CHAPTER XVIII
THE ORDER OF THE NASTURTIUM
Tim sent twenty of the Japanese to patrol the plaza, to be relievedafter two hours. Then he returned to bed, feeling immensely elated atthe astonishing turn of affairs.
Early in the morning, a group of men were seen approaching under a flagof truce from the end of the street remote from the plaza. Some wereleading horses. Their leader was alone admitted through the gate, whilea party of Japanese with loaded rifles kept watch on the others from thewindows of the guardroom. The man announced that he had come with hiscompanions, all members of the Prefect's mercenary army, to offer theirservices to the Senor Ingles. They had been for weeks without pay; theyhad served the Prefect from necessity rather than choice; and were readyto strike a blow for freedom.
Tim had a natural prejudice against turncoats. But he reflected that inthis kind of warfare a wholesale change of sides was not uncommon. Hisfather had expected that any Mollendist success would immediately resultin a large accession of recruits, and he decided to accept the men'soffer. When, however, later in the day, after his proclamation had beenread in the plaza, more men came in, civilians of San Rosario as well astroopers of the Prefect's, he felt somewhat embarrassed. To admit morethan a hundred to the barracks seemed to him rather hazardous. Suchvolatile soldiers of fortune might change sides again at any moment, andturn their arms against him. He therefore resolved to take no more thanfifty into the barracks, bidding the rest to remain in their own homes,and hold themselves ready to take the field when summoned. If he couldhave been quite sure of their loyalty he would have despatched them toreinforce the party at the defile, but he felt that he must not run anyrisks for the present, hoping that ere long his father would arrive totake over his responsibilities, which were beginning to weigh upon him.
Just before midday a messenger arrived from Romana. He reported thatearly in the morning he had had a brush with a small advance body of theenemy, who had retired after the exchange of a few shots. Romana himselfhad only reached the spot a few minutes before the enemy appeared. Hehad ridden to the Mollendist camp with the news of Tim's movements, andMr. O'Hagan, after a momentary outburst of anger, had promised to marchat once for the town. But his progress would necessarily be slow, owingto the fact that more than half his men were unmounted, and to the needfor care in slipping past the enemy in the Inca camp.
It seemed to Tim that the most serious element in the situation was thedanger of an advance in force along the San Juan road. The men who hadbeen checked by Romana were probably few in number; the passage of areally strong detachment could not long be seriously disputed by sosmall a party. It must be reinforced at once. Here Tim was in adifficulty. He could not part with his own men; on the other hand, hisnew recruits had as yet given no proof of their loyalty. He saw that hemust take risks to avoid greater risks, and decided to send a hundredmen up the road to support Romana. He arranged also for relays ofmounted men to post themselves on the road and bring him early news ofany fresh attack on the defile. To guard against danger from the Incacamp he despatched a few mounted men along the road in that direction,to keep watch and get in touch with the Mollendists as they approached.The rest of his little force he kept under arms in the barracks, readyto launch them in whatever quarter their support might be required.
In San Juan, meanwhile, the news of the successive disasters suffered bythe official troops had struck the Prefect like thunder-claps. He hadbeen busily organising his forces for a decisive blow against theMollendists, and was finding it necessary, much against the grain, topart with a large portion of the money he had recently obtained from thegobernador and from Mr. O'Hagan's safe, in making up arrears of pay forhis unruly mercenaries. The messengers and fugitives who had gotthrough from San Rosario carried with them so startling a story of thevast numbers who had attacked the town that he hesitated to move outuntil he had made careful arrangements for securing his position at thecapital. He had contented himself with sending a single troop along theroad to San Rosario, to feel for the enemy and discover what theposition really was. The speedy return of these men, with report ofhaving been ambuscaded at the defile, filled him with as much uneasinessas dismay. Knowing how precarious was his hold upon the loyalty of hisforces, he sought to attach them to him by lavish promises andconsiderable advance sums as earnest of his sincerity. As soon as daydawned he pushed on his preparations with feverish activity.
