Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1907-05-10
> THE RED =,
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> L K A IL :,


II was hence, with we'll promising ar
uor that they rose on receiving their
cnlefs command and prepared under his
directions to dig the trench which was
intended to protect them from a sur
PRISE. This trench was to be bordered
oy line of tall stakes, running across
the open space between the rocks. which
gave the sole access to the terrace.
AT the moment when the leader pro-
ceded with several poems armed with picks
ana spades toward the entrance, with the
probable intention of marking the exact
spot where the trench was to be dug, the
capataz approached, and said with a re-
spectful bow:
MI amo, 1 have an important commu-
nlcatlon to make to you
His master turned and looked at him
with lll-concealed distrust.
An important communication to make
to me?' he repeated
yes"
What is it? Speak, but be brief"
i have discovered a grotto."
WHAT" his master exclaimed. in sur
prise.
Yes, excellency."
'Where?"
There" he said, stretching out his
| arm; behind that mass of rocks"
A suspicious look flashed from behind
his masters eyelashes.
well, we will enter it together. Fetch
some torches of ocote wood, and show
us the way. By the by, do not forget to
bring weapons, for we know not what
| men or beasts we may find in caverns
| thus OOQniDp on q hiph road -
The Mexican selected six of his poems.
on whose courage he thought he could
| rely, ordered them to take their muskets.
and, bidding the others keep good watch,
but not begin anything until he returned,
he made signal to the capataz that he
was ready to follow him. Carnero had
followed the arrangements made by his
master with an evil eye, but probably did
not deem it prudent to risk any remark,
for he silently bowed his head, and walk
| ed toward the pile of rocks that masked
| the entrance of the grotto.
These granite blocks, piled one on top
| of the other, did not appear, however to
| have been brought there by accident, but,
on the contrary, they appeared to have
| belonged in some early and remote age to
clumsy but substantial edifce.
''It would not be prudent" said the
chief, ito venture without precautions
into this cavern. Prepare your arms, mu-
chachos, and keep your eyes open; at the
| slightest suspicious sound, or the small
est object that appears, fire. Capataz,
| light the torches"
The latter obeyed without a word the
leader of the caravan assured himself at
| a glance that his orders had been prop
erly carried out; then taking his pistols
| from his belt, he cooked them, took one
III each hand, and said to Carnero:
'Take the lead. 1t is only just that
you should do the honors of this place
which you so unexpectedly discovered
| Forward, you others, and be on your
| guard"
| The eight men went into the cavern at
the heels of the capataz, who raised the
torches above his head, doubtless in order
| to cast greater light.
| They thus reached a rather large hall,
into which several passages opened. All
at once the leader stopped and listened.
Listen" he said to the capataz, do
you not hear something"
The latter bent his body slightly for
ward and remained motionless for some
seconds.
81 do" he said, drawing himself up,
ut sounds like distant thunder"
SIS it not? or, perhaps, the rolling of
subterranean waters"
81 can swear that you are right. 1t
would be a piece of luck for us to find
water in the cave for it would add great
ly to our security, as we should not be
obliged to lead our horses, perhaps, long
distance to drink.
II will assure myself at once of the
truth The noise proceeds from that pas
sage, so let us follow it. AS for our
men, they can wait here; we have nothing
to fear now, for if the pirates or the
Indians are ambushed to surprise us, they
would not have waited so long before
doing so, and hence the assistance of our
poems is unnecessary"
The capataz shook his head doubtfully.
Hum" he said, ''the Indians are very
clever. I believe it would be more pru-
dent to let the poems accompany u.s."
Nonsense" said his master, sit is I'M
necessary; we are two resolute and we'll
armed men we have nothing to fear I
tell you"
They then entered the passage. 1t was
very narrow, and ran downward a steep
incline The further they proceeded the
more distinct the sound of water became;
it was evident that at a very short dis
lance from the spot where they were, per-
haps but a few steps, there ran one Of
those subterranean streams so frequently
found in natural caverns.
All at once, without being warned by
the slightest sound, the leader of the cara
van felt himself seized round the waist,
his torch snatched roughly from his hand,
and extinguished against a rock, and him
self thrown down and securely bound, be-
fore he was able to attempt the slightest
resistance, so sudden and we'll calculated
had the attack been. Carnero had been
thrown down at the same time as his
master, and bound.
"Cowards, demons ~ the Mexican yell
ed, ''show yourselves, at least, so that
may know with whom have to deal"
Silence! Gen. Don Sebastian Guer-
zero, resign yourself to your fate, for you
have fallen into the power of men who
will not liberate you"
IS