He shook his head again, and hobbled away with the mules, leaving Gerald to interpret what had pa.s.sed between them.
"Perhaps it would be the wiser course not to enter Santiago," said Hal; "but we have no choice in the matter, for we want to get away from the island, and that is the only manner in which we can arrange it. Come along, Gerald. We"ll decide how we are to act as we go towards the town."
Five minutes later they were walking towards the rows of lights which now twinkled from the houses in Santiago. On arriving close beside the first, they halted at a drinking-fountain, which splashed musically, inviting the thirsty traveler to stop and satisfy his wants.
"We want to get in there undetected," said Hal; "and, what is more, we"re going to have a good shot at it. The question is, How are we to set about the matter? Now, my idea is to face the thing boldly, and act as if we had as much right to enter as the general himself. If we are seen skulking, suspicion will be aroused, and we shall probably have a few bullets flying about our ears. War has only just been declared, and no doubt the people are very much excited. They will be expecting something to happen, but not from this side. The Americans will come from over the sea, and therefore it is from the coast-line that danger and attack will be apprehended. What is there suspicious about us?
Simply nothing! I never saw a more innocent-looking couple; and as for being different in appearance from the ordinary citizens, I am sure we should pa.s.s all but the closest scrutiny. Come along! We"ll strike for the main entrance."
Gerald jumped to his feet and followed willingly, for he had already had experience of the soundness of Hal"s judgment, and trusted him implicitly.
A few minutes later the road which they were traversing narrowed, and, pa.s.sing through a thick grove of orange trees, ran between two rows of houses. At the end of the street a barricade was erected, and a sentry, who stood behind it in the shadow, challenged them loudly.
"Halt!" he cried harshly. "Who goes there?"
"Friends," answered Gerald, in his finest Spanish.
"Then advance, and show yourselves."
Hal and his comrade promptly stepped forward in obedience to the order, for it was too late to turn back now, even if they had wished; and, moreover, the sight of the sentry as he stood out from the shadow of the barricade, with rifle pointed in their direction, was sufficient to show them that even to hesitate would mean a report, and the whistle and shriek of a bullet in their direction.
Accordingly they moved forward till close beside him, when they stopped as the bayonet was dropped to the level of their chests.
"Here are two who wish to enter. Bring a light, one of you," the sentry cried.
"A lantern? Wait, and I will come with one," a second voice answered; and steps were heard as another of the Spanish soldiers approached.
He carried an unlighted lantern in his hand, and, when close beside the lads, placed it upon the top of the barricade, while he fumbled in his pocket for a match. At length he produced a solitary one, and, lifting his foot, struck it sharply across the sole. But the flash was instantly extinguished by a puff of wind that came whistling through the trees at that moment.
"Ah, caramba!" he exclaimed, with an angry stamp of his foot. "It is the very last that I have, and to get another I must go back to the guard-room. Have you a box about you, comrade?"
The sentry placed his rifle between his knees, and searched in every pocket, but without success.
"I cannot help you," he said crossly. "Get back and fetch a light. I am tired of waiting."
"I cannot be bothered," the other replied. "Who are these fellows?"
"We are friends," Gerald promptly responded.
"Then pa.s.s them in, comrade," said the one who had declined to fetch a light. "They are brothers-in-arms most certainly."
Gerald pulled Hal by the sleeve, and, without waiting for more, the two hurried through the barricade and on into the street. Fifty paces away the road was dimly lighted by a lamp hanging from a pole. They were just pa.s.sing beneath it, and were in the act of congratulating themselves on their success, when a company of soldiers marched up, and the officer in charge, happening to catch sight of the two youths, called loudly to them to approach and declare who they were.
CHAPTER XIII
IN DANGER AND DISTRESS
"Who are you two over there? What are you doing out in the streets at this time of night. Come nearer and let me see you," cried the officer, who had just marched in with a detachment of troops as Hal and Gerald entered the town and were moving away from the barricade. "Come, I say, or we will make it uncomfortable for you, my fine fellows."
"By Jove! What are we to do?" asked Gerald, in a low and anxious voice.
"He orders us to come near so that he may inspect us."
"The deuce he does! Then we must make the best of a bad matter and go, for it cannot be helped," Hal answered quickly. "If we attempt to bolt now they would simple riddle us with bullets. Let us brazen the matter out, and should our luck fail us, just keep your eye on me, old boy, and when you see me move make a bolt for the houses."
"Right. Come along; he"s in a hurry."
