CHAPTER XIII
HARRY REFUSES TO BETRAY CAPTAIN DYNAMITE
Harry and Bert had hardly time to inspect the bare room in which theywere imprisoned, when the door opened again and two men entered. Theyremoved the straps from the boys' wrists and retired without a word. Akey grated in the lock after the door had closed. Harry walked overquickly and tried to open it. There was no handle or lock on the insideand it would not yield to pressure.
"Well," said Harry, after a short silence, dropping onto one of thebeds.
"Well," repeated Bert in the same half-questioning tone.
"We are prisoners hard and fast. What do you think they mean to do withus?"
"Send us on to Havana, maybe, for the inspection of Weyler. But in themeantime what are we going to do? I don't believe in letting them haveit all their own way, do you?"
"No, not when I can get my breath, but their methods are so rapid andone-sided that they make me dizzy."
"The first thing to consider is some plan of escape."
"And if we escaped we wouldn't be any better off than we were in thewoods. We wouldn't know where to go. However, it would be wise to make amore careful inspection of our prison house for possible future use."
Acting on this suggestion the boys made a survey of the room. It was asquare apartment, with walls of grey stone. The floor was composed ofsmooth stone slabs. The ceiling was heavily timbered. There were twobarred openings in one of the walls just above their heads. They pushedover the table, and climbing up on it, looked out. In the moonlight,they could see that the outlook was on what was apparently the jailyard, a large space enclosed by a high wall. Nothing interposed betweenthem and the free air outside but two iron bars. They shook these withall their strength, but they were sunk firmly in the stone frame andwould not budge.
"I don't think they need feel uneasy, for fear we will escape," saidHarry, after they had finished their inspection.
"Nothing left but to knock down the turnkey. Must always call 'emturnkeys in a stone jail like this."
There was a sound of a key in the lock and the door swung open again.The man with the clanking keys entered, followed by two others, whopromptly slipped a pair of handcuffs on the wrists of the boys, andtaking each boy by the arm they led them out of the jail and back to thebuilding into which they had first been ushered at the muzzles of theguns.
The same dignitary who had ordered their incarceration still sat at hisdesk, although in a more dignified attitude. At his right, sat a man whoseemed to be a clerk. On the left, stood the fat officer and the foursoldiers. An elderly man with grey side-whiskers stood near the desktalking with the presiding personage. When the boys entered heapproached them and held out his hand.
"I am Consul Wyman. I understand you are Americans and in some sort oftrouble."
Both boys grasped his hand warmly. It was a great relief to find one whospoke their tongue and who could make their situation clear to theircaptors. And the thought that he represented officially the Governmentof the United States, restored much of their waning confidence inthemselves.
"Mr. Wyman," said Harry, "we certainly are glad to meet you. We areAmericans and we are in trouble with these Spanish gentlemen. We do notknow why yet. We did not know it was a crime, or against the laws totravel in Cuba or we should have selected some other country for ourexplorations."
"The trouble is that your presence in this part of the island strikesthe authorities as suspicious. You have apparently passed through noneof the regular ports of entry, for a careful watch is kept on allstrangers here now, and travelling through a country so infested as thisis with Cuban bandits----"
"Bandits?" interrupted Harry, looking Mr. Wyman straight in the eye.Captain Dynamite's teachings had taken very deep root in the heart ofthe American boys.
"Well," said Mr. Wyman, "they call themselves insurgents, but they arenot recognized belligerents you know." Here Mr. Wyman lowered his voicealmost to a whisper: "And you know we have to be very diplomatic indealing with these Spanish gentlemen, they are so sensitive."
"Mr. Wyman," asked Harry, "are you an American or a Spaniard?"
"Oh, an American--an American always," replied the consul, proudly.
"Then it seems to me, sir, that you should not let the Spaniards selectyour words for you," said Harry, with some indignation.
"Ah, diplomacy, my son, diplomacy," said the consul, drawing himself upwith comical dignity. "You do not understand the need for diplomacy.Why, I was selected by our President for this delicate mission, becauseof my large experience in matters diplomatic. But let us return to yourown affairs. I see the general is getting nervous. This is the Bureau ofJustice and I shall see that you have an impartial hearing."
