CHAPTER THIRTY TWO.
THE SECRET SIGNAL.
The fortress castle of Acapulco stands at some little distance from thetown, commanding the latter. It is built upon the summit of the cliffsthat inclose the Acapulco Bay--against whose base the waves of the SouthSea are continually breaking. On each side of the fortress a deepravine or barranca pierces the precipice down to the depths of theocean--so that the castle stands upon a sort of island promontory or_voladero_. The cliff upon the right flank of the castle is called the_Voladero de los Hornos_; and over the ravine between it and the citadelstretches a narrow bridge called _El Puento de los Hornos_.
Early in the following morning--while the insurgent camp was insome confusion consequent upon an unexpected order from thecommander-in-chief; and while a strong detachment was getting underarms, not knowing where they were to be conducted--Captain Don CornelioLantejas and Costal the Indian were seen gliding silently along thesea-beach in the direction of the fortress.
The night was still dark--for it wanted yet two hours to sunrise--andboth the town and castle were wrapped in the most profound slumber. Theonly sounds heard distinctly were the continuous murmuring of the wavesas they broke along the beach.
The two men, after cautiously advancing towards the black cliff, onwhich stood the fortress, commenced climbing upward. It was not withoutmuch exertion, and danger too, that they at length succeeded inascending to the bridge of Los Hornos.
The Indian now struck a light; and kindling a resin candle, which hecarried inside his lantern, he hung the latter to a post that stood nearthe middle of the bridge, fixing it in such a manner that the lightshould shine in the direction of the fortress. It was the signal agreedupon by the Gallician; and as their part of the performance was nowover, the two men sat down to await the attack which was soon to be madeby the General in person.
The position which they occupied commanded an extensive view--taking inthe town, the castle, and the ocean. Of the three, the last-mentionedalone gave out any sound; and Lantejas, after a time, ceased watchingthe two former, and involuntarily bent his regards upon the sea.
Costal was also turning his eyes upon the great deep, in whicheverything might also have appeared asleep, but that at intervals anarrow line of light might be seen gleaming along the black surface ofthe water.
"There's a storm in the air," muttered Costal to his companion in asolemn tone of voice. "See, how the sharks are shining in the roadway!"
As Costal spoke, half-a-dozen of these voracious creatures, in search ofprey, were seen quartering the waters of the bay--crossing each other'scourse, and circling around, like fireflies over the surface of asavanna.
"What think you," continued the _ci-devant tigrero_, "would become ofthe man who should chance to fall overboard among those silent swimmers?Many a time, for all that, have I braved that same danger--in the dayswhen I followed pearl-diving for my profession."
Don Cornelio made no reply, but the thought of being among the sharks atthat moment sent a shivering through his frame.
"I was in no danger whatever," continued the Indian. "Neither thesharks nor the tigers--which I afterwards also hunted as a profession--could prevail against one destined to live as long as the ravens. SoonI shall be half-a-century old; and then _quien sabe_? At present,perhaps, no one here except myself could swim in the midst of thosecarnivorous creatures without the danger of certain death. _I_ could doit without the slightest risk."
"Is that the secret of your courage, Costal--of which you give so manyproofs?"
"Yes, and no," replied the Indian. "Danger attracts me, as your bodywould attract the sharks. It is an instinct which I follow--not abravado. Another reason, perhaps, gives me courage. I seek to avengein Spanish blood the assassination of my forefathers. What care I forthe political emancipation of you Creoles? But it is not of this I wishto speak now. Look yonder! Do you see anything down there?"
A strange object just then came under the eyes of Lantejas, which causedhim to make a movement of superstitious terror. Costal only smiled,while gazing calmly upon the object.
A dark human-like form, with a sort of tufted hair hanging loosely overits head, had emerged from the water, and was supporting itself by histwo arms upon the beach--as if resting there like some bather fatiguedwith swimming.
"What is it?" inquired Lantejas in a troubled tone--the more so that aplaintive whine seemed to proceed from this singular object, which, withsomewhat of the form of a woman, had nothing human in its voice.
"A _manatee_," responded Costal; "an amphibious creature we call_pesca-mujer_--that is, half-fish, half-woman. Dare you stand face toface with a creature still more human-like in form--ah! more perfectthan any human creature?"
"What do you mean?" inquired Lantejas.
