AN ADVENTURE ON THE ROAD.
In twelve hours after she started, the American
Prince was in the harbor of Cadiz. Bark Lingall
was on board; and Jacob Lobo, who spoke five languages,
had been engaged at the Hotel de la Alameda
as his companion. Mr. Pelham sent them ashore as
soon as the anchor went over the bow.
“Do you expect to find the Count de Escarabajosa
in Cadiz?” asked the interpreter, as they landed.
“Of course not: I told you he would not be here,”
replied Bark. “I may find out where he went to from
here, and I may not. I left him at the Hotel de Cadiz;
and we will go there first.”
“I can tell you where he went without asking a
question,” added Lobo, to whom Bark had told the
whole story of Raymond.
“I can guess at it, as you do; but I want information
if I can obtain it,” replied Bark.
“You would certainly have been caught if you hadn’t
thrown the detective off the track by going over to
Oran.”
“We went to Oran for that purpose.”
“The count has got out of Spanish territory, and he
will keep out of it for the present. Our next move will
be to go to Gibraltar. He is safe there.”
“I think we shall find him there.”
The landlord of the hotel recognized Bark, who had
been a guest in his house for several weeks. Raymond
had not told him where he was going when he left. He
had gone from the hotel on foot, carrying his bag in his
hand.
“Where do you think he went?” asked Bark.
“My opinion at the time was that he went to Gibraltar;
for a steamer sailed for Algeciras that day, and
there was none for any other port,” replied the landlord.
“But he might have left by the train,” suggested
Bark.
“He went away in the middle of the day, and the
steamer left at noon.”
“He did not leave by train,” added the guide.
“I don’t think he did,” said Bark. “Now, when
does the next steamer leave for Gibraltar?”
“You will find the bills of the steamers hanging in
the hall,” replied the landlord.
One of these indicated that a Spanish steamer
would sail at noon the next day.
“Perhaps she will, and perhaps she will not,” said
Lobo.
“But she is advertised to leave to–morrow,” added
Bark.
“Very likely before night you may find another bill,
postponing the departure till the next day: they do
such things here.”
“What shall we do?”
“Wait till a steamer sails,” replied Lobo, shrugging
his shoulders.
“Is there any other way to get there?” asked Bark,
troubled by the uncertainty.
“Some other steamer may come along: we will go
to the office of the French line, and inquire when one
is expected,” replied Jacob.
They ascertained that the French steamer did not
touch at Gibraltar; and there was no other way than
to depend upon the Spanish line. As Jacob Lobo had
feared, the sailing of the boat advertised was put off
till the next day.
“You can go by land, if you are not afraid of the
brigands,” said the interpreter.
“Brigands?”
“Within a year a party of English people were
robbed by brigands, on the way from Malaga to
Ronda; but that is the only instance I ever heard of.
The country between here and Malaga used to be
filled with smugglers; and there are some of that trade
now. When their business was dull, they used to take
to the road at times.”
“How long would it take to go by the road?” asked
Bark, who was very enthusiastic in the discharge of
his duty, and unwilling to lose a single day.
“That depends upon how fast you ride,” laughed
Lobo. “It is about sixty miles, and you might make
it in a day, if you were a good horseman.”
“But I am not: I was never on a horse above three
times in my life.”
“Then you should take two days for the journey.”
“If we should start to–morrow morning, we should
not get there as soon as the steamer that leaves the
following day.”
“That steamer may not go for three or four days yet:
it will depend upon whether she gets a cargo, or not.”
Bark was vexed and perplexed, and did not know
what to do. He went down to the quay where they
had landed, and found the boats from the ship, bringing
off the Josephines and the Tritonias. He applied
to Mr. Pelham for advice; and, after consulting Mr.
Fluxion, it was decided that he should wait for a
steamer, if he had to wait a week; for there was no
such desperate hurry that he need to risk an encounter
with brigands in order to save a day or two. So the
services of Bark and Jacob Lobo were economized as
guides, for both of them knew the city. Two days
later the Spanish steamer actually sailed; and in seven
hours Bark and his courier were in Algeciras, whence
they crossed the bay in a boat to Gibraltar.
We left Raymond in Gibraltar, watching the newspapers
for tidings of the American Prince; and he had
learned of her arrival at Cadiz, where she had been
for three days when Bark arrived at the Rock. He had
heard nothing of the death of his uncle in Barcelona,
and had no suspicion of the change of the circumstances
we have described. He was not willing to risk
himself in Cadiz while the Prince was there. As her
consorts had not gone to Cadiz with her, he was satisfied
that the steamer was to return to Malaga.
After he obtained the news, and had satisfied himself
that the Princes were going overland to Cadiz,
he went to his chamber at the King’s Arms, where he
attempted to reason out the future movements of the
squadron. He had concluded, weeks before, that the
fleet would not go to Lisbon, since all hands had visited
that city; and now it appeared that Cadiz would be
avoided for a second time, for the same reason. The
Prince would wait there till her own ship’s company
arrived, and then go back to Malaga. The Josephines
and Tritonias would do the place, and then return to
Malaga overland. It looked to Raymond like a very
plain case; and he was confident that the fleet would
come to Gibraltar next.
