THE CAPTURE OF THE BEGGARS.
When Bark Lingall and Jacob Lobo arrived at
Gibraltar, they went to the Club–House Hotel
to inquire for the fugitive. He was not there; but they
spent half an hour questioning the landlord and others
about the hall, in regard to the town and its hotels
and boarding–houses. Then they went to the King’s
Arms; and, in the course of another half–hour, they
learned that Henry Raymond had left this hotel within
an hour. Where had he gone? The landlord could
not tell. No steamer had left that day; he might have
left by crossing the Neutral Ground, or he might have
gone over to Algeciras in a boat.
“I wonder why he cleared out so suddenly,” said
Bark, very much annoyed at the situation.
“I suppose he was frightened at something,” replied
Jacob. “Very likely he saw you when we went into
the Club–House.”
“But he wouldn’t run away from me. He and I are
the best of friends.”
“But circumstances alter cases,” laughed the interpreter.
“He may have supposed you had gone over to
the enemy, and had come here to entrap him in some
way.”
“It may be; but I hardly believe it,” mused Bark.
Jacob Lobo had no suspicion that he had been the
cause of Raymond’s hurried departure; and he did not
suggest the true solution of the problem. But the fugitive
was gone; and all they had to do was to look
him up. They were zealous in the mission with which
they were charged, and lost not a moment in prosecuting
the search. But they had almost gained the battle
in obtaining a clew to the fugitive. Lobo declared that
it would be easy enough to trace him out of the town,
for he must have gone by the Neutral Ground, which is
the strip of land separating the Rock from the mainland,
or crossed to Algeciras in a boat. They were on
their way to the landing–port, when the evening gun
was fired.
“That’s as far as we can go to–night,” said Lobo,
coming to a sudden halt.
“Why? what’s the matter now?” asked Bark.
“That’s the gun, and the gate will be closed in a
few minutes,” replied Lobo. “They wouldn’t open
it to oblige the King of Spain, if he happened along
here about this time.”
It was no use to argue the matter in the face of
fact; and they spent the rest of the day in making
inquiries about the town. They went to the drivers of
cabs, and to those who kept horses and mules to let.
They questioned men and women located near the
gate. No one had seen such a person as was described.
They went to the King’s Arms for the night;
and as soon as the gate was opened in the morning
they hastened to the landing–port to make inquiries
among the boatmen. They found one with whom they
had spoken when they landed the day before. He
wanted a job, as all of them do. He had seen a young
man answering to the description given; and he had
gone over to Algeciras in the very boat that brought
them over. Would they like to go over to Algeciras?
They would, immediately after breakfast; for they had
left their bags, and had not paid their bill at the hotel.
The wind was light, and it took them two hours to
cross the bay. With but little difficulty they found the
stable at which the fugitive had obtained his mules, and
learned that the name of the guide was José Barca.
The keeper of the _fonda_ volunteered the information
that José was a brigand and a rascal; but the stable–keeper,
who had furnished the guide, insisted that the
landlord spoke ill of José because he had not obtained
the job for his own man.
“About all these guides are ex–brigands and smugglers,”
said Lobo.
“But the landlord of the _fonda_ looks like a more
honest man than the stable–keeper,” added Bark. “I
think I should prefer to trust him.”
“I believe you are right, Mr. Lingall; but either of
them would cheat you if he got the chance,” laughed
Lobo; but, being a courier himself, it was for his interest
to cry down the men with whom travellers have to
deal, in order to enhance the value of his own calling.
The landlord would furnish mules and a guide; and
in an hour the animals were ready for a start. It was
not known where Raymond had gone: he had taken
the mules for San Roque, but with the understanding
that he could go as far as he pleased with them. The
name of the landlord’s guide was Julio Piedra. He
was armed to the teeth, as Raymond’s guide had been.
He was a good–natured, talkative fellow; and the fugitive
would certainly have done better, so far as the
agreeableness of his companion was concerned, if he
had patronized the landlord instead of the stable–keeper.
When the party arrived at the hotel in San Roque,
their store of information was increased by the knowledge
that Raymond had started that morning for
Ronda. The pursuit looked very hopeful now, and the
travellers resumed their journey.
“We are not making more than three or four knots
an hour on this tack,” said Bark, when they had ridden
a short distance.
