SINYARO.
How anxiously did the good people of the little village watch for the
return of Pedro, when the sun’s declining rays heralded the approach of
evening.
If he should fail to bring rescuers within the hour they would be
forced to behold the melancholy spectacle of seeing his aged parents
slaughtered before their eyes.
They knew that Sinyaro would carry out his horrible threat, for since
his first appearance in the neighborhood, some three years previously,
he had committed over a hundred bold and cold-blooded outrages.
No wonder they looked anxiously for the coming of the son who was to
bring rescue and hope in his wake.
Longer and longer grew the slanting red beams, and the afternoon was
wearing slowly away.
In two directions were the eyes of the many watchers turned.
They looked hopefully for Pedro from one way, and fearfully for Sinyaro
from the other.
At length distant whistles were heard far away to the right, and soon
after came the sound of mighty feet spurning the hard ground.
The people looked aghast at one another, for they had never heard
sounds like these in the vicinity of their peaceful village before.
Shrill and clear sounded the shrieks on the air once more, and the
tread of the mighty feet grew louder.
Some of the women rushed screaming into their houses and covered their
heads with their gowns.
Others ran to the extreme end of the little town, opposite the part
from which the terrifying sounds came.
A few of the men were brave enough to go to the right end of the
village and try to find out what the racket meant.
Very soon the Steam Horse hove into view, Frank on the seat and Pedro
at his side, while behind him, in the wagon, clustered Harry Hale,
Barney Shea, the latter fiddling away with might and main, and the
gloomy avenger.
A few hundred yards behind them came the Steam Man, Charley and Pomp
on the seat, the darkey singing and playing on his banjo, while in the
body of the wagon could be seen Barry Brown and Jack.
They had to move slowly, for here the ground was not as level as upon
the plains, beyond, and the drivers knew that they must exercise great
care in traveling over uneven surface, if they would not injure the
delicate machinery of the wonderful inventions.
They went into the village in style, and it was humorous to watch the
effect of their entrance upon different sorts of natures.
Some gave one glance at the odd-looking metal horse, and then roared
with laughter.
Others, as soon as they caught a mere glimpse of the contrivance, set
up some most awful howls, and started for home on a racket.
Probably they might all have been very much terrified if they had not
seen Pedro sitting by Frank’s side.
As it was, it took a good ten minutes to collect them all around
the strange monsters, and convince them that they were not infernal
machines.
“Tell them what they are, Pedro,” said the inventor to the boy at his
side. “They would not listen to me.”
Thereupon the Mexican boy stood up and told them all about it,
explained, as well as he knew how to do, the construction and workings
of the two prairie travelers, and then introduced Frank Reade as the
talented inventor.
Of course our hero was hailed with the greatest delight and admiration
by the simple village folk.
“The bandit, as you call him, has not come yet?” inquiringly said
Frank, as he hopped down to the ground.
“No,” said Pedro, springing down to his side, “but he will be here when
the sun is dipping.”
“And we’ll dip him,” said Harry Hale, with an expectant grin. “I like
to come across these tough customers.”
“It’s fun to handle them and clip their wings,” said Barry Brown.
“You bet,” said his captain, “and we are the boys that can do it.”
“I feel just like having a nice little knock down and pick ’em up sort
of little tea party,” said the tall, lanky stableman; “I’ve only had
enough so far to make me hungry for a good square shindy, and I feel as
though I could fairly walk through a good-sized crowd of hard nuts.”
“You’ll have enough to do, Jack,” said the young Mexican. “Sinyaro is
a rascal--a big rascal, but he will fight like a tiger. While he lives
his men will never give in, so I advise you to try and kill him off the
first thing.”
“And spile all the illegant little ruction entirely?” roared Barney
Shea, before Jack could say a word. “Be off wid ye, ye little haythen!
Bedad, now that it is meself that knows what’s what, be my sowl, I’ll
let the divilish thafe go out of me grasp if I should happen to put me
purty paws upon him, so I would. Musha, my gad! would ye put a sudden
ind to an illegant row?”
Pedro was silenced.
“Course not--course not,” glibly said Pomp, examining those deadly
long-range revolvers. “Nebber do, sar, nebber do in the warld. What fo’
you tink we come all dis yar way if you is gwine to cut off de rumpus
in de middle, eh, Massa Pedro? Dis yar fire-top gemmen and me we’se de
rattlin’ gamecocks or dis yar party, we is; yes, sar, an’ don’t yer
forget dat, nudder.”
“You shall have all the fun you want, my colored friend,” said Barry
Brown; “but just now I want something solid to eat if I’m booked to do
any work.”
Pedro spoke to several of his neighbors, and they speedily prepared
meals for the hungry party.
Pomp, being blessed with remarkably powerful eyesight, was stationed
upon one of the housetops to note the advent of the robber band, and
there he sat eating and watching for over twenty minutes.
Then he caught sight of the gleam of arms, the bright hues of crimson
and blue sashes and wraps, and soon made out a large mounted party
coming through a small valley that lay a mile away.
“Dey’s comin’,” he shouted, and came down from his perch. “Dey’s
trotting through the valley ’bout one mile away ober dar.”
“How many of them do you think in the party?” asked Frank, as he
examined all parts of his machinery.
“Guess dar’s fully half hundred men on dem horses,” said Pomp. “Dey
looks flashy too, I tell yer.”
“Where are the prisoners?”
“In de front ranks,” said Pomp.
“All right,” said Frank. “I’ve fixed the mode of attack. All I want you
to do is to see that those old people are not murdered by the robbers
when we make our charge. I give you the job because you are the best
and quickest shot, and can use your eyes to effect.”
“Consider dem under dis chile’s special pertection,” said Pomp.
They now piled into the wagons, and stood ready for a start.
Soon the tramp of the on-coming troop of horsemen came to their ears,
approaching at a rapid trot.
“Ready!” cried Frank.
“Ready!” yelled Charley.
“Go!” cried Harry Hale, and the reins were pulled.
Just as the robber band flashed into view the Steam Horse and the Steam
Man rushed like living bolts to the rescue.