Issued Weekly—By Subscr ee $2.50 cd year. Entered as Second Class Matter at the N. Y. Post pice by STREET & SMITH.

August 8, 1806. Vol. I. No. 17. Price Five Cents.

i NIYEXICO

 

 

_ THE SEARCH
FOR The:
SILVER PALACE

 

willing

“ip i. iy m

 

oy we
infin
A ar

 

BUSHNELL OPENED FIRE, AND FRANK MERRIWELL FOLLOWED HIS EXAMPLE. SEVERAL BANDITS WERE SEEN TO FALL.

 
 

 

 
 

POTTS eT ae

 

%.

 
  
 
  
  

 

 

   

   

Tip Top

  

LIBRARY.

Issued Weekly—By Subscription $2.50 per year. Entered as Second Olass Matler at the N. Y. Post Office. STREET & SMITH, 29 Rose St., N. Y
Entered Aceording to Act of Congres, in the Year 1896, in the Office of the Librar ian of Congress, Washington, ’D. 0.

 

August 8, 1896. = Vol. 1. No. 17.

Price Five Cents.

 

FRANK MERRIWELL IN MEXICO;
THE SEARCH FOR THE SILVER PALACE.

By the Author of ‘‘FRANK MERRIWELL. 23

 

CHAPTER i.
A WONDERFUL STORY.

‘*It is in the heart of the Sierra Madre
tange, one hundred and twenty-five miles
west of Zacatecas,’’ said the dying man.
‘Across the blue chasm you can see its
towers and turrets glistening in the sun-
shine. It is like a beautiful dream—daz-
zling, astounding, grand !”’

‘*He wanders in his mind,’’ softly de-
clared Professor Scotch. ‘‘Poor fellow!
His brain was turned and he was brought
to his death by his fruitless search for the
mythical Silver Palace.’’

The man who lay on a bed of grass in
one corner of the wretched adobe hut
turned a reproachful look on the little
professor.

‘You are wrong,’’ he asserted, in a
voice that seemed to have gained strength
fot the moment. ‘‘I am not deranged—I
am not deceived by an_ hallucination.
With my eyes I have seen the wonderful

Silver Palace—yes, more than that, I

have stood within the palace and beheld

the marvelous treasures which it con-
~~. tains, *?

The professor turned away to hide the
look on his face, but Frank Merriwell,

 

 

deeply interested, bent over the unfortu-
nate man, asking:

‘By what route can this wonderful
palace be reached ?’’

‘“There is no route. Between us and
the Silver Palace lie waterless deserts,
great mountains, and, at last, a yawning
chasm, miles in width, miles in depth.
This chasm extends entirely round the
broad plateau on which the wonderful
palace stands like a dazzling dream. The
bottom of the chasm is hidden by mists
which assume fantastic forms, and whirl
and sway and dash forward and backward,
like battling armies. Indians fear the
place; Mexicans hold it in superstitious
horror. It is said that these mist-like
forms are the ghosts of warriors dead and
gone, a wonderful people who built the

Silver Palace in the days of Cortez—built

i# where the Spaniard could not reach
and despoil it.”’

Despite his doubts, the professor was
listening with strong interest to this re-
markable tale.

The fourth person in the hut was the ~
Dutch boy, Hans Dunnerwust, who sat
on the ground, his back against the wall,
his jaw dropped and his eyes bulging.
Occasionally, as he listened to the words
of the dying man, he would mutter:
 

  

‘‘Shimminy Gristmas!”’

With surprising strength, the man on
the bed of grass sat up, stretching out his
hands, gazing away across the sunlit sand-
plain beyond the open door of the hut,
and cried:

‘‘T see it now—I see it once again!
There, there—see it gleaming like a daz-
zling diamond in the sunshine! See its
beautiful towers and turrets! That dome
is of pure gold! Within those walls are
treasures untold! There are great vaults
of gold and silver ornaments, bars and
ingots! ‘There are precious stones in pro-
fusion! And all this treasure would make
a thousand men rich for life! But it’s not
for me—it’s lost to me forever!”’ .

With a stifled moan, he fell back into
Frank’s arms, and was lowered on the
bed of grass. —

Professor Scotch hastily felt the man’s
pulse, listened for the beating of his
heart, and then cried:

“Quick, Frank—the brandy! It may
be too late, but we’ll try to give him a
few more minutes of life.’’

‘“That’s right!’ palpitated Frank.
‘Bring him back to consciousness, for we
have not yet learned how to reach the
Silver Palace:”’

,‘*There is no such place as the Silver
Palace,’’ sharply declared the professor,
as he forced a few drops of brandy between
the lips of the unfortunate man. ‘‘The
fellow has dreamed it.”’

‘*Perhaps.”’

‘*Perhaps! Why, Frank, I took you for
a boy of more sense! Think—think of
the absurdity! It is impossible!’’

‘“*Tt may be.’’

‘“*T know it is.”’

“Vell, maype you don’d nefer peen
misdooken, brofessor?’’ insinuated Hans,
recovering fora moment from his dazed
condition. -

The professor did not notice the Dutch’s

FRANK MERRIWELL IN MEXICO.

 

boy’s words, for the man on the bed of

grass drew a long, fluttering breath and
slowly opened his eyes.

“I thought I saw the palace once
more,’? he whispered. ‘‘It was all a de-
lusion.”?

‘“That is true,’’ nodded the professor,
‘St is alladelusion. Such a place as this
Silver Palace is an absurd impossibility,
The illness through which you have
passed has affected your mind, and you
dreamed of the palace.’’

‘It is not so!’’ returned the man, re-
proachfullv. ‘‘I have proof! You doubt
me—you will not believe ?’’

‘‘Be calm—be quiet,’’ urged the pro-
fessor. ‘‘This excitement will cut your
life short by minutés, and minutes are
precious to you now.”’

‘‘That is true; minutes are precious,”’
hastily whispered the man. ‘‘It is not the
fever Iam dying of—no, no! ‘The water
from the spring you may see behind the
hut—it has destroyed many people. ‘This
morning, before you came, a peon found
me here. He told me—he said the spring
was poison. . The water robs men of
strengeth—of life. I could not understand
him well. He went away and left me. I
could see him running across the desert,
as if from a plague. And now I am dying
—dying!’’

“But the Silver Palace?’’ fluttered
Frank Merriwell. ‘‘You are forgetting
that.??

‘Yah,’ nodded the Dutch lad; ‘‘you
peen forgetting dot, ain’d id?” ;

‘““The proof,’’ urged Frank. ‘‘You say
you have proof.’

‘‘Yah,’? put in Hans; ‘‘you say you
haf der broof. Vere id peen?”? :

‘*It is here,’’ declared the unfortunate,
as he fumbled beneath the straw. ‘‘You
are my countrymen—you have been kind
tome. Alwin Bushnell may never re-
turn. It is terrible to think all that treas-
ure may be lost—lost forever !”’

‘‘Who is Alwin Bushnell ?”’

 

 

 

 

    
   
  
   
 
 
  
  
   
    
 
  

 

 

 

 

 
 
  
  
 
 

peg -pen — Soioalaihins
—~

=>

  
 

FRANK MERRIWELL IN MEXICO.

‘‘My partner—the one who was with
me when I found the palace.”’

‘“Where is he now?”’

‘‘Heaven knows! He went for another
balloon.”’

‘(Another balloon ?”?

“‘Ves;-it was with the aid of a balloon
that we reached the Silver Palace.
Without it we could not have crossed the
gulf.”’ “

‘‘Absurd !’? muttered 'the professor.

Despite the fact. that the word was
merely murmured, the miserable man on
the bed of grass did not fail to eatch it.

‘Oh, I will convince even you!’’ he
exclaimed, gasping for breath, and con-
tinuing to fumble beneath the straw.
‘You shall see—you shall know! But
our balloon—we had no means of obtain-
ing a further supply of gas. It was barely
sufficient to take us across the gulf, with
a few pieces of treasure. We struck against
the side of the bluff—we were falling
back into the abyss! Barely were we able
to scramble out of the car and cling te
the rocks. Then we saw the balloon rise
a little, like a bird freed of burden; but
it suddenly collapsed, fluttered down-
ward, and the mists leaped up and
clutched it like a thousand exulting de-
mons, dragging it down from our sight.
We crawled up from the rocks, but it was
a close call—a close call.’’

He lay exhausted, his eyes closed, his
hand ceasing to fumble beneath the straw.
Once more Professor Scotch gave him a
little of the brandy.

Frank Merriwell was more than inter-

ested; he could feel his heart trembling |

with excitement. Something seemed to
tell him that this man was speaking the
truth, and he was eager to hear more.

For a long time the unfortunate lay
gasping painfully for breath, but, at last,
he was easier. He opened his eyes, and
saw Frank watching him steadily, with
an anxious expression.

+ “Ah!)? he murmured, exultantly, ‘‘you

  

   

3

believe me—you do not doubt! I must
tell you everything. You shall be Jack
Burk’s heir.” Think of it—heir to wealth
enough to make you richer than Monte
Cristo! Witness-witness that I make
this boy my heir!’

He turned to the professor and Hans,
and both bowed, the former saying:

‘“We are witnesses. ’’

“Good! We escaped with our lives,
but we brought littleof the treasure with
us. I was determined to find the way back
there, and I made a map. See, here it is.”

He thrust a soiled and crumpled piece
of paper into Frank’s hand, and the boy
saw there were lines and writing on it.

‘*How we found our way out of the
mountains, how we endured the heat of
the desert I cannot tell,’? went on the
weak voice of the man on the bed of
straw. ‘‘We reached Zacatecas, and then
Bushnell went for another balloon. He
knows friends who have money and
power, and he will get the balloon—if he
lives.”’

‘But the proof—the proof that you
were going to show us?”’

“It is here! Look!’’

From beneath the straw Jack Burk
drew forth a queer little figure of solid
gold—a figure like the pictures of Aztec
gods, which Frank had seen.

‘This is proof!’’ declared the man. ‘‘It
is some of the treasure we brought from
the palace. Bushnell took all the rest.”

The professor excitedly grasped the
little image, and gazed searchingly at it.

“Tt is all right—it is genuine!’’ he
finally exclaimed.

Y ‘Of course it is genuine,’’ said the man
on the bed of grass. ‘‘And there are more
in the Silver Palace. There the treasures
of the Aztecs were hidden, and there they
have remained. ‘The country all around
is full of fierce natives, who hold the palace
in awe and prevent others from reaching
it. They have kept the secret well, but

»)

 
   

‘Wot vos dot?’’ cried Hans.

At some distance on the plain outside
the hut were wildly galloping horses, for
they could hear hoof-beats and wild cries.
Then came a fusillade-of pistol-shots!

CHAPTER II.
GONE.

‘‘Bandits!’’ cried Jack Burk.
be Pacheco !”’

**Pacheco?’’ questioned Frank.

‘Pacheco, the -Human Hawk! He
haunts the mountains and the desert. He
pursued us across the desert, but we
escaped him. I have been in hiding here
to avoid him. He believes we brought
much treasure from the mountains.’’

The professor had leaped to the door,
and was looking away on the plain, Now
he cried, excitedly:

‘‘Took here! A band of horsemen. pur-
suing a white man—plainly an American.
Look, he is shooting again!’

Once more the shots were heard.

Frank ran to the door, catching up a
rifle that had been leaning against the
wall of the hut.

“Stand aside!’’ he shouted, forcing his
way past the professor. No countryman
of mine can be in dariger that I do not try
to give him a helping hand.’’

‘“What do you mean to do?”’.

“Get a crack at those greasers.’’

‘Vou are crazy! . You will bring the
entire band down on us!”’

‘*Let ’em pee! One Yankee is good
for six greasers. ’

Past the hut at a distance a. single

“It may

horseman was riding, hotly spurring
the animal which bore him. At least a

dozen dark-faced, fierce-looking ruffians,
mounted on hardy little ponies, were in
pursuit.

As Professor Scotch had said, the
fugitive was plainly an American, a
native of the United States. He had

FRANK MERRIWELL JN MEXICO.

 

turned in the saddle to send bullets whist-
ling back at his pursuers.

Frank ran out and droped on one knee.
The professor followed him, and Hans
came from the hut.

Just as Frank lifted the ‘rifle to his
shoulder and was on the point of shoot-.
ing, the voice-of Jack Burk sounded

from the doorway, to which he-~ had
dragged himself:
‘‘It,is Bushnell, my partner! Al, Al—

‘Al Bushnell!”

His voice was faint and deck: and it
did not reach the ears of the man out on
the plain. |

Then Frank began shooting, and his
first bullet brought down one of the
ponies of the pursuers, sending a bandit
rolling over and over in the dust, to leap
up like a cat, and spring behind a comrade
on the back of another pony.

‘Dot peen britty goot, Vrankie,’’ com-
plimented Hans Dunnerwust.

Again and again Frank fired, and the
bandits quickly swerved away from the
hut, feeling their ponies sway or fall be-
neath them.

In an astonishingly brief space of time
the course of pursuit was deflected, giving
the fugitive a chance to get away into
Mendoza, which lay at a distance of about
three miles from the hut.

The man in flight heard the shots, saw

the figures in front of the hut, and waved

his hand to them.

The professor excitedly Bearonsd for
Bushnell to come to the hut, but the
horseman did not seem to understand,
and he kept straight on toward the town.

‘‘Confound him!’’ exploded the pro-
fessor. ‘‘Why didn’t he come?’’

‘He don’d like a trap to run into,’’
said Hans.

‘*But there is no trap here.’’ >

*‘How he known dot ?”’

“Well, I don’t know as I blame him.
Of course he could not be sure it was not
a trap, and so he was cautious.’’ ;

A oe

coaam aes

i ggg HY, D9
+ a ght

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

     
 

 

 

   
 
   
  
  

”

FRANK MERRIWELL IN MEXICO. 5

Frank was calmly refilling the maga-
zine of the rifle with fresh cartridges.

‘Why you didn’t shoot some uf der
pandits deat, Vrankie?’’ asked Hans.

‘‘T do not wish to shed human blood if
I can avoid it.’’

‘Vou don’t done dot uf you shoot six
or elefen uf dose ee: ” | |

‘Oh, they are hyman be

“Don’t you belie 5
—kiotes.’’

*‘Well, I did not care =e shaat them if
Icould aid the man in any other way,
and I succeeded. See, they have given up
the pursuit, and the fugitive is far away
in that little cloud of dust.”’

“*Frank.’?

‘*Ves, professor.’’

‘“We should follow him, and bring him
back to his dying partner.’’

‘‘And leave Jack Burk here alone—
possibly to die alone?”’

‘*We can’t do that.”’

‘*Of course not.’”

“What then? °

‘‘We'll have to consider the matter.
But Burk—— Look—see there, profes-
sor! He is flat on his face in the door-
way! He fell like that after trying to
shout to his partner.’’

Frank leaped forward, and turned the
man on his back. It was a drawn, ghastly
face that the trio gazed down upon.

Professor Scotch. quickly knelt beside
the motionless form, feeling for the pulse,
and then shaking his head gravely.

‘What is it?’ anxiously asked Frank.
‘*Has he——’’

He was silent at a motion from the pro-
fessor, who bent to listen for some move-
ment of the man’s heart.

After a few seconds, Professor Scotch
straightened up, and solemnly declared :

‘“This is the end for him. We can do
nothing more.’’

