The Savannah morning news., 1902-06-22


luck in stubbing your toe sometimes.
OF course, it may be that when they
find we've come down here, they'll
make a break to get away with the
gold. 1 don't think that's likely,
though. They'll understand that we'd
follow 'em in that case, so it would
be bound to come to showdown,
sooner or later, with the chances per-
haps not as good for them as they
are now. If they can wipe us out and
plant US down here, who's to be the
wiser? Colds no use unless you're
in place to spend it, and if we reach
the telegraph, we could post every
town in the land. Besides, they must
have some bad feelings over this.
We've peppered 'em hot. Stands to
reason they want to hurt us back
again. No; tomorrow we're in for it
sure. Amt their any more guns nor
cartridges nor anything among us?
Search your pockets-you might find
something"
1.-THE first time I've been separated
from my gun in five years was last
night" said Pete, between his teeth.
Took it apart to clean it, and there
it is in the cave"
"Well, don't that beat original sin?"
said Capt. Perkins Nobody got any
thlng?''
We had nothing. Pockets turned in
side out brought forth no weapon.
TOO bad" said the captain; but no
help for it. Now, let's get some stones
between us and the sea-"
Until the light of morning we worked,
piling up bolders into a fort. On the
top of the wall we had loose stones to
roll down on our adversarieS If they
attempted to climb over, beside heaps
of smaller stones to throw, here and
there. For so rough a defence, it was a
good one. The only danger lay in their
gaining the walls. In that case our
fort would protect them. OF course,
we could not have held out long against
determined men, but from what we had
seen of Santiago's friends fighting
quality, we felt sure it would be a
succession of rushes, easily repulsed or
not. just as our fortunes happened good
or bad.
Hist, lads!" warned the captain, sud
denly. There comes somebody out of
the cave"
We were far enough around the bend
of the co. of Bahai del ORC to be able
to see partially into the cave mouth.
We instantly dropped to the ground
and peeked between the stones.
Pete said the crawling figure was
Santiago himself. and that he had a
rife in his hand.
We watched him f1atten himself
against the protecting cliff and slowly
make his way toward a crack in the
rocks that led to the bench above the
cave.
That's what I was afraid of last
night" chucl1led the captain. San
tiago knows his business, he does; only
1 saw it first"
Springing to his feet, now that he was
out of range from where he thought
we lay, the half-breed went hand over
hand up the crack like a monkey.
The venemous way he threw his gun
to his shoulder on reaching the top
proved what we might expect at his
hands-it sent a cold flash over me.
But his surprise when he found no one
to shoot was ludicrous to see. Evil
IDENTIFY we had fooled him completely.
A cunning animal was Santiago, but no
more than an animal. after all. He
stood stock STILL his face fiat with
wonder.
Nail him, Captain! Bore him,
quickl" whispered Pete, aquiver with
ferocity. The captain hesitated. You
could see by his look he was battling
with himself. What power that malig-
nant, treacherous Spaniard- Indian had
over the captains strong, simple, hon
est nature was a mystery. Yet it was
there. The captain did not want to
shoot at Santiago.
Here, you try he replied. handing
the rifle to Pete. At that instant San
tiago realized the morning air might
be unhealthy for one in his exposed po-
sition. With the agility of a circus
acrobat he dropped again into the
crack. then rushed across the strip of
beach to the cave at speed that ridi-
culed shooting.
Our golden chance was gone. Ger
tainly he had been an easy mark for
the captain, and as certainly, if he had
fallen the others would have given up
the struggle.
We made no secret of our angry dis
appointment; the Captain crimsoned to
his ear tops, but held his peace.
Il think we had better eat, boys.
while we have a chance" he said to
be clear of the subject.
We got some canned goods out of the
boat, and with some coffee essence di-
luted in spring water from the foot of
the cliff we made our breakfast, eat
ing in sullen silence. You must remem-
Der that while we now behaved our
selves with some spirit. yet the fear of
death lay strong and cold at the bot
tom of all our thoughts. l never can
forget the exquisite joy that thrilled
me when | saw Santiago at our mer-
cy, nor the pang at watching him es-
cape. l felt no more mercy toward
that wretch than / would TO a mad
dog. II took the hope out of us that he
had gone unframed.
Captain Perkins tried 10 make some
talk about this and that. but received
only short answers. For awhile he
stood this treatment, and then he
brought rs TO, with the force OF a
strong man.
Enough OF this pouting" he said
"We're an IN the same boat-if l didn't
do right. ] risk my own hide as we'll
as the next mans It's time We did
something but growi an each other
now J want No more Of g." he heav-
81 his shoulders back as he spoke, and
threw his eye around the group. n
was in Pete's mind % make a hot re-
ply. az the sharpness Of bic face Wit
messed. buf before We had the miaf0r-
tune Of war in our own ranks, sam