CHAPTER XII.
ALONG THE RIO GRANDE.
"Here we are coming into El Paso at last!" called out Rob, as he startedto get his various bundles together, so as to leave the train that hadcarried them over the last part of their long and tiresome journeyacross the whole of Texas.
"And I'm about as happy to hear that as if you'd told me I was made afirst class scout, and could hang the whole badge on my sleeve, wherenow I only sport the lower half, 'Be Prepared!'" cried Tubby, alsogetting busy.
The boys had some time before been warned that they were nearing theirobjective point on the American side of the border stream known as theRio Grande. Tubby loudly declared that he could not see anything so verygrand about the river; that they had wider creeks up North than thisseemed to be, away up here so far away from the Gulf.
When they alighted they stared around them, naturally, because strangesights at once began to meet their eyes, accustomed to other types ofpeople. A great crowd stood around, in which were khaki-clad UnitedStates regulars off duty; cowboys; Mexicans with swarthy faces, both menand women; Indians with their curios for sale in the shape offinely-woven baskets and pottery of gaudy hues; and many other classesof people besides.
Of course the four lads came in for return stares, and they could wellunderstand that, for doubtless they were the very first Boy Scouts todrop in on El Paso. Many persons at once believed that they must be newrecruits for the army. These observers remarked to one another thatthings had come to a pretty pass when Uncle Sam found it necessary toenlist half-grown boys in the service, now that it looked as thoughintervention in Mexico must come about sooner or later.
Rob, however, paid little attention to curious looks. He went about hisbusiness with the air of one who had all his plans well matured, andknew just what must be done first.
Asking a few questions, he was directed to a sort of hotel. When theyhad reached it, it did not strike Tubby as giving much promise of good"feeds"; and he did not hesitate to express that opinion when they werealone in the big room with its two beds that had been assigned to them.
"We don't expect to stay here more than the one night," Rob told him;"only to get rested up and be in shape to start across the bridge thereafter we've purchased horses and found a guide who can run off greasertalk. So I wouldn't make any more row if I were you, Tubby."
"We'll see that you get enough to eat if that is what worries you,"Merritt went on to say consolingly; and at that the fat scout managed tosmile a little.
"Well," he remarked with a sigh, "if the rest of you can stand for it, Iguess I'll just have to, that's all. But, jiminy crickets, things lookpretty shady after coming straight from a nice clean home!"
"You'll have to put up with lots worse than that, Tubby; so cheer up,"said Andy. "And now, what is the first thing on the program, Rob?"
"Clean up the best we can, and rest till after we've had our dinner,"the other advised. "Then we'll try to get an interview with thecommander of the forces here, and see what he thinks we'd better do."
"Huh! like as not he'll tell us we must not dream of venturing across tothe other side, unless General Villa happens to be in Juarez right now,which I reckon would be too good luck," Tubby replied disconsolately."And I hope, Rob, that if he does talk that way he won't influence youto call it all off. Think what silly guys we'd feel like, starting backhome without even making a try to invade Mexico!"
"Don't let that keep you on edge, Tubby," the patrol leader told him;"you ought to know me by this time, and that I never give up a thingI've set my mind on till the last horn blows. We've started on thisbusiness of your Uncle Mark's; and we'll see it through, or know thereason why!"
"Hurray! them's my sentiments!" exclaimed Andy, and even Merritt wavedhis hand above his head, as though he fully agreed with the othercomrades; so Tubby was able to appear at ease once more, as a great loadhad been removed from his heart.
When they had partaken of a wretched dinner that made Tubby look quiteblue because there was hardly a thing that seemed to taste right, thefour boys started out to look the border town over. They cast frequentglances across the guarded bridge connecting El Paso with the Mexicanshore of the river, and finally asked of a passing soldier the way toheadquarters.
Already they had learned who was in command at El Paso at that time, andhad even glimpsed the general at a distance. It happened that they foundthe commander at leisure, which was a wonder, for he had his hands fullduring these troublous times trying to keep the peace, when there wereso many chances of Americans and Mexicans coming into armed conflictalong the river for miles.
The officer looked them over as they were ushered into the room. Rob hadbeen wise enough to send in a note telling who they were, and that theywished to consult him on a very important piece of business.
"So, you are the four Boy Scouts whose arrival created so much furor,are you?" the general asked, as he frankly held out his hand toward Rob,whom he immediately recognized as the leader. Perhaps this was due toRob's manner of carrying himself; or else to the fact that he wore hisbadge upon his left shoulder, showing that he was a scout master, andhence in command. Soldiers have quick eyes to catch these things thatmight slip past an ordinary citizen.
