CHAPTER XIX
A BRAVE ACT AND A CLEVER RUSE
As the two marines dashed around the bend in the road they found before them an open plain with small clumps of low-lying shrubs here and there on its sun-baked, level surface. Three hundred yards to their right a thatched hut of mud stood at the edge of the mangroves which bordered the plain. Apparently deserted, it offered the only real shelter in sight, and this was shelter from observation only, in all probability, for its walls would offer little resistance to the shots of their enemies.
"Make for the shack, Hank," called d.i.c.k, and together they dashed across the firm ground. Before they reached their haven the bullets were again zip-zipping about them. d.i.c.k, in the lead, was within a few yards of the hut when he was arrested by a cry of distress from Henry. Turning, he saw his chum on his hands and knees about twenty yards in the rear, while from the direction of the bend an exultant yelling told him the natives were aware that one of the party was injured. Instantly d.i.c.k doubled on his tracks and was soon at Henry"s side.
"Did they get you, Hank?" he inquired anxiously.
"Yes, in the right leg," answered the plucky boy, with a smile. "It knocked me down. Doesn"t hurt much, but I can"t seem to use my leg."
"I"ll fix you all right," said d.i.c.k cheerily, though he felt far from happy, and bending while Henry sat up, he easily picked up his companion in the way he had been taught to use in carrying wounded men off the field. He took Henry"s left leg under his own left arm, and made the injured boy bend over his left shoulder. Then, grasping Henry"s left wrist with his right hand, d.i.c.k was up and again running towards the hut. The shooting kept up while d.i.c.k was bending over his chum, but when the natives saw him carrying away the fallen boy they redoubled their fire and their yells increased in proportion. Fortunately they were poor marksmen, and d.i.c.k reached the shack without further mishap.
Here he deposited Henry on the dirt floor and reaching in his hunting-bag he brought forth a first-aid package. The wound was bleeding freely, and without hesitation d.i.c.k ripped the right trousers"
leg from the knee downward with his knife (the same one he had taken from Gonzales at Sanchez) and then with an expert hand he bound the wound up firmly.
"I feel O.K. now, old chap, and you"d better squint outside and see what those rapscallions are up to."
"They"ve quit shooting and there is no one in sight," said d.i.c.k, who crawled to the empty doorway and looked out across the flats towards the bend.
[Ill.u.s.tration: Map Showing Position of Hut in Which Boys Took Refuge]
"Do you reckon they"ve decided to let us alone?"
"I don"t know, Henry, but I"ll know in a minute. I"m going out after our shotguns. We"re pretty poor soldiers to leave our weapons lying all around the country," and d.i.c.k"s grin was meant to convey the idea that the task he was about to undertake was not of much importance nor danger.
"Don"t try it, d.i.c.k. Perhaps they are only waiting for us to show ourselves and then when we do they hope to pot us."
But d.i.c.k had rushed out of the doorway before Henry finished speaking.
He zigzagged his way across the open s.p.a.ce to about fifty yards, the point where he had rescued Henry, and with his reappearance another fusillade began. As d.i.c.k reached the spot he saw the two guns lying within a few feet of each other, and between them and the enemy was a small clump of green bush.
Back in the doorway Henry now sat watching with bated breath. He saw d.i.c.k stop in his mad rush, then he saw him throw up his hands in a wild gesture of despair and fall to the ground. That his brave friend was in great agony was evident to the helpless watcher. He saw d.i.c.k roll over and over, his arms and legs seeming to thresh the air. Finally the movements ceased and d.i.c.k lay stretched out like a log on the scorching hot plain. The tears rolled unheeded down Henry"s cheeks, and then, hearing the loud victorious shouts of the natives as they streamed out from behind the shelter of the woods near the bend, and on across the plain, his lips pressed together and his eyes grew cold and stern, for the brain behind was dominated by but one thought, the desire to avenge his comrade.
