“But why should you wish to kill us, senor?” Jim asked in Spanish. “Have not we agreed to see that you have a large share in it?”
“How do I know that you will keep your word to me?” the Mexican answered.
“Well, I like that!” cried Jim. “We know how to keep our word, Senor Alaroze!”
“What of it?” returned the overseer, with a slight shrug2. “Why should I not have all of it instead of a small part?”
192
“Oh, well, if you feel that way about it,” said Jim, turning pale.
While Jim had been talking Terry had been doing some rapid thinking. They were standing3 close to the man, and the extended muzzle4 of the rifle was within easy reach. Any kind of motion toward it would be sure to be disastrous5, and Terry knew it. There was one thing needed and Terry did it. With great coolness, a feeling which he was far from possessing, he looked over the shoulder of the overseer.
“Well,” he said, carelessly. “I guess neither of us will get the treasure. Here comes Sackett and his party.”
He used just the right amount of conviction in his tones and he won. Jim looked away over the Mexican’s shoulder and was fooled as completely as the overseer. With a muttered imprecation the man turned his head slightly to see who was back of him. That motion was his undoing6. Quick as a flash Terry’s foot came up in a splendid football kick that sent the rifle flying upward. Before the astonished ranchman could move the red-headed boy flung himself on him and punched him a hard wallop on the stomach. With a groan8 the Mexican sank to the ground.
193
“Bully for you, Chucklehead!” cried Jim, springing forward and securing the gun. “Now we have this fellow where we want him!”
They dragged the crestfallen9 Mexican to his feet and tied his hands behind him with a piece of cord which they had originally tied their clothes to the spars with. He groaned10 and moaned and begged them to show mercy to him. Terry became impatient.
“Shut up!” he ordered, savagely11. “If I hadn’t done that our two bodies would have been lying here right this minute, and here you are crying your head off for mercy! You’re getting a whole lot better than you deserve right now, let me tell you. Don’t howl until you get back to the ranch7, then we’ll give you something to howl about.”
Still dazed at their terrible peril12 the boys started on the journey, placing the cowardly overseer on the horse and following close behind. When darkness came down they made camp, fed the captive without speaking with him, and then made camp for the night, resolving to take turns at keeping watch.
“We can’t let this snake get loose again,” warned Jim. “If he ever gets away, good night!”
“That was the luckiest break we ever had,” said Terry. “If he had been standing any further away I never could have done it.”
194
Jim took the first watch and Terry the second, during which time the Mexican seemed to sleep calmly. His hands had been untied14, so they covered him with the rifle and kept unwavering eyes upon him. In the morning the march was resumed and late in the afternoon they approached the ranch of the Senorita Mercedes.
The senorita was the first to approach and she expressed amazement15 at the strange sight which they presented as they walked down into the ranch yard. Jim related the story to her and she was deeply interested. Turning to the sullen16 foreman she upbraided17 him furiously in Spanish and turned back to the boys.
“He did not go away to look for stray cattle,” she said. “None of my cattle have strayed. I do not know why he left me, but I think he is part of that wicked Sackett band. I think he was only kind to you so he could place you in that man’s hands.”
“By George, I’ll bet that is right!” exclaimed Jim, and Terry nodded.
“Put him in that small shed,” directed the senorita, pointing to a little building which stood at the edge of the ranch yard. “Then come to the house and rest and eat.”
195
Quite willingly the two boys locked the silent prisoner in the little shed and returned to the ranch house. The energetic little senorita had hot water, soap and towels laid out for them, and they fairly revelled18 in the washing process.
“When I was a kid,” grinned Terry, “I loved to have a dirty face, but now I know just what luxury it is to feel clean again.”
“Hope I don’t break this comb of the senorita’s trying to comb my tangled19 hair,” grunted20 Jim. “I can’t honestly say that we are any beauties to appear at the table of the young lady.”
When they sat down with the youthful and beautiful owner of the little ranch to eat she said: “My men are at present eating, but as soon as they have finished I shall send one of them to Ned’s ranch for your friends.”
