"I and my friends come back from shooting and there is no other road.
What must we do? It is well known that I am a staunch supporter of the President"s and a friend of Don Ramon"s. However, you can see the ducks and our guns."
"It is not necessary. Do you know Don Ramon is at the mission? I think he means to breakfast with you to-morrow. But who are your friends?"
Don Luis presented Wyndham and Marston, and after greeting them politely the officer let the party go. They rode on down the hill and Don Luis grumbled.
"I am staunchly for the Government; the thing was ridiculous. I do not see why they hide our soldiers. It is some German plan. We will talk about it to Don Ramon if he comes in the morning."
When they reached the _finca_ and Wyndham and Marston were alone for a few minutes the former said, "Perhaps it"s lucky we came here, because I think I have found a clew. I expect you noted they tried to keep the drilling and equipping of the President"s battalion a secret."
"It looks like that," said Marston. "Still I don"t see what it implies."
"For one thing, it implies they want a small, highly-efficient, striking force. The force is obviously to be used. These fellows don"t study efficiency for its own sake."
"But why don"t they want people to know?"
"I think that"s rather plain. There"s an advantage in striking before your antagonist is ready, and the citizens of this country have some talent for political intrigue; plot and counter plot are always going on. I don"t imagine the President altogether trusts his friends."
"Ah," said Marston, "I begin to see----"
He stopped, and when Don Luis came up talked about the shooting.
CHAPTER V
DON LUIS" BREAKFAST PARTY
One got up early at the Finca Buenavista, and when they had been given some black coffee and a small hard roll, Wyndham and Marston went to a bench in the patio. The house was built in a hollow square and its occupants used the patio when the rooms were hot. One wall was pierced by arches opening to the kitchen and stable; outside stairs, balconies, and windows with green shutters, broke the straight front of the others.
In places, purple ma.s.ses of Bougainvillea glowed against the ochre wash, and beyond the flat roof a steep hill, darkly green with foliage, rolled up against a background of distant mountains. In the middle of the square a pepper tree stretched its thin branches across a marble fountain, in which shining water splashed. The _finca_ dated back to days when the country prospered under Spanish rule.
Wyndham lighted his pipe and looked thoughtful when he began to smoke.
"If Larrinaga is curious about us, he will come to breakfast," he said.
"Since I think we can take this for granted, we had better choose our line."
"Why do you think he is curious?" Marston asked.
"To begin with, I doubt if he"s persuaded our object for stopping at the lagoon is to carry on an ordinary, lawful trade. We have some grounds for imagining Peters has not told him the Bat is my relation; but I expect he knows we could not get much cargo without the Bat"s consent.
Then it"s possible he has heard about our examining the boats, and now we are found watching the secret maneuvers of his troops. It"s pretty obvious whom they are to be used against."
Marston nodded. "I"ve been pondering this. They could put three or four platoons of _cazadores_ on board the old gunboat and land them where they are wanted in the cargo lighters. In fact, if it was fine weather, the Government"s tug could tow them all the way. That"s why Larrinaga brought the pilot over. The question is: what ought we to do about it?
Do you mean to warn the Bat?"
"Not yet," said Wyndham, thoughtfully. "If he got warning soon enough, he would probably be able to make a good fight. Although I don"t imagine he could win, a number of the soldiers would be killed. We don"t want this."
Marston agreed. Their business was not to take a side. Indeed, it was unthinkable that they should help either party. All the same, he was puzzled, because since they could not allow the Bat to be captured and shot, something must be done. After a moment or two, Wyndham resumed:
"I have a half-formed plan. We must find out where the soldiers will land and when they"ll start. Then we must get across before them and take the Bat the news while they are marching through the bush. It will not matter if his spies bring him word a few hours sooner. This will bear out our tale; but our arrival must be carefully timed."
"Yes," said Marston and pondered.
Harry"s plan was vague, but on the whole it was good. The Bat must be taken by surprise, without time being given him to organize a defense.
Then he might be forced to surrender, not to the soldiers but to his relation, and they must try to smuggle him on board the yacht. The scheme, however, needed to be carefully worked out.