With grim determination he placed all the spare magazines for his pistol within easy reach and drew his heavy Colt"s from the holster. Not a man should ever reach d.i.c.k"s body if the steady hand and cool nerve of Henry Cabell could prevent.
On came the natives, and Mexican Pete was leading them. Even as they came they continued firing at the hut and in the direction of the still body lying behind the little bush where it had rolled in the last struggles. Henry, unheeding the pain in his leg, rolled into the doorway on his stomach and, resting both elbows on the floor, he squinted over the sights and took careful aim at the Mexican. He meant to make every shot count, and so he waited until the leader should be within seventy-five yards of him. So intense was he on judging the precise moment to open fire that he saw nothing but this one man whom he covered with his pistol.
As he looked he saw the Mexican throw up his arms, whirl about and run back towards cover. What caused this? Henry lowered his pistol, and now saw the rest of the gang wildly scattering, leaving two of their number lying on the plain. The next moment Henry was rubbing his eyes to see if he were awake. The body lying in the shelter of the bush had come to life. d.i.c.k Comstock was working his shotguns with lightning rapidity, and clouds of dust flew up from the plain as the buckshot sprayed about among the fleeing men. As the last one was lost in the distant cover d.i.c.k ceased his fire and came running, with both guns in his hands, for the hut.
"Say, boy, but didn"t I fool "em?" he joyfully shouted as he sprang through the doorway. "Did you see me get "em, Hank?"
"Old boy, I thought they had gotten you. I reckon I was pretty much all in too, d.i.c.k, when I saw you go down, and I was just about to open up when you began on them. It was sure a good trick you played, but, d.i.c.k, be careful to let me know about it the next time or I"ll die of heart failure. Did they get you at all?"
"Not once; but one of their darn slugs took off my cap, right enough, and right then the thought flashed through my mind to play the trick.
Whew! It"s some hot out there, and, Hank, do you still see those two chaps that fell? I wonder if they"re hurt, or--or---- Gee! I feel kind of squeamish, now that it"s over," and d.i.c.k sat down rather suddenly with his back against the wall.
"No, they are not dead, d.i.c.k, for one of them jumped up and limped off when your fire stopped, and the other is yelling for help right now.
Besides, they deserve no better fate, and our death would have meant nothing to them in the way of regret, at least."
"I feel better, after what you"ve said, but for a moment the thought of killing a man was making me sort of sick at my stomach. I didn"t feel that way when I was shooting at "em, though," and d.i.c.k took a deep breath of relief, then rising he looked out at the scene of recent conflict. Out in the middle of the plain the wounded native still called for help, but if his comrades were within hearing they made no attempt to render any a.s.sistance.
"I reckon those buckshot sort of stung a bit," snickered Henry; but his snicker ended in a little painful gasp that he tried in vain to control.
"I"ve got to get you out of here, Hank, and in a hurry. There is no telling what they"ll do next, and they"ll be back as soon as the first fright wears off. I believe that path back of the hut will take us to a creek which flows into the Estero Balsa and which the officers plotted in on the chart last week when I was with them. Anyhow, it"s worth trying. If you feel well enough suppose you keep an eye out on the plain while I reconnoiter in the rear."
"Good; I feel fine, d.i.c.k, so go along, and I"ll keep them off, don"t worry."
In ten minutes d.i.c.k returned with the news that his surmise was correct, and as luck would have it, a small boat with two men was even then coming up the narrow creek. Taking Henry on his shoulder once more, d.i.c.k carried him to the bank of the creek, arriving there as the boatmen reached a point opposite. At his hail the boat was soon nosing the bank, and the natives inquired what was wanted.
"My comrade just met with an accident, and I wish to take him to the Captain of the Port"s house; will you row us there?"
The two fishermen at first demurred, but d.i.c.k settled the matter by taking hold of the gunwale and at the same time drawing his pistol. It was no time to parley; in a moment they saw the force of his remarks.
