Frank Fowler

“ Santiago eyed him suspiciously, but finally laid his rifle across a table in the center of the room and approached nearer the lad.
"Listen!" he said in a whisper. "I am the guardian of the treasure of Montezuma. It is to be used to free Mexico from the Spaniard. He must be driven out. The land belongs to the Aztec."
"But where is the Aztec?" queried Billie. "I know him not."
"I am he. The peons are my people. The Spaniard—bah! He owns the houses and he owns the lands; but he must be driven out." ”

“ There is no knowing when that band of robbers will be back."
"Robbers?" queried Billie, as he set the little girl on the ground and extended his hand to the man. "What robbers?"
"They call themselves soldiers," and the man seized Billie's hand and gave it a mighty grip, which made even Broncho Billie wince, "but what do we care for them? With four Americans we can defy a hundred of them." Then, as Donald and Adrian finished barring the gate: "It's certainly good for sore eyes to see such faces," and he grasped each boy in turn. ”

“ Funston to find the mountebank for me. He said you boys would do better than any one else."
"But why us? Why not a Mexican policeman?"
"Because the mountebank was an American. He may even have been a soldier and have hidden himself among your men."
"Oh, he was an American, was he?" laughed Donald. "Then I believe we can put our finger on him with ease. But the man we have in mind always carried with him an ape."
"Then it may not be the same," replied Don Esteban, "for this one had no ape with him either time."
"It certainly does look like a mystery," was Adrian's comment. ”

“ Black, with almost superhuman strength, picked up the cannon itself, just as Billie had picked up the ball, and hurled it down the stairs.
Half a dozen men fell beneath its weight, while the others, frightened at such an exhibition of strength, fell back in dismay. ”

“ Let's go down!" and he flung himself onto his horse.
"What would you do?" cried Donald, seizing Billie's horse by the bridle. "You'd be killed by the fire from our own guns. This is the best place we could be in while the firing is going on. As soon as our men have driven the Mexicans out of town, then we can go in."
"But I want to take a hand in the fun," said Billie.
"It's no fun, as you'll find after it's all over. No knowing how many of our boys are being lost, to say nothing of the Mexicans."
"Look!" cried Adrian, who had not taken his eyes from the scene in the harbor. ”

“ Then, single file, they slowly descended into the quarry.
Billie recognized them the minute he laid eyes upon them. They were the remnant of the bandit band, and the bodies carried across the pommels of the saddles were three of their wounded companions.
"This is no place for me," commented Billie as he kept himself well hidden behind a giant cactus. "It reminds me of Ali Baba and the forty thieves. I hope I have better luck than Ali Baba." ”

“ Broncho Billie had been in too many unpleasant places to be at all worried over his predicament, but he was much concerned about the condition of the train and its passengers, practically all of whom were Americans and a large majority of whom were women and children.
"It would be fierce," he mused, "to have them held here, or in a detention camp as prisoners; and it would be worse if we should be attacked by an overwhelming force of revolutionists. I've just got to know the truth." ”

“ Who and what do you suppose he is?"
"An animal trainer from a circus," replied Adrian.
"There are no circuses in this part of the world," commented Billie.
"If he only had a hand organ instead of a gun, I could place him," laughed Donald. "What do you make out of him, Pedro?"
"It's a saltimbanco."
"What is that?"
"A man who goes about making people laugh."
"Oh!" from Adrian. "You mean a mountebank?"
"I think so."
"And this chap," ventured Billie, "isn't satisfied with making a monkey of himself, but carries a real one with him."
Pedro laughed. "That seems to be it." ”

“ Billie drew his horse up with a sudden turn.
"It looks as though we'd have to fight for it, boys! If we do let's give a good account of ourselves."
They drew their Winchesters for instant use.
The sound of hoofbeats drew nearer and then there burst into sight from around a turn in the road a sight which caused the boys nearly to fall from their horses with laughter.
Riding on a mule and followed by several peons on burros was the florid-faced gentleman whom they had met on the train the day they left the City of Mexico. He was bare-headed and his coat tails streamed out in the breeze. ”

