After half an hour or so of walking under a broiling7 sun, the party began to traverse the outskirts8 of the city, where pigs roamed at large and naked children rolled delightedly in the gutters9. Nobody made the slightest effort to molest10 them, and presently they reached the rear lines of the government troops entrenched11 about the city.
The soldiers seemed a happy-go-lucky lot.[148] Some of them were smoking yellow paper cigarettes. Here was a group throwing dice12 on a drum head. There was an eager, interested circle about a cock fight. In one or two places sat a forlorn figure strumming some love song on a guitar. Their tents were ragged13 and patched, and their arms of the kind bought at government condemnation14 sales.
“But they can fight like wildcats,” Stanley assured his companions.
Their road led northward15 from the city below, along the edge of a steep cliff covered to its summit with tropical growth of vivid, staring green. Here and there little villas16 set back like colored jewels in a green setting. Below, a turquoise18 sea dashed itself against the rocks. It was a scene that at any other time would have delighted the Dreadnought Boys, but just then their thoughts were set on other things than scenery. About two miles out they passed through the last outpost of the Costavezan troops, and presently were traversing ground which lay between the lines of the opposing forces. It was blisteringly hot.[149] None of the party noticed this, however, so intently were their minds occupied.
The main army of the insurgents19 lay, as they knew, across the range to the southwest of the town. The forces they were now headed for formed the victorious21 army of the north. It was by effecting a junction22 of these two forces at the very walls, so to speak, of Boca del Sierras that General de Guzman hoped to effect the capitulation of that city. What had become of the government forces, which the army before them had scattered23, no one knew. It was supposed, however, that their officers were trying to reassemble their demoralized troops somewhere back in the jungles to the north.
“It wouldn’t take a large force to defend this road against an army,” observed Ned, as they pursued their way along the thoroughfare, which was in places literally24 hewn out of the cliff face.
“No,” agreed the midshipman, “but as I understand it the government fears that the insurgents’ navy—or rather the ships they captured from the government—may bombard the city[150] from seaward at the same time the land forces make their attack. This would inevitably26 accomplish its downfall.”
“Not much doubt of that,” agreed Stanley. “If only the government had some boats, they could bottle up the insurgent20 fleet somewhere, and then go ahead and drive out the troops all around.”
“That’s it,” assented27 Stark28, “but at present the government doesn’t know, and can’t find out, where the dickens the insurgents have hidden their fleet. They’d give a whole lot to know, I guess.”
“I reckon so, sir,” agreed Stanley, with a short laugh.
For some ten minutes more they walked on in silence. Then suddenly around a sharp curve in the road a black object came into view.
“A gun!” exclaimed Herc.
“Guns,” corrected Ned, as his eyes fell on several more of the field pieces commanding the road from points of vantage dug out high upon the cliff side.
“No danger of the government making a sortie[151] up this road,” remarked the midshipman. “With all that artillery30 those fellows could hold anything.”
As they neared the first gun a young officer stepped forward briskly. Already concealed31 sentries32 had given warning of their approach.
“What do the senors wish?” he inquired politely enough, raising his hand to the peak of his red-embroidered cap.
It was evident that he took them for harmless, foolish tourists. The young officer hastened to assume the part he had decided33 to play. Ned could hardly suppress a grin as he listened to Midshipman Stark’s imitation of a British accent in reply.
“Just strolling around, old chap, you know,” he assured the young insurgent officer. “No harm—eh, what?”
“I suppose you know that you are within the lines of General de Guzman?” came the polite inquiry34 in rather astonished tones.
“No, really? By Jove, here’s luck. Always[152] wanted to see an insurgent camp, you know—eh, Archie?”
Here Stark turned to Ned, who, taken by surprise, turned red and blurted35 out:
“Yes, by Jove,” in accents which no self-respecting Britisher would have owned to.
“I hardly know what to do,” said the young officer hesitating. “If you gentlemen will give me your word of honor that you are non-combatants?”
“We can,” rejoined Stark, without an instant’s hesitation36. He was glad that he could make the assertion without the slightest warping37 of the truth.
“Very well, then. If you will follow me I will conduct you to General de Guzman.”
