"Has there been a signal?"
"No, señor," was the reply.
Peeping in cautiously, Will saw one of General Carabaño's men, left there, no doubt, to summon Machado if there should come a call on the wires.
"Hold this brute," said Machado.
"What are you going to do, señor?" asked the man.
"Make a pig squeal. Now, you mule, one more chance before I prick you with a thousand pins. Where is that boat?"
José was evidently terrified at the unknown torture before him. He looked wildly around for a chance of escape, and struggled in the hands of his captor, who, however, held him fast. Meanwhile Machado had disconnected a couple of wires, and reached up to a shelf to take down a bottle of acid for re-charging the battery. Clearly he was for no half measures now.
ASSAULT AND BATTERY
"What's that?" asked the man.