“ Neither of the officers made any reply, but their dark looks boded no good for the boys.
"You might just as well look pleasant," laughed Billie. "All is fair in love and war."
"We'll make you sing a different song when we get you in Vera Cruz," said the captain.
"And when do you think that will be, Captain?" queried Adrian.
"As soon as the next train comes along."
"Oh, that's it, is it?" said Donald. "That being the case, I guess we will not wait for another train. By the way, how far is it to Vera Cruz?" ”

“ Billie grinned, but made no reply.
"I think we may all stay here for a few hours," suggested Lucia. "Father is so much better that I think we may have a little music. I will play some accompaniments on the guitar and Josie can sing."
"That will seem a good deal like being back in the States," declared Adrian. "With the Stars and Stripes flying over my head, a brigade of American troops on guard and an American girl singing, I can almost forget I am on Mexican soil."
"How about the accompanist?" queried Billie.
"Oh!" laughed Adrian, "we're quite willing to adopt her. Hey, Donald?" ”

“ Santiago is too deep to have entrusted his secrets to a girl not yet out of her teens."
"You never can tell," remarked the lieutenant. "Men with a hobby do strange things. You'd better ride along with me to headquarters. I'd like to introduce you to General Funston. He's a man after your own hearts. You know how he went out and captured Aguinaldo when he was in the Philippines."
"I've read about it," replied Adrian. "It was a bold deed."
"Sure was," said Donald. "We'll be mighty glad to meet him." ”

“ In a few minutes he became more peaceful and continued:
"I have always been a great friend of the Americans. I admired their integrity and their government. I spent many years of my youth in the United States. I have known many of their great men. I was sure they would be pleased with Madero, and they were. But after he was betrayed, then I began to fear them, as I was told that the usurper, Huerta, had been helped by them."
"Who told you that?" asked Billie, almost without thinking.
"That man there," and Santiago pointed with his long bony finger at the mountebank, Strong. ”

“ He arose from his seat, and as he did so, Donald caught sight of his face. It was the mountebank, Strong, but in his stylish clothing Don had failed to recognize him.
"Great Scott!" he muttered to himself, "the plot thickens!"
"What's that?" queried the lieutenant, who caught the muttered exclamation.
"Nothing much," replied Donald as the three men walked toward a door in the farther end of the room and he was enabled to speak without being heard, "only that is the man I'm looking for. Let's get out of the window and see if we can't head him off." ”

“ Realizing that it must be an American craft, he shouted at the top of his voice.
At first there was no response, but as the boat came nearer and he shouted even more loudly, a friendly hail came over the waters.
"Where are you?" came the voice as the boat came to a stop.
"Here, to your port side," he replied.
The launch was started again slowly and Donald was soon able to make himself visible.
"Who are you?" was the first question pumped at him by the officer in command.
"Special messenger for Gen. Funston," was the response.
"Where is your uniform?"
"I'm not a soldier. I am a civilian." ”

“ You might a great deal better be governed by the United States than by a man like Huerta."
"Huerta! Huerta!" fairly screamed Santiago. "He is not the governor of Mexico."
"No," from Billie. "He calls himself the provisional [Pg 148] president. In reality he is a dictator."
"He is a murderer!" shouted the thoroughly excited man.
"Then what are you worrying about? All that the Americans want is to get rid of Huerta. They don't want Mexico. Didn't you know that, Santiago?"
"What? Who calls me Santiago? I am Ixtazhl, Prince of the Aztecs and guardian of the treasures of Montezuma. ”

“ The conductor regarded the boy with surprise.
"Do you mean you will join us to help capture the bandits?"
"What do you think we're here for?" asked Billie.
"Yes," chimed in Adrian. "What do you suppose we stopped the train for?"
"But even ten are no match for twenty or more," declared the guard.
"Of course they are," said Donald, "if the twenty are taken by surprise."
"Which they will not be if we don't act pretty quick," insisted Billie. "Come on! Let's go after them," and he climbed up onto the car.
"That's what I say," said Pedro, following Billie's example. ”