**He is dead??? sy
VCS; ”
There: was an awed hush.

  

 

‘*Now we can leave him,’’ the profes-
sor finally said. ‘‘Pacheco, the bandit,
cannot harm him now.”’

They lifted the body and bore it back
to the wretched bed of straw, on which
they tenderly placed it.

‘“The idol—the golden image?’’ said
the professor. ‘‘You must not forget that,
Frank. You have it?’’ ;

‘Tittle danger that I shall forget it. It
is here, where it fell from my fingers as I
ran out.’?

He picked up the image, and placed it
in one of his pockets.

Then, having covered the face of Jack
Burk with his handkerchief, Frank led
the way from the hut.

Their horses had been tethered near at
hand, and they were soon mounted and
riding away toWard Mendoza.

The sun beat down hotly on the plain
of white sand, and the sky was of a
bright blue, such as Frank had never
seen elsewhere.

Outside Mendoza was a narrow canal,
but a few feet in width, and half filled
with water, from which rose little whiffs
of hot steam.

Along the side of the canal was a stag-
gering rude stone wall, fringed with
bushes in strips and clumps.

Beyond the canal, which fixed the
boundary of the plain of sand, through
vistas of tree trunks, could be seen
glimpses of brown fields, fading away into
pale pink, violet, and green.

The dome and towers of a church rose
against the dim blue low down, and on
every side were spots of cream-white, red,
and yellow, with patches of dark green
intervening, revealing bits of the town,
with orange groves all about.

Across the fields ran a road that was . =
ankle deep with dust, and along the road
a string of burrows, loaded with great —

bundles of green fodder, were crawling —

jinto the town.

An madalatiny mass of te dust

 

 
 

 

 

6 FRANK MERRIWELL IN MEXICO.

finally revealed itself as a drove of sheep,
urged along by peons.

Groups of natives were strolling in both
directions, seeking the shadows along the
canal. The women were in straw hats,
with their black hair plaited, and little
children strung to their backs; the men
wore serapes and sandals, and smoked
cigarettes.

Along the side of the canal were scat-

tered scores of natives of all ages and both
sexes, lolling beneath the bushes or soak-
ing their bodies in the water, while their
heads rested on the ground.

Those stretched in the shadow of the
bushes had taken their bath, and were
waiting for their bodies to ‘ity covered
simply by serapes.

From beneath such ae covering dark-
eyed native girls stared curiously at the
passing trio, causing Hans no small
amount of confusion.

“T say, Vrankie,’’ said the Dutch boy,
“vot you dinks apoudt dot pusiness uf
dakin’ a path in bublic mit der roadt
beside ?”’

“It seems to be the custom of the
country,’’? smiled Frank; ‘‘and they do
not seem to think it at all improper.’’

‘‘Vell, somepody better toldt dem to
stob id. Id keeps mein plood mein face
in so much dot I shall, look like you hat
peen drinking.’’

“They think nothing of it,’? explained
the professor. ‘‘ You will notice with what
deftness they disrobe, slipping out of their

clothes and into the water without ex-|.

posing much more than a bare toe.”’

**Oxcuse you!”
don’d like to took mein chances py look-
ing. Somepody mighd make a misdake.”?
The sun was low down as they rode
into the town.

‘‘We“have no time to lose,’ said
Frank. ‘‘We must move lively, if we
mean to return to the hut before night-
=fall,??

fluttered Hans.’ ‘I ,

 

 

‘“That’s right,’? nodded Professor

| Scotch.

They were successful in finding a native

undertaker, but.the fellow was very lazy,

and he did not want to do anything till
the next day. aan
-“"To-morrow, senors, to-morrow,’’ he
said. x

   
 
 

Brmenemes
é

tot sati y, however, and he
sed b¥ the sight of money.
Learning. where ‘thé corpse was, he pro-
cured a cart and a burro, and they again
set out along the road. 27

They found whole families soaking in | .
groups in the canal, sousing their babies
in the water, and draining them on the
bank. /

Young Indian girls in groups were |
combing out their hair and chatting
merrily among themselves and with
friends in the water.

‘‘Dere oughter peen some law for dot,”

 

 

 

muttered Hans. -
Leaving the canal, they set out upon ah 8
the sand-plain, the undertaker’s burro as
crawling along at an aggravating pace, its A,
master refusing to whip it up, despite 4
urging. | | oe
The sun had set, and darkness was | ahs
settling in a blue haze on the plain when | mie
the hut was reached. 5 ee
Frank lighted a pocket lamp he always le
carried, and entered. 2 }
‘A cry of astonishment broke from his eae. Be
lips. : qa
‘Professor! professor!’ he called;
‘the body is gone!’
CHAPTER IIL:
HELD FOR RANSOM. et
“‘Cone!”? !
The professor was astonished. eee
“‘Shimminy Gristmas! I don’d toldt
you dot!’ 7

 

Hans Dunnerwust was dazed.
‘“Yes, gone,’’ repeated Frank, throw-

,

   
prmmnpmmn
¢

ee

og OR

 

BPS ok

 

  
    
    
  
 
 

 

ing the tugnt about the room and finally
bringing it back to the bed of grass,

‘‘But—but it’s impossible. ’’

ero or not, it is true, as you
may see.’

“But the man was dead—as dead as he
could be!’

**VYah!’ snorted Hans. ‘‘Py shingoes!
dot peen der trute. Dot man vos teader as
a goffin nail, und don’d you vorget him!”’

The trio were silent, staring in stupefied
amazement at the bed of grass.

An uncanny feeling began to creep over
Frank, and it seemed that a chill hand
touched his face and played about his
temples.

Hans’ teeth began to chatter.

‘“‘T am quite ill,’’ the professor faintly
declared, in a feeble tone of voice. ‘‘’T‘he
exertions of pa day have been far too
severe for me.

“‘Yah, yah!’ gurgled the Dutch lad.
‘“You vos anodder. Oxcuse me while I go
oudt to ged a liddle fresh air.”’

He made a bolt for the open door, and
Professor Scotch was not long in follow-
ing. Frank, however, was determined to
be thoroughly satisfied, and he again be-
gan looking for the body of the dead
man, once more going over the entire hut.

‘“The body is gone beyond a doubt,”’
he finally muttered.

‘‘There is no place for it to be con-
cealed here, and dead men do not hide
themselves.”’

He went out, and found Professor
Scotch and Hans awaiting his appearance
with no small amount of anxiety.

, Ab?’ said — professor, with a deep
‘breath of relief; ‘‘you are all right.’’

‘fAll right,’’ said Frank, with amuse-
ment; ‘‘of course lam. What did you
think? Fancy I was going to be spirited
away by spooks?”’

_ The little man drew himself up with
an assumption of great dignity.

“Young man,’? he rumbled, in his
deepest tone, ‘‘don’t be frivolous on such

.

¥

FRANK MERRIWELL IN

 

  

MEXICO. 7

    

an occasion as this. - You are quite aware
that Ido not believe in spooks or any-
thing of the sort; but we are in a strange
country now, and strange things happen
here.”

‘‘Vah,’’ nodded Hans.
actly righdt.’’

‘‘For instance, the disappearance of
that corpse is most remarkable.”’

‘*Dot peen der first dime I-nefer known
a deat man to ged ub un valk avay all
alone mit himseluf by,’’ declared Hans.

‘‘What do you think has happened
here, professor ?’’ asked Frank.

“It is plain Jack Burk’s body-is gone.”’

‘*Sure enough.”’

‘‘And it does not seem reasonable that
he walked away himself.’

“Vell, you don’d know apout dot,”’
broke in Hans. ‘‘Maype he don’d pelief
we vos goin’ pack here to bury him, und
he got tiret uf vaiting for der funerals.”’

‘“There must have been other people
here after we left,’’ said Frank.

‘‘Right,’’? nodded the :

‘Whom ?’’

“Vou say. ”»

‘* Bandits ?”’

‘*Bushnell ?”’

*‘One or the other.’’

‘Perhaps both.”’

Frank fell to examining the ground for
“‘sion,’’ but, although his eyes were un-
usually keen, he was not an expert in
such matters, and he discovered nothing
that could serve as a revelation.

‘“The man was dead beyond a doubt,
professor—you are sure???’ -

‘‘Sure?’’ roared the little man, bristling
in a moment. ‘‘Of course I am sure! Do
you take me for a howling idiot ?’’.

‘Don’t get excited, professor. The best
of us are liable to err at times. It would
not be strange if you——’’

“But I d: In’t—L tell you I didn’t! The
body may aave been removed by the
bandits which hang about this section.’

‘‘Or by Al Bushnell, Burk’s partner.’’

“Dot peen ox-

 
 

=

  
       
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
   
   
   
  
  
  
  
   
  
  
  
  
   
  
  
  
  
  
    
     
   
     
     
       
       
   
         
    
    
     
     
   

‘Yes; Bushnell may have recognized
him, although he did not seem to do so.
In that case, he has been here——”’

‘‘And that explains everything.”’

“‘Rverything.”’

‘He took the body away to give it de-
cent burial.”’

“And we have had our trouble for
nothing.”’

By this time the native undertaker got
the drift of the talk, and set up a wail of
lamentation and accusation. He had come
all that distance at great expense to him-
self and great waste of time during which
he might have been sleeping or smoking.
It was robbery, tobbery, robbery. It was
like the Americanoes. He had a wife and
many—very many children depending on
him. He had been tricked by the Ameri-
canoes, and he would complain that he
had been cheated. ‘They should be ar-
rested; they should be compelled to pay.

“Oh, come your perch off, und gone
took a fall to yournseluf!’’ cried Hans, in
disgust. ‘‘You gif me der lifer gom-
blaint!’’

The native continued to wail and
lament and accuse them till Frank suc-
ceeded in quieting him by paying him
three times as. muchas he would have
asked had the body been found in the
hut. The old fellow saw how he could

make it appear as a clean case of decep-
-. tion on the part of the strangers, and he
- worked his little game for all there was in
it. Having received his money, he lost
no time in turning his cart about and
heading back toward Mendoza, evidently
fearing the body might be found at last
and forced upon him.

a ““We’d better be going, too,’’ said Pro-
| fessor Scotch.

“hats tight,” agreed Frank. ‘There
is no telling what danger we may en-
- counter on the plain after nightfall.”
‘Vell, don’d let us peen all nighd apout
_gedding a mofe on,’ fluttered =
Hastening toward the horses.

 

 

which at midday had seemed uninhabited

 

 

8 4 FRANK MERRIWELL IN MEXICO.

So they mounted and rode away toward
Mendoza, although Frank was far from
satisfied to do so without solving the mys-
tery of the remarkable disappearance.

Darkness was falling heavily on the
plain, across which a cool and refreshing
breath came from the distant mountains,

Frank kept his eyes open for danger,
more than half expecting to run upona
gang of bandits at any moment. As they
approached the town they began to
breathe easier, and, before long, they
were riding along the dusty road that led
into the little town.

Entering Mendoza they found on each

hand low buildings connected by long
white adobe walls, against which grew
prickly pears in abundance, running in
straggling lines away out upon the open
country.

About the edges of the town were little

fires, winking redly here and there, with

earthen pots which were balanced on
smoldering embers raked out from the
general mass.

Withered and skinny old hags were
crooning over the pots, surrounded by
swarthy children and lazy men, who were
watching the preparation of the evening
meal.
Groups of peons, muffled to the eyes
with their serapes, were sitting with their
backs to the adobe walls, apparently fast
asleep; but Frank noted that glittering
black eyes peered out from between the
serapes and the huts, and he had no doubt
but that many of the fellows would will-

ingly cut a throat fora ae small

sum of money.

Within the town it was different. ~All
day the window-shutters had been closely
barred, but now they were flung wide,
and the flash of dark eyes or the low
musical laugh of a senorita told that the

maidens who had lolled all the hot day.

were now astir.
Doors were flung wide, and houses

4
ets

 
 

 

  
  
 
  
 

   
 
   
  

FRANK MERRIWELL IN MEXICO.

were astir with life. In the patios beauti-
ful gardens were blooming, and through
iron gates easy-chairs and hammocks
could be seen.

Many of the senoritas had come forth,
and were strolling in groups of threes or
fours, dressed in pink and white lawn,
with Spanish vails and fans. The most of
them wore white stockings and red-heeled
slippers.

Many a @icinte glance was shyly cast
at Frank, but his mind was so occupied
that he heeded none of them.

The hotel was reached, and they were
dismounting when a battered and tattered
old man, about whose shoulders were cast
a ragged blanket, and whose face was
hidden by a scraggly.white beard, came
up with a faltering step.

‘*Pardon me,’’ he said, in a_ thin,
cracked voice, ‘‘I see you are Americans,
natives of the States, Yankees, and, as I
happen to be from Michigan, I hasten to
speak to you. I know you will have pity
on an unfortunate countryman. My story

-is short. My son came to this wretched
land to try to make a fortune. He went

into the mines, and was doing well. He
sent me home money, and I put a little
aside, so that I had a snug little sum
after a time. ‘Then he fell into the hands

of Pacheco, the bandit. You have heard

of Pacheco, gentlemen ?”’

‘We have,’’ said Frank, who was en-
deavoring to get a fair (Sake into the old
man’s eyes.

‘We surely have,’’ agreed the pro-
fessor.

‘*Vell, you can pet my poots on dot,”’
nodded Hans.

‘“The wretch—the cut-throat!’’ cried
the old man, shaking his clinched hand
in the air. ‘‘Why didn’t he kill me? He
has robbed me of everything—every-
thing !”’

‘Tell us—finish your story,”? ioe the
professor.

Bre said nothing. ‘The Lae bia a

~
i
‘

'

 

   

9

window shone close by the old man.
Frank was waiting for the man to change
his position so the light would shine on
his face.

For some moments the man seemed too
agitated to proceed, but he finally went
on.

‘‘My son—my boy fell into the hands
of this wretched bandit. Pacheco took
him captive. Then he sent word to me
that he would murder my son if I did not
appear and pay two thousand dollars ran-
som money. Two thousand dollars! I did
not have it in the world. But I hada
little home. I sold it—I sold everything
to raise the money to save my boy. I ob-
tained it. And then—then, my friends, I
received another letter. Then Pacheco
demanded three thousand dollars.”’

“‘Der brice vos on der jump,’’ mur-
mured Hans.

‘‘But that is not the worst!’’ cried the
old man, waving his arms excitedly.
‘‘Oh, the monster—the demon!”

He wrung his hands and groaned as if
with great anguish. }

‘*Be calm, be calm,’’ urged Professor
Scotch. ‘‘My dear sir, you are working
yourself into a dreadful state.’

‘‘Almost as pad as der Sdate uf New
Jersey,’’ muttered the irrepressible Dutch
boy, catching his breath convulsively.

‘“‘How can I be calm!’’ groaned the
stranger. ‘‘It is not possible to be calm
and think of such a terrible thing!’’

‘‘What terrible thing?’’? asked Frank.
‘‘You have not told the entire story, and
we do not know what you mean.”’

‘“True, true. Listen! With that letter
Pacheco—the monster !—sent one of my
boy’s little fingers !’’ mie

“Shimminy Gristmas! I don’d toldt —
you dot, do I?”’

