CHAPTER IX.
ARCHIE AND BEPPO.
"Santa Maria!" exclaimed Beppo again, and this time in a verydifferent tone of voice. He was frightened now, and that was not to bewondered at; for Archie stood holding a pistol in each hand, and bothof them were pointed straight at the Mexican's breast. "Don't shoot,"said he, drawing his head down between his shoulders, and raising onearm before his eyes.
"You are in no danger as long as you keep perfectly quiet, and do justas I tell you," replied Archie, glancing about the stable to make surethere was no one else present.
This assurance seemed to remove an immense load of apprehension fromBeppo's mind. He looked all over Archie, from head to foot, as iftaking his exact measure, and finally demanded:
"What do you want, and how did you get in here?"
"Don't talk so loud," commanded Archie, making a significant motionwith his pistols. "If you speak above a whisper again, you are a goneGreaser."
"Well, what do you want here?" repeated Beppo, in a lower tone.
"I have no time to waste in answering questions. Crawl out of thatjacket."
The Mexican seemed to be very much astonished at this order, but,without an instant's hesitation, he divested himself of his greasy,tattered garment, and threw it on the floor.
"Now that sombrero," continued Archie. "That's all right. I shall beobliged to borrow these articles for a little while, but, as I shallleave my own in their place, you will not lose much in case I fail toreturn them. When I get them on, I think I shall have no trouble inpassing myself off for you. What are you doing in here?"
"I came after the gray and black," replied Beppo, pointing towardRoderick and King James.
"Well, if it is all the same to you, I will take charge of themmyself. I have a better right to one of them, than you or any bodyelse about the rancho. He was stolen from me, Greaser, and when I gethome, I am going to make somebody smart for it."
"I didn't do it," said Beppo.
"It is fortunate for you that you didn't," replied Archie. "If Ithought you had a hand in it, I would take you down and give you agood drubbing. I'd like to have a long talk with you about the strangethings that are done here every night," he continued, pulling off hisneat jacket, and picking up the one Beppo had thrown upon the floor;"but just now I am too deeply interested in getting away from here, tobother my head about any thing else. I will put the saddles on thehorses, and then I want you to show me"----
"Santa Maria!" yelled Beppo again. "Help! help!"
There was no astonishment or terror in his voice this time. Hisfavorite expression was uttered in a tone of triumph. Things lookedexceedingly dark for Archie now, for he was lying on his back in themiddle of the floor, Beppo was kneeling on his breast, and the stablewas echoing with his lusty calls for assistance. Archie was greatlyastonished, but he was not frightened. He was as cool as a cucumber.
"That's your game, is it?" said he. "I wouldn't be afraid to wagerKing James against any mustang in the country, that it won't succeed,for you've got hold of a Yankee now. I'll open your eyes for you, inabout a minute."
Archie had come to believe, with Dick Lewis and Bob Kelly, that therewas not a Mexican in the world who possessed the least particle ofcourage; and consequently he did not watch his prisoner as closely ashe ought to have done. Although Beppo was very much terrified at thesight of the pistols, he kept his wits about him, and while his captorwas talking to him in his free-and-easy way, the young Mexican's mindwas busy with plans for escape. While Archie was exchanging his jacketand sombrero for those belonging to Beppo, the latter thought he saw achance to turn the tables on him.
Archie had a peculiar way of putting on a coat. He thrust both armshalf way into the sleeves, then threw the coat over his head,straightened out his arms, and gave himself a shake or two to settlethe garment into its place. It was when he had got the jacket abouthalf way on, and both his arms were fast in the sleeves, that Bepposprang forward like a young tiger, and catching him around the body,threw him to the ground. He accomplished this with so much ease, thathe thought he was sure to win a decided victory.
"Give up that pistol," said he, savagely. "I've got you now."
"That remains to be seen," replied Archie, with a coolness thatastounded the Mexican. "There's no knowing who is governor until afterthe election."
Archie, although taken at great disadvantage, struggled desperately,and to such good purpose that he succeeded in freeing his arms fromthe jacket; and then the matter was quickly decided. Beppo was turnedover on his back in a twinkling, and Archie, holding him down with onehand, drew the lantern toward him with the other, and extinguishedit; for he heard footsteps approaching. Beppo's cries had reached theears of some of the people of the rancho, and they were hurrying tohis assistance. He would have continued to shout for help, but thecold muzzle of a pistol, which he felt pressed against his head,restrained him.
