THE ORDER OF THE NASTURTIUM
Tim sent twenty of the Japanese to patrol the plaza, to be relieved
after two hours. Then he returned to bed, feeling immensely elated at
the astonishing turn of affairs.
Early in the morning, a group of men were seen approaching under a flag
of truce from the end of the street remote from the plaza. Some were
leading horses. Their leader was alone admitted through the gate, while
a party of Japanese with loaded rifles kept watch on the others from the
windows of the guardroom. The man announced that he had come with his
companions, all members of the Prefect's mercenary army, to offer their
services to the Senor Ingles. They had been for weeks without pay; they
had served the Prefect from necessity rather than choice; and were ready
to strike a blow for freedom.
Tim had a natural prejudice against turncoats. But he reflected that in
this kind of warfare a wholesale change of sides was not uncommon. His
father had expected that any Mollendist success would immediately result
in a large accession of recruits, and he decided to accept the men's
offer. When, however, later in the day, after his proclamation had been
read in the plaza, more men came in, civilians of San Rosario as well as
troopers of the Prefect's, he felt somewhat embarrassed. To admit more
than a hundred to the barracks seemed to him rather hazardous. Such
volatile soldiers of fortune might change sides again at any moment, and
turn their arms against him. He therefore resolved to take no more than
fifty into the barracks, bidding the rest to remain in their own homes,
and hold themselves ready to take the field when summoned. If he could
have been quite sure of their loyalty he would have despatched them to
reinforce the party at the defile, but he felt that he must not run any
risks for the present, hoping that ere long his father would arrive to
take over his responsibilities, which were beginning to weigh upon him.
Just before midday a messenger arrived from Romana. He reported that
early in the morning he had had a brush with a small advance body of the
enemy, who had retired after the exchange of a few shots. Romana himself
had only reached the spot a few minutes before the enemy appeared. He
had ridden to the Mollendist camp with the news of Tim's movements, and
Mr. O'Hagan, after a momentary outburst of anger, had promised to march
at once for the town. But his progress would necessarily be slow, owing
to the fact that more than half his men were unmounted, and to the need
for care in slipping past the enemy in the Inca camp.
It seemed to Tim that the most serious element in the situation was the
danger of an advance in force along the San Juan road. The men who had
been checked by Romana were probably few in number; the passage of a
really strong detachment could not long be seriously disputed by so
small a party. It must be reinforced at once. Here Tim was in a
difficulty. He could not part with his own men; on the other hand, his
new recruits had as yet given no proof of their loyalty. He saw that he
must take risks to avoid greater risks, and decided to send a hundred
men up the road to support Romana. He arranged also for relays of
mounted men to post themselves on the road and bring him early news of
any fresh attack on the defile. To guard against danger from the Inca
camp he despatched a few mounted men along the road in that direction,
to keep watch and get in touch with the Mollendists as they approached.
The rest of his little force he kept under arms in the barracks, ready
to launch them in whatever quarter their support might be required.
In San Juan, meanwhile, the news of the successive disasters suffered by
the official troops had struck the Prefect like thunder-claps. He had
been busily organising his forces for a decisive blow against the
Mollendists, and was finding it necessary, much against the grain, to
part with a large portion of the money he had recently obtained from the
gobernador and from Mr. O'Hagan's safe, in making up arrears of pay for
his unruly mercenaries. The messengers and fugitives who had got
through from San Rosario carried with them so startling a story of the
vast numbers who had attacked the town that he hesitated to move out
until he had made careful arrangements for securing his position at the
capital. He had contented himself with sending a single troop along the
road to San Rosario, to feel for the enemy and discover what the
position really was. The speedy return of these men, with report of
having been ambuscaded at the defile, filled him with as much uneasiness
as dismay. Knowing how precarious was his hold upon the loyalty of his
forces, he sought to attach them to him by lavish promises and
considerable advance sums as earnest of his sincerity. As soon as day
dawned he pushed on his preparations with feverish activity.