‘Horrible! horrible!’’ J

The professor and Hans uttered a 3
exclamations, but Frank was calm and —

apparently unmoved, still with his eyes ae

fastened on the face of the - man. 55 seers

  
  
    

     
   

10

‘*How you toldt dot vos der finger uf
your son, mister?’

‘“That’s it, that’s it—how could you
tell?”

““My son—my own boy—he added a
line to the letter, stating that the finger
had been taken from his left hand, and
that Pacheco threatened to cut off his
fingers one by one and send them to me if
I did not hasten with the ransom money.”’

**Dot seddled you!”?

‘“VYou tfecognized the handwriting as
that of your son???

“T did; but I recognized somethiag
besides that.’

“What?”

‘*The finger.’

‘Oh, you may have been mistaken in
that—surely you may.’”?

‘*T was not.”’

‘“How do you know ?”?

‘*By a mark on the finger.’

‘‘Ah! What sort of aimark?’’

‘‘A peculiar scar like a triangle, situ-
ated between the first and second joints.
_ Besides that; the nail had once been
crushed, after which it was never per-

fect;*” a
“That was quite enough,’’ nodded Pro-
fessor Scotch. ‘

‘*Yah,’’ agreed Hans; ‘‘dot peen quide
enough alretty.”’
 $till Frank was silent, watching and
waiting, missing not a word that fell from
the man’s lips, missing not a gesture,
failing to note no move.
This silence on the part of Merriwell

seemed to affect the man, who turned to}

him, saying a trifle sharply :

“Boy, boy, have you no sympathy with
me? ‘Think of the suffering I have passed
through! You should pity me.”’

“What are you trying ta do »vow?”
asked Frank, quietly.

“T am trying to raise some money to
ransom my son.”’

‘*But I thought you did raise money.”’
‘‘So I did, but not enough.”

ee
:

FRANK MERRIWELL IN MEXICO.

‘*Finish the story.”’

‘‘Well, when I received that letter I
immediately hastened to this land of
bandits and half-breeds. I did not have
three thousand dollars, but I hoped that
what I had would be enough to soften
Pacheco’s heart—to save my poor boy.’’

‘And you failed ?”’

. The old man groaned again.

‘*My boy is still in Pacheco’s power,
and I have not a dollar left in all the
world! Failed—miserably failed !”’

‘*Well, what do you hope to do—what
are you trying to do?’

‘*Raise five hundred dollars.’

‘(How ?”?

‘In any way.”’

‘“‘By begging ?”’

‘“Tdo not know how. Anyway, any-
way will do!’

‘‘But you cannot raise it by begging in
this land, man,’’ said the professor.
‘This is a land of beggars. Everybody
seems to be poor and wretched.’’

‘‘But I have found some of my own

countrymen, and I hoped that you might
have pity on me+-oh, I did hope!”’

‘“What? You didn’t expect us to give
you five hundred dollars ?”’

‘Think of my boy—my poor boy!
Pacheco has threatened to murder him by
inches—to cut him up and send him to
me in pieces! Is it not something terrible
to contemplate ?”’

“Vell, I should dink id vos!’’ eve
the Dutch boy.

“But how did you lose your money???’

‘*T was robbed.”’

**Robbed ?”’

‘Ves, ”)

**By whom ?”?

‘Pacheco. ”?

‘“The bandit himself?’

(Ves? ¥

‘*How did it happen ?’’

“‘T fell into his hands.”’

‘And he took your money without set-

 

2,

ting your son free ?”’

a ee

Pi

 

piety tin a aaa

cca

 

 

 

 

 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
    
      

 
—

ee

ee

 

 

 

 

     
 
  
    

fromthe hand of my boy by Pacheco, the

  

FRANK MERRIWELL IN MEXICO. 11

“*He did.”?

“Did you tell him it was all you had in
the world ?’’

**T told him that a score of times.’’

‘‘What did’ he say ?”?

‘Told me to raise more, or have the
pleasure of receiving my boy in pieces.’’

‘‘How long ago was that?’’

‘“Three days. ”’

‘*Near hete?’’

(Ves, ”?

‘‘How long have yor been in Men-
doza?’’

‘“Two days, and during that time I have
received this from Pacheco.”’

He took something from his pocket—
something wraped in a _ handkerchief.
With trembling fingers he unrolled it, ex-
posing to view——

A bloody human finger!

——

CHAPTER IV.
UNMASKED

Hans Dunnerwust and Professor Scotch
uttered exclamations of horror, starting
back from the sight revealed by the light
that came from the window set deep in
the adobe wall.

Frank Merriwell’s teeth came together
with a peculiar click, but he uttered no
exclamation, nor did he start.

This seemed to affect the old man un-
pleasantly, for he turned on Frank, crying
in an accusing manner and tone:

- “Have you no heart! Are you made of
stone???’

‘‘Hardly,’’ was the quiet reply.

‘‘This finger—it is the second torn

bandit— Pacheco, the monster!’’
‘Pacheco seems to be aman of great |
determination.’

‘Frank, Frank, think of the suffering
of this poor father !”’

‘*Yah,’’? murmured Hans; ‘‘shust dink
how pad you vould felt uf you efer peen
py his blace,’? put in Hans, sobbing
chokingly.

‘It is very, very sad,’’ said Frank; but
there seemed to be a singularly sarcastic
ring to the words which fell from his lips.

‘“Have you seen your son since he fell
into the hands of Pacheco, sir?’’ asked
the professor.

‘Yes, Isaw him; but I could scarcely
recognize him, he was so changed—so
wan and ghastly. The skin is drawn
tightly over his bones, and he looks as if
he were nearly starved to death.”?

‘Did he see you?”

(Ves, 9

“*Recognize you ?”?

(Vag ?? :

‘*What did he do?’

The man.wrung his hands with a ges-
ture of unutterable anguish.

‘Oh, his appeal—I can hear it now!
He begged me to save him, or to give
him poison that he might kill himself!’
‘“Where is he now?”’

‘*In a cave.”?

‘Where is the cave?’’

‘““That I cannot tell, for I was blind-
folded all the time, except while in the
cave where my boy is kept.”

‘Tt is near Mendoza?’

‘It must be within fifty miles of here. ’?
‘Perhaps it is nearer?’

‘*Possibly.”’ .
‘But you have no means of knowing in

which direction it lies ?’’

““No,’?
“Your only hope is to raise the five

hundred dollars ?’’

‘“That is my only hope, and that can

scarcely be called a hope, for I must have

Professor Scotch gazed at Frank in| the money within a day or two, or iny

sympathetic and" kindly nature, and he

astonishment, for the boy was of a very|boy will be dead.’’

‘‘Hum! hum!’ coughed the professor.

 

now os quite unlike ae usual self.

, \

 

“This is a very unfortunate affair—very

— ao
. ay

  
asked.
‘to you—do you fancy such a thing ?”’

- amazement.

ee ee gk

   

- Dunnerwust, in a dazed way.

 

12

unfortunate.
but I

‘‘You will aid me?’’ shouted the old
man, joyously. ‘‘Heaven will bless you,
sir— Heaven will bless you!’

*‘Y have not said so—I have not said I
would aid you,’’ Scotch hastily said.  ‘‘I
am going to consider the matter—I’ll
think it over.’’

‘Then I have no hope.”’

‘Why not?’’

“Tf your heart is not opened now, it
will never.open. My poor boy is lost, and

Iam ready for death!’

Iam not a wealthy man,

 

The old man seemed to break down
and sob like a child, burying his face in
his hands, his body shaking convulsively.

Frank Merriwell made a quick gesture
to the others, pressing a finger to his lips
as a warning for silence.

In a moment the old man lifted his
face, which seemed wet with tears.

“My last hope is gone!’ he sighed.
‘And you are travelers—you are rich!’

He turned to Frank, to whom, with an
appealing gesture, he extended a hand
that was shaking as if with the palsy.

‘*VYou—surely you will have sympathy
with me! I can see by your face and your
bearing that you are one of fortune’s

favorites—you are rich. A few dollars
FC, -

 

f

‘(My dear man,’’ said Frank, quite
calmly, ‘‘I should be more than delighted

‘to aid you, if you had told the truth.”’

The old man fell back. He was stand-
ing fairly in the light which shone from
the window.

‘‘What do you mean?’’ he hoarsely
“Do you think I have been lying

“JT fancy nothing; I know you have
lied!’ .
-§Rrank |?

cried Professor Scotch, in

“Shimminy Gristmas!’’ gurgled Hans

FRANK MERRIWELL IN MEXICO.

 

 

et

The manner of the old man changed in
a twinkling. :

‘‘Vou are insolent, boy! You had better
be careful !”’

*‘Now you threaten,’’ laughed Frank.
‘‘Well, I expected as much from a beggar,
a fraud, and a scoundrel!”’ :

Professor Scotch and Hans fell into each
other’s arms, overcome with excitement

and wonder.

Frank was calm and deliberate, and he® ~
did not lift his voice above the tone used
in ordinary conversation.

Still another step did the man fall back,
and then a grating snarl broke from tie

lips, and he seemed overcome with rage.
He leaned forward, hissing:

‘‘You insulting puppy!’’

‘“The truth must always seem like an
insult to a scoundrel.’

‘(Do you dare ?”’ =

‘What is there to fear?’’ Ss

“Much.”

Frank snapped his fingers. | :

‘““Vour tune has changed in the twink- ae.
ling of an eye. You are no longer the }
heart-broken father, begging for his boy ; :
but you have flung aside some of the
mask, and exposed your true nature.’

Professor Scotch saw this was true, and
he was quaking with fear of what might
follow this remarkable change. -

As for Hans, it took some time for ,
ideas to work their way through his ) Pe
brain, and he was still in a bewildered
condition. |

 

 

 

-

For a moment the stranger was silent,

|seeming to choke back words which rose —

in his throat. Finally, he cried-

““Oh, very well! I did not expect to
get anything out of you; but it would
have been far better for you if I had.

 

 

 

Now——” :
“What?” se
Frank asked the question, as the i a

speaker faltered. tees: ADs

I am

“Vou shall soon learn what.
 

j
:
es

saya

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 
  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

RPS

 

FRANK MERRIWELL IN MEXICO.

13

going to leave you, but we shall see more| wild and reckless young blade, making no

of each other, don’t forget that.”’
» ‘‘Wait—do not be in a hurry. I am not
satisfied till I—see your face!”’

With the final words, Frank made a
leap and asweep of his hand, clutching
the White beard the man wore, and tear-
ing it from his face!

The beard was false!

The face exposed was smoothly shaved
and weather-tanned. :

“Ha! cried Frank, triumphantly. ‘‘I
thought so! This poor old man is Carlos
Merriwell, my villainous cousin!’

CHAPTER V.
KIDNAPED.

Carlos Merriwell was Frank’s deadly

| enemy, although they were blood cousins.

Carlos was the son of Asher Merriwell,
the brother of Frank’s father.

At the time of his death Asher Merri-
well was supposed to be a crusty old
bachelor, a man who had never cared for
women and had neyer married. But he
had not been a woman-hater all his life,
and there was a romance in his career.

Asher Merriwell had been snared by
the wiles of an adventuress, and he had
married her. By this woman he had a
son, but the marriage had been kept a
secret, so that when she deceived him and
they quarreled they were able to separate
and live apart without the fact becoming

_ public that Merriwell had been married.

Fortunately the woman died without
openly proclaiming herself as the wife of
Asher Merriwell. In her veins there had
been Spanish blood, and her son was named
Carlos.

“After the death of his wife, Asher

_Merriwell. set about providing for and

educating the boy, although Carlos con-

_ tinued to bear his mother’s maiden name
of Durcal.

As Carlos grew up he developed into a

 

amount. of trouble and worry for his
father.

Asher Merriwell did his best for the
boy, but there was bad blood in the lad’s
veins, and it cost the man no small sums
to settle for the various ‘‘sports’’ in which
Carlos participated.

Finally Carlos took a fancy to strike
out and see the world for himself, and he
disappeared without telling whither he
was going.

After this, he troubled his father at
intervals until he committed a crime in a
foreign country, where he was tried, con-
victed, and imprisoned for a long term of
years.

This was the last straw so far as Asher
Merriwell was concerned, and he straight-
way proceeded to disown Carlos and cut
him off without a cent.

It was afterward reported that Carl
Durcal- had been shot by guards while
attempting to escape from prison, and
Asher Merriwell died firmly oe
himself to be sonless.

At his death, Asher left every thing to
the son of his brother, Frank Merriwell,
and provided that Frank should travel
under the. guardianship of Professor
Scotch, as the eccentric old uncle be-
lieved travel furnished the surest means
for ‘‘broadening the mind.”’

But Carlos .Merriwell had not been
killed, and he had escaped form prison.
Finding he had been cut off withouta
dollar and everything had been left to
Frank, Carlos was furious, and he swore
that a cousin should not live to enjoy
the property.

In some ways Carlos was shrewd;
others he was not. He was shrewd sgh

to see that he might have trouble in proving ~~

himself the son of Asher Merriwell by a
lawful marriage, and So he did not at-
tempt it.

But there was_a still speaien stumbling-

block in his way, for if he came out and

'

    

     
  

    

14

announced himself and made a fight for
the property, he would be forced_to tell
the truth concerning his past life, and the
fact that he was an escaped convict would
be made known.

Having considered these things, Carlos
erew desperate. If he could not have his
father’s property, he swore again and
again that Frank should not hold it.

With all the reckless abandon of his
nature, Carlos made two mad attempts on
Frank’s life, both of which were baffled,
and then the young desperado was forced
to make himself scarce. _

But Carlos had become an expert crook,
and he was generally flush with ill-gotten
gains, so he was able to put spies on
Frank. He hired private detectives, and
Frank Merriwell was continually under
secret surveillance.

Thus it came about that Carlos knew
when Frank set out upon his~ travels, and
he set asnare for the boy in New. York
city.

Straight into ds snare Frank walked,
but he escaped through his own exertions,

and then baffled two further attempts on
his life.

By this time Carlos found it necessary
to skip again, and Frank had neither seen
nor heard from him till this moment
when the fellow stood unmasked in the
- Mexican town of Mendoza,

Frank had become so familiar with his
‘Villainous cousin’s voice and gestures that
Carlos had not been able to deceive him.
From the first Frank had believed the old
man a fraud, and he was soon satisfied
that the fellow was Carlos.

On Carlos Merriwell’s cheek was a scar
- that had been hidden by the false beard—
ascar that he would bear as long as he

lived.

Professor Scotch nearly collapsed in a
helpless heap, so completely astounded
_ that he could not utter a word.

As for Hans, he simply gasped :
“Shimminy Gristmas!’’

FRANK MERRIWELL IN MEXICO.

 

A snarling exclamation of fury broke
"from Carlos’ lips.

‘*Oh, you’re too sharp, my fine cousin !”’
he grated, his hand disappearing beneath
the ragged blanket. ‘‘You are too sharp
to live!”

Out came the hand, and a knife flashed
in the light that shone from the window of
the hotel. He made a leap and a blow.

A cry of horror broke from the lips of
Professor Scotch, for it seemed that Frank
must be stabbed: by the young desperado.

Frank Merriwell, however, was on the
alert, and was watching for just sucha

move. With a twisting movement, he

drew his body aside, so the knife clipped
down past his shoulder, cutting open his
sleeve, but failing to reach his flesh.
“That was near it,’’? he said, as he
whirled and caught,Carlos by the wrist.

