It was no time to waste in talking. If this desperate plot was to succeed, it must be carried out instantly. Already Manuel was at the magazine.
He took a key from his pocket.
"They"ve not changed the locks, so this must fit. Ah!" he said, as he inserted the key. "I thought so. Victory! Victory! We"ve played a bold game and won!"
Like lightning Manuel darted into the magazine, and without allowing a second to elapse he took a carefully prepared fuse from his pocket, lit it without delay, and placed it on a shelf, which was dest.i.tute of explosives.
"Now let them come!" he said, with a look of triumph on his swarthy face. "They must agree to my terms, or we"ll die together."
There was a great rush outside.
The sailors had rushed from all parts, and some of the American officers had also been drawn to the spot.
"Treachery! Treachery!" cried the sailors.
"Shoot them down!" shouted an officer.
Instantly a dozen six-shooters were raised. A crisis had arrived. Then Juan stepped forward.
"One moment, gentlemen," said he, speaking very politely, and in soft tones. "You do not seem to understand the position of affairs."
"We know you are traitors."
Juan smiled.
"It is not worth arguing such a point. Let us get to business. You propose to kill us?"
"Unless you surrender at once."
"Senor, you don"t understand how matters stand. We are not in your power; it is you who are in ours."
"What!"
A loud cry of derision burst forth.
"You do not believe me yet. I speak the truth. You may fire and kill me, but directly you do, there will be an end of you, your sailors and the ship."
"Absurd!"
"Not so, senor. My comrade is even now in the forward magazine. You know what a quant.i.ty of powder and gun-cotton is stored there. Very well, if you fire one shot he will blow up the ship."
This startling a.s.sertion caused intense surprise. Some were inclined to attach importance to it, and to accept it as true, but the great majority entirely refused to believe the Spaniard"s statement.
"Faith, Don Juan, or whativer ye call yourself," cried Dan Daly, "it"s to the marines ye must tell that yarn."
"And they wouldn"t swallow it, Dan," retorted a marine, who was standing by.
"It is a fairy story you have given us," said an American officer.
"There"s an easy way to determine it, senor."
"How?"
"Let one of your men step forward and see."
"Who would trust himself?"
"I give you my word," said Juan, hotly, "as an officer and a gentleman, that he will not be hurt, but he must come without arms."
"Shure, it"s meself"s the boy to do it!" cried Dan, handing his six-shooter and cutla.s.s to a comrade as he spoke.
"You go at your own risk, Dan," said the officer; "n.o.body asks you to do so."
"Arrah, it"s not a finger they"ll lift against me! It"s Young Glory would fix them for it if they did!"
Dan"s faith in Young Glory was unbounded. He little knew how desperate his young friend"s own position was at the moment he was speaking.
A buzz of admiration went round as the brave Irishman left his comrades, for there was no denying that it was a courageous act.
However, Dan walked boldly past the Spanish officer and the two disarmed sentries until he came to the magazine.
To find the door open astounded him, for he certainly had not believed one word that had been said.
"Now, do you believe, fellow?" asked Manuel.
"Seein"s belavin", Yer Honor."
"Very well; go and tell your friends so."
Dan reached forward towards the fuse which was still burning.
"Lay a hand on that, and I kill you," said the Spaniard, savagely.
"Shure, an" it was only my pipe I was afther lightin"."
"Get out of this," answered Manuel, hotly. "I am in no humor for trifling."
"Well, boys, it"s as true as gospel."
"You saw it, Dan?"
"Faith, yes, he"s in the magazine, wid a great fuse lighted, an" shure it"s mighty little between us and eternity."
Juan spoke again.
"I must see your captain," he said.
"For what?"