At San Rosario the day passed without incident. There was great
excitement in the town, but no breach of order. Everybody knew by this
time that the attack overnight had been led by the young foreigner, and
he was so popular a person that the majority of the citizens were not at
all displeased with his proclamation. The gendarmes who had held the
gobernador captive in his house having fled, Senor Fagasta came forth
into the plaza, and made an attempt to assert his authority. But being
assured by Dr. Pereira that the reins of power were now definitely in
other hands, he retired to his patio, exchanged his official dress for
his old alpaca coat and a Panama hat, and solaced himself with strong
cigars and many copitas of brandy for his compulsory withdrawal from
public life. During the day sundry groups of Peruvian youths and other
idlers ventured timorously along the street from the country end, and
gazed open-mouthed at the gates of the barracks and at the smiling
Japanese posted at the windows; but after a time Tim thought it
advisable to keep the street clear, and posted a couple of his men at
the end to keep off intruders.
Early next morning word was brought from his advanced scouts that the
Mollendist army had been sighted far up the western track. Every few
minutes further reports arrived. Tim, all tingling with excitement,
paced up and down the guardroom, wondering whether he ought to remain at
his post, or whether he might ride out to meet his father. Presently he
heard that a crowd of the townsfolk were pouring out into the country to
hail the Liberator. At this news boyish impetuosity prevailed over all
considerations of form. Rushing to the stables, Tim sprang on a horse
and galloped out, down the street, and through the rabble.
He met the ragged company a mile from the cross-roads, marching, horse
and foot, at the heels of Mollendo and Mr. O'Hagan.
"Hallo, Father!" Tim shouted as he dashed up.
"You young scamp!" cried Mr. O'Hagan, who was nevertheless delighted
with the scamp. He had begun to think that Tim's action in forcing his
hand was going to bear good fruit: he had picked up several recruits on
the way.
"Thank God you're safe!" he continued, clasping the boy's hand. "It was
terribly rash of you, my boy: what your poor mother would say I don't
know: I don't like to think about it. You have fairly taken the wind
out of my sails; _you_ ought to be generalissimo, bedad! Seriously, you
have set the ball rolling to some purpose. Mollendo is in ecstasies."
Mollendo had tactfully ridden on, so that the meeting of father and son
might be private. And being met at this point by some of his chief
supporters in the town, he went forward with them, leaving word that he
wished Lieutenant O'Hagan to follow him to the gobernador's house.
"You had better cut off and get a wash, my boy," said Mr. O'Hagan.
"You're as black as a sweep."
"I don't wonder. I haven't had time to wash; but I'll ride back to the
barracks and soon follow you. Old Moll looks considerably bucked."
"He is. A word of advice: don't call him Old Moll in the hearing of the
men, and don't laugh when he addresses you."
"I don't mind so long as he doesn't kiss me," said Tim, and rode away.
Half an hour afterwards he rode into the plaza, blushing at the _vivas_
that burst from the throats of the rag-tag and bobtail who were
assembled at the sides, kept back by the armed Japanese. He found
Mollendo in the official chamber, with Mr. O'Hagan, Dr. Pereira, the
lawyer, and other notables of the town. Mollendo rose from his chair,
advanced to meet Tim, and before the boy could draw back kissed him on
both cheeks.
"I cannot sufficiently express my delight and gratitude, Senor
Lieutenant O'Hagan," he said. "I heard some particulars of your noble
conduct from Nicolas Romana; the senor doctor has related your
magnificent defence of the barracks; you have displayed the transcendent
military aptitude of your race, and proved yourself a compeer of the
illustrious Wellington, who so heroically defended the liberties of the
land of my forefathers against the tyranny of the Corsican. I feel that
I can best signalise this great occasion by promoting you to a colonelcy
in the army of liberation. Viva Colonel O'Hagan!"
Tim had often laughed at the perfervid orations he had heard delivered
by Peruvians, but he felt more abashed than amused now.
