Swift and Sure Part 8

As he left the shelter of the plantation he saw to his right the lights of the camp, from which came a continuous hum. It was long past the time for "lights-out" with any well-disciplined force; but discipline was lax in the army of General Carabano, liberator of Venezuela. Will moved along rapidly, keeping at a distance from the house until he had a.s.sured himself as to the extent to which the back was illuminated.

There was a dim light in one room: the rest were in darkness. Then he struck directly towards the house, avoiding, as he drew nearer, the triangle of ground illuminated by the light in the room, and so came to the veranda.

The general construction of the house was familiar to him through having been several times the guest of De Mello. The rooms opened on to the patio within, and several had doors of communication between them. The only door to the outside besides that of the main entrance led from the servants' quarters on the right-hand side looking towards the lake. De Mello's own sanctum was the centre room on the left-hand side opposite the stables. To reach it from the back of the house one had either to go along the patio until one came to the door, or to enter from the bedroom adjoining. It struck Will as probable that General Carabano would have appropriated the private den of the owner, as it was certainly the most comfortable room in the house, and convenient in having the bedroom next to it. The important matter at the moment, however, was not General Carabano's quarters, but Jose's.

Will stood in the darkness under the veranda, considering what he had better do. He peeped into the lighted room: it was a small bed-chamber.

A candle-lamp was burning on a bracket. The next room was in darkness, but the French window was open, and from the patio beyond came the m.u.f.fled hum of voices. Evidently some of the officers were taking their ease there. Listening to make sure that no one was approaching, Will stepped into the room, stole to the door, and gently opened it an inch, so that he could see into the patio. It was cloudy with tobacco smoke.

Half-a-dozen officers sprawled in comfortable chairs, within easy reach of small tables on which stood bottles and gla.s.ses. But Will could not see General Carabano or Captain Espejo.

He felt himself at a check. Certainly he could not venture into the patio; the room in which he stood did not communicate with those on either side of it. He went out again: it occurred to him to try De Mello's dressing-room, which was on the left-side of the house, next to the bedroom. From the plantation he had seen that the bedroom itself was lit up, but he did not remember whether there had been a light in the dressing-room also. Stealthily creeping round the wall, he came to the window of the dressing-room, and found that it was itself in darkness, though a light came through from the bedroom, the door being slightly ajar. He tried the catch of the French window: it was not fastened, so that he could enter the room. His heart almost failed him at the thought of the risk of being discovered, but having come so far he was not disposed to return without making an attempt to discover what had happened to Jose. He noiselessly opened the window and stepped in.

Now he heard m.u.f.fled voices. He peeped into the bedroom: it was empty.

A lamp stood on a table. The door opening into De Mello's sanctum was partly open, and it was from this room that the voices proceeded. There being no sound of movement, he stole across the room on tiptoe and peeped into the room beyond. A screen stood just within, completely hiding the occupants. He now distinguished General Carabano's fruity voice, and it suddenly flashed upon him that he might discover something even more important than Jose's whereabouts. Slipping back into the bedroom, he glanced quickly round to learn the position of the articles of furniture in case he had to escape suddenly; then he turned out the light and crept back to the door. The General was still speaking.

"The only doubtful point, Espejo, is whether we can time our attack from the railway so that it is simultaneous with Colonel Orellana's from the south-east. The Jefe at Bolivar has no doubt received the message recalling the reinforcements that have just reached him--that is to say, if your friend at the central telegraph office is as clever as you were, Senor Machado. He has something to work for, and be sure neither you nor he shall be forgotten when Caracas is in our hands."

"If any one can pull off your little plan, Excellency," said Machado's smooth voice, "it is my friend Pereira."

"Good. Now this is the only doubtful spot." Will heard the crackle of paper: the General had apparently unfolded a map. "Colonel Orellana should be through the swamps south of Bolivar by mid-day to-morrow. If our good fortune holds he may get close to the city un.o.bserved. At any rate, as he will be marching for the greater part of the night, his movement will scarcely be discovered before the Government troops leave on their return journey in the early morning. At that time Colonel Orellana should be about twenty-five kilometres from the city. His attack from the south-east will be commenced at noon, a good time to catch them napping. If we start before eight we can run through in four hours provided the line is clear, and I think we can trust the signalman at the junction: he has too much at stake to fail me. The only doubtful point, as I say, is here--Santa Marta. All depends on our surprising the man there. How much of the line is visible from the station at Santa Marta, Senor Machado?"

"About three kilometres, Excellency."

"A pity. If anything arouses the suspicion of the man there he can send a message to Bolivar in a few seconds and wreck the whole scheme. How is it he also is not a friend of yours?"

"His mother's cousin holds a good position in the administration, Excellency."

"That place shall be yours when I form my administration."

"Is it certain, Excellency," asked Espejo, "that the bridge beyond Santa Marta is mined?"

"I can trust my information on that point, and I am pretty sure that our coup here has not leaked through, thanks to Senor Machado's friend at the junction and our other precautions. There is one risk: that Senor de Mello has given information. It was a bad mistake of yours not to secure him, Espejo, and I am annoyed with you. But it cannot be helped.

The only thing wanted to complete the perfection of our arrangements is to surprise the station at Santa Marta. How is it, Senor Machado, that you cannot find the hydroplane about which we have heard so much? If we had it, it would be quite easy to approach Santa Marta from the river; they would think it was the mad Englishman on one of his jaunts. If we could only capture the signalman there, and you took his place, we could quite rely on your ability to keep the people at Bolivar from becoming suspicious. I compliment you, senor, on your extreme ingenuity in conducting the communications with Bolivar during the past few days. It required a man of genius to prevent the railway people from smelling a rat."