Henry was placed carefully in the bottom of the boat, and soon they were speeding down-stream.
Once during the pa.s.sage the two boys looked at each other and winked knowingly, for from far upstream came the sound of numerous shots.
"Seems to be a lot of hunting in this country," said d.i.c.k aloud.
"Oh, yes, Senor, the doves are very plentiful this year," said one of the rowers.
Crossing the waters of the Estero, they drew up alongside the wharf, where they had landed less than twenty-four hours previously. One of the ship"s boats was there, and the c.o.xswain in charge hailed them.
"Hurry aboard, you leathernecks. I"ve all the stuff from your camp.
The ship"s under sailin" orders fer Nicaragua, where there"s a hot little revolution goin" on. What"s that, one of you hurt? Well, they shouldn"t let boys carry guns anyway; they"re all the time a-shootin" of themselves. Steady, lads! Handle him with care, and make a soft place fer him in the c.o.c.kpit with them cushions. Shove off, for"rd! Full speed ahead! Say good-bye to this heck of an island, fellers; we"re off this time, for sure!"
CHAPTER XX
"TO THE DITCH AT PANAMA"
"There goes the good old _Denver_, Mike. I guess she"ll reach the fighting grounds before we do."
"Don"t let that be for worryin" of ye, d.i.c.k, me lad," responded Corporal Dorlan. "We"ll be havin" a bellyful of it, I"m thinkin", if all signs is correct. Nevertheless, she was one of the foinest little crafts I"ve ever served on, and they was a grand lot of Navy officers on her, too; but I"m glad to git back to the Corps again. I"m a marine, d.i.c.k, through and through, and though I get along with them Navy men well enough, I like to serve with me own kind best of all."
The old veteran and young drummer were standing on the wharf at Cristobal, at the Atlantic end of the ten-mile stretch of land across the Isthmus of Panama known as the Ca.n.a.l Zone, which by treaty with the Panamanian Government had come under perpetual control of the United States. Fading away in the dim distance was the ship which for many months had been d.i.c.k"s official home. Diverted from her original orders, she had put in at Cristobal long enough to land all her marines, with the exception of Henry Cabell, who was still under the surgeon"s care; and now she was bound for Bluefields, on the Mosquito Coast of Nicaragua. In order to fill existing vacancies in a regiment of marines hurrying to the scene of action on board the Naval Transport _Dixie_, which ship was just appearing above the distant horizon, the guard of the _Denver_ had been unceremoniously "dumped on the beach," as the men put it.
There was no question that the revolution in progress, most active on the Pacific coast of Nicaragua, was a lively one. Marines were being a.s.sembled from all available points, even reducing the guard at Camp Elliott to a mere skeleton detachment. These men from the Zone were the first to leave for Nicaragua, and the army men stationed there had watched them depart with feelings of envy.
"Blame it all! Those marines are always getting into something. I"ll bet I take on with that outfit the next time I sign up," more than one regular army "file" had been heard to say.
And that first lot of "soldiers of the sea" had already met with opposition. Even now they were somewhere between Corinto and the capital city, Managua. If they found the rails torn up, they repaired them; bridges burned, they built new ones temporarily. They were threatened with annihilation if they interfered, yet they continued with a dauntless, young and able leader at their head, relieving the fears of the foreigners in the interior and keeping the single line of railroad back to their base in fairly good order. Only this very audacity could a.s.sure the success of their undertaking, and also a possible misunderstanding on the part of Federals and Rebels as to which side "these interfering Yankees" were really there to help, though it was the bearers of the red rosettes who actively opposed their progress.
American financial interests were jeopardized, and underlying all the fuss and furor were greater stakes than the general public realized.
Perhaps Drummer Richard Comstock and Trumpeter Cabell, in a talk before they separated that morning, were closer to the real reason for this strong force being despatched than were even the best informed officers of the expedition.