Kitabı oku: «The Boy Aviators in Nicaragua; or, In League with the Insurgents», sayfa 14
CHAPTER XXVIII.
FACING DEATH
The boys were roughly awakened the next morning, – at what hour they could not judge but estimated that it must be early by the pale light – and a jug of water and a dark brown mess of badly cooked beans, in an earthenware pot, shoved through their bars by the same ill favored guard who had been on duty the night before. Unpalatable as the stuff looked they nevertheless fell on it hungrily, being actually half-starved and seriously weakened by their march of the day before. The momentary exultation caused by the receipt of Ben Stubbs’ letter had evaporated when they awakened and both felt that their prospects were gloomy indeed.
After breakfast they were left in their cell for some time, – the monotony being enlivened by an incident that struck a chill to the already flagging spirits of both boys. The interruption began with a ruffle of drums and then a bugle call. After this there intervened a march and then all was silent for possibly fifteen minutes. Then there boomed out the solemn tolling of a bell and a few seconds later the boys heard, with horrified ears, a sharp command – and then the rattle of a volley. Of course they could see nothing of this, – a blank wall facing their cells and shutting out all view of the barrack-yard, – but from what they heard they could conjure up the ghastly details of the execution as vividly as if they had been present.
It was not long after this, while they were busy with their gloomy thoughts, that a petty officer of some kind, at the head of a file of men came to their cell. The door was thrown open and the boys were handcuffed, – in spite of their protests against the ignominy. With a soldier on either side of them they were then marched across the barrack ground where a depressing sight met their eyes.
A number of soldiers were carrying an oblong box draped in black across the quadrangle. Behind them followed two weeping women and a bent old man. Two children, wide-eyed at what it all meant, – formed the rest of the sad little party. Both boys realized at once with a keen start of repulsion that they were witnessing the last act of the drama whose action they had heard in their cell.
They were marched across the quadrangle, their escort paying no more attention to the sad scene than if it had been an every day occurrence, and up a flight of steep, bare stairs into a long, low room, – down the center of which ran a long table. The table was covered with cheap oilcloth and was littered with pens and paper.
Half-a-dozen men, who were officers to judge by their uniforms, sat at either side of it and at the head was a man whom the boys recognized at once as General Rogero.
His evil eyes gleamed with a sinister glint as they fell on the two boys.
“So, – here we have the young revolutionists, – gentlemen,” he said, turning to the other officers, who all regarded the boys with curiosity but with no more compassion than if they had been gazing at the tortured victims of a bull fight.
Rogero leaned back. He was evidently in no hurry to shorten his triumph. He seemed fairly to gloat over his two prisoners. Frank and Harry returned his gaze fearlessly and after a while the leader of the Nicaraguan forces dropped his basilisk eyes with a shamed and embarrassed expression. The next moment he made up for his temporary lapse by striking the table with his fist and informing the boys that they were before a court-martial.
“By what right do you bring us here?” demanded Frank.
“By the right that we offer every man to get a chance for his life,” was the startling reply.
“What have we done that puts us within the pale of military law?” again demanded the elder of the brothers.
“I presumed you were intelligent enough to know that citizens of a neutral power, interfering in another government’s suppression of sedition, place themselves beyond the protection of their own country,” rejoined Rogero.
“We have not interfered in any quarrel you may have with your unfortunate dependents,” was Frank’s reply, “we are American citizens and I demand the right; if we are to be tried at all, – of a hearing before a civil court.”
Rogero smiled his evil smile once more.
“My dear young man,” he remarked casually, “in the present unsettled state of the country we have no civil courts. The army is the law and the law is vested in the army.”
The other officers chorused their assent. The boys looked desperately about them. No, – there was no means of escape. The windows were guarded and at each door stood a sentry, stiffly at attention.
Rogero instantly divined the purpose of their anxious looks.
“No, Señors, there is no escape,” he sneered, “you see, with two such resourceful young men as you have proved to be, we are taking no chances, – as you say in your country. I am much too anxious to keep you here to think of allowing you to slip through my fingers, as did young Barnes – by your cursed tricks,” he ended furiously, the passion that underlay his suave exterior glaring suddenly on his face.
The next minute he was the same sneering, smiling snake they had always known him.