"Bureau of Justice," sniffed Bert. "Humph, a pretty one-sided oldbureau. I should say it had lost a castor or two."
"Ah, you misjudge General Serano," said Mr. Wyman. "He is an exceedinglyfair-minded gentleman."
The consul stepped before the desk of the general and beckoned to theboys to follow him. He spoke in Spanish for a few minutes, and thenturned to the boys again.
"The general will examine only one. He thinks that will be sufficient."
"Very well," said Harry, stepping up to the desk. "I will go the generalone round."
"My young sir," said Mr. Wyman, with some concern, "let me advise you totreat the court with due deference. This gentleman will act asinterpreter, as I understand you do not speak or understand thelanguage."
A man with a heavy black mustache waxed to needle points, and who seemedto wear a perpetual smile, took a position beside Harry, and theexamination began.
"What is your name?"
"Harry Hamilton."
"Your age?"
"Fifteen."
"Your nationality?"
"American," answered Harry, "but look here, Mr. Interpreter, I wish youwould ask the general what right he has to ask me these questions; why Iwas interfered with by his soldiers; why I was prodded in the back bytheir guns; why I was thrust into your old prison; why I am handcuffed,and why I am here; and just tell him firmly, Mr. Interpreter, that I donot propose to answer any more of his questions until he answers a fewof mine."
The clerk, who was transcribing the testimony looked up in amazement asthe interpreter began to literally and faithfully translate Harry'swords. Mr. Wyman looked worried and leaned forward, and said:
"Treat the court with due deference, my young sir, or even my diplomacymay not be powerful enough to save you from the wrath of the general."
"I think I must have a few rights here, Mr. Wyman. I certainly have aright to know with what crime I am charged before I am examined."
"Yes, yes, that is quite true, quite true," replied the consul,advancing to the desk and speaking to the general.
"You are charged with being suspicious characters," said theinterpreter, repeating the words of the presiding officer.
"Oh, thank you," said Harry, politely. "You can now tell the judge hemay proceed."
The interpreter wisely refrained from repeating Harry's words.
"What are you doing in Cuba?"
"Travelling."
"How many were there in your party?"
"Now, that's such a foolish question, general; that little fat officerthere knows there were only two of us. In fact, here we are; you can seefor yourself."
"How did you reach Cuba?"
"By steamer."
"Where did you land?"
"On the coast."
"General Serano says your answers are not satisfactory," said theinterpreter.
"Surely he wants me to tell him the truth," said Harry, affectingsurprise.
"Yes, but he wants all the truth."
"I have answered his questions truthfully and directly. If he wantsfurther information and doesn't know how to ask for it, he cannot expectthe prisoner to supply the questions."
"At what point or place on the coast of Cuba did you land?"
"I do not know."
"Does y
our companion know?"
"He is as densely ignorant on that point as I am."
"What was the name of the steamer?"
"I refuse to answer."
The little fat officer poked one of his soldiers in the ribs in a veryunmilitary fashion, and the general looked at the consul with anexpression that said, "I told you so." The consul himself looked atHarry in honest amazement.
"Do you refuse to answer on the ground that you might incriminateyourself?"
"No, on the ground that I might incriminate someone else," answeredHarry, promptly.
"Who is that someone else?"
"Now, general, that is another one of those foolish questions. If Icould answer one I could answer the other."
"Then you refuse again?"
"I do."
"Will you tell the court why you came to Cuba?"
"Because I had to. I assure you we are not travelling for our health,and would have been very glad to have been back in the United Stateslong before we met your little fat officer on the mountain."
"Then why did you come?"
"To be perfectly frank, general, we were out yachting off Martha'sVineyard--I don't suppose you know where that is--when a steamer ran usdown during a storm, picked us up, and brought us along to Cuba--that'sall."
"And you still persist in refusing to give the name of the steamer?"
"Yes, sir, but with due respect to the court," Harry smiled pleasantlyat the consul. He looked upon the examination as a mere farce, and didnot now regard their position as at all serious. Although he did notconsider the consul a particularly forceful representative of the UnitedStates, he felt confident that the Spanish general would not dare toignore his demands. Could he have forseen the occurrences of the nextfew days he would not have felt so easy in his mind. The general turnedagain and addressed the boy.
