CHAPTER XXV.--ON THE TRAIL.
It will now be necessary to go back a little ways.
When Colonel Ashton, Mr. Willing, and U. S. Consul Edwards left the homeof Hernandez, alias Martinez, following their brief interview, theylooked about for Dick who had said he would wait for them on theoutside; but having set forth on the trail of Captain Blusen, Dick, ofcourse, was not in sight.
"Guess the young man has gone back to the consulate in a huff," said theconsul with a slight smile.
"He shouldn't have spoken as he did," declared Mr. Willing.
"Is there any chance that he was right in his conjectures?" askedColonel Ashton slowly.
"Hardly," replied the consul dryly. "Hernandez is a queer man, but hewould hardly do a thing like that."
"Well, I don't know," replied the colonel. "I have found that you nevergo far wrong when you listen to what a newspaper reporter says. Theyseem to smell out these things."
"He's on the wrong scent now," declared Edwards.
At the consulate they could find no trace of Dick.
"What can have happened?" demanded Mr. Willing anxiously.
"Oh, he'll turn up," declared the consul. "We'll wait."
They sat down to await the return of Dick, meanwhile talking over whatwas best to be done.
Meantime, Dick, on the trail of Captain Von Blusen, was having troublesof his own. He had approached too close behind the German, and thelatter had realized he was being followed.
Rounding a corner, the German officer stopped abruptly. As Dick swungaround the corner he recognized him instantly and struck out with hisfist. The blow caught Dick on the side of the head and he went down.
He was up in a moment, however, and grappled with his opponent. In thissort of fighting the German was no match for Dick, but he finallysucceeded in breaking the latter's hold, and took to his heels.
Dick ran after him.
Unconsciously the German took the direction from which he had just come,and not stopping to think that he might be followed, had thus betrayedthe rendezvous. He ran straight to Hernandez' home, as we already know,and Dick recognized it.
Captain Von Blusen entered by the back door, and there Dick stopped. Hehad seen enough to tell him just how the situation stood, and realizingthat he could accomplish little himself and that haste therefore wasessential, he hurried back to the consulate.
"Where have you been?" cried Mr. Willing jumping to his feet as Dickburst into the room.
"I've been trailing Von Blusen, sir."
"Von Blusen!"
"Yes, sir, and I have learned enough to warrant my belief that Hernandezis concerned in the disappearance of Shirley and Mabel."
In a few words he related what had occurred.
Consul Edwards drummed upon the table with his fingers for severalminutes. Then he rose to his feet.
"You must be right," he said, "although it seems impossible. Are youarmed?"
The others shook their heads. The consul left the room and returned amoment later with a revolver for each.
"We may not need them, but it's best to be prepared," he said grimly.
"What are you going to do?" asked Colonel Ashton.
"We shall go back and call on Hernandez. In my official capacity, ofcourse, I could not do this, but I'm willing to take a chance. We'llsearch the house from top to bottom."
They did not enter the home of Hernandez by the manner in which they hadgone before. Dick led the way to the place he had seen Captain VonBlusen enter, and tried the door.
To his surprise it opened easily, and Dick, with weapon ready, led theway in. From first one room to the other they went, Consul Edwardslighting the way with a pocket searchlight.
Suddenly Dick stooped and picked up something. The consul turned thelight on it. It was a small handkerchief. Dick looked it over for a markof identification. In the corner he saw two initials, "S. W."
He passed it to Mr. Willing.
"Shirley's!" exclaimed the latter, after a glance at it.
"We are on the right track," declared the consul.
They continued the search of the house, but not a soul could they find.From top to bottom and back again they went, but the result, of course,was the same.
At last they were forced to give it up.
"I have it!" exclaimed Dick suddenly. "Von Blusen warned them and theyhave taken the girls some place else."
"That's it, of course," said the consul. "Well there is nothing more wecan do to-night, but I'll promise to have the town raked with afine-tooth comb the first thing in the morning. If they are here, weshall find them before noon."
