CHAPTER XXI.
THE RETURN OF THE SCOUT MASTER
The acting scout master of the Eagle Patrol was meanwhile making his way down the ragged face of the slope pretty much as Merritt had pictured him.
After giving that last "all right" wave of his flag, Rob had apparently started down toward the plain, and his course was, as nearly as could be seen, just the same as that he had taken in order to reach the crag from which he had wigwagged the news to his chums alongside the stalled train.
But this was only a "blind," intended to deceive the lurking Federals, if it happened that they were watching his movements. They would feel confident that, as he meant to retrace his steps, he would follow the line of least resistance. Then all that they would have to do in order to ambush him, would be to remain secreted in the cunningly arranged hiding-place where the other three scouts had seen them take their positions.
When Rob had reason to believe that he was safe from observation, he set about changing his downward course. It was not very difficult to run across some other descending gully or miniature arroyo, where in rainy weather doubtless copious streams of water flowed, but which now was quite dry. The face of the elevation was fairly scarred with such indentations.
The scout slipped along cleverly, stooping all of the time, and occasionally even dropping flat on his hands and knees, in order to crawl past a suspicious point, where the chances of exposure seemed greater.
Rob had practiced this sort of thing many a time just for the fun of it, when he and the other Eagles were camping out. Such tactics came well within the scope of actual scout work, for boys are expected to exert themselves while indulging in games that pertain to the open. They could imagine themselves Indians in the old days, when the copper-skinned natives of American forests had to depend on their skill as hunters, in order to secure their daily rations of food, because at that time there was no generous-handed Uncle Sam to issue such to them once in so many months as the wards of the nation.
This creeping game had always appealed to Rob so strongly that he had taken particular pains to perfect himself in it, not dreaming how at some future day his knowledge of it might come in handy, as it was now doing.
There was no particular hurry, he decided, as he picked his way cautiously along among the rough rocks, always surveying the prospect ahead before actually trusting himself to move on a little distance. The Federals who were lying in ambush and waiting for him to come along would hardly get impatient enough to start to meet him, he concluded. And besides, there was another reason why he should allow some little time to elapse before trying to reach the foot of the descent.
He had tried to picture in his mind just what his three comrades would be doing in the matter, and he came to the conclusion that Merritt must certainly appeal to Lopez, in order to have the rebels try to raise the siege.
This they could easily do by dislodging the Federals who were in hiding on the return trail awaiting his approach.
Several times, when an opportunity occurred, Rob took occasion to raise his head slowly and peer over the top of some friendly rock. He moved carefully so that he might not draw attention to the spot; and his motive was more to take a peep at the stalled train than any desire to find out what the enemy might be doing. In this way, then, he saw the dozen rebels finally make a sortie and run headlong for the foot of the height, just about as he had done; only they failed to take advantage of the chances there were for concealment, which he had utilized.
And he could also see that those at the train had gathered in a throng on that side toward the scene of action, as though deeply interested in the outcome.
Yes, there were Tubby, Merritt and Andy; he could plainly make them out with his naked eye, and knew that they must be very anxious concerning his safety. Rob was almost impelled to wave his signal flag, so that its familiar white and red combination would catch their watching eyes and tell them that thus far all was well, but he decided not to do it. How was he to tell but that enemies might be close by who would take advantage of his indiscretion to send a pattering shower of lead about his ears?
Once he half raised his field glasses, being tempted to make use of them in order to see better what the boys were doing and whether they wore anxious expressions on their faces, as he believed would be the case. But again Rob's scout training held his hand, and he quickly decided that he would be taking too much risk. Then, too, the sun chanced to be shining in just such a way that if he moved the glasses it would be apt to flash a warning ray, very much on the order of the heliograph signals he was used to making with the aid of a broken piece of mirror, and such a slight thing might catch the suspicious eyes of those who lay in wait.
So Rob contented himself with taking another observation, and noting that the advancing rebels showed all the evidences of being very much in earnest.
All at once, even as he looked, he heard the quick detonation of a gun not far away from him. And at the same instant he saw a puff of white smoke burst out from a clump of rocks, showing that one of the Federals must be in hiding there.
