CHAPTER XXIV.
AN ADVENTURE ON THE ROAD.
In twelve hours after she started, the American Prince was in the harbor of Cadiz. Bark Lingall was on board; and Jacob Lobo, who spoke five languages, had been engaged at the Hotel de la Alameda as his companion. Mr. Pelham sent them ashore as soon as the anchor went over the bow.
“Do you expect to find the Count de Escarabajosa in Cadiz?” asked the interpreter, as they landed.
“Of course not: I told you he would not be here,” replied Bark. “I may find out where he went to from here, and I may not. I left him at the Hotel de Cadiz; and we will go there first.”
“I can tell you where he went without asking a question,” added Lobo, to whom Bark had told the whole story of Raymond.
“I can guess at it, as you do; but I want information if I can obtain it,” replied Bark.
“You would certainly have been caught if you hadn’t thrown the detective off the track by going over to Oran.”
“We went to Oran for that purpose.”
“The count has got out of Spanish territory, and he will keep out of it for the present. Our next move will be to go to Gibraltar. He is safe there.”
“I think we shall find him there.”
The landlord of the hotel recognized Bark, who had been a guest in his house for several weeks. Raymond had not told him where he was going when he left. He had gone from the hotel on foot, carrying his bag in his hand.
“Where do you think he went?” asked Bark.
“My opinion at the time was that he went to Gibraltar; for a steamer sailed for Algeciras that day, and there was none for any other port,” replied the landlord.
“But he might have left by the train,” suggested Bark.
“He went away in the middle of the day, and the steamer left at noon.”
“He did not leave by train,” added the guide.
“I don’t think he did,” said Bark. “Now, when does the next steamer leave for Gibraltar?”
“You will find the bills of the steamers hanging in the hall,” replied the landlord.
One of these indicated that a Spanish steamer would sail at noon the next day.
“Perhaps she will, and perhaps she will not,” said Lobo.
“But she is advertised to leave to-morrow,” added Bark.
“Very likely before night you may find another bill, postponing the departure till the next day: they do such things here.”
“What shall we do?”
“Wait till a steamer sails,” replied Lobo, shrugging his shoulders.
“Is there any other way to get there?” asked Bark, troubled by the uncertainty.
“Some other steamer may come along: we will go to the office of the French line, and inquire when one is expected,” replied Jacob.
They ascertained that the French steamer did not touch at Gibraltar; and there was no other way than to depend upon the Spanish line. As Jacob Lobo had feared, the sailing of the boat advertised was put off till the next day.
“You can go by land, if you are not afraid of the brigands,” said the interpreter.
“Brigands?”
“Within a year a party of English people were robbed by brigands, on the way from Malaga to Ronda; but that is the only instance I ever heard of. The country between here and Malaga used to be filled with smugglers; and there are some of that trade now. When their business was dull, they used to take to the road at times.”
“How long would it take to go by the road?” asked Bark, who was very enthusiastic in the discharge of his duty, and unwilling to lose a single day.
“That depends upon how fast you ride,” laughed Lobo. “It is about sixty miles, and you might make it in a day, if you were a good horseman.”
“But I am not: I was never on a horse above three times in my life.”
“Then you should take two days for the journey.”
“If we should start to-morrow morning, we should not get there as soon as the steamer that leaves the following day.”
“That steamer may not go for three or four days yet: it will depend upon whether she gets a cargo, or not.”
Bark was vexed and perplexed, and did not know what to do. He went down to the quay where they had landed, and found the boats from the ship, bringing off the Josephines and the Tritonias. He applied to Mr. Pelham for advice; and, after consulting Mr. Fluxion, it was decided that he should wait for a steamer, if he had to wait a week; for there was no such desperate hurry that he need to risk an encounter with brigands in order to save a day or two. So the services of Bark and Jacob Lobo were economized as guides, for both of them knew the city. Two days later the Spanish steamer actually sailed; and in seven hours Bark and his courier were in Algeciras, whence they crossed the bay in a boat to Gibraltar.
We left Raymond in Gibraltar, watching the newspapers for tidings of the American Prince; and he had learned of her arrival at Cadiz, where she had been for three days when Bark arrived at the Rock. He had heard nothing of the death of his uncle in Barcelona, and had no suspicion of the change of the circumstances we have described. He was not willing to risk himself in Cadiz while the Prince was there. As her consorts had not gone to Cadiz with her, he was satisfied that the steamer was to return to Malaga.
After he obtained the news, and had satisfied himself that the Princes were going overland to Cadiz, he went to his chamber at the King’s Arms, where he attempted to reason out the future movements of the squadron. He had concluded, weeks before, that the fleet would not go to Lisbon, since all hands had visited that city; and now it appeared that Cadiz would be avoided for a second time, for the same reason. The Prince would wait there till her own ship’s company arrived, and then go back to Malaga. The Josephines and Tritonias would do the place, and then return to Malaga overland. It looked to Raymond like a very plain case; and he was confident that the fleet would come to Gibraltar next.