"According to your testimony," repeated the interpreter, "your presencehere on the island is entirely accidental, therefor it is difficult toreconcile this testimony with your refusal to answer the simplequestions of the court. In this I wish to say that your consul andrepresentative here concurs with me. I now warn you that you mustanswer the questions that I am about to ask you or take the consequencesthat your refusal will entail. Personally, I believe that you could, ifyou would, clear yourself and your companion of all suspicion, and ifyour explanation of your presence on board this mysterious steamer istrue, and I believe it is, your refusal to answer the questions willonly further complicate the case against you."
"The general is quite right, my boy," said the consul earnestly. "Youcan see that he means to give you every opportunity to clear yourself."
"Very well, sir. Suppose you have another try," said Harry, turning toGeneral Serano. "I assure you that I will answer any question that Ihonorably can."
"Very well: I repeat, what is the name of the steamer that brought youto Cuba?"
"I cannot answer," replied Harry, promptly.
"Remember, I have warned you. At what place on the coast did you land?"
"I have told you, general, that I do not know."
"How far from here in miles?"
"I couldn't even guess that, general."
"How long had you been away from the steamer when my men found you?"
"I cannot answer."
"Do you mean that you are unable to answer, or that you refuse?"
"I refuse."
"Where were you going?"
"To tell the plain truth we were very well lost when your friend thereovertook us."
"But you had an objective point that you were trying to reach. What wasthat?"
"I cannot answer."
"Very well; you may step aside."
After a few words from General Serano, the interpreter turned to Bert,and said:
"Step forward, please. The general wishes to ask you a few questionsalso."
"All right," answered Bert, stepping promptly to the front.
"You have heard the questions that have been asked your companion?"
"Yes, sir."
"And you have heard those that he refused to answer?"
"Yes, sir."
"Will you answer them?"
"No, sir."
The answer was apparently not unexpected. The general and the consulbegan an earnest conversation in Spanish. The latter seemed to protestagainst the decision of General Serano who, however, was set anddetermined. Finally, Mr. Wyman turned to the boys.
"I am very sorry," he said, "that for some reason which I cannotconceive you will not satisfactorily answer the questions of the court.I have endeavored to have you paroled in my custody, but the generalwill not permit it."
"Do you mean that we are to be sent back to jail?" asked Harry, insurprise.
"That is the general's intention. It is not too late for you to answerhis questions, though, and I am sure that if you do, you will bepromptly released."
"And has the United States Consul no power or authority?"
"He has the power to see that you have a fair and impartial hearing. Youhave had that, and must blame only yourselves for the position in whichyou now find yourselves. I shall not desert you, and if you care to makea confidant of me, perhaps I can suggest some way to extricate you fromthis tangle."
"We will take a little time to think the matter over, Mr. Wyman, thankyou. It is not alone ourselves who are involved, or would be involved,if we attempted now to clear ourselves."
General Serano now indicated that he wished to speak to the prisoners,and the consul fell back.
"Young men," repeated the interpreter, "the conditions in Cuba are such,and particularly in this province, that the utmost vigilance isnecessary on the part of the authorities. Your explanation of thesuspicious circumstances under which you are detained is entirelyunsatisfactory to me. You are found alone in a country infested by menwho are in revolt against the Government, travelling with seemingsecurity; you admit having landed on the coast from a steamer whose nameyou refuse to tell; you are apparently headed for the center of theinsurgent uprising. You will not tell where you are going or from whenceyou come. It is my duty to hold you, and you are therefore remanded tojail pending a further investigation. Perhaps in a few hours, or sayto-morrow, you may be willing to answer my questions, in which case youmay so inform your consul, and he will take such steps as are necessaryto reopen the hearing. I am sorry that you will not be guided by themore mature mind of Mr. Wyman in a matter that may be more serious inits consequences than you imagine."
The general waved his hand, and the fat officer, with a malignant smileof triumph marshalled his men and approached Harry and Bert with themuzzles of their guns once more extended toward them. A sharp word fromGeneral Serano caused them to lower their guns and assume a lessdictatorial manner toward the prisoners.
Once more the boys were conducted to the gloomy white jail and the doorsof their prison room closed upon them.