Short Story

Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, Issue 375, 16 July 1903, Page 7

Short Story

' Tan men were just turning in fox the night, but en- healing what had happened and wt at wa3 to be done they were soon dreeaed again, and in high delight at the thought of the expedition, and full of indignation at any one having vestured to ctpture their owner's guetti. In a quaitar of an hour the guide* arrived, and'was brought down iit> the ' cabin. %* -- n • Hammond sent for. an lulisn stoker whom he had shipjped at Genoa m place of one been leit behind there in hospital. The man bad served on English ships, ''" and epoke the language a little. 'I want you,'.Hammond said,.when te came in, * to interpret what ,T say to' this man, and his answers to me/' - • ' 'Now, what is your name? 1 he ssktd the guide. --*«»■:- »0 - f-i ■ * Gi useppi/ 'Well, Giuseppi, this business maybe your fault or it may not At any rate, as these gentlemen were under your charge yen will have to do your best to enable me to recover tfiem. In" fire minutes a.?" party is Jand/ an* yon *wifi ■* accompany them, and will guide them to the place ~Kbi? " seized. I tel^oo- fairly, that-jf you spjak T aloud or ta&amm to. «mmunicafe withVany one I shall blow out your brains. If you do as I order you, you will be handsomely rewarded; tat at any rate you have to go with ue, willingly or unwillingly. •I could taka.fbftilfcM/ the toari saiS* ■ sullenly; 'but what would be the use ? They are miles and miles away in the forest before this, and they have so many hiding places that even if I knew any- - thing about than I- amid not fell you. to ■ which they had gone.* ' I quite understand .that, and shall not expect yon to guide me beyond the spot where they were captured r beyond that £ " my jpiMWfci iPnM»-may te&yott---that you will have to accompany me, as yon might othei wis^slip off and give them ] warning. If you cany out my instructions implictly I shall make yon a present of five hundreT francs when "we return here, whetner I have recovered my friends or not. *-«*-'; >• The man's eyes brightened at the offer. ' I will do whafrl can, signer ; -fiat UPia ' dangerous work, for if it is Buspected that I guided you it is certain that-1 should have my throat cut before many days are past' ' ' That is so perhaps, and I will endeavour to shield yon from any consequences by disguising you.' He rang the bell, and told the steward to aummon tee skipper. * v: ' Pellowes,' he said, ' got a suit of the men's clothes from the store-room and see that this man puts them on j it would not be safe for him afterwards if f they knew -- that he guided us. "When we land do you keep close to him, and if he attempts to escape blow hia brains out' - Half an hour biter tha_ party .landed a quarter of a mile from the town. It was not eleven o'clock, and all was quiet. The guide had been ordered to taxe them by a road that did not pass through the town, and in a quarter of an hour they came on to the main road from Catania inland. Gyp walked by the side of Hammond, who, with the skipper, and the guide, led the'. party. At three 6*clock they reached the farm. Without going near the house . they kept on. leading up towarda the mountain. Hare ' they baited" "for half ah hour, and then continued their way. Gyp was now ahead, ■ occasionally saifSiig the air and giving - shortbarkarw * "•** *■ .?"-*'**■' * ' - 'He scentß them, althojagh th#y were on horseback,' Hammond said to" the skipper. * I conldnottovajbeljevei itppesiblo'if.lr.., had not seflrTE* Before day bioke thfey were' well in the forest; it wj|3.amere.ttaok they were following now. "Ac eight the guide pointed to a ' Eceolo'; jknt it did not need, this -to show i that it was the right spot, for Gyp had run on ahead, and was sniffing the ground in a state of the greatest excitement. Twenty miles had already been travelled, and the ate; to walking Now, lads,' Hammond said,' sit down and have agood meal; you five -4RS? sleep. I don't suppose these telle wa are many miles off, and I don't want to come upon them'till dark. We must take them by surprise, or out of revenge they would certainly kill their captives befora bolting,' 5 « t -; They were obliged to tie by a rope they had brought for otherwise he have iollowed the track alosl? The guide's hands and feet were secureTyrfssteaed. •'«• ! i" s ■•-?-'• _' I will lie down bsaide him,' Hammond said. 'lam a very ught sleeper, and will lay my arm across him;- If he moves I shall wake instantly/ The men, however, would not hear of this, and five of them agreed to take watch in turn. *WeU,jßexhaps-ifc is Abetter so,' Hammond aaids 'it is certain the brigands won't expect' to- be* disturbed 1 as Boon, though no doubt they will to morrow have spies on the road to let them know if a party of Carabinieri. are coming out. Still, some one might accidentally .come along. It either of you men who are on watch sea any one approaching, wake me at once. *-I-am a fast runner, and I should soon catch him, and he would have to go with us/ .., . At one o'clock all'were on their feet again. A meal was taken leisurely, and. then they set out;fiammond holding the-' rope that fastened Gyp's collar, and the dog straining its utmost to hurry on. In three hours they halted ag&in, the increasing eagerness of the dog telling Han. raondjiAt they wertmot far from the spot where the brigaids were encamped. They went on with the greatest caution until Hammond and the skipper at the same mojnent -declared that the/- smelt smoke, and they halted at once, to Gyp's extreme dfagutt. ' A small 'strap HammoEd had brought for the purpose was. fastened over hia nose to prevent nim from barking, and the party remained quiet until darkness came on. Then they,started again. Gyp as before leading the way. In ten minntea

