The Blue Grass Seminary Girls on the Water Part 27

"Come, Mabel," she said. "Let's get down and get back to the ship before some of them come back."

Mabel was nothing loath, and quickly the girls slid to the ground and advanced to the edge of the clearing. Here they stopped for a moment, looking about them.

Several figures were sprawled about on the ground. The girls shuddered.

"It is terrible," said Shirley.

"Don't look at them," urged Mabel. "Let's run."

But as they were about to take to their heels, they were startled by the sound of a voice directly behind them.

"Ha!" it said.

The girls wheeled in their tracks to confront a man with rifle levelled directly at them. A cry of fear was rung from Mabel's lips, but Shirley said nothing.

The man advanced and the girls shrank back. A torrent of words poured from the man's lips, but it was absolutely unintelligible to either of the girls.

Shirley made a gesture, indicating that they did not understand, and the man said:

"Americanos?"

"Yes," replied Shirley. "Do you speak English?"

"Si!" replied the man, "a leetle!"

"We want to go away," said Shirley eagerly. "We belong on the ship in the harbor."

"No! Stay here. General Orizaba will return soon," said the man in broken English.

Shirley started to protest, but the man made a threatening gesture with his rifle.

The two girls looked at each other in dismay.

"Out of the frying pan into the fire, Mabel," declared Shirley. "I guess we shall have to stay."

There was apparently no help for it. They sat down upon the gra.s.s to await the arrival of General Orizaba, who, they rightly guessed, was the commander of the revolutionary forces.

Their captor stood vigilant guard. Apparently he was determined to allow them no chance to escape. He sat some distance away, with his rifle across his knees. The two girls settled themselves with their backs to a large tree, and made themselves as comfortable as they could under the circ.u.mstances.

There was a snapping of a twig behind them, and Shirley glanced about uneasily.

"S-s-h-h," came a low voice. "Keep still and show no surprise."

Both girls recognized the voice in an instant.

They maintained their composure well, and spoke only to each other.

"It's d.i.c.k!" whispered Shirley.

"I know it," replied Mabel.

"Then we are safe."

The girls' guard now put an end to their conversation. Rising he approached them and commanded:

"Silence!"

He did not hear soft footsteps pa.s.sing beyond him, nor did he turn in time to see a figure leap from behind a tree and spring at him. The first he realized of his danger was when a pair of strong arms went round him, and he was hurled violently to the ground, his rifle flying from his hands.

"Get the rifle, Shirley!" called d.i.c.k, as he and his opponent struggled for mastery.

Shirley leaped forward, stopped, and when she arose she held the rifle.

For a moment she considered the advisability of advancing and lending d.i.c.k a hand, then concluded that he was more than a match for the Nicaraguan. Besides, the figures were locked in such close embrace that she couldn't have aided d.i.c.k if she would.

Now d.i.c.k succeeded in shaking off the grip of his opponent, and sprang to his feet. The Nicaraguan did likewise, and sprang back.

As d.i.c.k leaped forward again, the man's hand went to his holster, and a revolver flashed in his hand.

But before he could bring the weapon to bear, Shirley stepped quickly forward, levelled her rifle at him, and in a clear sharp voice, cried:

"Halt!"

The man wheeled quickly and as he did so, d.i.c.k sprang upon him from behind. A quick blow sent the revolver hurling several feet away, and then d.i.c.k stepped back to give free play to his boxing skill.

The Nicaraguan rushed at him, but d.i.c.k stepped lightly aside, and as the man went by, carried on by the impetus of his rush, d.i.c.k struck out straight and true from the shoulder.

The Nicaraguan crumpled up in a heap on the ground.

Shirley and Mabel ran quickly to d.i.c.k's side.

"Are you hurt, d.i.c.k?" asked Shirley anxiously.

"No!" was the smiling rejoinder, "but I would have been if you had not been prompt with that rifle. That's all that saved me."

"How did you find us?" asked Mabel.

"Followed you. We became alarmed at your absence and I said I thought I could find you. I imagined you had gone for a stroll, and when I saw this bunch of pirates going through the town I guessed that you would fall into their hands. I came along after them and just as I was about to go on I saw you climbing down from the tree."

"Well, you didn't arrive a minute too soon," declared Shirley. "We were badly frightened, weren't we Mabel?"

"I know I was," was her chum's reply. She turned to d.i.c.k. "But how--"

"I'll explain later," interrupted d.i.c.k. "The thing to do now is to get away from here before they return. Come on."

The girls started on ahead of him, and d.i.c.k turned for a glance over his shoulder.

Then he uttered an exclamation of alarm, and shouted: