CHAPTER XVIII.--END OF THE REVOLT.
The Nicaraguans met the first charge of the bluejackets bravely enough,but they were now opposed to men who knew not the meaning of the worddefeat, nor what it meant to retreat. Under the first fire from theAmericans they wavered; at the next they began to fall back and at thethird they turned and fled.
Dick and Shirley, bound as they were, nevertheless could see how thefighting progressed, while thanks to the thoughtfulness of therevolutionary leader they were out of danger themselves.
But now that the day was going against the enemy, Dick feared thatGeneral Orizaba, mindful of his threat, would return to his prisonersbefore seeking safety in flight. Therefore he began to devise a way ofescape.
After some effort he succeeded in getting out his pocket knife. Then,holding it in one of his bound hands, he bent his head and opened thebig blade with his teeth. Fortunately the rope with which he was boundwas not thick, and the knife was sharp.
For perhaps ten minutes, holding the knife in his mouth by the handle,Dick sawed at the bonds on his hands. At last the rope parted. Quicklyhe untied his feet, and then unbound Shirley, who also arose to herfeet.
The Nicaraguan forces were now in full retreat, and as Dick would haveled Shirley forward toward the town, a single figure burst into sight.As the man came closer Shirley and Dick could see anger and hate writtenlarge on his features. They recognized him upon the instant.
"Orizaba!" exclaimed Shirley.
"And come to fulfill his promise, I guess," agreed Dick quietly.
"Run!" cried Shirley.
"What's the use?" asked Dick. "He has a gun."
It was true. In the hands of the defeated revolutionary leader was arevolver of heavy caliber, and he flourished it as he came toward them.
Dick turned to Shirley.
"You get back out of sight!" he commanded. "I can handle this fellow!"
Shirley protested.
"But--but,----" she began.
"Quick!" exclaimed Dick. "He is very angry and for that reason will beeasier to handle. I don't believe he could hit a barn door now."
Shirley followed Dick's command and withdrew a short distance, althoughshe was still in plain sight of the infuriated Nicaraguan.
Standing quietly, with his hands on his hips, Dick awaited the attack ofthe Nicaraguan. A full hundred yards away, but still running, the latteropened fire with his revolver.
"Good!" thought Dick to himself. "He can't hit me that way, and hisshells will soon be gone."
Five times Orizaba fired, and each time the bullet went wild.
Shirley, from her place of safety, watched the encounter breathlessly.She stood with clenched fists and awaited the outcome of each shotanxiously.
A sixth time Orizaba's revolver spoke.
Dick staggered, and Shirley gave utterance to a scream, while a laugh ofderision came from the Nicaraguan.
But the latter's mirth was destined to be short-lived. Dick, still witha smile on his face in spite of the dull pain in his left arm whereOrizaba's last bullet had struck, stepped forward to meet his enemy inhis mad rush.
They came together with a shock and tumbled to the ground, where Orizabaclawed desperately at Dick's face and eyes.
"So that's your game, eh?" muttered Dick to himself.
He protected his face with his injured arm, while with the uninjured onehe rained a shower of blows upon the Nicaraguan's face. The latter soontired of this and sprang to his feet. Dick also arose.
There was a cry of alarm from Shirley as Orizaba stepped back. His handwent to his belt, and a knife flashed in the air. But Dick, quick as acat, gave him no time to use it.
He realized his danger in an instant and acted promptly. With a shout hesprang forward, and seized the upraised arm with his right hand. Hetwisted it fiercely, and the Nicaraguan gave a cry of pain as hereleased his hold on the knife and stepped back.
As he did so, Dick drove his right fist into his face, and GeneralOrizaba tumbled to the ground, where he lay still.
At the same moment there was a cheer from close at hand and, turning,Dick saw a dozen marines who had gathered about to watch the contest.Shirley came forward anxiously.
"Are you hurt Dick?" she asked.
"Not much, I guess," was the reply. "He winged me with the last shot,but I am sure it is nothing serious."
"He's all right," shouted one of the marines, as they gathered about himand congratulated him upon his fight.
Shirley turned on them angrily.
"And you stood off and left him to be killed," she exclaimed. "You oughtto be ashamed of yourselves."
