"Righto," the big fellow answered. "I"m scared stiff myself, and I"m not even going into the ranch. If I were in your boots I"d probably be shaking myself loose from them."
The pleasantry was what Jack needed. He grinned at the thought of big Bob shaking so much with fear as to shake off his shoes, and his recovery was complete.
The plan was for Jack, in the dress and character of Morales, to go to the ranch house, enter boldly and make his way to the room where his father was held prisoner. Bob was to stay with the plane. Releasing his father, Jack would return with him. Then they would all three fly away across the international boundary to the north.
It was impossible to foretell, of course, what obstacles to the carrying out of this daring proposal would arise. Both boys felt certain, however, that so far they were not suspected, and that first Jack and then Frank had successfully thwarted the attempt of Morales to send a warning to the ranch by radio.
Neither was aware, of course, that the jumble of sounds through the air, when Jack from the airplane had interfered with Morales" attempt to warn the ranch, and later the code conversation between Jack and Frank, after the latter had obtained possession of the radio plant in the cave and had overcome Morales, had aroused the curiosity and then the suspicions of the young German, Muller, who operated the radio plant at the Calomares ranch.
A few moments before the beat of its engine in the sky signalized the approach of the airplane, Muller had decided to go to the ranch and report to Calomares. He had crossed the landing field afoot and had just reached the belt of trees when the machine volplaned to the field behind him.
Although, as has been said, his suspicions were aroused, Muller was far from suspecting the truth. He had no idea the airplane had been recovered by its rightful owners and that these latter were about to make a daring attempt to rescue Mr. Hampton. His thought on the contrary, was that something--he could not make a more definite surmise--had gone wrong at the cave.
Therefore, when, after standing several minutes at the belt of trees, gazing back toward the airplane, he saw a figure start from it for the ranch house, he believed it was either Von Arnheim or Morales coming to report.
Muller was a sycophant, the type of man eager to curry favor with those in authority. He decided he would gain the ear of the great Calomares first. That would detract somewhat from the glory of the other when he arrived. Turning he darted for the ranch.
Meantime, Jack was making his way ahead more slowly. While not attempting to hide, he was on unfamiliar ground and felt that it behooved him to follow implicitly the directions given by Roy Stone and make no mistakes.
Pa.s.sing through the grove, Jack came in sight of the ranch. He paused in astonishment. Roy Stone"s description of the great house had prepared him in a measure. Yet he was astounded. Here, indeed, was a palace in the wilderness.
The mansion stood on a slight elevation with a lawn in front sloping down to the trees from which Jack had emerged. In design it was like a country house of the ancient Roman aristocracy. The walls were of vari-colored brick with inlaid designs representing formal flowers.
Two stories in height, with towers at the corners rising another two stories higher, the building was in two wings or sections, joined in front by a marble-tiled walk, roofed and pillared, but with the sides open. Inside, between these two wings, Roy Stone had told Jack, was an open court.
Nerving himself to the ordeal, and pulling down his hat to obscure his features, Jack crossed the lawn and started mounting the wide flight of stone steps flanked by crouching stone lions. He reached the marble tiles of the walk above and then, despite his anxiety to gain the left wing and the tower where his father was confined, he involuntarily paused.
The scene before him was one of the strangest to be found on the North American continent--this marble courtyard, with its overhanging balcony around the sides and rear and its splashing fountain and pool in the center, the whole illuminated by the soft glow of electric lights cunningly concealed along the edges of the balcony like footlights on the lip of a stage.
But it was not this alone which held Jack"s gaze riveted and caused a smothered cry of surprise to burst from his lips. Involuntarily he stepped from the shelter of a pillar behind which he had been standing.
For approaching along the balcony of the left wing, Jack saw the loved figure of his father engrossed in conversation with a small, dark man of patrician bearing.
It was instinct rather than conscious thought which checked the cry on his lips. Instinct told him a shout would mean betrayal, and the shattering of his desperate plan.
Yet careless of who might see, he stood there looking up at the distant figure until it was lost to view, cut off by the outjutting roof above him. That one sight, however, lifted a vast load from the boy"s mind. His father, at least, was not mistreated. Evidently the man with him was the Don. And as evidently his father was treated more as guest than prisoner.
