THE CAPTAIN’S FATE.
THE CAPTAIN’S presentiments were verified. The suspicions of his
lieutenant had been aroused by his unusual manner, nor had they been
allayed by the explanation he gave of his intended journey. Immediately
after the captain’s departure he had convened the members of the band,
and harangued them thus.
“Boys, I have something to say to you that affects our common interests.
The captain has left us for a visit to the city, and he has explained
his reasons for going. He will try to negotiate the bonds taken from one
of our late prisoners. Very likely he has told us the truth. He will
doubtless get what he can for them, but _will he come back_?”
At this significant question the robbers started, and their faces looked
dark and threatening.
“What makes you think he won’t, lieutenant?” asked one.
“Human nature,” replied Alonzo. “If he gets a good round sum, say ten or
twenty thousand dollars, he will be tempted to keep it all himself, and
leave us to our fate. Who shall say there is no danger? What should
hinder his taking the next steamer for New York?”
Alonzo saw by the fierce looks of his adherents that his suggestion had
produced its effect. He continued:
“I noticed, just before the captain’s departure, that he acted
strangely; he took walks by himself, and evidently had some plan in
view. I noticed also that he had a confidential talk with the boy, Tom.
What does all this mean?”
“But the bonds didn’t belong to the boy.”
“No, but there were other matters in which he might wish to obtain
information from the boy. Again, this boy was on his way to the mines.
After his talk with the captain, he changed his plans and returned to
the city. Shall I tell you what I think?”
“Yes, yes.”
“I think, then, that the boy and he were old acquaintances, that he
brought the captain a message from outside, and that this and the bonds
decided him to abandon us.”
“Let us pursue him! Let us kill him!” exclaimed the exasperated robbers.
“Hold! not so fast. Let him be followed, but by one only. Remember, he
may be innocent. He may mean to deal fairly and squarely with us. If so,
let him still remain our honored chief. But if he means to play us
false”—here the speaker’s face grew stern—“let him die the death of a
traitor.”
“How shall we find out?” asked one.
“Appoint me to follow and watch him. I will go in disguise. I will see
for myself what he does. I will dog his steps, and if it be true that he
would desert us, I will be your avenger. Shall it be so?”
“Yes, yes, let Alonzo go!” was the unanimous shout.
“Be it so. Boys, I go as your messenger. I go into danger, but I go to
serve your interests. Whoever may be found wanting, you shall never find
me a traitor.”
He finished his harangue, and an hour later he was on his way to San
Francisco, which he reached nearly as soon as the captain.
He met his superior in command for the first time on the occasion
mentioned in the last chapter. He penetrated his disguise at once,
assisted thereto by his companion’s presence. As we know, the captain
was not so fortunate, and in the bowed and decrepit beggar who implored
alms, he failed to recognize his subordinate—the man whom he had the
greatest cause to fear—nor did he observe that the beggar followed him.
Had he done so, his suspicions would hardly have been aroused.
After the captain left Tom, he made his way to the office of the
steamship company. Alonzo’s keen eyes lighted up when he saw his
destination. Now his suspicions were verified.
“It is as I thought,” he said to himself. “The captain has betrayed us.
Arrived in New York, he may make his peace with the authorities and
renounce his old comrades, and bring us to capture and death. He shall
never do it! He shall never live to do it!”
As we know, he did the captain wrong in this suspicion. Though he fully
intended to forsake the band and hoped never to meet any member of it
again, it never once occurred to him to denounce them. There is honor
among thieves—so the proverb has it—and he would have shrunk from such a
betrayal.
The captain went back to his place of temporary sojourn. Now that his
object was so far accomplished, and ticket secured for New York, he
deemed it discreet to keep himself as much out of the way as possible
till the time came for going on board the steamer.
Every evening Tom came to see him. He handed our hero his ticket, and
the evening before sailing he handed Tom the belt containing the papers
and securities, much to our hero’s amazement. The captain read his
wonder in his eyes.
“You are surprised that I give you them so soon,” he said.
“Yes,” said Tom. “Of course I am glad to have them in charge, but I did
not suppose you would trust me with them.”
“I will tell you why,” said the robber-chief. “I have a presentiment of
evil. I feel that some one of my old comrades is on my track. Should
evil befall me, I do not want the bonds to fall into their hands. I
prefer, if they cannot benefit me, that they should go to you.”
“Thank you,” said Tom, “but I heartily hope that you are mistaken—that
you will leave this city in safety, and far away have a chance to redeem
your past life.”
“I think you are sincere,” said the captain, taking his hand. “I trust
you more than any other living being. For that reason, whatever comes to
me, I wish that you may prosper.”
The day of sailing came. Tom and the captain went on board the steamer.
As they stood by the railing and looked over the side, Tom said in a low
voice:
“Where are your presentiments now? Nothing has happened.”
The captain shook his head.
“It is not too late yet,” he said.
He had scarcely finished the sentence than a report was heard. The
captain pressed his hand convulsively to his breast and dropped upon the
deck. He never uttered another word. When he was taken up he was dead.
Tom looked about him in horror, expecting to see the assassin. But there
was no one who looked likely to commit the deed. No one thought of
suspecting a decrepit and infirm old beggar, who tottered slowly away
from the wharf with head bowed down.
“The traitor is punished! We are avenged!” he muttered. “Now I am the
captain!”
But Alonzo’s triumph was premature. He had been seen in the act of
firing the pistol. He was arrested, and identified as a member of the
famous band that had been the scourge of the interior. He was tried,
convicted and executed within the space of one month. So the captain was
revenged, and the band, now without a head, was speedily disbanded.
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