Just then the gong clinked in response to the switching in the pilot house above.
"That means go back."
"I wouldn"t wait, Valentin; our leader, _el Americano_, is impatient, and is quick to use the revolver he carries."
"It is my duty to obey orders," commented the engineer, with another grin, as he made the necessary shifting of cranks and levers to set the machinery to plunging and swinging. The drowsy firemen cared little for what was going on over their heads and slouchily threw wood into the furnace.
"It is my wish to go to Zalapata," Major Starland explained to the Captain of the tug; "General Yozarro set out to take my sister there last night, but seems to have changed his mind, for he brought her only part way. We will now complete the journey."
"At the highest speed, Senor?"
The American did not catch the significance of this question, but accidentally he made the best answer.
"There is no haste necessary; we shall be able to reach there soon after sunrise; you know how fast to go; am I understood?"
"Perfectly, Senor."
Feeling himself master of the craft, Starland now went back into the Captain"s cabin to see his sister, whom he found seated in the quarters which had been occupied by her and the Senorita Estacardo the evening before. Although this species of craft are not intended to carry pa.s.sengers, outside the necessary equipment, General Yozarro had caused the small compartment to be fitted up and furnished suitably for the entertainment of guests. The swinging lamp was lighted overhead, and the bottles, gla.s.ses and fragments of cigarettes showed how the Dictator and his friends had spent most of the time in coming from Atlamalco.
Miss Starland was fl.u.s.tered and nervous, but the cool self possession of her brother greatly rea.s.sured her.
"That was a clever trick we played upon the scamp," said he with a smile.
"What do you intend to do with the boat?"
"Take you to Zalapata; it would serve him right if I scuttled it, but I will turn it over to Bambos to keep or destroy as he pleases--"
She was about to speak, when shouts and calls caused both to hurry outside. As might have been antic.i.p.ated, General Yozarro and his party had speedily returned and had halted on the edge of the river, the President shouting his orders for Captain Ortega to return at once.
The Major, standing beside the pilot house, could not deny himself the pleasure of answering for the other.
"The Captain is under my orders; he cannot obey you."
"That is my boat!" howled General Yozarro; "return at once or suffer the consequences of your thievery."
"I"ll suffer the consequences, but I am only borrowing it for a little while; you did not seem to be able to deliver Miss Starland to Zalapata, and I will do it myself; I place at your disposal the small boat we left behind."
"I shall make known your crime to your government," shouted the Dictator, for nothing better to say.
"I shall be glad; perhaps it would be better to lay it before The Hague Tribunal. The whole world will be interested in learning what a cowardly wretch calls himself President of the Atlamalcan Republic."
CHAPTER XXIX.
It is quite probable that General Yozarro felt himself unequal to the situation, for he said nothing more. He could plainly be seen standing out in front of his friends, who, he noted, were busy at something.
They were hoisting the sail of the catboat and the whole party scrambled aboard, as it was shoved from sh.o.r.e. Their weight sank the craft low, but it buoyed them safely, and the smaller craft began its pursuit of the larger one, somewhat after the manner of a handcar chasing a locomotive.
As before, there was no comparison in their speed, despite the fact that the tug had slowed down considerably. Major Starland ordered the Captain to hold their relative position. His contempt for the ruffian Dictator was so deep that he could not forbear exulting over him.
The men in the fire room knew that they had no choice except to obey the orders sent down to them. No responsibility could attach to them, and the American would visit fearful punishment upon any disobedience or treachery.
Guzman and Martella came to the upper deck, where Major Starland was holding converse with Captain Ortega.
"I wish," said the Major, speaking too low for the Captain to hear him, "you would find out how many are in the boat yonder. I make it six."
The three gave several minutes to scrutiny and agreed there were seven, which was more than had been supposed.
"And all are heavily armed, some with pistols and some with swords; if they should come alongside, they could give us a pretty fight."
Captain Guzman took it upon himself to say:
"General Yozarro and Captain Sepulveda--if he is there--are the biggest cowards in the Atlamalcan army, but the others are fighters. I know three of them who are worse than tiger cats. They are eager for a chance to attack us."
"And they should have it, but for two reasons: it will be too great a trial for my sister. We could beat them off, except for the danger in our rear."
The two looked inquiringly at the American.
"That Captain at the wheel is one of the bravest of men. He is devoted to General Yozarro, or at least holds him in fear; the moment he gained a chance to strike a blow for him he would strike hard, no matter at what risk to himself."
"He carries no arms; he has no chance."
"He may know where he can lay hand on a weapon; if he attacked us behind, while we were repelling boarders--as I am sure he would--the jig would be up. So I have ordered him to keep the present distance between us and their boat. After awhile, we shall pull away from them."
There was no driving off the uneasiness regarding Captain Ortega.
Starland sauntered over to the pilot house, and, with a.s.sumed carelessness, kept furtive watch of the man. He could see nothing suspicious in his deportment. He had flung away his cigarette, and both hands were upon the spokes of the wheel, which now and then were shifted slightly as cause arose. He peered keenly ahead, for the bifurcated river has its treacherous places, like our own Mississippi, and he who guides so large a craft in its current has need to keep his wits about him. The moonlight gave a fine view of the broad stream, and the Captain seemed to feel no interest in anything else.
"I don"t know whether he is up to mischief or not," reflected the American; "if he is, he is mighty sly. Let him try to play me false and I won"t hesitate a minute to shoot him."
The Major looked toward the other boat, which instead of trailing directly at the rear, was following a parallel course, about half way between the tug and the southern sh.o.r.e, and some two hundred yards to the rear. Filled with so many men, the craft looked like a variegated bouquet floating down the muddy Rio Rubio.
It was the fact that General Yozarro maintained a pursuit which, in the nature of things, was hopeless, that caused Major Starland misgiving. It must be that the Dictator was counting upon some move in his favor by the Captain of the tug, which held the former to his course, and the latter was biding his time. Studying hard, the American could think of no scheme which promised the slightest success in this direction, but none the less, he was convinced that something was on foot, and that it could be frustrated only by alertness on his own part.
In this uncomfortable frame of mind, he came down from the upper deck and followed his two friends forward, where they were leaning against the pile of wood near the gun. Both were smoking and occasionally glancing up at the pilot house, as if they too were apprehensive of the man, whose head and shoulders were in sight. He had resumed smoking and the tip of his cigarette glowed in the moonlight.
The three stood for a few minutes without speaking, when Martella straightened up and asked in a low voice:
"Have you noticed, Major, that our speed has increased within the last few minutes?"
The American looked off over the water and then at the sh.o.r.e, but could see nothing to enlighten him.
"The other boat is falling behind," said Captain Guzman.
Glancing at the smaller craft, all doubt was instantly removed. The tug was steadily drawing away from it.
"Captain," he called, looking up at the pilot house; "we are going too fast; slacken your speed."