"But where can they be to-night?" demanded Mr. Willing anxiously.
The consul shrugged his shoulders.
"_Quien sabe?_ as the natives say," he replied. "However, you may makesure they are in no danger."
With this the others were forced to be content, and Edwards led the wayback to the consulate. Here he suggested cigars before all should turnin for the night, and they sat down to talk over the situation.
"I'll have every house in town searched from top to bottom in themorning," said the consul. "They must be here, so we shall of coursefind them."
"I wish there was something we could do to-night," declared Dick. "Thisinaction makes me restless."
"It makes me that way too, young man," declared Mr. Willing, "but theconsul undoubtedly knows best. We shall leave it to him."
Consul Edwards looked at Dick inquisitively.
"What I would like to have you tell me," he said, "is why you suspectedHernandez in the first place?"
"I don't know exactly," replied Dick slowly. "But he is a shifty-eyedold villain, and can't look at you. I have learned that a man like thatis not to be trusted. I was morally certain he was lying. I don't knowwhy, but I just seemed to feel it."
"Well, you figured it out and no mistake. I wouldn't be surprised now tolearn that Hernandez and Martinez are one and the same person."
"They are!" came a voice from one of the open windows.
The four within the room started suddenly to their feet, and the consuladvanced.
"Who and what are you?" he called, with his hand resting on hisrevolver. "Come out and show yourself."
There was a sound of someone climbing in the window, and a moment latera man stood before them. Colonel Ashton, Mr. Willing and Dick leaped totheir feet with cries of amazement.
The newcomer was Captain Von Blusen.
Dick took a quick stride forward, and his hand grasped the young Germanby the collar of his coat.
"I'll guarantee you won't get away this time," he said grimly.
"Who are you and what do you want here?" demanded the consul, who hadnever seen the officer before.
"This," said Dick to the consul, "is the man who gave the warning intime to allow the girls to be taken to some other hiding place."
"Is that true, sir?" demanded the consul, taking a step forward.
Von Blusen nodded.
"It is," he replied briefly.
"Then you shall answer to me for your part in this outrage," declaredMr. Willing, advancing with great anger.
"And to me," declared Colonel Ashton, also advancing.
Captain Von Blusen raised a hand.
"One moment, gentlemen," he said calmly.
"Give the man a chance to speak," said the consul. "He shall not getaway, and I'll give you my word he'll do no further mischief. What haveyou to say for yourself?"
"Well, I can tell you where the two young ladies have been taken."
"You can?" exclaimed the colonel eagerly. "Where?"
"Mazatlan!"
"Mazatlan? Where is Mazatlan?" demanded the consul.
"As to that I cannot say. They left on the train not half an hour ago."
"Are you sure?"
"Positive. I followed to make certain, that I might tell you."
"And why are you so interested in telling us?" asked Dick skeptically.
"For one reason, because Miss Wil
ling saved my life no longer than anhour ago," was the calm reply.
"It is true," he continued, seeing that the others eyed him inamazement.
He then went into details of the scene that had occurred following hisreturn to Hernandez after his fight with Dick in the street.
"But how are we going to find them in Mazatlan?" exclaimed ColonelAshton.
"You might wire ahead and have them taken from the train," suggestedDick.
"No, I have a better plan than that," declared the consul.
"What is it?" asked the others eagerly.
"We'll kill two birds with one stone. I'll wire the American consularagent there to have them shadowed when they leave the train. Then we'llnot only be able to rescue the young ladies, but the Mexican authoritieswill nab the plotters."
"An excellent plan," declared Colonel Ashton. "Now how shall we getthere?"
"There is not another train till morning," said the consul, "but," and atwinkle came into his eyes, "if you have the price, I can guarantee tohave a special engine and one car ready to go within the hour, and I canpromise a clear track ahead."
"Let's have it no matter what the cost!" roared Mr. Willing. "I want mygirl back as soon as I can get her!"
"And so do I," shouted Colonel Ashton.