Donald Grayson

“ The boys had been seen and a wild clamor came from the encampment. A fizzing sputter of firearms awoke echoes in the timber, and scraps of lead could be heard slapping and zipping through the leaves.
“We might be good for three or four,” panted Dick, as he stretched his legs along the path, “but we have to knock under when the whole rebel army gets after us.”
“Save your breath!” cried Bob. “Run!”
“Where? That other pack, with Fingal, is ahead.”
“Never mind. The largest force is behind.”
The dark-skinned rebels were tearing along like madmen. ”

“ He saw, now, how farsighted Bob Steele was in refusing to have anything to do with the don.
Carlos Valdez smiled ironically. “What they say doesn’t make any material difference,” he answered. “I have been in Belize for a week. I walked the streets openly, and no one dared to molest me. Why, I even went to the Spanish consul and asked for a passport. While he was preparing to make it out, I felled him with a blow and left him bound and gagged in his own sitting room. I had to do that, you see, before I dared to call on you, Bob Steele, and impersonate him.” ”

“ Will you do it for humanity? I do not appeal to your wish for gain—you are above such sordid things—but I ask you in the name of right and justice! Lives, human lives, depend on you! The fate of a republic depends on you! As for the risk to you and the submarine—bah!” The don shrugged his shoulders contemptuously. “Am I not going with you? Would I endanger my own life?”
The don paused anxiously for reply. Dick peered at his friend reflectively. Speake, Clackett, and Gaines, having finished their work below, had come to the periscope room and were standing in one of the bulkhead doors. ”

“ The humming of the cylinders ceased, and the Grampus, anchored broadside on across the Izaral, tugged at her mooring chains.
“Where are we, Bob?” came the voice of Gaines through the motor-room tube. “I thought we were making a run to get away from the revolutionists.”
“Hardly, Gaines,” answered Bob. “We don’t want to run away and leave our friends in the hands of the rebels. Come into the periscope room, all of you, and I’ll explain what we are doing and why we are doing it.” ”

“ The mouth of the Amazon Bob knew to be two hundred miles wide, and full twenty-seven fathoms deep. It is full of islands, and a bar, running seaward from one of these islands, caused the Grampus an unforeseen delay.
Feeling positive that the mysterious steamer had reached the Amazon ahead of them, or that she was perhaps watching along the coast, most of the latter part of the submarine’s journey toward Para had been made under water. The boat was submerged when she reached the Amazon, and the run across Santa Rosa Bay was by periscope alone. ”

“ Dick repeated the order to Gaines. Barely was the motion of the propeller reversed when whale and torpedo met. There was a dull roar, and the sea lifted high in a veritable flurry. The Grampus slid backward rapidly, rocking on the troubled waters. Then, the lifted waves having descended, the whale was seen torn cruelly and lying on his back. Already the triangular fins of sharks were in evidence, rushing from every direction upon the prey.
Bob descended to the engine room and found Dick steering with one hand and wiping the perspiration from his face with the other. ”

“ Bob had got his head out of the hatch just in time to snatch a glance at the flukes of a big whale disappearing in the sea.
He signaled half speed ahead by the engine-room jingler. The elevation of the periscope ball gave Dick a much more extensive view of the surface than it did Bob from the top of the conning tower. The whale had come to the top again, and, while Bob was able to see the geyserlike column of water the creature threw up, Dick could take in the cachalot’s immense proportions.
“He’s lumpy all over,” announced Dick, “and every lump is an old harpoon mark. ”

“ Bob and Dick were all interest on the moment.
“What do you mean, don?” asked Bob.
“Pitou and his rebels have captured Port Livingstone and the fort on the headland across the river from the town. Every inch of the coast is guarded. The loyal army is marching from the Pacific side of the republic—very few in numbers and poorly armed. Pitou, the great rogue, has laid a trap for the loyalists. Unless General Mendez, in charge of the loyal troops, is communicated with to-morrow morning, there will be fighting and bloodshed, and perhaps the insurrectionists will win.” ”

“ He was still worrying about the mysterious steamer, and the no less mysterious Japs. From what he had heard and read of the Japanese, he understood that dogged persistency was a national trait. If the Sons of the Rising Sun had made up their minds to destroy the submarine, it would take more than one rebuff to discourage them. That they were still on the trail of the Grampus, Bob had not the least doubt, and if they should happen to sight the boat in the cove, and make an attack while the propeller was being cleared, they would stand a fair show of success. ”

“ You see, Bob, Pedro thought a lot of my father, and he doesn’t feel very kindly toward you and your friends. With me it’s different. My father was never good to me, but was always beating me and forcing me to tell lies to help out his plans. But,” she added, catching herself up, “we must only talk about important things. Pedro is on guard at the door, eating his meal with a revolver on his knee. He will let me stay in here as long as I like, but if Fingal should suspect anything——”
The girl winced and shrugged her shoulders.
“You’d better go now, Ysabel,” said Bob. ”