Frank had a clutch of iron, and he
gave Carlos’ wrist a wrench that forced a
cry from the fellow’s lips and caused the
knife to drop to the ground.

“Vou are altogether to handy with
such a weapon,’’ said the boy, coolly.
“It is evident your adaptness with a

dagger comes from your mother’s side.

Your face is dark and treacherous, and
you look well at home in this land of dark
and treacherous people.’’

Carlos ground forth a fietce exclama-

_{tion, making a desperate move to fling

Frank off, but failing.

‘‘Oh, you are smart!’’ the fellow with

the scarred face admitted. ‘‘But you have
been lucky. You were lucky at Fardale,
and you were lucky in New York. Now
you have come to a land where I will
have my turn. You’ll never leave Mexico

alive!’ ‘

‘*T have listened to your threats before
reba

‘“T have made no threats that shall not :

come true.’’

‘““‘What a desperate wretch you are,
Carlos! I would have met you on even

 

 

 

oe
— . ,
* 7 4

 
 
 

 

 
   
  

  
  

 
       
}
{
|
5
\
:
{
:
i
}
{
is

 

 

 

 
  
  

   
 

   
 
   

well of

 

FRANK MERRIWELL IN MEXICO.

terms and come to an agreement with
you, if you——”’

‘Bah! Do you think I would make
terms? Not much!
of what is rightfully mine, and I have
sworn you shall not take the good of it.
I’ll keep that oath!”?

A strange cry broke from his lips, as
he found he could not tear his wrist from
Frank’s fingers.

Then came arush of cat-like footfalls
and a clatter of hoofs. All at once voices
were heard crying:

*‘Ladrones! ladrones!”’

Dark figures appeared on every hand,
sending natives fleeing to shelter. Spanish
oaths sounded on the evening air, and the
glint of steel was seen.

‘‘Shimminy Gristmas!’’ gurgled Hans
Dunnerwust. ‘‘Uf we don’d peen in a
heap uf drouble, you vos a liar!”’

**Tt’s the bandits, Frank!’’ called Pro-
fessor Scotch. ‘‘They have charged right
into the town, and they——”’

*‘Ha! ha!’ laughed Carlos.
the bandits! They are my friends.
are here, and it is my turn!’’

A horseman was ridirg straight down
on Frank Merriwell, and the boy flung
Carlos aside, making a leap that took him
out of the way. .

Something, glittering brightly, de-
scended in a sweep toward Frank’s head,
but the blow was stopped by Carlos, who
shouted something in Spanish.

Frank understood Spanish well enough
to catch the drift of the words, and he
knew his cousin had not saved him
through compassion, but for quite another
purpose.

Carlos coveted the riches into which
Frank had fallen, and he meant to havea
portion of the money. If Frank were
killed, there was little chance that he
would ever handle a dollar of the fortune,
so he had cried out that his cousin was to
be spared, captured, and held for ransom.

That was enough to warn Frank Merri-
the terrible peril that over-
shadowed him at the moment. _

Out came his revolvers, and his back

‘You fear
They

went against the wall. Upward were flung

his hands, and the weapons began to bark.
Two horses fell, sent down by the two
first bullets from the pistols of the boy at

Sl

You have robbed me}

 

   

15

But Frank Merriwell found he could
not shoot horses and save himself, for
dark forms were pressing upon him, and
he must fall into the clutches of the
bandits in another moment unless he re-
sorted to the most desperate measures.

“Tf you will have it, then you shall!’
he muttered, through his set teeth, turn-
ing his aim on the human forms.

Spouts of red fire shot from the muzzles
of the revolvers, and the cracking of the
weapons was followed by cries and groans.

Through a smoky haze Frank saw
some of the dark figures fling up their
arms and topple to the ground within a
few feet of him.

He wondered what had become of Hans
and the professor, for he could see noth-
ing of either, and they had been close at
hand a moment before.

In the’ midst of all this, Frank won-
dered at his own calmness. His one
thought was that nota bullet should be
wasted, and then he feared he would find
his weapons empty and useless before the
desperadoes were rebuffed.

But this reception was something the
bandits had not expected from a boy.
They had no heart to stand up before a
lad who could shoot with the skill of a
Gringo cowboy, and did not seem at all
excited when attacked by twenty men.

Mexican half-bloods are cowards at
heart, and, by the time they saw two or
three of their number fall before the fire
from Frank’s revolvers they turned and
took to their heels like a flock of fright-
ened sheep.

‘Say; holdt on avile und led me geda
few pullets indo you, mein friendts.”’

It was Hans’ voice, and, looking down,
Frank saw the Dutch lad on the ground
at his feet, wither he had crept on hands
and knees.

‘What are you down there for, Hans?’

“Vot you dink, Vrankie? You don’d
subbose I sdood up all der dime und ged
in der vay der pullets uf? Vell, you may
oxcuse me! Idon’d like to peen a deat
man alretty yet.’?

“’That’s good stuff, Hans.
your judgment.”’

‘Dank you, Vrankie. I admire der vay
you vork dose revolfers. Dot peat der
pand, und don?d you vorged him!”” :

I admire

  

~~

 

 
   

16 FRANK MERRIWELL IN MEXICO,

At this moment, a horse with a double
burden swept past in the flare of light.

“Help! Frank—Frank  Merriwell!
Help—save me!??

‘*Merciful goodness!’ cried Frank. ‘‘It
is the professor’s voice !’’

‘‘Und he vos on dot horse!’’

‘*Yes—a captive!’

**Dot’s vat he vos!”’

‘“They are carrying him off!’’

**You pet!’

‘‘Our own horses—where are they? We
must pursue! What have become of our
horses ?”?

‘Dose pandits haf dooken them, I sus-
bect.”’

This was true; Frank had killed two of
the horses belonging to the bandits, but
the desperadoes had escaped with the
three animals hired by our friends.

But that was not the worst, for Profes-
sor Scotch had been captured and carried
away by the bold ruffians.

Frank heard the professor’s appeals for

help, and heard a mocking, cold-blooded
laugh that he knew came from the lips of
Carlos Metriwell.
* Then the clatter of hoofs passed on
down the street, growing fainter and
fainter, left the town for the open plain,
and finally died out in the night.

—

CHAPTER VI.
CARRIED INTO THE MOUNTAINS.

In vain Frank attempted to organize a
party to pursue the bandits. The citizens
of Mendoza were completely terrorized,
and they had no heart to follow the des-
peradoes out upon the plain, which was
the bandits’ own stamping-ground.

Frank urged, entreated, begged, and
finally grew furious, but he simply wasted
his breath.

‘‘No, no, senor,’’ protested a Mexican.
**You no find anybody dat chase Pacheco
dis night—no, no, not much!”’

‘*Pacheco? You don’t mean to say—
you can’t mean 8

““Dat was Pacheco and his
senor.’

Frank groaned.

‘*Pacheco!”’ he muttered, huskily—
‘*Pacheco, the worst wretch in all Mexico!

_ He is utterly heartless, and the professor

 

band,

 

 

will But Pacheco is not the worst!’
he suddenly gasped. ‘‘There is Carlos
Merriwell, who must be one of the
bandits. He may take a fancy to torture
Professor Scotch simply because the pro-
fessor is my guardian.”’

‘“What you say, senor?’’ asked the
curious Mexican. ‘‘I do not understand
all dat you speak.”’

Frank turned away with a gesture of
despair. .

‘“Vot you goin’ to done, Vrankie?’’
asked Hans, dolefully.

‘‘ITdo not seem able to do anything
now. This matter must be placed before
the authorities, but I do not fancy that
will amount to anything. The officers
here are afraid of the bandits, and the
government is criminally negligent in the
matter of pushing and punishing the out-
laws. ‘The capture of an American to be
held for ransom will be considered by
them as a very funny joke.”’

‘Vel, I don’d seen vot you goin’ to
done apout id.”’

‘I do not see myself, but come on, and
we will find out.’’

He sought the highest officials of the
town, and laid the matter before them. In

the most polite manner possible, they pro-—

tested their pained solicitation and com-
miseration, but when he urged them to
do something, they replied:

‘To-morrow, senor, or the next day,
we will see what we may be able to do.”’

‘To-morrow !’’ cried Frank, desper-

ately. ‘‘With you everything is to-
morrow, to-morrow! To-day, to-night,
now is the time to do something! Delays
are fatal, particularly in pursuing bandits
and kidnapers. =

But they shook their heads sadly, and
continued to express sympathy and regret,
all the while protesting it would be im-
possible to do anything before to-morrow
or the next day.

Frank was so furious and desperate that

he even thought of following the bandits’
with Hans as an only companion, but the |

man of whom he had obtained the horses
in the first place would not let him have
other animals. |

That was not all. This man had gone
through some kind of proceeding to law-
fully seize Frank and Hans and hold

ge til: the animals captured oF the.

 

GEO TE

SSE keer

 

 

 

 

 

  
 

should name, and this he proceeded to do.
Now Frank did not have the price de-
manded for the three horses, and he could

 

ae not draw it that night, so he was obliged
| = to submit, and the two boys were prisoners
fe till near three o’clock the next afternoon,
ie when the money was obtained and the bill
| paid.

feelings by expressing his mind very
freely.

But nearly eighteen hours had passed
since the encounter of the previous even-
ing and the
Scotch, so he felt that all hope of hot
pursuit and capture of the bandits was
gone.

At the hotel he found a ‘Jetter awaiting

  
   
 
   
  
  

it was from the professor.
With haste he tore it open, and these
words are what he read:

   
  
   
 

“DRAR FRANK:—Pacheco commands
me to write this letter. Weare at the head-
waters of the Rio de Nieves, but we move
on to the westward as soon as I have
written. He tells me we are bound for
the mountains beyond Huejuguilla el
Alto, which is directly west of Zacatecas

 
   
   
   
  
  
   
  

miles.
 Huejuguilla el Alto, where

  

he says

   

som. Remember Jack Burk. He spoke
~ of the mountains to the west of Zacatecas.
Pacheco threatens to mutilate me and for-

- ward fragments to you if you do not

- follow to the point specified. He is watch-
ing me as I write, and one of his men will

   
 
  
 
 
 
   

At.
strikes me that it is best to comply with
Pacheco’s demands in case you care to

bother about me. If you want me to be
chopped up bit by bit and forwarded to
you, do not bother to follow. I have no
doubt but Pacheco will keep his word to
the letter in this matter. I am, my dear
boy,

‘‘Vour devoted guardian and tutor,
‘HORACE ORMAN TYLER SCOTCH.”’

   
 
 
   
 
    
   
   
  
 

That this letter was genuine there
could be no doubt, as it was written in

   

   
 
   

FRANK MERRIWELL IN MEXICO.

bandits were paid for at the price he raphy; but
professor, and Frank knew well enough
that it had been written under compul-
sion, and the language had been dictated

by another party.

boy.

saved !
will do everything I can for him.’’
To a certain extent, Frank relieved his}

kidnaping of Professor |

him, and, to his unbounded amazement, |

t lace.
as the bird flies one hundred and fo —

He bids me tell you to follow to}

arrangements will be made for my ran-:

 

ies the professor’s peculiar style of chirog-'

  

17

it did not sound like the

‘*Poor old professor!’? murmured the
‘‘Poor old professor! He shall be
He shall be saved! He knows I

‘*VYah, but he don’d seem to say dot der

ledder in,’’ observed Hans, who had also
read every word.

“Huejuguilla el Alto is one iusto

and ten miles west of Zacatecas.’

‘‘Vere you belief they findt x name,

Vrankie?’’

Frank did not mind the Dutch lad’s

question, but bowed ‘his head on his hand

and fell to thinking.

‘“‘We must have horses, and we must
follow. ‘Remember Jack Burk.’ Surely
the professor put that part of the letter in
of his own accord. He did not speak of
the Silver Palace, butche wished to call it
to my mind. ‘That palace, according to
Burk, lies directly west of Zacatecas,
somewhere amid the mountains beyond
this place he has mentioned. The profes-
sor meant for me to understand that I
would be proceeding on my way to search
Perhaps he hopes to
escape.”’

‘““Yah,’’? broke in Hans, ‘‘berhaps he
meant to done dot, Vrankie.”’

‘We would be very near the mountains
—it must be that we would be in the
mountains.’

‘“‘T ouess dot peen shust apoudt vere
we peen, Vrankie.’’

“*Tf he escaped, or should be cescued or

carry this letter to Mendoza and deliver Tansomed, a 2 pasly continue the
The situation .is desperate, and it} P ;

‘‘Vou vos oxactly 1ighdt.’’

‘‘We must have horses and a guide,’’

‘We can ged dem mit money.’”’

‘‘We had ‘better proceed to Zacatecas,
and procure the animals and the as
there.”

‘‘Shust oxactly vot I vould haf wo
gestet, Vrankie.”’

‘‘We will lose no time about it.’’

‘Vell, I guess nod!’

**But ‘Carlos—Carlos, my cousin. ©
very strange, but Professor Scotch - does
not mention him.’’

RY: shonminy! dot ae der trute.? }

Be eae

 

Fg ‘ Wa

a See

 
 
18 FRANK MERRIWELL IN MEXICO.
CHAPTER VII.

THE CAMP IN THE DESERT.

‘‘And I am certain it was Carlos that
captured the professor. I heard the fellow
laugh—his wicked, triumphant laugh !”’

‘*T heardt dot meinseluf, Vrankie?”?

“Carlos must be with the band.”

eV ah. ”

‘‘And Pacheco is carrying this matter
out to suit my cousin.’’

‘“Vah. )

‘*Hans, it is possible you had better re-
main behind. ee

‘*Vot vos dot?’’ gurgled the Dutch lad,
in blank amazement. ‘‘Vot for vos I goin’
to gone pehindt und stay, Vrankie.’’

‘‘T see a trap in this—a plot to lead me
into a snare and make me a captive.’’

**Vell, don’d I stood ub und took mein
medicine mit you all der dimes? Vot vos
der maddetr mit me? Vos you lost your
courage in me alretty yet?’’

‘‘Hans, Ihave no right to take you
into such danger. Without doubt a snare
will be spread for me, but Iam going to
depend on fate to help me avoid it.”’

**Vell, I took some stock dot fate in
meinseluf.”’ .

“Tf I should take you along and you
were killed——”’

‘“*T took your chances on dot, mein poy.
Vot vos I draveling aroundt mit you vor
anyhow you vant to know ain’d id!”’ .

‘‘You are traveling for pleasure, and
not to fight bandits.’’

‘““Uf dot peen a bard der bleasure uf,
you don’d haf some righdt to rob me uf
id. Vrank Merriwell, dit you efer know
me to gone pack mit you on?”’

**No, Hans.’’

“Dot seddles dot. You nefer vill. Shust
count me indo dis racket. I am going
righdt along mit you, und don’d you
rememper dot!’’

Frank laughed.

‘‘Hans,’’ he said, ‘‘you are true blue.
We will stick by each other till the pro-
fessor is saved from Pacheco and Carlos
Merriwell.’’

‘‘Vah, we done dot.”’

‘‘Shake !””

‘*VYou pet!’’

They clasped ee and that point was
settled. 7

 

 

quietly; ‘‘and I have decided to go.’”

Without unnecessary delay, they took
the train from Mendoza to Zacatecas,
which was a much larger place.

