The Tiger Hunter Part 25

"Is that the secret of your courage, Costal--of which you give so many proofs?"

"Yes, and no," replied the Indian. "Danger attracts me, as your body would attract the sharks. It is an instinct which I follow--not a bravado. Another reason, perhaps, gives me courage. I seek to avenge in Spanish blood the a.s.sa.s.sination of my forefathers. What care I for the political emanc.i.p.ation of you Creoles? But it is not of this I wish to speak now. Look yonder! Do you see anything down there?"

A strange object just then came under the eyes of Lantejas, which caused him to make a movement of superst.i.tious terror. Costal only smiled, while gazing calmly upon the object.

A dark human-like form, with a sort of tufted hair hanging loosely over its head, had emerged from the water, and was supporting itself by his two arms upon the beach--as if resting there like some bather fatigued with swimming.

"What is it?" inquired Lantejas in a troubled tone--the more so that a plaintive whine seemed to proceed from this singular object, which, with somewhat of the form of a woman, had nothing human in its voice.

"A _manatee_," responded Costal; "an amphibious creature we call _pesca-mujer_--that is, half-fish, half-woman. Dare you stand face to face with a creature still more human-like in form--ah! more perfect than any human creature?"

"What do you mean?" inquired Lantejas.

"Senor Captain Don Cornelio," continued the Indian, "you who are so brave in the face of the enemy--"

"Hum!" interrupted Lantejas with an embarra.s.sed air, "the bravest has his moments of weakness, do you see?"

An avowal of his want of courage--though on certain occasions the ex-student of theology was not lacking this quality--was upon the tongue of Lantejas, when Costal interrupted him with a rejoinder--

"Yes, yes. You are like Clara--although a little braver than he, since he has not had such an opportunity to cultivate an acquaintance with the tigers, as you. Well, then, if you were to see down on the beach yonder, in place of the manatee, a beautiful creature rise up out of the deep--a beautiful woman with dishevelled locks--her long hair dripping and s.h.i.+ning with the water, and she singing as she rose to the surface; and were you to know that this woman, although visible to your eyes, was only a spirit, only of air--what would you do?"

"A very simple thing," answered the ex-student, "I should feel terribly afraid."

"Ah! then I have nothing more to say to you," replied the Indian, with an air of disappointment. "For a certain object I had in view, I was in search of a comrade, one with more courage than Clara. I must content myself with the negro. I expected that you--never mind--we need not talk any more about the matter."

The Indian did not add a single word; and the officer, whose fears were excited by the half-confidences of his companion, was silent also. Both awaiting to hear the sounds of the attack upon the castle, continued to gaze upon the vast mysterious ocean, in which the luminous tracks of the sharks and the dark body of the manatee alone animated its profound solitude.

They were thus seated in silence, with their eyes wandering over the dark blue surface of the water, when all at once the manatee was heard to plunge under the waves, uttering a melancholy cry as it went down.

Just then the loud booming of a cannon drowned the voice of the amphibious creature.

"The castle is taken!" cried Lantejas.

"No," replied Costal, "on the contrary, Pepe Gago has betrayed us. I fear our General has been tricked."

Several discharges of cannon followed on the instant, confirming Costal's surmise; and the two men, hastening to leave their dangerous post by the bridge of Hornos, retreated towards a narrow defile called the _Ojo de Agua_. There they saw the Mexican detachment scattered, and in full retreat towards their encampment. A man standing in the middle of the path was trying to intercept their flight.

"Cowards!" cried he, "will you pa.s.s over the body of your general?"

Many halted, and, returning, made an attack upon the works of the citadel. But it was to no purpose: the gate was too well defended; and a discharge of grape had the effect not only of terrifying the a.s.sailants, but also killed several of their number.

Morelos now saw that he had been betrayed, and caused the retreat to be sounded. It was the first check he had experienced during a victorious career of months.

The day had not yet dawned, when two men were seen advancing from the direction of the insurgent camp toward the bridge of Los Hornos. One of these men was Costal, but this time he was accompanied by Clara the negro. The resin candle still burned within the lantern, but giving out a more feeble light, as the first streaks of day began to succeed to the darkness of night.

"You see that lantern, Clara?" said Costal, pointing out the glimmering light to his companion. "You know what it was hung there for: since I have just told you. But you haven't yet heard the vow I have taken against the traitor who has so played with us. I shall tell you now."

