CHAPTER XXIX. CAPTURED BY BANDITTI.
|Though on joining the party Amos Sanderson had spoken of thepossibility of encountering banditti, his companions had scarcely givena thought to the subject since. In the scenes of beauty through whichthey were passing such a possibility seemed incongruous, and noapprehension was felt. But danger there was, notwithstanding.
They had spent the night at a wretched inn in the town of Melfa, andproceeding on their way, passed on the left the picturesque town ofRocca Secca. About a mile beyond they were startled by the suddenappearance of three dark and swarthy Italians, who, darting from a clumpof bushes at the wayside, seized one of the horses by the bridle, andpointing pistols at the party, called out in English in a menacing tone,"Money!"
"Well, I'll be jiggered," exclaimed the American, "here's the bandittisure enough!"
Walter Cunningham looked troubled. It was a very disagreeableinterruption.
"Look here, gentlemen bandits," said Amos, "we haven't any money tospare. We are only poor travelers. You have made a mistake. There's somerich gentlemen on the road who will be here about this time to-morrow.You'd better wait for them."
Of course all this was thrown away upon the Italians, who did notunderstand English, and frowned impatiently while Mr. Sanderson wasspeaking.
"Give up your money, and that at once," said the foremost of thebanditti.
He spoke in Italian, but Bernard, who had picked up some familiarphrases, understood and interpreted.
"Really this is very disagreeable," said Cunningham.
"I wish they understood English. I'd argy a little with them," added theAmerican.
"I am afraid it wouldn't do much good, Mr. Sanderson," said Bernard."They would probably shoot you for an answer."
The party looked undecided. By way of hastening a decision one of thebandits came up to the door of the carriage, and holding his pistol inone hand, held out his hat in the other.
"I suppose we must surrender at discretion," said the young Englishman."They won't make much of a haul in my case."
"Nor in mine," added Sanderson. "I have about enough money to last me asfar as Naples, where I intend to call on my banker."
"We had better give up what we have. It won't ruin us."
The American, who was pugnacious and liked to argue, yieldedunwillingly. He and his companions emptied their pockets, and passed thecontents over to the black-bearded fellow who acted as collector. Helooked at the sum and frowned fiercely as he turned to his companionsand spoke a few words to them.
"What does he say?" asked Amos Sanderson.
"I don't understand," said Bernard. "He talks too fast for me."
Here Pasquale broke into the conversation.
"He says it isn't enough," he explained.
"But it is all we have. Tell him so."
Pasquale put the message into Italian, and communicated it to hiscountrymen.
"Well, what does he say?" asked Walter Cunningham.
"He says it is not enough, and that you can get more."
"Where can we get it?"
"He says you can get it at your bankers'."
"Bring the bankers along, and we will ask them."
"The signor will only anger them, and that will be bad."
"How much in the name of wonder do they want?"
Pasquale repeated the question.
"They want five thousand scudi more," he reported.
"How much is a scudi?" asked the American, turning to Cunningham.
"A dollar."
"And the rascals want five thousand dollars? Jumping Jehoshaphat,haven't they got cheek! Why do they ask so much of three poortravelers?"
Pasquale repeated the question, and received an answer.
"They say you are not poor, that one of you is a great English milord,and that you are a rich American."
"I'd like to know how they found out I am rich," said Amos, disgusted."Have they seen my tax bill?"
"They say all Americans are rich."
"That's where they make a big mistake. I know plenty of men in Omahathat wouldn't be worth a hundred dollars if their debts were paid. As tomy friend here being a rich milord, I don't know but he is. I am not amilord at all, but only a plain American citizen."
"I am not a milord," said Walter Cunningham, smiling. "However, I amaware that in Italy every Englishman who has money enough to travel issupposed to be a lord, just as every American is called rich."
"They don't say anything about me," said Bernard. "I wonder whether theytake me to be rich or a milord?"
"They don't take account of you because you are a boy. They think youare related to Mr. Cunningham or myself."
"I am willing to be overlooked."
"I wonder if I could pass myself off for a boy," said the Americanhumorously.
"Hardly. You have lost too much hair."
"The gentlemen are getting impatient," said Pas-quale warningly.
"Are they? Well, I guess we shall take our time."
"It will not be well to provoke them needlessly," said WalterCunningham. "You may tell them that we cannot give them five thousandscudi," he added addressing the _vetturino_.
The bandits held a conference, but it was not prolonged. Evidently theywere incensed at the contumacy of their victims.
After the conference, during which the three travelers were veryanxious, they spoke to Pasquale, who communicated their decision.
"They say you must either make arrangements to pay the five thousandscudi, or go with them."
"Where in thunder do they mean to carry us, Pasquale?"
"I don't know. They would not tell if I asked them."
"Tell them to take us along, then," said Mr. Sanderson, leaning back inhis seat and nodding obstinately.
Walter Cunningham seemed to acquiesce, and the answer was returned.
Immediately one of the bandits took his seat beside the _vetturino_ andtook the reins from him. The other two walked beside the carriage. Theparty turned off from the main road, and entered a lane leading up thehill to the left.
"Well, boys, we're in for it, I s'pose," said Amos Sanderson. "It's toobad, I vow. Such things couldn't be done in America under the Stars andStripes."
"Don't robberies ever take place in the States?" asked WalterCunningham.
"Well, perhaps so, but these fellows have not only robbed us of all wehave, but are carrying us off because we won't give them more. I'd justlike to wrestle with them one by one. If I didn't throw them, I'd bejiggered, that's all."
"I don't think they would agree to any such plan. They carry pistols,and probably knives. They are more used to them than to wrestling."
"No doubt you are right, milord," said Amos, at which Cunninghamlaughed. "Where do you think they're going to carry us?"
"They probably have some secret resort somewhere among these hills. Weshall find out before long. What do you think of our adventure,Bernard?"
"I wish I knew how it was going to turn out, Walter," returned Bernardsoberly.
"So do I," said the American. "I shall have to have a good think. Ican't think unless I have a smoke. Will you have a cigar, Cunningham?"
"No, thank you."
"Or you, Bernard?"
"No, but it might be a good idea to offer cigars to our new friends."
"That's a good idea. I'll act on it."
Mr. Sanderson took out a cigar, and, lighting it, put it in his mouth.Next he selected three others, offering the first to the man who satbeside the _vetturino_.
"Will you have a cigar, my friend?" he said.
The bandit took it, and said politely, "_Grazia, signor_."
"What's that?"
"He says 'thank you,'" returned Bernard.
The other bandits accepted the cigars graciously, and were evidentlymore favorably inclined to the travelers they were escorting.
"I say, Bernard, we look like a friendly family party," said Amos, whowas amused by the situation.
The new driver was in no hurry. He drove i
n leisurely fashion, partlybecause their way ran up hill, partly because his two companions wereobliged to walk, and could not otherwise keep up.
"I wish I knew where they were taking us," said Amos Sanderson.
"To a free hotel," answered Bernard.
"It'll have to be free, for they haven't left us any money to pay forthat or anything else."
"Their hotel can't be much worse than the one we stopped at last nightat Melfa."
"I wish their bill might not be any larger," said Walter Cunningham.
The cigars were smoked, and then the party subsided into silence. Eventhe lively American realized that they were in a difficult and perhapsdangerous situation. All three were busy with their own thoughts,Bernard was anxious, but he was also curious, and excited. He rememberedto have read a story three years before in which a party had beensurprised by banditti somewhere in Sicily. He forgot how the storyended. When he read it he certainly was very far from thinking that sometime a similar adventure would happen to himself.