Out on the Pampas; Or, The Young Settlers

by G. A. Henty

‘“It was, as you say, Rube, a boy’s trick, and just at present is hardly the time for that. But don’t let us say anything we don’t want overheard, Rube; some of these fellows may understand.”

‘“Right you are, Seth. I am main sorry, old hoss, that I’ve got you into this scrape, but I expect we shall get out again somehow. I don’t think Rube Pearson is going to be wiped out yet.”

‘I hoped not too. I warn’t a bit tired of life, but I did not see my way out of it. However, I had one comfort: I knew if any two men could get out of an ugly mess, those two men were Rube and I.

‘We were now told to sit down on the ground in one corner of the room, two fellows taking up their station by our sides. Then there was a hot discussion about our fate, which warn’t exactly pleasant to listen to. Some were in favour of hanging us at once, but the majority were for taking us to the main body under El Zeres himself, because the chief would be so glad to have us in his power. He had frequently vowed vengeance against us, for we were known as the most active scouts in the army, and had led troops in his pursuit many a time, and had once or twice come very near to catching him. He had vowed solemnly to his patron saint, that if we fell into his hands he would put us to death with unheard-of tortures: and as El Zeres was rather celebrated that way,—and it was the anticipation of an unusual treat which decided the majority to reserve us,—it warn’t altogether pleasant to listen to. But we put a good face on the matter, for it would never have done to let those Mexican varmints see that two backwoodsmen who had “fit” them and beaten them time after time, were afraid to die when their time came. Presently there was a little stir, and Pepita came into the room. I rather think that, though the girl hated us like pison, she didn’t like to come into the room where one of us was, she thought, laying dead. Now she came in, looking, I will say for her, uncommonly pretty. She came straight up to us, and looked us full in the face. I paid no attention to her, but Rube nodded quite cheerfully.

‘“Well, signora, so you were making fools of us, after all! Well, I ain’t the first chap that’s been fooled by a pretty woman; that’s one comfort, anyhow. I suppose our engagement is to be considered at an end, eh?” and he laughed.

‘“American dog!” the girl said, with her eyes flashing with rage, “did you think you were so good-looking that the women of the nation you tread upon are all to lose their hearts to you? We are Mexicans, and we hate you!” and she stamped her foot with passion.

‘Rube laughed unconcernedly. “Well, signora, after what you now permit me to see of you, I am really thankful that you are so kind and lenient. Thunder! what a fate mine would have been if you had taken it into your head to marry me!”

‘There was a general laugh among the men at the cool way in which Rube treated the girl, and the enraged Pepita struck him a box on the ear. It was a hearty one; but Rube’s face hardly changed, and he said, still smiling,

‘“We have a custom in the States, Pepita, that when a gal boxes a man’s ears, he has a right to give her a kiss. You are reversing that; I had the kisses this afternoon, and now I have got the box on the ear.”

‘There was again a roar of laughter among the Mexicans, and the enraged woman drew a knife, and would have stabbed Rube to the heart had she not been seized by the men standing round her and forced from the room. We were kept in that room under a guard, so watchful that any attempt to escape was out of the question, until three o’clock the next morning. The horses were then saddled, and we were soon off, Rube and I riding in the midst of the party with our hands tied before us, so that we could just hold the bridle. We had found out from the conversation, that El Zeres with his band was about twenty-five miles distant.