CHAPTER XVII.
TWO MEN OF THE AIR.
The news that all their trouble had gone for naught, and that Jackhad himself placed his rescue beyond their hands, struck the threenewcomers to the valley dumb for an instant. But at last CaptainAtkinson spoke:
“Of course, you have not forgotten me, Alvarez?”
“That is hardly likely, señor capitan,” rejoined Alvarez, a slightsmile playing across his swarthy features; “one does not forget suchencounters as our last one.”
“So I perceive. But this time you will not escape so easily. You are toconsider yourself my prisoner.”
The Mexican shrugged his shoulders.
“I am not in a position to attempt to escape,” he said resignedly.
“How did you come to be in this valley with Jack Merrill?” was the nextquestion.
Alvarez, who doubtless saw that his best course was to tell the truth,launched into a fairly accurate account of the adventures on theraft, and the thrilling descent into the Pool of Death. Ralph Stetsonshuddered as he listened. Walt looked almost incredulous. It seemedhard to believe that any human being could have “shot” that awfulcataract and lived.
By this time it was dark, and, as it would have been too dangerous toattempt using the improvised rope ladder at night, Captain Atkinsondecided to camp where they were. Alvarez was not bound, as his captorsdeemed it impossible for him to escape. Instead, he sat around the firewith them, and to anyone not knowing the circumstances he appeared morelike a friend or a member of the party than an alien prisoner.
But they had not counted on the wily ways of the ex–cattle rustler.Even Captain Atkinson, old plainsman as he was, was completely taken inby the seeming resignation of Alvarez to his fate. For this reason noguard was placed on the man that night. This Captain Atkinson was toregret bitterly some hours later, for, when day dawned, there was nosign of Alvarez.
The Ranger guessed the truth at once. Alvarez had overheard their talkabout the rope ladder and the ponies which had been left tethered inthe grass at the falls. There was not the slightest doubt that he hadmade use of the ladder in the night, and helped himself to one of theponies. If he had not taken all three they would be lucky, thought thecaptain.
The boys were anxious to set off in pursuit of the escaped prisoner atonce, but Captain Atkinson made them prepare and eat a scanty breakfastfirst.
“Alvarez must be miles away by this time,” he said, “that is, providedhe made the climb in safety.”
After breakfast no time was lost in striking out for the falls. Theladder was just as they had left it, except that one of the crosssticks had snapped, showing that someone must have climbed it in thedarkness and missed his footing.
“We are at least fortunate that he left the ladder,” said CaptainAtkinson. “I had a half–formed fear that he would have destroyed it.”
“Surely he would not have done such a dastardly thing as that!”exclaimed Walt.
“All is fair in love and war, you know,” rejoined the Captain with asmile, “and Alvarez is at war with us.”
“I’m not bothering so much about him,” said Ralph with a sigh, “infact, I think it was good riddance of bad rubbish to lose him. It’spoor Jack I’m worrying about.”
“Let us hope that he has found his way to a settlement and that by thistime he is on his way back to camp,” said Captain Atkinson cheerfully.“Why, it’s even possible that he may get there ahead of us.”
The cheery tones of their leader greatly heartened both the lads andthe climb up the ladder was made in good spirits. As soon as theyreached the surface they hurried to where the ponies had been tethered.Walt and Jack’s animals were both there, but the captain’s had gone.Pinned to one of the saddles was a hastily scribbled note on a bit ofpaper seemingly torn from an old account book.
Captain Atkinson unfolded this missive and read it aloud. It was inSpanish, but he translated as he went along.
“Dear Señor Capitan:
“Thank you very much for your consideration in leaving me a pony and allowing me a chance to get out of that odious valley. Adios; possibly we may meet again; till which time I am your devoted servant and humble admirer.
“ALVAREZ.”
“Well,” laughed the captain, “that’s a characteristic bit of Mexicanwriting. A man steals your horse and breaks his parole and then signshimself ‘your devoted servant.’”
“What’s to be done now?” asked Walt.
“We shall have to take turns riding the remaining ponies double. Itwill make our progress slow, but it is the only thing to be done. Letus lose no more time but saddle up and get started at once.”
This was done; and half an hour later the three travelers had leftbeyond ear–shot the sound of the falls that thundered unceasingly intothe Pool of Death.
* * * * *
The boldest of the unclean birds that surrounded Jack’s unconsciousform were quite close to him when in the air above, where some otherswere still wheeling about before descending, there came a suddendisturbance and flapping of wings. High above the highest of thecircling buzzards was what at first appeared to be merely a larger birdof prey. But a second glance would have shown that besides size, thisnew winged creature possessed many other points of difference fromthe bird creation. Behind it streaked out a long trail of blue smoke,and it could be seen that seated in it, between the wings, were thefigures of two men. It was, in fact, an aeroplane of the biplane type,powerfully engined and commissioned by the Mexican government for useas a scout ship to spy out the haunts of the rebels.
Its two occupants were Lieut. José Sancho and Lieut. Manuel Diaz ofthe Mexican army. They had been flying since daybreak, scouting thecountry thoroughly in search of information of the rebels’ whereabouts.The great flock of buzzards had attracted their attention, and Lieut.Sancho, who was at the wheel, while his comrade scanned the countrythrough field glasses, had steered the airship in the direction of thegreat birds.
“Can you see anything?” he asked Lieut. Diaz as the airship drove inamong the birds, scaring them off with hoarse cries.
“Yes. There is something on the ground.”
“It must be some dead animal. No human being could have found his wayinto this miserable desert.”
Lieut. Sancho was about to put the airship on its course once more whenhis brother officer gave a startled exclamation.
“By the saints!” he exclaimed, “this is strange.”
“What do you mean?”
“Why, what attracted those buzzards was no dead steer or horse.”
“What then was it?”
“The figure of a boy or a man lying face downward.”
“Is he dead, do you think?”
“It is impossible to tell.”
“Shall we descend and see?”
“We might as well, although, to speak the truth, I can’t conceive thatanyone could have wandered into this desert and lived.”
“Nor I. Still it is our duty to find out.”
“Undoubtedly. Let us land on that little hillock yonder and then we canmake an examination.”
Down swooped the great airship, landing without a jar on the barelittle hill Lieut. Diaz had mentioned.
As soon as the craft touched the ground the two Mexican officers wereout of it, and, after attending to the motor, hastened over the sandysoil to Jack’s side.
“_Santa Maria!_ It is but a boy,” exclaimed Lieut. Sancho as he turnedthe inanimate form over.
“_Todos los Santos_, so it is. A fine–looking fellow, too. But isthere any trace of life in him?”
For answer Lieut. Sancho shook his head mournfully.
“I fear we have come too late,” he said, bending over Jack to try tocatch the least flicker of life.