“That is very kind of you, Senorita,” murmured Jim, as he ate ravenously21.
“Nonsense!” laughed the girl, tossing her head. “You have been through such thrilling adventures of late! Tell me more about them.”
As Jim knew more Spanish than Terry it fell to him to relate the experiences of the past few days. They were lingering over their coffee when an excited ranchman burst into the room. All three at the table rose quickly and the man poured something out in some unknown dialect.
196
“Ride immediately to the Scott ranch for help!” commanded the senorita, growing pale.
“Alas, senorita, the house is surrounded, I cannot go,” said the man, in Spanish.
“What, is the house surrounded?” asked Jim, quickly.
“Yes,” answered the senorita, rapidly. “This man tells me that Sackett and three men rode down, let Alaroze out, and are creeping to the house. Fly to the doors, quickly!”
Flying was necessary. Terry and Jim hurled22 the main door of the ranch house shut just in time to keep Sackett and Abel from rushing it. Rapidly, under the direction of the girl, they closed all windows and drew the blinds. Then she gave them each a rifle and took one herself.
“We must watch diligently,” she said, her eyes shining. “They will try to burst in and we must keep them off.”
A shot rang out and a bullet crashed through the front door. Feeling that they would be attacked from more than one side they separated, Jim going to the front of the house and Terry and the senorita keeping watch on the sides. Several shots were fired, all of which did no harm.
197
It was now very dark and their peril was increased. A concerted rush might blast their hopes and Jim in particular was worried. It would be bad enough to have to surrender to Sackett’s gang, but it would be far worse to have the dainty senorita fall into their hands. He set his teeth and determined23 that it should not happen. There was complete silence outside, a silence that was not reassuring24.
Jim went to the girl where she was crouching25 beside a window, peering out into the darkness of the yard. He knelt down beside her.
“Is it possible that one of your men could have slipped away to Ned’s ranch?” he asked.
“I am sorry to say no, senor. My man tells me that they were all penned up in their bunkhouse. There is no way we can let our friends know of our danger.”
“I see. They couldn’t see a light from the top of the ranch, could they?”
“No, the hills are too high. We must fight these men off until morning and then see what we can do.”
“If we could only attract Ned’s attention someway,” said Jim. “Watch out, senorita!”
He fairly dragged her away from the window as a shot tore in through the glass and the blinds. She shook him off, but kept away from the exposed part.
198
“There is nothing—Ah, the tar13 barrel!” she exclaimed.
“Where is there a tar barrel?” asked Jim, quickly, as Terry fired his rifle out of another window.
“You see that hill?” asked the senorita, pointing to a low mound26 back of the ranch. “On top of that hill is a barrel which is half full of tar. I have been using it to repair my roofs, and it is half full. If that could only be lighted they would see it at Ned’s ranch.”
“That’s fine!” cried Jim. “I’ll light that tar barrel myself!”
“Senor, you will be killed!”
“Maybe!” said Jim, grimly. “But I’ll start that bonfire, anyway!”
He related his plan to Terry, who warmly assented27, and a little later Jim worked his way to a side of the house where there was no shooting. Senorita Mercedes wanted to send her ranchman out on the perilous28 venture but Jim had opposed it.
“No, I’ll go,” he said. “It means everything to have it succeed, and the man might get scared or bungle29 it in some way. Let me do it.”
199
He opened a low window on the quiet side of the house, while Terry stood in the shadows, prepared to shoot down anyone who should loom30 up. Jim dropped out of the window and lay flat alongside of the house, and after a moment he raised his head. The attacking party was in the front and the rear of the house and he had not been seen. Terry closed the window and watched Jim slide forward along the ground toward the distant barn.
Fortunately the night was dark and Jim had a good opportunity. Using extreme care he reached the barn and then looked toward the hill where the tar barrel stood. The senorita had stood it on the hill because she was afraid of fire and thought it best to keep it away from the ranch building. Bending low Jim ran quickly toward the black barrel and reached it in safety.
