TREACHERY FOILED.
Broncho Billie had been in too many unpleasant places to be at all worried over his predicament, but he was much concerned about the condition of the train and its passengers, practically all of whom were Americans and a large majority of whom were women and children.
"It would be fierce," he mused, "to have them held here, or in a detention camp as prisoners; and it would be worse if we should be attacked by an overwhelming force of revolutionists. I've just got to know the truth."
He glanced up at the coach with its dimly lighted windows.
"I wish I could talk to old Don. He most always knows what to do. But how can I get at him?"
He sneaked out to where he could see the coach platform. The guard was still there, as well as the guard on the other car.
"Worse and more of it," he exclaimed.
Then he examined the car, trying to determine at which window he had been seated. Several were open, and he determined to try and speak to some one.
"Our seats are not far from here," he thought as he stopped under the second one. "I'll try this."
He picked up a stone about as big as an egg and tossed it into the window. A howl from a child followed the act and Billie ducked under the car. He could hear the mother pacifying it, but evidently she, too, had been asleep and had not discovered the stone.
"I think I know just which child it is," said Billie with a grin, "and this next open window must be ours."
He picked up another stone and tossed it in to his second choice, this time with better results.
Donald had just aroused from a nap, and, missing Billie, was looking for him. Not seeing him in the car, he was about to look out of the window when the stone hit him on the chin.
"Ouch!" he exclaimed as he started back.
Billie heard the exclamation and gave the familiar whistle.
Donald was on the alert in an instant. Looking up and down the car to be sure he was not being watched, he stuck his head out of the window.
"Trouble," was Billie's laconic reply. "Come out."
"How can I? The guard is at the door."
"Jump out of the window."
"They might see me."
Billie thought fast.
"Let Ad stand between you and the door."
"Great," from Donald.
He aroused Adrian and told him the situation.
"You stay in the train," he said, "and we'll keep you posted as to what is going on outside. If there is any real danger we will give the alarm."
He picked up his overcoat and pretended to be fixing a pillow. Adrian did the same. Then, while the guard's back was turned, he dropped out of the window.
Billie was beside him when he rose to his feet.
"This way, Don," he whispered. "Let's get out into the dark and hold a council of war."
They glided out into darkness, but where they could keep their eyes on the engine.
"Now tell me about it," said Don.
Billie told him what he had discovered.
"It does look strange," Donald admitted. "Have you any plan?"
"I haven't an idea above an oyster," was the characteristic reply.
Donald scratched his ear reflectively.
"How would it do," he finally asked, "to sneak over by the soldiers and see if we can't pick up some scrap of conversation that may give us a clue as to what is going on?"
"Fine. We must keep together, though. We might never find each other in the dark if we should become separated."
Silently they crawled toward the spot where Billie had seen the soldiers. When they did not hear any sign of them after several minutes' crawling they stopped to listen.
"There surely was a squad here a few minutes ago," declared Billie. "They must have moved."
They remained silently thoughtful for several minutes, but all was as silent as a graveyard.
"That's mighty funny," said Billie. "I know I was not mistaken. Let's go back by the train."
They turned for that purpose and could see a group of figures at the platform of each coach.
"That's the answer," exclaimed Billie. "They have surrounded the train. Now let's see what will happen."
They had not long to wait as an officer shortly boarded each car and a minute later there was a commotion among the passengers.
Drawing a little nearer, the boys could hear the officer in the car nearest them explaining that the passengers would be obliged to alight and change trains.
"The track has been torn up ahead of us," he said, "and we shall have to walk nearly a mile to where the train is that came up from Vera Cruz."
This had been quite the customary thing in Mexico for some months and the passengers prepared to obey.
"I don't believe it is true," said Billie to Donald.
"We can soon find out," declared Donald. "Let's walk down the track a piece. We can easily keep ahead of the crowd."
