EN ROUTE TO MEXICO.
Frank Reade, Jr., made a quick but thorough examination of the Steam
Man.
It required but a few moments to satisfy him that Pomp had told the
truth.
The Man was all in perfect order and ready for a trip. The famous
inventor was much pleased with this realization.
“Well, Barney,” he said, briskly, “you may see to it that the wagon is
provided with necessary stores. Pomp, you may look after the arms and
ammunition and have everything in readiness at the earliest possible
moment. Do you understand?”
“Ay, sor” replied Barney.
“Yes, sah!” said Pomp.
With this Frank turned about and left the shop.
He went at once back to his house.
Here at the door he was met by his wife. Mrs. Reade was a very
beautiful and intelligent woman, a fit partner for a man of genius.
“Well, Frank!” she said, with a smile. “I have a premonition that you
are up to some new scheme. Am I not right?”
“You are,” replied Frank, with a laugh. “You are a good guesser.”
“I knew it. What--what is it?”
Frank noted the look of anxiety upon his wife’s face and replied:
“You must have no fears. I am quite able to take care of myself. Yes,
it is another trip.”
“Oh, Frank, I so fear for your safety!” “But you must not. With the
Steam Man I am quite safe.”
Mrs. Reade did not speak upon the subject further, and like the true
wife that she was did not attempt to gainsay her husband’s plans.
Woman-like, though, she dreaded his going upon these expeditions into
regions of unexplored wilderness where danger was rife.
But Frank had fully made up his mind to go to Los Pueblos.
He at once sent a messenger to Senor Ravello at Laredo.
It was to this effect:
“SENOR RAVELLO--I shall come to Laredo at an early day.
Negotiate with Costello for a ransom to gain time. I shall
bring the Steam Man with me, and shall try to rescue my friend
Montaine.
“Yours truly, “FRANK READE, JR.”
This message was sent over the wires with all dispatch. The report
spread that the Steam Man was to go upon a tour to Mexico.
At once public interest as usual was aroused.
The exploits of the young inventor and his wonderful Steam Man always
claimed widespread attention.
Letters of congratulation, of inquiry, and of request began to pour in.
But Frank had little time to give them heed.
He was very busy for some time fitting up the Man.
But on the fourth day after receiving the letter of Senor Ravello the
Steam Man, packed securely in sections, was safely placed aboard a
special train.
Frank had decided to take the Steam Man as far as Laredo by rail.
Then he would go from thence to Los Pueblos overland.
Nothing of note occurred during the trip to the Mexican frontier. A few
days later after having crossed half of the continent the Rio Grande
river was crossed, and the Steam Man and our voyagers were in Mexico.
Immediately upon alighting from the train Frank was met by a tall,
fine-looking gentleman.
“I am Senor Ravello,” he said. “I imagine that you are Senor Reade.”
“I am!” replied Frank.
“I am glad to meet you.”
They shook hands and conversed pleasantly for some moments.
It was an early hour in the morning, and Barney and Pomp went at once
to work to take the Man from the cars.
It was unloaded in sections, and then with the aid of half a dozen
skilled workmen whom Frank had brought along, it was put together.
Quite a crowd of people were at the station to witness this operation.
They were of all classes and many different nations.
Senor Ravello conversed with Frank and watched with interest the
reconstruction of the Steam Man.
“Have you heard from Montaine lately?” asked Frank, casually.
“I sent word to Costello by a special messenger, asking him what ransom
he would take.”
“Ah!” “He returned an evasive reply.”
“Indeed!” “I have, therefore, arrived at the conclusion perforce that
he is not desirous of accepting a ransom. His game is to hold Montaine
a prisoner while he works the rich Los Pueblos claim.”
“Well,” said Frank, drawing a deep breath, “we will try and spoil that
little game for him.”
“I sincerely trust you may, senor.” It required hardly three hours’
work to put the Steam Man together.
Then the wonderful invention was revealed in its perfection to the
admiring crowd of spectators.
They burst into cheers of approval as they realized its wonderful
perfection of outline and detail.
But the climax was reached when Barney started the fire in the furnace
and quickly got up steam.
The Steam Man was soon puffing and panting ready to go.
