The Broncho Rider Boys with the Texas Rangers Part 8

"No," said Billie, "but you noticed that he wore his hair unusually long, didn't you? I expect he does that to hide the missing ear."

"That's it exactly!" exclaimed Donald. "I knew there was something strange about his appearance, but for the life of me I couldn't tell what it was."

"Well, that's it," replied Billie, "and if I ever get my eye on you again, Mr. Don Rafael, I'll know you."

"You mustn't say Mr. Don Rafael," explained Pedro. "Don means Mr. If you want to, you can call him Don Rafael; but as for me I shall think of him always as Jose the traitor.

"But here we are at my uncle's house and he will be more than glad to see you."

As the little cavalcade drew up in front of the great white house, a peon opened the big gate and the quartette rode into the patio. Other servants quickly took their horses and led them to the stable, while Pedro escorted the boys up a broad flight of stairs to the second floor, on which were located the parlors, library and dining room. It was a beautiful home and our boys felt just a little bit awkward on coming into such a sumptuous house dressed in their travel-stained riding garments. But if they had any sense of being out of place, they were quickly put at their ease by a kindly faced gentleman of middle age, who advanced to the head of the stairs and greeted them pleasantly.

"These are the brave Americans who gave me such unexpected a.s.sistance yesterday," said Pedro by way of introduction.

"I guessed as much," replied his uncle.

"And this is my uncle, Don Antonio Sanchez," said Pedro to the boys, "he is just as glad to see you and to have you here as I am. And uncle," he continued without stopping to catch his breath, "they are going to stay with me several days, aren't you?" to the boys.

"I don't think we promised, did we?" replied Donald, "but we will stay today, anyway. We shall be pleased to see something of the Concho valley."

Don Antonio lead the way to the dining room, where the boys were introduced to Pedro's aunt and to his sister, Guadalupe.

If the boys had been embarra.s.sed upon meeting Don Antonio, they were more so upon meeting Guadalupe, who was something different from any girl they had ever met. When she was introduced to Billie and called him Don Guillermo, he turned as red as a turkey gobbler and wished he was somewhere else; but, after a few minutes, he forgot his embarra.s.sment in his morning meal-for when it came to eating, there was nothing could interfere with the business of the moment.

Don Antonio and his wife were much pleased with the boys and asked Donald and Adrian many questions about the big ranches from which they came. Both were able to give him all the information he wanted and he insisted that after breakfast all should ride over his _hacienda_ and see the American improvements he had put upon it.

A member of Don Antonio's household who attracted much attention from the boys was a great Newfoundland dog, by the name of Tanto. He was Guadalupe's special property, and at first eyed the boys with a good deal of suspicion. But, when he discovered that they were friends of the family, he became quite as friendly as any of the others.

"He seems very fond of you," said Billie to Guadalupe, in an attempt to make himself agreeable to the beautiful _senorita_.

"Yes, indeed," she replied. "I raised him from a puppy. Are you fond of dogs, Don Guillermo?"

"Oh, yes," interrupted Adrian, who overheard the remark, "Don Guillermo is very fond of dogs. If you could have seen him playing with them, about daylight this morning, you would have thought so," at which remark all the boys laughed heartily, and Billie had to explain his adventure.

"Well, I think it was too bad that you should be caught in such a place; but Tanto will never do a thing like that. Will you, Tanto?" and she patted the dog's head.

"Come on," called Pedro from the _patio_, "if we're going to look over the _hacienda_, let's get started before it gets any warmer."

Accompanied by Don Antonio, the boys rode from place to place over the great farm, along the eastern border of which the Concho river wound its way, while on the other side the mountains rose abruptly to several hundred feet. At the southern extremity the river approached almost to the foot of the mountains, making a narrow neck of land. Still farther south the river broadened out into quite a lake, upon which were a number of small boats.

As the boys turned to retrace their path, Adrian lingered a moment to watch the flight of a flock of water-fowl, and, as he did so, his attention was attracted to the movements of a boat, which had put out from the mountain-side, and which had started the flight of the water-fowl. It contained three men, and, as it slipped silently out of the shadows of the overhanging trees, there was something about the appearance of the man at the stern which seemed most familiar, although he had his blanket thrown over his shoulder in such a manner as to conceal his face.

At first Adrian started to call his companions, but upon second thought he decided to do a little reconnoitering on his own hook. He accordingly dismounted from his horse, and walked slowly around the trees which obscured his view. At his left was a little point of land, extending out into the water, and he slowly and cautiously made his way thither. From this point of vantage he obtained a good view of the river for quite a distance, and could see the boat without being seen.

It was very evident that the boat had come out of a little inlet about a hundred yards from the point upon which Adrian was standing, which appeared to be the mouth of a small brook. On the other side of the point, around which the boat was slowly being rowed, was a steep rock, at least three times the length of an ordinary skiff, beyond which it was impossible for Adrian to see. The boat headed directly for the rock, and a moment later disappeared behind it; but that one look was sufficient to convince Adrian that the man who had attracted his attention was the same who had tried to steal Pedro.

"I wonder what he is doing around here, anyway?" soliloquized Adrian.

"No good, I'm sure. The best thing I can do is to hurry after the rest of them and tell them what I have seen. They'll be wondering where I am."

Hastily he scrambled up the bank to where he had left his horse, when, just as he raised his head above the edge, he felt a hand grasp his right foot, and he was pulled violently downward. For just a minute he clung to the shrubbery about him, and then, gaining his wits, he suddenly relaxed his hold and, turning half way round, push himself backward.

It was an old trick he had learned at school, and the result was that he came down on top, instead of underneath, the man who had grasped his ankle.

In another moment he was engaged in a rough-and-tumble fight, which proved of short duration, for Adrian was much more than a match for his a.s.sailant. Almost as soon as it takes to tell it, Adrian was sitting on top of a white-s.h.i.+rted peon, whose only weapon was a great stone, with which he had doubtless intended to intimidate, rather than hit, the boy.

"Well," exclaimed Adrian, as soon as he had gained his breath sufficiently to speak, "what do you mean by dragging me down like this?"

At the sound of Adrian's voice the peon turned his head and looked up at his captor in the greatest surprise.

"Pardon me," he whined. "It was a mistake. I thought you were someone else."

"Who did you think I was?"

"_El nino de Sanchez_"-meaning the Sanchez boy-whined the peon.

"Oh, you did, eh?" exclaimed Adrian. "Well, you come with me and let Don Antonio question you. I think he is looking for you."

CHAPTER VII.

IN THE HANDS OF THE ENEMY.

Adrian did not have to lead his captive far, for, when he reached the place where his horse was waiting for him, he saw the others returning.

They had become concerned at his delay, and had come back to look for him.

"What's the matter?" called Donald, as soon as he was within speaking distance.

"I've had a fight," was the response, "and this is the result," pus.h.i.+ng the peon forward.

"Fight!" exclaimed Billie. "What were you fighting about?"

"Oh, nothing. This man tried to capture me, and I turned the tables, that's all."

"Explain," said Don Antonio, looking first at Adrian and then at the peon.

"This man mistook me for Pedro, he says, and tried to drag me into the river, or somewhere."

Don Antonio turned upon the peon fiercely.

"Is this true?" he demanded sternly.

"Forgive me, _senor_," whined the peon, "I was ordered to do it."

"Ordered!" thundered Don Antonio. "By whom?"

"Don Rafael."