"We are Boy Scouts, General," Rob replied; "but we did not know that ourcoming to El Paso had made more than a ripple. My name is Rob Blake;this is Corporal Merritt Crawford; the one next him is Andy Bowles, ourbugler; and this last member goes by the name of Tubby Hopkins!"
The officer in command at the border town shook hands warmly with eachof the boys. He tried his best not to smile as he noted how well namedTubby seemed to be; for one could hardly look at him without beingforcibly reminded of a butter firkin, or else of the most useful familyutensil on wash days.
"Why, I understand that for a time, until they learned who you were,"the general went on to remark, with a quizzical look, "there wasconsiderable indignation going around that our great Government shouldsend out boys to help patrol the Rio Grande, and to keep the fightingMexicans on their own side of the river. But you say you wish toconsult me about something; so, as my time may be limited, suppose youstart in and give me the facts. I want to assure you in the start,though, that I've watched the growth of the scout movement from a smallbeginning; and that I'm heart and soul in favor of it as the finestthing that ever happened for uplifting the American youth. It's going tomake a great difference in the kind of _men_ we'll be having ten andtwenty years from now."
After hearing that, of course, Rob knew they would have the fullsympathy of the general in the carrying out of their mission. However,he might fear that they were undertaking too great a task in risking thedangers of travel through so disturbed a country as Mexico at that time,since both Federals and rebels were feeling anything but friendly towardAmericans.
So Rob started in to narrate the entire story, and he made such a finething of it that the interested listener only interrupted him a fewtimes to ask further particulars concerning certain points.
All the while his eyes kindled with growing admiration for these bravelads, who were ready to take such great risks in order to save UncleMark's cattle, if it so happened that they had not been already seizedby one side or the other of the contending forces.
"I suppose it would do no good for me to try and discourage you, boys,"he said heartily, after the whole story had been told; "because I caneasily see that you would try to carry out your plans at any rate. Andthat being the case, I might as well give you what advice I can, andhelp you in that way."
His words caused every boyish face to be wreathed in smiles.
"That is very kind of you, General," said Rob; "and we will try to acton the advice you give us, you may be sure. All we want is to meetGeneral Pancho Villa; and from what Uncle Mark told us about his being aman of his word, we think the rest will be easy."
The experienced officer smiled grimly. Possibly he had opinions of hisown about whether one who had been a lawless bandit for years wouldremember a kind d
eed to the point of throwing protection about the ranchof his former friend; but he did not venture to disturb the belief ofthe sanguine scouts.
"First of all you must have horses. I'll put you in touch with a man whocan supply those, for I understood you to say you had plenty of money topay for an outfit. Then you must take enough supplies along to do youfor a week; because you may be that long getting to the town ofChihuahua, where we have reason to believe Villa is at present. He hasforced many rich Mexicans and trades people there to pay tribute; andhundreds have made a pilgrimage across the desert with the two thousandFederal soldiers who were forced to leave Chihuahua when theConstitutionalists, as Villa's men call themselves, captured the place.And last of all, I know the very man you will need to serve you as aguide. He is a Mexican, but I have always found him entirelytrustworthy; and he will be glad to favor me. So I will give you a fewlines to Mardo Lopez, and tell you at what inn you can find him."
It was certainly cheering to hear the general say such kind things; andlater on, when he shook hands all around again and told them to come andsee him if he could do them any further favor, the four boys felt thatthey had indeed great reason to rejoice, because "all things seemed tobe coming their way," as Andy put it.
They soon found the man called Mardo Lopez. While he did not impressthem very favorably, because he seemed to have what they thought to be adark, crafty face, he readily agreed to do everything in his power tooblige the general, and to prove that he could be trusted.
After that they took the guide with them to pick out the horses, knowingthat his judgment would be better than their own; for Mardo wasaccustomed to traveling across the desert lands that stretched in manyplaces between the river and the capital of Chihuahua, some two hundredmiles and more from the border, and almost due south.
By the middle of the afternoon they had bought everything needed, andhad their mounts, together with equipments for the same, safely housedat the tavern where they put up. Then, at Andy's suggestion, the Mexicantook them for a little stroll, meaning to ask many questions concerningthe organization to which they belonged; for Mardo had, it seemed, heardabout the scouts, but up to that time had never been told what theystood for.
Rob, it may be set down as certain, was only too glad to pass the wordalong; for he himself believed so thoroughly in the uplifting power ofthe Boy Scout movement, that he wanted everybody to understand it in thesame light.
The four boys and their new guide were walking along close to the bankof the river, the latter telling them many things that they would haveto run up against once they found themselves on Mexican soil, when faraway across the river there came the dull report of a gun; and then,just over their heads something cut through the air, making a whiningsound that gave them all a thrill.
That was the first time they had really been under fire; but even Tubbyseemed to know instinctively what the queer whistle meant, and that abullet had passed within a few yards of their heads.