And Costal proceeded to disclose to his old camarado the oath he had registered against Pepe Gago.

"Devil take me!" said Clara in reply, "if I can see how you will ever be able to fulfil your vow."

"No more do I," rejoined Costal, "but as I have promised Pepe Gago that he should not forget the lantern on the bridge of Los Hornos, and as I am determined he shall have a sight of it now and then, to keep his memory awake, I don't see why I should leave it here to be picked off by the first comer. At all events, it is no longer needed as a signal."

Saying this, the Indian took down the lantern from the post, and blew out the light.

"Here, Clara," he continued, "help me to make a hole. I intend hiding it--so that I can get it again, whenever I may want it."

The two men kneeling down, and using the blades of their knives, soon carved out a hollow place, in which Costal deposited the lamp still containing the resin candle.

"Now, friend Clara," said the Indian, as soon as they had covered it in, "sit down here, and let us try if we can't think of some way to capture this castle, as well as the _picaro_ who is within it."

"Willingly, I will," answered the black; and seating themselves side by side, the two a.s.sociates commenced with all due gravity their important deliberation.

CHAPTER THIRTY THREE.

THE ISLE OF ROQUETA.

While thus on the summit of the _Voladero de los Hornos_ the Indian Costal and the negro Clara were debating between themselves how the castle might be captured--the same subject was being discussed by two persons of more importance in the tent of the insurgent general. These were Morelos himself, and Don Hermenegildo Galeana--now usually styled the "Marshal," to distinguish him from another Galeana, his own nephew, who was also an officer in the insurgent army.

The countenance of Morelos had not yet cast off the shadow caused by the failure of their a.s.sault upon the castle; and his garments were still soiled with dust, which, under the agitation of violent pa.s.sions, he disdained to wipe off.

The brow of the Marshal was also clouded; but that was rather by reflecting the unpleasant thoughts that were troubling the spirit of his well-beloved General: for no care of his own ever darkened the countenance of the warlike Galeana.

A chart of the bay and roadstead of Acapulco lay upon the table before them, illuminated by two candles, whose light was every moment becoming paler, as the day began to break into the tent.

They had been for some time engaged in discussing the important matter in question. The Marshal had been endeavouring to press upon the General the necessity of at least capturing the town: since the troops were not only badly provided with tents and other equipage, but were in such a position among the burning sands, that it was difficult to transport provisions to the camp. Moreover, the situation on the river's bank was exceedingly unhealthy; and fever was daily thinning the ranks, and prostrating some of their best soldiers. The Marshal urged, that, once inside the town, they would at least be better lodged, while many other evils might be avoided. The town could not hold out against a determined a.s.sault. It might be, carried by a _coup de main_.

"I know all that, my dear Marshal," said Morelos, in reply to the arguments of Galeana; "we can easily take the town, but the castle will still hold out, provisioned as it can always be through this unfortunate isle of Roqueta, with which the garrison is able to keep up a constant communication."

The isle in question lay in the roadway of Acapulco, two short leagues from the town. There was a small fort upon it, with a Spanish garrison; and at the anchorage connected with this fort the Spanish s.h.i.+ps, occasionally arriving with supplies for the fortress, could discharge their cargoes, to be afterwards transported to the castle in boats.

"Let us first capture Roqueta, then?" suggested Galeana.

"I fear the enterprise would be too perilous," replied Morelos; "we have scarce boats enough to carry sixty men--besides, the isle is two leagues out to sea; and just at this season storms may be looked for every hour--to say nothing of a mere handful of men landing to attack a strong garrison behind their entrenchments."

"We can take them by surprise," continued the intrepid _Mariscal_.

"Leave it to me, General; I care not for the danger. In the glory of your name I shall undertake to capture La Roqueta."

"A perilous enterprise!" repeated Morelos, half in soliloquy. "Yes, friend Galeana," continued he, once more addressing himself to his Marshal, "although you have taught me to believe in the success of any enterprise you may undertake, this is really of such a nature as to require serious consideration."

"Never fear for the result, Senor General! I promise to capture the isle on one condition."

"What is it?"

"That as soon as you see my signal, announcing that I have mastered the garrison of Roqueta, you will take the town of Acapulco. Your Excellency will agree to that?"