In Zacatecas they Set about the task of
finding a reliable guide, which was no
easy matter, as they soon discovered.

The Mexican half-bloods were a lazy,
shiftless set, and full-blooded Spaniards
did not seem to care about taking the trip
across the desert.

Till late that night Frank searched in
vain for the man he wanted, and he was
finally forced to give over the task till
another day.

Such a delay made him very impatient,

and he felt much like starting out with-—

out a guide, depending on a compass,
with which he believed he would be able
to make his way due west to Huejugilla
el Alto. ‘

The landlord of the hotel at which they
stopped that night was a fine-appearing
man, and Frank ventured to lay the
matter before him.

The landlord listened to the entire story,
looking very grave, shook his head warn-
ingly, and said:

“Do not think of attempting to cross
the desert alone, young senors. Without
a guide you might get lost and perish for
water. By all means take a guide.”’

‘“But how are we to obtain a trust-
worthy guide, sir?”

‘That is truly a problem, but I think I
may be able to assist you in the morn-

ing.’

“Tf you can, it will be a great favor.’’ |

‘“Many thanks, young senor. I will see
what can be done. If you would take my
advice, you eens not go to Huejugilla el
Alto.”?

‘“Why not?”?

“Tt is far from the railroad, and is
situated in a very wild region. If you
were to go there and should never be
heard of again, it would not be easy for
your friends to discover what had become
of you. Pacheco directed you to go there,
and he means you no good. It is likely
you will walk into a trap that Pacheco
has set for you.’

‘‘T have ete that, said Frank,

‘ <

 

 

 

 

 

 

  
 

 

5 3 el

 

 

 

 
  
    
    
  
  
  
  

 

wrapped to his chin in a crimson poncho,

- soon made.
take them quickly across the desert, but

  

FRANK MERRIWELL IN MEXICO. 19

“Oh, very well,’? with a gesture ex-
pressive of regret. ‘‘I know it is quite
impossible to change the determination of
you Americans. If you have firmly de-
cided to go, you will go, even though you
knew all the deadly dangers that may lay
in wait for you.”’

Being again assured that the landlord
would do his best to obtain a guide,
Frank proposed to retire for the night.

For all of the troubles that beset him,
Frank was able to sleep soundly, having
trained himself to sleep under almost any
circumstances. Hans alsoslept and snored,
to be awakened in the morning by Frank,
who was shaking him roughly.

_ Come, Hans, it is time we were stir-
ring.’ |

“Vot vos dot,?’’ cried the Dutch lad, in
surprise. ‘‘Wedon’d peen asleep more
as fifteen minutes alretty yet.”’

“It is morning.’’

‘‘T don’d toldt you so! Vell,
der pand!”’

Hans got up and dressed with great
reluctance, yawning and declaring over
and over that the nights in Mexico were
not more than fifteen or twenty minutes’
in length.

‘The landlord had prepared a special
breakfast for them, and it proved the best
they had found since leaving ‘‘the
States,’ so they ate heartily and felt
much better afterward.

After breakfast the landlord himself
informed them that he had been able to
obtain a guide.

‘‘He is the very person you want,
young senors, for he knows the desert
and he knows*the mountains. You may
depend on him to lead you straight across
to Huejugilla el Alto.’’

The guide was waiting for cee

dot peats

and smoking a cigarette. He was a dark-
faced, somewhat sinister-looking fellow,
and he gave his name as Pedro.

While Frank did not like the appear-
ance of the man, he felt that it was not
policy to delay longer, and a bargain was
Pedro not only agreed” to

x

he contracted to furnish horses for ‘vd
The forenoon was not far advanced
when they rode out of Zacatecas, and,

7
‘ *

 

os

with the sun at their backs, headed
toward the west.

Before the day passed Pedro showed
by many things that he was quite familiar
with the desert. He knew where shade
and water were to be found, and, at noon-
day, they rested long beside a spring,
with the sun beating on the wide waste |
of sand, over which the heat haze danced,
and “where no cooling breath seemed astir.

The ~ eat affected Hans much more
than it did Frank. The Dutch boy snuf-
fered,. but he made no complaint.

With the sun well over into the western
sky, they pushed onward again. They did
not halt as the grateful shadows of night
lay on the desert, but followed Pedro on
and on,

At last, far across the desert, they saw
the twinkling: ‘of a light that seemed like
a fallen star.

“*Tt’s a camp-fire,’? declared Pedro, in
Spanish. ‘‘Who can be there?’ y — ;

‘‘It may be bandits,’’ suggested Frank,
somewhat wary.

‘*No,’’ declared the guide, ‘‘bandits ac
not build fires on the open plains: Bandits
it cannot be.’’

He did not hesitate to lead them
straight toward the fire.

Frank whispered to Hans:

‘“Have your weapons ready.
be the trap.’’

As they approached the fire they were
able to make out the figures of two or
three horses, but no human being was to
be seen, although a coffee- -pot sat on some
coals, fragrant steam rising from the
nozzle.

Pedro stopped, seeming somewhat un-
easy for the first time.

‘‘What is it?” — Frank,” yy ap-
prehension.

**Vah;-vot id vos? ” asked Hans.- ‘‘Vos
der camp left all alone mit ids lonesome?

‘‘Not that, senors; but we have been |
heard, and the ones at the camp: are hid-
ing and watching. ’”’

‘Vell, I like dot. Maype uy. haf der
trop on us alretty soon.’’

‘“That is likely,’’ said Frank.

Pedro called out something in Spanish,
but there was no answer, ‘save that one of _
the horses lifted its head and neighed.

Then Frank tried it in English:

This may

  
 

20 %

“Ho, the camp! Who is there, and
where are you ?’’

Almost instantly a’man’s voice replied:

*‘T’m out hyar whar I kin take a peep
at yer, as I heard yer comin’. Didn’t
know but you wus greasers, an’ I ain’t got
no use fer ther onery varmints. As yer
kin talk United States, just mosey right
up ter ther fire and join me at supper.’2

There was a hearty freedom about the
invitation that dispelled Frank’s fears im-
mediately, and they rode forward into the
firelight.

As they did so a man rose from where

-he had been stretched on the Eanes and
came forward to meet them.

“Great Scott!’? shouted Frank, as the
firelight fell on the man’s face. ‘It’s
Alwin Bushnell, Jack Burk’s partner!’’

7

,; CHAPTER VIII.
THE TREASURE SEEKER.

‘“Thet thar’s my handle,’’ acknowl-
edged the man; ‘‘but I’m derned ef I
ainderstand how you ’uns happen: ter
know it!”?

He stared at the boys and the guide ‘in
blank amazement. Seeing Pedro’s face
fairly, he gavea slight start, and then
looked still more closely.

‘“There’s no doubt, ”» palpitated Frank.

**Vou are Alwin Bushnell?”

‘’That’s whatever,’’ nodded the camper.

‘And you are alone?’’

‘*Certun sure.”’

‘‘Bound west ?’’

**T reckon.”’

‘Bor the mountains and the Silver
SRT

Frank caladst: himself and stopped
short, remembering Pedro, and knowing
the guide’s ears and eyes were wide open
to hear and see everything.

Bushnell fell back a step, a look of still
- greater surprise coming om his bronzed

and bearded face.

‘Wat's thet thar you wus goin’ ter
say ?’’? he demanded.

‘“Wait,’? said Frank ;
later. It is better.’

Plainly Alwin Bushnell was is puzzled
and not a little amazed.
“You know my handle, an’ you seem

oe iil tell you

 

FRANK MERRIWELL IN MEXICO.

ter know whatever Way I’m trailin’. This
yere lays over me, as I acknowledges in-
stanter.’’ :

‘“That’s not hard to explain.’”’

‘Then I begs yer to explain it without
delay none whatever.”’

‘Your partner told us of you.”’

Old ack?”

(Vas. ”?

‘*When, and whar?”’

‘Two days ago, outside of Mendoza.’’

‘“He wuz thar???

Ves. ”)

‘But how did yer know me?”’

‘“We saw you.”’

‘When ?”?

‘‘When you were pursued across the
plain by bandits. ”’

Bushnell slapped his thigh.

‘Mhar!?? he cried; ‘‘I remembers yer
now! You wuz near a doby hut, an’ yer

‘}opened up on ther pizen skunks as wuz

arter me.”’

“That’s right.”’

‘Wal, I’m much obliged, fer ‘you
socked ther lead ter them critters so they
switched off an’ let me get away. You
kin shoot, boy.”’ $

“Some.??

‘““Some! Waal, that’s right, you bet!
Give us a wag of your fin! I’m mortal
glad ter clap peepers on yet, fer I never
expected ter see yer an’ thank, yer fer
thet trick.’

Frank swung from the saddle, and sur-

rendered his hand into the broad ‘‘paw”’
of the rough and hearty Westerner, who
gave ita crushing grip anda rough shake,
repeating:

‘(I’m mortal glad ter see yer, thet’s —
whatever! But I want ter know how you —

happened ter chip inter thet thar little
game. You took a hand at jest ther right
time ter, turn ther run ‘of ther cards, an’ I
got out without goin’ broke,”

‘‘T chipped in because I saw you were a
white man, and you were hard pressed by

a villainous crew who must be bandits. I

believe 1 in white men standing by white.

men,”” =>

“Say, thet’s a great motter, “young
man. ‘White men stand by white men.’
As fer me, I don’t like a aR ronees none
whatever. ”’

_ As he said this, Bushnell gave Pedro

 

 

tee one

 

 
 

another searching look, and the guide
scowled at the ground in a sullen way.

‘‘Now,’’ continued the Westerner,
‘‘w’at I wants ter know next is w’at yer
knows about Jack Burk. We had a place
all agreed on ter meet w’en I returned,
but he wusn’t thar, an’ I hed ter go it
alone. ‘That’s why I’m yere alone.”’

‘at was, not Burk’s fault that he did not
meet you.’

‘‘Say you so? Then lay a straight trail
fer me ter foller.”’

**He was sick.”?

**Is that whatever? Wa’al,-derned ef I
went, an’ I made a great hustle fer it.’’
Fe was in the hut where you saw us.”’

‘*Wa’al, dern my skin! Ef I’d knowed
thet, I'd made a straight run fer thet yere
ranch, bet yer boots!’

“He camie to the door and. shouted to
you.”

“You don’t tell me thus! An’ I didn’t
hear him! Waal, wa’al! Whar.wuz my
ears? Whar is he now?”’

area.

Bushnell reeled.

“Ts he that?’’ he gasped,
“‘An? I didn’t get to see him!
clean upsets me, sure as shootin

The man seemed greatly affected.

‘**Poor old Jack !’’ he muttered. nae ve
made many a tramp together, an’ we
‘struck it rich at last, but he'll never git
ther good of thet thar strike.’

Then he seemed to remember that he
was watched by several eyes, and he
straightened up, passing his hand over
his face.

‘Jack shall hev a big monumint,’’ he
cried. ‘‘Tell me whar my old pard is
planted.’’

_ “That is something I do not know, Mr.
Bushnell.’

The man was astonished.

**Don’t know? Why, how’s thet ?”?

‘Frank told the entire story of Burk’s
_ death.and mysterious disappearance, to

which Bushnell listened with breathless
interest. When it was finished, the man
cried: |
‘“Thet thar beats me!
stand it none whatever.”’
“No more do I,’’ confessed Frank.

‘There is no donbt but Batk was. dead ~
ana sae Soper did not walk eeay of its

 

recovering.
Say, this

yr 9/

  
  
   
   
  

I don’t under-

  
  
    
  

 

 

   

FRANK MERRIWELL IN MEXICO.

could seem ter cut his trail anywhar I}

that he was forced to shoot by guess. _

  

21

own accord. It was my intention to in-
vestigate the mystery, but later events
prevented.’”’

Frank then explained about the kid-
naping of Professor Scotch by the ban-
dits.

While the boy was relating this, Bush-
nell was closely studying the guide’s face,
as revealed by the firelight. Frank noted
that a strange look seemed to come into
the eyes of the Westerner, and he appeared
to be holding himself in check.

When this explanation was finished,
Bushnell asked:

‘‘And you are on your way ter Hueju-
gilla el Alto with ther hope of rescuin’
ther professor ?”’

‘‘We are,’’ replied Frank.

*“You pet my life,’? nodded Hans.

‘““This is the guide who was recom-
mended to you in Zacatecas ?”?

res SB Ae

““VYou trust him fully ?’’

‘“We are obliged to do so.”’

‘‘Waal, boys, ef this yere critter can’t
take yer straight ter Pacheco, nobody
kin.”?

‘“What do you mean ?”’

‘Jest this!’’? cried Bushnell, explos-
ively; ‘‘this yere greaser galoot w’at yer
calls Pedro is nobody but Ferez!’’

‘““Who is Ferez?’’

‘*He’s Pacheco’s lieutenant!”’

Frank uttered a cry of amazement and
anger, wheeling quickly on the Mexican,
his hand seeking the butt of a revolver.

But the dark-faced rascal seemed ready
for such an exposure, for, with a yell of

a

defiance, he dropped behind his horse,

and the animal shot like a rocket from
the firelight into the shadows which lay
thick on the desert.

Bushnell opened up with a brace of re-
volvers, sending a dozen bullets whist-
ling after the fellow in less than as many
seconds.

At the first shot, Hans Dunnerwust fell
off his horse, striking on his back on the
sand, where he lay, faintly gurgling: |

‘*Uf you don’d shood der odder vay, I
vos a tead man!’’

‘(Don’t let him escape with a whole
skin!’’ shouted Frank, as he began to
work a revolver, although he was blinded
by the flashes from Bushnell’s weapon so -

  

   
 

 

22 FRANK MERRIWELL IN MEXICO.

Ferez seemed to bear a charmed life,
for he fled straight on into the night,
sending back a mocking shout of laughter.
From far out on the waste, he cried:

‘‘Bah, Gringo dogs! You cannot harm
me! I will see you again, Americanoes!
This is not the last.”?

With an exclamation of disappointment
and anger, Bushnell flung his empty re-
volvers on the sand at his feet.

“Dern an’ double dern a fool!’’ he
roared, ‘‘EfI’d done my shootin’ first,
an’ my talkin’ arterward, he wouldn’t got
away.”

But Ferez had escaped, and they could
no, more than make the best of it.

When this was over and the excitement
had subsided, they sat about the fire and
discussed the situation. Frank then
showed the golden image which Burk had
given him, and explained how the dying
man had told of the Silver Palace.

Bushnell listened quietly, a cloud on his
face. At the conclusion of the story, he
rose to his feet, saying :~

‘Rf Jack Burk made you his heir, thet
goes, an’ I ain’t kickin’ none whatever.
Old Jack didn’t hev no relatives, so he
hed a right to make any galoot his heir.
But thar’s goin’ ter be plenty of worry
fer anybody as tries ter reach ther Silver
Palace. How’d you ’spect ter git ’crost
ther chasm???” -

‘CAs yet, [have not taken that into
consideration. ‘The kidnaping of Profes-
sor Scotch has banished thoughts of every-
thing else from my mind.”’

‘Waal, ef Jack Burk made you his
heir, you’re entitled ter your half of ther
treasure, providin’ you’re ready ter stand
your half of ther expenses ef we fail ter
git thar.’

