AGAIN UNDER THE FOLDS OF "OLD GLORY."
The four boys were so utterly astonished when this Mexican soldier made
his appeal in excellent English, calling Rob directly by name, that they
could hardly catch their breath for the moment.
"Oh! don't you know me--Merritt, Andy, Tubby,--your old schoolmate,
Jared Applegate? For the sake of the good old days save me from being
shot by these human wolves! I've got an old father and mother up home in
Hampton, you know! Think what a shock it would be to them to hear what
had happened to their boy. Save me, Rob! You can do it, because I heard
General Villa promise you anything you asked!"
The four scouts recognized him now, though never more taken aback in all
their lives. When last they saw this young fellow, who had indeed lived
near Hampton,--his father being a crabbed old farmer who hated the very
name of Boy Scouts,--Jared had been hand-in-glove with some foreign
plotters who meant to blow up the locks of the gigantic Panama Canal.
As narrated in the preceding volume, Rob and his intimate chums were
largely instrumental in preventing this terrible crime from being
carried out; and at that time young Jared had managed to escape, while
the chief conspirators were captured.
Indeed, the scouts had forgotten that there had been such a fellow as
Jared Applegate in the wide world; and now to have him turn up
unexpectedly like this, with a frantic appeal for them to save his life
on account of those old schoolboy days, was certainly staggering.
They turned and looked at each other, while the guard who had followed
after the prisoner-of-war waited to see what would happen, seeming to
realize that this fellow must know the American lads who were so high in
the good graces of the commander.
"It is Jared, as sure as shooting!" ejaculated Tubby, staring as though
he had just seen a ghost.
"They say bad pennies always turn up again," observed Andy; "and I
reckon Jared is about as tough a case as you could find."
Rob and Merritt did not say anything along those lines. They could not
add to the burden under which it was plain the wretched youth was
already staggering. And so Jared continued to wring his hands, kneeling
there and waiting to hear the scout master, whom he knew so well, say
whether he would lift his hand to help him, or simply turn aside and let
things take their course.
"But how does it come that we find you here, and wearing the uniform of a
Mexican Regular?" Rob asked him.
"The last we saw of you, remember, was on the Isthmus, where you played
a low-down trick on us," Tubby interjected.
"Yes; and after I managed to get away from there I drifted to Mexico,
because I was ashamed to go back home. I expected that you'd tell
everybody what a fool I'd been, working with men who hated the United
States and wanted to injure the Canal. Then I took the oath of
allegiance to Mexico and entered the army because there wasn't anything
else I could do. And now the rebels have captured me, they mean to stand
me up against a wall and murder me! Oh! Rob, please get me off! You can
do it if you will. It's up to you whether I'm killed or not! You
wouldn't care to think of that always, would you?"
"Well, I don't like you any too much, Jared, because of what you've done
in the past," Rob said slowly; "and when you try to put the whole thing
on my shoulders you're on the wrong tack, because I haven't had a single
thing to do with it. But I can't forget that you _are_ a Hampton boy,
bad as you've always been. If I should manage to get General Villa to
let you go, what would you do?"
"Get over the line the first thing," replied Jared promptly, showing
that this must have been on his mind for some time. "I meant to desert
any way, just as soon as I saw a chance to get clear. I've been treated
like a dog down here, and hate the whole country as well as the dagoes
in it. But, Rob, promise to help me, won't you? Here comes General Villa
now to see what it all means. Tell him I'm not going to lift a hand
against him again. I was forced into it this time."
"Well, I'll see what I can do, Jared," Rob told the shivering wretch;
"but don't feel too sure that it'll come out as you wish. General Villa
is very bitter toward all of the men serving under Huerta; and I chance
to know he hates to find a foreigner in the ranks of the Government
troops."
As the fighting general of the revolutionists came up, Rob started in to
tell him about Jared, and how he was from the same town away up on Long
Island that the other boys called home. He did not whisper a word about
what Jared had done in connection with that Canal conspiracy; for he
seemed to know that such a thing would be apt to set Villa's mind
against the young chap.
"Since you say that he is from your town," the general observed, after
Rob had made his plea, "and was once a friend of yours, why, I will
agree to let him go free on condition that he crosses the river to Texas
without delay. Will you promise to see that this compact is carried out,
young señor?"
There was nothing for Rob to do but agree, though he knew that this
would mean he must stand the company of Jared until such time as they
reached Juarez, and could cross to the other side of the Rio Grande. But
he could not find it in his generous heart to abandon the wretched
fellow, little as the other deserved mercy at his hands.
General Villa, before hurrying away, said a few words to the guard, who
went back to the other prisoners and left Jared with the scouts. He
began to pour out his thanks, having been in a state of abject terror;
but Rob quickly put a stop to this.
"Words are cheap, Jared, you understand," he said, "and actions speak a
great deal louder all the time. If you're really thankful for what we've
done for you, show it by turning over a new leaf, and doing something
that you'd be proud to have the home folks in old Hampton hear about."
