THE MAN ON HORSEBACK
“This may mean a great deal and then again it may mean next to
nothing,” remarked Captain Corning, as all carefully examined the
demijohn marked _Margarita_. “If it was found where the abandoned steam
yacht rests, all right. But this demijohn may have floated for miles
before it lost its cork and sank.”
“Let’s hope the spot where it was discovered marks the resting place of
the _Margarita_,” returned Jack. “Do you know where we were two hours
ago? Jake Patnak said that was when it was hauled up.”
“Yes, we can easily calculate the locality, or pretty close to it,” was
the reply. “I think I’ll turn the _Firefly_ back and see how Olesen and
his assistant take it. I’ll not say anything to the rascal until later.”
The demijohn was hidden away once more and the stateroom put in order,
and then all went on deck again. The necessary orders were given by the
captain, and soon the yacht was headed in the direction from whence she
had come.
“I thought we were going to keep on going eastward,” said Olesen a few
minutes later to Mr. Brooks.
“Captain’s orders,” was the brief reply.
If the head diver was suspicious, he gave no sign. However, a little
later he went below and locked himself in his stateroom.
“He’s going to take another look at the demijohn to see if it’s still
safe,” remarked Jack.
Evidently Leif Olesen did more than look at the demijohn. When he came
on deck again his face was red and he showed unmistakable signs of
having been drinking.
“Looks to me as if this treasure hunt would amount to nothing,” he
grumbled. “I’m sorry I came on this trip. It’s terribly hot down here.”
“Well, any time you wish to quit, say so and I’ll put you on shore,”
answered Captain Corning sharply.
He apparently paid no more attention to the head diver, and the boys
saw Olesen and Amend consult together. Then, when the ship sailed close
to the spot where they imagined the empty demijohn had been hauled up,
Fred and Andy caught sight of Amend as he dropped something overboard.
A little later they saw Olesen throw something into the waters of the
Gulf.
“I wonder what that was!” exclaimed Andy. “Here, give me those glasses,
quick!”
The boys had a pair of marine glasses handy, and as quickly as it could
be done Andy adjusted these and gazed earnestly at the waters behind
the yacht.
“I see something sticking up in the water. It’s bobbing around like a
little yellow flag.”
“And that’s just what it is!” cried Fred.
All of the boys looked at the object in the water and then hurried off
to tell Captain Corning.
They found the captain in an exceedingly angry mood. The two Norwegian
sailors, Larsen and Smader, were partly under the influence of drink
and had admitted that they had received the liquor from Olesen.
“They’re not going to play any more tricks on me,” roared the master of
the _Firefly_. “I’m going to run for the nearest town on the coast and
put them ashore――I mean Olesen and Amend. The men can remain if they’ll
promise to keep sober and behave themselves.”
“What do you suppose the yellow flag means?” asked Randy.
“I suppose it’s some kind of a buoy. The water around here isn’t over
eighty feet deep, and he could easily attach a small flag to a large
cork and then let down a line with a small weight attached. With a
good pair of glasses the flag could be seen from quite a distance.
Evidently those rascals intended to mark that spot. Probably they found
something else besides the demijohn and feel pretty certain the wreck
is somewhere in this vicinity.”
The captain lost no time in carrying out what he had decided to do. He
went below and armed himself and also armed his mate. Then he called
Olesen and Amend to him.
There was almost an explosion when the head diver realized that his
tricks had been discovered. He had just enough liquor in him to be
ugly, and he was on the point of attacking the captain when the latter
ordered him back, producing his pistol as he spoke.
“We’re going to land at the nearest town, and both of you are going
ashore,” said the master of the _Firefly_. “I’ll pay you off, and give
you your passage money back to New York, and we’ll let that end it.”
Olesen wanted to argue the matter, and when not allowed to do this
tried to become abusive. Then the captain told him to be quiet or he
would be put in irons. Amend was scared and lost no time in going
below to get his effects into shape to take away, and presently Olesen
staggered down to his own stateroom.
Another storm was coming up, following the extra hot spell, and before
they could make a landing it was blowing furiously. However, they got
into a small bay in safety, and then Olesen and Amend were put off in a
small boat for town, their effects going with them.
“You haven’t heard the end of this!” roared the head diver, as he shook
his fist when taking his departure. “Just wait and see what I’ll do!”
“Hot air! Hot air!” shouted Nat Brooks after him. “You keep a civil
tongue in your head or you’ll never do any diver’s work around New York
again.”