Avoiding the glare of the locomotive's headlight, the boys hurried down the track and when far enough away from the train to feel secure, they took the middle of the track.
"This is far enough ahead," said Donald, "to keep out of sight and the track is all right so far. I don't believe it is torn up at all."
"Then what is up?"
"That is what I've been trying to decide for nearly an hour," replied Billie. "It looks as though they intended to make all the Americans prisoners."
"But what for?"
"Why, for hostages, to be sure. Don't you remember how Cæsar took a lot of the Helvetians for hostages?"
"By George!" from Donald. "I believe you are right. Do you suppose it is Huerta's orders?"
"I expect so. He hates Americans."
While the boys had been talking the passengers had been taken from the train and were now coming toward them.
"Let's keep just far enough ahead to see what will happen," said Donald. "We must get in touch with Adrian somehow."
They started ahead, but it speedily developed that the others were not following. Instead they had been halted a short distance from the locomotive, back from the track, and surrounded by soldiers.
"There seems to be a hitch somewhere," Don finally remarked. "They don't seem to know just what they do want to do."
"Come on back and find out," said Billie. "It's up to us to do something."
Cautiously they crept back to where they could hear the conversation among the passengers and the questions they asked the guard. Some were laughing and more were expressing indignation. A few of the women were crying, but above all they could hear the voice of the florid-faced man telling what he would do as soon as he could get into touch with Admiral Fletcher.
"Which won't be very soon, unless I'm mistaken," laughed Donald.
Presently some one began to whistle a popular air, but in such a way that the boys recognized the well-known whistle of Adrian.
"Do you hear that?" asked Billie. "Ad wants to know what we are doing."
"He'll have to want for the present," said Don, "but there go a couple of officers back to the train. Let's follow them."
The boys darted into the shadow of the coaches and crept back only a few steps behind what proved to be the captain in charge of the company and his second lieutenant.
"If I only had my automatic, I'd soon settle this whole matter," declared Billie.
"You wouldn't hurt anybody, would you?"
"I'd capture the officer and make him take us to Vera Cruz."
"Of course," from Donald. "Why didn't I think of it before? Let's do it."
"But we have no weapons."
"Then we must get some."
"How?"
"Keep your eyes open. There must be some way."
The officers kept on their way until they reached the first Pullman, where they stopped for a minute.
"Are the orders in here?" asked the captain.
"No; the conductor has them. He wouldn't stop the train without I gave them to him."
"Carramba! Why didn't you tell me so before? Go and take them from him and bring them here at once."
"Bueno, Capitan! Will you wait here?"
"Yes, I'll go inside. Hurry."
The lieutenant turned and hurried back. The boys only saved themselves from being detected by throwing themselves flat on the ground.
For a moment the captain remained looking after his companion and then turned and entered the car.
"We must have that order," said Donald.
"We must!" echoed Billie.
"Then we'll get it," they exclaimed as one.
So alike were the thoughts that passed through their minds that they did not even feel obliged to speak the plan aloud.
"Which one of us will stop him?" asked Donald.
"You'd better. I'm heavier and I can handle him easier."
They walked back some ten feet, where Donald stopped, while Billie went about ten feet farther and drew off into the darkness.
A couple of minutes later they heard the lieutenant coming. He passed Billie without seeing him.
Then Donald advanced and met him as by chance.
"Who comes there?" asked the lieutenant in a sharp tone, drawing his revolver.
"Why, hello, lieutenant," said Donald as he came close to him. "What's happened?"
The lieutenant eyed him suspiciously.
"Where did you come from?" he asked.
"From the rear sleeper. I woke up and found myself all alone."
"Humph!" grunted the lieutenant. "You must have been overlooked. Come with me."
He started to replace his revolver in its holster when a slight noise behind him caused him to turn his head. As he did so, Billie's fist caught him under the chin and he fell in a heap without making a sound.
"Good work!" muttered Donald as he picked up the revolver which the lieutenant had let fall. "Now to business."