RACE WITH THE TIDE
In spite of the rough going, they made good time for the five miles,
spurred on by the constant anxiety lest they should not reach the beach
before the tide began coming in. There were several gathered to see them
off when they left the mouth of the Pass, but not to give them a send
off.
A short explanation will prove this. It is not to be supposed that the
hunchbacked Mexican and the bandits did not know that the three horsemen
were coming over the plain of the mustard growth. Indeed, their scout,
the Mexican dwarf, saw Jim, Jo and the Spaniard when they first landed
in the entrance to the canyon.
He had gone back to report to the bandits their coming, and after Jim
had returned, they had prepared the nicest trap imaginable near where
Jim had been hiding. They had had numerous experiences in that line and
were perfectly qualified experts. The spider and the fly was nothing to
the arrangements they had made to receive their supposably unsuspicious
guests.
You can imagine the surprise and disgust of the bandits and their scout
when they saw the three horsemen ride in an entirely different direction
than that they had looked for. Talk about convulsions, you should have
seen these desperadoes express their disappointment. It was terrific.
Not a saint in the long calendar was left unscathed.
How Jim would have enjoyed the performance. But entirely oblivious to
this, Jo, Jim and the Spaniard were riding rapidly towards the sea.
Before an hour had passed, they had ridden between the rounded sand
dunes and then out upon the hard, smooth sand of the beach.
"This is splendid going, Senor Sebastian," exclaimed Jim.
"It is all right," he replied, "if the sea does not get hungry too
soon." But the sea appeared to be in a very pleasant mood and the white
breakers had withdrawn as far out as it was possible to get. It was such
a smooth smiling sea with the laugh of its little sparkling waves that
it seemed that there could be no possible harm in it.
"I never saw a road that was better than this!" exclaimed Jo in
delight. "It is perfectly springy and no dust or mud."
It deserved all of Jo's praises, this broad, firm California beach. The
brown sand, that had been pounded down by the force of the great rollers
some hours before, showed scarcely a sign of the shoes of the horses.
There was plenty of width and the three horses pressed on abreast, the
powerful sweep of the gray Caliente and the chestnut Don Fernando, and
the snappy, nervous leaps of the little bay that Jo was riding. With the
bracing sea air and the exhilarating speed, the three musketeers were
invigorated.
The Spaniard hummed a gay ballad, while at times Jim's heavy bass and
Jo's lighter treble were joined in a rollicking American song. They
laughed without reason, for the simple joy of being alive and on the
move; but as pride sometimes goes before destruction, so happiness often
goes before disaster.
It was a small matter too, but it made for trouble. The Spaniard's horse
stepped between two small rocks that were close together and wrenched
one of his hind shoes nearly off. Jim and Senor Sebastian hastily
dismounted. Of course they carried with them the necessary things to
fix the shoe on again, but even then it was a question of a number of
minutes.
"You had better ride ahead, Jo," urged Jim. "Your horse is beginning to
tire and we will overtake you, when we once get started."
"It is a good idea," joined in the Spaniard.
"All right," acquiesced Jo readily enough, and he gave his bay the rein,
riding slowly down the beach.
Then the two began operations on Don Fernando's hind foot. Here they
found their first real delay. At the point where the accident happened,
the mountains came down quite close to the sea, so that they were
crowded in much closer than they had been. The nearness of the water
made the big chestnut restless and hard to handle.
The Spaniard had great difficulty in getting near enough to his horse to
get hold of his hind foot. When he did succeed in doing this, and was
just starting to peg the shoe on, an extra big wave slapped down upon
the beach, though at a safe distance and caused the big chestnut to jump
and hurl his master to a distance of a dozen feet.
"This won't do," cried Jim. "I'll take my horse around to the sea side
of yours and close up. Perhaps that will give your animal confidence."
It worked like a charm, for though Caliente was high-spirited, he was
not flighty and he steadied his comrade so that the two workers were
able to fasten the shoe.
"We have lost a good half hour," said Jim, looking at his watch with a
grave face.
"Perhaps we shall have to turn back," remarked the Spaniard with
gravity. "We may not escape the incoming tide if we go on."
"Don't you believe it," cried Jim, impetuously. "I've got business ahead
and must go."
"Have it your way," said the Spaniard with a peculiar smile. He knew
what dangers lay ahead with a rising tide and Jim did not or he probably
would not have been so insistent.
"I see no sign of Jo," remarked Jim, as they swung into the saddles.
"Ah, we will not catch him. He is safe," replied the Spaniard.
Then with tremendous speed, they swept down the beach, the splendid
horses responding to the crisis. It was their fleetness against the
steadily rising rush of the inexorable sea. They actually gained ten
minutes on the first two miles and a half. Then Jim saw ahead the dark
form of a headland thrusting out towards the sea.
Already the rush of a long wave would send the water lapping around
their horses' feet. Jim recognized the danger. They must get around that
promontory or give up beaten. Then he gave Caliente a touch with a spur,
the first that day. With a snort, the spirited animal sprang forward
faster than before and at his shoulder was the chestnut with flaming
nostril.
None too soon had they reached the headland, for the recurrent waves
were beginning to surge against it, with full force and gnawing foam. In
the fierce fury of their charge, they sent their horses against the sea.
It was at the long withdrawal that made bare the scattered black rocks,
that they rounded the headland.
But too soon a great thundering wave with the force of the Pacific
behind it came roaring in and swelled to the horses' throats, almost
submerging the riders. But the animals held against its withdrawing
power and before the ocean could return to the attack, they had got
beyond the headland to a safe place on the beach.
The horses were trembling and quivering with their exertions and with
the fear of the sea which is the most terrible and paralyzing of all
fears. Jim drew a long breath of relief and looked ahead to see if there
was any sign of Jo. Then to his consternation he saw that the beach
curved inland and at the further end of the curve was another frowning
headland thrusting itself out somewhat further than the one they had but
just rounded.