The Valiant Runaways [6]
fight my guest," sobbed Benito.
"Ay, my friend," said Roldan, with dignity, winking back the tears
started by various emotions. "It is I who should have had my ears boxed
by the bear for insulting my host, and bringing anguish to the house of
Perez." Then he embraced Adan, but this time mutely.
Dona Theresa had been carried to her room, where she lay prostrated with
a nervous headache; but her family and guests did ample justice to the
chickens stewed in tomatoes, the red peppers and onions, the fried rice,
tamales, and dulces which her cook had prepared in honour of the event.
Excitement and good will reigned; even Don Jose had forgiven the young
offenders, and they all talked at once, at the top of their voices, as
fast as they could rattle and with no falling inflection. Roldan and
Adan were pressed to remain at the Hacienda Perez until the search was
over, and although the former had a secret yearning for adventure he was
more than half inclined to consent.
After a brief siesta the entire male population of the hacienda retired
to the wall of the corral to pot the bear. It was agreed that each
should fire at once, and that he who missed should have no dulces for a
week.
The bear was sitting near the middle of the corral, surly but replete,
for he had eaten of the bull. Don Jose gave the signal. Twenty-two shots
were fired. The bear gave a roar which awoke the echoes of the forest,
lunged frantically on shattered legs, then fell, an ugly heap of dusty
grey hair.
As the smoke cleared and Don Jose was announcing that only two Indian
servants had missed, Benito clutched Roldan's arm suddenly.
"Look up," he said. "Do you see anything? Are not those men; soldiers?"
Roldan looked up to a ledge of the high mountain before the house. A
bend of the trail traversed a clearing. In this open were three men on
horseback, motionless for the moment.
"Adan!" shouted Roldan. He ran down the ladder.
"I cannot be sure that those are the soldiers," he called up to Don
Jose. "But I take no risks. We must go."
The others descended hastily. "My sons will have to hide too," said Don
Jose. "There is plenty of time. In a moment those men will be in the
forest again and can see nothing more for half an hour. We must do
nothing while they watch--there! they have gone."
He shouted to the vaqueros to saddle six fresh horses, and ordered the
house servants to pack the bags with food.
"There is a cave in the mountain on the other side which I defy anyone
to find," said Don Jose. "If there were a war my sons should fight, but
I need them now."
While the horses were saddling, Roldan and Adan consulted together. At
the end of a few moments the former went up to Don Jose.
"I think it would be wiser to separate," he said. "Adan and I will go
one way, your sons another. That will put them off the track; and the
cave, Carlos says, is not very large."
"As you like," said Don Jose, who was perturbed and busy. "A vaquero
will go with you for a distance and advise you."
The truth was, Roldan fancied lying inert in a cave for several days as
little as he fancied the somnolent life of a barrack, and Adan, who had
a secret preference for the cave, was too loyal to oppose him.
In ten minutes the horses were ready, affectionate good-byes said, and
Roldan and Adan, followed by many good wishes, and prayers to return,
started southeastward through a dense canon.
IV
The vaquero guided the boys rapidly through the canon. The almost
perpendicular walls, black with a dense growth of brush and scrub trees,
towered so high above them that the atmosphere was damp and the long
strip of sky was like a pale-blue banner. The trail was well worn, and
there was nothing to impede their progress. The mustangs responded to
the lifted bridle and ran at breakneck speed. They emerged at the end of
half an hour. It was an abrupt sally, and the great level plain before
them seemed a blaze of sunlight.
"Bueno," said the vaquero, halting. "Ride straight ahead. Keep to the
trail.
"Ay, my friend," said Roldan, with dignity, winking back the tears
started by various emotions. "It is I who should have had my ears boxed
by the bear for insulting my host, and bringing anguish to the house of
Perez." Then he embraced Adan, but this time mutely.
Dona Theresa had been carried to her room, where she lay prostrated with
a nervous headache; but her family and guests did ample justice to the
chickens stewed in tomatoes, the red peppers and onions, the fried rice,
tamales, and dulces which her cook had prepared in honour of the event.
Excitement and good will reigned; even Don Jose had forgiven the young
offenders, and they all talked at once, at the top of their voices, as
fast as they could rattle and with no falling inflection. Roldan and
Adan were pressed to remain at the Hacienda Perez until the search was
over, and although the former had a secret yearning for adventure he was
more than half inclined to consent.
After a brief siesta the entire male population of the hacienda retired
to the wall of the corral to pot the bear. It was agreed that each
should fire at once, and that he who missed should have no dulces for a
week.
The bear was sitting near the middle of the corral, surly but replete,
for he had eaten of the bull. Don Jose gave the signal. Twenty-two shots
were fired. The bear gave a roar which awoke the echoes of the forest,
lunged frantically on shattered legs, then fell, an ugly heap of dusty
grey hair.
As the smoke cleared and Don Jose was announcing that only two Indian
servants had missed, Benito clutched Roldan's arm suddenly.
"Look up," he said. "Do you see anything? Are not those men; soldiers?"
Roldan looked up to a ledge of the high mountain before the house. A
bend of the trail traversed a clearing. In this open were three men on
horseback, motionless for the moment.
"Adan!" shouted Roldan. He ran down the ladder.
"I cannot be sure that those are the soldiers," he called up to Don
Jose. "But I take no risks. We must go."
The others descended hastily. "My sons will have to hide too," said Don
Jose. "There is plenty of time. In a moment those men will be in the
forest again and can see nothing more for half an hour. We must do
nothing while they watch--there! they have gone."
He shouted to the vaqueros to saddle six fresh horses, and ordered the
house servants to pack the bags with food.
"There is a cave in the mountain on the other side which I defy anyone
to find," said Don Jose. "If there were a war my sons should fight, but
I need them now."
While the horses were saddling, Roldan and Adan consulted together. At
the end of a few moments the former went up to Don Jose.
"I think it would be wiser to separate," he said. "Adan and I will go
one way, your sons another. That will put them off the track; and the
cave, Carlos says, is not very large."
"As you like," said Don Jose, who was perturbed and busy. "A vaquero
will go with you for a distance and advise you."
The truth was, Roldan fancied lying inert in a cave for several days as
little as he fancied the somnolent life of a barrack, and Adan, who had
a secret preference for the cave, was too loyal to oppose him.
In ten minutes the horses were ready, affectionate good-byes said, and
Roldan and Adan, followed by many good wishes, and prayers to return,
started southeastward through a dense canon.
IV
The vaquero guided the boys rapidly through the canon. The almost
perpendicular walls, black with a dense growth of brush and scrub trees,
towered so high above them that the atmosphere was damp and the long
strip of sky was like a pale-blue banner. The trail was well worn, and
there was nothing to impede their progress. The mustangs responded to
the lifted bridle and ran at breakneck speed. They emerged at the end of
half an hour. It was an abrupt sally, and the great level plain before
them seemed a blaze of sunlight.
"Bueno," said the vaquero, halting. "Ride straight ahead. Keep to the
trail.