CHAPTER X
INTO THE ENEMY'S COUNTRY
Harry called Bert and Mason and explained the situation to them. Bothwere eager to accompany the expedition on shore. Washington was busyforward when the boys joined him. He had gathered and piled up under therail a supply of guns and ammunition sufficient to arm a company of men.He had made good use of the few minutes the boys had occupied indressing, for a small boat already lay alongside the steamer. Harrysurmised that the men, who were all exceedingly fond of their commander,had assisted Washington in order that he might set out to give what aidhe could to Captain Dynamite. There was scarcely a man among them buthad made several voyages with him, and they well knew the danger thatattended a journey through that part of the island, and the fate thatawaited their chief if he should fall into the hands of the Spaniards.The mate was still in close conference with Captain Morgan, and eitherintentionally, or because of his preoccupation, paid no attention to thepreparations of the little expedition.
"What are you going to do with all those guns?" asked Harry, as hesurveyed the pile.
"May be some big shooting," replied Washington, nodding his head,wisely. "More guns, more shooting."
"But how are we to carry that arsenal? If I am not mistaken travellinghereabouts is not the easiest thing in the world, and we shall want aslittle to hamper as possible."
"I guess young gemman right," said Washington, looking regretfully atthe heap of guns.
"Let us each take a gun and a pistol----"
"And machete--machete," interrupted the negro, his eyes bulging, whilehe swung his arm as if wielding one of the short Cuban swords.
"All right, Washington, machete if you choose. They may do to cut ourway through the underbrush."
"Cut way through Spaniard," said Washington, still waving his armexcitedly.
"You can do all that kind of cutting, George Wash Jenks. Perhaps youwould prefer a razor."
"No, machete."
"All right; machete it is, and I hope you will find something to use iton and work off some of that cutting energy."
They then each selected from the supply of arms a rifle, pistol, and allthe ammunition they could comfortably carry. They lowered them into thesmall boat and were about to climb in when Harry stopped them.
"What about food, Washington?" he asked. "We'd better tote some along, Ithink."
With his usual energy, Harry had naturally taken command of theexpedition.
"How much of a tramp is it to where Captain Dynamite is going?"
"Captain Dynamite go to Gomez--Gomez at Cubitas."
"That does not mean anything to us. How far is it from here to Cubitasand how long will it take us to reach it?"
"'Bout two days."
"All right. Now Washington, you get some ship biscuit, dried beef, andcoffee from your stock in the galley and we will each carry our ownrations. I guess we can get through on that grub for two days."
"And ah guess a leetle lasses for coffee, Misser Harry," pleaded thenegro.
"How under the sun are you going to carry molasses, Washington? I guessyou will have to take your coffee black and without sweetening."
"Never was such a musser at guessing," murmured Washington, as he turnedinto the galley. He soon reappeared with the rations, four oilskinjackets, and a coffee pot. They divided the food and each bundled uphis supply in an oil skin and tied the package on his back. They werenow ready to begin their journey, and one by one they silently slippedover the side and dropped into the boat below.
"Washington, you take the tiller," said Harry. "You know the way."
"Yas, sah."
"Do you know where to make a landing in the dark?"
"George Wash Jenks knows every inch of the coast hereabouts with himeyes shut."
"All right then. You get up in the bow, Midget, and keep a lookoutahead. Bert and I will row. It's not more than three hundred feet to theshore."
The boys bent to the oars and the little boat shot across the narrowstreak of starlit water into the shadow of the rugged shore.
"Stop!" whispered Mason quickly, when they were within a few feet of thebeach. The boys backed water and brought the boat up within her ownlength.
"What is it?" asked Harry, anxiously.
"There's a man on shore with a gun aimed plumb at us," replied Davis,pointing into the darkness ahead.
"Him one of Misser Morgan's men," said Washington. "Him all right, ahguess, maybe."
The boys started to row again when a loud command from shore made themrest on their oars with great dispatch.
"Halt, or I'll fire."
The words came out of the darkness in deep, determined tones. The boyscould dimly distinguish the form of a man standing on a little bluffabove them, with his rifle aimed with disturbing accuracy directly attheir boat.