‘You may depend on me so far as that
is concerned. ’’

‘““Wa’al, then, you see I hev three
hawses. One is fer me ter ride, another is

_-ter kerry provisions, and ther third is ter

tote ther balloon.”’

‘The balloon !’’ v

““Thet’s whatever.
loon with which ter cross thet thar
chasm. It’s ther only way ter git over.
In crossin’ ther balloon will be loaded
with a ballast of sand; but when we come
back, ther ballast will be pure gold!”

I hev another bal-|

 

CHAPTER IX.
THE PROFESSOR’S ESCAPE.

They did not expect to reach Hueju-

gilla el Alto without being molested by.

bandits, for it was presumed that Pacheco’s
lieutenant would carry the word to his
chief, and the desperadoes would lose no
time in moving against them.

Kriowing their danger, they were ex-
ceedingly cautious, traveling much by
night, and keeping in concealment by
day, and, to their surprise, the bandits
made no descent upon them.

Huejugilla el Alto proved to be a wild
and picturesque place. Being far from
the line of railroad, it had not even felt
the touch of northern civilization, and the
boys felt as if they had been transported
back to the seventeenth century.

‘*Hywar, lads,’’ said Bushnell, ‘‘yer will
see a town thet’s clean greaser all ther

way through, an’it’stenterone thar ain’t

nary galoot besides ourselves in ther derned
old place thet kin say a word of erie
States. ’’

The Westerner could talk sedis after
a fashion, and that was about all the
natives of Huejugilla el Alto were able to
do, with the exception of the few whose
blood was untainted, and who claimed to
be aristocrats.

However, for all of their strange dia-
lect and his imperfect Spanish, Bushnell
succeeded in making himself understood,
so they found lodgings at a low. ramb-
ling adobe building which served as a
hotel. They paid in advance for one day,
and were well satisfied with the price,
although Bushnell declared it was at least
double ordinary rates.

We ain’t likely ter be long in town be-

fore Ferez locates us an’ comes arter his |
Ther derned bandits are bold |

hawses.
enough ’long ther line of ther railroad,

but they lay ’way over thet out hyar. .
Wuss then all, ther people of ther towns _

kinder stand in with ther pizen varmints. a
‘¢‘Stand in with them—how ?”’
~ Why, hide * em when ther soldiers is
arter em, an’ don’t bother ’em at any
other time. ’’
‘‘T presume they are afraid of the ban-
dits, which explains why they do so.’’
““Afeared? Wa’ al,

they may be; but then thar’s something | =

 

 

 

 

Ill allow as how >

 

 
 

 

 

 

 

 
  
 

 

    

  

   
 

   
  
   
 

in alarm.

way as fast as it can.”’

 

   

FRANK MERRIWELL IN MEXICO. 23

of ther bandit in ev’ry blamed greaser I
ever clapped peepers on. They’re onery,
they are.’’

Frank had noted that almost all West-
erners who mingled much with the peo-
ple of Mexico held Spaniards and natives
alike in contempt, calling them all
‘‘oreasers.’’? He could not understand this,
for, as he had observed, the people of the
country were exceedingly polite and chiv-
alrous, treating strangers with the utmost
courtesy, if courtesy were given in return.
Rudeness seemed to shock and wound
them, causing them to draw within them-
selves, as a turtle draws into its shell. In-
deed, so polite were the people that Frank
came to believe that a bandit who had de-
cided to cut a man’s throat and rob him
would first beg the man’s pardon for such
rudeness and then proceed about the job
with the greatest skill, suavity, and gen-
tleness.

Having settled at the hotel, Bushnell
ordered a square meal, and; when it was
served, they proceeded to satisfy the hun-
ger which had grown upon them with
their journey across the desert.

Bushnell also took care to look after the
horses and equipments himself.

“Rf Ferez calls fer his hawses, I don’t
want him ter git away with this yar, bal-
loon an’ gas generator,’’? said the West-
erner, as he saw the articles mentioned
were placed under lock and key. ‘‘Ef we
should lose them, it’d be all up with “us

so fur as gittin’ ter ther Silver Palace is

concerned.”’

Frank expected to hear something from
Pacheco as soon as Huejugilla el Alto was
reached, but he found no eae await-
ing him.

**Poor professor!’’ he said. ‘‘I expect
he has suffered untold torments since he
was kidnaped.”’

‘*Vah,’’ nodded Hans. ‘‘Uf Brofessor
Scotch don’d peen britty sick uf dis vild

life mit Mexico, you vos a liar.’

That night they were sitting outside
the hotel when they heard a great com-
motion at the southern end of the town.

**Vot vos dot?’’ gasped the Dutch boy,
‘‘Sounds like dere vos drouple
aroundt dot logality.”’

‘“That’s right,’’ agreed Frank, feeling
for his revolvers; ‘‘and it is coming this

 

 

‘‘Mebbe another revolution has broke
out,’’ observed Bushnell, lazily. ‘‘Best git
under kiver, an’ let ther circus go by.”’

They could hear the clatter of horses’
hoofs, the cracking of pistols, and a ming-
ling of wild cries.

All at once Frank Merriwell became
somewhat excited.

‘‘On my life, I believe I hear the voice
of Professor Scotch!’ he shouted.

‘‘Vah!? said Hans; ‘‘I belief I hear
dot, too!”

‘“They may be bringin’ ther professor
in,’’ said Bushnell. ‘‘Ef he’s thar, we’ll
take an interest in ther case, you bet yer
boots!’

Into the hotel he dashed, and, in a mo-
ment, he returned with his Winchester.

Along the street came a horseman,
clinging to the back of an unsaddled ani-
mal, closely pursued by at least twenty
wild riders, some of whom were shooting
at the legs of the fleeing horse, while one
was whirling a lasso to make a cast that
must bring the animal to a sudden halt.

*“Ten to one the fugitive is the profes-
sor!’ shouted Frank, peering through
the dusk.

‘“Then, I reckon we’ll hev ter chip in
right hyar an’ now,’’ said Bushnell,
calmly.

He flung the Winchester to his shoulder,
and a spout of fire streamed from the muz-
zie in an instant.

The fellow,who was whirling the lasso
flung up his arm and plunged headlong
from the horse’s back to the dust of the
street.

‘Professor! professor !’’ shouted Frank.
‘‘Stop—stop here!?’

“‘Can’t do it,*? came back the reply:
“The horse won’t stop.’’

‘‘Tump off—fall off—get off some way !”’

‘CAll right, here goes.’’

In another moment Professor Scotch,
for it really was the professor, flung him-
self from the back of the animal he had
ridden, struck the ground, rolled over and
over like a,ball, and lay still within thirty
feet of Frank, groaning dolefully.

In the meantime, Al Bushnell was

working his Winchester in a manner that

was simply amazing, for a steady stream
of fire seemed to pour from the muzzle of
the weapon, and the cracking of the wea-
pon echoed through the streets of Hueju-

  
 

aad

   

  
  

24

 

gilla el Alto like the rattling fire from a
line of infantry.

After that first shot Bushnell lowered
the muzzle of his weapon, as, in most
cases at short range, his motto was to
‘*shoot low,’’ for he well knew more lead
could be wasted by shooting too high
than in any other manner.

In about three seconds he had thrown
the pursuing bandits into the utmost con-
fusion, for they had never before encount-
ered such a reception in Huejugilla el
Alto, and it was the last thing they had
expected. With all possible haste, they
reined about and took to flight, hearing
the bullets whistling about them, or feel-
ing their horses leap madly at the sting of |
lead or go plunging to the ground.

The inhabitants of the town had fled
into their houses before the rush of the
bandits, so there was little danger that
any of Bushnell’s bullets would reach in-
nocent persons.

The confusion and rout of the bandits
was brought about in a few seconds, and
Bushnell was heard to mutter:

‘‘One white man is good fer a hundred
onery greasers any time! Ther derned
skunks hain’t got a blamed bit of sand!’’

Frank ran and lifted the fallen profes-
sor, flinging the man across his shoulder,
and carrying him into the hotel.

Hans followed with frantic haste, and
Bushnell came sauntering lazily in after
the bandits had been routed and driven
back.

*‘Are you badly hurt, professor ?’’ asked
Frank, anxiously.

“T’m killed!’ groaned Scotch, dole-
fully. ‘‘I’m shot full of holes, and every
bone in my body is broken! Farewell, my
boy! We’ll meet in a better land, where
there are no bandits to molest or make
afraid.”’

‘“Where are you shot?”’

“*Everywhere—all over! You can’t
touch me whereIam not shot! ‘They fired
more than four hundred bullets through
me! Iam so full of holes that I wonder
you can see me at all!’

Bushnell made a hasty examination of
the professor, who lay on the floor, groan-
ing faintly, his eyes closed.

‘*Look hyar, pard,’’ said the Westerner
roughly ‘‘ef you want ter pass in yer chips
yell hey. ter stand up an’ let me put a few

 

 

=

FRANK MERRIWELL IN MEXICO.’

more holes in yer. I can’t find a place whar
you’re touched by a bullet an’ I’m blowed
ef I’low you broke a bone when ye
tumbled from ther hawse.”’

The professor sat up with a sudden snap.

‘“What’s that?’’? he cried. ‘‘I’m not
shot? I’m not all broke up? Is it possi-
ble? Can I believe you ?’’

‘*Yah,’’ nodded Hans, gravely; ‘‘Ican
belief me. You vas all righdt brofessor
und dot is sdraight.”’

‘“Wow!’’ shouted Scotch,
his feet like a rubber ball.
I call great luck! Why, I thought I must
be killed sure! I don’t know how I es-
jcaped all those bullets. And then the fall!
Providence must have been with me.”

‘Vell, I don’d know apoudt dot pefore
you come der town in,’’ sa¥d Hans;
you vos alone mit yourself when we saw
you, brofessor.’’

The landlord of the hotel came bustling
up in a perfect tumult of terror, wringing
his hands and almost weeping.

‘‘Oh, senors!’’ he cried, in Spanish,

‘what have you done? You have ruined
me! You stopped at my house, and you
shoot the ladrones. Ah, senors, you know
not what that means.to me. Pacheco will
come down on me—he will raid my house,
I am a ruined man, and you are responsi-
ble for it. You must leave my house with-

bounding to

out delay! If you remain here, the whole ~

town will rise against me! All the people
will know this must make Pacheco very
angry, and they will know he must take
revenge on the place. They will be angry
with me because I allow it. Carramba!
How could I help it? I could do nothing.
It came, and it was all over before I know

what was doing. Senors, you must have |
pity on me—you must leave my house

immediately.’ :
Bushnell caught enough of this to
translate it to the others. —

‘“Ther best thing we kin do is ter git

out instanter,’’ he said. ‘‘Ef we wait,

ther outlaws will watch every road out of .
ther town, an’ we’ll hev trouble in gittin’ 2

away.”’

‘“Then let’s get away immediately,’
peat I fall idito 2"

fluttered the professor.
their hands again, I’m a dead man!’’ —

‘Yes, we will get out immediately, ”’ des
‘but we'll do it as ‘secretly atl

cided Frank;
and parently as possible, pag er SF

OPat? Ss what

“hut

he

on

Ms PO ee
se

 

ba]

MO es Re

 

Tr -*

it
7 fra

 

   
  
   
  
     
   
  
  
 

    
 

 

 

+ Bushnell nodded his satisfaction, and,
‘Whar thirty minutes later, the party was ready
lowed {| tomove. ‘They left the hotel by a back
nl ye ; way, and, guided by the landlord, made

_ their way along dark and narrow streets,
sap. | creeping cautiously through the town till

not | the outskirts were reached.
0SSI- iE There Frank gave the landlord some
| money, and, after calling down blessings
[can - on their heads, he quickly slipped away
“Ssor | —_ and disappeared.

___ **Now we’ll hustle right along,’’ said
gto | the Westerner. ‘‘We’ll put a good long
vhat stretch between ourselves an’ Huejugilla
nust / el Alto before mornin’, We’re off, bound
e@s- | straight inter ther mountains——”’
all! 2 ‘tAnd straight for the Silver Palace,’’
e - added Frank.
fore is
but CHAPTER X.
aw q

| i THE AVENGER.
ng oe They weré fortunate in getting away
ng __without being seen by any of the bandits,

_ and at dawn they were well up into the
h, mountains, where Bushnell found a se-
ed cluded place for them to camp and rest, as
ae rest was something of which they all
ted sorely stood in need.

il Bushnell prepared breakfast, and Frank
= insisted that Professor Scotch should ex-
z plain how he escaped from Pacheco’s

gang

e | : “Don't ask me,’’ sighed the little man,
= fondling: his red whiskers. ‘I can’t ex-
yf plain it—really I can’t.” -

= cc ‘Why not?”

: * i : ‘*Well, you see, I don’t know how I

happened to do it. They forced me to
>  writé that letter against my will, two of
_. them standing over me with drawn dag-
_ gers while I was writing, and prodding
-me a-bit whenever I refused to put down
the words Pacheco ordered written.’’
‘Then Pacheco speaks English ?”’
‘*As well as I do.”’
‘“What does he look like?”’
“I do not know.’’
= ‘*How is that?’’
_« “He kept his face concealed with his
_ serape quite up to his eyes.’
 **Thar’s a mystery about Pacheco,’’
broke in Bushnell. ‘‘No one seems ter
know jest what ther varmint looks like.’”
“Go on, professor,’? urged Frank;
‘tell us just how you escaped.’

  
 
   
   
  
  
  
    
  
  
 
 

 

FRANK MERRIWELL IN MEXICO,

 

 

    

25

“*T tell you I do not know myself. All
I know is that they tied me to a horse,
and brought me across a plain of burning
sand, where I nearly perished for want of
water, and was nearly sawed in two by
the backbone of the horse I rode. I be-
lieved it was a case of gone goose with
me. At last they camped in a wild spot,
and I was so badly used up that I could
scarcely eat or do anything but lay around
and groan. ‘They seemed to think there
was no need of watching me very closely,
and I noticed that I was alone sometimes.
Then, feeling utterly reckless, I began
to watch for a chance to sneak away. I
didn’t care if I were shot, or if I escaped
and perished from hunger and thirst. I
was bound to make the attempt. Last
night I made it. A  saddleless horse
strayed along where I was, and I made a
jump for the animal. Before they knew
what I was doing, I was on the beast’s
back and yelling into its ears like a ma-
niac. The horse scooted out of the camp,
and I clung on. The bandits pursued me,
and éverything else is a haze till I heard .
Frank calling for me to jump off. I rec-
ognized his voice and fell off the horse,
although I had not the least idea in the
world where I was.’’

‘“Wa’al,’’? chuckled Bushnell, ‘‘thet’s
w’at I call dead fool luck, beggin’: yer
pardon fer speakin’ so open like, at which
I means no harm whatever.’’

*“Oh, ye needn’t beg my pardon,”’
quickly said Professor Scotch. ‘‘I don’t
want any credit for getting away. It
wasn’t a case of brains at all.”’

Breakfast was prepared, and they ate
heartily, after which Frank, Hans,.and
the professor lay down to sleep, while
Bushnell smoked a black pipe.

But even Bushnell was not made of
iron, and the pipe soothed him to slumber,
so the entire party slept, with no one on
guard.