“But we are wasting time, gentlemen,” he said. “I find there are three charges on the indictment against these unfortunate and imprudent young men, First: – that they conspired with revolutionists against the peace of the Nicaraguan republic; Second: – that they illegally removed a military prisoner from the lines of the Government’s army, and, Third: – that they assisted the revolutionists in their landing on the coast, both actively and by furnishing them with contraband-of-war. The last clause, gentlemen of the court, refers to the possession by these young Americanos of a so-called air-ship, which their father – a well-known conspirer against the Government, – induced them to bring to this country so that it might be used against us on behalf of the revolutionists.”
“That’s a lie,” burst out Frank.
“Save your breath, Señor,” sneered Rogero, with a threatening glance, “you may not have much more left of it.”
“The father of these boys,” continued Rogero, “like all other Americanos in this country, has objected to the taxes that our noble president Zelaya, has wisely put on all articles they export or bring in and naturally therefore is in sympathy with any revolutionary movement. I do not know, gentlemen, what your verdict will be; but, for myself, I must vote for their immediate execution as a solemn duty to my country.”
The boys’ cheeks blanched in spite of themselves. This man then actually meant to put them to death.
“Courage, Harry;” whispered Frank, and he added his slogan of “while there’s life there’s hope!”
“There is one alternative,” went on Rogero, “and that is this, – that these young men at once agree to sign a document assigning to the government of Nicaragua all their father’s property and forward it to him for his signature by a messenger I have waiting. If Señor Chester the elder will pay this ransom these foolish boys may go free, otherwise – ” he gave an expressive gesture the meaning of which was only too plain to need translating into words.
There was a hurried consultation, of what was called, by a ludicrous travesty, the “court-martial,” and then the members reconvened. One of them arose and, addressing Rogero who had assumed his seat at the head of the long table, said:
“What you have proposed is agreeable to the other members of this court-martial, General.”
“Then your verdict, gentlemen, is?” demanded Rogero.
“Death by shooting,” was the reply that sent an involuntary shudder through the boys.
Rogero smiled his evil smile again – twice as menacing in his triumph. “You, however, agree to offering them my alternative,” asked Rogero anxiously, “La Merced is a rich plantation and so is that of Don Pachecho adjoining it; which I don’t doubt we can easily acquire when we have established headquarters at La Merced.”
“Of course we agree to your alternative, General,” replied the other officer, “as to what you say about Don Pachecho’s estancia, however, we can doubtless assimilate that with little difficulty. General Ruiz, his son-in-law, is dead – ”
“And he left a remarkably pretty widow,” put in Rogero, “really I am in quite a hurry to establish headquarters near such a charming neighbor.”
“I was going to say,” resumed the other, “that as General Ruiz is dead we can naturally claim his property for the government as that of a revolutionist.”
This cool proposal met with great applause, induced, in a large measure, by the fact that each officer saw in his mind’s eye himself being awarded the property. Rogero, more comprehensive, had already mentally claimed it all for himself.
“You have heard the alternative, prisoners?” snapped Rogero, who had now quite dropped his mask of sardonic politeness, “What do you say?”
“I say that if we are to die we will die as American boys should, and accept no such disgraceful terms,” proudly replied Frank.
“And I, that we should be as bad sons as we would be unworthy citizens if we even considered your dastardly proposal,” exclaimed Harry.
“Very well, you have signed your own death warrants,” bitterly replied Rogero. “In a few days we shall have captured La Merced in any event, and I shall have much pleasure in informing your father of how his two promising youngsters died.”
It was well for Rogero at that moment that the boys’ hands were manacled. It was perhaps as well for every one in the room that they could not strike a blow. For to such a pitch of fury had the sneering words of the dark-skinned man before them aroused them that had they been free it would have cost him dear.
“For the last time I ask you?” demanded Rogero, “will you accede to my proposal?”
“For the last time no – not if it was to save our lives ten times over,” replied Frank.
Rogero moved over to a window that overlooked the quadrangle of the barracks.
“I shall have an excellent view of your deaths from this window,” he remarked, “and I assure you that nothing I have seen for a long time will give me more pleasure.”
“Not even your murder of Dr. Moneague in New York,” – quietly retorted Frank.
