"Come on now, we have them!" cried Frank.
"Surrender there! Give up! Stop!" shouted Ned. "Halt, Senor Bernardo!"
But the Portuguese revolutionist and his rebel rascals kept on. Frank
brought his rifle to his shoulder and exclaimed:
"Halt, or I'll fire!"
Whether he actually would or not, he never stopped to consider. Shooting
at a man in the open that way, when the heat of battle has passed, is a
hard matter. Frank could not decide what to do. But the aimed gun had no
effect, and a second later, with shouts of exultation, Bernardo and his
men leaped from a small pier into a power boat, which was cast off and
set in motion at once.
"They've beaten us!" gasped Ned. "They've gotten away!"
"Oh for a boat!" cried Frank. "If we had one--even our _Ellen_--we might
catch them!"
"But we haven't," said Ned, sadly, as he saw the powerful craft,
containing the escaping revolutionists, speeding out into the bay. The
cutters and motor boats of the warship were some distance away, some of
them having been taken back to the _Georgetown_.
One of the men who was among the last to leap into the boat after
Bernardo, carried a large tin box. He seemed to be very careful of it.
"Probably it contains what cash they have left," said Frank.
"Yes, and perhaps papers that might serve to free Uncle Phil," added his
brother. "Oh, Frank, we simply must get those fellows!"
"What's the trouble?" asked Mr. Kennedy, who came running up at that
moment. He was rather stout, and had been winded by the pursuit. "Where
are Bernardo and his rascals?" he asked.
"There they go," replied Frank, pointing to the motor boat, now well
away from shore.
"And one of them has a tin box full of money with him," added Ned.
"Not much money left among the revolutionists," was the comment of the
coffee man. "Besides, if there is, you can be sure Bernardo has it
safely put away somewhere. He wouldn't take any chances carrying it with
him in that fashion."
"But there was something of value in the box," Frank insisted.
"Papers and documents, most likely," said Mr. Kennedy. "Those fellows
don't want to leave behind anything incriminating. They aren't any
fonder of going to prison than the next man."
"If that tin box contains papers some of them might prove our uncle's
innocence," ventured Frank.
"By Jove! So they might!" cried the coffee merchant. "I never thought of
that. Bernardo is just the sort of rascal, too, to do away with the
proof."
"If we only had a boat!" and Ned groaned in disappointment as he uttered
the words.
At that moment there came out from around one of the piers a small motor
boat.
"Look!" cried Frank. "It isn't very big, but it will hold us. And maybe
we can catch them. Hi, you!" he called to the man in the boat, "sell us
your craft--lend it to us. We'll pay you well!"
The man only shrugged his shoulders and turned away.
"Name your own price!" yelled Ned.
"He doesn't understand you," said Kennedy. "He's Portuguese. I know him.
He's a fruit dealer. I'll talk to him."
Rapidly the coffee merchant explained the situation. There was a quick
exchange of rapid-fire talk, and the boatman brought his craft to shore.
"Get in!" cried Mr. Kennedy. "We'll give those rascals a race, but I'm
afraid we haven't much chance. They have a good start, and their boat is
faster than ours, but we'll do the best we can."
Eagerly Frank and Ned, not forgetting their rifles, jumped into the
boat. A moment later they were off. The motor boat was of recent
pattern, and contained a good engine. But the Portuguese who owned it
did not know how to get the most speed out of the machine. He was rather
surprised when Frank made some adjustments, changing the timer, and
regulating the air intake valve of the carburetor.
At once the craft increased her speed.
"Say, you boys know something about boats, don't you?" exclaimed the
coffee man, while the Portuguese looked in wonder at our two heroes.
"Oh, we know a little," admitted Ned, modestly.
"I wish I knew enough to make this into a hydroplane," said Frank, as he
peered eagerly toward the boat they were pursuing. "It's about the only
way we'll be able to catch those rascals I'm afraid."
"We're pulling up on them a little," declared Ned.
"Not enough, though," his brother retorted, rather gloomily.
They were well out in the bay, which was unusually calm. Back in the
city the last remnants of the revolutionary army--if such it could be
called--were fleeing before the combined forces of American business men,
their employees, the loyal citizens, and, finally, the blue-jackets from
the _Georgetown_.