The four Americans exchanged glances of real dismay. They had figured on the general of the insurgents being miles away with the other army. As they learned afterward38, however, their bad luck had brought him to the army of the north that very morning to tender his congratulations for its brilliant victory of the day before.
Undesirous as they were of meeting General de Guzman, who might prove to be more astute39 than the young officer, there was no help for it. They were fairly in for it. With somewhat downcast faces they followed their guide past the formidable rows of artillery and within the insurgent lines. So far as they could judge it was quite as well organized and better supplied with arms than that of the government. The men, cheered by their victories, appeared, too, to be in better mood than the Costavezans. Laughter was everywhere, and a degree of order and cleanliness not often found in South American insurgent forces.
“Evidently General de Guzman is a good commander,” thought Ned.
From time to time as they passed among the troops the young officer pointed40 out things of interest. If he had not already been so anxious over the result of their interview with the general, Midshipman Stark’s heart would have smote41 him for the deception42 he was practicing on this kind-hearted young host.
“You have seen service elsewhere?” he asked, as they walked along.
“Oh, yes, senor. I was with the Spanish troops in Morocco. We had what the Yankees call a ‘hot time’ there.”
“You do not like Yankees, as you call them.”
“No, I do not.” The young officer’s brow grew dark. “They are arrogant43 and overbearing. They interfere44 too much. They are opposed to this revolution, as they call it—perhaps you know?”
He turned an inquiring glance on Stark.
“Not the first thing about it, my dear fellow,” the masquerading middy hastened to assure him, with his accent laid on thicker than ever.
“They even have sent a small vessel45 of war—a destroyer, they call her—to harass46 us. The pigs! I would like to line them all up against a wall and shoot them down—one by one.”
“Well, this is a nice, friendly bunch we’ve run into,” whispered Herc, as he heard these words. “It’s enough to scare the British accent out of a fellow to hear that chap talk.”
“Hush!” warned Stanley, “he might hear you,[155] and we’ve poked47 our noses into a bad enough hornets’ nest as it is, I’m thinking.”
So thought the others, too. Stark’s part was particularly hard to play, as upon him fell the burden of keeping up the conversation with the young officer.
Before long they came in sight of a pretty villa17, with broad verandas48 well sheltered by various shade trees. Before it were tethered several saddle horses. One or two of them looked as if they had been ridden hard.
“The general’s present headquarters,” said the young officer, indicating the villa with a sweep of his hand. “Before, it was occupied by our leader, Colonel Vegas. Since the arrival of the general this morning, however, he has given it up to his superior.”
“Surely that is a side saddle I see on that horse yonder, old chap,” said Stark suddenly. “Are there ladies in your army?”
The young officer laughed heartily49.
“You have curious ideas of our troops, sir.[156] No, indeed, that horse belongs to the general’s niece.”
“Is that so?” inquired Stark, simulating an interest he was far from feeling.
“Yes, Senorita Isabelle de Guzman and——”
He stopped short as a sharp exclamation50 burst from Ned’s lips. It was entirely51 involuntary, but our readers will understand his astonishment52 at the name of Senorita Isabelle de Guzman when they recall that she was the young woman named in the will found on board the derelict.
“My companion suffers from a cold,” said Stark, with a sharp look at Ned, who, taking the hint, began to cough violently. He was glad of this excuse to cover his embarrassment53, but his paroxysms did not prevent his keeping his ears open for the officer’s next words.
“She is one of the most beautiful young women in this part of South America,” he went on.
“Indeed,” commented Stark, “a prize for one of the general’s brave officers, perhaps?”
“Oh, no,” rejoined the Spanish-American, as if shocked at the bare idea. “She has no property.[157] There would be no estate, no marriage portion with her hand.”
“Indeed! That is a requisite54 here, then?”
“Unquestionably, senor. You see, Donna Isabelle’s father, Senor de Guzman, was formerly55 a prisoner of the government, but he fled on a ship, which was never heard of again. It is whispered that he had expressed a wish to his brother, the general, that the estate might pass into the hands of his daughter. But, however that was, the general, as the next of kin6, now enjoys it.”
“If only I had that will here,” thought Ned, and then the next instant reconsidered the matter. With things going the way they were, the document was unquestionably better off where it was.