Undoubtedly he was firing at the advancing rebels, understanding that they meant to dislodge himself and companions from their hiding-places on the hillside.
Derisive shouts answered the shot, and, so far as Rob could see, it had accomplished nothing save to let the rebels know that their intentions were understood, and that the concealed Federals would not run away without a fight.
Then came other shots. The second and third of those men who were lying in ambush had taken up the gage of battle, and were trying to wing some of the leaping, running rebels before they gained the shelter of the outlying rocks at the foot of the hill.
Nor were the men of Villa slow to return the fire, since they seemed to have an abundance of ammunition. And for a short time the guns popped merrily around that region.
It was rather fascinating to crouch there and watch the curls of smoke shooting up, telling Rob that he was looking upon a real battle on a small scale. Presently, however, when the bullets coming from various quarters below began to whine about his ears, the patrol leader decided that he had better draw in his head, very much after the manner of a tortoise, and make himself scarce, since he seemed to be in the line of fire.
Once, a little later, when he took another cautious observation as the shooting slackened, he was thrilled to see a creeping soldier, clad in a dirty white uniform, not more than thirty yards away from him! Indeed, Rob could watch him carefully raise his head and look downward, as though marking the advance of the foe, so as to calculate on his line of retreat, and the expression on his swarthy face was plainly visible.
"How easy it would be for me to pick that fellow off, if I were a rebel right now," the boy told himself with something like a chuckle, as he slowly advanced his rifle under cover of the sheltering rock and drew a bead on the skulking figure in the Federal service uniform. But of course this was only a little act of boyish bravado, for Rob did not have the least temptation to fire and injure one of these men. He believed that Americans could as yet have no particular interest in this civil warfare that was going on south of the Rio Grande; and that the Mexicans would be all the better for settling their differences among themselves.
Of course, if it went too far, doubtless Uncle Sam, in his character of policeman for the Western Hemisphere, might have to intervene and try to restore peace to the harassed country of the dons.
Seeing which way the Federals were retreating, Rob changed his own course again. Of course he wanted to avoid any collision with the three who had been lying in ambush, and at the same time keep clear, as well as he could, of the advancing rebels until such time as he could let them know that he was a friend, and not an enemy. These fellows were only too ready with their guns to open fire on the slightest provocation, and Rob did not yearn to be made an object lesson.
"As like as not," he was saying to himself as he shifted his position again and again skillfully, "they'd bang away if they saw so much as the crown of my campaign hat, and then apologize in their Mexican way after they'd riddled me with bullets. But an ounce of prevention is a heap better than a pound of cure, and I guess I'll keep out of the way till the right time comes along to speak up."
And having thus made up his mind as to what his course of action would be, Rob began to hold back. He fancied that before long the advance rebels must be coming up, when he could get in touch with them, so as to let them know that the enemy had slunk away after the manner of a beaten cur.
Five, ten minutes passed. There had not been a shot exchanged for all that time, and Rob was really beginning to grow impatient, when he fancied he caught the mutter of voices. Taking another careful peep, he discovered several men, whom he recognized as rebels, for they were armed, alert, and wore no uniforms whatever.
So the scout waved his signal flag above the rock, and at the same time called out in a loud voice a word that he knew stood for "friend."
"Amigo! amigo!"
Quickly he saw that they understood, because they were making motions for him to come forth. And, feeling that there was no longer anything to fear, Rob proceeded to emerge from his place of concealment.
Of course he could not converse in the Mexican lingo, which is supposed to be a corruption of Spanish, but then, knowing a few words and being able to gesticulate fairly well, Rob managed to give them the information that the Regulars had taken themselves off, so that it was really useless to remain up there on the hill, when the presence of every man would soon be needed down by the train.
Accordingly the party started downgrade and soon came to the level. Their appearance in the open was greeted by vociferous "Bravos" by all the assembled Mexicans; and from the racket one might fancy that those gallant fighters had utterly annihilated a whole army of the enemy. Spanish-American dispositions are ever excitable, and whatever they do is generally accomplished with much noise and confusion.
It thrilled Rob to the heart, though, to hear the shouts of his three chums above all the rest of the noise; and he knew that they were feeling better satisfied than all the rest to see him come out of the lively little engagement unscathed.
