At the Point of the Sword Part 52

"Were you in that battle, senor? Wasn't it terrible?" and the man looked at my comrade with renewed interest.

Indeed, from that time he treated us both with increased respect, and the journey pa.s.sed quite pleasantly in his company. During the second day we met several groups of mounted Indians, and a detachment of regular soldiers; which showed that we could not be far from the main encampment, on the plain between Rancas and Pasco. Our guide expected to reach it that night, but we did not get in till after breakfast next morning.

The plain was a splendid place for a camp, though rather high up, being some twelve thousand feet above the level of the sea. Surrounding it on all sides, huge mountains towered, their mighty summits hidden by the clouds. The table-land itself was alive with soldiers, and presently I caught sight of the flag which had been presented to the Peruvian Legion.

"Take us over there," I cried excitedly to the guide.--"There are our comrades, Alzura. I see Plaza, and Cordova, and the sour-faced old major. Viva! viva!" and I rose in the stirrups with delight.

What explanation the Indian gave I do not know. We were plucked from the saddles and bandied about from one fellow to another in less than no time, every one helping to keep up a running fire of remarks.

"Now let the Royalists tremble!" exclaimed Plaza, striking a dramatic att.i.tude, spoiled only by the fun and twinkle in his eyes.

"Only think, our little Alzura has returned to us!" cried another; "let us embrace him."

"Wait till he's been scrubbed a few times," suggested Plaza. "The legion should be proud of these 'young bloods.' What airs and graces!

What remarkable and novel costumes! What--"

"Can any one lend me a shirt?" interrupted Alzura.

"A shirt?" exclaimed Cordova. "My dear fellow, I have a dozen, quite clean and doing nothing, I shall be proud to let you and Crawford each have one."

"Oh, thanks!" said Alzura. "I thought something practical ought to come from all that talk. Come on, my boy, let's have them at once.

Where are they?"

"Just down in Lima. You have only to--" but a roar of laughter drowned the end of the sentence.

"You really don't require one," remarked Plaza; "it would spoil the rest of your uniform--that is, if you have one under that dirt."

Every one was still enjoying the joke, when a number of officers in brilliant uniforms approached our quarter of the plain. In the leader I recognized Bolivar; and, to my great satisfaction, Colonel Miller was one of his suite.

"Your men seem to be enjoying themselves, colonel," we heard Bolivar remark; "what is it all about?"

At that moment Miller caught sight of us, and leaving the general's question unanswered, called us over, saying, "Alzura! Crawford! Where have you been, my boys? We had quite given you up.--General, these are two of my young officers who have been missing for months."

Bolivar, who was in good humour that morning, made us stand by him and relate our adventures. Then he complimented us on our pluck, and turning to an officer, said, "Take these youngsters to O'Brien, and ask him to supply them with decent clothing; they have at least earned that. And I am very proud of you, boys; and so, no doubt, are your comrades." At which Plaza led off a round of cheering.

I was very glad to see the great, big, jolly Irishman again, and he lost no time in getting us fresh uniforms from the stores, with an extra poncho apiece.

"You'll be glad of that at night," said he, "for up here the thermometer is generally below freezing-point. I must come to see you, if there's time, and hear your story."

O'Brien was quite right about the biting cold, but on that first night at least we hardly felt it. Dressed in our new clothes, comfortably wrapped in our ponchos, seated close to a roaring fire, and surrounded by old friends, Alzura and I felt amply repaid for all our toils and privations.

In honour of our arrival our brother officers had organized a grand supper, the greatest delicacy being a small loaf of white bread, which they insisted on sharing with Alzura and myself. After supper, we had to give an account of our adventures; and many a laugh went up as I told of my chum's plans, of our disasters in crossing the mora.s.s, and of the strange Indians who had mistaken us for Royalists, which, Plaza unkindly remarked, was a poor compliment to the enemy.

"After all," he continued, "you haven't had such a very bad time. Now, while you've been playing, we've been at work."