Indeed, the Spaniard was accustomed to be obeyed on the instant, and noticing at once that the two suspicious characters who had caught his eye hesitated, and stood talking in low voices, he reiterated his order in a loud and commanding tone.
"Now, who are you?" he demanded fiercely, when they had approached.
"Turn your faces to the light that I may see you. Fellows of your sort love the darkness, it seems to me, and slink along in the shadows."
"We are two of the people of Santiago who work in the stores," Gerald replied quietly. "We have been a short way out into the country to see a friend."
"Indeed, and who may he be?" was the haughty answer. "I do not like the ring of your words, my fine fellow. Ha! What is this? You are both too fair for men of our race. Here, sentry, bring along a lantern. There is no seeing with this smoky affair that hangs to the pole. Wait, though.
My men, march these two birds beneath the lamp yonder. Then we shall be able to make sure of them."
Hal listened to the conversation with his eye fixed upon the Spaniard"s face, and though he did not understand what pa.s.sed between him and Gerald, yet the tones of suspicion and the commanding, bullying voice told him that all was not well.
"What is the trouble?" he whispered in Gerald"s ear as they stood facing the officer.
"We are to be marched beneath the lamp," replied his friend rapidly. "He suspects us, and is certain to discover that we are not Spaniards."
"Then we"ll settle the matter for him by making a bolt," Hal answered quietly. "There is a house directly opposite, and the door is ajar. Now, are you ready, old boy? Then, rush for it."
At that moment the Spaniard approached still closer, and, grasping Hal by the arm, called upon his men to close up and surround the strangers.
Our hero did not hesitate. Stepping back a pace, he drove his fist with all his force in the officer"s face, and sent him sprawling to the ground. Then he dashed forward, and, gripping the nearest soldier by the waist, flung him against his comrades with a jar that scattered them, and threw them into confusion. Next moment he was rushing towards the house, and though the Spaniards raised their rifles, and pulled the triggers recklessly, nothing happened, for they had not expected trouble when they marched down to the barricade, and had, therefore, neglected to place cartridges in the breeches. The omission probably saved Hal"s life, for, though taken by surprise, and staggered by the force with which their comrade had been flung against them, the soldiers would have picked him off with the greatest ease had their weapons been loaded, for the range was not more than twenty yards, and a moving figure is an easy target at such a distance. However, fortune was favoring Hal, for he escaped injury, though for a moment it was very doubtful whether it was possible. A few seconds later he had darted into the house, and had flung the door to with a bang.
"Quick! We must get out of this at once," he cried, catching Gerald by the sleeve. "To the back door for your life!"
Hastening through the rooms, they searched for an exit at the back, but failed to find one. Then they turned their attention to the windows, and, forcing one of them open, leapt out without hesitation. There was a narrow yard behind the house, which was inclosed by a high wall, but the two lads made nothing of it. With a spring they grasped the top, and hoisted themselves up. Then they dropped to the ground on the farther side, and took to their heels, stumbling blindly across gardens and bamboo fences, till at last they emerged once more upon the road.
"This will do for us," gasped Hal. "Listen! Those fellows are at work on the house, and isn"t the officer angry! By George! I am not surprised, for I gave him a tremendous crack."
They stood still for a moment, crouching close beneath a hedge, and distinctly heard a crash as the door, which they had bolted behind them, was broken in. Then the voice of the Spaniard was heard shouting angry orders to his men.
"He is telling them to search every corner," said Gerald, with a laugh.
"A pity he did not send them round to the back."
"Perhaps," agreed Hal. "But I can tell you, old man, that it was lucky for us. I don"t know what these beggars would do if they captured us; but we must recollect that, though we may not have any part in this quarrel between the two nations, yet we are enemies to them, and those who belong to the nationality of their opponents, and who attempt to enter Santiago without a pa.s.s, are nothing more nor less than spies in the eyes of the garrison."
"For whom death is the reward," interposed Gerald serenely. "Yes, old chap, you need not tell me about it. I am well aware of the ugly position into which we have fallen."
"Then let us move on at once," said Hal. "As soon as they find that the house is deserted, and that the birds have flown, there will be a tremendous outcry, and a hot search will be made. I propose that we make straight away for the wharves alongside which the shipping is to be found."
Accordingly, they took to their heels, and ran down the road. Then they turned into another, and were hurrying along it, when they heard a whistle behind them. It was shrill and piercing, and was at once taken up and repeated on either side of them and in front. Then, to their astonishment and dismay, a bright spot suddenly rose up and flashed from the edge of the harbor, and a broad electric beam swept rapidly and silently on its way towards them.