Near the house he could see three shadows and he knew that they were Sackett’s men. They had not dreamed that anyone would be foolhardy enough to leave the building and so they waited for a favorable opportunity to rush the doors and break in. They had no intention of doing so as long as those three guns were flashing out viciously.
200
There were still three flashes from the house and Jim readily saw what had happened. Terry or the senorita had given the ranchman who had brought the news of the attack a gun and he was firing. Probably the attacking party thought Jim was still in the house. Lying flat on the ground Jim took a long piece of paper from his pocket and a box of matches. He placed the papers in the soft tar and lighted it.
The tar caught fire quickly, so quickly that Jim was bathed for a second in its light. He had made no plans for a retreat, and as the tar barrel burst into flames he was clearly revealed.
A shout arose from the men who were attacking the house and they sprang recklessly from cover and dashed toward him. This piece of carelessness cost them dearly, for the senorita and Terry each brought one man down with accurate shots in the legs. At the same time Jim sprinted31 for the corner of the barn and crouched32 there, his rifle held in readiness to bring down anyone who should attempt to put out the blazing beacon33.
Higher and higher blazed the barrel with its cargo34 of tar, sending its light for several miles over the surrounding countryside. The outlaws35 had now rushed back to cover, to consider what move to make next.
“I surely hope the others are at Ned’s and that they see that light,” thought Jim fervently36, as he waited in his position back of the barn.
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1
galleon
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| n.大帆船 | |
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shrug
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| v.耸肩(表示怀疑、冷漠、不知等) | |
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standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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muzzle
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| n.鼻口部；口套；枪(炮)口；vt.使缄默 | |
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disastrous
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| adj.灾难性的，造成灾害的；极坏的，很糟的 | |
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6
undoing
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| n.毁灭的原因，祸根；破坏，毁灭 | |
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7
ranch
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| n.大牧场，大农场 | |
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8
groan
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| vi./n.呻吟，抱怨；(发出)呻吟般的声音 | |
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crestfallen
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| adj. 挫败的，失望的，沮丧的 | |
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groaned
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| v.呻吟( groan的过去式和过去分词 )；发牢骚；抱怨；受苦 | |
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savagely
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| adv. 野蛮地，残酷地 | |
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peril
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| n.(严重的)危险；危险的事物 | |
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13
tar
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| n.柏油，焦油；vt.涂或浇柏油/焦油于 | |
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14
untied
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| 松开，解开( untie的过去式和过去分词 )； 解除，使自由； 解决 | |
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15
amazement
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| n.惊奇，惊讶 | |
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sullen
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| adj.愠怒的，闷闷不乐的，(天气等)阴沉的 | |
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upbraided
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| v.责备，申斥，谴责( upbraid的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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revelled
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| v.作乐( revel的过去式和过去分词 )；狂欢；着迷；陶醉 | |
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tangled
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| adj. 纠缠的，紊乱的 动词tangle的过去式和过去分词 | |
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20
grunted
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| （猪等）作呼噜声( grunt的过去式和过去分词 )； （指人）发出类似的哼声； 咕哝着说 | |
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ravenously
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| adv.大嚼地，饥饿地 | |
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hurled
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| v.猛投，用力掷( hurl的过去式和过去分词 )；大声叫骂 | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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reassuring
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| a.使人消除恐惧和疑虑的，使人放心的 | |
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crouching
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| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的现在分词 ) | |
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mound
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| n.土墩，堤，小山；v.筑堤，用土堆防卫 | |
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27
assented
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| 同意，赞成( assent的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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perilous
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| adj.危险的，冒险的 | |
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bungle
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| v.搞糟；n.拙劣的工作 | |
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30
loom
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| n.织布机，织机；v.隐现，(危险、忧虑等)迫近 | |
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31
sprinted
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| v.短距离疾跑( sprint的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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crouched
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| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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beacon
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| n.烽火，（警告用的）闪火灯，灯塔 | |
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cargo
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| n.(一只船或一架飞机运载的)货物 | |
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35
outlaws
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| 歹徒，亡命之徒( outlaw的名词复数 )； 逃犯 | |
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fervently
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| adv.热烈地，热情地，强烈地 | |
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