Rob soon found the guide in the crowd. Lopez was doing his share of shouting and hand-shaking, and even the women and children were taking part in the demonstration. It amused the boy about as much as anything he had ever seen.
"They're a queer lot," he told himself, suppressing a grin as he came up to the guide; "you'd think they'd done something real wonderful, now, instead of chasing up that rise and scaring off three skulkers who didn't want to fight at all. But then, I kind of think, these fellows can do considerable scrapping when once they get down to it. And they may have to yet, unless all signs fail before help comes."
Lopez, seeing his employer beckoning, quickly joined him.
"We ought not to be loafing the minutes away like this, Lopez," Rob began. "From what I saw when I was up there, chances are we'll have a shower of bullets dropping down on us from both sides before long. And think what that will mean when the women and children and unarmed travelers can't depend on the cars to hide them!"
Even Lopez seemed to be suitably impressed by the gravity of the conditions.
"The young señor has a plan? Let him tell it, and I will surely inform the brave captain of the valiant defenders of the train," he hastened to say.
Lopez had been studying Rob all the time that they had been in company, and evidently by now he had come to the conclusion that the boy was equal to any emergency. Plans seemed to be as easy for him to originate as for Lopez to roll a cigarette with his nimble fingers.
"Yes, I happened to notice a spot close to the foot of the hill as I was coming down that would afford shelter not only for the women and children, but for our horses as well. Some of the rebels have animals, too, and the Federals have been mean enough to shoot at them. Two lie out there now, done to death. Let the captain know about this so that he may order everybody who is not a fighter to get under cover in this sunken spot among the rocks right away. Minutes may count with us, Lopez."
"Si, señor, right away will I do the same," replied the willing guide, hurrying to the side of the captain. He must have explained the situation to the commander of the rebels in few words, because presently several men advanced toward Rob, Lopez and the leader among them.
"He has sent word to everybody to follow," explained the guide, as they came up, "and asks that you lead the way to the fort, señor."