THE DOGS OF CUBAN WARFARE.
In a few minutes Alano's father recovered sufficiently to tell his
story. He had entered the village in safety, and soon put himself into
communication with several citizens who were Cuban sympathizers. From
one of these he had learned that my father was being kept a prisoner
in what had formerly been a cattle-house, but which was now doing duty
as a Spanish prison. No one was allowed to talk to the prisoners, but
by bribing the man who owned the building the captain had succeeded
in getting word to my father that he was around and that I was with
him, and that both of us intended to do all in our power to effect his
release.
This word having been passed to my parent, Captain Guerez has set
about perfecting a plan whereby my father might be supplied with tools
for freeing himself, and also a pistol. But in this work he had been
discovered, and a struggle and flight followed. Luckily, the Spaniards
had not discovered whom he was working for in particular, there being a
dozen prisoners in the same building, so it was not likely my parent
would suffer in consequence.
"We must watch the road to Santiago," said Captain Guerez, when he had
finished, washed himself, and had a refreshing drink of water. "It is
our one chance."
"If only we had horses!" put in Alano.
"We must find animals, my son."
The captain spoke decidedly. "Necessity knows no law," and it was easy
to see he intended to obtain the horses--if not in one way, then in
another. Of course I did not blame him. To me it seemed a matter of
life and death.
As rapidly as we could, we made our way around the hills to the
Santiago road. We had just reached it when Burnham, who was slightly in
advance, halted us and announced a camp off to our left. Captain Guerez
surveyed the situation and smiled.
"Cattle dealers," he said. "They have brought in horses to sell to the
Spanish authorities. I'll make a deal with them."
He went off, with Alano at his side. Instead of following, Burnham and
I concealed ourselves in the bushes, to watch who might pass on the
highway to the seaport town. There was no telling when those who had my
father in custody would be along.
It was a long while before the captain and my chum came back, but when
they did each rode a strong horse and led another behind. Burnham and
I were soon in the saddle; and then all of us felt safer, for being
in the saddle would place us in a position equally as good as that
occupied by any of our enemies.
"Look well to your pistols," said the captain. "It may be that a sharp
and wild dash will be the only way in which Mark's father can be
rescued."
"I hope the guard having him in charge is not too large," I answered,
as I did as he suggested.
"We'll all hope that, Mark."
With pistols ready for use, we ranged up behind a heavy clump of trees
and awaited the coming of the guard from San Luardo. I was on pins and
needles, as the saying goes, and started up at the slightest sound. For
this Burnham poked fun at me; yet he himself was on the alert, as I
could see by the way he compressed his lips and worked at the ends of
his mustache.
"Hark!" said Captain Guerez presently, and we all sat like statues and
listened. From down the road came the tramp of a dozen or more horses
and mules. The guard with the prisoners was advancing. The decisive
moment was at hand. I swallowed a strange lump in my throat and
grasped my pistol tighter. For my father's sake I would fight to the
bitter end.
From out of a cloud of dust rode a vidette, heavily armed and with
his eyes and ears on the alert for anything which might sound or look
suspicious. As he came nearer we drew back behind the trees, and
Captain Guerez motioned us to absolute silence.
The vidette passed, and then the main body of the guard came on. There
were three soldiers in front and three behind, and between rode two
prisoners on mules, both whites and evidently Americans. I strained my
eyes to their utmost, and soon distinguished my father's familiar face
and form.
My father! The sight thrilled me to the soul, and I had all I could do
to restrain myself from riding forth to meet him. An exclamation came
to my lips, but the hand of my chum checked it, while a look from him
told plainer than words that he realized how I felt.
"Attention!" whispered Captain Guerez. "Are you all prepared to fight?
I think these guards are raw recruits, and if so a few volleys will
cause them to take to their heels."
"I am ready," I said grimly.
"And I," added Alano.
"You can count on me," put in Burnham.
"Very well. I will take the first fellow to the left. Alano, you take
the second; Mark, you the third; and you, Burnham, take any one in the
rear you choose."
"I'll take the middle guard," muttered the newspaper man.
"I know you can all fire well, so aim for the sword arm," went on the
captain. "There is no necessity for killing the fellows, unless it
comes to close quarters. Ready? Take aim--fire!"
The words "Take aim!" had been spoken aloud, causing several of the
guards to draw rein in alarm. At the command to fire, our pistols
blazed away simultaneously, and our several aims were so good that four
of the guards were hit, three in the arms and one in the side.
"Forward, and fire again!" shouted the gallant captain, and out of the
clearing we dashed, discharging our weapons a second time.
The detachment of Spanish soldiers was taken completely by surprise.
The lieutenant in command had been wounded, and when he saw us coming
from the woods he imagined we must outnumber his men, for he gave a
hasty order to retreat, and led the way. For a third time we fired,
and scarcely had the echo died among the hills than every one of the
soldiers was going back the way he had come, as rapidly as his horse
would carry him, the vidette, who had turned also, going with them.
"Mark!" cried my father, when he saw me. "Is it possible!"
"Father!" was all I could say. With my knife I cut the rawhide thongs
which bound him to the mule's back, and in a second more we were in
each other's arms. The other prisoner was also released, and both were
speedily provided with weapons.
"We must not lose time here--follow me!" shouted Captain Guerez. "You
can talk all you please later on," he added to me and my happy parent.
All of us followed him back into the woods, and along a trail which he
declared must bring us to another seaport town, eight miles to the east
of Santiago Bay. We put spurs to our steeds, and long before nightfall
half a dozen miles of the uneven way had been covered.
As fast as we were able to do so, my father and I rode side by side,
and never had I felt happier than then, while he was equally pleased.
As we journeyed along I told my story from beginning to end, and then
he told his own--how he had been captured and taken for a spy, how
cruelly he had been treated, and all. Just before he had received
Captain Guerez' message he had given up all hope, and even while on the
road he had been fearful that the plan to rescue him would miscarry.
"What do you think we had best do?" I asked, after our stories were
told.
"I wish to get out of the country as soon as possible, Mark. I cannot
stand the climate. Half a dozen times I have felt as if I was going to
be taken down with the fever. That injured leg took away a good bit of
my strength."
"Can we take passage from the town to which we are bound?"
"We can try," answered my father.
Another half-mile was covered, and we were beginning to consider that
we had made good our retreat from the spot where the encounter with the
Spanish soldiers had occurred, when suddenly a deep baying broke out at
our rear, causing Alano and the captain to give a simultaneous cry of
alarm.
"What is it?" asked Burnham.
"What is it!" was the answer from the captain. "Can't you hear? The
heartless wretches have set several bloodhounds on our trail!"
"Bloodhounds!" we echoed.
"Yes, bloodhounds!" ejaculated Alano. "Hark! there must be three, if
not four, of the beasts!"
"Will they attack us--on horseback?"
"Certainly--they'll fly right at a fellow's throat."
"But how can they track us--we have not been on foot."
"They are tracking the mules Señor Carter and Señor Raymond ride," put
in Captain Guerez. "Hark! they are coming nearer! In a few minutes more
they will be upon us! Out with your pistols and fight the beasts as
best you can. It is our only hope!"