All at once, some hours later, they
were awakened by an exclamation from
Frank, who sat up and stared at the form
of a stranger, the latter being quietly
squatting in their midst, calmly puffing
at a cigarette, while his puncho was
wrapped about him to his lips. :

Frank’s exclamation awakened Bush-
nell like an electric shock, and, even as
his eyes opened, his hand shot out, the

    
 

~ nell.

 

26 FRANK MERRIWELL IN MEXICO.

fingers grasping the butt of a revolver that
was pointed straight at the stranger.

“‘Stiddy, thar!’ called the Westerner.
‘“‘T hev ther drop on yer, an’ I’ll sock yer
full of lead ef yer wiggle a toe-nail! You
hear me chirp!’’

The stranger. continued smoking, his
coal-black eyes being the only part of

him to move, for all of the threatening re-|

volver.

Hans sat up, gasping:

“‘Shimminy Gristmas! Der pandits haf
caught us alretty soon!’?

At this Professor Scotch gave a groan
of dismay, faintly gurgling:

“Then I’m a goner!””

That the stranger was a half-blood
could be seen at a glance.

‘‘Drap thet derned cigaroot, an’. give
an account of yerself instanter right off!’’
ordered Bushnell, threateningly. ‘‘Who
in blazes be yer?”’

The cigarette fell from the man’s lips,
and he answered:

‘Tam Rodeo.’’

“Waal, who is Rodeo?” ie:

“The brother of Pacheco.”

‘‘Don’d I toldt you dot!’ panted the
Dutch boy.

Professor Scotch ess again, and
rolled a little farther from the half-blood,
but still made no effort to sit up.

‘‘Wa’al, dern your skin!’’ cried Bush-
‘“You’ve got a nerve to come hyar!
I s’pose Pacheco an’ his gang of onery
varmints is within whoopin’ distance ?’’

“‘T am alone; there is no one within
call.’? \

“Waal, w’at be ‘yer hyar fer,
what I wants ter know 7

“JT found you asleep, and I came to
warn you.”’

‘‘Of what ?’?

‘‘Danger. The ladrones are on your trail
already. Before the sun sinks behind the
mountains they will be here. If you are
not gone, you must all fall into their
hands.”’ ae

Bushnell loaked doubtful and suspi-
cious, while a puzzled expression came
into his bronzed face. |

“Took hyar,’’ he said; “‘you’re up ter
some game, an’ I’m derned ef I know
what'she am, but yer wants ter under-
stand yer can’t monkey with this old coon
none whatever. I hold the drop on yer,

thet’s

 

ee

 

Old Socks, an’ I may take a fancy ter
bore yer once jest fer fun, so ye’d best
talk straight an’ squar’, an’ be lively
about it.’’

‘‘Yah,’’ nodded Hans, threateningly,
‘‘you petter peen in a plamed pig hurry
apoudt dot talking pusiness.’’

‘“What do you wish me to say, senors ?”?

“Explain why you’re hyar ter warn
tia” "

‘*Because I’m the brother of Pacheco.’’

‘“Thet don’t go down with this old coon,
Pacheco is ther leader of ther bandits.”’

‘‘He was the leader of the bandits.’’

‘*Was the leader ?”’

°*Si, senor. ’’

‘fAn’ ain’t he now ?”’

‘*No, senor.’’

‘*How long since ?”’

‘fAt least one month.’

‘0, say, thet thar Lak do—I tells
yer it won’t, fer we know er blamed sight
better ! Rodeo, lying is dangerous with
me ’round.”’

‘Senor, Ido not lie; I tell you the
truth. One month ago Pacheco was the

leader of the band; now he is dead, and-
This other killed |

another is in his place.
him in a battle, and by that he won’ the
right to be leader of the band. He has
taken my brother’s name, and he calls
himself Pacheco. Senors, I swear to you

I speak the truth—I swear by all the saints!

My brother is dead, and — is an im-
postor in his place.”’

Frank was impressed, iid his hand fell —

on Bushnell’s arm.

“‘T believe the fellow really speaks the

truth,’’ he said. ‘*He seems sincere, and
his eyes are square and steady.”’

““Ver can’t tell about ther skunks, sce

muttered the Westerner; ‘‘but still this

one does seem ter be layin? a straight

tfaii””

‘“‘T have taken ny oath,’ continued the |
half-blood, a red light in his dark eyes—

“'T have sworn to kill the murderer of my
brother, and I will keep the oath. ‘That’s

why I am here. Ihave been watching the - s

band for two weeks; I know every move_
they will make.

follow.

advance.
country in the mountains! My people are

 

ais

I know when you leave _
Huejugilla el Alto, and I know they will _

I make sure of that, and then, —
with my heart full of joy, I ride fast in nage
At last—at last they gotomy

ee lw ASO

  
 

ter

 
 
  
  
 

 

3 there—my other brothers,
my relatives.

 

- Pacheco will follow. If you are captured,

back.

 

<CEMET.
any of them to see the wonderful. palace,

Bushnell’s straightforward narrative of

in ther direction of ther Silver Palace.’’

FRANK MERRIWELL IN MEXICO.

my cousins,
They will all stand by me,
and they will be ready to avenge Pacheco.
The wrath of my people shall fall on the
head of the impostor! You wonder why
I warn you? I will explain. You are
bound far in the mountains, and the false

he may turn back. I want him to follow
you—I want you to lead him into the
snare. That is why I am here, and that is
why I have warned you, senors. It is
done, and now I will go.’

He arose to his feet, heedless of Bush-
nell’s command to ‘‘keep still,’’ and
strode toward the horses. They saw an
extra animal was there, and, ina moment,
he had flung himself on the creature’s

** Buenos dias, senores.””

A clatter. of hoofs, the flutter of a
poncho, and a crimson serape, and Rodeo’s
horse was galloping up the ravine that
still led deeper into the mountains. Man
and horse soon vanished from view.

ns

CHAPTER XI.
THE AWAKENING VOLCANO.

Two days later, shortly after sunset,
the party camped far in the depths of the
Sierra Madre Mountains.

The words of Rodeo, the half-blood,
had proved true, for they were pursued
by the bandits, but, thanks to the skill of
Bushnell, they had been able to give the
desperadoes the slip.

“By ther end of another day we
oughter be able ter clap our peepers on
ther Silver Palace,’’ declared the West-

Professor Scotch was now as eager as
all his doubts having been dispelled by

the discovery of the place by himself and
Jack Burk.

**T wonder what causes that column of
smoke we saw rising amid the mountains
to the westward to-day ?’’ said Frank.

_ Bushnell shook his head.

‘“Thet thar has troubled me some, ” he

admitted. ‘Tt seems ter be fair an’ squar?

  

27

und purn der balace up,’’ suggested Hans,
with an air of very great wisdom.

‘*T scarcely think they would be able to
burn a building made of stone, gold, and
silver,’’? smiled Frank.

‘‘Wa’al, not much,’’ said Bushnell.
‘“Ther palace will be thar when we arrive.
You needn’t worry about thet.’

They were very tired, and, feeling se-
cure in the depths of a narrow ravine,,
they soon «slept, with the exception of
Frank, who had the first watch.

‘Fhe moon came up over the mountain
peaks, which stood out plainly in the
clear light, every gorge and fissure being
cut black as ink, and showing with won-
derful distinctness.

The shadow was deep in the narrow
ravine, and Frank sat with his back toa
wall of rock, looking upward, when he
was startled to see a figure rise in the
bright moonlight.

On the brink of the ravine above stood
a man who seemed to be peering down at
them.

‘‘Awaken!’’ cried this man, in a loud
voice. ‘‘You are in great danger!’

The cry aroused every sleeper, and

| Bushnell started up with his Winchester

clutched ready for use.

‘*Wat is it??? he asked. |

Frank clutched his arm, gasping:

‘*Merciful goodness! look there—look
at that man’s face! Can the dead return
to life ?”? ;
He pointed at the man on the brink of
the ravine above them. The light of the
moon fell fairly on the face of this man,
which was plainly revealed to every one
of the startled and thunderstruck party.
‘“Move lively, down there!’ cried the
man, with a warning gesture.
“There have been spies upon you, and
Pacheco knows where you have stopped
for the night.”’
Bushnell dropped his rifle, clutching at
the neck of his. shirt, and gasping for
breath. ;
‘“By ther livin’ gods!’’ he shouted, ‘‘it’s
my pard, Jack Burk, or it’s his spook !’’
‘(Td vos a sbook!’’ gurlged Hans Dun-
nerwust, quivering with fear. ‘‘Id vos der
sbook uf der man vot we seen deat as a
toor nail!’’
In truth, the man on ibe brink of the ~

 

‘*Maype dose pandits peen aheadt uf us

ravine looked like Jack Burk, who had —

  

 
  

 

28 FRANK MERRIWELL IN MEXICO.

been declared dead in the adobe hut near
Mendoza. =

“It is a resemblance—it must be a re-
semblance!’’ muttered Frank.

Once more the man above uttered a
warning :

**You were trailed by a spy,’’ he de-
clared: ‘‘The spy saw you camp here,
and he has gone to bring Pacheco and the
bandits. They will be here soon. If you
escape, you must move without further
delay.’ i

‘It not only looks like my pard,’’ said
Bushnell, hoarsely, ‘‘but it has ther voice
of my pard! Hf Jack Burk is dead, thet
shore is his spook!”?

And then, as suddenly as he had ap-
peared, the man above vanished from
view.

‘‘Gone!’’ gasped Professor Scotch, wip-
ing the cold perspiration from his face. ‘‘I
never took stock in ghosts before, but
now——’’

“Remember his warning,’’

Frank. ‘‘We had better heed it.’’

**Dot vos righd,’’ nodded Hans.

‘*Ves, thet’s right,’? agreed Bushnell.
“We'll git out of hyar ina howlin’ hurry.
Ef Jack Burk is dead, then thet wuz his
spook come to warn his old pard.”’

There was saddling and packing in hot
haste, and the little party was soon mov-
ing along the ravine.

For at least thirty minutes they hast-
ened onward, and then the Westerner
found a place where the horses could climb
the sloping wall of the ravine and get out
of the gorge. It was no easy task to make
the animals struggle to the top, but Bush-
nell succeeded in forcing them all up.
When the party was out of the ravine
every one breathed with greater freedom.

‘“There,’’ said Frank, ‘‘I do not feel as
if we might be caught like rats in a trap.”’

Frank was the last to move from the
ravine, and, just as he was about to do so,
he seemed to catch a glimpse of some-
thing moving silently in the darkness.

‘*Hist!?? came the warning from his
lips. ‘‘Come here, Bushnell—professor.
Hans, stay with the horses. Be cautious,
and come lively.”’

He Aung himself on his face in the
- shadow of a great bowlder, and per
down into the darkness below.

cut in

 

The Westerner and the professor came
creeping to his side.

**What is it??? asked Bushnell.

**Look,’’ directed “Frank.
you make of it?” .

Peering down into the dark depths of
the gorge, they saw black figures flitting
silently past, men and horses, as they
were able to make out.

‘‘Horsemen!’’ breathed the professor.
‘They must be the bandits!”’

“But look!’ came cautiously from
Frank’s lips; ‘‘they are riding swiftly, yet
the feet of their horses make ho sound!”’

‘*That’s right!’ gasped Scotch. ‘‘Great
Jupiter! can they be more ghosts ?’’

“*Mysteries are crowding each other,’’
said Frank.

Bushnell was silent,
ing and listening.

Like a band of black phantoms, the
silent horsemen rode along the ravine and

disappeared. Frank could hear the pro-
fessor’s teeth chattering as if the man —
a chill.

‘“This bub-bub-beats my tut-tut-tut-
time!’’ confessed Scotch. ‘‘I rather think

we'd better turn back and let the Silver

Palace alone.’ .
‘*Rot!”” ee Bushnell. “Them
varmints wuz Pacheco’s gang, an’ they
hed the feet of their critters muffled, thet’s
all. Don’t git leery fer thet.
same, ef Jack Burk or his spook hedn’t

warned us, them onery skunks w’u’d hed —

ts in a consarned bad trap.”’

This was the truth, as they all knew,
and they were decidedly thankful to the
mysterious indivittual who had warned
them. .

- Bushnell now resorted to the trick of

“covering the trail,’’ in order to do which
it was necessary to muffle the feet of their |

horses and lead them over rocky ground,
where their bandaged hoofs could make

uo mark. At length he came to a stream,

and he led the way into the water, follow-
ing the course of the stream, and having

the others trail along in single file directly

behind him.

When they halted again Ricuuell ass

sured them that there was little danger

that the bandits would be able to follow _
them closely, and they rested without i

molestation till morning.

‘What do

but he was watch-

All ther |

At daybreak the Westerner was astir, 2 :

 

    
  
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   

  

  
 

Vhat do

ths of
flitting
S_ they

fessor,

from

Y, yet
ind !??

GTeat

ler, )

itch.

the
and
TO-

had

ut-
nk

er

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

    
  
    
 
   
 
  

 

to the westward,

‘to see the Silver Palace,’

  

FRANK MERRIWELL IN MEXICO. . a9

being alive with eagerness and impa-
tience, as he repeatedly declared they
would behold the wonderful Silver Palace
before another sunset.

Eating a hasty breakfast,«they pushed
forward, with the Westerner in the lead.

Once more -the tower of smoke, which
they had noted the day before, was before
them, but now it seemed blacker and
more ominous than on the previous day.

It was not far from midday when, away
they heard rumbling
sounds, like distant thunder.

‘‘Vot id vas, ain’d id?’’ asked Hans,
in alarm. ‘‘I don’d seen no dunder
shower coming up somevere, do I?’”

“It did not seem like thunder,’’ said
Frank, soberly. ‘‘It was more like a
tumbling beneath the ground, and [I fan-
cied the earth quivered a bit.”’

‘*Perhaps it is an earthquake,’’ put in
the professor, apprehensively. ‘‘I believe
they have such convulsions of nature in
this part of the world.’’

Bushnell said nothing, but there was a
troubled look on his face, and he urged
them all forward at a still swifter pace.

The smoke tower was now looming.

near at hand, and they could see it shift
and sway, grow thin, and roll up in a
dense, black mass. It cast a gloom over
their spirits, and made them all feelvas if
some frightful disaster was impending.

Again and again, at irregular intervals,
they heard the sullen rumbling, and once
all were positive the earth shook.

It ‘was noticed that directly after each
tumbling the smoke rolled up in a
thick black mass that shut out the light
of the sun and overcast the heavens.

The professor was for turning back,
but Bushnell was determined to go for-
ward, and Frank was equally resolute.
Hans had very little to say, but his nerves
were badly shaken.

“Tn less than an diour we shall be able
assured Bush-
nell. ‘‘We would be fools to turn back
now.’’

So they went on, and, at last, they
climbed to the top of arise, from which
point the Westerner assured them that the
palace could be seen. mee

An awe-inspiring spectacle met their

gaze. ‘They looked across a great gulf,
from which the smoke was rolling up-|

 

ward in clouds, and out of which cdme
the sullen mutterings they had heard.

‘‘Merciful goodness!’’ cried Professor
Scotch. ‘‘It must be the crater of a vol-
cano!”’

““Yah!’ gasped Hans; ‘‘und der vol-
cano vos doin’ pusiness at der oldt standt
alretty yet.”’

‘“The volcano may have been dormant
for centuries,’’ said the professor, ‘but it
is coming to ‘life now !”’

