An Alarm of Fire
Breathless and exhausted by his almost superhuman effort, Jack sank down
upon the hard rocks, where he had stood at the fateful moment.
Plum Plucky, further up the broken pathway, stood in silent awe, while the
Peruvians looked on from their perches on the mountain side with bulging
eyes and chattering teeth.
The only creatures which seemed unconcerned were the oxen which had been
so narrowly threatened, as they quietly chewed their cuds, while they
blinked their big, soft-lighted eyes. Plum was the first to speak.
"Jiminey whack, Jack! but you've done it."
"It was my only chance to save the oxen and the other load," said Jack,
rising to feet. "Better save half a loaf than to lose it all, you know.
Simply couldn't turn it into the rocks."
"But I don't see how you could think of it. I was scart, I ain't ashamed
to own. I'll bet that other is smashed into kindling wood."
Jack was already looking over the precipice after the lost wagon, saying
in a minute or so:
"It has come out better than I should have expected, though it will do us
no further good. It has lodged among some trees and rocks, and I do not
believe a wheel has been broken."
"That's so, Jack, though I reckon it don't make any difference to us. But
if 'em rocks don't start to grow it's 'cause the nitrate ain't any good,
for the stuff is sowed all over the Andes."
"It is pretty well scattered, that is a fact. But come, boys, we must
hitch on the other oxen, and see if the double team can pull this load to
the top."
Though the loss of one of his wagons and a portion of his nitrate, which
had cost him so much to get so far, was felt keenly by Jack, he showed his
indomitable will by immediately giving his attention toward carrying out
the work of crossing the ridge.
The remaining load proved an easy burden for the united teams, and in a
few minutes the heavy wagon was moving slowly up the path, the loud
commands of the Peruvian drivers echoing up and down the valley with
somewhat startling effect.
"As soon as we get to the summit," said Jack to Plum, "you and I will go
back and see if there is not some way to save the other wagon, even at the
sacrifice of its load."
"I s'pose we might throw off what nitrate there is left on it, and by
hitching together all the chains and ropes we have--"
"I wonder what is wrong now," exclaimed Jack, for the team had again
stopped, though the wagon was not more than its length from the summit. To
the drivers he shouted:
"Drive up a little further, so the wagon will stand without--"
Loud, angry cries stopped him in the midst of his speech.
Anxious to know what had caused another interruption in the advance, he
hurried forward, to meet a most unexpected sight.
Drawn up in front of the team in the narrow path was a squad of Chilian
soldiers, or bushwhackers, more properly speaking, for he knew they did
not belong to the regular army.
The Peruvians were cowering by the side of the wagon and cattle, muttering
over something in their native tongue which our hero did not understand.
"Ho, there, soldiers!" he called out, in his best Spanish, "what does this
mean?"
"It means if you don't get out of our path, Americanos, we will hew you
down!"
"Don't be too fast, señor captain," Jack made bold to say, "this path is
one of my own making, though if you will allow me to get my team to the--"
"Pitiful dog!" cried the Chilian, "Captain de Costa commands you to clear
his way without any insulting words."
Jack saw that it would be worse than useless to have any words with this
imperious Chilian, who in his petty command felt more arrogant than a king
on this throne. Accordingly he began in a respectful tone:
"If Captain de Costa will kindly allow us to drive to the summit we shall
be able--"
"Americano dog! will you surrender?"
By this time the Peruvians had taken to their heels, and Jack and Plum
stood alone in front of the pompous captain and legion.
Jack's first thought was to boldly refuse the demand, knowing the other
had no business to interfere with him, and to make such a resistance as he
and his companion could. But single-handed, against such odds, he knew it
would be folly.
"If you please, Captain de Costa, we two are but peaceful American boys,
both of us engaged--"
"Will you surrender?" thundered the Chilian, advancing with uplifted
sword, as if he would carry out his threat of hewing him down.
"We are offering no resistance to you, señor captain. If you will allow us
to--"
At a motion from the Chilian leader his soldiers leaped forward, and Jack
and Plum were quickly made prisoners.