"Senor Captain Don Cornelio," continued the Indian, "you who are sobrave in the face of the enemy--"
"Hum!" interrupted Lantejas with an embarrassed air, "the bravest hashis moments of weakness, do you see?"
An avowal of his want of courage--though on certain occasions theex-student of theology was not lacking this quality--was upon the tongueof Lantejas, when Costal interrupted him with a rejoinder--
"Yes, yes. You are like Clara--although a little braver than he, sincehe has not had such an opportunity to cultivate an acquaintance with thetigers, as you. Well, then, if you were to see down on the beachyonder, in place of the manatee, a beautiful creature rise up out of thedeep--a beautiful woman with dishevelled locks--her long hair drippingand shining with the water, and she singing as she rose to the surface;and were you to know that this woman, although visible to your eyes, wasonly a spirit, only of air--what would you do?"
"A very simple thing," answered the ex-student, "I should feel terriblyafraid."
"Ah! then I have nothing more to say to you," replied the Indian, withan air of disappointment. "For a certain object I had in view, I was insearch of a comrade, one with more courage than Clara. I must contentmyself with the negro. I expected that you--never mind--we need nottalk any more about the matter."
The Indian did not add a single word; and the officer, whose fears wereexcited by the half-confidences of his companion, was silent also. Bothawaiting to hear the sounds of the attack upon the castle, continued togaze upon the vast mysterious ocean, in which the luminous tracks of thesharks and the dark body of the manatee alone animated its profoundsolitude.
They were thus seated in silence, with their eyes wandering over thedark blue surface of the water, when all at once the manatee was heardto plunge under the waves, uttering a melancholy cry as it went down.Just then the loud booming of a cannon drowned the voice of theamphibious creature.
"The castle is taken!" cried Lantejas.
"No," replied Costal, "on the contrary, Pepe Gago has betrayed us. Ifear our General has been tricked."
Several discharges of cannon followed on the instant, confirmingCostal's surmise; and the two men, hastening to leave their dangerouspost by the bridge of Hornos, retreated towards a narrow defile calledthe _Ojo de Agua_. There they saw the Mexican detachment scattered, andin full retreat towards their encampment. A man standing in the middleof the path was trying to intercept their flight.
"Cowards!" cried he, "will you pass over the body of your general?"
Many halted, and, returning, made an attack upon the works of thecitadel. But it was to no purpose: the gate was too well defended; anda discharge of grape had the effect not only of terrifying theassailants, but also killed several of their number.
Morelos now saw that he had been betrayed, and caused the retreat to besounded. It was the first check he had experienced during a victoriouscareer of months.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
The day had not yet dawned, when two men were seen advancing from thedirection of the insurgent camp toward the bridge of Los Hornos. One ofthese men was Costal, but this time he was accompanied by Clara thenegro. The resi
n candle still burned within the lantern, but giving outa more feeble light, as the first streaks of day began to succeed to thedarkness of night.
"You see that lantern, Clara?" said Costal, pointing out the glimmeringlight to his companion. "You know what it was hung there for: since Ihave just told you. But you haven't yet heard the vow I have takenagainst the traitor who has so played with us. I shall tell you now."
And Costal proceeded to disclose to his old camarado the oath he hadregistered against Pepe Gago.
"Devil take me!" said Clara in reply, "if I can see how you will ever beable to fulfil your vow."
"No more do I," rejoined Costal, "but as I have promised Pepe Gago thathe should not forget the lantern on the bridge of Los Hornos, and as Iam determined he shall have a sight of it now and then, to keep hismemory awake, I don't see why I should leave it here to be picked off bythe first comer. At all events, it is no longer needed as a signal."
Saying this, the Indian took down the lantern from the post, and blewout the light.
"Here, Clara," he continued, "help me to make a hole. I intend hidingit--so that I can get it again, whenever I may want it."
The two men kneeling down, and using the blades of their knives, sooncarved out a hollow place, in which Costal deposited the lamp stillcontaining the resin candle.
"Now, friend Clara," said the Indian, as soon as they had covered it in,"sit down here, and let us try if we can't think of some way to capturethis castle, as well as the _picaro_ who is within it."
"Willingly, I will," answered the black; and seating themselves side byside, the two associates commenced with all due gravity their importantdeliberation.