The sound of loud voices came to them as they neared the villa, and through the open windows the boys could see bright uniforms grouped about a table, which was littered with maps and plans.
“Ah, the general is busy, and I dare not disturb him now,” said the young officer, as they entered the villa and emerged into a courtyard,[158] the “patio” common to all Spanish-American houses. It was delightfully56 cool there after the hot, dusty glare of the camp.
“Well, we will stroll outside a bit and come back later on, old chap,” suggested Stark, glad to see a loophole of escape from the lion’s den29 into which he was beginning to imagine they had thrust themselves.
“Oh, no, senor,” said the young officer in quite a horrified57 tone. “The general would wish to see you. He may besides, perhaps, wish to question you concerning affairs in the town and relating to the small American vessel of war.”
“The deuce he will,” thought Stark. “Confounded little in the way of information he’ll get.”
Aloud he said:
“We shall be delighted, old fellow. Anything at all, you know. Delighted, I’m sure.”
“Phew!” whistled Ned in a low tone, “we’ve walked into a mouse-trap with a vengeance58, and,” he added to himself as a heavy tread[159] sounded, mingled59 with the jingling60 of a sword, “here comes the cat.”
The steps drew nearer, and the next minute from behind a group of magnificent fan palms appeared a squat61, stout62 figure in a crimson63 uniform. From the precise military salute64 and respectful bearing of the lieutenant65 there was no question in the minds of the adventurers that they stood in the presence of the renowned66 General de Guzman. He was hailed in many quarters as the next dictator of Costaveza and the most inveterate67 enemy of Americans south of the Caribbean.
Ned regarded him curiously68, while the young officer, stepping up, drew the general aside and began whispering to him. General de Guzman at that time was a man of about fifty, with a florid complexion69, thick neck and heavy, black mustache. His inky hair waved crisply about his rotund face, which, as has been said, was florid—noticeably so. Evidently the general was a good liver. His short, stubby legs were incased in dusty riding boots, on which jingled70 a pair of[160] immense spurs with blunt rowels. A sword with a jeweled hilt was at his hip25. A holster, with a businesslike-looking Colt reposing71 in it, also hung there. For headgear the renowned revolutionary wore a Panama hat, with a broad, red band encircling it. Between his lips was a huge cigar as black almost as his hair and mustache. He chewed it nervously72 while he listened to the young officer’s explanations, which Ned realized related to themselves. He watched the pair anxiously, for on the events of the next few minutes depended their success and possibly their lives. Not a whit73 less were his comrades absorbed in regarding what might prove a momentous74 interview.
At last the general turned from the young officer and spoke75. His voice was harsh and grating, and his words, for he used English, not calculated to relieve their apprehensions76.
“Englishmen, eh?” he rasped out, gazing at them with a suspicious stare. “They look to me more like four cursed, inquisitive77 Yankees.”
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1
bestowed
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| 赠给，授予( bestow的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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hordes
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| n.移动着的一大群( horde的名词复数 )；部落 | |
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insistent
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| adj.迫切的，坚持的 | |
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vendors
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| n.摊贩( vendor的名词复数 )；小贩；（房屋等的）卖主；卖方 | |
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dubious
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| adj.怀疑的，无把握的；有问题的，靠不住的 | |
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kin
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| n.家族，亲属，血缘关系；adj.亲属关系的，同类的 | |
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broiling
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| adj.酷热的，炽热的，似烧的v.（用火）烤（焙、炙等）( broil的现在分词 )；使卷入争吵；使混乱；被烤（或炙） | |
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outskirts
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| n.郊外，郊区 | |
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gutters
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| （路边）排水沟( gutter的名词复数 )； 阴沟； （屋顶的）天沟； 贫贱的境地 | |
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molest
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| vt.骚扰，干扰，调戏 | |
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entrenched
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| adj.确立的，不容易改的(风俗习惯) | |
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dice
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| n.骰子；vt.把（食物）切成小方块，冒险 | |
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ragged
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| adj.衣衫褴褛的，粗糙的，刺耳的 | |
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condemnation
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| n.谴责; 定罪 | |
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northward
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| adv.向北；n.北方的地区 | |
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villas
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| 别墅，公馆( villa的名词复数 )； （城郊）住宅 | |
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villa
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| n.别墅，城郊小屋 | |
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turquoise
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| n.绿宝石；adj.蓝绿色的 | |
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insurgents
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| n.起义，暴动，造反( insurgent的名词复数 ) | |
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insurgent
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| adj.叛乱的，起事的；n.叛乱分子 | |
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victorious
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| adj.胜利的，得胜的 | |
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junction
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| n.连接，接合；交叉点，接合处，枢纽站 | |
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scattered
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| adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的 | |
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literally
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| adv.照字面意义，逐字地；确实 | |
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hip
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| n.臀部，髋；屋脊 | |
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inevitably
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| adv.不可避免地；必然发生地 | |
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assented