The effect the boy’s remark on Rogero was electric. His brown face seemed to turn a sickly green.
“You American dog – for that, if I could inflict a thousand deaths upon you, you should die them all, one by one,” he fairly shouted.
“Take them away,” he bawled to the soldiers, who stood staring open-mouthed at the sight of his maniacal fury. “Take them away and shoot them down, before I run them through with my sword.”
Frank smiled with a bitter contempt. If he had ever felt any doubt as to Rogero’s guilt he was convinced of it now. He was beyond a question the murderer of Dr. Moneague. His own fury and consternation at Frank’s quiet remark had convinced the boy. As the boys were led out Rogero stood at the window. They could see that he was shaking and muttering to himself as if in terror. At that moment a huge bat, that had been hanging to one of the rafters of the room, which was unceiled, flopped heavily down and nearly struck him in the face. Rogero reeled back with what was almost a scream of horror.
“Vampiro,” the boys heard the soldiers say, showing almost as much horror as had Rogero at the sudden apparition of the animal, – which had now flopped heavily off again into some other recess. They did not know then that in most Central American countries the vampire is regarded as an evil spirit and carries the menace of death on its leathern wings, as well as its reputation as a blood-sucker.
CHAPTER XXIX.
FRIENDS IN NEED
The boys touched each other’s manacled hands, – to effect a handclasp was impossible, – as they passed down the stairway. Now that it seemed all over they felt strangely calm. They were determined, at all events, to show no sign of flinching when the crucial moment came. Till that time they both determined to keep up stout hearts.
“Ben Stubbs and Billy won’t fail us if its humanly possible to get help,” said Frank.
“But how are they to storm a whole garrison,” demanded Harry despairingly. His contention did indeed seem unanswerable and, till the boys and their guards had reached the center of the courtyard, no more words were exchanged. A command to halt was abruptly given by the officer in charge and the boys were led over toward the blank wall, – on the other side of which lay the cells, one of which they had occupied the preceding night.
The men who had led them there then shackled their ankles and produced two long bandages of cloth. The boys saw at once that these were intended to blindfold them with. Both gave a shudder of repulsion.
Their signs of objection were noticed by the officer who, rightly interpreting them, ordered the men not to tie the bandages on. Apparently he thought that at such a moment an exact compliance with regulations didn’t matter.
At the last moment Frank suddenly thought of the jewels in his pocket. There was only one thing to do and that was to trust to the honor of the officer in charge of the firing squad. He had not a bad face and even seemed disposed to be friendly to what small extent he could. Frank, with his head, beckoned to him. He hurried up.
“Can you speak English?” asked Frank.
“A little;” replied the officer.
“At least you can understand what I am going to say,” replied Frank “you consider a dying promise a solemn one.”
The officer nodded his head.
“I have something to send to my father after I am dead and I am going to entrust you with the commission,” went on Frank, “will you promise to carry it out faithfully?”
With another vigorous nod of his head the Nicaraguan assented.
“It is your promise?”
“It is.”
“And you will keep it, as a man of honor and an officer?”
“Assuredly, Señor.”
“Then feel in my right-hand pocket and take out what you find there,” said Frank.
The officer plunged in his hand and drew it out with almost a cry of amazement when he saw the magnificent rubies that lay flashing their crimson fire in his brown palm.
“You see why I exacted such a solemn pledge from you,” said Frank, “such rubies as these might tempt any man to break his word.”
“But I am a Spaniard, sir,” proudly replied the young officer drawing himself to his full height.
Frank saw that he could trust him.
“You will deliver these to Señor Chester at La Merced,” he said, “and tell him that two are to be the portion of Señor Barnes, you understand, – one you will keep for your trouble.”
The officer replied that he comprehended his commission perfectly.
“And – and,” Frank hesitated; do what he could his eyes would fill with tears as he felt that he was making what would be his last request; “tell my father that we died like Americans and to break it to our mother as gently as he can. I think that is all – and thank you.”
The young officer seized the boys’ manacled hands and pressed them impulsively.
“Ever after this shall I respect Americans, Señor. Forgive me for what I have to do, – it is my duty. Your commission I swear to execute.”
With a sharp click of his heels he turned to the firing squad and stood at attention with his sword at his shoulder at one end of the line of twelve men.
