"I don't see what you want of me," remarked Bob, as he was led back andplaced on his pony.
"Ah, perhaps you are not aware that you are worth much money to us,"said Vasco.
"I'll give you all I have if you'll let me go," said Bob.
"That is something we overlooked," said Dalsett. "Take his money, Vasco.He may have a few dollars."
In another minute Bob's money-belt, with the best part of five hundreddollars, was in the possession of the Mexicans. He wished he had keptstill.
"This is doing very well," observed Vasco, as he counted over the billswith glistening eyes. "This is very well indeed, and most unexpected.But we want more than this."
"It is all I have," answered Bob.
"But your people, your father has more," went on the Mexican. "I thinkif you were to write him a letter, stating that you were about to bekilled unless he sent ten thousand dollars, he would be glad to give usthe small amount."
"I'll never write such a letter!" exclaimed Bob. "You can kill me if youwant to!"
"You'll think differently in the morning," remarked Vasco. "Here, youfellows, tie him up so he can't get away again!"
This time the ropes were knotted so tightly about the boy's arms andlegs that he knew he could not work them loose. He was thrown over theback of the pony and the cavalcade started off again.
All night long the march continued, the men on their horses and Noddyand his friends in the auto. Poor Bob felt sick at heart over hisfailure to escape and the knowledge, conveyed to him in Vasco's remarks,that he was being held for ransom.
Just as day was beginning to break, the party reached a small Mexicanvillage and preparations were made to spend some time there. Vasco andhis men seemed to know the place well, for they were greeted by manyof the inhabitants of the place who had arisen early. Noddy ran theautomobile under a shed and then the whole crowd, taking Bob with them,went to a large house at the end of the principal street, where theyevidently intended to make their headquarters.
Bob was taken to a small room on the second floor, facing the courtyard,which is a feature of all Mexican homes. His bonds were released and hewas thrust roughly inside.
The apartment was bare enough. There were a table, a chair and a bed inthe room. The only window was guarded by heavy iron bars, and the singledoor was fastened with a massive lock.
"I guess I'll have trouble getting out of here," said Bob to himself."It's a regular prison. I wonder if they're going to starve me?"
He began to suffer for want of water, and his stomach cried for food.He had some thought of pounding on the walls and demanding to be fed,when the door opened and a girl quickly entered, setting on the table atray of food. She was gone before Bob had a chance to get a good look ather, but he saw that she was young and pretty, attired as she was in gayMexican colors.
Though the meal was not very appetizing, it tasted to Bob as if it wasthe best dinner ever served. He felt better after eating it, and morehopeful.
For several days he was held a captive in the room. One evening VascoBilette and Tom Dalsett paid him a visit.
"We have brought a paper for you to sign," said Vasco.
"I will sign nothing," replied Bob.
"I think you will, my boy," spoke the Mexican. "Bring in the charcoal,Tom."
Dalsett went out and returned with a small, portable clay stove inwhich burned some charcoal. Heating in the flames was an iron used forbranding cattle.
"You can take your choice of signing this or of seeing how you look witha hot iron on," said Vasco. "This paper is a letter to your father,telling him you have been captured by brigands, who will not let you goexcepting they are paid ten thousand dollars."
"I'll never sign!" replied Bob, firmly.
"Then brand him!" cried Vasco.
One of the Mexicans took the iron from the fire. It glowed with a white,cruel heat. At the sight of it Bob's courage melted away. At the sametime a plan came into his head.
"I'll sign!" he exclaimed.
"I thought you would," observed Vasco. "Put your name here."
He handed Bob a letter, written to Mr. Baker, whose name and addressNoddy Nixon had supplied. In brief, it demanded that ten thousanddollars be sent to the brigands and left in a lonely spot mentioned, ifMr. Baker did not want to hear of the death of his son. Any attempt tocapture the writers, the missive stated, would be met with the instantkilling of the boy.
"Sign there," said Vasco, indicating the place.
Bob did so. At the same time he placed beneath his signature a scrawland a row of figures.
To the Mexicans figures meant nothing, and it is doubtful if theyobserved them. But to Mr. Baker they spelled out the message: "Send nomoney. I can get away."
They were figures in a secret cypher bank code that Mr. Baker sometimesused, and which Bob had learned.
"I guess that will fool them," thought the boy, as he saw his captorstake away the letter.
For the next few days nothing occurred. Bob was kept a close prisoner inhis room, and the only person he saw was the girl who brought him food.He tried to talk to her, but she did not seem to understand English.
The captive was beginning to despair. He feared he would never see hisfriends again, for he did not believe his father would send the money,and without it he was sure the desperate men would kill him.
His confidence in his ability to escape lessened as the days went by. Hetried to pick the lock on his door, and loosen a bar at the window, butwithout success. It was the fifth day of his captivity and the Mexicangirl came to bring him his supper.
To Bob's surprise, this time she did not hurry away. She set the tray offood down and looked at him anxiously.
"You want go?" she asked, in a broken accent.
"You mean escape? Get away from here? Leave?" asked Bob, taking suddenhope.
"Um! Go 'way. Leave bad mans! Maximina help! You go?"