"We are friends from the _Mariella_," called Harry, "and are on our wayto join Captain Dynamite."
"Captain Dynamite passed through the lines half an hour ago. He said hewas travelling alone."
"Yes, that's right," answered Harry. "He thinks he is, but we want tohelp him. Let us come ashore and I will explain to you."
"Halt, or I fire," again came the command.
"Don't you think we better go back, Hal?" whispered Mason, who hadcrouched down in the bow out of the way of a stray bullet. "I don't caremuch for this real gun business. It's too exciting for my constitution."
"Don't you understand," persisted Harry, "that we are friends of CaptainDynamite and the cause?"
"Friends of the cause will give the countersign," said the voice in thesame even tone.
"Washington, you ought to know the countersign," whispered Harry to thenegro, who had listened to the conversation with open mouth. He shookhis head as if he did not comprehend.
"You know--the word that tells people that you are a friend of Cuba."
"O, dats de password--suah." Washington grinned with joy.
"Well, the password then; what is it?"
"Ah guess it is 'Independencia.'"
"I hope you have guessed right this time."
"Not such a mucher," murmured Washington, deprecatingly.
"Independencia," repeated Harry, loud enough for the man on shore tohear.
"Advance friends," said the sentinel, quickly lowering his gun.
The party landed without further opposition and found instead of oneman, whose form they had been able to distinguish from the boat, ten ora dozen more a few feet back from the shore, squatting around a smallfire, the light of which was masked by a thick growth of underbrush.They were all dark-skinned men with heavy growths of black beard. Theylooked up without displaying any particular interest as the boyslanded, but the sentinel who had challenged them came forward and heldout his hand in greeting. He was undoubtedly an American.
"Glad to see any one who speaks English," he said, as Harry approachedand took his offered hand. "What are you boys doing here?"
"That's a long story," replied Harry, smiling. "Briefly, though, CaptainDynamite ran down our sail boat while we were sailing off Martha'sVineyard, picked us out of the water and brought us along whether wewould or no."
"And where are you going now?"
"To join Captain Dynamite. He may need our assistance."
The man smiled.
"I am afraid you will be more likely to need his if you persist in yourpurpose," he said.
"That, of course, is a matter of opinion," replied Harry, drawinghimself up indignantly. "And to return the compliment may I ask what youare doing in Cuba?"
"Certainly," laughed the man. "I came with Morgan. We are soldiers offortune."
"Then you are not a patriot?"
"Not exactly. I believe in the cause and I also believe that we willeventually win."
"And then you expect your reward?"
"That's what we are fighting here for."
"Sort of playing with fortune," chimed in Mason.
"Not exactly--sort of throwing dice with fate."
"Well, come
on, fellows," said Harry. "We are losing time and lettingthe captain get more of a lead on us."
"So you are determined to go on?"
"I see no reason yet to turn back," replied Harry.
"But you do not know the country and its dangers."
"We have a good guide," said Harry, pointing to Washington.
The man leaned forward and peered in the darkness at the negro.
"Why, it's George Wash Jenks," he said in surprise. "Captain Dynamite'sman. How are you, Wash?"
"Ah guess ah's all right, sah."
"Still guessing I see, Wash."
"Not such a mucher, sah," the negro grinned broadly.
"Well boys, you are right about your guide. You can't go wrong aroundhere while Wash is with you. Good luck to you. You will have to travelfast to catch up to Dynamite though. He was making express time andwould not even stop to shake hands. All I could get out of him was:'Gomez--I must get to Gomez.' Nothing wrong, is there?"
"No, nothing--nothing that concerns the cause. Good-bye. Come on,Washington."
Harry turned and started into the brush.
"Not that way, Misser Harry," called Washington. "We keep by the shore apiece yet. Never get no further than six feet in there, ah guess."
He turned along the narrow beach below an overhanging bluff. For half anhour they hugged the shore.
"Did the captain come this way do you think, Washington?" asked Harry.
"Don't guess this time, Misser Harry. No other way to come."
