entered de la Pama, two sorry-looking youths but still full of courage. Almost the first news they learned was that the St. Resa railroad was again without the men to run the train, which had been stalled for weeks. In fact, the engineer and his helper who had succeeded them, had not made one complete trip, the fireman having blown out the boiler soon after leaving De la Pama.
In this dilemma the officials hailed the appearance of the boys with unfeigned delight. But Jack was sorry to learn that it had been decided not to pay over thirty pistoles a month for his services.
"We might as well let the cars stand idle as to pay out all we can get for help. Then, too, the business is not going to be very good while this war lasts, senor."
The pay was still big for that country, and Jack resolved to accept, though before doing so he asked: "What will you pay my fireman?"
"Twenty pistoles, senor. That is the best we can do. We can get plenty of men for that price." "It doesn"t look so. But what do you say, Plum? That will bring you seventy-two dollars a month, if I reckon right. I will try it for awhile if you will go with me."
"I"m with you."
Most unexpected to them at the time they began, the "awhile" proved for a year. Jack had not dreamed he should stay so long, but his previous experience had left him penniless, and with his fixed determination to try again, he knew he would not be able to find so good an opportunity to earn the needed money to begin renewed operations. During those days Jack sent several letters to his folks and to Jenny. In return he received a letter from his father, stating that all was now going fairly well with the family and if he wanted to stay in South America he could do so. Mr. North also sent the information that Fowler & Company had gone into the hands of a receiver and there was no telling whether the business would be continued or not, and Jack need not expect any back pay from the concern.
From Jenny Jack heard not a word, much to his anxiety and dismay. The fact was that Jenny"s folks had moved to another town and she had not received Jack"s letters, and consequently did not know exactly where he was.
"I suppose she has forgotten all about me," he thought, with a sigh.
"Well, I suppose I ought to go back, but I hate to do it before I"ve managed to get some money together. There"s a fortune in that nitrate and I know it, and some day I"ll get hold of it."
Very much to Jack"s surprise they were not molested very much by the bush-raiders, whose power seemed to have been checked by the advance of the opposing armies, for the war was still carried on, though in a sort of desultory manner, as if each side was afraid of the others. Jack could foresee that the Chilians were pretty sure to secure that portion of the country before they got through. Plum Plucky had stood by his friend all of this time, and they had met with some thrilling experiences, but come out of them safely.
Jack saved his money like a miser, and with undimmed faith in his ultimate success bought five more nitrate beds, to be laughed at by his friend.
"Should think you would want to look after "em loads you have got over on the Andes," Plum would frequently say.
Each time Jack remained silent.
"Say, Jack," Plum would then invariably say, "don"t yeou s"pose "em oxen are getting hungry by this time?"
Still the other held his peace.
Jack had not forgotten the mysterious island in the equally mysterious lake amid the Andes, and twice during the year his memory had been refreshed by startling accounts given of the place by different parties that had visited the valley. These men had given it the name of the "Devil"s Waters," not very inappropriately.
At the end of the year, it now being certain that the Peruvians were losing their hold on the province which comprised the territory in which they were located, Jack said to his companion:
"I am almost sorry to say that I shall make my last trip to-morrow, Plum."
"Going back to nitrates?" asked the other, showing but little surprise.
"Yes. I must get a cargo to America as soon as possible."
"Should think you would want to. Guess I will stick to the old gal here a little longer. When I have got enough money to get out of this swamp in the way I want to I shall go back to old New England.
"I tell you there is no place like the Old Bay State. Yeou won"t think me a sneak for deserting yeou now, Jack?" dropping back into his old-time nasal drawl.
"Oh, no, of course not. In fact, I think you are doing just as I should if I were in your place. I will speak a good word for you to get my position as engineer. You can run the engine as well as I now."