“ THE MEETING IN THE HARBOR.
Events in this world, no matter how seemingly incomprehensible, usually happen for the best.
If the Grampus had not had her fight with the cachalot she would not have put in at Port of Spain, and if Ensign Glennie had not lost his dispatches he would not have put in there, either.
The damage to the fore rudder had been insignificant. Some of the iron bars protecting the rudder had been twisted and bent by the whale’s flukes, and Bob Steele had repaired the damage while coming through the Boca Drago into the gulf. ”

“ The flag fluttered sharply.
“What do you think of that!” roared Dick, once more shaking his fist upward in the direction of the fort; “they’ve put a hole through the flag. Oh, strike me lucky! If it was the British flag they treated like that, an army would march through the country before the scoundrels were a month older.”
“They’re an irresponsible lot, anyhow,” said Bob. “Besides, we’ve got General Pitou below, and General Mendez will have an easy time of it when he gets here with his army. The uprising is as good as squelched. ”

“ By some error, Speake had mixed an overdose of tabasco sauce with the canned beans which he had warmed up on his electric stove.
“Glory!” sputtered Jordan, reaching for water. “Speake must have mixed a Whitehead torpedo in that mess of beans.”
“Only a dash of tabasco,” replied Coleman. “Haven’t you been in Central America long enough to like hot stuff?”
“Not long enough, anyhow, to acquire an asbestos stomach. Talking about a dash of tabasco, though, Bob Steele’s raid on the rebels must have been something of that variety. Reel it off, Bob. We’re all good listeners.” ”

“ It must have been generally known in Belize that the Grampus had been sold to the United States government for a large sum, conditional upon her safe delivery at Mare Island; and perhaps it was equally well known, on the Seminole, at least, and maybe in La Guayra, that Ensign Glennie was to accompany the submarine on her passage around the Horn. All this knowledge, of course, could have been picked up, and perhaps used by unscrupulous persons. But what could such unscrupulous persons be hoping to gain by any crooked work? ”

“ You were not at the hotel, Pedro said, and the doctor would not admit any one to talk with Captain Nemo, junior. I would have gone to the American consul, but Pedro would not let me. He said that if I did such a thing I would get everybody into trouble, himself as well as my uncle. I cared little about Fingal, but I did care a good deal about Pedro. He has always been a true friend, and a great help, to me. If I couldn’t warn you, Bob, I made up my mind that I would sail with the schooner and do what I could to aid you in case Don Carlos’ snare proved successful. ”

“ But I don’t harbor any grudge, and I don’t believe Captain Nemo, junior, will, either.”
“He’ll never overlook this,” muttered Cassidy, shaking his head. “An’ it was him that pulled me out of the gutter, up there in Philadelphia, set me on my feet, and done everything possible to make a man o’ me. I ain’t fit to live!”
“When a man’s not fit to live,” said Bob, tempted to be out of patience, “he certainly is not fit to die. Look this thing square in the face, Cassidy, and live it down.” ”

“ Ysabel Sixty, the daughter of Captain Jim Sixty, the captured filibuster, there aboard the Grampus! She was so artfully disguised, too, that the prisoners would never have recognized her had she not taken the pains to reveal her identity.
Ysabel set the basket down on the floor.
“Fingal and all the others, except Don Carlos, are eating,” said she, in a low voice. “The don has gone ashore to hunt for revolutionists. My uncle made me get the meal for him and his men, and then sent me here with something for you.”
“You are still a friend of ours, Ysabel?” whispered Bob. ”

“ After dinner we’ll look after Mr. Tolo, and I’ll give Bob a letter to an agent who will supply him with gasoline, or any other old thing that happens to be necessary in order to make a submarine go. There won’t be any water in the gasoline, either. Come on, now, and let’s try and be cheerful. Heaven knows you boys have got enough ahead of you to make your hair stand on end like quills on the fretful porcupine, but what we’re not sure of hadn’t ought to trouble us.”
Bob and Glennie had a good dinner, and after it was over the consul went with them to the Grampus and gave the craft a sizing. ”

“ Fortunately the negro had no firearms. He drew his machete, but before he could aim a stroke with it, Bob had leaped forward and struck his arm a fierce blow with the butt of Jordan’s revolver.
A yell of pain fell from the negro’s lips, his arm dropped at his side, and he jumped backward into the woods.
“Quick!” shouted Bob to those behind. “There may be others with him, and we’ll have to make a dash for the Grampus. Run on ahead, Dick, and get the submarine up and close to the bank. I’ll follow you with Ysabel.” ”

