“Kidnapped? By whom?”
“By that scoundrelly Englishman and his ruffianly band. After leaving the stables they made for the main road. At the corner they saw the girls, and as they were only a few feet away, they picked them up and dashed off again. We did not hear them nor the cries of the girls, which of course were soon stifled, because we were so occupied in the court.”
“I did hear a scream,” said Captain Saunders, “but paid no particular attention, thinking one of the women servants had cried in alarm because of the uproar in the stables. But, señor, for what reason would they kidnap the girls?”
“For a ransom. That English renegade knows about the gold mine, and the thought came to him at once to extort money. Here, Harvey, come back!”
The boy, who had started on a run, came to a halt.
“Where are you going?”
“After them,” he replied.
“You can do nothing alone and on foot. We’ll all start. Louis, are there any horses in the neighborhood?”
He shook his head in negation.
“Oh, yes there are!” exclaimed Harvey, who had quickly returned. “There are some at the fort.”