“Let me at a pirate!” the sergeant bellowed, dashing away. “There are scores to settle!”
Señor Zorro, his heart sinking within him, peered around through the smoke. And then hope flamed within him again, for in the distance he saw Don Audre Ruiz, the flames leaping around him. Señor Zorro ran swiftly through the billows of smoke toward the stake.
Don Audre’s clothing already was being scorched. He had turned his head away from the smoke and the heat, fighting to the last to keep from drawing deadly flame down into his lungs, and his eyes were closed.
He did not see the swift approach of Señor Zorro, did not guess that rescue was at hand until he heard Zorro’s voice.
“Audre!” he cried. “Audre! Speak to me! If the fiends have slain you—”
Don Audre Ruiz opened his eyes and smiled, and Señor Zorro smiled in reply. Then he kicked away the burning fuel and leaped toward his friend.
“You are just in time,” Don Audre said. “I had given up hope, Diego, my friend.”
“A moment, and I’ll have you free!”
He tore away the ropes and leather thongs, and worked frantically at the heavy chain, which was hot to his touch. He was alert and on guard as he worked, but the fight did not approach him. The caballeros had joined it, he saw, and the pirates were being cut down, and some taken prisoner.
And finally the heavy chain fell away, and Señor Zorro helped Don Audre a short distance from the stake and thrust a sword into his hand.