The order was then given for the lads to be intrusted to a portion of
troops under the command of a sergeant, and then the march down the
pathway toward the nearest town was begun.
The last Jack saw of his team it was still standing just over the brow of
the height, the patient oxen chewing their cuds as unconcerned as if the
fortunes and the lives of their owners were not in the least endangered.
"What is going to be the end of this?" asked Plum, as they were marched
along side by side.
"It is impossible to tell. I do not think it will be best for us to have
much to say to each other if we wish to keep together. We must keep our
eyes open for a chance to escape."
Plum taking the hint, the friends walked along in silence until the
journey seemed without end.
The soldiers kept up a continual run of conversation, Jack catching enough
to know that the Chilian forces were gaining successes wherever they met
the Peruvians. He also learned that the army of Bolivia was now their
greatest concern, and that the latter was then on a march over the Andes
to meet them.
At nightfall a halt was made under a spur of the mountains, but before the
sun had tipped with gold the crest of the distant Andes the weary journey
was resumed.
That day about noon they came in sight of a little up-country town, which
the prisoners soon learned was known as Santa Rosilla. Its long, narrow
streets bore a deserted appearance, save for the motley-coated soldiers
passing to and fro, as if on guard.
The town bore every sign of a recent siege, while the indications were as
strong that the inhabitants had been completely routed and killed or
driven back into the mountains by their conquerors.
Straight down the grand plaza marched the soldiers with their captives,
making their way toward the casa consistorial, or town house, above which
flapped in the sleepy breeze the flag of Chili.
The door of the town house, which bore the marks of many bullets, was off
its hinges, but the rooms within were secure enough for all prisoners of
war that might fall into their hands in that isolated district, and
thither our twain were marched.
To their delight, which they were careful to conceal, they were put into a
room together, though under a strong guard.
"Looks so we were in for it," said Plum, after they had been left by
themselves for an hour or more.
"It was a hard set-back to my plans," said Jack.
"I wonder what they will do with us," ventured Plum, expressing the
thought uppermost in our hero's mind.
"From what I have overheard I should judge we were likely to be shot at
the first opportunity."
"'Pears to me you're mighty cool about it. Will they dare to shoot us? We
are not mixed up in their war, and it might make trouble for them in in
the end, if I know anything."
"They don't stop to consider that. It is my opinion they would dare to do
anything but meet an equal number of the enemy. It looks bad for us,
Plum."
"I wonder if we can't dig out of here somehow? These walls don't seem so
awful thick."
"Of course we must try and get out of this. The first thing to do will be
to free our limbs. Can you loosen your bonds any?"
For the next ten minutes the boys were busy trying to free their hands
from the ligatures which had been fastened in no uncertain way.
"It's no use," acknowledged Plum at last. "I believe mine grow tighter and
tighter. Hark! I should think that soldier on guard in the hall would get
tired of that everlasting tramping back and forth. I've a mind to tell him
to stop."
"Better not do it. I wonder if by standing on my shoulder you could look
out of that window up there?"
"I have been thinking that same thing. Let's try it."
Naturally their attention had been attracted to a small window, which
afforded light and ventilation for the room, but which was about ten feet
from the floor.
Tied hands and feet, as they were, the boys tried many times to carry out
their plan without avail, until it must have been near midnight when Plum
said:
"It's mighty aggravating. There must be lights on the streets, for I've
seen their flash."
"Let's try once more. If I lie down perhaps you can get on my neck, after
which I believe I can raise you to the window."
This proved a most difficult feat, but after repeated attempts Plum
succeeded in gaining the desired position, when Jack slowly straightened
up, until he had brought his companion's head on a level with the window,
where by leaning against the wall he was enabled to hold him for a hasty
look over the scene without.
Plum had barely gained his unsteady perch before he exclaimed in a tone of
excitement:
"Oh, Jack! the town is on fire! Everything is burning up!"
At that moment the dull boom of a cannon reached their ears.