The boys, standing side by side, heard the first command ring sharply out.
“Ready, – present!”
“Aim!”
“Good-bye, Harry,” whispered Frank.
“Good-bye, old fellow,” rejoined his brother. Each was glad to notice that there was not even a tremor in the other’s voice.
“Fi – ”
The command was never finished.
The firing squad, had their fingers on their triggers when, – with a crash that caused them to drop their weapons in sheer amazement, – a shell ripped through the roof of the garrison trial room from which Rogero stood sombrely watching them. It exploded the next moment with a force that showered the boys with splinters and debris and killed several of the firing squad outright.
All thought of the execution was forgotten in the mad panic into which the garrison was immediately thrown. Men rushed about and officers shouted commands, – the very suddenness of the attack seemed to have paralyzed the whole barracks. In the midst of the uproar and turmoil Rogero, – his face ablaze with hate and rage, – rushed into the courtyard. He had been unhurt in the damage the shell had done to the roof as it ripped through and was mad with fury. He struck right and left with the flat of his sword at the fleeing men and then, with a bellow of fury, made at Frank and Harry who, helpless and half-stunned by the explosion of the shell, had reeled back against the wall.
“Yankee pigs! You escaped the firing squad but I’ll run you through if it’s the last act I perform on earth;” he yelled, rushing at them with his drawn blade. The next minute it was struck out of his hand and he himself knocked sprawling by a blow on the point of the chin.
“That’s the ticket for soup,” the boys heard a well-known voice cry out, as their enemy measured his length; “and if you want any more, my fine rooster, we’ve got it on tap.”
“Ben Stubbs!” they cried out gleefully.
“Yes, and not forgetting one Billy Barnes of New York;” joyously shouted the young reporter, racing up to them, covered with dust, but yelling like a Comanche, “as soon as you’ve got that hardware off you we’ll have a talk-fest – I want to interview you, for the Planet.”
“What on earth has happened?” gasped the boys who only a few seconds before had made up their minds to die – and were still dazed at the amazing turn events had taken —
“Happened?” shouted Stubbs. “Well, shipmates, in a way of speaking about forty things has happened at once, – like they does in a four-ring circus. You twist yer head off looking fer ’em. In the first place me and Billy stole two mules, got up to La Merced right after I wrote that letter and told the folks of your plight, – and, here they come right now with the American consul.”
He pointed to the barrack gate where, pushing through the demoralized crowd of scared soldiers, came the well-known figure of Mr. Chester, followed by the stalwart Blakely, and Mr. Olivares the American Consul.
“Yes, but that shell,” demanded the boys, “which saved our lives.”
“Oh, that was our friend on the revolutionary gunboat at a little target practice I imagine,” grinned Billy Barnes. “I see it touched the spot,” he went on gazing about at the havoc and confusion.
And then further explanations were interrupted for a time while the boys and their father embraced and exchanged such greetings as may be imagined. It had been an anxious time for Mr. Chester and his lined face showed it.
“But thank heaven, it’s all over now, boys,” he exclaimed, “the United States has taken a hand in the mess.”
“What?” cried both the boys.
“Yes,” chimed in Mr. Olivares, “the Yankee and the Dixie, cruisers arrived off the town this morning with Rear Admiral Kimball and Lieutenant Commander Symington on board. They have orders from Washington to see that peace is at once restored even if Zelaya has to abdicate, – which he probably will in favor of Madriz,” he added – and after-events proved him correct.
“And on top o’ that,” exclaimed Ben Stubbs, unable to keep quiet any longer, “our friend Ruiz gave the government the licking of their young lives at Bluefields yesterday and steamed down here on his gunboat just in time to fire that shell and throw a scare into the spiggtys at the very physicky moment,” – Ben meant psychological moment.
“Does his wife know that General Ruiz is safe?” asked Harry eagerly, after the boys had related how they became leagued with the insurgents.
“Yes,” replied Mr. Chester, “the news was brought by a runner who managed to get through Rogero’s lines two days ago. Poor woman, she swooned when she heard the news; but now she is perfectly recovered and will be here with Don Pachecho to meet him shortly.”
