A SHOT IN THE DARK.
"What can I do for you?" again asked Villa, as the boys did not at once
reply, not knowing exactly what to say, nor how to say it in the
presence of a third person.
"We have a message for you from a fellow patriot," Adrian finally
replied. "Perhaps it would be better if we entered your house."
"My casa is a very humble one," replied Villa, "but, if you will deign
to honor it with your presence, you are quite welcome, _señores_."
The boys alighted and threw their bridle-reins over a post at the side
of the gate.
"Stay here and watch the gentlemen's horses, Secundino," said Villa to
the guide, who was about to leave. "If you see anyone lurking about,
call."
"_Bueno_" was the reply and the guide threw himself down beside the
horses.
The boys entered the house, followed by Villa. As their guide had said,
it was a poor house, but it was comfortable and clean. Its only
furniture consisted of a few chairs, a table, a bed, and some rugs on
the floor. A single candle furnished the light.
"Now, _señores_," said Villa, after they had all been seated, "we can
talk without being interrupted. What is your message, and from whom?"
"Our message," replied Adrian, who seemed to have made himself the
spokesman, "is a warning. It is from one who calls himself only
Santiago."
"Santiago!" exclaimed Pancho. "Santiago! And how did he come to make
strangers--Americans--the bearer of a message to Pancho Villa?"
"It is a long story," replied Adrian, "but if you will listen we shall
be glad to explain."
"No story is too long, if it is the truth," said Villa.
"Which this is," declared Adrian earnestly, and for the second time that
evening the events of the past few days were rehearsed.
"And you mean to tell me that Rafael Solis attempted to kidnap the son
of General Sanchez?"
"That is exactly what he did," declared Billie, who had scarcely been
able to keep quiet while Adrian was talking. "And he would have
succeeded, too, if we had not been there to help him escape."
"But that isn't the worst, to my way of thinking," exclaimed Donald.
"The worst thing was his assault upon Santiago!"
"He explained that to me by saying that Santiago was playing into the
hands of the _haciendados_," declared Villa, meaning by the
"_haciendados_" the rich landowners, who for years have been grinding
the peons under their heel.
"Explained to you!" exclaimed Billie. "Then you have seen him?"
"He left me not an hour ago."
"It is none of our business," said Donald, "but as we are interested in
Santiago, we should be glad to know what he wanted."
"Just what you might expect--to help him overthrow President Madero, who,
he says, is just as bad as was Diaz."
"Do you think he is?" asked Billie, who had become much interested in
Mexican affairs during the past few days.
"_Quien sabe!_" was Villa's non-committal reply. "We hope not, but
Mexico has suffered much from those who should have been her friends."
"Well, whatever President Madero may be," said Adrian emphatically, "Don
Rafael is a scoundrel and murderer at heart."
For several minutes Villa made no reply, then with a shake of his head:
"Time will tell!"
A few minutes later, when the boys were leaving the house, he said: "You
may tell Santiago that he can depend upon me to do the right thing. I am
working for Mexico--not for Pancho Villa."
"We are sure you are," was Adrian's reply, and the others echoed his
words.
Tossing a peso to the peon who had been guarding their horses, the boys
mounted and slowly rode back the way they had come. They had almost
reached the plaza when there was a pistol shot in their rear, followed
by a cry of pain.
Without stopping to consider what their action might lead to, the boys
with one accord wheeled about and dashed back down the street. The
street was as deserted as when they passed up it a moment before. When
they reached Villa's house they drew rein and called loudly, but there
was no response.
"That's mighty strange," said Donald, after they had called a couple of
times with like result. "What do you suppose has happened?"
"Can't imagine," replied Billie. "Maybe he doesn't hear us. I'll knock."
He dismounted and gave the door, which was still ajar, a vigorous thump,
but no one replied. Then suddenly, while they were wondering what they
had better do, there was a sound of voices at the head of the street,
and a moment later a crowd of people, headed by several policemen, came
hastily down to where they were standing.
"There they are! There they are!" cried out a voice. "They are the men
who were with him!" And the speaker pointed at the three boys.
