CHAPTER XVIII.
RONIE RECEIVES A COMMISSION.
"She must not be allowed to escape, Jack!" exclaimed Ronie. "I heardColonel Marchand say that she knows secrets which it would not be wellfor his enemies to learn."
"Ay, lad; it is not too late for us to stop them."
Without further delay the twain sprang forward, and were in season tointercept the fugitives. As they brought their firearms to bear uponthe men who had constituted themselves Senora de Caprian's escort,Ronie cried, sharply:
"Stand where you are!"
The woman uttered a cry of dismay at this command, while the mensuddenly stopped, facing the determined Americans with frightened looks.
"Let me pass, senors, I implore you," begged the prisoner, the tearsspringing to her eyes, while she clasped her hands and turned upon themsuch looks of agony as haunted them for many a day. Ronie, at least,felt that he had committed an act which he should regret, and it ispossible if the opportunity had remained when he could have allowed herto escape with safety, he might have done it. But the die was cast,and there was no retreat. The loud, authoritative words had arousedothers. The soldiers were suddenly recalled to their duty, while thesight of the fugitive and their captors quickly caught the attention ofthe newcomers upon the scene, foremost among these being ColonelMarchand!
He instantly comprehended the situation, and a look of admiration forthe prompt deed lightened the bronze upon his cheeks, while he said:
"By the soul of Bolivar! you have done well, senors. Soldiers, securethe prisoner immediately, and see that her liberators are taken intocustody."
"I hope there will be no cause for us to regret what we have done,colonel," said Ronie, who really felt sorry for the prisoner.
"You may cut off my right hand if you do, Senor Rand. At present it isnecessary that we hold the woman as a prisoner of war, but she shall bewell treated, and I have no doubt be set free soon."
Ronie knew Colonel Marchand was a man of his word, and he felt betterover what he and Jack bad done. This pleasure was further increased bythe words of the colonel as they accompanied him to his headquarters.
"This will prove a good day's work for you, Ronie. I only regret I hadnot been able to report it to General Castro when I sent my dispatch,but better late than never. What do you say to going with us on ourcampaign toward Maracaibo? We start within an hour. The rebels arerallying in that direction, and we must look after them before theybecome too strong."
The fact that it was likely to take them nearer to Harrie, if not quiteto San Carlos, was enough to shape their decision, and inside of anhour they were mounted and riding with the troops toward the west,Ronie getting his first taste of warfare.
The days that followed would never be forgotten by our Americansoldiers in the service of Venezuela. Colonel Marchand seemed to bealways on the move, but the enemy was even more active than he, andalways kept one scene ahead of him. For instance, he left the littlehamlet where Ronie and Jack joined his forces to go to another countrytown called Verona, where it was reported the insurgents had made araid. Upon reaching this settlement, which was little more than acollection of coffee planters' conical dwellings, it was ascertainedthat the enemies had been gone a few hours, and that they were headedtoward Juan. Hither, posthaste, dashed the Venezuelan cavalry,resolved to be in season this time, only to find that again the birdhad flown. But Castro's troops were led by a captain who had the nameof never sleeping, and once more he followed on their heels. Then helearned they had gone back to Verona! Thus two weeks were spent invain advances and retreats, swift dashes ahead and equally as rapiddoubling upon the track, until we finally find the grimy riders haltednear the rim of a little plain which formed the foot of a mountainrange trending away toward the more lofty peaks making the highestelevations of land in the Western World. As may be imagined, thedoughty colonel was in no enviable mood, as he sat by the door of histent, whose roof was the bended sky. It was one of those inns found atthose outposts between the agricultural and pastoral regions.
The men were busy getting the evening meal, which was to be made uplargely of a fat bullock killed a few minutes before. Evidence hadbeen witnessed where the insurgents had broken into a herd that veryday and slaughtered several of the best beeves. This killing of cattlewas characteristic of Venezuelan warfare. The ragged troops of therevolutionists must be fed, and what easier way to do it?