At sound of a footstep on the marble tiles behind him, Jack returned with a start to a realization of his surroundings and the perils of his position. a.s.suming a carelessness which he was far from feeling, he refrained from turning about but instead started walking for that left wing ahead in the tower of which he knew his father to be lodged.
But the step behind him was accelerated, and he was hailed by name as Morales. Jack halted. Here was the first ordeal to be pa.s.sed. Well, he was prepared for it. According to his plan, he had bound his face in a handkerchief and intended to pretend having the toothache. The swathings partly hid his features, and the pulled-down hat further obscured them.
"I"m busy. Don"t delay me," he growled in Spanish, imitating Morales"
voice.
The newcomer approached. It was Muller.
CHAPTER XXVI
THE NIGHT ATTACK
When Jack"s figure had become merged in the shadows of the grove, big Bob, standing beside the airplane, reached a decision.
"Not a soul in sight here," he muttered to himself, once more letting his gaze rove over his surroundings. "Jack thought it would be best for me to stay here, but n.o.body"s going to monkey with the plane. I"m going to follow him--till he reaches the house, anyhow. He may need my help."
Thus the big fellow salved his conscience for departing from orders.
But he was so eager to take a hand in proceedings that he felt it would be torture to stay behind. He was dressed in Von Arnheim"s clothes. And his build was that of the German aviator. If he were observed, he would not be suspected. Even his atrocious Spanish would not betray him, as the German spoke the language almost as horribly as he.
Thus he reasoned to himself, as he strode rapidly after Jack.
When he reached the other side of the grove, and came in sight of the ranch house Bob, as Jack had done, halted in amazement at sight of the splendid structure.
He gazed around him. n.o.body in sight. Shrubbery intervening prevented him from gaining a clear view of the house. He started to skirt the bushes.
Meantime, not far away, the conversation between Jack and Muller was nearing a climax. Approaching the pretended Morales, Muller asked what he had tried to convey in his radio call, explaining it had been so interfered with by another mysterious call as to be non-understandable.
Not knowing Muller was the radio man at the ranch, Jack was nonplussed.
Again he answered that he could not be delayed, and started to withdraw.
Then Muller laid a detaining hand on his arm.
"Keep it to yourself, if you want to," Muller said. "But I know something happened at the cave and I have already reported so to the Don. First I thought you were trying to radio from the cave. Now here you come by airplane. There"s--"
"What do you mean?" growled Jack gruffly, although secretly alarmed.
"I mean there"s something wrong," Muller said.
Muller still had no suspicion that the man before him was other than he pretended to be. Merely he was trying to pry into a matter that had aroused his curiosity. Jack, however, thought he was on the eve of being discovered, and was alarmed.
At this moment Bob, skirting a clump of bushes on the lawn below, came in sight of the two figures and halted.
He saw Jack wrench his arm from the other"s grasp and turn to stride away. He saw the other raise an arm as if to stay Jack. And he saw the movement flip Jack"s low-pulled hat from his head. It was accidental, but to Jack and Bob--the actor and the observer in this little drama--it seemed to be by intent. It is possible Jack still might have saved the day, had he stooped quickly, recovered his hat and clapped it on again before Muller could have seen his features.
As it was, however, Jack thought he was discovered. And he turned to deal with Muller. Then, in truth, he _was_ discovered. Muller cried out in amazement. Then Jack landed a stinging blow on the mouth which sent the young German toppling to the marble pave.
At Muller"s shout, several rebel sentries, who had been snoozing in the shadows beside the palace, instead of mounting guard, were startled into instant wakefulness. They came trotting in bare feet, long rifles in hand, and ran up the wide flight of steps.
Bob started forward to help Jack. The latter, however, took one look at the sentries and then dashed into the left wing of the building.
The sentries for a moment did not pursue, believing the fleeing man was Morales. Instead, they bent above Muller and helped him to his feet. Bob halted, and backed into the bushes, keeping his eyes on the scene. No use rushing in to help Jack now. He would merely succeed in getting into trouble himself, without aiding his chum.
From his vantage point he was able to read aright what followed.
Although he could not overhear what was being said and would not have understood the Spanish words, if he had overheard, nevertheless he gathered that Muller was explaining the fugitive was not Morales, but someone wearing his clothes.
Then he saw the sentries dart away in pursuit of Jack, while Muller whipped out a revolver and fired three shots into the air.
"That"s an alarm," Bob said to himself. "I"d better back off before this place is alive with soldiers."