CHAPTER XXV.
THE FIGHT IN MIDSTREAM.
As the bullets whizzed overhead and all about the boat, and as Billiesaw the oarsman pitch forward, he had two thoughts in his mind--one tokeep from being hit by the bullets, and the other to capture Don Pablo,whom he considered as the real leader of the gun runners.
It took some quick thinking to know what to do, but Billie was learninghow to do that very thing.
Seizing the oar which had fallen from Emilio's hand, he dragged it outof the rowlocks, at the same time calling out with all his might:
"Cease firing!"
The command, given in excellent English, had its effect upon thesoldiers on the shore. The firing ceased, and a voice called out:
"Who are you?"
"I'm a messenger from Americans who are in danger in Presidio delNorte," replied Billie; "but there are Mexicans in the boat. You havehit one of them, and I've captured the boat!"
"Then bring the boat ashore," called the patrol.
"I can't!"
"Why not?"
"They won't let me!"
"I thought you said you had captured the boat!"
"So I have," replied Billie, "but I haven't captured the Mexicans!"
"No," shouted Don Pablo, who was now slowly making his way toward thestern of the boat, "nor will you. Your hour has come!"
"Don't be so sure!" called the voice from the shore, and a shot rangout, which came so close that Billie could hear it sing above his head.Don Pablo ducked into the bottom of the boat, as though to dodge abullet which was already yards away.
"Did I hit him?" called the patrol.
"No, but you came pretty close," replied Billie. "But you hadn't bettertry it again. You might hit me. I'm in the water."
"What, swimming?"
"Yes! I've got hold of the stern of the boat; but I've got to let go,"he added hastily, as he saw Don Pablo again rise to his feet.
"What for?"
"They'll get me!"
"If we fire high enough can't we keep 'em down till you can push theboat to shore?" asked the patrol.
"You might try it!"
And they did, with the result that Don Pablo again ducked to the bottomof the _batteau_, while Billie worked with all his might to push theboat toward shore.
It is one thing to swing a boat under headway, and another to push aboat of the size of the _batteau_ even obliquely against a current. Thusit was that, while Billie had been talking, the boat had slowly drifteddownstream and the patrol had been obliged to run along the bank.
"I'm afraid I can't do it!" Billie finally shouted. "I guess I'll haveto give up!"
"Don't," called back the soldiers. "Hang on and we'll come out afteryou. One of the boys has gone for a boat."
"All right," called Billie. "Hurry up!"
"If they don't," muttered the lad, "I'll have to give up."
Then he thought of his mission, which had momentarily been driven fromhis mind by the excitement.
"I can't give up," he thought. "I must get into the boat."
Holding on to the gunwale with one hand, he reached up and took hissix-shooter from under his hat, letting both the hat and cartridge beltfall into the river. Then, as the shots continued to fly over the boat,he slowly pulled himself aboard, at the same time calling out to thoseon shore:
"Cease firing! I've boarded her!"
Having boarded the _batteau_, the next thing for Billie was to makehimself master of the craft, an act which he at once recognized wassomewhat difficult, seeing it was two to one, and at least one of thetwo was probably just as well or better armed than he.
However, there was no backing out, nor had our hero any idea of such athing. He knew if he would succeed in the mission which he hadundertaken there must be no such word as fail. Therefore, the firstweapon at hand was strategy, and strategy Billie at once employed byputting himself in a position where the oarsman served as a shield forany bullet Don Pablo might see fit to fire at him.
This was comparatively easy, as Don Pablo, in his endeavor to get atBillie, had left the bow of the boat and gone astern, while Billie hadexecuted a flank movement by swimming around and boarding the craft fromthe bow. This put the oarsman between him and Don Pablo, with his facetoward the latter.
At the sound of the lad's voice, the oarsman arose and turned his headto see what had happened.
"'Bout face!" exclaimed Billie, covering the man with his Colt. "If youmove I'll fire!"
The oarsman turned his face quickly, only to find himself looking intothe muzzle of Don Pablo's revolver, that nimble old gentleman havingarisen from the bottom of the boat as soon as the firing on shore hadceased, with the intention of taking a shot at Billie before he couldput himself on the offensive.
Finding himself thus between two fires, the oarsman let out a yell thatwould have done credit to a bunch of football players.
"Don't shoot!" he cried. "For the love of the saints, don't shoot, DonPablo! You will hit me instead of the gringo!"
"Sit down!" commanded Don Pablo.
"Don't you dare," countermanded Billie, "unless you want a bullet inyour back!"
"I'll shoot you if you don't," said Don Pablo.
"I'll shoot you if you do," declared Billie.
"Mercy! Mercy! _Senores!_" cried the oarsman. "I have done nothing forwhich I should be shot."
"You are protecting the gringo!" said Don Pablo.
"You are protecting Don Pablo!" repeated Billie, who, now that he hadshaken the water out of his eyes and had secured a firm footing, couldfully appreciate the strange condition of affairs.
If Don Pablo should carry out his threat to shoot the man, he wouldleave himself at Billie's mercy. Should Billie shoot first, and hisbullet fail to reach Don Pablo, he would be at the mercy of the Mexican.
But Billie seemed to have the best of the situation, for all he wishedto do was to hold Don Pablo at bay until the boat from the Americanshore should come to his rescue. As a result he was satisfied to letmatters remain as they were. Especially did he feel that he had thebetter of the situation when he heard the sound of oar-locks from outthe darkness.
"You won't have to stand long," he said to the oarsman, "I hear themcoming after us. As soon as they arrive you can sit down."
"They shall never get us!" exclaimed Don Pablo. "I'll die first!" and hepulled the trigger of his revolver.
Had the old man fired without speaking, there is no knowing what damagehe might have done; but, from his words, Billie guessed exactly what heproposed to do, and ere Don Pablo could pull the trigger, he rocked theboat. As might have been expected, the shot flew wild, as Don Pablosought to maintain his balance.
"Now I've got you," said Billie. "Surrender or I'll fire."
Almost at the same instant the form of another _batteau_ loomed up inthe darkness, and a voice exclaimed in Spanish:
"Look out! There's a boat ahead!"
The cry was followed by a wild attempt of those in the oncoming boat tocheck its progress; but the effort was in vain and the two boats cametogether with such force as to cause Billie to lose his balance. He madea vain attempt to regain his equilibrium, but without avail, and so, inorder to make the best of a bad situation, he plunged, rather than fell,into the river.