In the Hands of Brigands]

they saw the light of a fire. Hammond called np the Italian stoker. ' Tell this fellow if heshoute or attempts to give.the alarm in any way he will be shot. Then they again advanced. A dcien could presently be seen sitting round a fire over which meat was roasting. Two figures were lying on the ■ - ground a'ehort distanceftOHr'therh.'" *" ' Now, lads, take off your Bhoes,' Hammond ojrdered in a whispe?. MCeep in a line abreast of eacb. other with your guns ready for action, jfteri I give the word, jjout ma volley, fed then rush in"atthem with your cutlasses/ -*> ML They were withim some forty yards . when .one of the men sprang to his feet. • Ha had evidently heard a noise that alarmed him. The others also sprang up. grasping their guns. H • V -s 7 ~ "-fiieU Hammond IShduteS.'lind the volley rang out. ,--,..,-. Vf ... More than half the men dropped at once/ '* One tall fifiure, drawing hie knife, srrang towaids the captivesv -Harnmond Bad e£ pected this, and had held his fire. He had his rifle in readiness, and the%|Bcl i: gbrbut ; - half-way to the prisoners when The brigand stumbled in'Hiß stride. '"He was evidently hard hit; but he again rushed forward, wbeHp to Hammond's delight, a brown body flashed through the air, Btrikibg the man full on the cheßt, the impetus and surprise carrying him to the, - ground. " ' * ' ' '. ""' * " j IBtfore he cbnld regain his" feet Bain." ' up, and, bringing down the butt end of his rifle on his head, completed ' 'fheHi work of Ma bullet, which had, how*, **^vei£'inflicted a mortal wound. «« Tie -eurvivors of the brigands bad not awaited the attackof the sailoi*, A but msf fled without waiting to shot. * i'lve - of those on the ground were dead;-two others badly wounded.- Four only had y escaped. Seeing that all was over, Hammond assisted the prisoners'to rise; "being- 6oniewhat hindered in Clinton's case by Gyp, who was frantically dancing round his. master and endeavouring to lick hm face. 'Thank God we arrived in time!' Ham-V" raond said, as, taking out his knife, he cut the cord with which his friends were bound, ana helped them to their feet. ' Ifc ' was a close starve -for you thoughTfor if ''< ■ -Whadn't been for Gyp it would have been all up with'ypu**<tjoth; !We; came .-up 1 as s ' . quietly as we conld, and hoped that those f we did not kill would Jbolt; but one of : them—their chief, I fancy, drew His kpife • and made a rush for'yotf. I had my rifle ' in readiness, and certainly hit him hard • [ but he had enough Btrength left to*iiave ' parried out his purpose if it hada't been for the dog, whicli sprang at him-80. Bud-L 1 denly and with such force that it knocked ' him off his legs. I did not wait to see' iTT' he could get up again, but gave hirh a tap ' on the head with the butt end of my rifle and I f BHoy that finished him.' ' 11 ' But how on earth did yon find ub ?* i - "h 1 'Gyp again. We landed .late in the evening you were caught/and made the < fellow who was your guide lead us to the 1 spot where you were takeH.- After that, Gyp took up the scent, and here we are' Gyp had by this time been relieved of S; the strap, and waa leaping on. his toaster ' with sharp cries of delight. lade,' Hammond said, «have you searched the pockets of these rascals?' •They have gone over them, sir,' the skipper said.. * They had all. of them got 'money hidden-in their sashes. 'it comes altogether, as far as I can make out, ta over a hundred pounds/ •Well, you can take charge of it, Pellowes, and divide it equally among them to-morrow; let them smash the fellows' guns and carry off their knives and' pistols; then we will be off. 'i f IPfi G *P can't guide us feack,' Clinton said. .'•;"'_ . He will be able to take us & ' I don't want agiow, and * - tainlf .jbe one % were'?fe*^sfa^Sfe:: Catania, armed as aayjfghfc ; l We will go dowaae farastMedge^W^he 7 forest, sleep th'ere/and start when it gets * dark-to-morrow evening. I told. the • Sen - ,to»bring the two boats into the place where .we landed at twelve o'clock each night; and to wait till daybreak/ : - iThis- was carried out successfully, andi after aniabsenee o£two, ; mgfcts stem#&f board again, and tr*spe?3 . began at once to getirp'steam. Hammond found from the two meH who had been left on board that Signor Pachesi ...and some port authorities had 4ome off. 3Wte» they came near the Bbip they were :>harfeff-and told that the owner was on shore and had left strict orders that no one was to be allowed on board until he returned. Bjfore the hpmj-atiwhM^heae gentlemen rose in the morning, the Hebe was miles away under full steam.