Ellis Edward Sylvester
Up the Forked River: or, Adventures in South America

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 shore. 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 assumed 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 shore, 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 shore, 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.”

“As you please, Señor; I beg your pardon.”

The signal was sent down to the engineer, who quickly brought about a diminution in the progress of the tug.

“Probably it was unintentional – ”

At that moment, all felt a jar through the craft, accompanied by such a rapid slackening of pace that the three took an involuntary step forward.

“We’ve run aground!” exclaimed Starland.

“There’s no doubt of it,” calmly added Martella.

CHAPTER XXX

It was done purposely!” added the American, placing his hand on his revolver. Glancing up from where he stood, the head and shoulders of Captain Ortega were in fair sight through the lowered slide at the front of the pilot house. He made no attempt to elude the bullet that he must have expected.

But prudence told the American to wait. The services of the other were too valuable for the time to be thrown away, even though the man was under suspicion. Besides, there was one chance in a hundred that the mishap was unintentional.

Hardly had the motion of the boat ceased, when the double clinking of the gong in the engine room sounded, accompanied by the jangling of the bell, which called upon the engineer to reverse instantly at full speed. The water at the stern was threshed into muddy foam, but the craft did not slide off the incline up which it had partly glided.

“Give her full head!” called Major Starland.

“We are doing so, Señor!” replied the placid Captain.

“Your life depends on getting the boat off.”

The other made no reply, but with the hand on the pulse of his patient, as may be said, he noted all the symptoms. He was seen to turn and look in the direction of the catboat, as if he expected something from that. He was not disappointed.

General Yozarro and his friends were quick to note the mishap that had befallen the tug and they headed their craft toward it. They meant to board, and, despite the bravery of the defenders they were quite certain to succeed, since, as has been shown, the “house was divided against itself.”

The American dashed to the stern, calling upon Guzman to follow. It took them but a moment to turn the muzzle of the gun so that it bore directly upon the catboat.

“If you come any nearer, I’ll blow you out of water!”

Then the Major added a bit of information which perhaps was superfluous:

“We Americans always hit what we aim at.”

General Yozarro saw that it would never do. He was heard to speak sharply to the man at the tiller, and the small boat immediately veered off. Daring as some of the inmates might be, they had not the courage to advance straight against the throat of a gaping six-pounder.

“Martella, take charge of the other gun!” called the Major to the deserter, who, as quick as himself to note the danger, had stepped to the side of the second piece of ordnance. The two half-circles commanded by these included the whole horizon, a fact which General Yozarro and his comrades were not likely to forget.

It would seem that it was impossible for Captain Ortega, with the aid of the engineer, to effect any change in the position of the tugboat, while it stuck to the submerged bank, like a bull ramming its head against a stone wall. Instead of staying motionless the stern swung slowly to the right and then to the left, as if trying to wriggle its nose out of the mud. This caused the muzzle of the cannon to wabble, sometimes being directed straight at the sailboat, and sometimes to one side of it. But the gun was so easily shifted that the American could readily perfect the aim whenever he chose, and that would be done the instant the enemy tried to run in upon him.

There was a fighting chance for the Atlamalcans. They were so near that by fiddling back and forth they might by a sudden dash close in. Most likely, had the wind been strong they would have tried this, but the breeze remained so soft that quick action was impossible. The situation was so critical that Major Starland warned the others of what was certain to follow an attempt to board.

“General Yozarro, I hold a repeating rifle in my hand; you are in clear view; just before firing the cannon, I shall shoot you, and when I pull trigger, you’ll drop!”

The Dictator was on his feet about to summon the others to surrender, with threats of the consequences that would follow a refusal. The words of the American threw him into a panic and in his haste to scramble back, he tumbled over the man directly behind him, not ceasing his frantic efforts till he was cowering at the stern.

The laugh of the American was heard, before he called out:

“I’ll pick you out, no matter where you are in the boat, but I sha’n’t fire till you try to run in on us. We’ll rake you fore and aft, and if you don’t believe what I say, all you have to do is to test me.”