At San Rosario the day passed without incident. There was greatexcitement in the town, but no breach of order. Everybody knew by thistime that the attack overnight had been led by the young foreigner, andhe was so popular a person that the majority of the citizens were not atall displeased with his proclamation. The gendarmes who had held thegobernador captive in his house having fled, Senor Fagasta came forthinto the plaza, and made an attempt to assert his authority. But beingassured by Dr. Pereira that the reins of power were now definitely inother hands, he retired to his patio, exchanged his official dress forhis old alpaca coat and a Panama hat, and solaced himself with strongcigars and many copitas of brandy for his compulsory withdrawal frompublic life. During the day sundry groups of Peruvian youths and otheridlers ventured timorously along the street from the country end, andgazed open-mouthed at the gates of the barracks and at the smilingJapanese posted at the windows; but after a time Tim thought itadvisable to keep the street clear, and posted a couple of his men atthe end to keep off intruders.
Early next morning word was brought from his advanced scouts that theMollendist army had been sighted far up the western track. Every fewminutes further reports arrived. Tim, all tingling with excitement,paced up and down the guardroom, wondering whether he ought to remain athis post, or whether he might ride out to meet his father. Presently heheard that a crowd of the townsfolk were pouring out into the country tohail the Liberator. At this news boyish impetuosity prevailed over allconsiderations of form. Rushing to the stables, Tim sprang on a horseand galloped out, down the street, and through the rabble.
He met the ragged company a mile from the cross-roads, marching, horseand foot, at the heels of Mollendo and Mr. O'Hagan.
"Hallo, Father!" Tim shouted as he dashed up.
"You young scamp!" cried Mr. O'Hagan, who was nevertheless delightedwith the scamp. He had begun to think that Tim's action in forcing hishand was going to bear good fruit: he had picked up several recruits onthe way.
"Thank God you're safe!" he continued, clasping the boy's hand. "It wasterribly rash of you, my boy: what your poor mother would say I don'tknow: I don't like to think about it. You have fairly taken the windout of my sails; _you_ ought to be generalissimo, bedad! Seriously, youhave set the ball rolling to some purpose. Mollendo is in ecstasies."
Mollendo had tactfully ridden on, so that the meeting of father and sonmight be private. And being met at this point by some of his chiefsupporters in the town, he went forward with them, leaving word that hewished Lieutenant O'Hagan to follow him to the gobernador's house.
"You had better cut off and get a wash, my boy," said Mr. O'Hagan."You're as black as a sweep."
"I don't wonder. I haven't had time to wash; but I'll ride back to thebarracks and soon follow you. Old Moll looks considerably bucked."
"He is. A word of advice: don't call him Old Moll in the hearing of themen, and don't laugh when he addresses you."
"I don't mind so long as he doesn't kiss me," said Tim, and rode away.
Half an hour afterwards he rode into the plaza, blushing at the _vivas_that burst from the throats of the rag-tag and bobtail who wereassembled at the sides, kept back by the armed Japanese. He foundMollendo in the official chamber, with Mr. O'Hagan, Dr. Pereira, thelawyer, and other notables of the town. Mollendo rose from his chair,advanced to meet Tim, and before the boy could draw back kissed him onboth cheeks.
"I cannot sufficiently express my delight and gratitude, SenorLieutenant O'Hagan," he said. "I heard
some particulars of your nobleconduct from Nicolas Romana; the senor doctor has related yourmagnificent defence of the barracks; you have displayed the transcendentmilitary aptitude of your race, and proved yourself a compeer of theillustrious Wellington, who so heroically defended the liberties of theland of my forefathers against the tyranny of the Corsican. I feel thatI can best signalise this great occasion by promoting you to a colonelcyin the army of liberation. Viva Colonel O'Hagan!"
Tim had often laughed at the perfervid orations he had heard deliveredby Peruvians, but he felt more abashed than amused now.