“Three miles an hour is all you can average on
mules through this country,” replied Lobo.
“Can’t we offer the guide a bonus to hurry up?”
“You can’t stand it to ride any faster; and, as it is,
you will be very sore when you get out of bed to–morrow
morning.”
“I can stand any thing in this chase,” added Bark
confidently.
“What good will it do to hurry?” persisted Lobo.
“It is one o’clock now; and Raymond has five hours
the start of us. It will be impossible to overtake him
to–day. The mules can go about so far; and at six
o’clock we shall reach the place where Raymond
stopped to dine. That will be Barca de Cuenca; and
that will be the place for us to stop over night.”
“Over night! I don’t want to stop anywhere till we
come up with Raymond,” replied Bark.
“You won’t say that when you get to Barca,” laughed
Lobo. “You will be tired enough to go to bed without
your supper. Besides, the mules will want rest, if you
do not; for the distance will be twenty miles from Algeciras.
Raymond stopped over night at San Roque.”
“But where shall we catch up with him?”
“Not till we get to Ronda, as things now stand.”
“I don’t like the idea of dragging after him in this
lazy way,” protested Bark.
“What do you wish to do?” demanded Lobo, who
had been over this road twenty times or more, and
knew all about the business.
“I don’t believe in stopping anywhere over night,”
replied Bark with enthusiasm.
“Very well, Mr. Lingall,” added Lobo, laughing.
“If when you get to Barca, and have had your supper,
you wish to go any farther, I will see what can be done.
I can make a trade with Julio to go on with these
mules, or we can hire others.”
“You say that Raymond left at noon the place
where we shall be at supper–time: where will he be at
that time?” asked Bark.
“He will go on to Barca de Cortes, which is twelve
miles farther; unless he takes it into his head, as you
do, that he will travel in the night.”
“I am in favor of going on to that place where he
sleeps.”
“You are in favor of it now; but, take my word for
it, you will not be in favor of it when you get to Barca
de Cuenca,” laughed Lobo.
“It will be only four hours more; and I can stand
that, if I am tired, as I have no doubt I shall be. In
fact, I am tired now, for I am not used to riding on
horseback, or muleback either.”
Before six o’clock they reached Barca de Cuenca;
and Bark was certainly very tired. The motion of the
mule made him uncomfortable, and he had walked a
good part of the distance. But, in spite of his weariness,
he was still in favor of proceeding that night to the
place where it was supposed the fugitive lodged. It
would save going about twenty miles in all; and he
thought he should come out of the journey better in the
end if he were relieved of riding this distance. Julio
was willing to take out his mules again after they had
rested two hours, for a consideration.
While they were making these arrangements in the
court of the _venta_, or inn, a man mounted on one mule,
and leading another, entered the yard. He was dressed
and armed in the same style as Julio. At this moment
the landlord called the party to supper. Bark was
democratic in his ideas; and he insisted that the guide
should take a seat at the table with Lobo and himself.
Julio was a little backward, but he finally took the seat
assigned to him. He said something in Spanish to the
interpreter as soon as he had taken his chair, which
seemed to excite the greatest astonishment on the part
of the latter. Lobo plied him with a running fire of
questions, which Julio answered as fast as they were
put. Bark judged, that, as neither of them touched the
food which was on their plates, the subject of the conversation
must be exceedingly interesting.
“What is it, Lobo?” he asked, when he had listened,
as long as his patience held out, to the exciting talk he
could not understand.
“Did you notice the man that rode into the yard on
a mule, leading another?” said Lobo.
“I did: he was dressed like Julio,” replied Bark.
“That was José Barca, who came from Algeciras as
Raymond’s guide.”
“But what has he done with Raymond?” demanded
Bark, now as much excited as his companions.
“We don’t know. Julio has quarrelled with José,
and refuses to speak to him; and he says José would
not answer him if he did.”
“Do you suppose any thing has gone wrong with
Raymond?” asked Bark anxiously.
“I don’t know; but it looks bad to see this fellow
coming back at this time.”
“Well, can’t you see José, and ask him what has
become of Raymond?”
“Certainly I can; but whether he will tell me is
another thing.”
“Of course he will tell you: why shouldn’t he?”
“Circumstances alter cases. If Raymond has dismissed
him in order to continue his journey in some
other way, José will tell all he knows about it.”
