CHAPTER IV.
PUT IN IRONS.
As the three hurried to the deck of the _Libertador_ they found thenoise and confusion increasing, though the seamen were fast fallinginto their line of duty with greater regularity. Captain Willis was onhand giving out his orders in his brusque manner.
"Where away has it been sighted, lookout?" called the commander.
"Off our windward quarter, captain."
"Maintain your watch, sir, and report if there is any change."
"They have sighted land," whispered Jack. "It must be one of theislands lying off the Venezuelan coast."
Both of his companions could not help feeling a thrill of pleasure atthis announcement, while they hoped it might lead to their speedyescape from their present uncertain situation. But, from theirposition, no trace of the looked-for shore could be discovered, and itis safe to say no three upon the vessel watched and waited for themorning light with greater anxiety than the two young engineers andtheir faithful companion.
At different intervals the lookout announced the situation as viewedfrom his vantage ground, but no satisfactory word came until the dawnof day, when even those upon deck saw in plain sight the shore of oneof the tropical islands dotting the sea.
While our friends were looking on the scene with intense interest,Francisco de Caprian passed by them, whispering as he did so:
"The island of Curacao. It looks as though we were going to touch atthe port."
He did not stop for any reply from our party, but Jack said to hiscompanions a moment later:
"If I am not mistaken Curacao belongs to the Dutch. It is about fiftymiles from the Venezuelan coast, and westward of Caracas."
"Which means that we have passed the line of that city," said Ronie.
"Exactly."
"Had we better try and land here?"
"I am in doubt. Perhaps young De Caprian will be able to advise us.There is no doubt but they intend to stop here."
This was now evident to his companions, and half an hour was filledwith the exciting emotions of entering harbor after a voyage at sea.As they moved slowly toward the pier it became evident that they hadbeen expected, for, early as it was, quite a throng of spectators wereawaiting them, and among the crowd were to be seen a small body oftroops.
At this moment Francisco managed to pause a minute beside them, saying:
"They are stopping here to take off one of Matos' officers. The islandseems to have been turned into a sort of recruiting ground for theinsurgents."
"Aren't the Dutch neutral in this quarrel?"
"They are supposed to be, but it is my opinion considerable secretassistance is being given the insurgents from Europe--particularly fromthe Germans. But I shall create suspicion if I talk longer. Aboveall, appear to be indifferent to whatever may take place."
"You do not think we had better try and leave the vessel here?"
"You could not if you would. Every movement of yours is watched. Becareful what you say or----"
Francisco de Caprian did not stop to finish his sentence, though hisunspoken words were very well understood by the anxious trio, who sawhim among the most active of the mixed crew a moment later.
Then they were witnesses of the embarkation of a small squad ofVenezuelan soldiers under charge of an officer who appeared in asupercilious mood.
"Whoever he is," whispered Jack, "he stands pretty near the head, andhe evidently intends that every one shall know it. Our stop is goingto be short. Well, the shorter the better, perhaps, for us. If weshould succeed in getting ashore we should find ourselves in the powerof the insurgents, which, it may be, we are at present," he added, witha smile. "All we can do is to keep our eyes open and await furtherdevelopments."
Jack realized that his companions knew this as well as he, so he didnot expect a reply, while they watched the following scenes in silence.They saw the last of the little party of insurgents on shipboard, andsoon after the _Libertador_ was once more ploughing her way through theblue water of the Caribbean. Their course was now south-southwest, butnothing occurred during the rest of the day to break the monotony ofthe voyage. The newcomers went below immediately, so that our friendssaw nothing of them. Toward night Francisco found opportunity to speaka few words to the three.
"We are steering directly for the Venezuelan shore," he said. "Ioverheard Captain Willis say that he intended to land somewhere nearMaracaibo, where, I judge, our passengers are going. We may findopportunity to escape then."
"Do you think we shall touch port again soon?" asked Ronie.
"The officer and his followers whom we took aboard at Curacao are to beleft somewhere near Maracaibo. That is all I have been able to learn.They are extremely careful what they say."
The following morning it was found that the _Libertador_ was flyingsignals, which Jack declared were intended to attract the insurgents.
"Mark my words, we are approaching the shore so closely that we shallsoon sight land."
Jack proved himself a true prophet, but before this announcement camefrom the lookout, something of a more startling nature took place.About an hour after sunrise the sail of a small coastwise vessel wassighted, and within another hour the stranger had been so closelyovertaken that she was hailed in no uncertain tones.
The reply was uttered in defiance, and the sloop showed that she wascrowding ahead with all the speed she could, a steady breeze lendingits favor. But it soon became evident that it would be a short race,and then the bow-chaser of the _Libertador_ was brought to bear uponthe fugitive.
As the first shot our heroes had heard in the war rang out over thesea, and the leaden messenger struck in close proximity to its target,the strange sloop was seen to soon slacken its flight. A few minuteslater, in answer to the stentorian command of Captain Willis, she layto.
"It is war in earnest," said Harrie, as they saw a boat let down fromthe cruiser, and the second officer, accompanied by half a dozen men,started toward the prize. "I wonder what they will do with the sloopnow she has capitulated?"
"We shall know as soon as the mate and his men return," replied Jack.
It proved in the end that an officer and half a dozen men were sentfrom the _Libertador_ to take charge of the captured sloop, which tookan opposite course from that pursued by her captor. The lattercontinued along the coast, flying her signals, but did not offer totouch shore until Jack assured his companions that they must be near toMaracaibo. Then an unexpected thing happened. Though aware that theywere continually under close surveillance, they had not been molestedin any way until now they were ordered below. Upon showing a littlehesitation in obeying, Ronie Rand was sent headlong to the deck by ablow from one of the sailors, sent to see that the order was carriedout.
"Our only way is to obey at present," whispered Jack, leading the wayto their berths below, followed by their enemies. They were left hereby the latter. For a little time the three remained silent, each busywith his own thoughts. Finally Harrie said:
"This begins to look serious. Why is it done?"
"It looks to me as if they were afraid we might try to leave them assoon as we come to port, and they have taken this precaution."
"What can they wish to keep us for?" asked Ronie. "We have been of nobenefit to them."
"True. But they may possibly fear to let us go free, as we areAmericans, and would be likely to inform our government about somethings they think we may have learned of them."
"Hark! I believe they are coming back."
While this did not prove true at the time, it was less than an hourlater when an officer, with four companions, did visit them, the formersaying he had received orders to put them in irons.
Upon listening to this announcement, the three looked upon theircaptors and then each upon his companions, Unable, at first, tocomprehend the statement.
"Why should we be accorded such treatment?" demanded Jack. "We havedone no harm to any one, but have come and remained as peacefulcitizens of a country
that has no trouble with your government or itssubjects."
The officer shook his head, as much as to say: "I know nothing of this.My orders must be obeyed." Then he motioned for his men to carry outtheir purpose.
Although they were not armed, except for their small firearms, and theVenezuelans carried heavy pistols and cutlasses, the first thought thatflashed simultaneously through the minds of our heroes was the ideathat they could overpower the party, and thus escape the indignityabout to be heaped upon them. But, fortunately, as later eventsproved, the calmer judgment of Jack prevailed. If they succeeded inoverpowering these men, they must stand a slim chance of escaping. Infact, it would be folly to hope for it under the present conditions.Thus they allowed the irons to be clasped upon their wrists and abouttheir ankles. This task, which did not seem an unpleasant one to them,accomplished to their satisfaction, the men returned to the deck,leaving our friends prisoners amid surroundings which seemed to maketheir situation hopeless.