CHAPTER X.
STRANGE REVELATIONS.
It was in New Orleans that an attractive young lady, with liquidSpanish eyes, had called to see Motor Matt and had told him many thingswhich were not true. Because of this misinformation, Motor Matt hadbeen lured into the hands of Captain Jim Sixty, the filibuster. Thegirl who had been instrumental in carrying out this plot against theking of the motor boys was Ysabel Sixty, Captain Sixty's daughter.
The distrust of Matt and Dick, even at the moment when they were hemmedin on both sides by the revolutionists, will be understood when it isexplained that their "friend in need" was none other than Ysabel Sixty.
The boys were amazed to see her there in that rebel-haunted wilderness,but they repressed their excitement and curiosity until the girl hadled them unerringly to a little cleared space in the heart of the woods.
Here there was a rude shelter constructed of a ragged tarpaulin, and an_olla_, or earthen water jar, suspended from the branches of a tree.
The girl turned and faced the boys as soon as they reached thisprimitive camp.
"You are safe, for the present," said she. "I am glad I could dosomething to help you."
"Strike me lucky!" growled Dick, his keen eyes on the girl's face. "Areyou helping us, Ysabel Sixty, or luring us into another trap, like youdid up in New Orleans?"
A look of sadness and contrition swept over the girl's face. It was apretty face--not so pretty as it had been in New Orleans, for now itwas worn and haggard--and that ripple of sorrow touched it softly.
"I have paid for all that," said the girl slowly. "I have paid for itwith more bitter regrets than I can tell. Now, maybe, I can help toundo the wrong. What I did in New Orleans I did not do willingly. Myfather threatened to kill me if I failed to carry out his wishes. Nowhe is in the hands of the law, you are free, and I am adrift in thiswild country."
There was something in the girl's voice that touched both Matt andDick. It could not be that she was again playing a part, for there wasthat in her words and manner which told of sincerity.
"How do you happen to be here?" asked Matt.
"My father, as I suppose you have heard, left the steamer _Santa Maria_to go on the schooner _North Star_ and hunt for his water-logged brig.I continued on to Belize on the _Santa Maria_, with orders from myfather to take the first boat from Belize to Port Livingstone, atthe mouth of the Izaral. There I was met by some of General Pitou'ssoldiers, and brought out to this camp to wait until my father, or myuncle, should come. My father did not come, and will not. My unclehas already arrived, and it is to avoid him that I have come away bymyself, into this part of the woods."
"Who is your uncle, Ysabel?" asked Matt.
"Abner Fingal."
This took the breath of both of the boys.
"Fingal!" exclaimed Matt.
"His real name is Sixty," explained the girl, "and he is my father'sbrother. He is captain of the schooner that has been helping therevolutionists, and he has sworn vengeance on all those who hadanything to do with my father's capture."
"That means us, matey," and Dick turned for an apprehensive lookthrough the timber in the direction of the path. "I never dreamed ofanything like that," he added.
"It's not generally known," said the girl, "that Captain Fingal andCaptain Sixty are in any way related. They have both been helping therevolutionists, and, if the uprising was a success, they were to berewarded."
"You ran away from the rebel camp in order to avoid Fingal?"
"Yes."
"Why was that?"
A flush ran through the girl's haggard face.
"My uncle wants me to marry General Pitou, a Frenchman who is incommand of the revolutionists. When I marry," and the words camespitefully and with a stamp of the foot, "I shall marry to pleasemyself, and not some one else."
"Right-o, my lass!" approved Dick. "Don't let 'em bullyrag you intomarrying a Frenchie, anyhow."
"I heard that my uncle was expected to reach the camp soon," went onthe girl, "and I ran away last night. Pedro, a Mexican who used to be asailor on my father's brig, helped me to get away. He fixed that littletent for me, and this morning, when he brought me breakfast, he told mesome news."
"What was that?" inquired Matt, scenting something of importance.
"Why, Pedro said that my uncle, together with another man namedCassidy, had come over from Port Livingstone on a little gasoline boatwhich they had stolen from the custom-house officer in the town. Theybrought information that a boat that travels under water was comingto release the American prisoner. Of course," and the girl smiled alittle, "I knew who it was that was coming in that under-water boat, soI made Pedro tell me everything he knew.
"He said the boat was coming from Belize, and that the American consulto British Honduras might come with it. He told me that Fingal informedthe general that it would be possible to entrap the other consul, andthat this would give the rebels two valuable prisoners to hold untilthe American government would exchange Captain Sixty for them. The planwas to capture the under-water boat and all on board. Fingal and thisman Cassidy were to have the boat, and Fingal was to be allowed to dowhatever he pleased with all the prisoners except the consul."