"I mean to, Rob," whined the other boy; "this here has been a terrible
lesson to me; and after this you don't catch me in any more games like
I've been meddlin' with lately. Some day, mebbe, you'll hear about Jared
Applegate doing a big thing. I'm a changed boy, I tell you, Rob, sure I
am!"
But Rob felt that he "would have to be shown" before he could believe in
any reformation on the part of Jared Applegate. And more than that, he
duly warned his three chums that under no circumstances should they let
fall a hint regarding the true nature of their mission to Mexico while
Jared was in their company. He hoped the other had not guessed anything
along those lines as yet; for Rob believed that if Jared knew they were
carrying back a large sum of money, such as General Villa meant to hand
over to Tubby in payment for his friend's cattle, it would be a great
temptation to the weak boy, who might even plot to steal it while they
slept.
The engine belonging to the stalled train was finally fixed, so that it
could again draw the long line of cars. Being desirous of taking his men
to Juarez as quickly as possible, on account of some _coup_ he expected
to make, Villa had most of them crowd aboard and on top of the train
that was ready to start, some being left to engage in the work of
rebuilding the burned bridge as soon as possible.
Before he left the scouts, General Villa had another interview with
them.
"Fortunately," he told the boys, "I know just about the number of head
of cattle there happens to be on Dr. Matthews' ranch right now, because
my men have been on guard there to protect it against all danger. And I
have figured it out that if I send him seventy-five thousand American
dollars it will cover the bill. This I now take pleasure in handing over
to you, as the nephew of my old friend, the man who saved Pancho
Villa's life. Sign this receipt, all of you, as the custodians of the
fund, so that I may have something to show. I shall sometimes think of
you, boys, for you are after my own heart. I shall immediately send men
to fetch my cattle to camp, so that my army may be fed. This money comes
from honest sources, tell Dr. Matthews. It is the advance payment made
by an American company for some of the property held by traitors to the
cause in Chihuahua, and which they can never own again while Villa or
his cause lives. That is all, for I must be gone."
He shook hands with every one of the four boys, but drew the line at
Jared, for whom he evidently felt only contempt and distrust. Whether it
was an honor, or not, to press the hand of this rebel leader must always
be an open question in the minds of the scouts, because they had heard
many terrible stories about his cruelty, as well as others concerning
his rare ability as a leader of men. But at least, it would be something
to remember and to tell the other lads in Hampton when they reached home
again.
Jared had not been close enough to overhear what was said at the time
the package of bills was turned over, and Tubby had been careful to
secrete it at once; so they hoped that the wretched traitor to his
country knew nothing about it.
When Tubby found a chance, he turned the packet over to Rob for safe
keeping.
"I managed to count it, Rob, on the sly," he whispered; "and just as
Villa said, there's a full seventy-five thousand dollars there in big
bills. Just to think of us carrying a whole fortune around like that!
But after you've sewed it in the lining of your coat, where that letter
was, I guess there'll be no danger."
"More from Jared than anybody else," warned Rob; "so make sure not to
drop a hint."
"Mum's the word," agreed Tubby with a set look on his face. "And say, I
hope we take things easy going all the way to Juarez again. No need for
hurrying, is there?"
"No, not anything that would worry us," Rob replied; "though I won't
rest easy until we've handed this money over to a bank, and got a draft
for it. And I'll see if I can fix you a more comfortable seat by using
your blanket in four thicknesses. I managed to get a horse for Jared, so
we'll be able to ride in company. We'll feed him and take him along to
Juarez; but under no circumstances must he be allowed to join in our
talk."
Lopez again took charge of the expedition, and they headed north,
satisfied with the result of their adventurous ride into Mexico. They
carried a paper from Villa that would serve to pass them, should they
come upon any detachment of roving rebels. If raiding Federals appeared,
they would have to gallop for it, or fight them off.
But fortune was kind, and they finally arrived safely in the vicinity of
Juarez. Their paper allowed them to cross the international bridge,
which has been the scene of so many stirring events of late years; and
every Boy Scout was thrilled to the heart when he once more realized
that he stood on American soil and under the protecting folds of "Old
Glory." They gathered around Rob and gave three cheers and a tiger for
General Villa, toward whom, naturally enough, all of the boys were
feeling warmly, because he had shown himself their good friend.
One of the first things Tubby did, after the money had been turned over
to a bank, was to send a long message over the wire, directed to Uncle
Mark, telling of their great good fortune, and asking that the home
folks of the other boys be informed of the fact that they were all well,
and headed for home.
Jared Applegate was permitted to go, with a sum of money in his pocket
and many protestations of gratitude on his lips, which the scouts "took
with a grain of allowance," as the old saying is. Then they shook hands
with faithful Lopez, whom they would always remember, and were ready to
start on the long journey toward home.