“ Ysabel glided to the ladder. Before she could mount, however, some one was heard climbing over the top of the conning tower. As those below looked upward, a pair of booted feet swung down.
“Fingal!” gasped Ysabel, drawing away fearfully.
Bob motioned her out of the room. “Stand ready for him,” he whispered, “as he reaches the bottom of the ladder. The smallest mistake now means failure. Ready!!”
Scarcely breathing, Bob, Dick, Speake, and Clackett stood waiting for the burly ruffian who, jointly with Don Carlos, was responsible for all their troubles. ”

“ Furthermore, in the event that General Pitou’s uprising is successful, and we make him dictator of the country, you and your friends will share liberally in the division of the spoils. What do you say? You are young men—mere youths, in fact—and such a golden prospect ought to appeal to you.”
Bob stared at the don. “And you,” he breathed, “are the Spanish consul at Belize! What would happen to you if they knew, in Spain, how you are meddling with the affairs of a country with which your own is at peace?” ”

“ From that point I could communicate with General Mendez and warn him of the trap that has been laid by Pitou. The general could save his army—and the fate of the republic hangs on General Mendez. Will you do this? Will you assist Don Ramon Ortega in such a humanitarian work?”
Bob was dazed by the proposition.
“You,” pursued the don passionately, “come from a great and rich country, where there is always peace. Then have you got it in your heart to withhold a helping hand from a smaller and war-harried little country whose fate may hang upon your decision? See?” ”

“ The fact that the schooner bore away to the south proves that some one has correct information. No, Bob, Fingal has learned through Cassidy just why the Grampus put in at Belize; and Cassidy, intoxicated as he is and worked up over a fancied grievance, has cast in his lot with the schooner. The pair of them are off to the south to make trouble for us, take my word for it. What we must do is to get away as close on their heels as possible. We can’t wait until evening, but must proceed on the jump and get away without losing any more time than necessary.”
“Wait a minute,” spoke up Dick. ”

“ Thereupon Dick waded into past events as he and Bob had experienced them. He slighted his own deeds to give a greater luster to Bob’s, and finally Bob, in self-defense, had to take the telling into his own hands and finish it.
“Well,” exclaimed Jordan, “there’s enough tabasco in that run of work to satisfy almost anybody. But, if Bob Steele hadn’t come up under that launch as he did, all of us prisoners, my dear friends, would now be tramping through the jungle toward Pitou’s new camp.” ”

“ With Don Carlos gone, there are only Fingal, Pedro, and two more against us—and perhaps Ysabel could keep Pedro from taking a very active part in the fighting.”
“But there are the guns—consarn ’em!” growled Dick. “What could we do against four, or even three, armed men? They could riddle us before we got close enough to use our fists.”
“If I could take the cartridges out of the revolvers,” said Ysabel, “wouldn’t that help?”
“How could you do that?” queried Bob eagerly. “Aren’t the weapons in the men’s pockets?” ”

“ This man will lead you to the exact spot—and, as good luck has it, he’s a pilot and knows the coast.”
“I should think,” hazarded Bob, “that the United States government could make a demand on the president of the republic where all this lawless work is going on, and force him to rescue Mr. Coleman.”
The consul laughed.
“You don’t know Central America, my lad,” he answered. “It’s as hard for the president of the republic to get at the revolutionists as for anybody else. Meanwhile, Coleman’s in danger. We can’t wait for a whole lot of useless red-tape proceedings. ”

“ During that time Gaines and Clackett were busy with the rope, hauling the submarine back to the bank, and Bob was listening for more firing.
No more reports came from the timber, however, and when Dick reappeared and handed Bob one of the revolvers, both hurried to the bow of the submarine and sprang ashore.
55
“Don’t forget your orders, Gaines,” cautioned Bob.
“You can bank on it that I won’t, Bob,” answered the motorist. “You and Dick look out for yourselves. Don’t make a bad matter worse by letting the revolutionists get a grip on you. If they did, we’d be in hard shape for sure.” ”

“ Clackett rushed up the conning-tower ladder, and followed Speake out onto the curving plates of the deck. Bob went after the two men to direct operations from the conning tower.
Those in the boat—with the exception of the boy—appeared in the last stages of exhaustion. On seeing that their wild signals were to be answered, they dropped sprawling over the thwarts. The boy still stood erect and made gestures—stealthy movements with one hand which puzzled Bob.
“That youngster seems to have stood their hard luck better’n the men,” remarked Clackett, moving toward the bow with a coil of rope. ”

“ Midnight is the witching hour.”
“Carl’s showing good taste, anyhow,” continued Dick. “Ysabel Sixty is a fine girl. Now that her father, Jim Sixty, is put where he can’t interfere with her, she’s going to be happier than she ever was before. But Carl is off soundings. The girl hasn’t an eye for him, but for you.”
“Oh, rot!” grunted Bob.
“It’s a fact, all the same. The girl has taken a fancy to you, Bob, and you wouldn’t turn your head to look at the handsomest girl that ever walked. Gasoline motors are your hobby. You’re a born motorist. ”