Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1914-10-09
CHAPTER Xlll-Continued.

IL was slow work; slower than the,
mad thought, and tho gang OF Mexi
cans that they had hired for mucker,
were mnrvels Of ineptitude. Left L
themselves, they accomplished moth
Ing. since each problem they encoun
tered seemed to present to them some
element of insuperable difficulty, tc
solve which they either went into eau
~ or waited for tho boss.
To the Mexicans of Sonora Bernardo
bravo was the reconciliation of all
the malevolent qualities-he being a
bandit chief who had turned first gen
eral and then rebel under Madero-
and the fact hat he had at last been
driven out OF Chihuahua and therefore
over into Sonora, made his malevo-
lence all tho more imminent.
Undoubtedly, somewhere over to the
east. where tho Sierras lowered like a
blue wall. Bernardo and his outlaw
followers were gathering for a raid,
and the raid would bring death to So
nora
He was a bad man, this Bernardo
Bravo, and II half Of the current sto-
ries were true, he killed men when
ever they failed to give him money
and was never too hurried to take a
fair daughter of the country up behind
him. provided she took his fancy.
Yes, surely he was a bad man-but
that did not clear away the rock.
For the first week Phil took charge
OF the gang, urging. directing and Ca
Joling them. and the work went mer-
rily on. though rather slowly. The
Mexicans liked to work for Don Feline
~ was so polite and spoke such good
Spanish; but at the end of the week
1t developed that Bud could get more
results out OF them.
Every time Phil started to explain
anything to ono Mexican all the 9th.
ers stopped to listen to him, and that
TOOK time. But Buds favorite way of
directing n man was by grunts and
signs and bending his own back to
the task. Also, he refused to under
stand Spanish, and cut off all long.
@inded explanations and suggestions
by an impatient motion to go to work.
which the trabajadores obeyed with
shrugs and grins.
So Don Felipe turned powderman
and blacksmith. sharpening up the
drills at the little forge they had fash.
Toned and loading the holes with dy-
Mantle when 1t became necessary IN
break a rock, while Bud bossed the
unwilling Mexicans.
In an old tunnel behind their font
they set a heavy gate, and behind Il
they stored their precious powder.
Then came the portable forge and the
blacksmith shop, just inside the mouth
OF the cave, and the tent backed IN
against 1t for protection, For II there
Is any n thing, mex to horses. that
the rebels are wont to steal. II ia
giant powder to blow up culverts with
or to lay IN the counters OF timoroua
country merchants and brighten them
tnto making contributions.
AS for their horses, Bud kent them
bel'ed and hobbled, close to the housa
and no one ever saw him without his
gun. In the morning, when he got up.
he took 1t from under his pillow and
hung II on his belt. and there II
stayed until bedtime.
He also kept a sharp watch on the
trail, above and below, and what few
men did pass through we're conscious
OF his eye. Therefore 1t was all the
more surprising when, one day. look.
ing up suddenly from heaving AT n
great rock, he saw the big Yaqui sol
der, Amigo, gazing down at him from
the cut bank.
Yes, II was the same man, but with
a dhference-his rifle and cartridge
belts were absent and his clothes were
torn by the brush. But the same
~good-natured, competent smile was
there, and after a few words with Bud
he leaped nimbly down the bank and
laid hold upon the rock. They pulled
together, and the boulder that had
baked Buds gang Of Mexicans moved
easily for the two Of them.
Then Amigo seized a crowbar and
slipped 1t into a Granny and showed
them a few things about moving rocks,
For half ar hour or more he worked
along, seemingly bent on displaying
his skill, then he sat down on the
bank and watched the Mexicans with
Tolerant halfAmused eyes