He was entirely satisfied that his conclusion was a
correct one. The squadron would certainly visit the
Rock, for the principal could not think of such a thing
as passing by a fortress so wonderful. Raymond was
out of the way of arrest, if the detective should trace
him to this place; and he could join his ship when she
came. If the principal still wanted to send him to
Barcelona, he would tell his whole story; and, if this
did not save him, he would trust to his chances to
escape. He sat at the window, thinking about the
matter. It was just before sunset, and the air was
delicious. He could look into the square in front of the
hotel, and he was not a little startled to see the uniform
of the squadron on a person approaching the
hotel. He looked till he recognized Bark as the one
who wore it.
But who was the man with him? This question
troubled him. The man was a stranger to him; for the
fugitives had not employed a guide in Malaga, and
therefore Jacob Lobo was all unknown to him. Neither
the Prince nor her consorts were in Gibraltar; and
it was plain enough to the Spaniard that Bark and his
companion had come in the steamer he had seen going
into Algeciras two hours before. They had come from
Cadiz, and they could have no other errand in Gibraltar
than to find him. Had Bark become a traitor? or,
what was more likely, had he been required by the
principal to conduct this man in search of him? Had
Mr. Lowington ascertained that he was at the Rock?
It was almost impossible, for he had met no one who
knew him.
He saw Bark and his doubtful companion enter the
Club–House Hotel, and he understood their business
there. He had not seen the _alguacil_, or detective, who
had come on board of the Tritonia for him; but he
jumped at the conclusion that this was the man. The
principal had afforded him every facility for finding the
object of his search; and now it appeared that he had
sent Bark with him, to identify his expected prisoner.
Raymond decided on the moment not to wait for the
detective to see him. He rang the bell, and sent for
his bill: he paid it, and departed before Bark could
reach the hotel. He scorned to ask the landlord or
waiters to tell any lies on his account. He hastened
down to the bay; and at the landing he found the very
boat that had brought Bark and his companion over
from Algeciras, just hoisting her sails to return. The
boatman was glad enough to get a passenger back, and
thus double the earnings of the trip. It is about five
miles across the bay; and, with a fresh breeze from
the south–east, the distance was made in an hour.
On the way, Raymond learned that the boat had
brought over two passengers; and, from the boatman’s
description of them, he was convinced that they were
Bark and his companion. He questioned the skipper
in regard to them; but the man had no idea who or
what they were. The passengers talked in English all
the way over, and he could not understand a word they
said. It was not prudent for the fugitive to stay over
night in Algeciras; and, procuring a couple of mules
and a guide, he went to San Roque, where he passed
the night. He found a fair hotel at this place; and he
decided to remain there till the next day.
He had time to think now; and he concluded that
Bark and his suspicious companion would depart from
the Rock when they found he was not there. But he
did not lose sight of the fact that he was in Spain
again. What would his pursuers do when they found
that he had left the hotel? They would see his name
on the books, and the landlord would tell them he had
just left. There were plenty of boatmen at the landing,
who had seen him embark in the boat for Algeciras.
Raymond did not like these suggestions as they came
up in his mind. They would cross the bay, and find
the boatman, who would be able to describe him, as he
had them. Then, when they had failed to find him at
the _fondas_, they would visit the stables. It was easy
enough to trace him.
At first he thought of journeying on horseback to
Xeres, and there taking the train to the north, and
into Portugal; but he abandoned the thought when he
considered that he was liable to meet the students at
any point on the railroad. Finally he decided to start
for Ronda, an interior city, forty miles from the Rock.
At eight o’clock in the morning, he was in the saddle.
He had retained the mules that brought him from
Algeciras. José, his guide, was one of the retired
brigands, of whom there are so many in this region.
As it was too soon for him to be pursued, he did not
hurry, and stopped at Barca de Cuenca to dine.
After dinner he resumed his journey. José was a
surly, ugly fellow, and Raymond was not disposed to
converse with him. This silence made the miles very
long; but the scenery was wild and grand, and the
traveller enjoyed it. After he had ridden about five
miles he came to a country which was all hills and
rocks. The path was very crooked; and it required
many angles to overcome steeps, and avoid chasms.
Suddenly, as he passed a rock which formed a corner
in the path, he was confronted by three men, all armed
to the teeth, with muskets, pistols, and knives. José
was provided with the same arsenal of weapons; but
he did not offer to use any of them.
The leading brigand was a good–natured ruffian, and
he smiled as pleasantly as though his calling was perfectly
legitimate. He simply held out his hand, and
said, “_Por Dios_,” which is the way that beggars generally
do their business.
“_Perdon usted por Dios hermano_,” replied Raymond,
shaking his head.
This is the usual way to refuse a beggar: “Excuse
us for God’s sake, brother.” Raymond did not yet
understand whether the three men intended to beg or
rob; but he soon ascertained that the leader had only
adopted this facetious way of doing what is commonly
done with the challenge, “Your money or your life!”
It was of no avail to resist, even if he had been armed.
Most of his gold was concealed in a money–belt worn
next to his skin, while he carried half a dozen Isabelinos
in his purse, which he handed to the gentlemanly
brigand.
“_Gracias, señorito!_” replied the leader. “Your
watch, if you please.”
Raymond gave it up, and hoped they would be satisfied.
Instead of this, they made him a prisoner,
leading his mule to a cave in the hills, where they
bound him hand and foot. José waited for his mule,
and then, with great resignation, began his return
journey.