"What's the matter?" asked Adrian, as the policemen stopped at his side.
"This man says you have been plotting with Pancho Villa to start a new
revolution."
"Nonsense!" exclaimed Adrian. "You know that Villa is a friend of
President Madero."
"Yes, everybody knows that," said the other policeman.
"How about that?" the first policeman asked, turning to their accuser.
"That's what I said," declared the man. "I said they were trying to get
Pancho to join a revolution against the president."
The boys by this time had a chance to take a good look at the man, and
recognized him as the one who had guided them to Villa's house.
Whereupon Donald exclaimed, with considerable warmth: "That's a lie, and
you know it." Then to the policemen: "You don't have to take our word;
ask Pancho."
"Of course," replied the policeman, and he approached Villa's door and
knocked loudly.
But, as in the case of the boys, there was no reply.
"Where has he gone?" asked the policeman, turning to Adrian.
"I don't know. He was here just a few minutes ago; but when we came back
to see who was shot, he was gone."
"What's that?" asked the policeman. "Did you say somebody was shot?"
"We thought so. We were riding up the street when we heard a shot,
followed by a cry. We came back to find out about it. That's how we
happen to be here now."
"What did you find?"
"Nothing!" replied Adrian.
The policeman eyed the boys fiercely.
"Don't try to make fools of us," said one.
"No," declared the other, "we are not to be played with by any young
Gringoes. We don't believe any such story."
"I can't help it whether you believe or not," retorted Adrian angrily.
"It is the truth!"
"We shall see," declared the first policeman. "You come with us to the
_cuartel_. The _jeffe politico_ will have to look into this."
"Now we are in for it," said Billie, under his breath. "The next time I
hear a Mexican shoot another I'll ride the other way."
"Where do you suppose Villa can have gone to?" asked Donald of the other
two, as they rode along behind the policeman, followed by a shouting,
hooting mob.
"Give it up," replied Adrian. "It couldn't have been he that was shot."
"Who knows?" said Billie suddenly. "No one entered the house. He may be
lying in there dead."
"That's so!" exclaimed Adrian, "I'll suggest it to the policeman."
"Not as you value your life," interrupted Donald. "If by any chance they
should find him dead, they'd accuse us of killing him."
All this had been said in English, of which the policemen did not
understand a word. In fact, had it been said in Spanish, it is doubtful
if the policemen could have heard, on account of the hooting and the
cries of "Down with the Americanos! Death to the Gringoes!"
"If they ever get us locked up," said Donald, a moment later, "it's
going hard with us. We've simply got to get away!"
"All right!" replied Billie. "You lead the way."
"Wait till the right moment and keep your eye on me. When I shout, both
of you join in and we'll try and stampede this herd."
Slowly they rode along the narrow street and finally emerged on to the
plaza. Here the street was much wider, and the crowd became less dense,
although no smaller numerically.
As they passed one of the _cantinas_, a gang of half-drunken railroad
laborers of various nationalities came out, singing and shouting. Among
them were several Americans, seeing which Donald gave a wild yell,
crying at the top of his voice:
"Hurrah for Uncle Sam!"
Billie and Adrian joined in the cry, at the same time putting spurs to
their horses, which sprang forward, upsetting the policemen and creating
a tumult which quickly became a riot, as the Americans in the crowd took
up the cry and shouted lustily for Uncle Sam.
In the confusion which followed shots rang out from every side, most of
them fired into the air, and there was a general scurrying to shelter by
the natives, who had learned to get out of the way when a crowd of track
hands and cowboys began to shoot up the town. Taking advantage of this,
the boys dashed out of the light of the plaza, and were soon well on
their way to the river; and it was none too soon, for, attracted by the
commotion, a band of rurales was ordered out to arrest every foreigner
found on the street.
"It was some excitement while it lasted," remarked Billie, as they
gained the American side. "I think I'll stay out of Mexico for a while."
"What!" exclaimed Donald, "with Don Rafael still at large?"
"Yes," said Adrian, "how about your promise?"
"By George!" exclaimed Billie. "The excitement had driven it entirely
out of my mind--and besides, I must learn what has become of Villa."