He believed that he had some news for them later on that would bolster up their faltering spirits; but first of all preparations must be started toward meeting successfully this coup on the part of the Regulars.
Tubby could not wait for Rob to reach them, but in his customary warm-hearted manner he pushed away beyond the border of the throng and met the returning scout.
"Let me tell you we're mighty happy to see you back without a scratch, after all that cannonading along the side of the mountain!" Tubby exclaimed, as he pounced on Rob's hand and wrung it "like a pump handle."
"And I'm a bit glad myself to get back in good shape, believe me," Rob told him. "After I've had a chance to shake hands all around we ought to get busy doing something to better our conditions here; because in half an hour or so the Federals calculate to open on us from both sides, in what is called an enfilading fire. Hurrah, boys! Well, Merritt, I guess we're showing the natives what Boy Scouts can do, eh?"
CHAPTER XXII.
THE FIELD HOSPITAL IN OPERATION
"What happened to the ambushers, Rob?" Andy inquired.
The scout master was beginning to look around in the throng of cheering Mexicans for Lopez, who must again act as interpreter for him if he expected the rebel captain to grasp certain ideas he had evolved while slowly making his way down from the lofty lookout.
"Oh!" replied Rob, with a laugh, "they slid out from under when things began to get too warm for their blood."
"What! d'ye mean they got clear away, and never left one feller on the gory field of action?" grumbled Tubby.
"Why, you're getting real blood-thirsty, Tubby!" said Rob. "I'm surely astonished to hear you talk like that!"
"But wouldn't it give you a real hard pain to see how the fellers that came back with you are strutting around and grinning! Why, that little runt with the gay jacket slaps himself on his chest every half minute, like he'd knocked over sixteen Regulars all by his lonely! What airs they take on! And yet you say every Fed got clean away? Huh! we've heard a heap of shootin' since we came on the spot; but only one man was hurt, and Merritt fixed him up fine. I reckon he broke his arm trying to hustle and get under shelter!"
"Wait here for me, boys," Rob said; "if Lopez won't show up I'll have to hunt for him, because it's important to do something right away, or they'll be taken by surprise after all."
"Sort of like I've heard my dad tell: 'If the mountain won't come to Mohammed, why Mohammed must go to the mountain.' Well, come right back again, Rob, when you get through talking with Lopez, because we want to know some things."
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."
So Rob beckoned to the other three scouts, and upon their coming up, he directed:
"Bring the five horses, boys; we're going to hide the lot with the women and kids in a rocky retreat close by, where they'll be safe from flying lead."
"That's a hunky idea!" declared Andy. "I was just bothering my head trying to think what we could do to protect our mounts; because, seeing how the cowardly Federals aimed to cut down the horses when they couldn't hit a man, made me reckon we might have to continue our journey afoot. We'll be right along after you, Rob. I'll see to your nag, and Merritt will take care of the guide's broncho."
Meanwhile, some of the rebels had made the crowd understand that they must leave the train for a brief time, because it would soon be as much as their lives were worth to remain out in the open. Once the enemy started shooting from both sides, the chances of being struck were bound to be tenfold as great as when they could hide behind the cars and use them as a fortress.
Some of the fugitives showed considerable concern about even temporarily abandoning the train; they acted as though they had treasures of some sort hidden in the luggage that was stored inside the cars. But the rebels would not stand for any delay or quibbling; and as a consequence the entire party, numbering almost a hundred, took up a line of march after Rob and the advance guard, heading directly toward the nearby foot of the rise.
Trailing in and out among the large rocks that lay around near the base, the young scout master led the way to the protected "sink" where the fugitives from Chihuahua could find shelter while the coming battle raged.
A couple of minutes later the three boys came up with all the horses belonging to Rob's party. Others among the rebels, understanding what was going on and able to take a hint, made haste to fetch the rest of the animals; for there was plenty of room in the sink to afford a shelter for all.
"Say, this wouldn't make a bad sort of fort, would it?" Tubby remarked, as he glanced around at the rock walls that arose on nearly every side. "Now, tell me, Rob, why shouldn't the whole outfit stay in here, instead of sticking to the open and dodging bullets around that old train?"