"Of course," replied Bob. "But how are you going to manage it?"
"Wait till dark. Me come. You go, we go. Leave bad mans. Me no like ithere. Bad mans whip Maximina."
By which Bob understood that the girl would come when it got dark andhelp him to escape, accompanying him because she herself had been illtreated by the Mexicans.
"Be good boy! Me come. You glad!" she said, in a whisper.
Just then the sound of voices was heard outside the room, in thecorridor.
"Hush! No tell!" cautioned the girl as she glided from the room.
Bob began to eat his supper. His heart was in a flutter of hope.
"Queer why that money don't come," he heard Vasco say, outside. "We'llhave to do something pretty soon."
It was getting dark now, and Bob waited anxiously.
CHAPTER XXVI.
THE ESCAPE OF MAXIMINA.
Several hours passed. Bob was beginning to think Maximina had forgottenher promise, when he heard a soft footstep outside. Then came a gentletapping at his door. It was unlocked from the outside, opened, and theMexican girl stepped in.
"Hush!" she whispered. "We go now. All bad mans gone to feast--holiday.We go. Put on cloak."
She gave Bob a long, dark serape, and produced one for herself. Littletime was lost. Led by Maximina, Bob passed out into the dark corridor,down the stairs and through the courtyard, out of the house, under thesilent stars that twinkled in the sky.
"This way!" whispered the girl. "We ride ponies. No one here, we takehorses. Where you live?"
Bob was at a loss what to do. He wondered how he could make Maximina,whose language he could not speak, and who could talk but imperfectlyin his, understand about the underground city. Equally hard would it beto make her comprehend where he lived and how to start for the nearestlarge city in order to get help or communicate with his friends.
He remembered that his captors had brought him almost directly north asthey sped away from the buried city. So he thought the best thing todo would be to ride to the south, when he might see some landmark thatwould aid him in locating himself.
r /> "We'll go this way," he said, pointing in a direction opposite to thatof the north star, which he saw blazing in the sky.
"All right," exclaimed the Mexican girl. She leaped to the back of oneof two ponies she had brought from the stable. Bob was not so expert,but managed to get into the saddle.
So far they had met no one, nor had they heard the sound of any of theMexicans. As Maximina had said, all of the men were away to a feast,one of the numerous ones celebrated in the country. Even Noddy and hisfriends had gone, so there was no one left to guard Bob but the girl.
Away they rode, urging their ponies to a gallop. Bob was fearful that atevery turn of the road he would meet with some of Vasco's men, but thehighway appeared to be deserted.
"Me glad to go. Bad mans steal Maximina years ago," said the girl,after half an hour's ride. "Me want to get back to own people."
"I wish I could help you," said Bob, "but I'm about as badly off as youare. The Mexicans stole me, too."
"We both same, like orphans," said Maximina. "Never min'. Maybe we findour folks."
By degrees she brokenly told Bob her story, how she had been kidnappedby Vasco when she was a child, and how he had kept her because herfather was too poor to pay the ransom demanded. She had graduallycome to be regarded as a regular inmate of the Mexican camp, which,it seemed, was an organized headquarters for kidnappers and brigandsgenerally.
She had never thought of escaping before, she said, but when she saw Bobshe felt sorry for him and resolved to free not only him, but herself.
"We ride faster," she said, after several miles had been covered."Gettin' late. Men come back from feast find us gone, they ride after."
She urged her pony to a gallop and Bob's animal followed its leader.
"If I only had a revolver or a gun I'd shoot some of them if they triedto take us back," Bob said to himself. "I hope we can get away."
In a small village, about ten miles from the camp of the Mexicans, Vascoand his friends were having a great time. There were wild music anddancing, and plenty of food well seasoned with red pepper. The Mexicanswere having what they called fun.
Noddy, with Jack and Bill Berry, looked on, taking no part in therevels. They had come over in the automobile, while Vasco and his gangrode their horses.
It was past midnight when the leader of the Mexicans decided that it wastime to start for home.
"Come on," he said. "Who knows but what our prisoner has escaped."
"Not much danger of that," said Dalsett. "I told Maximina that if he gotaway we'd hold her responsible and give her a good lashing. She'll notlet him get away."
But neither Dalsett nor Vasco knew what they were talking about. TheMexicans were reluctant to leave the dance, but Vasco insisted. Soon thewhole party was riding back to camp, Noddy being in advance in his auto.
He was the first to reach the kidnappers' headquarters. Dalsett was withhim.
"I wonder how our captive is?" said the latter.
He went up to the room where Bob had been locked up. To his surprise andanger, the apartment was empty.
"Maximina!" he called.
There was no answer.
"They've gone!" he exclaimed. "Here, Noddy, ride back and meet Vasco.Tell him Bob has got away!"
The automobile was sent flying down the road. Vasco Bilette and hisparty were met and the news quickly imparted.
"We'll catch 'em!" cried the Mexican. "They have only a few hours'start, and only two slow ponies to ride on. Here, I'll go in the autowith Noddy. You fellows come after me!"
Vasco took Jack Pender's place in the machine and soon the chase was on.Vasco rightly concluded that Bob and Maximina would head for the south,so he, too, took the road leading in that direction.