“Do you suppose that is what he has done?”
“I am afraid not,” answered Lobo seriously.
“What has become of him, then?” asked Bark,
almost borne down by anxiety for his friend.
“There is only one other thing that can have happened
to him; and that is, that he has been set upon by
brigands, and made a prisoner for the sake of the
ransom. If this is the case, José will not be so likely
to tell what he knows about the matter.”
“Brigands!” exclaimed Bark, startled at the word.
“A party of English people were captured last year;
but I have not heard of any being on the road this
year,” added Lobo. “But they won’t hurt him if he is
quiet, and don’t attempt to resist.”
After supper Lobo had a talk with José. He did
not know what had become of the young gentleman.
Three beggars had met them on the road, and Raymond
had gone away with them. They wanted to
show him a cave in the mountains, and he accompanied
them. José had waited two hours for him, and then
had gone to look for him, but could not find him.
“Where was this?” demanded Lobo.
“Less than two leagues from here,” replied José.
Lobo translated this story to Bark, and declared
that every word of it was a lie.
“Raymond went from this _venta_ five hours ago;
and it must have taken six or seven hours for all that
José describes to take place,” added Lobo. “But we
must pretend to believe the story, and not say a word.”
Bark could not say a word except to the interpreter,
who had a talk with Julio next; and the guide presently
disappeared. Lobo had formed his plan, and
put it into execution.
“The route by which we have come is not by the
great road from San Roque to Ronda, but a shorter
one by which two leagues are saved,” said Lobo,
explaining his operations to Bark. “All the guides
take this route. About a league across the country, is
a considerable town, which is the headquarters of the
civil guard, sent here last year after the English party
was captured, to guard the roads. This is an extra
force; and I have sent Julio over to bring a squad of
them to this place. José will spend the night here, and
start for home to–morrow morning. I want some of
the civil guard before he goes; and they will be here in
the course of a couple of hours. Julio is glad enough
of a chance to get José into trouble.”
“But do you believe José has done any thing wrong,
even if Raymond has been captured by brigands?”
asked Bark.
“Very likely he is to have a share of the plunder
and the ransom; and I think you will find him ready
to negotiate for the ransom now.”
This proved to be the case; for in the course of an
hour José broached the subject to Lobo. He thought,
if the friends of the young man would pay liberally for
the trouble of looking him up, he might possibly be
found. He did not know what had become of him;
but he would undertake to find him. He was a poor
man, and he could not afford to spend his time in the
search for nothing. Lobo encouraged him to talk as
much as he could, and mentioned several sums of money.
They were too small. The beggars had probably
lured the young man into the mountains; and he did
not believe they would let him go without a reward.
He thought that the beggars would be satisfied with
fifty thousand _reales_.
While they were talking about the price, Julio returned
with an officer and ten soldiers, who at once
took José into custody. It seemed that he had been
mixed up in some other irregular transaction, and
the officers knew their man. Lobo stated the substance
of his conversation with José, who protested
his innocence in the strongest terms. It was evident
that he preferred to deal with the friends of Raymond,
rather than the civil guard.
The officer of the guard examined the guide very
closely; and his story was quite different from that he
had told Lobo, though he still insisted that the men
whom they had encountered were beggars. The
officer was very prompt in action. José was required
to conduct the party to the spot where the young man
had been captured. Bark and Lobo mounted their
mules again, and Julio led the way as before.
“Can any thing be done in the night?” asked Bark.
“The officer says the night is the best time to hunt
up these gentlemen of the road,” replied Lobo. “They
often make fires, and cook their victuals, for the soldiers
do not like to follow them in the dark.”
When the procession had been in motion an hour
and a quarter, José indicated that it had reached the
place where the beggars—as he still persisted in calling
them—had stopped the traveller. For some reason
or other, he told the truth, halting the soldiers at
the rock which made a corner in the road. He also
indicated the place where the beggars had taken to the
hills. The officer of the civil guard disposed of his
force for a careful but silent search of the region near
the road. Many of the soldiers were familiar with the
locality; for they had examined it in order to become
acquainted with the haunts of brigands. The members
were widely scattered, so as to cover as much territory
as possible. Bark and Lobo were required to remain
with the officer.