"You are reckoning on his not being ready to fight," he said.
Wyndham gave him a curious smile. "That is so. You ought to see why he is not ready, because, to some extent, you are accountable. Negroes and half-breeds, armed with cutla.s.ses and a few old guns, can"t stand up against well-drilled troops. The Bat has been embarra.s.sed by not getting the material he expected us to bring."
"Of course," said Marston awkwardly. "Well, how are we to find out when the troops will sail?"
"I don"t know. So far, we have been lucky; we must trust our luck again."
"Suppose all goes as you expect, and the Bat sees a struggle would be useless and gives himself up to us? What are we going to do with him?"
"That"s perhaps the worst puzzle," said Wyndham dryly. "We must try to solve it when it comes. It"s possible, however, the Bat may solve it for us."
Marston smoked for a time, glancing sympathetically at Wyndham, who knitted his brows. Then Bob said, "To begin with, we have got to bluff Larrinaga and he is not a fool. How do you mean to satisfy him?"
"On the whole, I think I"ll leave the job to you," Wyndham replied and his eyes twinkled when he saw Marston"s surprise. "Don Ramon"s a good judge of character and would think a little embarra.s.sment on your part rather natural. You"re not the stuff romantic conspirators are made of, and our being partners will imply much. However, there"s a drawback; he mustn"t think I have cheated and am using you."
"Then, I"m to look simple and trustful, but not altogether a fool. You give me a hard part. I doubt if I can play it," Marston grumbled.
"You mustn"t try to play a part," said Wyndham firmly. "Be frank where you can, but don"t talk too much. There"s a thing may help us; Don Ramon will be careful not to hint our seeing the boats and the soldiers in field equipment is important."
"Oh, well," said Marston gloomily, "I"ll be glad when breakfast"s over."
About eleven o"clock two servants began to spread a table under the pepper tree, where the shadow of a projecting balcony stretched across the broken flags. Soon afterwards, Don Luis, looking hot and slightly disturbed, entered the patio with Larrinaga and a thin, dark-faced gentleman who wore plain white clothes. Marston, however, noted that his hat and silk belt were remarkably good, and thought he had somewhere seen his portrait, only the man had then worn a handsome uniform. Bob got up as the strangers advanced and Wyndham, taking off his hat, gave him a quick glance. Marston felt he was warned to brace himself.
"My poor house is honored to-day," Don Luis remarked. "Our ill.u.s.trious President will breakfast with us."
The President smiled urbanely and Don Luis presented his guests. Wyndham saw and frankly returned Larrinaga"s twinkle, but he felt some strain and hoped Bob would take the proper line. If, as he thought, he understood Don Ramon, the latter had, perhaps, hinted they would sooner breakfast unceremoniously in the patio; Wyndham afterwards found this supposition correct. The stage was, so to speak, properly set. The light was strong and a row of windows commanded the table. Nothing indicated plot or secrecy. The party would meet without reserve and engage in careless talk.
"I did not know his Excellency was at the mission, or I might have ventured to offer him hospitality," Don Luis remarked when the President was served.
"n.o.body knows," said the latter, smiling. "Now and then I neglect my duties and steal away from town. I can trust my officers, when they do not know I have gone. A President has some cares and perhaps deserves a holiday. Besides, I like to watch my soldiers" drill."
Wyndham imagined the President had thought it prudent to account for his visit to the mission, and admitted that the statement was plausible. He said that so far as he could judge, the _cazadores_ were excellently drilled.
"I understand it was dark when you saw them," the President replied.
"However, if soldiers interest you and I am not recalled to town, you and Senor Marston must come and see them at the morning parade."
"I hope we did not break your rules last night," said Marston. "Perhaps I ought to have pulled up sooner, but my horse was fresh and got out of control. Then I was not used to the saddle and stirrups. I do not ride much."
"Senor Marston is a sailor, what the English call a yachts-man,"
Larrinaga interposed. "For him, sport means the sea. His taste is strange, but some of his countrymen are like that. If I were rich, I would sooner amuse myself at the casino."