CHAPTER X.
HOW THE LAND LAY.
Upon hearing Rob speak so favorably of the scheme, Tubby grinned, andgave both of the other scouts a sly wink, as much as to say: "See howyou can get there by keeping everlastingly at it?" That was the fatboy's best quality: persistence. If he failed to reach his aim twentytimes he was apt to proceed to try again and again until successrewarded him.
"Then come along over home with me and have a talk with Uncle Mark!" hetold the patrol leader as he began to hunt all around for his hat, whichhe often mislaid. He was finally informed coolly by Andy that it wasperched on his head, as he had forgotten to remove it when enteringRob's den!
So the four hurried out. Signs of the late storm's fury could be seen inevery direction. Great limbs had been torn from some of Hampton's finesttrees; chimneys had been demolished in several places; and it was nothard to believe that at the climax of the hurricane the new roof of theAcademy had been carried off.
First of all, Rob said they should satisfy themselves that this reportwas true; so they joined the crowds that were heading for the schoolgrounds. When the boys saw what a wreck the storm had made of thebuilding, none of them doubted any longer that a vacation period wasbound to result. And strange to say, while some of the town fatherswalked around, viewing the damage with long faces, knowing how heavilyit would cost to repair the school, nobody saw a single boy lookingglum!
"That's one point settled, anyhow," Andy remarked gleefully, as they allturned away, heading for the Hopkins' home.
"And say, Mexico looks a whole lot closer to me, don't you know?" Tubbychirped, with such a happy look on his rosy face that any one might havethought he was on the eve of starting on a picnic instead of a seriousundertaking. But, then, boys never see the dark side of things, such isthe enthusiasm and optimism of youth.
"Too bad about one thing, Tubby, if so be you get away on this journey,"remarked Andy, giving Merritt a wink as he spoke.
"What's that, Andy, you're hinting about?" asked the other.
"It's going to knock your fine plans silly; about searching every toolchest in town, you know, and finding the brace and nicked bit thatchawed a hole through the bottom of Rob's sailboat," the bugler of theEagles went on to say.
Tubby looked somewhat glum, and shrugged his plump shoulders ruefully.
"Say, that's a fact, fellers," he remarked dolefully; "and I'd sure setmy heart on finding out the miscreant, and exposing him to his face.Such a smart idea of mine it was, too, finding that shaving with thetell-tale mark! But if I don't get a chance to spy around between nowand the time we leave Hampton, I'll keep it in mind. And every time Ilook at that incriminating bit of evidence, I'll renew my vow to placethe guilt on the shoulders where it belongs just as soon as I get backhome after a successful trip."
Tubby, when he wanted to, could appear very eloquent, and use some ofthe longest words in the dictionary. Fortunately these periods did notcrop up very often, or his chums would not have stood for such airs.Andy pretended to feel faint as it was, and begged Merritt to fan him.
"All I can say about the matter is that I'm sorry for the fellow whobored that hole through my boat," Rob remarked; "because when once Tubbysets his mind on anything it's bound to come, sooner or later. But herewe are at your house; and now to meet Uncle Mark."
Three minutes later they were all sitting around a small, dark-featuredgentleman, who wore a big pair of goggles and looked as though he mightbe pretty sick. This was Uncle Mark. The fever he had contracted in thehot depths of the African jungles had taken such a hold upon his systemthat he began to despair of ever being able to travel again; and he hadsought his sister's home as a haven of refuge in his last days.
He seemed to guess about what the three scouts had come to see him;which would indicate that Tubby had done considerable talking, even topromising that he would coax the others to join him in making the tripto the country south of the Rio Grande.
As Rob went over pretty much the same ground as when he was questioningTubby, it would hardly pay us to repeat what passed between Uncle Markand the boys for the first half hour of the conference. Of course theold traveler was able to go further into details; and some of hisdescriptions of those warm times when he first met Villa, the bandit,thrilled his young hearers.
"Some people might think it a very unwise thing for me to try and inducea party of mere lads to start down into that sorely distressed andtorn-up country just now on such a strange errand," Uncle Mark saidafter a while; "but I've considered everything carefully, and I actuallybelieve you would have a far better chance for success than if Ientrusted the mission to a man, who would be sure to get mixed up withsome of the rival factions and lose out. Besides, I've become very muchinterested in the aims of Boy Scouts since I've come to Hampton; andsome of the things you Eagles have done fairly made my heart go out toyou. I believe that if anybody can make a success of this errand youcan."
Naturally enough such words of warm praise made the scouts feel drawntoward the broken down old traveler and explorer more than ever. UncleMark had seen such a host of remarkable things during his roving lifethat this fact alone would endear him to all boys who had red blood intheir veins. And scouts in particular, with their love for outdoors andthe myriad secrets of the wilderness, might be expected to feel warmlytoward one who had camped for months amidst the savage tribes of Africa,hunted through the tropical forests of South America in search of neworchids, and lived the free life of an explorer.
