IV
"Horses!" exclaimed Natividad. "Then we have them. They are probably making for the Ouzco, or some place round Titicaca. But they are bound to pass through Veintemilla's lines, and we shall catch them at Canete or Pisco."
As Natividad had surmised, the riders were cavalrymen sent out from Chorillos at his order. They ran toward them, Uncle Francis questioning the Marquis, who did not answer. Indeed, Don Christobal, doubly anxious now that his son had left his side, could not contain himself. Hardly had the troopers dismounted than he swung himself into the nearest saddle, and rode off after Dick.
"Sheer madness," growled Natividad. "If they ever overhaul the Indians, they are lost."
"What are we going to do now?" demanded Uncle Francis. Maria-Teresa's fate moved him deeply, particularly from a literary point of view, but under the circumstances he asked no better than to keep a little in the background.
"We can only follow at a distance," replied Natividad.
"Excellent … excellent … find out where they are making for, and all that sort of thing."
"There are still laws, a police force and troops in Peru, señor. We are not afraid of the Indians."
With which he turned to the four soldiers who had joined them, and who represented what remained of the military force on the costa. Uncle Francis, already delighted with Natividad's plan of following at a distance, approved of it even more warmly when he found that this little escort was to accompany them.
Three policemen mounted on mules, coming from the direction of Callao, now appeared on the road. Natividad at once requisitioned the mules for his expedition. Before starting, "however, he went back into the casa to write a hurried letter to President Veintemilla, explaining what had happened. He did so with a certain malice, remembering that ten years ago this same president had been Chief of Police, and had threatened to suspend him for his "mad reports."
One of the policemen, entrusted with the letter, started back toward Callao at once. The two others were ordered to take charge at the hacienda and begin a preliminary enquiry. Then Natividad and Uncle Francis mounted two of the commandeered mules, the third being taken by the soldier whose horse had been carried off by Don Christobal. When the soldiers saw that they were heading for the sierra instead of Chorillos, there was a grumble, but Natividad silenced them. "Forward," he ordered, and they, in their turn, entered the ravine.
"We can, at all events, travel as fast as the mammaconas," said the Chief of Police to Uncle Francis.
"The mammaconas? Were they here then?" The scientist, intensely interested, urged his mount alongside Natividad's.
"Yes, señor … the mammaconas … and three head priests of the temple … only they may touch the Virgin of the Sun…. Señor, for the past fifteen years I have known all this, but they called me a lunatic. Why should we suppose that the Indians have changed? Do they not eat, drink, and get married just as they did five centuries ago? If their outward customs have not changed, why should their secret rites have done so? Why, señor, why? But nobody will believe me. It all began when I was a young man. I had to investigate a mysterious crime, the only possible explanation for which was a religious one. You must not forget that you are dealing with Incas to this day…. And I got my knuckles rapped…. Five years later, when the Orellana girl disappeared, they treated me in the same way. So I let them give what explanation they liked, and worked on my own. I speak Quichua like a native now, señor. I also learned Aimara, which is their sacred language in the Guzco and round Titicaca…. That's where they are making for now; some hidden temple, where their priests have been working since the days of the conquest."
Uncle Francis looked at his companion suspiciously. Were they all engaged in a huge practical joke at his expense? This Chief of Police was singularly calm under the circumstances; off-handed, almost gay.
"We are sure to catch them, are we not?"
"Of a surety, señor. Dios mio, be content! We will catch them…. How can they possibly escape? We are on their heels; if they stick to the mountains, they run into our troops; if they go down into the costa, every corregidor (mayor) is at my orders."
There was a moment's silence, and he went on:—
"Will you not put on that cloak at your saddle-bow, señor? The nights are chilly, and we are nearing the cordilleras…. The only road, you see. They must have passed here. At dawn, we shall be able to see their trail distinctly.… If only those crazy people who dashed on ahead do not make fools of themselves. … A plucky youngster, little Christobal…. We shall soon overhaul them…. One does not climb these mountains as a bull jumps oyer the barrier at the ring.…"
Natividad's garrulous flow of words was interrupted by a chuckle from Uncle Francis. Not a little astonished, he asked him what he meant, but Mr. Montgomery contented himself with replying:—"I understand, I understand." Natividad, who did not understand, eyed him doubtfully.
Just before day-break they reached the first masses of the true Andes. Their mounts did not appear over-tired, and after a two-hours' halt at a wayside guebrada, where beasts and men obtained food, they continued the journey. Over them towered the giant mountain chain, blazing in the molten light of dawn.