The General could be heard consulting with his officers. Evidently the counsels were divided and some favored making the rush, despite its danger, for, as has been shown, not all of them were poltroons, but that awful threat of the American had done what it was intended to do. Had General Yozarro followed his own promptings, he would have withdrawn, but he lacked the courage to do that, and in his dilemma tried diplomacy.

“Major Starland, I have naught against you, though you have stolen my property, but I have the right to demand that you surrender the deserter with you. Do that, and we will trouble you no more.”

“You are not troubling me in the least; I’m enjoying this, though it doesn’t seem to give you much amusement. However, you may as well save your words regarding the noble Martella, who has served us so well. He has cast his fate with us and I consider him worth a thousand such as you.”

There was really no call for the General to keep up the conversation and he subsided. The action of the current steadily bore his boat forward, but the helmsman shied off toward the northern bank, and bye and bye, was farther down stream than the tug. Either one or the other of the six-pounders carefully followed the relative change of position, and an eighth of a mile below the smaller craft glided out of sight around a sweeping bend in the river.

All this time the screw of the tugboat was viciously churning, but the prow held fast. Once or twice a trembling of the hull seemed to show a partial lessening of the hold, but nothing more.

The danger of boarding having passed for the time, Major Starland returned to the cabin to speak to his sister. She had understood everything that had taken place and needed no cheering. Then he rejoined Captain Guzman and Martella at the front.

“We are free of the General for awhile.”

“But there is no saying for how long,” remarked the Captain.

“What do you think he means to do?”

“I cannot guess, unless it is to keep on to Zalapata and to appeal to General Bambos.”

“Which is likely to be bad for you, Captain, unless Bambos is anxious after all to go to war, as he pretended the other day.”

“I think,” said Martella, “he means to get more men and attack the boat.”

“But where will he get the men from? He is a long way from Atlamalco.”

“Yet not very far from Castillo Descanso, where he has quite a force as you know.”

“That will take many hours and we shall not stay here forever.”

“There is no saying how long it will be.”

“I must have a few words with the Captain.”

Major Starland immediately left the lower deck and climbed to the pilot house, where the executive of the tugboat, having nothing pressing on his hands, had sat down on the stool placed there for his convenience and was smoking another cigarette. Looking around, as he heard the footsteps, he touched his forefinger to his hat and said:

“Buenas noches, Señor! We are still fast.”

“That cannot be disputed.”

CHAPTER XXXI

The American leaned on the bottom of the slide, with his face scarcely two feet from the other, and with the revolver at his hip within instant reach.

“Captain Ortega, will you answer a question truly?”

“That depends upon the question, Señor; if I answer at all, it shall be truly, but I may choose to leave it unanswered.”

“Did you run this boat aground on purpose?”

Captain Ortega took two or three complacent whiffs, gazed off over the moonlit river and then removing the wisp of tobacco from between his lips, smiled, and looking into the face before him, coolly replied:

“I did, Señor.”

“It was after my warning to you.”

“Begging pardon, Señor, it could not well have been before.”

“What did you hope to accomplish?”

“To help General Yozarro to recover his boat.”

“How?”

“I expected him to dash forward and board.”

“He lacked the courage to attempt it.”

“I am sorry to agree with you.”

“But he was wise; I kept one of the guns continually bearing upon him and would have blown him and his men to kingdom come.”

Again the Captain puffed his cigarette. He looked dreamily down the river where the sailing craft had passed from sight.

“You would not have harmed General Yozarro or anyone in the boat.”

“You are insulting, Captain; I could not have missed them.”

“The port gun had no charge in it!”

“Good heavens! is that the truth?” demanded the astounded American.

“You have only to examine the piece for yourself to learn that it is.”

“Did General Yozarro know it?”

The Captain puffed several times so hard that the point of fire touched his mustache, then he impatiently flung the bit out of the window. Superbly self-possessed as he was, he could not conceal his anger.

“How could he help knowing it, when by his own orders the charge was withdrawn before we left Atlamalco? What his whim was I didn’t ask and do not care.”

“Knowing that, why did he hesitate?”

“Because,” replied Captain Ortega with a sneer, “he feared you might have learned the truth, and reloaded the gun. I had no way of telling him different.”

“Why did you not tell me?”

