CHAPTER IX.
DONALD'S STRATEGY.
Lifting the unconscious man in their arms, they bore him into thedarkness away from the train, where he was soon deprived of hiscoat, hat, and weapons. Then he was gagged and securely tied withhis own sabretasche.
Donald, being nearest the lieutenant's size, donned his uniform,buckled on his sword, and with the order in his hand hastilyentered the car, closely followed by Billie, with the readyrevolver in his hand.
The captain had thrown aside his hat and was smoking a cigarettein one of the easy seats as the boys entered. He gave them only ahasty glance as he blew a cloud of smoke into the air, and thenext minute he was covered by Billie's weapon.
"Up with your hands!" was the stern order.
The captain hesitated, but a sharp prick from Donald's sword sentthe hands into the air.
In another minute the captain was disarmed.
"Now," said Donald sternly, "we'll see what all this trouble isabout."
He opened the telegram he held in his hand and read:
"American Admiral has given an ultimatum. Hold train and passengers until further orders. Maas."
"Who is Maas?" asked Donald sternly.
The captain shrugged his shoulders, but said nothing.
"You'll answer in just one minute, or you'll never have a chanceto answer another question," said Donald, as he stood with drawnsword, while Billie covered the captain with his revolver.
"Would you murder an unarmed man?" asked the captain.
"I wouldn't consider it murder. Answer."
The look in Donald's eyes was not to be mistaken.
"Gen. Maas is in command of Vera Cruz," the captain said.
"Good. I think I see it all. If it is decided not to accede tothe ultimatum, it is proposed to hold the train load ashostages."
The captain smiled.
"Now listen!" and Donald spoke very slowly so that every wordmight find lodgment. "You have one chance for your life. Can youguess what it is?"
The captain shook his head.
"To do just exactly as I bid. Just one little attempt to dodifferently, and you are a dead man."
The captain scowled, but made no reply.
"Put on your hat and come with me. Order the passengers back onto the train and give your engineer instructions to cover just asmuch of the distance between here and Vera Cruz by daylight as heknows how!"
The captain shrugged his shoulders as he arose from his seat.
"I see you think it will be easy to escape. Just put any suchidea out of your mind. There is no possible chance."
Donald turned to Billie.
"This is what must be done. We shall walk directly back to wherethe passengers are. The captain will give his order without anyhesitation. Otherwise I shall shoot him through my pocket. Youwill keep right behind us. If I fire, you fire also. One of uswill be sure to kill him."
Donald led the way from the car and Billie brought up the rear.
Through the dark they marched, each with a hand on the captain,so they might feel his slightest tremor.
Arriving at the engine the captain summoned the sergeant.
"Order the passengers to board the train," was the brief command.
The sergeant hastened to obey.
"Bueno!" said Donald, as the passengers rushed back.
Then under his breath to Billie: "Call Adrian."
Billie did so.
"Where are you?" Adrian called back.
"Down near the engine."
A moment later Adrian appeared coming through the crowd ofhurrying passengers.
"Where's Don?" he asked as soon as he caught sight of Billie.
"Not far. Stay here. We may need you."
Adrian's face showed some surprise, but he said nothing.
"Now, captain," said Don quietly, "your orders to the engineer,"and under cover of the darkness he pushed the point of hisrevolver into the captain's side, while Billie touched himsignificantly in the back.
The captain gave the order as he had been instructed.
"Now for the conductor," ordered Donald.
The order was given, but the conductor refused to obey.
"I must have a written order," he said.
"Why?" asked Donald, in his role of lieutenant.
"To countermand the order of Gen. Maas."
"Captain," was Donald's quiet hint, "don't you think it would bewell to place the conductor under arrest?" and again he poked hisrevolver into the captain's side.
The order for the conductor's arrest was quickly given.
"Now, then, vamose," called Adrian. Then to the engineer, "I willact as conductor."