As soon as the divers were gone Captain Corning set sail once more,
this time for a place further up the coast, called Progreso.
“I’m going to look for another diver,” said he. “I understand that some
of these Mexicans are very good at the game. This time I’ll hire a
fellow who’ll do exactly what I order――no more and no less.”
On going ashore at Progreso, from which a number of Gulf ships run to
various points in the United States and the West Indies, the boys were
delighted to learn that they could get into communication by telegraph
and cable with the folks at home. And so, while the captain was busy
trying to find another diver, they sent a message to New York.
It was not until three hours later that a reply came in. This was in
code and had to be deciphered with care.
“Here is certainly news!” cried Jack. “Hurrah! They’re getting on the
track of those rascals at last!”
In the message Sam Rover told of Josiah Crabtree’s revelations and of
how the Browns and Martells and the others were being followed. Then
came an announcement that was even more interesting to the lads.
“Antonio Ditini lived originally at Mendelopaz on the
outskirts of Merida in Yucatan. Possibly he went home.
Can you investigate?”
“This is certainly remarkable!” cried Jack. “Merida is not many miles
from here, and for all we know this Lefty Ditini may be there right
now!”
“And don’t forget that there is a big reward for his capture!” burst
out Randy. “Gosh, I wish we could get hold of him!”
“If Ditini is in Yucatan we’ll have to get some official to place him
under arrest for us,” said Fred.
“Yes, and we’ll have to use some native for an interpreter,” declared
Jack. “I can’t speak a dozen words of their language.” All of the boys
had seen pictures of Ditini and Ronombo in the Rogues’ Gallery at New
York City.
As Captain Corning was still away trying to hunt up another deep-sea
diver, the boys consulted Mr. Brooks, who fortunately had been in
Yucatan before and who could speak a little Mexican. As a result of
this, they were introduced a little later to a Yucatan official who
could speak fairly good English and who immediately became interested
in the story they had to tell.
“I have an automobile handy,” said the official, “and we can ride over
in that. I think I’ll have no trouble in locating the place where
Antonio Ditini lives. Many folks must know this man who has become such
a notorious bandit.”
A little later the four boys and Captain Astora were on the way. The
ride was anything but a comfortable one, but to this none of the lads
paid any attention.
Arriving at Merida, the official made a number of inquiries and then
learned that the wife of Ditini was living, as had been said in the
cablegram, on the outskirts of Merida with her eight children. It was
said that Ditini had deserted her, leaving her practically penniless.
“If Ditini is anywhere around I think I can make sure of it by letting
his wife think that I must collect an old debt or throw her out of her
home,” said the Yucatan official. “Then, if he has brought money, or if
he is expected to come with money, she will probably promise to pay.”
It did not take the crowd long to reach the place where Señora Ditini
lived with her many children, and while the boys kept out of sight in
a grove of bushes the Yucatan official proceeded to put his trick into
execution. He was gone the best part of half an hour, and when he came
back his face showed his satisfaction.
“I tricked her very nicely,” he declared. “I made her believe that she
must pay me an old debt of four years’ standing. She said she knew
nothing of it, but would find out about it to-night. And she said
further that she would surely have the money with which to pay by
to-morrow morning. That proves to me that Antonio Ditini is either here
or will arrive some time to-night.”
The place was rather an isolated one, and, not to be discovered by any
children or servants, the crowd drove away. Then the automobile was
secreted in a nearby woods, and all went back to remain on guard.
Slowly the hours went by until night came on. They saw no one except
two old Mexican servants and three or four children of various ages.
Then, however, as it grew darker, they saw a man come up a side
trail on horseback. He was a small, dark-skinned fellow dressed in
Mexican costume.
“I’ll wager that’s Ditini,” said the Yucatan official. “I’ll go to the
house and make sure. If I want your assistance I’ll call you.”
He walked rapidly toward the building and soon disappeared within. Ten
minutes followed, the waiting boys growing more anxious every second.
Suddenly angry words arose and they heard a woman cry out in dismay.
Then followed two pistol shots. A moment later they saw a side door of
the house burst open and the Mexican who had gone in but a short while
before came rushing out, running towards where he had left his horse
tied to a post.
“It’s Ditini!” gasped Fred.
“He must have shot Captain Astora!” came from Andy.
“Come on――let’s go after him!” shouted Jack. “We mustn’t let him get
away!”