Archie did not know what to do now. His first impulse was to spring upand take to his heels; but, if he did, what should he do with hisprisoner? He might have compelled him to accompany him in his flight,but Beppo was a clumsy fellow, and having no reasons for wishing toconceal his movements, he would, no doubt, make noise enough to guidethe Rancheros in the pursuit. If Archie left him behind, he wouldbegin shouting for help again; and if he had not already alarmed everyone on the rancho, it would not take him long to do so. The only planhe could think of was to remain with his captive, and keep him quietby threatening him with his pistol, trusting to the darkness toprevent his discovery.
"Don't dare open your head," said Archie, fiercely.
There was scarcely any need of this injunction. Beppo never oncethought of moving a muscle, while that pistol was so near him, and helay as silent and motionless upon the floor as if he had been turnedinto a block of stone.
The footsteps continued to approach, and presently the light of alantern flashed through the darkness, revealing to Archie a grateddoor at the farther end of the stable, which he had not beforenoticed. Looking through the door, he saw two Rancheros hurrying alongthe passage, one of them holding his lantern above his head, and bothtrying to peer through the darkness to see what was going on in thestable. They had not yet seen Archie, but they certainly woulddiscover him when they reached the door, for he was close in front ofit. He must get back out of sight, and he had but a single instant inwhich to do it. Springing quickly to his feet, he seized theastonished Beppo by the collar, with both hands, and before he couldmake up his mind what was going to happen, he was lying on his back inRoderick's stall, with Archie on top of him; and the mustang waslooking down at them as if wondering what they were doing there.Scarcely had this movement been accomplished, when the Rancherosarrived at the door; but, to Archie's immense relief, they did notattempt to open it. The reason was because the door was locked, andthe key was attached to the bunch in Archie's pocket. They held thelantern close against the bars, and peered into the stable.
"He isn't here," Archie heard one of them whisper, at length.
"He must be," replied the other. "I know those shouts came from thestable. Beppo, are you in there?"
The young Mexican heard the question, and would have been glad toanswer, if Archie's pistol had not been held so close to his head. Themen waited and listened for a reply, but hearing none, the one who hadlast spoken continued:
"I can see those horses in there, and they are not saddled. He has hadplenty of time to bring them out, for I gave him the keys ten minutesago."
"Santa Maria!" said Beppo, in an astonished whisper.
"Silence!" commanded Archie.
"But he didn't give me any keys," persisted the prisoner, whosesurprise was so great that he forgot all about the dangerous proximityof the pistol.
"Keep still, I say!" repeated Archie; and as the order was followed bya firmer pressure of the muzzle of the weapon against his head, theyoung Mexican thought it best to comply.
"Where do you suppose those shouts came from?" asked one of the men atthe door
.
"I don't know," replied the other; "and, what is more, I don't care.What could have become of that rascal Beppo; and why don't he bringout those horses? that's what's troubling me. If we don't find himvery soon, our plans will all be knocked in the head."
The men seemed to be very much concerned about the young Mexican, andthat was a point in Archie's favor; for they did not remain long atthe door, but set out in search of him. Archie watched the lightthrough the grated door until it disappeared, and then began toquestion his prisoner.
"What's up here, any how?" he demanded. "What did those men want youto do?"
"Nothing," replied Beppo.
"Yes they did. You can't fool me, for I am better posted than youthink I am. Where do you suppose those keys are?"
"I don't know."
"Well, I do; and I know, too, that those men promised you a revolverfor doing some work for them."
"Who told you so?" asked Beppo, more astonished than ever.
"No matter. I have a way of finding out such things. What did thosemen want you to do? No fooling, now."
Beppo felt the muzzle of the pistol again, and the secret came out allat once.
"They wanted me to bring those two horses out of the stable for them,"said he. "They are tired of staying here, and want to go away. Theyintend to take the Don's money, too--the gold he keeps in hisbed-room. They want the gray and black horses because they are theswiftest in the country; and if they are followed, they can't becaught."
"Well," said Archie, when his prisoner paused, "go on, and tell mewhat else you know."
Beppo knew a good deal, and it took him some time to tell it; butArchie, impatient as he was, listened attentively to all he had tosay--not because he was curious to learn something of the every-daylife of the robbers, but for the reason that he hoped his prisonerwould let fall some item of information that would assist him inmaking his escape from the rancho. He learned that Beppo was thestableboy, and that it was a part of his duty to bring out the "grayand black" every evening, at sunset, for two of the Rancheros, whomounted them and rode off somewhere; and the next morning Beppo wouldfind two or three, and sometimes half a dozen, strange horses in thestable. The stolen nags were driven into Texas every week, and soldthere; and the reason why Roderick and King James had been kept, wasbecause they were known to be very fleet, and the robbers wanted touse them. One piece of information that greatly astonished Archiewas, that, although there were fifty men on the Don's rancho, they didnot number a third of the band. The others were scattered all over thesouthern part of the State, and were employed as herdsmen by thefarmers, who little suspected that they were in league with therobbers. Beppo said there were some on Mr. Winters's rancho, but hedid not know who they were. Their business was to send the Don, whowas chief of the band, any information they might gain concerning thefast horses on their own and neighboring ranchos, and Pedro andanother herdsman would go out and steal them. These two men did allthe stealing; and Archie judged from Beppo's description of theirexploits that they were very expert at the business. They always rodeRoderick and King James, and the swift animals brought them home insafety, in spite of the most desperate attempts that had been made tocapture them.