"Oh," cried Alzura, smiling blandly, "that would be a change for you!"

"We've made roads," said Cordova, with a solemn air, "built huts, collected fuel, carried corn, and driven cattle. We've worked harder than the labourers on your father's estates."

"Glad to hear it," laughed my chum. "I thought Bolivar would make something of you. A pity we weren't with you, though."

"A great pity! With Crawford and you helping, there would have been little for us to do."

"It must have been rough work crossing the mountains," I observed.

"Rough? rather! especially as Bolivar has turned us into cavalry," and he proceeded to give a graphic account of the pa.s.sage.

"The shelving ledges on the mountain sides are so narrow that the troops were obliged to advance in single file. The cavalry, of course, were greatly handicapped. Each man rode a mule, and had a led horse, which he dragged after him by a la.s.so. Sometimes a break in the track, caused by a deep gully or a waterfall, occurred, when the men had to dismount, and to lead their animals.

"But the worst of all was when night came while we were still on the march," said Plaza. "We always walked then, and more than one fellow went tumbling down some frightful precipice. We lost our way two or three times, though there were plenty of trumpeters stationed at intervals. But Cordova will tell you about that," and there was a general laugh.

"Oh," said Alzura, scenting a bit of fun, "order, please, for Cordova's story.--Now, my boy, out with it!"

"'Twas nothing," replied Cordova airily. "We missed our way, and had to return, that's all. A mere accident, only these fellows make such a fuss about it."

"Plaza, you tell the yarn," said I. "Cordova's much too modest, and that's quite a new thing for him, too!"

"Well, it happened on the wildest night of the whole journey. A terrific snowstorm came on, half blinding us. We were wet through and tired as dogs, and the camping-place was still a long way off. We couldn't see much, but there was plenty of noise. The wind howled, the trumpeters blew loud enough to wake the dead, officers shouted to their men, horses neighed and mules brayed: it was a regular pandemonium! To crown all, we were following the windings of a roaring torrent."

"And Cordova was leading," interrupted Major Gamarra.

"Some one suggested we were on the wrong track, but our friend knew better. 'Follow me,' said he; 'I can guide you by the sounds of the trumpets.' And we followed."

"Like a flock of sheep," chimed in the major.

"We went on," continued Plaza, "till even Cordova admitted something was wrong; then we stopped."

"Why didn't you turn back?"

"Out of the question, my boy. We tried it, and lost half a dozen animals in the attempt. The only thing possible was to advance till we reached an open spot. When all our fellows were across we turned round, and began the march back."

"Bravo, Cordova!" cried my chum, who was bubbling over with laughter.

"Oh, come, wait a bit. You haven't heard the best of the joke yet. We had done nearly half the distance, when we met the head of another squadron that followed us. 'Go back,' we yelled; 'you've missed the proper path.' 'Go back yourselves,' they shouted in reply; 'we can't!'

Well, you know, neither party dared move till daybreak; so we stood there, crouching against the rocks and holding on to the animals. We could neither eat nor sleep. The wind flung the snow at us in ma.s.ses, and we were frozen to the marrow. Some pretty things were said about Cordova before the morning, I can a.s.sure you."

"To hear them talk, one would think they were made of sugar!" grunted Cordova.

"It took us four hours the next day to get out of the mess," laughed Plaza, "and then we had to catch up with our division. Altogether, it was a very pleasant incident, though the major here and a few others failed to see the fun."

"But how came Canterac to let you through the pa.s.ses without a fight?"

I asked.

"A case of pride going before a fall, I expect. He thinks to serve us as he did at Torata.--By the way, Crawford, you gave Miller his wrong rank this morning. He's a general now, and chief of all the Peruvian cavalry."

"Bravo, that's grand news! There isn't a better soldier in the army."

"Only he's so fearfully energetic. He'll keep one on the move for sixteen hours, and then suggest a little scouting as a t.i.tbit to wind up with," said Cordova.