The guards and extra soldiers who had been detailed for thisspecial service, sprang aboard; the engineer pulled open thethrottle and the train began to move.
"Aren't you going, too?" asked Adrian.
"Yes," whispered Billie to Donald, "hurry aboard with yourprisoner."
The captain was evidently of the same mind, for he started toboard the already moving train.
"No you don't," exclaimed Donald, pulling him back. "You're goingto stay here with us!"
"Do you mean it, Don?" asked Billie in surprise.
"Sure! What do you think he'd do to us as soon as it was light?"
By this time the train was under headway; a second later the lastcoach passed them and in another minute the tail lights weredisappearing in the darkness.
"It looks to me," remarked Adrian with a long breath, "as thoughwe were in the consomme."
"Perhaps," was Donald's laconic reply, "but those women andchildren will be safe in Vera Cruz under the guns of AdmiralFletcher's fleet by daylight, or I'm greatly mistaken."
"And what are we going to do with our friend the captain?"queried Billie.
"He'll have to accept our hospitality under the stars untilmorning and then we'll see."
In telling about his experiences later Billie said it was thelongest and the shortest night he ever knew. It seemed a longtime for daylight, but it seemed a short time for the train whichwas bearing his countrymen to safety.
When day finally began to break, the first thing that becamevisible was the snow-tipped peak of Mt. Orizaba, against whichthe sun threw his brilliant rays long before he could be seenabove the horizon. It was a beautiful sight and the boys voicedtheir admiration with many exclamations of delight. Then theyturned their attention to the more serious thoughts for the day.
The first thing they did was to release the lieutenant from hisunpleasant predicament and restore to him his uniform.
"We should like to return you your arms also," said Donald, "butyour government took ours from us and I think we shall have tokeep yours in their place."
Neither of the officers made any reply, but their dark looksboded no good for the boys.
"You might just as well look pleasant," laughed Billie. "All isfair in love and war."
"We'll make you sing a different song when we get you in VeraCruz," said the captain.
"And when do you think that will be, Captain?" queried Adrian.
"As soon as the next train comes along."
"Oh, that's it, is it?" said Donald. "That being the case, Iguess we will not wait for another train. By the way, how far isit to Vera Cruz?"
"About a hundred kilometers."
"That's about eighty-four miles, isn't it, Ad?"
"Just about."
"And it's down hill pretty much all the way, isn't it?"
"I should say so by looking down the valley."
"A right nice little walk, Captain. Let's be going. We ought tomake it easily in four days."
At this cordial invitation the captain lost his temper.
"Carramba!" he exclaimed. "Am I a boy to be made sport of? I willnot go. If you wish me to go you will have to carry me," and hedeliberately laid himself down on the ground.
In spite of themselves the boys were obliged to laugh.
"We ca
rried the lieutenant last night, but we don't desire yourcompany badly enough to carry you," laughed Billie. "If you don'twant to go, I for one vote to leave you. We have to forage forsomething to eat and the fewer there are, the easier it will be.And speaking of eats, it seems to me I smell something cookingright now."
At Billie's words the others sniffed up their noses.
"It's a fact as sure as you're born," declared Donald.
"And I'm going to find out where the odor comes from," saidBillie. "There must be a house around here somewhere."
Again he sniffed the air and smiled jubilantly.
"The wind's in the east," he laughed. "It must be somewhere inthis direction. Come on, Captain."
The captain refused to move, but Billie led the way, followed bythe two boys. They had not gone many rods when through an openingin the trees they beheld a good-sized adobe house. Pushinghastily toward it, they soon reached a cleared space, and there,gathered about a bunch of some forty or fifty horses, were adozen men, while through the open door of the house many morewere to be seen seated at a table--eating.
"Come on!" exclaimed Billie. "I'm going to have something to eat;I don't care who they are."
"We might as well make the best of it," declared Donald. "We arediscovered any way and the best thing we can do is to put on abold front."
Without further words the three boys walked boldly toward thehouse.