So far the going had been comparatively easy. They had to now and thenclamber over jagged points of rocks that made out into the sea, and inthe darkness they several times stumbled and fell, but no one was muchhurt. Most of the way, however, had been along the sandy beach. NowWashington stopped and seemed to be looking for something. He peered outinto the darkness over the sea and then shook his head. Then he steppedback toward the water and looked up at the skyline of the quickly risinginland country.
"Lost the trail?" enquired Harry, after he had watched the negro'smovements for some time in silence.
"Not lost 'em, Misser Harry. Tryin' to find 'em. Big tree on leetleisland. Can't see 'em." He pointed out over the sea where he had beengazing. Then he turned and pointed inland. "Big tree there. Can see himall right."
The boys looked up to where he pointed over the land and saw a largepalm rising high above its fellows and clearly marked against the sky.It resembled the two big trees that had guided Captain Dynamite inmaking the entrance to the hidden lagoon. Evidently Washington wassearching for some spot that was to be discovered by bringing the bigtree on shore and the now invisible one on the island into line.
"George Wash Jenks, he find 'em. Don't worry 'bout dat," he said, as hewalked about five feet to the right and then faced about and approachedthe bluff, which at this point was twenty feet high and thickly grownwith brush and low entangling plants. He fumbled around among the vinesand then turning to the boys called: "All right now."
As Harry came up he pointed at the bluff and then pulling aside theunderbrush began to slowly work his way inward. The boys followed him.The branches scratched their faces and the ground vines clung to theirfeet. They were entering a narrow cleft in the hill which was filledwith rank vegetation.
"Keep a pushin'," said Washington. "Not so bad when we get in leetlemore."
They struggled on for about one hundred feet when the brush became lessthick and finally they reached a narrow lane that had been hewed andtrampled through the high growth. Their progress now became easier andwith Washington in the lead they pushed ahead rapidly. They had madetheir way about half a mile inland when out of the brush came a voicethat brought them to a standstill with a start.
"Alto! Quien Va?"
"Dat another Misser Morgan's men," whispered Washington.
"Independencia," said Harry, when he had recovered his breath, for thechallenge coming unexpectedly from one concealed by the darkness and thebushes was somewhat startling. There was a low reply in Spanish and theyproceeded without molestation.
About every half a mile a mysterious voice challenged them, but thecountersign secured for them uninterrupted progress. Through the waningnight they pushed on, until the light in the sky told them that day wasbreaking. Then Washington stopped. He had scarcely spoken since theytook the trail.
"Missers," he said, as they halted, "better have breakfast now."
"Can we light a fire here safely?"
"Yes, now; not bime bye."
They unslung their improvised knapsacks and gathering some dry brushsoon had a small fire burning. Washington made the coffee, procuringwater from a stream that ran through the brush. The boys, thoroughlytired out, threw themselves down for a brief rest. They munched theircrackers and dried beef with relish and drank coffee in turn from a tincup that Washington had had the foresight to provide.
"This seems very much like camping up at school," said Mason.
"Yes, only I would prefer to have the boys in the bushes than a lot ofSpaniards and Cubans with real bullets in their guns," replied Bert.
"You always do look at the unromantic side of things, Bert. We haven'tseen a Spaniard yet."
"Good and plenty when we get in the open," said Washington.
"How do you know this country so well, Washington?" asked Harry.
"Born here, Misser Harry. I'se Cuban nigger."
"I thought you said you were 'George Wash Jenks, New York, U. S. A.?'"
"I suah are now, sah. I was only a picaninny when I ranned away withMassa Cap'n Dynamite."
"So you ran away with your young master, eh?"
"Yas, sah, dat's it."
"And you've been with him ever since?"
"Him couldn't lose me, sah." George grinned.
"And who is Miss Juanita?"
"Missee Juanita live on next plantation. She and Massa Capt'n Dynamitegoin' to get married bime bye. He tell her so when he ranned away."
"Well Washington, it's sun up now and we better be moving if we expectto catch up with Massa Captain Dynamite."
"We not catch Cap'n until we get to Cubitas."
"Why not?"
"Cap'n travel through this country faster'n any mule, and he not stop'til he get there."
"Not stop to sleep?"
"No sleep, no eat. Missee Juanita in danger. I know the Massa Cap'n."