Ronie and Jack, who had ridden until they were tired and sore, wereattending to their tough ponies before spreading their ponchos over thestony spot which they had cleared of the rank vegetation so as toprepare their couch for the night, as there were no posts upon which tohang their hammocks, when a messenger informed them that ColonelMarchand wished to see them immediately. At a loss to know what thisorder could mean, they lost no time in answering the summons.
They found the colonel, usually so genial, very much out of humor. Atfirst Ronie feared that he had done something to arouse this uncommonstate of mind on the part of his superior.
"Sergeant Rand," greeted the colonel, brusquely, giving our hero atitle quite unexpected to him, "I have sent for you to see if yourYankee ingenuity and courage cannot help me out of this difficulty."
"I am at your service, colonel," replied Ronie, with a military salute,"and I am sure my friend here is equally as faithful."
"Ay, ay, Colonel Marchand; where Ronie Rand leads I----"
"Sergeant Rand, if you please, Senor Greenland," interrupted theofficer. "I will now explain what I want of you."
Though taken somewhat aback by this greeting, our twain bowed andwaited respectfully for the other to explain.
"In the first place," began the colonel, "I need not tell you how Ihave been buffeted about for the last ten days. It has set my teeth onedge. On every hand my scouts have been baffled by these scoundrels ofthe bush, who make a farce of war and style themselves 'Sons ofLiberty!' Word comes in that they are everywhere successful, and thatCastro is discouraged. I know better than the last. He is not thatkind of a man. But enough of that. What I want of you is simply this:Take as many men with you as you wish, and reconnoiter the country asfar as you think best, and report to me as often as possible. Are youwilling to undertake this hazardous mission?"
"I am willing to do my duty, Colonel Marchand."
"Ay, ay, colonel," added Jack.
"Spoken like true soldiers. I know I can depend on you. Now name thenumber of men you want to go with you, and I will have them detailed atonce. Remember you are to have command of the squad, with your friendas deputy."
"I assure you, colonel, we appreciate the honor. I think three menwill be sufficient. A small body of men can go where a large one wouldbe likely to attract attention."
"Good! My scouts dare not stir out of their hammocks without an armyis at their heels. How soon can you be ready to report, sergeant?"
"In half an hour, colonel."
"Thank you, sergeant. That will give me time to detain [Transcriber'snote: detail?] the men, and I will see that you have the best in theregiment. By the way, sergeant, I wish to say that I have received asyet no reply from General Castro, but I probably shall before you getback. I would also add that I expect to move to Baracoa in themorning, where I shall await news from you."
"Well, Jack, what do you think of this?" asked Ronie, as soon as theyhad left the presence of Colonel Marchand.
"Looks as if we were going to taste of real warfare," replied Jack. "Ican't say that I am sorry, for as long as we cannot go ahead with ourwork it will serve to break the monotony."
"If I only knew that mother was safely at home, and Harrie was with us,I really think I should enjoy it. If there was only some way I couldget a letter sent to her, I would write to mother in New York, hit ormiss."
"Perhaps the colonel will have a chance to get it to the capital,"suggested Jack. "If you want to write it, I will see that everythingis got in readiness for our start."
"You are very k
ind. I think I will do it. It will certainly do noharm."
So Ronie wrote his letter to his mother, describing briefly his recentexperiences, and speaking particularly of the portrait he had pickedup. He had to make his letter short, for he not only prepared that,but he ate a hasty meal, which Jack had prepared, and with his faithfulcompanion presented himself at the commander's tent in exactly half anhour.
"I am glad to find you so punctual," remarked the colonel. "Yes, Iwill send your letter along at the first opportunity. Here are the menwho are to accompany you. I wish you success, but I do not believe Ineed to caution you to move cautiously. You have been here long enoughto know something of the character of these bush rebels."
In this brusque manner Colonel Marchand saw them depart, though he didnot return to his papers until they had disappeared beyond the line offorest vegetation which encircled the clearing in the shadows of themountains. His eye trained upon the spot where he had last seen themafter they had vanished for several minutes, he finally turned back,saying, under his breath:
"I hope I shall not be disappointed in them as I have the others whohave gone before them."