Not a sound could be heard while the soldiers were
creeping stealthily about among the rocks, and visiting
the various caverns they had discovered in their former
survey. In less than half an hour, several of the guard
returned together, reporting a fire they had all seen at
about the same time. One of them described the place
as being not more than ten minutes’ walk from the
road; and he knew all about the cave in which the fire
was built.
“The mouth of the cave is covered with mats; but
they do not conceal the light of the fire,” continued
the soldier; and Lobo translated his description to
Bark. “The smoke goes out at a hole in the farther
end of the cave; and, when the brigands are attacked
in front, they will try to escape by this opening in the
rear.”
“We will provide for that,” replied the officer.
He sent out some of the men to call in the rest of
the party; and, at a safe distance from the fire, they
used a whistle for this purpose. In a short time all
the soldiers were collected in the road, at the nearest
point to the cave. The lieutenant sent five of his men
to the rear of the cave, and four to the front, leaving
José in charge of one of them.
“Tell him not to let his men fire into the cave,” said
Bark to the interpreter. “I am afraid they will shoot
Raymond.”
“I will speak to him; but I do not think there will
be any firing,” replied Lobo. “When the beggars find
they are in any danger, they will try to get out at the
hole in the rear; and the lieutenant will bag them as
they come out.”
The officer directed the men in front not to fire at
all, unless the brigands came out of the cave; and not
then, if they could capture them without. Bark and
Lobo accompanied the party to the rear, which started
before the others. They went by a long roundabout
way, creeping like cats the whole distance. They
found the hole, and could see the light of the fire
through the aperture.
The beggars appeared to be having a jolly good
time in the cavern, for they were singing and joking;
and Lobo said they were drinking the health of the
prisoner while he was listening at the aperture. The
lieutenant thought that one of their number had been
to a town, a league from the place, to procure wine
and provisions with the money they had taken from
Raymond; for they could smell the garlic in the stew
that was doubtless cooking on the fire. And this
explained the lateness of the hour at which they were
having their repast.
Bark looked into the hole. It appeared to be
formed of two immense bowlders, which had been
thrown together so as to form an angular space under
them. The aperture was quite small at the rear end,
and the bottom of the cave sloped sharply down to the
part where the beggars were. Raymond could not
be seen; but Bark heard his voice, as he spoke in
cheerful tones, indicating that he had no great fears
for the future. But, while Bark was looking into the
den, the soldiers in front of the cave set up a tremendous
yell, as they had been instructed to do; and the
brigands sprang to their feet.
The rear opening into the cave was partly concealed
by the rocks and trees: and probably the brigands
supposed the cave was unknown to the soldiers. The
officer pulled Bark away from the hole, and placed
himself where he could see into it.
“_Arrida! Alto ahi!_” (Up! Up there!) shouted
one of the brigands; and in a moment Raymond
appeared at the opening, with his hands tied behind
him, urged forward by the leader of the beggars.
They evidently intended to make sure of their prisoner,
and were driving him out of the cave before
them. The moment the first beggar appeared, he was
seized by a couple of the soldiers; and in like manner
four others were captured, for their number had been
increased since Raymond was captured. Bark was
overjoyed when he found that his friend was safe. He
cut the rope that bound his hands behind him, and
then actually hugged him.
“Who are you?” demanded Raymond; for it was too
dark, coming from the bright light of the fire, for him
to identify the person who was so demonstrative.
“Why, don’t you know me, Henry?” asked Bark,
wringing the hand of his friend.
“What! Is it Bark?” demanded Raymond, overwhelmed
with astonishment to find his late associate
at this place.
“Of course it is Bark.”
“What are you doing here?”
“I came after you; and I think, under the circumstances,
it is rather fortunate I did come,” added Bark.
“God bless you, Bark! for you have saved me from
these vagabonds, who might have kept me for months,
so that I could not join my ship.”
That was all the harm the fugitive seemed to think
would come of his capture. The soldiers had led the
brigands down into the cavern, and the young men followed
them. The fire was still burning briskly, and
the pot over it was boiling merrily. Everybody was
happy except the brigands; and the leader of these
did not appear to be much disturbed by the accident
that had happened to him.
“_For Dios_,” said Raymond, extending his hand to
this latter worthy.
“_Perdon usted por Dios hermano_,” replied the leader,
shrugging his shoulders.