Noddy speeded up the car, under Vasco's directions. Faster and faster itraced, the searchlight throwing out a glaring beam far in advance.
Meanwhile, Bob and Maximina were making all speed possible. Every nowand then the girl would halt her pony and listen intently.
"They no come yet," she would say. "No can hear horses comin' after us.We get 'way maybe."
Bob certainly hoped so. His experience as a captive was not such as tocause him to like the role, and he longed to be with his friends, who,he knew, must be greatly alarmed about him.
It seemed to be getting darker as the two traveled on.
"Be sunrise 'bout hour," said Maximina, and Bob remembered that he hadread about it being darkest just before daybreak. "We mus' hide then,"the girl went on.
Suddenly a sound came to them from over the dark fields that borderedthe road. At the same time there was a shaft of light.
"There they come!" cried Bob. "They're after us in the automobile!"
"Ride! Ride fast!" called Maximina, fiercely. "If they catch us theykill!"
She lashed her pony with the short whip she carried, and struck Bob'sanimal several smart blows. The two beasts leaped forward.
But horses, especially small, Mexican ponies, are not built to raceagainst large touring automobiles. Bob noticed that the chug-chug ofNoddy's machine came nearer and nearer.
"Maybe we can hide from them in the darkness," said Bob. "It's our onlychance. They'll soon be up to us."
"No hide! Keep on ride!" exclaimed Maximina. "We git away!"
But even as she spoke the searchlight picked them up and they wererevealed in its blinding glare. A faint shout from their pursuers toldthat they had been seen.
The ponies were tiring. Already Bob's was staggering along as the pacetold on it. Maximina's was a little better off.
"We have them!" Bob heard Vasco shout. "They are both together. Put alittle more speed on, Noddy!"
The chug-chugs of the auto told that the machine was being sent ahead ata faster clip. The searchlight glared more strongly on the fugitives.
"Cave somewhere near here," said Maximina. "If we could find 'um we besafe. Ride more, Bob."
"This pony can't go much farther," replied the boy. "His legs areshaking now."
Crack!
A flash of reddish fire cut the blackness, and a bullet sang unpleasantlyclose over Bob's head.
"They only shoot to scare!" cried Maximina. "They no want to kill you.Too valuable. Want ransom; much money; ten thousand dollars."
"All the same, it's no fun to be shot at," remarked Bob, urging his ponyon.
The automobile was now but a few hundred feet away. Noddy had to reducehis speed because the ground was getting rougher.
"We'll have them in another minute!" cried Vasco.
At that instant, Bob's pony, stepping in a hole, stumbled and fell,throwing the rider over its back. Bob struck the ground heavily and wasstunned.
"Me stay with you!" exclaimed Maximina, reining in her pony and comingback to where Bob was.
"No, no! You ride on!" the boy said, faintly. "Maybe you can find myfriends and send help. They are in the underground city!"
"All right. Me go! Bring help!" the girl whispered, and, leaping on herpony's back, she rode off to one side, getting away from the glare ofthe searchlight and so escaping observation.
Two minutes later the auto came up to where Bob was stretched out on theground. Vasco leaped out before the machine had fairly stopped and madea grab for Bob.
"The boy is dead!" he exclaimed.
"Dead!" faltered Noddy. He was beginning to be alarmed over the part hehad played.
"Bring a light here!" commanded the Mexican.
Noddy turned the search-lamp on Bob's prostrate form. At that the boyopened his eyes. He had fainted from pain caused by his fall.
"Shamming, eh?" sneered Vasco, striking Bob a blow with a rope hecarried. "Get up, now! No nonsense; you've made trouble enough!"
Poor Bob was too discouraged and felt too bad to reply. The otherMexicans rode up. In a few minutes the captive was securely bound,lifted into the auto, and, as dawn broke, the start back to camp wasmade.
"Don't you want Maximina?" asked Dalsett.
"Let her go," replied Vasco. "She was o
nly a bother around, and neverliked to work. She can't do any harm."
CHAPTER XXVII.
A STRANGE MESSAGE.
The days were full of anxiety for the professor, Jerry and Ned, whostill remained in the ancient city after Bob had been kidnapped. Everynight they went to bed, hoping some word would be received by morning,or that the missing one would return. Every morning they said to eachother:
"Well, something will happen to-morrow."
But nothing happened, and, as day after day went by, they began to losehope.
"We may as well leave here," said Ned.
"Not yet," Jerry replied. "I am sure we will have some word from Bobsoon now."
In the meanwhile, they made trips in all directions from the ancientcity. But there was no trace of the Mexicans. The country was uninhabitedfor twenty miles in every direction from the buried place, and fartherthan that the travelers did not venture.
"We must be here every night," said the professor. "Somehow, I feel thatBob will come back at night, or we will hear something from him afterdark. So we do not want to be away then, for if he should come, or if heshould send some word, we would not be here to receive it."
For that reason little was done toward hunting for the kidnappedboy. The travelers did not go so far but that they could get back bynightfall.
They explored the city thoroughly and the professor found many more rareand valuable relics. His specimen boxes were full to overflowing, butstill he kept searching.