The half-breeds at the guebrada could not, or would not, give them any information as to those they followed. That the Indian cavalcade had not stopped there, however, was certain, or larder and loft would have been empty. Natividad, convinced he would get nothing else out of the men, forced them, in the name of "the supreme government," to exchange two strong mules for two of the horses.
Shortly after they had started again, they came on unmistakable traces of a strong party of horse. Thistles, and the great yellow flower of the amancaes, trampled flat, showed where hoofs had passed.
"We are close on them now, señor," said Natividad.
Uncle Francis, coughing knowingly, assented in such a detached manner that Natividad began to have serious doubts as to the mental welfare of that illustrious scientist.
Before long, though, he was worrying a great deal more about something else. So far, there had not been a sign anywhere of the Indians' first pursuers. Uncle Francis, on the other hand, was thoroughly happy, and seemed to be enjoying the scenery.
As they climbed steadily upwards, the road was becoming more and more dangerous, twisting and turning round the mountain-side. Peaks, sky, and precipices; in the blue of the distance, a few mountain goats, all four feet joined together, balancing on some rocky point.
The cold was now intense, and the soldiers grumbled openly. When Natividad reminded them that they were serving "the supreme government," they let it be inferred that they did not give a tinker's damn for the supremo gobernie, but nevertheless followed.
"Are you sure of those men of yours?" asked Uncle Francis.
"As sure as of myself," replied Natividad, determined to be optimistic.
"What are they? Indians?"
"Quichuas, of course…. Where else would we get soldiers?"
"They do not seem to me to be enthusiastic militarists."
"A grave error, señor. They are delighted to be soldiers. What else could they be?"
"They are volunteers, then?" questioned the scientist. And to Natividad's stupefaction, he produced his note-book.
"No, not volunteers, illustrious señor…. We send troops into the Indian villages, and arrest every able-bodied man who has not bolted. Then we enroll them as volunteers."
"Charming! And you are not afraid that they may turn on you when you have armed them?"
"Not in the least. After the first few days they decide they are so much better off under the colors that they would not go back to their families for anything…. You should see them join in the recruiting afterwards!… They make very good soldiers… . These men are only annoyed at being taken into the mountains; they would die for Veintemilla."
"So much the better," concluded Uncle Francis philosophically. And he added, to Natividad's growing amazement:—"But why insist on their coming with us? We can find those other Indians just as well without their aid."
Natividad jumped. What kind of a man was this? Then his attention was suddenly drawn to the road again.
"There, over there! They camped there."
At this point, the mountain path widened to a kind of little plateau, on which were unmistakable traces of a recently-pitched camp. The ashes of the fire had not yet been swept away by the wind, and remains of food littered one corner. Natividad, convinced that he had found the first resting-place of the escort of the Virgin of the Sun, urged on his party.
"It is strange," he said, "that we should have seen nothing yet of the Marquis, little Christobal, or your nephew."
"Why worry? We'll find them all, sooner or later."
"What?"
"Sooner or later—some day…. Hello, what's the matter? This beast of mine won't move. Gee up."
Calm and collected, quite different from the frightened Mr. Montgomery of the flight from Cajamarca, he urged on his mount, but the mule refused to answer to his heel. Then Natividad, pressing forward to see what was the matter, saw the body of a llama stretched across the narrow path. Dismounting, he lifted its head, examined the nostrils, and then pushed the body over the edge of the ravine.
"Little Christobal's llama," he pronounced. "The animal has been ridden to death…. Poor child! I wonder where he is."
Uncle Francis, busy with his note-book, refused to get excited.
"With my nephew, probably. Even if Dick had left him behind, his father must have come upon him."
"That is possible, of course," said Natividad, doubtfully.
"Is this llama-riding common over here?" questioned the scientist, intent on acquiring knowledge.
"No. Children sometimes amuse themselves with it if the llama is willing. Rich people give them to their sons occasionally. Christobal probably had his."
"I would never have believed a llama capable of going so far, and so fast."
"No pack-llama could. But that was a good one, trained to carry light weights and travel fast. Probably used to being ridden by children.… I wonder where they found it…. Your nephew's horse, too … in the hacienda stables, I suppose.… A tragedy might have been avoided had they not"
The little party had ridden on, and now, taking a sharp corner, came suddenly upon Dick and the Marquis, the former on foot, and the latter mounted. Little Christobal was not there.