"Oh, we know he could handle that fellow," was the response, but the menlooked at one another somewhat sheepishly.
Their reason for not interfering was perfectly apparent. They hadenjoyed the spectacle of Dick and Orizaba locked in combat, and had feltmorally certain Dick would come out on top.
"Just the same, he might have been badly hurt!" said Shirley, by nomeans convinced.
"Oh, they did all right," said Dick with a laugh. "Come Shirley, let'sget back to the ship and I'll have the surgeon look at this arm."
"Are you hurt, Jack?" asked one of the men stepping forward.
"Bullet in the arm," was Dick's reply; and he added: "But my name is notJack."
"Everybody is Jack to us," was the answer. "But had we known you werewounded we would have taken that fellow off your hands. Come on, thereis Dr. Thomas over there."
Dick and Shirley followed the marines to where the surgeon was engagedin bandaging the wounds of an American sailor, the only man who had beentouched by one of the enemy's bullets.
He bound Dick's arm up quickly, remarking that it would be as good asnew in a day or two.
"Shirley!"
It was Mabel's voice, and turning, Shirley saw her chum rushing towardher. She ran to meet her and the greeting was affectionate.
"How dared you take such a chance, Mabel?" demanded Shirley.
"Well, somebody had to do it, and I was closest the horse," was thereply. "I knew they couldn't hit me."
"Nevertheless, it was a desperate risk," said Dick, who came up at thatmoment. "I expected to see your horse go tumbling."
"But how did you get aid so quickly?" demanded Shirley.
Mabel explained.
"And they made me go back when the fighting began," she continued. "Iwanted to hunt you up immediately, but the lieutenant wouldn't let me."
"I should say not," declared Dick.
"Shirley was in danger. Why shouldn't I have been there?" demandedMabel. "I saw Dick and the general fighting and I came forward as fastas I could," the girl continued, "and when I saw the Nicaraguan go downI knew our troubles were over."
"And where is Dad?" asked Shirley.
"I didn't see him," replied Mabel. "I suppose they are looking for us insome other part of the town. I'll bet they are badly frightened."
"I fear so too," replied Shirley. "I guess we had better get back assoon as we can. But we shall have to thank the lieutenant first."
That officer declared that he wanted no thanks.
"We are glad to have been able to take a shot at those fellows," hesaid. "We have been wanting to do it for a long time, but this is thefirst opportunity we have had. We--Hello!"
He broke off suddenly. Riding rapidly toward them was a large body ofmen, and above them floated a white flag. They dismounted some distanceaway, and one approached.
The girls recognized this man immediately. He was President Garcia.
He rode up to the lieutenant, and introduced himself.
"And I would like the person of Orizaba delivered to me," he saidquietly.
"You shall have him," replied the lieutenant. "It will save us trouble."
The unfortunate revolutionist, fully recovered now, was turned over tothe President of Nicaragua and marched away. Then President Garciaappeared to perceive Shirley and Mabel for the first time. He raised hishat to them.
"I am pleased
that the senoritas have escaped safely," he said quietly,and making a low bow to them, he turned his horse about, and a momentlater was gone.
The lieutenant in command of the marines now ordered his men back totheir ship, and the girls accompanied them on their return march throughthe town. Dark looks were cast at them from all sides, but none ventureda word.
"You may see they don't love us very much in these parts," said thelieutenant with a smile. "They would welcome a chance to shoot us all."
At the pier the two girls saw their fathers approaching rapidly, andthey ran forward to meet them. The meeting was affectionate, for bothMr. Willing and Colonel Ashton had been greatly alarmed at their longabsence.
"I am going to keep my eye on you in the future," declared Mr. Willing.
The girls only laughed. Both men were profuse in their praise of Dick'sgallant actions, and Colonel Ashton declared:
"It's a good thing we brought him along, Willing."
The marines gave the Willing party a rousing cheer as they stepped intothe _Yucatan's_ small boat and were rowed back to the vessel.
"I'm glad to see you back," declared Captain Anderson. "We're late now.We shall leave here at once." He turned to the first officer. "You mayget under way immediately, sir!"
And as the _Yucatan_ steamed from the harbor, the passengers gatheredabout the two girls, demanding an account of their experiences.