“ Billie hastened to lend a hand and in a short time the head of the ape appeared above the edge of the shaft. In his hand he held one end of a good-sized rope, which the mountebank took and tied around one of the stone pillars which supported the roof.
"Now, then," he said, "we are ready to descend into the old mine. Which one of you will go first?"
The boys looked at each other, but there was no reply until Donald asked:
"Why should we go down at all?"
"Why," was the somewhat quizzical reply, "to show your nerve." ”

“ Billie laughed softly.
"Say, stranger," he finally said. "I guess you never heard of the Broncho Rider Boys. We've got the nerve to do anything that any other human being dare do."
"Then we'll get rid of these bandits in short notice," declared the mountebank emphatically. "You are just the chaps I have been looking for."
He leaned over the mouth of the shaft and gave a shrill whistle.
In an instant all was silent below.
Half a minute later he repeated the whistle thrice. ”

“ Donald and Adrian cast an admiring gaze upon Lucia, who was now kneeling at her father's side.
"Well," said Adrian in an aside, "I don't see why you should object to that."
"Who said I objected?" demanded Billie. "It is the young woman who objects." ”

“ With face as white as marble at the shock he had just sustained, Strong obeyed implicitly and Billie was soon standing on the stone patio, looking Strong in the face.
"You're a good one, you are," he said sarcastically. "I should think you'd be ashamed to call yourself an American."
"What do you mean?" asked Strong in a trembling voice.
"Why, first of all, stealing from the bank, and then selling your own countrymen to the Mexicans."
"Who have I sold?"
"Do you mean to say that you didn't sell Gen. Funston to the greasers for ten thousand dollars?" ”

“ That single yell of their erstwhile prisoner [Pg 144] had aroused the Mexican pickets and from half a dozen directions came the sound of rifle shots and then the sound of a bugle calling to arms.
Even while Adrian was running toward the horses, the excitement had begun, and as the boys started on their homeward ride, a volley from the encamped forces sent the bullets whistling by their ears.
"This is no place for us!" cried Donald. "Don't be afraid to use the spur. It is our only chance." ”

“ If the Mexicans want to fight among themselves, let them. It's a family quarrel and you will only make matters worse by interfering. The time may come when these very men may prove your best friends."
"That's the advice I gave when we first discovered them to-day. I wish now we had all followed it."
"If we are not going to do anything," declared Adrian, "the quicker we get out of here the better."
"I consider that more good advice," laughed Billie, "especially as I am just reminded that I haven't had a bite to eat since noon. But I have no horse."
"That's easily remedied," replied Strong. ”

“ The captain shrugged his shoulders, but said nothing.
"You'll answer in just one minute, or you'll never have a chance to answer another question," said Donald, as he stood with drawn sword, while Billie covered the captain with his revolver.
"Would you murder an unarmed man?" asked the captain.
"I wouldn't consider it murder. Answer."
The look in Donald's eyes was not to be mistaken.
"Gen. Maas is in command of Vera Cruz," the captain said.
"Good. I think I see it all. If it is decided not to accede to the ultimatum, it is proposed to hold the train load as hostages." ”

“ Where do you suppose he can be?"
"He may be hiding back in the woods, just as we are."
"Well," said the corporal, "now that we know where the greasers are, what's the matter of going forward?"
"No matter at all," replied Adrian. "We can easily bear away to the left and give them the shake, but I don't know what to do about the others."
"The others will have to look out for themselves," replied Brooks. "They are able to do it."
The words had hardly left his lips ere there came the sound of a single shot away to the left.
"There they are!" cried Billie. "Come on!" ”

“ Billie shut off his electric torch and waited.
Then on the steps there appeared a foot, then another, until a whole human body was in sight. Then "click, snap!" and the light disappeared.
"By George!" exclaimed Billie under his breath, "there's a man on the stairs right opposite to me. Who on earth can it be?"
His first inclination was to turn on the light, but on second thought he decided not to.
"I'll let him set the copy," thought Billie. "It's a mighty good thing to be able to spring the surprise." ”