Looking straight in the eyes of the American, the Captain said:

“I am an Atlamalcan!”

“And the best of the lot! But, Captain, did you not fear I would carry out my threat of shooting you when you ran the boat aground?”

“I expected you to try to do so, but I, too, should have done some shooting also.”

“You told me you were unarmed.”

“And when I said I had no weapon on me, it was the truth, but I did not tell you that I did not know where to lay hand on a revolver whenever it should become necessary.”

“I respect your frankness; I can suspect your plan, but may I not hear it from your own lips?”

“I was on guard, and had you raised your weapon when standing below, I should have fired my own first, and pardon me, Señor, I should not have missed. Your two friends were also in fair range and would have received my attention in the same moment.”

“I must consider it fortunate that I did not act on my impulse, for at no time did I fear anything of that nature from you. Having refrained, what then was your plan?”

“I had not a doubt that General Yozarro would board, having every reason to believe the port gun was empty, without any such thought on your part. The moment he tried to do so, I should have left the wheel and done what I could to help him; I think I should have been able to give him some assistance, Señor – I beg your pardon, I think I heard you called Major.”

“Little doubt you would; it was that I feared more than anything else, though I doubted your having a pistol. My fear of you was my chief reason for trying to frighten them off from boarding.”

Captain Ortega seemed to think the subject entertaining, for he lit another cigarette – first offering the box to the American – crossed his legs, leaned back at his leisure, looked smilingly up in the American’s face, and said in an even voice:

“It may be treason, Major, but General Yozarro is a coward! He spoiled everything by refusing to attack, when nearly every man in his boat was eager for it. When I was on the point of calling to him that the gun was empty, he tumbled back in the boat at your threat. I was so filled with contempt that I vowed I would give him no help; I shall do nothing more to aid him, for, after I opened the door, he was too scared to enter it. To prove I am in earnest, Major, I now surrender my only weapon.”

With which he drew out a beautiful silver-mounted revolver from under his loose jacket and extended it, with the muzzle turned toward himself, to the wondering American.

“I decline to take it, provided you will give me your parole to remain neutral in whatever may occur while I am on this craft.”

“You have my pledge,” said the Captain, shoving the weapon back.

“Can you tell me what General Yozarro is likely to do?”

“I can, but to do so, would be a violation of my neutrality.”

“A fair hit!” laughed the American; “I spoke without thought, but it will not touch the question of neutrality if you tell me how much longer we are likely to remain fast in the mud.”

“You may be aware that we feel the ocean tide to some extent in this part of the Rio Rubio. Some time beyond midnight, if we do not drive farther upon the shoal, the tide will lift us clear. You may not have noticed, Major, that the screw has been driving us forward most of the time, instead of backward. It is doing so now, but with your permission, I will order the engineer to reverse.”

“Well, I’ll be hanged! I heard you do that a good while ago.”

“That signal was for your benefit; there was another sent down the tube for the private ear of the engineer which you did not hear.”

CHAPTER XXXII

Major Starland thrust his hand through the window of the pilot house.

“Give me the pleasure, Captain.”

The other smilingly returned the pressure. Each saluted and the American passed back into the cabin, where his sister awaited him. He explained the situation.

“Do you know who he is, Jack?”

“I believe his name is Captain Ramon Ortega.”

“Have you never heard it before?”

“It seems to have a familiar sound, but I cannot identify it.”

“He is the betrothed of Manuela.”

“Why didn’t I remember it? I can’t help admiring the fellow, for he is the soul of honor.”

“She could have told you that.”

“You and he are acquaintances, but he does not seem to recognize you.”

“He cannot fail to know me, for we have met, but I think he prefers to be a stranger, while our relations are so peculiar. He will not allow me to leave without a few words.”

“Great heavens! I came near shooting him, but I guess it wasn’t any nearer than he came to shooting me. He is as brave as he is high minded.”

The young woman had removed the remnants of the feast left by General Yozarro and his guests so that the small, richly furnished apartment looked tidy and attractive. She reclined on the silken covered lounge placed against the side of the cabin, and her brother bade her good night and returned to his comrades, seated at the front and talking in low tones. To them the Major told of his talk with Captain Ortega.