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| 同意，赞成( assent的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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stark
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| adj.荒凉的；严酷的；完全的；adv.完全地 | |
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den
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| n.兽穴；秘密地方；安静的小房间，私室 | |
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artillery
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| n.(军)火炮，大炮；炮兵(部队) | |
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concealed
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| a.隐藏的，隐蔽的 | |
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sentries
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| 哨兵，步兵( sentry的名词复数 ) | |
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decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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inquiry
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| n.打听，询问，调查，查问 | |
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blurted
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| v.突然说出，脱口而出( blurt的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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hesitation
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| n.犹豫，踌躇 | |
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warping
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| n.翘面，扭曲，变形v.弄弯，变歪( warp的现在分词 )；使（行为等）不合情理，使乖戾， | |
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afterward
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| adv.后来；以后 | |
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astute
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| adj.机敏的，精明的 | |
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40
pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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smote
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| v.猛打，重击，打击( smite的过去式 ) | |
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deception
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| n.欺骗，欺诈；骗局，诡计 | |
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arrogant
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| adj.傲慢的，自大的 | |
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interfere
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| v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰 | |
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45
vessel
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| n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管 | |
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46
harass
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| vt.使烦恼，折磨，骚扰 | |
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47
poked
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| v.伸出( poke的过去式和过去分词 )；戳出；拨弄；与（某人）性交 | |
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48
verandas
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| 阳台，走廊( veranda的名词复数 ) | |
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heartily
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| adv.衷心地，诚恳地，十分，很 | |
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50
exclamation
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| n.感叹号，惊呼，惊叹词 | |
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51
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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52
astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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53
embarrassment
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| n.尴尬；使人为难的人(事物)；障碍；窘迫 | |
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54
requisite
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| adj.需要的，必不可少的；n.必需品 | |
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55
formerly
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| adv.从前，以前 | |
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56
delightfully
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| 大喜，欣然 | |
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57
horrified
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| a.(表现出)恐惧的 | |
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58
vengeance
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| n.报复，报仇，复仇 | |
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59
mingled
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| 混合，混入( mingle的过去式和过去分词 )； 混进，与…交往[联系] | |
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60
jingling
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| 叮当声 | |
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61
squat
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| v.蹲坐，蹲下；n.蹲下；adj.矮胖的，粗矮的 | |
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63
crimson
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| n./adj.深(绯)红色(的)；vi.脸变绯红色 | |
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64
salute
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| vi.行礼，致意，问候，放礼炮；vt.向…致意，迎接，赞扬；n.招呼，敬礼，礼炮 | |
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65
lieutenant
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| n.陆军中尉，海军上尉；代理官员，副职官员 | |
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66
renowned
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| adj.著名的，有名望的，声誉鹊起的 | |
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67
inveterate
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| adj.积习已深的，根深蒂固的 | |
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68
curiously
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| adv.有求知欲地；好问地；奇特地 | |
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69
complexion
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| n.肤色；情况，局面；气质，性格 | |
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70
jingled
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| 喝醉的 | |
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71
reposing
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| v.将（手臂等）靠在某人（某物）上( repose的现在分词 ) | |
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72
nervously
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| adv.神情激动地，不安地 | |
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73
whit
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| n.一点，丝毫 | |
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74
momentous
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| adj.重要的，重大的 | |
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75
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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76
apprehensions
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| 疑惧 | |
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inquisitive
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| adj.求知欲强的，好奇的，好寻根究底的 | |
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