Barney gave a couple of sharp blasts with the whistle.
Then Frank Reade, Jr., shook hands with Senor Ravello.
“I shall pray for your good luck,” declared Ravello.
“Thank you!” replied Frank. “I shall hope to rescue Montaine.”
Then he sprang into the cage.
Barney was at the dasher and Pomp was busying himself stowing away
things in the bunkers.
Barney opened the throttle and the Steam Man went ahead.
The crowd yelled itself hoarse, the Steam Man whistled, and then was
away with ponderous tread out of the town.
Out into the country the voyagers went. Fertile farms and gardens were
upon all sides for a number of miles.
It was easy to follow good roads for some distance.
Then the confines of civilization were reached and the unexplored wilds
opened up before them.
For two days the Steam Man kept a course to the north-west.
Mexican towns were passed and ranches without number. Rancheros and
peons, hunters and cowboys, greasers and half-breeds, all viewed the
Steam Man with great wonderment, and some of the ignorant natives with
superstition.
But the voyagers were not molested until one evening, after crossing
an arid plain, the startling discovery was made that the Steam Man’s
boilers were empty.
It was necessary to bank the fires at once and look for a fresh supply.
This it was not easy to find in that locality.
There was not a stream or lake visible anywhere. All was a dry, arid
plain.
But two miles distant in the verge of a clump of timber the low roof of
an adobe ranch was seen.
It was not known what sort of people lived there, nor with what sort of
a reception they might meet.
But it was necessary to have water, and something desperate had got to
be done at once.
“There must be water there,” declared Frank. “We will go over there and
see at any rate.”
So Barney headed the Man for the distant ranch.
As they approached it, they saw half a score of nondescript men
lounging about the place.
They were in the main half-breeds and greasers, and all of a decidedly
villainous type.
The Steam Man drew up in the ranch yard. The effect upon the motley
crew was most surprising.
Of course this was the first time they had ever gazed upon anything
like the Steam Man.
Wonderment and interest were depicted upon their brutish faces as they
advanced.
Pomp regarded them askance, and taking a sweeping survey of the place
ventured to say:
“Golly! Marse Frank, I don’ jes’ likes de looks of dis place.”
“Begorra, I’m wid yez, naygur!” cried Barney. “Av I’m not mishtaken
thim omadhouns will be no frinds to us.”
But Frank did not seem to share this fear.
He busied himself with adjusting the brake, and while thus engaged the
greasers crowded about the Steam Man.
One of them lazily puffing a cheroot, ventured to address Frank:
“Buenos, senor! Welcome to Lone Ranch.”
“Thank you!” replied Frank, politely. “Are you the ranchero?”
“Si, senor! Pray dismount and enter. I have some wine which will suit
your taste.”
The fellow was a tall, dark-complexioned chap, with long black mustache
and eyes of keenest black.
He used good English and was very polite and affable.
Something about the fellow gave Frank a chill of distrust.
But he knew well that in his present position he was much at the mercy
of the greasers.
It was impossible for the Steam Man to go further without water.
Frank saw a deep spring near and a plan was suggested to him.
After all, he had no right to distrust the Mexicans as yet.
The ranch might be a respectable place and, at any rate, if he desired
to secure any of the water, Frank knew that he must work his cards
diplomatically.
So he decided to affect friendship with the greasers, and trust to
fortune to accomplish the rest.
“Your offer I will gladly accept,” said Frank, with a flourish. “Your
excellent wine already warms my heart.”
“We are always glad to welcome strangers,” said the ranchero, with
a peculiar smile, “but this is the first time we have ever seen a
locomotive in the shape of a man, and able to run without a track.”
“Indeed!” replied Frank. “Allow me, then, to explain to you the
mechanism of the New Steam Man.”
With this, Frank proceeded to illustrate to the greasers the working of
the famous invention.
They listened attentively and with deepest interest.
When Frank had concluded, they began a queer sort of jargon, and kept
it up in an excited manner.
Frank could not very well understand it, as it was a dialect of the
Spanish tongue.
But the ranchero seized Frank’s arm now, and drew him toward the adobe
building. The young inventor could not refuse.