Raymond informed the lieutenant that this was the
manner the interview on the road had commenced.
The officer ordered the ruffians to be searched; and the
purse and watch of Raymond were found upon the
chief beggar. They were restored to the owner, with
the request that he would see if the money was all in
the purse.
“I was not fool enough to give the beggar all I had,”
answered Raymond. “I have a large sum of money in
my belt, which was not disturbed.”
The good–natured leader of the beggars opened his
eyes at this statement.
“There were six _Isabelinos_ in the purse, and now
there are but five,” added Raymond.
“We spent one of them for food and wine,” said
the gentle beggar. “We had nothing to eat for two
days, till we got some bread we bought with this money.
We were going to have a good supper before we started
for the mountains; but you have spoiled it.”
The officer was good–natured enough to let them eat
their supper, as it was ready by this time. But Raymond
and Bark did not care to wait, and started for
the _venta_, where they intended to pass the night.
Julio walked, and Raymond rode his mule.
“I congratulate the Count de Escarabajosa on his
escape,” said Lobo, as they mounted the mules.
“I thank you; but where did you get that title,
which I will thank you never to apply to me again?”
replied Raymond rather coldly.
“I beg your pardon; but I meant no offence,” said
Lobo, rather startled by the coldness and dignity of
Raymond.
“He is a good friend; and if it hadn’t been for him
I never should have found you, Henry,” interposed
Bark.
“I do not understand where he learned about that
title, and I do not know who he is,” added Raymond.
“If you say he is a friend, Bark, I am satisfied.”
“He is, and a good friend. But why did you leave
Gibraltar so suddenly?” asked Bark, thinking it best
to change the subject.
“I left because I saw you and your companion go
into the Club–House Hotel; and I knew that you
would come to the King’s Arms next,” replied Raymond.
“You left because you saw me!” exclaimed Bark,
astonished at this statement. “Why, I was sent after
you because the principal thought you would not dodge
out of sight if you saw Scott or me.”
“I did not dodge out of sight because I saw you,
but because I saw you had a companion I did not
know: I came to the conclusion that your friend was
the detective sent after me.”
Bark explained who and what Lobo was; and Raymond
apologized to the interpreter for his coldness.
Before the party reached the _venta_, the messenger of
the principal had explained the situation as it was
changed by the death of Don Alejandro. Raymond
was happy in being justified for his past conduct, and
glad that his uncle had died confessing his sins and at
peace with the Church.
The fugitive and his friend were asleep when the
soldiers arrived with the prisoners. In the morning
Raymond read the letter of Don Francisco, and immediately
wrote a reply to it, requesting him to take
charge of his affairs in Barcelona; and to ask the
advice of his uncle in New York. Bark wrote to the
principal a full account of his adventures in search
of Raymond. These letters were mailed at Ronda,
where the prisoners were taken, and where Raymond
had to go as a witness. The testimony was abundant
to convict them all; but Spanish courts were so slow,
that Bark and Raymond were detained in Ronda for
two weeks, though Lobo was sent back to Malaga at
once.
The three brigands were sentenced to a long imprisonment;
the two men who were found in the cave with
them to a shorter term, as accomplices; but nothing
was proved against José. Raymond made a handsome
present to each of the soldiers, and to Julio, for the
service they had rendered him; and, though his gratitude
to Bark could not be expressed in this way, it was
earnest and sincere. Julio and José were still in Ronda
with their mules; and it was decided to return to Gibraltar
as they had come. During their stay in this
mountain city, the two students had seen the sights of
the place; and they departed with a lively appreciation
of this wild locality.
In two days they arrived at Gibraltar, to find that
the fleet had been there, and left. Both of them were
astonished at this information, which was given them
at the King’s Arms, where they had both been guests
before. They had been confident that the squadron
would take her final departure for the “Isles of the
Sea” from this port.
“Left!” exclaimed both of them in the same breath.
“The three vessels sailed three days ago,” replied
the landlord.
“Where have they gone?” asked Raymond, who had
depended upon meeting his friends on board of the
Tritonia that evening.
“That I couldn’t tell you.”
They walked about the town, making inquiries in
regard to the fleet; but no one knew where it had
gone. The custom–house was closed for the day; and
they were obliged to sleep without knowing whether or
not the vessels were on their way across the ocean, or
gone to some port in Spain.