Still Rob went on asking questions, for he knew that they could not havetoo much information concerning the country they meant to visit, and thepeople they must meet there.
All of them examined the quaint ring that Uncle Mark passed around,which, as he said, General Villa had given him years ago. At that timethe present leader of the rebel forces in Northern Mexico was looked onas a hunted bandit, with a price set on his head by President Diaz.
"Should you conclude to undertake this mission, Rob," the old gentlemanwent on to say, with an anxious, almost pleading look on his face,"which I earnestly hope may be the case, I mean to put this ring on yourfinger, because I suppose you are to be the leader. When you want toprove to General Villa that you come direct from his old friend, DoctorMatthews, all you have to do is to show him that; and if he is the manof his word that I firmly believe him to be, there is nothing he can dofor you that he will refuse. But more than that, I expect to entrust youwith a letter to him, written in Spanish, but also translated for yourbenefit. In it I shall ask him to dispose of all my cattle, if they arestill safe, to the best advantage possible, and to send me the proceedsby you, as I am in a bad state and shall need the money. Is that plain,boys?"
"It couldn't be more so, sir," Rob assured him.
"And now, after you have heard all that I can tell you, what do youthink about undertaking the expedition for me?" continued the othereagerly. Tubby gripped the sides of his chair and held his breath,waiting for Rob to settle the important question then and there.
Rob was too diplomatic to do so off-hand. He knew that several thingshad to be taken into consideration before they could think of assenting.
"All I can say just now is this, Dr. Matthews," he remarked. "I'm forgoing, now that I understand things better, and know that there isreally some sort of chance that your cattle have been guarded, becauseof this friendship for you on the part of Villa; and you tell us that heis a man who never forgets a friend. But before we can say positivelythat we'll undertake the job, we shall have to see what the home folkshave to say about it."
"Of course. I expected that, Rob," the gentleman went on; "and if any ofyou meet with opposition, please send the fathers or mothers over to seeme, and I'll try my best to win them to your way of thinking. It meanseverything to me, because that ranch is all I've got left in the wideworld; and I put over a hundred thousand dollars into it."
"Oh! so far as my father is concerned, sir," Rob assured him, "I'mpretty sure there'll be little talking needed to make him see it
in theright light; because he's the finest dad on all Long Island, and hebelieves in me from the word go. Merritt, here, has a coaxing way abouthim that generally gets what he wants from his father, who is thejolliest big man you ever saw wield a sledge. About Andy I'm not sosure; but if there is going to be no school for two months, and hisfather learns that the rest of us are going, I have hopes that he willsay yes."
"And I know he will!" exclaimed the bugler of the troop positively."Because he believes that scouts can take care of themselves anywhere.Since I joined the Eagles I've shown so much improvement, he says, thatthere is really nothing he would refuse me that was in reason."
"Which shows that your father is a sensible man," remarked Uncle Mark;"and I hope to meet him before long. But how soon can all this besettled, Rob? Because every day counts terribly now. If my cattle havebeen spared all these months, it may be that General Villa, believing Inever mean to return to Mexico, and needing money to buy supplies forhis troops, may feel that he has done all that could be asked of him,and yield to the pressure. Yes, a day might turn the scales, and lose meall my valuable stock. Make it as short a delay as you can, please,Rob."
"Oh! we'll settle that this very night, sir," replied the patrol leaderpromptly. "It has always been a habit of mine not to let the grass growunder my feet. And if things turn out right, why, I can see no reasonwhy we shouldn't make a start--by, say, to-morrow afternoon!"
"Hurray!" cried Tubby, dancing around the room; while his mother, whohad come in to hear what was being said, hardly knew whether to lookpleased or worried. To have her only boy leave home on such an errandwas enough to cause any mother considerable anxiety.
Both Merritt and Andy grinned, as though the prospect pleased themgreatly. What scout could help feeling delighted over such a chance forvisiting a country about which they had been reading so much as they hadof Mexico lately? That the unhappy republic was in the throes of civilwar did not seem to appal them at all; for never having experienced anyof the horrors of such a conflict, they could not realize what it meant.
Uncle Mark could understand all about it, though; but he was so anxiousto find out about his ranch, and had such blind faith in the ability ofthese clever scouts to take care of themselves under any and allconditions, that he shut his eyes to the possibility of their coming toharm.
And that was about the last word; for presently Rob and his chums saidgood-bye to the sick man, who shook hands with each scout, and said hewould continue to hope they might decide to undertake the mission oftrying to save the last valuable possession he had in the wide world.After which they went out to talk it all over again, and lay plans as towhat their program would be in case every obstacle were cleared away andthey saw an open door beyond them.
"Well," said Rob finally; "if we do go we'll have our hands full gettingready to skip out to-morrow; so Merritt, you and Andy had better see howthe land lies with your fathers; while I wait for mine to come home atnoon. Here's hoping you'll have the best of luck!"