“You do not doubt what he told you, Major?” said Guzman inquiringly.

“It is impossible.”

“General Yozarro has not a braver or more honorable officer in his army. Three years ago, when we were at war with Atlamalco, and neither republic owned a fleet, we had a fight with three hundred Atlamalcans in the mountains. Each force was about the same and it was one of the hottest fights I ever saw, for the respective forces were commanded by Generals Bambos and Yozarro.”

“Did each take a personal part in it?”

“Yes,” replied Captain Guzman with a grin and shrug of the shoulders, “that is to say, so far as directing matters was concerned. I saw Bambos peeping out from behind a big rock, swinging his sword, shouting and yawping till he seemed ready to burst, but taking good care when the bullets were whistling near that he was out of reach. I didn’t see anything of Yozarro, but – ”

“I did,” interrupted Martella; “he was in a deep hollow and made sure his head never rose a half inch above the edge. He did his part too in bellowing orders, but I don’t suppose he commanded any more attention than Bambos, Captain.”

“Both forces fought independently of their leaders.”

“You commanded yours, Captain, and did it well.”

“Not so well as Captain Ortega, for it was that thundergust flank movement which drove us headlong out of the mountains, with some of the men never halting till they reached Zalapata. Captain Ortega and no one else won that battle.”

“General Yozarro knows his worth,” said Martella; “he would have made him a general long ago if it was not that he is jealous of him. He is the only one I know who doesn’t fear General Yozarro. They often quarrel, for the Captain is plain of speech to every one. Yozarro has announced that he means to make him admiral of the fleet which he intends to build up. That I suppose is why he has placed him in charge of the gunboat, so that he shall have all the training and experience he can.”

“How does he feel toward you, Martella?”

The native gave his usual shrug and grinned.

“I know enough to keep away from him. He will never forgive me for deserting. He knows my grievance and may pity me, but he would be glad to shoot me, if he had a fair excuse for doing so. I don’t mean to tempt him, even if he has given you his pledge of neutrality and is the most honorable of men. If General Yozarro finds fault with him, it will be just like Captain Ortega to say right before all the other officers ‘I gave you a chance, but you had not the courage to use it and I would not waste any more effort on you.’”

None of the three could make a satisfactory forecast of the policy of General Yozarro. It seemed to the American that he might be able to secure two or three pieces of cannon and open a bombardment of the boat from the shore, but this presupposed an unreasonable delay. Captain Guzman said:

“He has no way of getting cannon this side of Atlamalco, and that would take a day or two; he has no wish to destroy his own property, and, if he had such a wish, he couldn’t do it, for only by accident would he hit the boat.”

“That squelches my theory, which I didn’t believe in myself. I’ll have another talk with the Captain, though his sense of honor isn’t likely to allow him to say much.”

It was beyond midnight and the two were conversing in a friendly way, but without anything important being said, when they looked in each other’s face with a pleased expression. A welcome fact had become known to both at the same moment.

“The boat is moving,” whispered the American.

With the screw motionless, she had been lifted clear by the tide and now swung clear. The Captain drew out his watch and held it so the moonlight lit up the face.

“There is no reaching Zalapata until toward noon, provided we get there with this gunboat, Major.”

The significant intonation and smile which accompanied these words puzzled the American, who would have given much to have had them explained. But it was useless to question the Captain and the only comfort was in the thought that he was an honorable foe.

“Now for Zalapata!” he added.

“I assume, Captain, that you are familiar with all the windings and dangers of the river.”

“Didn’t I prove it by running aground? But there will be no more mishaps of that nature while I hold the wheel.”

“Your pledge is sufficient,” remarked the American, who again passed to the lower deck and joined his friends. He told them of the curious remark of Captain Ortega, but none of the three could guess his meaning.

“The only thing that is certain,” said Captain Guzman, “is that General Yozarro and the rest are somewhere down the river and we shall hear more from them.”

No one felt any disposition to sleep and none really needed rest. The engineer and firemen caught cat naps whenever they could. Captain Ortega was probably in the same state with his three male passengers. His duties did not require long runs as a rule, but the present demand having arisen, he was equal to twenty hours or more at a stretch.