Frontier Boys in the South Seas Part 18

It was a desperate situation. The boys were too far away to be of aid.

It was impossible to shoot at the man without risking the life of the girl. Twice Jim raised his rifle and let it drop, while the Senorita's call for help rang in his ears.

The Irishman continued to hold the Senorita as a shield, and the woman, knowing the boys would not shoot her, fiercely swung the oars of the boat, which was headed toward the lugger.

In a few moments Jim and his party were at the sh.o.r.e, where the Senor in desperation raged now that it was all too late, bemoaning his over-confidence and its result.

"What shall we do?" cried Tom.

"Get back to the Storm King as quick as we can," cried Jim, in a frenzy. "We will run the yacht down and get her if we have to follow them to the end of the world. Come on!"

The boys, headed by Jim, started off on the run, when they were halted by a shout from Juarez.

"Here's a boat!" he cried.

Half hidden in the bushes which fringed the sh.o.r.e was the little dinghy of the lugger.

To seize the boat and rush it down to the water was but the work of a moment.

"But we haven't any oars!" cried Tom.

"Here is one. Yes, a pair!" exclaimed Jo, who had been rummaging in the bushes.

"Let me go with you," pleaded the Senor.

"I am sorry," replied Jim, "but the boat will only hold three, and some will have to stay on sh.o.r.e. There is serious work ahead of us. We don't know how many there may be on board the lugger."

"Then let me be of the party, I implore you! I am an expert marksman, and can hit the eye of the bull at a hundred yards."

"Good!" cried Jim. "Juarez, you are the best long distance runner amongst us. Will you give the Senor your rifle and run as fast as you can back to the ship and tell the professor to come to our aid with the Storm King?"

Without a word, Juarez handed his rifle to the Senor and was off with a speed that carried him over the ground almost as fast as a horse could gallop.

Leaving Jo and Tom on sh.o.r.e to menace the escaping party with their rifles if there was opportunity, and with Berwick at the oars, the dinghy was headed for the lugger.

Barely had they covered a third the distance when they were surprised to hear a call from the Senorita, and looking in the direction of the sound they discovered her standing alone on board the lugger.

Her captors had disappeared, as they were soon to learn. Having first run under the lea of the lugger, they had aided the Senorita to climb on board, and they themselves keeping the while out of sight of Jim's party, had rapidly rowed the boat around a point of land and were nowhere to be seen.

That they were to board the Sea Eagle, which was still to be observed dropping down the harbor was doubtless their intent, but why had they surrendered the Senorita? Why taken all the trouble and risk to recapture and put her on board the lugger? It was an enigma for which they were later to find a solution.

Jim and his party lost no time in boarding the lugger. The meeting of father and daughter was affecting, and Jim was covered with confusion by the profuse thanks of the young lady. He beat a hasty retreat to the dinghy, where he was held in conversation for a few minutes by the Senor, then going ash.o.r.e, he picked up Tom and Jo. He also carried a message to the Senor's man. His presence in the tree had not proved of service through no fault of his own. He was now ordered to take the horses back to the inn.

On Jim's return to the lugger he had a further conference with the Senor and told him that in a scouting trip during the afternoon he had run across a party of three, bandits he took them to be, and listening un.o.bserved to their conversation, he had learned of their intention to capture someone.

"Do you know of a Captain Beauchamp?" Jim asked.

"No."

"May it not be yourself and your daughter that they are after?" Jim asked in conclusion.

The Senor was visibly agitated. "For myself alone I have no fear," he said, "but, alas, my daughter, and she has already suffered so much."

"If I could go with you--"

"That's it," broke in the Senor, "if you and your brothers will accompany us, we all could be quite safe."

Jim was complimented by this confidence, and was very loath to hesitate, but his obligations to the professor compelled. He must first refer the matter to him. Then an idea occurred to Jim, another course was suggested.

Would the Senor's party go on board the Storm King, and when again at sea seek a transfer to some pa.s.sing merchant ship bound for San Francisco?

The plan well appealed to the Senor, and now the best method of getting on board the Storm King was considered.

While they were talking, as the darkening atmosphere indicated, a storm was brewing, and appeared likely to break very shortly over the hills and bay. The trip by land would be tedious indeed, particularly for the Senorita. The dinghy would carry but three, and Jim thought, too, that every minute lost would prejudice his chances for the recovery of the Sea Eagle. One object of his trip had been accomplished, the rescue of the Senorita. Now his thoughts turned to the Sea Eagle which at that moment was doubtless upon the ocean and headed for Cuba. At least he knew its destination.

The thought occurred to Jim. Why not make use of the lugger on which they now were? Suggestion was promptly followed by action. Under Jim's direction the anchor was quickly raised, the patchwork sail was trimmed and made secure. If the approaching storm held off a bit they could make the run to the Storm King in short order.

With the relaxation from the intense anxiety of the hours just pa.s.sed through, the party was indeed a happy one. Even their Nemesis, the villainous Mexican, was forgotten. The Senor and Berwick--the latter was at the helm--found subjects to discuss of mutual interest.

The Senorita, meantime, told Jim of her experience on board the Sea Eagle, where she had been for some time a prisoner, and he related very modestly some of the efforts he had made to rescue her.

It was beyond the dinner hour, but that fact was forgotten. The Senorita, however, was thirsty.

"Was there possibly water on board to drink?"

Jim offered to investigate. He had seen through the hatchway in the dim region of the hold a cask or two. He climbed down a broken ladder to inst.i.tute a search. The first cask when struck with his boot gave out a sound indicating that it was empty. But there was dimly seen another cask farther aft. Even near the open hatchway it was dark indeed, and the approaching storm made the gloom almost impenetrable.

The second cask was open, the head was out. This fact he determined by feeling about, and reaching down his hand encountered a dry, powdery ingredient. He noted now that there was a dividing part.i.tion just aft, on which his hand rested. The part.i.tion, he discovered, was hot with an unnatural heat, while the air about him was cool. What was the powdery stuff in the cask? He could not see, but a little held in his hand by sense of smell he recognized. And now a crackling sound beyond the part.i.tion wall reached his ear.

The whole picture of their awful position at once flashed upon his mind.

The lugger was a veritable trap. They had been beguiled aboard with but one horrible purpose in view. There were people Captain Broome wished to annihilate. The Senor was surely one, Jim and his party the others. The substance in the cask was powder. Doubtless there was more of the same stuff about. The boat was on fire.

With one bound Jim was back to the ladder, and was quickly on deck. The deep intonation of a crash of thunder reverberated through the air, drowning for the moment his voice. Jo saw his blanched face and knew that something unusual had happened.

There was no uncertainty in Jim's commands.

"Quick! Instantly, Senor! Your daughter and Berwick into the dinghy! Ask no questions. We have not a moment to lose!"

Even as he spoke he was drawing the dinghy alongside, Jo springing to his aid.

"Tom, put into the boat the guns and the Senorita's handbag! Now, quick, Berwick, man the oars! Row with all your might away from this boat!"

No one had uttered a sound. Jim's white face showed there must be motive back of his command, and instant action followed. Quickly those ordered to do so had taken their place in the boat.

"You are not going to stay and face the danger, whatever it is, alone?"

questioned Berwick. The oars were even then bending to the first stroke of his powerful effort. Jim deigned no reply.

"Tom, Jo, into the water both of you, and swim with the boat!"