Villas began to appear now at long intervals, dotted back in the dense greenery clothing the hillsides. Coffee and banana plantations surrounded many of them, with the great, flat “barbecues” showing white in the moonlight.
Suddenly, as they rode along, Ned halted abruptly. The others drew rein as they noticed this.
“What’s the trouble?” asked the middy, “horse gone lame?”
“No, sir, but I thought I heard something.”
“An owl, most likely. Come on, we must be pressing forward.”
“No, sir, this wasn’t an owl. Hark! there it is again!”
From a villa some distance back from the road was the apparent source of the cries.
“It’s a call for help, sir!” exclaimed Stanley.
“A woman’s voice!” added Ned.
“Come on, boys,” shouted Stark, wheeling from the roadway, “we must see what is going forward up there.”