All this time Billy Barnes had been mysteriously missing. Suddenly, however, he reappeared, accompanied by two staunch sergeants-of-marines from the Dixie, leading between them a crumpled, despicable figure that even the boys, who had good cause to remember him, had some difficulty in recognizing as that of General Rogero. If it had been another man his condition would have been pitiful. As it was, nobody felt much sympathy for him.
“Well, we got him;” exclaimed Billy triumphantly, “caught him sneaking into the hotel. Now, Mr. Consul, I want to turn this man over to your custody as the murderer of Dr. Moneague, who is wanted for that crime by the New York police. I’ll just leave him here till I telegraph to my friend Detective Connelly and file the story for my paper – it will be a crackerjack.”
He hurried off, leaving Rogero between his two guards, – facing a group from none of which he had any right to look for mercy. His army had evacuated Greytown in a hurry on the arrival of the American cruisers, as no one of the officers wanted to put himself in the position of taking up arms against the American government. Rogero was therefore alone, – and guarding the town that he had entered in triumph not so very long before, lay a revolutionary gunboat and two trim Yankee cruisers.
“Well,” he said bitterly, “you have me cornered but it’s not my fault that I didn’t finish off those cubs there before you did.” He indicated Frank and Harry. The boys turned away. It was not in their nature to exult over a fallen enemy.
“I know there is one possession of mine which you intend to have if you can succeed in fixing this trumped up charge of murder on me and that is this – ” he went on as he drew out a bit of parchment from an inner pocket. “I’ll foil you, – thus,” he exclaimed suddenly and tore the plan of the Toltec treasure trail into a thousand atoms.
“Werry pretty I must say,” spoke up Ben Stubbs, “but a waste of time, ship-mate, – that hole into the treasure cave is filled up by the airthquake and the only way to get at the mines will be in another airship.”
Rogero’s face was a study.
“What, you forestalled me there, too?” he muttered savagely.
“Well I reckon these boys did that,” cheerfully replied Ben, “and thereby saved me from a maroon’s grave.”
Rogero’s rage was frantic when he learned this. He snapped his teeth with impotent fury as he was led off to a cell to await the arrival of extradition papers from New York. It might as well be said here that he never reached there. A few hours after he was placed in the cell he, – through some attendant who was faithful to his wishes to the last, or whom, as was more probable, he had bribed, – obtained a phial of poison. When next his cell was visited by the guard the tempestuous general of the Zelayan forces was finished with his earthly battles and had been dead some time.
The boys’ irons were struck off as soon as a blacksmith could be found in the panic-stricken city, and that evening they sat in the places of honor at a gay banquet given to the officers of the two cruisers by Mr. Chester and the American Consul, at the hotel where their adventures in Nicaragua had begun. While the festivities were at their height a servant hastened in and whispered to Frank that a man wanted to see him outside.
In the hall Frank found a ragged-looking fellow awaiting him who held in his hand a skin-bag.
“You are the Señor Chester?” he asked.
“Yes,” replied Frank.
“Don Alejo he tell me give you dees,” said the figure and abruptly vanished. Inside the bag lay all the ten rubies and with them a short note.
“You see that a Spaniard can keep his word as well as an American his courage, – I do not need the ruby you offered me,” was all it said.
On his return to the banquet room Frank was compelled to tell in detail all their adventures to the intense interest of the officers and of Admiral Kimball. A buzz of admiration went round the table from time to time as he modestly related their perils and mishaps.
Early the next day Admiral Kimball sent for the boys on board the Dixie just as Frank and Harry were congratulating General and Mrs. Ruiz on their happy reunion and thanking the former for his speedy voyage down the coast to their rescue.
“I have been much impressed with your courage and adroitness,” said the admiral, when they were closeted with him in his private cabin, “and I believe you are just the boys the government want for a particularly perilous and dangerous mission, – will you undertake it?”
The boys eagerly pressed him for details, which he gave, while their eyes shone at the opportunities he unfolded to them for fresh adventures and feats in a newer, greater aeroplane than even the Golden Eagle.
What the Government’s special air-ship assignment was and how the boys, – despite hardships and danger, – carried it through to a successful conclusion will be told in the next volume of this series: – THE BOY AVIATORS ON SECRET SERVICE; OR, WORKING WITH WIRELESS.