"I wonder what the lieutenant will say to us, running off from the squad
this way?" remarked Ned, as he filled the almost empty oil cups.
"Why, it's all right--we're in pursuit of the enemy," replied Frank.
"Just because our private interests happen to be served also, doesn't do
any harm."
"I think you're right," agreed Mr. Kennedy. "I will explain matters if
you get into any trouble. But, boys, I really think we are gaining on
them!"
Ned and Frank stood up, and looked searchingly ahead. They were nearer
to the boat containing Bernardo and his cronies. They could see them
more plainly. There appeared to be some dispute going on about the tin
box, which was wound around with many turns of rope.
"I wish they'd have such a difference of opinion that they'd fight among
themselves," remarked Ned. "Then some of them might come over on our
side, and we'd have the evidence we need."
"No such luck," sighed Frank. "We might as well wish they'd go near
enough the battleship, so we could signal to have them fired on.
"Not sunk, though," he added quickly, "for that would lose the box for
us altogether. I'd just like to have one of our quick-firers disable
them. But we're going away from the _Georgetown_, instead of toward it."
This was only too evident.
Of course Ned and Frank might have fired on the escaping men in the boat
ahead of them, as they were within rifle shot, but neither of the boys
dreamed of shooting at the rascals. It was too cold-blooded.
The boat of the fruit dealer was making good time. It was smaller and
lighter than the larger craft containing Bernardo and the others, and
was not so heavily laden.
"Ned, I believe we're going to catch them!" Frank cried, a little later.
"I can see them ever so much more plainly."
"So can I," said Mr. Kennedy. "Now, boys, you had better let me do the
talking, if we really overhaul them and force them to stop. I can speak
their language and I know what to say to them to bring them to terms I
think. And you want to look out. Bernardo is an ugly customer, and he is
probably very bitter over the defeat of his forces and the collapse of
the revolution. He'll be especially vindictive against you sailors, for
if it had not been for Uncle Sam's men the revolutionists would
undoubtedly have won."
"Well, we have our rifles and automatics," replied Frank, as he looked
to see that his gun was loaded, and the pistol in readiness. "If they
try any monkey business--"
"Look! Look!" suddenly interrupted Ned. "They're having another dispute!
And it's about the box!"
Several of the rascals were now standing up in the boat. One of them had
the box in his arms, and Bernardo was trying to take it from him. High
words could be heard.
"We're going to close in on them, and they know it," exulted Frank.
"Maybe some of them want to offer us the box to stop the pursuit."
"I wouldn't agree to that," said Mr. Kennedy. "You might need more
evidence than is in the box--personal testimony. Don't let them get away
if you possibly can stop them."
"I really believe we are going to get them," cried Ned.
It seemed very probable, and the revolutionists evidently thought the
same thing. The dispute over the box was renewed.
"I wonder what really is in it," ventured Ned.
No one could tell him.
Suddenly one of the men stood up, dealt the revolutionist who held the
box a blow that sent him overboard, and as he fell, the man dealing the
blow caught the box in his own hands. Then he yelled out something in
his own tongue.
"What is he saying?" asked Ned, eagerly.
"Quiet, just a moment," cautioned Mr. Kennedy, who was listening
intently.
The man screamed something at those in the pursuing boat, and shook one
fist at them. Then, with a sudden motion, he tossed the box into the
water. It sank instantly, and groans of disappointment came from Ned and
Frank. The evidence that possibly would clear their uncle, and restore
their fortunes, seemed lost forever.
"What did he say?" asked Frank.
"He said that all the documents referring to the revolution would rest
on the bottom of the bay," translated Mr. Kennedy. "He defied us, saying
that though the revolution was checked it was not over, and that no
punishment could be given Bernardo and his friends, because the
necessary papers would never fall into our hands."
"Did he say anything about Uncle Phil?" asked Ned.
"I don't believe he knows him, though Bernardo does, and he may suspect
you are his nephews," answered the coffee merchant.
"Come on!" yelled Frank. "They may have destroyed the documentary
evidence, but we'll get them and make them testify in person! We'll be
up to them in another minute. Get your gun ready, Ned!"
But alas for their hopes! Their motor suddenly "went dead." They lost
headway, and the other boat drew swiftly away, while the revolutionist
who had been knocked overboard was seen swimming toward the stalled
craft.