Maria and Juan, who sat his pony as gracefully as if he were a part of the animal, led the way across the open fields surrounding the ranch houses. Then they plunged into a path cleaving the giant trees of the tropical jungle. Limbs of trees brushed their faces and great care was necessary to prevent themselves from being unhorsed.
Phil’s idea was for the boat to wait until dark, and then row up the river as far as possible and return by morning, in order that the general could be informed of the feasibility of the plan and the work of destroying the bridge started. His party, meanwhile, were bent on following this trail toward Matiginao, to reach the ranch before the boat and wait for it. He realized that they were running a great risk, but he believed the necessity for the information was worth the risk run. The trail led mostly within sight of the snake-like river. They passed many dwellings, most of them deserted of all save hungry mongrels and starving pigs.
“This seems to be a fine trail,” Sydney said surprisedly, as they walked their horses two abreast.
“It leads but five miles further,” Maria replied, “and from where it ends, all other trails are those made by animals, and followed seldom by men.”
At a brisk trot Maria started ahead. The jungle bent away from the road, leaving a high arched canopy over the heads of the travelers, through which the tropical sun shone with sullen impotence.
“There is a small bungalow up here,” the girl announced in pleasurable anticipation. “We shall have our lunch there. Before the big house was built we lived there.”
“How long has it been since you were there?” Sydney asked in sudden anxiety, the fear entering his mind that it might now have other occupants.
“Not for years, señor,” the girl replied in a low voice. “It is very lonesome, besides there are many pulijanes[3] in the mountains.”
The house soon appeared through the thick grove of cocoanut palms with its unkept lawn sloping gently to the river. The grass in front of the house was overhead high, and everything had grown wild and in luxuriant profusion. The house itself was in ruins.
While Maria and little Juan had taken charge of the horses and tethered them amid a good repast of alfalfa, the two lads strolled down to the river.