"Old gasser!" he thought. "Why can't he talk sense!" But his reply was
very polite. "Thank you, excellency," he said; "you are very good, but
if you don't mind I will remain as I am for the present. It was all a
sort of accident; there wasn't really much of a fight, and--and----"
Mr. O'Hagan interposed as Tim found words fail him.
"Take my thanks also, excellency, for the honour you propose to confer
on my son; but he is very young, and I think he should earn his
promotion gradually."
"I defer to you, my dear general. I am charmed by your son's modesty--a
virtue that is ever the attribute of great men. But I intend to
establish an order of merit for distinguished service under the new
republic"--here every one started--"it shall be styled the Order of the
Nasturtium; and your son shall be the first recipient of the insignia."
This announcement fell rather flat after the startling declaration of
Mollendo's intentions, made so casually. Mollendo had in fact
determined to form a republic, independent of Peru, which had always
failed to exercise efficient sovereignty in this remote province east of
the Andes. The audacity of his scheme appealed to the imagination of
the Peruvians present. After the first moments of surprise they hailed
Mollendo as Don Carlos, the first President, and the lawyer asked
eagerly that his excellency would allow him to draw up a proclamation.
That historic document, when it appeared, bore many traces of Mollendo's
own inspiration. He was nothing if not eloquent, and the sounding
phrases which he dictated were calculated to impress a people peculiarly
susceptible to fine language. The proclamation was taken to the only
printing-press which San Rosario could boast, and within a few hours of
Mollendo's arrival the pink leaflets were distributed broadcast.
There resulted a further rush of recruits. The people were captivated by
the idea of an independent republic. Before evening the President's
army had swollen to nearly five hundred men. This gave Mr. O'Hagan more
pleasure than flamboyant proclamations and the founding of orders, which
he regarded as premature and theatrical. He took up his quarters with
Tim in the barracks, and pleased the boy intensely by discussing the
military position with him. The important matter was to hold the
Prefect in check, and at the same time prevent a junction of his forces
from San Juan with the men in the Inca camp. These latter were probably
now on the move, though they, like the Prefect, might be holding back
through alarm at the exaggerated reports brought to them by any
fugitives who had retreated in that direction. To save their face,
runaways always overstate the numbers of the force that has discomfited
them.
The fortunes of the Mollendists were decidedly in the ascendant. Their
numbers, it was true, were still much inferior to those at the Prefect's
disposal; but a few hours had already worked wonders, and time was in
their favour--if the time were not too long drawn out. Recruits would
no doubt continue to flock in: Mollendo's would be regarded as the
winning side; but it was necessary to keep the machine in motion. If
once the impetus due to the recent successes was lost, there would be a
tendency to run back in the opposite direction.
Mr. O'Hagan decided to hold the crossroads, three miles west of his own
house, with a force sufficient to prevent the advance of the enemy from
the Inca camp, and to employ the greater part of his troops in defending
the defile on the San Juan road.
"You will take command at the crossroads, Tim," he said. "Keep watch on
those fellows from the north; if they try to force a passage, either
this way or to San Juan, prevent them. But sit tight; don't go
adventuring, and don't force an action if the enemy are quiet. I may
need you at any moment to reinforce me against the Prefect. We have the
advantage at present. The Prefect's two forces are separated by fifty
miles of hills; we hold the only practicable routes; to effect a
junction they'll have to make a detour of a hundred miles or more. You
and I will be within touch, and can work together. My plan is to beat
the enemy in detail--just as you have done, my boy."
"Inherited instinct, Father," said Tim with a sly look.
Mr. O'Hagan laughed.
"I don't know what your mother would say," he remarked. "Mollendo is
sure to send his wife word of his new dignity. You'd better write a note
for your mother to go with mine and the President's. Don't say too
much: all that she really wants to know is that you are safe. The rest
won't interest her."
"I'm not so sure of that," Tim thought.