"Old gasser!" he thought. "Why can't he talk sense!" But his reply wasvery polite. "Thank you, excellency," he said; "you are very good, butif you don't mind I will remain as I am for the present. It was all asort of accident; there wasn't really much of a fight, and--and----"
Mr. O'Hagan interposed as Tim found words fail him.
"Take my thanks also, excellency, for the honour you propose to conferon my son; but he is very young, and I think he should earn hispromotion gradually."
"I defer to you, my dear general. I am charmed by your son's modesty--avirtue that is ever the attribute of great men. But I intend toestablish an order of merit for distinguished service under the newrepublic"--here every one started--"it shall be styled the Order of theNasturtium; and your son shall be the first recipient of the insignia."
This announcement fell rather flat after the startling declaration ofMollendo's intentions, made so casually. Mollendo had in factdetermined to form a republic, independent of Peru, which had alwaysfailed to exercise efficient sovereignty in this remote province east ofthe Andes. The audacity of his scheme appealed to the imagination ofthe Peruvians present. After the first moments of surprise they hailedMollendo as Don Carlos, the first President, and the lawyer askedeagerly that his excellency would allow him to draw up a proclamation.That historic document, when it appeared, bore many traces of Mollendo'sown inspiration. He was nothing if not eloquent, and the soundingphrases which he dictated were calculated to impress a people peculiarlysusceptible to fine language. The proclamation was taken to the onlyprinting-press which San Rosario could boast, and within a few hours ofMollendo's arrival the pink leaflets were distributed broadcast.
There resulted a further rush of recruits. The people were captivated bythe idea of an independent republic. Before evening the President'sarmy had swollen to nearly five hundred men. This gave Mr. O'Hagan morepleasure than flamboyant proclamations and the founding of orders, whichhe regarded as premature and theatrical. He took up his quarters withTim in the barracks, and pleased the boy intensely by discussing themilitary position with him. The important matter was to hold thePrefect in check, and at the same time prevent a junction of his forcesfrom San Juan with the men in the Inca camp. These latter were probablynow on the move, though they, like the Prefect, might be holding backthrough alarm at the exaggerated reports brought to them by anyfugitives who had retreated in that direction. To save their face,runaways always overstate the numbers of the force that has discomfitedthem.
The fortunes of the Mollendists were decidedly in the ascendant. Theirnumbers, it was true, were still much inferior to those at the Prefect'sdisposal; but a few hours had already worked wonders, and time was intheir favour--if the time were not too long drawn out. Recruits wouldno doubt continue to flock in: Mollendo's would be regarded as thewinning side; but it was necessary to keep the machine in motion. Ifonce the impetus due to the recent successes was lost, there would be atendency to run back in the opposite direction.
Mr. O'Hagan decided to hold the crossroads, three miles west of his ownhouse, with a force sufficient to prevent the advance of the enemy fromthe Inca camp, and to employ the greater part of his troops in defendingthe defile on the San Juan road.
"You will take command at the crossroads, Tim," he said. "Keep watch onthose fellows from the north; if they try to force a passage, eitherthis way or to San Juan, prevent them. But sit tight; don't goadventuring, and don't force an action if the enemy are quiet. I mayneed you at any moment to reinforce me against the Prefect. We have theadvantage at present. The Prefect's two forces are separated by fiftymiles of hills; we hold the only practicable routes; to effect ajunction they'll have to make a detour of a hundred miles or more. Youand I will be within touch, and can work together. My plan is to beatthe enemy in detail--just as you have done, my boy."
"Inherited instinct, Father," said Tim with a sly look.
Mr. O'Hagan laughed.
"I don't know what your mother would say," he remarked. "Mollendo issure to send his wife word of his new dignity. You'd better write a notefor your mother to go with mine and the President's. Don't say toomuch: all that she really wants to know is that you are safe. The restwon't interest her."
"I'm not so sure of that," Tim thought.