Jack North's Treasure Hunt Part 18

Breathless and exhausted by his almost superhuman effort, Jack sank down upon the hard rocks, where he had stood at the fateful moment.

Plum Plucky, further up the broken pathway, stood in silent awe, while the Peruvians looked on from their perches on the mountain side with bulging eyes and chattering teeth.

The only creatures which seemed unconcerned were the oxen which had been so narrowly threatened, as they quietly chewed their cuds, while they blinked their big, soft-lighted eyes. Plum was the first to speak.

"Jiminey whack, Jack! but you've done it."

"It was my only chance to save the oxen and the other load," said Jack, rising to feet. "Better save half a loaf than to lose it all, you know.

Simply couldn't turn it into the rocks."

"But I don't see how you could think of it. I was scart, I ain't ashamed to own. I'll bet that other is smashed into kindling wood."

Jack was already looking over the precipice after the lost wagon, saying in a minute or so:

"It has come out better than I should have expected, though it will do us no further good. It has lodged among some trees and rocks, and I do not believe a wheel has been broken."

"That's so, Jack, though I reckon it don't make any difference to us. But if 'em rocks don't start to grow it's 'cause the nitrate ain't any good, for the stuff is sowed all over the Andes."

"It is pretty well scattered, that is a fact. But come, boys, we must hitch on the other oxen, and see if the double team can pull this load to the top."

Though the loss of one of his wagons and a portion of his nitrate, which had cost him so much to get so far, was felt keenly by Jack, he showed his indomitable will by immediately giving his attention toward carrying out the work of crossing the ridge.

The remaining load proved an easy burden for the united teams, and in a few minutes the heavy wagon was moving slowly up the path, the loud commands of the Peruvian drivers echoing up and down the valley with somewhat startling effect.

"As soon as we get to the summit," said Jack to Plum, "you and I will go back and see if there is not some way to save the other wagon, even at the sacrifice of its load."

"I s'pose we might throw off what nitrate there is left on it, and by hitching together all the chains and ropes we have--"

"I wonder what is wrong now," exclaimed Jack, for the team had again stopped, though the wagon was not more than its length from the summit. To the drivers he shouted:

"Drive up a little further, so the wagon will stand without--"

Loud, angry cries stopped him in the midst of his speech.

Anxious to know what had caused another interruption in the advance, he hurried forward, to meet a most unexpected sight.

Drawn up in front of the team in the narrow path was a squad of Chilian soldiers, or bushwhackers, more properly speaking, for he knew they did not belong to the regular army.

The Peruvians were cowering by the side of the wagon and cattle, muttering over something in their native tongue which our hero did not understand.

"Ho, there, soldiers!" he called out, in his best Spanish, "what does this mean?"

"It means if you don't get out of our path, Americanos, we will hew you down!"

"Don't be too fast, senor captain," Jack made bold to say, "this path is one of my own making, though if you will allow me to get my team to the--"

"Pitiful dog!" cried the Chilian, "Captain de Costa commands you to clear his way without any insulting words."

Jack saw that it would be worse than useless to have any words with this imperious Chilian, who in his petty command felt more arrogant than a king on this throne. Accordingly he began in a respectful tone:

"If Captain de Costa will kindly allow us to drive to the summit we shall be able--"

"Americano dog! will you surrender?"

By this time the Peruvians had taken to their heels, and Jack and Plum stood alone in front of the pompous captain and legion.

Jack's first thought was to boldly refuse the demand, knowing the other had no business to interfere with him, and to make such a resistance as he and his companion could. But single-handed, against such odds, he knew it would be folly.

"If you please, Captain de Costa, we two are but peaceful American boys, both of us engaged--"

"Will you surrender?" thundered the Chilian, advancing with uplifted sword, as if he would carry out his threat of hewing him down.

"We are offering no resistance to you, senor captain. If you will allow us to--"

At a motion from the Chilian leader his soldiers leaped forward, and Jack and Plum were quickly made prisoners.

The order was then given for the lads to be intrusted to a portion of troops under the command of a sergeant, and then the march down the pathway toward the nearest town was begun.

The last Jack saw of his team it was still standing just over the brow of the height, the patient oxen chewing their cuds as unconcerned as if the fortunes and the lives of their owners were not in the least endangered.

"What is going to be the end of this?" asked Plum, as they were marched along side by side.

"It is impossible to tell. I do not think it will be best for us to have much to say to each other if we wish to keep together. We must keep our eyes open for a chance to escape."

Plum taking the hint, the friends walked along in silence until the journey seemed without end.

The soldiers kept up a continual run of conversation, Jack catching enough to know that the Chilian forces were gaining successes wherever they met the Peruvians. He also learned that the army of Bolivia was now their greatest concern, and that the latter was then on a march over the Andes to meet them.

At nightfall a halt was made under a spur of the mountains, but before the sun had tipped with gold the crest of the distant Andes the weary journey was resumed.

That day about noon they came in sight of a little up-country town, which the prisoners soon learned was known as Santa Rosilla. Its long, narrow streets bore a deserted appearance, save for the motley-coated soldiers pa.s.sing to and fro, as if on guard.

The town bore every sign of a recent siege, while the indications were as strong that the inhabitants had been completely routed and killed or driven back into the mountains by their conquerors.

Straight down the grand plaza marched the soldiers with their captives, making their way toward the casa consistorial, or town house, above which flapped in the sleepy breeze the flag of Chili.

The door of the town house, which bore the marks of many bullets, was off its hinges, but the rooms within were secure enough for all prisoners of war that might fall into their hands in that isolated district, and thither our twain were marched.

To their delight, which they were careful to conceal, they were put into a room together, though under a strong guard.

"Looks so we were in for it," said Plum, after they had been left by themselves for an hour or more.

"It was a hard set-back to my plans," said Jack.

"I wonder what they will do with us," ventured Plum, expressing the thought uppermost in our hero's mind.

"From what I have overheard I should judge we were likely to be shot at the first opportunity."