"Why, don't you see," replied the other, always willing to oblige a comrade, "if the fighting men stayed here they could never tell where the enemy was located; and the consequence would be that the Regulars could drop down here and proceed to pour a hot fire right in among the bunch. No, that would never do, and the rebel captain knows it, too. Back to the train for us, boys. There we'll be in a position to see whatever fighting happens along."
"And what is our share of the row going to be, Rob?" asked Andy anxiously.
"Oh! don't bother about that – yet!" said Rob quietly. "If there happens to be a lot of men struck, why we'll show them how scouts learn to bandage wounds and render first aid to the injured. I'd do that for a Federal just as quick as for a rebel, because we're supposed to be neutrals in this Mexican mix-up, you understand. So we'll try and imagine ourselves Red Cross workers for the time being."
"Well, the fun's going to begin right away, I reckon!" Andy called out, as there came the sharp crack of a gun from up on the side of the hill which, before this, had been entirely free from the enemy.
"Whee! Hear that bullet let out a yell as it jumped by over our heads, did you?" gasped Tubby, trying to make himself as small as possible and not meeting with very much success, for reasons that all of his chums could easily understand.
There was an immediate scurrying around of the rebels, each man trying to find some place where he could be safe from the rain of lead that would soon be falling.
A number stuck to the cars, believing they could manage to lie low and escape damage; while others, like the four boys, preferred to trust to the outlying rocks that in places offered little harbors of refuge.
In five minutes there was quite an exchange of shots going on, so that things began to seem "pretty lively," as Andy called it.
Acting on the advice of Rob, all of them had spread out what linen bandages they carried in their packs, as well as other things calculated to be of use in case of wounds.
"If I had dreamed that we should have to play the part of field hospital," Rob remarked, "I would have made sure to bring an extra supply along. But in case we run short of bandages, why there's that big night-shirt Tubby fetched, under the foolish impression he was going to sleep like he does at home. And when that's gone we'll begin on his day shirt. Like enough it will fill the bill!"
Tubby hardly knew whether to take this in the light of a joke or not.
"Now, I don't mind giving up the useless sack in my pack, because several times I've been tempted to throw it away before some of you fellers began to josh me about it; but I do draw the line about handing over my spotted flannel shirt that I'm wearing right now to be torn into bandages, and wrapped about the arms of these dirty – er, I mean, brave señors who are fighting so hard."
"Here comes a fellow who's got his dose, I guess, Rob," said Merritt, as one of the rebels staggered toward their little enclosure, holding his left arm rigidly with the clenched fingers of his right hand and trying to suppress a look of pain on his swarthy face.
The Federals attempted to add to his troubles by shooting at him, so that the dust arose in several little spurts around his feet as he came on; but luckily he was not struck again, and soon sank down with a groan at the feet of the "gringo" boys, who had let it be known that they were ready to treat any and all wounds.
Rob immediately took the man in hand. He had several pails of water handy, and was thus enabled to wash the fellow's arm first of all. It turned out that he had received a pretty serious hurt. It made Tubby shudder, but the fat scout showed plenty of grit, for he volunteered to assist Rob in any way possible.
Between them the wound was so well taken care of that when the bandage had been fastened the man declared in broken English that he was grateful, and would now dodge back to where he had dropped his gun, hoping to repay some venturesome Regular for his injury.
"There, I reckoned they had plenty of pluck once they got started!" Rob declared, on seeing the man run across the open space, jumping in a zig-zag fashion when the lead began to patter around him.
Another came crawling into the hospital, having also been touched; and before he could be discharged a third bounded toward them, now stopping to limp, as though he hardly knew where he was hurt.
"This is going some, let me tell you!" said Merritt.
"Good practice for us scouts, all the same," Tubby declared, puffing out his big chest with a suspicion of pride, and then as quickly subsiding when he heard a bullet spatter on the rock not three feet away, so that particles of stone even tingled his cheek.
For some time the battle at the stalled train continued, until hundreds of shots had been fired on either side and some seven or more rebels had been ministered to by the young field surgeons. But so far as the boys knew, there had thus far been no fatalities, at least on their side. Though no one could say whether or not any of the Federals up there among the rocks on the slope had been struck by the bullets the rebels continued to send aloft so industriously.