He was entirely satisfied that his conclusion was a correct one. The squadron would certainly visit the Rock, for the principal could not think of such a thing as passing by a fortress so wonderful. Raymond was out of the way of arrest, if the detective should trace him to this place; and he could join his ship when she came. If the principal still wanted to send him to Barcelona, he would tell his whole story; and, if this did not save him, he would trust to his chances to escape. He sat at the window, thinking about the matter. It was just before sunset, and the air was delicious. He could look into the square in front of the hotel, and he was not a little startled to see the uniform of the squadron on a person approaching the hotel. He looked till he recognized Bark as the one who wore it.
But who was the man with him? This question troubled him. The man was a stranger to him; for the fugitives had not employed a guide in Malaga, and therefore Jacob Lobo was all unknown to him. Neither the Prince nor her consorts were in Gibraltar; and it was plain enough to the Spaniard that Bark and his companion had come in the steamer he had seen going into Algeciras two hours before. They had come from Cadiz, and they could have no other errand in Gibraltar than to find him. Had Bark become a traitor? or, what was more likely, had he been required by the principal to conduct this man in search of him? Had Mr. Lowington ascertained that he was at the Rock? It was almost impossible, for he had met no one who knew him.
He saw Bark and his doubtful companion enter the Club-House Hotel, and he understood their business there. He had not seen the alguacil, or detective, who had come on board of the Tritonia for him; but he jumped at the conclusion that this was the man. The principal had afforded him every facility for finding the object of his search; and now it appeared that he had sent Bark with him, to identify his expected prisoner. Raymond decided on the moment not to wait for the detective to see him. He rang the bell, and sent for his bill: he paid it, and departed before Bark could reach the hotel. He scorned to ask the landlord or waiters to tell any lies on his account. He hastened down to the bay; and at the landing he found the very boat that had brought Bark and his companion over from Algeciras, just hoisting her sails to return. The boatman was glad enough to get a passenger back, and thus double the earnings of the trip. It is about five miles across the bay; and, with a fresh breeze from the south-east, the distance was made in an hour.
On the way, Raymond learned that the boat had brought over two passengers; and, from the boatman’s description of them, he was convinced that they were Bark and his companion. He questioned the skipper in regard to them; but the man had no idea who or what they were. The passengers talked in English all the way over, and he could not understand a word they said. It was not prudent for the fugitive to stay over night in Algeciras; and, procuring a couple of mules and a guide, he went to San Roque, where he passed the night. He found a fair hotel at this place; and he decided to remain there till the next day.
He had time to think now; and he concluded that Bark and his suspicious companion would depart from the Rock when they found he was not there. But he did not lose sight of the fact that he was in Spain again. What would his pursuers do when they found that he had left the hotel? They would see his name on the books, and the landlord would tell them he had just left. There were plenty of boatmen at the landing, who had seen him embark in the boat for Algeciras. Raymond did not like these suggestions as they came up in his mind. They would cross the bay, and find the boatman, who would be able to describe him, as he had them. Then, when they had failed to find him at the fondas, they would visit the stables. It was easy enough to trace him.
At first he thought of journeying on horseback to Xeres, and there taking the train to the north, and into Portugal; but he abandoned the thought when he considered that he was liable to meet the students at any point on the railroad. Finally he decided to start for Ronda, an interior city, forty miles from the Rock. At eight o’clock in the morning, he was in the saddle. He had retained the mules that brought him from Algeciras. José, his guide, was one of the retired brigands, of whom there are so many in this region. As it was too soon for him to be pursued, he did not hurry, and stopped at Barca de Cuenca to dine.
After dinner he resumed his journey. José was a surly, ugly fellow, and Raymond was not disposed to converse with him. This silence made the miles very long; but the scenery was wild and grand, and the traveller enjoyed it. After he had ridden about five miles he came to a country which was all hills and rocks. The path was very crooked; and it required many angles to overcome steeps, and avoid chasms. Suddenly, as he passed a rock which formed a corner in the path, he was confronted by three men, all armed to the teeth, with muskets, pistols, and knives. José was provided with the same arsenal of weapons; but he did not offer to use any of them.
The leading brigand was a good-natured ruffian, and he smiled as pleasantly as though his calling was perfectly legitimate. He simply held out his hand, and said, “Por Dios,” which is the way that beggars generally do their business.
“Perdon usted por Dios hermano,” replied Raymond, shaking his head.
This is the usual way to refuse a beggar: “Excuse us for God’s sake, brother.” Raymond did not yet understand whether the three men intended to beg or rob; but he soon ascertained that the leader had only adopted this facetious way of doing what is commonly done with the challenge, “Your money or your life!” It was of no avail to resist, even if he had been armed. Most of his gold was concealed in a money-belt worn next to his skin, while he carried half a dozen Isabelinos in his purse, which he handed to the gentlemanly brigand.
“Gracias, señorito!” replied the leader. “Your watch, if you please.”
Raymond gave it up, and hoped they would be satisfied. Instead of this, they made him a prisoner, leading his mule to a cave in the hills, where they bound him hand and foot. José waited for his mule, and then, with great resignation, began his return journey.