The keys to the stable and to all the rooms in the underground part ofthe rancho, were kept in the Don's bed-room. One of the discontentedmembers of the band had stolen them, and, as he supposed, given themto Beppo, whom he had hired with the promise of a revolver to bringthe horses out about half an hour before the usual time. When themutineers saw the horses in the court, they were to make a sudden raidon their employer's bed-room, secure as much gold as they could carry,and then rush out, jump into their saddles, and leave the rancho withall possible speed.
Archie was silent for some minutes after Beppo ceased speaking. He wasthinking what a skillful manager the Spaniard must have been to havesuccessfully conducted the operations of so extensive an organization,without even exciting suspicion. And what astonishing impudence theold fellow had, too! Archie remembered that upon one occasion, duringa general hunt after the horse-thieves, in which the Don had taken anactive part, he had invited a dozen men and boys to his rancho, andserved them up an excellent dinner. What would those guests havethought if they had known that they were being entertained by thechief of the very robbers they were trying to hunt down? And to think,too, that some of the band were employed on his uncle's rancho--thathe had seen them every day, and talked and ridden with them! Archietold himself that there would be some exciting times in the settlementbefore all these robbers could be brought to justice, and theprobabilities were that somebody would get hurt. He did not care howsoon the fight began, for then he would have a chance to takesatisfaction out of somebody for stealing his horse. Archie ponderedupon these things, until it occurred to him that it would be a goodplan for him to effect his escape before he began his war upon therobbers, and this thought once more aroused him to a sense of hissituation.
"Where did these mutineers intend to go?" he asked, at length.
"To Texas," replied Beppo.
"Well, they sha'n't do it--that's settled. Before I will allow them totake these horses out of the country, I will hunt up the Don and blowthe whole thing."
"O, don't do that," pleaded the prisoner, who seemed terror-strickenat the bare thought. "He will shoot me."
"I wouldn't like to have you shot, Greaser," replied Archie, "but Itell you that my horse is not going to Texas. There is one way inwhich you can save yourself, and that is by leading me out of thishole by the safest and most direct route. Then the Don need knownothing about it; but just as surely as I am captured down here, I'llrepeat to him every thing you have said to me."
"I can't lead you out," replied Beppo. "The doors are all locked."
"We don't care if they are. I've got the keys."
"You! Santa Maria!"
"It's a fact," answered Archie; "but how I got them I need not nowstop to explain. What do you say, Greaser? Will you show me the wayout?"
"Yes," gasped the young Mexican, who knew, from the peremptory mannerin which the pistol was pressed against his head, that it wasdangerous to hesitate longer. "Don't shoot! I will."
"That's all right," said Archie. "Now, to put it out of your power toplay any tricks upon me, I shall tie your hands behind your back withyour own sash--so. Then I will take mine, and pass it around yourankles, in this way."
"I can't walk, if you do that," interrupted Beppo; "and if I can'twalk, how can I show you the way out?"
"Don't you be uneasy. I sha'n't draw the sash tight enough tointerfere much with your walking; but if you try to run, it isprobable that you will be tripped up very suddenly. Now, then," hecontinued, after he had satisfied himself that his prisoner wassecure, and that he could not possibly free himself from his bonds,"stand here until I put the saddles on those horses. Who's that?"
At this moment heavy footsteps sounded on the floor overhead, and alight suddenly flashed down into the stable. Archie looked up, and sawa pair of feet descending a ladder, leading down from a smalltrap-door which opened into the apartment over the stable. Shortlyafterward a villainous looking Ranchero came in sight, and holdinghis lantern at arm's length before him, stooped down and glanced allaround the stable, as if he were looking for some one. Archie was sobadly frightened that he could not move; and his alarm increased, andhis heart seemed to stop beating, when the man's eyes, after rovingall about the stable, rested on his face. This was the time to testhis disguise.
"Beppo," said the Mexican, in a gruff voice, "bring out the horses."
As he spoke he placed his lantern upon one of the steps of the ladder,and ascended out of sight through the trap-door.