"You do me too much honour, Excellency," said Machado, his gratification manifest in his tone of voice. "But I fear I can't keep it up for another day. I have to make so many excuses and explanations; and from the last two or three messages that have come through from Bolivar I can't help feeling that the people there are becoming uneasy."

"The more reason for striking at once. Why can't you find the hydroplane?" asked the General with some impatience.

"I have done my best, Excellency. I believe the negro knows where it is, but he is a perfect mule, and neither starvation nor whipping has any effect upon his stubbornness."

"Caramba! are there not other means of taming mules? Fetch the boy.

We'll see."

Will heard Machado rise from his chair and open the door leading to the patio. Jose was staunch, then. Will set his teeth at the thought of the ill-usage the boy had had to endure. His clutch tightened on Azito's knife, and he scarcely heeded what pa.s.sed between Carabano and his lieutenant during the few seconds of Machado's absence.

"Here he is, Excellency."

"Ah! this is the mule. Now, mule, answer my question: where is your master's boat?"

Will waited tensely: not a word came from the boy's lips. There was the sound of a blow.

"Answer me," shouted the General, "or I will have you flogged. Where is the boat?"

"I cannot tell, senor," said the boy.

"Dog, do you call his Excellency 'senor'!" cried Espejo; and again there came the sound of a blow. "Where is the boat?"

"I have a thought? Excellency," said Machado suddenly, as the boy was silent. "I will try the electric battery: that will make him speak."

"Caramba! you had better make him speak somehow, or I'll flay him alive.

Are my plans to be ruined by a dog of a negro? Take him away, and shock it out of him."

Will quivered as he heard the boy cry out: one of the three had struck him again. But Machado was dragging Jose from the room: where was he taking him? Will did not know of the temporary cabin erected for the telegraphist at the railway line a few hundred yards away: surely, he thought, Machado did not intend to convey the boy at this time of night to the old camp five miles distant. Yet he had seen no wire connecting the line with the house. It flashed upon him that if Machado left the house, and was not accompanied by any of the officers, an opportunity of rescue might offer. Quick as thought he slipped across the bedroom into the dressing-room and out on to the veranda. Running round to the back of the house, he stood in a dark corner to watch. Presently he saw Machado issue forth with Jose from the door in the servants' quarter.

The boy's hands were tied.

Machado dragged him across the garden towards the railway line. Waiting a few moments to make sure that no one was accompanying them, Will followed quietly, losing them from sight as they pa.s.sed through a shrubbery. He could not risk discovery by Machado yet, for a cry would bring a crowd in pursuit. Quickening his steps, he saw the two proceeding towards a cabin just below the railway embankment. A light shone through a small square opening in the wall. Machado lifted the rough latch, pushed his victim into the cabin, entered after him, and shut the door. Will hurried to the unglazed window, and just as he reached it heard Machado say--

"Has there been a signal?"

"No, senor," was the reply.

Peeping in cautiously, Will saw one of General Carabano's men, left there, no doubt, to summon Machado if there should come a call on the wires.

"Hold this brute," said Machado.

"What are you going to do, senor?" asked the man.

"Make a pig squeal. Now, you mule, one more chance before I p.r.i.c.k you with a thousand pins. Where is that boat?"

Jose was evidently terrified at the unknown torture before him. He looked wildly around for a chance of escape, and struggled in the hands of his captor, who, however, held him fast. Meanwhile Machado had disconnected a couple of wires, and reached up to a shelf to take down a bottle of acid for re-charging the battery. Clearly he was for no half measures now.

[Ill.u.s.tration: a.s.sAULT AND BATTERY]

"What's that?" asked the man.

"Stuff to strengthen the battery," replied Machado. "I'm going to put a wire on each side of him, and add cells--there are plenty of them--until he owns up."

"Will it kill him?"

"I shouldn't wonder."

He laughed as he poured acid into the cell. Meanwhile Will had been worked up to a white heat of indignation. Without stopping to measure the risk, he slipped the knife into his pocket, sprang noiselessly to the door, threw it open, and in two strides came within arm's length of Machado just as he was replacing the bottle. A blow with the right, and one with the left almost at the same instant, hurled the telegraphist to the ground. The man holding Jose was for the moment paralyzed with astonishment. Before he could recover himself, a heavy blow somewhere about his middle sent him to join Machado. Then Will, catching Jose by the arm, dragged him through the door and to the rear of the cabin, where with one stroke of Azito's knife he severed the cords binding the boy's wrists.

He had scarcely done so when he heard one of the men run shouting from the cabin. But, as Will had expected, the man made straight towards the house. Hurrying along the foot of the embankment for a few yards, Will struck to the right towards the plantation where he had left Azito, both he and Jose bending low to get what cover was possible from the long gra.s.s and occasional bushes. Before they reached the plantation they heard shouts from the house, which were soon answered from the camp some distance to their left. They ran as swiftly as possible, and Will gave a low whistle as he approached the trees. It was answered by Azito.

They waited but a few moments, to see whether any of the figures which could be descried moving near the house were coming in their direction.

Then all three plunged into the depths of the plantation, Jose leading in as straight a course as he could towards the recess where the hydroplane was hidden.

CHAPTER VIII--A RACE AGAINST TIME