"We know what that meant, matey," said Dick, making a wry face. "Theold hunks wanted to make us walk the plank for the part we played inthe capture of Jim Sixty."
"Pedro said," went on Ysabel, "that General Pitou doubled the guardsall around the camp so that those who came to rescue Coleman would notonly fail, but would be captured themselves."
"The plan must have worked out pretty well," observed Matt. "Did Pedrotell you whether any of the rescuers had been captured?"
"He came very early this morning," answered Ysabel, "before thegeneral's plans had been carried out."
"Mr. Coleman is with the insurgents?" asked Matt.
"He has been with them for a long time."
"Is he well treated?"
"As well as he can be. The rebels are half starved, but Mr. Colemanshares their rations with them."
"Where is he kept?"
"In a tent in the middle of the encampment. He is constantly underguard, but, while I was in the camp, I was able to talk with him. Wewere the only ones who could speak English, and the soldiers werenot able to understand us. I told Mr. Coleman that I was going torun away, and he said it was the best thing I could do. He asked me,before I left, to take a letter from him to the customs officer at PortLivingstone. But he wasn't able to write the letter before Pedro helpedme get away."
Here was great news, but not wholly satisfactory. The captured consulwas alive and well cared for; but he was also well guarded in the heartof the insurgents' camp.
"That puts me in a blue funk," muttered Dick. "I wouldn't give ahap'orth for our chances of doing anything for Coleman. If we get awayfrom here ourselves, we'll be doing well. And then, too, what's becomeof Jordan, Speake and Tirzal? I hate to make a guess, for it fairdashes me."
Matt was also very much alarmed on account of their missing companions;in some way, however, he hoped through Ysabel Sixty to be able toaccomplish something--if not for Coleman, then at least for Jordan andthe two with him.
"How did you happen to be so close by, Ysabel," queried Matt, "whenDick and I were so sorely in need of help?"
"Pedro said that you would probably make a landing in the Purgatoire,which is a branch of the Izaral, and that the general was watchingclosely the path that led from the branch to the encampment. I heard anumber of rifle shots, and that led me to hurry toward the path. I gotthere just in time to see you. I am sorry for what I was compelled todo in New Orleans, and if I can help you any now I wish you would letme."
"You have already been a lot of help to us," said Matt. "Whether youcan help us any more or not remains to be seen. Perhaps, Ysabel, we maybe able to help _you_ a little."
"How?" she returned, leveling her lustrous black eyes upon him.
"You can't remain here, in this poor camp, indefinitely," went on Matt."Pedro is ta
king a good many chances, I should think, coming here tosmuggle food to you. What would happen if General Pitou was to catchPedro? In that case you would be left without any one to look afteryou."
"I know that," answered the girl, drawing a long face, "but anything isbetter than being compelled to marry the general. I _won't_ do that!"and again she stamped her foot angrily.
"What are your plans?" asked Matt.
"Pedro is going to try and get a pitpan for me and send me down to PortLivingstone. He says there is a pitpan on the Purgatoire, and that,just as soon as the hour is favorable, he will start me for the town."
"That pitpan has been stove in and destroyed," said Matt, "so you can'tcount on that. Why not go down the river with us, in the _Grampus_?Have you friends in Port Livingstone?"
"No," replied the girl, a flash of pleasure crossing her face at Matt'ssuggestion that she go away in the submarine, "but I have good friendsin Belize--my mother's people. They will take care of me. I should havestayed there instead of coming on to Port Livingstone as my father toldme."
"Then it's settled," said Matt definitely; "we're going to take youwith us when we go."
"When are you going?" asked the girl.
"Just as soon as we can find out what has become of the rest of ourparty and do something to help them."
"The rest of your party? Who are they?"
Thereupon Matt began to tell the girl about Jordan, Speake and Tirzal,how they had come ashore to reconnoitre and had not returned. Barelyhad he finished when a low whistle, like a signal, floated out of thedepths of the wood. Matt and Dick jumped and clutched their revolvers.
"It's Pedro!" whispered the girl. "You have nothing to fear from him,but he mustn't see you. Hide--over there, behind those bushes--and waittill he goes away."
Matt and Dick hurried in the direction of the girl's pointing finger.They had no sooner got safely out of sight than Pedro came runningbreathlessly into the little clearing.