“Where is the Silver Palace?’ de-
manded Frank. ;

Bushnell clutched the boy’s arm with a
grip of iron, pointing straight through
the smoke clouds that rose before them.

‘‘Look!’? he shouted, hoarsely; ‘‘it is
thar! See—the smoke grows thinner, an’
thar-she am! See her glitter! In thet thar
palace is stored enough treasure ter make
us richer then ther richest men in ther
world, an’ ten thousand volcanoes ain’t
goin’ ter keep me from it, you bet yer
boots !’’.

True enough, through the parted
smoke clouds gleamed the towers» and
turrets of the wonderful palace that had
remained hidden in the heart of the moun-
tains hundreds of years, jealously guarded
by the fierce natives, who believed it
sacred, and who had kept the secret well
from the outside world.

CHAPTER XII.
THE DOOM OF THE SILVER PALACE.

Bushnell leaped from his horse and_be-
gan tearing the packs from the backs of
the led animals. He worked with mad
haste, and there was an awesome, insane
glare in his eyes.

‘““The man is crazy!’’ roared Professot
Scotch. ‘The volcano is certain to break
forth before long—it must be on the verge
of breaking forth now. If we remain here
we are doomed !”?

‘‘Oxcuse me!’ fluttered Hans.
retty to gone righd avay queek.’’

The professor turned to Frank with his
appeal :

‘‘Come, boy, let’s get away before de-
struction comes upon us. We inust not
remain here.’ eee

Frank sprang down from his snorting

‘*T. yos

horse, flung the rein to Hans, and canes ae

to Bushnell’s side.

“You are Se a to think of remaining : : |

  
  

 
    
 
  
   
  
  
 
   
  
    
 
  
  
   
   
    
 
   
   
    
    
  
   
  
   
    
  
  
  
  
  
  
   
   

2

    
 
  
  
  
   
    
 

 

There)

30 ;

here!’’ he said, swiftly.
and we will return when the volcano is at
peace.’

‘‘No!’’? thundered the treasure-seeker, |
“TY will not The Silver Palace is
and I mean to have my share of the
treasure. Go if you are afraid, but here I
stay till the balloon is inflated, and I can
cross the chasm. The wind is right for it,
and nothing shall stop me!”’

He picketed the horses, and began rip-
ping open the packs.

Frank turned to Professor Scotch, say-
ing, quietly:

‘**Bushnell will not go, and I shall stay
with him. At the same time, I advise
you to go. Take Hans with you, and get
away from here. Leave a plain trail, and
Bushnell will be able to follow it, if we
succeed in reaching the palace and return-
ing alive.’

The professor entreated Frank to
change his mind, but the lad was deter-
mined, and nothing could alter that deter-
mination.

At last Scotch gave up in despair,
groaning: 3

“Tf you stay, Istay. Iam your guar-
dian, but you seem to have things your
own way. If this volcano cooks us all,
you will be to blame for it.’’

Frank said‘no word, but went about
the task of assisting Bushnell i in the woe
of inflating the balloon, |

The Westerner had a ‘‘gas generator,’’
which he was getting in order. As soon
as this was ready, the balloon was un-
rolled, spread out, drawn up by means of
poles and lines, and then secured to the
ground by one stout rope, which was
hitched about the base of a great bowlder.

Then Bushnell built a fire and set the
‘‘gas generator’’ at work.

In the meantime the volcano had con-
tinued to mutter. At intervals the clouds
of smoke parted, and they saw the won-
derful Silver Palace standing on a plateau
beyond the chasm.

The palace seemed to cast a spell over

xo !
go:

them all, and they felt the fever of the

gold-hunter beginning to burn -in their
throbbing veins.

It was more than an hour after their ar-
rival that the balloon began to fill with
gas, and Frank uttered a cheer as he saw

/

 

FRANK MERRIWELL IN MEXICO.

““Come away, |the silk bulging like a bladder that is in-
|flated with wind.

‘*Ha, ha!’? laughed Bushnell, wilde
“In a few minutes we’ll go sailin? over
ther gulf, right through ther smoke, ter
ther Silver Palace. Ha, ha, ha!??

The man’s face was flushed till it was
nearly purple, and his eyes were blood-
shot. The fever had fastened itself firmly
upon him.

More and more did the balloon expand.
Bushnell had brought out ‘a folding car,
which he securely attached.

“*In ten minutes more we'll be ready

for the trip!’’ he shouted.

At that instant a series of wild cries
reached their ears, and, turning swiftly,
they saw a band of dark-faced men pour-
ing through a fissure in the rocks to the
north of them.

“Shimminy Gristmas!’’ cried Hans
Dunnerwust, in terror. ‘‘Dot seddles us!’
‘“Who is it? Who are they?’’ fluttered
the professor. |
‘“They look like bandits,”’
edged Frank.

“It is Pacheco’s band!’ cried Bush-
nell, hastily securing his rifle. ‘Ther
pizen varmints hev come ten minutes too
soon! ‘I‘her balloon would take us all over
in another ten minutes, but now it won’t
catry more than two. We must hold ther »
skunks off till she fills!’

‘Right!’ shouted Frank Merriwell.
‘And we must be ready to go the instant
she does fill. We can’t, hold ’em_ back
long, for we have no shelter here. Profes-
sor, Hans, into that car! Get in, I say,
and be ready! We'll try to stand the
whelps off till the balloon is inflated, but
we must be ready to start at any instant.’

Professor Scotch and Hans were hastily
bundled into the car.

The bandits hesitated long enough to
gather and prepare for the charge, with |
their chief in the lead. It was plain they
saw the treasure-seekers had no shelter,
and they meant to close in without delay.

‘(Reddy for ’em, Frank!’’ called Bush-'
nell, dropping on one knee, his Winches-
ter in his hands. They re comin’ right
soon !’?

This was true. With mad cries anda
fusillade of shots, the bandits charged.

Bushnell opened fire, and Frank fol-

acknowl-

lowed his example. Several of the bandits —

  

 
 

}4

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 

 

Been

 

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
  
  

 

_ refused to leave Bushnell.

then, paralyzed,

were seen to fall, but still the others came
on.

**Lead won’t stop ’em!’’ snarled the
Westerner. ‘‘It’ll be hand ter hand in a
jiffy.’?

‘‘And that means——’’

‘We'll git wiped out.’’

‘“The balloon——”’

‘““Won’t carry more’n two—possibly
three. In with ye, boy! You may escape!
It don’t make any diffrunce ’bout an old
coon like me.’’

“Not much will I get in and leave
you!’’ cried Frank Merriwell. ‘‘We are
partners in this expedition, and partners
we'll stay.to the end!’’

‘But ther others—ther professor an’
ther Dutch boy! They might escape if

)

‘“They shall escape!’

Out flashed a knife in Frank Merri-
well’s hand, and, with one sweeping
slash, he severed the strong rope that held
the tugging, tossing balloon to the earth.

Away shot the balloon, a cry of amaze-
ment and horror breaking from the lips
of the professor and Haus.

*‘Mein gootness!’’ gasped the Dutch
boy. “Vot vos happened ?”?

“T'll tell you,’’ groaned the professor.
‘*The balloon could not carry all four of
us, and Frank Merriwell, like the noble,
generous, hot-headed, foolish boy he is,
At the same
time he would not doom us,
the rope, setting the balloon free. He has
remained behind to die at Bushnell’s
side.”?

‘‘Led me git oudt!’’ sobbed Hans, ‘‘I
vant to go pack und die mit him!”’

‘It is too late now. Look—see there!
We are directly over the Silver Palace!
What a beautiful——”’

The professor’s words were interrupted
by a frightful rumbling roar that came up
from the gulf surrounding the plateau on
which the palace stood. All the way
around that gulf a sheet of flame seemed
to leap upward through the smoke, and
helpless, hypnotized by
the spectacle, they saw the plateau and
the palace sink and disappear into the
blackness of a great void. ‘Then, like a
black funeral pall, the smoke rolled up
about them and shut off their view.

and he cut}

 

But they knew that never again would

FRANK MERRIWELL IN MEXICO, 31

the eyes of any human being behold the
marvelous Silver Palace of the Sierra
Madre Mountains.

*K * * * * *

When the balloon has ascended higher
another current of air was encountered,
and the course changed. Away they
floated over the mountain peaks and out
beyond the great range.

At last they came down, made a safe
landing, and, to their satisfaction, found
themselves within a mile of Huejugilla el
Alto.~

They had escaped the most frightful
perils, but Professor Scotch’s heart lay
like lead in his bosom, and Hans Dunner-
wust was not to be comforted, for they
had left Frank Merriwell to his doom.

In Huejugilla el Alto they remained
four days, neither of them seeming to
have energy enough to do anything.

And, on the fourth day, Frank Merri-
well, Al Bushnell, and two others rode into
town and stopped at the hotel.

Picture the meeting between Frank
and his friends! Hans shed nearly a buck-
etful of joyful tears, and Professor Scotch
actually swooned from sheer amazement
and delight. When the professor recov-
ered, he clung to Frank’s hands, saying:

‘“This is the happiest moment of my
life—if I am not dreaming! Frank, my
dear boy, I never expected to see you
again. How did you escape ?”’

‘“The eruption of the volcano broke the
bandits up,’’ explained Frank; ‘‘and, by
the time they had recovered and were
ready to come at us again, a band of
natives, headed by Rodeo, Pacheco’s
brother, came down on them. A terrible
battle ensued. The bandits were defeated,
many of them slain, among the latter be-
ing the false Pacheco. And whom do you
fancy the impostor proved to be, profes-
sor ?”’

“*T haven't the least idea.”’ z

‘‘He was my villainous cousin, Calros
Merriwell.”’

‘‘And he is dead ?”’

Ves,

‘“That isa good thing. He will not
trouble you any more.’?

‘*No, I shall never be troubled by him
again. With Rodeo and the natives was

Jack Burk——”’

‘Jack Burk! The man is dead!”

 

 
 

    

32

‘‘Not quite,
familiar voice, and Burk himself stepped

professor,’’ declared a

forward. ‘‘I am still quite lively for a
dead man.”’

‘*But—but I saw you dead!’’ declared
the astounded professor.

“You saw me nearly dead, but not
quite. You remember I told you of a
native who had found me in the hut, and
how he had said it was not a fever that
ailed me, but was a trouble brought on
by drinking the water of the spring near
the hut ?”’

‘*Yes, I remember.”’

‘‘And I told you the native hastily left
me—left me to die alone, as I supposed.’’

**T remember that.’

**He did not leave me to die, but went
for an antidote. While you were away he
returned and administered some of the
antidote for the poison, bringing me
around, although but a feeble spark of
life fluttered in my bosom. ‘Then he took
me on his shoulders, and carried me from
the hut to another place of shelter, where
he brought me back to my full strength
in a remarkably brief space of time.”’

‘‘T understand why we did not find
you,’’ said the professor. |

‘(We followed the bandits,’? Jack Burk
continued. ‘‘T’his native was Rodeo, the
brother of the true Pacheco, and he is
here.”

Rodeo stepped forward, bowing with
the politeness of a Spanish don.

‘*Rodeo made me swear to aid him in
hunting down the murderer of his brother.
That was the pay he asked for saving my
life. I gave the oath, and it was his whim
that I should not reveal myself to you till
the right time came. But when I saw ihe

spy tracking you, saw him locate you, |

and saw him hasten to tell the bandits, I
was forced to appear and give a warning.’
‘“We took you for a ghost.”’

soon asI can ged to him.
done dot I vos afrait mein mutter vill

 

 

FRANK MERKIWELL IN MEXICO.

“I thought it possible you might, and
I fancied that might cause you to give all
the more heed to the warning.’’
‘‘Well, of all remarkable things that
ever happened in my life, these events of
the past few days take the lead,’ de-
clared Scotch. ‘‘However, Ihave come
through all dangers in safety, and I am
happy, for Frank is alive and well.”?
‘But the Silver Palace is gone, with
all its marvelous treasure,’’ said Frank.
‘“Thet’s right, boy,’’ nodded Bushnell,
gloomily. ‘‘Ther palace has sunk inter
ther earth, an’ nary galoot ever gits ther
benefit of all ther treasure it contained.”’
‘Don’t take it so hard, partner,’’ said
Jack Burk. ‘‘Mexico is the land of treas-
ures, and we may strike something else
before we cross the Death Divide.’’
‘‘Vell,’? sighed Hans Dunnerwust,
‘fyou beoples can hunt for dreasure all
you don’d vant to; but I haf enough uf
dis pusiness alretty soon. I nefer vos
puilt for so much oxcitemend, und I vos
goin’ to took der next drain for home as
Uf I don’d

nefer seen her leedle Hansie some more.”’

“‘T fancy I have had quite enough of
Mexico for the present,’’ smiled Frank.
‘“The United States will do me a while
longer, and so, if ‘you are going home,
Hans, Professor Scotch and myself will
accompany you till we strike Uncle Sam’s
domain, at least.’’

(THE END. )

““FRANK MERRIWELL IN NEW Or-
LEANS; or, THE QUEEN OF FLOWERS,”’
by the author of ‘‘Frank Merriwell,’’ will
be published in the next number (18) of
the Trp Top LIBRARY.

 

 

TIP TOP LIBRARY.

STREET & SMITH, ees 29 Rose Street, = York.

FOR SALE BY ALL NEWSDEALERS.

PRICE FIVE CENTS.

 

 

  
  
 
 
 

     
      
 
 

 
p Top

Thirty-two Pages.
Price Five Cents.

braryezeas7.

THE LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF FRANK MERRIWELL CAN
BE FOUND: ONLY IN THRE ‘TIP ot0OP LIBRARY.

POS

.

1.—Frank Merriwell; or, First Davs at |

Fardale. By Burt L. Standish.

2.—Frank Merriwell’s Foe; or, ‘‘Plebe’’ |
| 13.—Frank Merriwell in New York; or,

Life in Barracks. By Burt L.

Standish.
3.—Frank Merriwell’s Medal;
*Plepe) Lie i Catip.. By the
Author of ‘‘Frank Merriwell.”’
4.—Frank Merriwell’s Rival; or, By
Fair Play or Foul. By the
Author of ‘‘Frank Merriwell.”’
5.-—Frank Merriwell’s Fault; or, False
Steps and Foul Snares, By the
Author of ‘‘Frank Merriweli.”’
6.—Frank Merriwell’s Frolics; or, Fun
and Rivalry at Fardale. By the
Author of ‘‘Frank Merriwell.’’
7,—Frank Merriwell’s Mysterious Ring;
or, The Man in Black. By the
Author of ‘‘Frank Merriwell.”’
8.—Frank Merriwell’s Fag; or, Fighting
for the Weak. By the Author of
“Frank Merriwell.”’
9.—Frank Merriwell’s Furlough; or, The
Mystery of the Old Mansion.
Author of ‘‘Frank Merriwell.”’
10.—-Frank Merriwell on His Mettle; or,
Field Day at Fardale.
Author of ‘‘Frank Merriwell.”’
t11.—Frank Merriwell’s Fate;
Old Sailor’s Legacy.
thor of ‘‘Frank Merriwell.”’

or,

or,

 

By |

By the |
| 2i.—Frank Merriwell’s
The |
By the Au- |

12.—Frank Merriwell’s Motto; or, The
Young Life Savers. By the Au-
thor of ‘‘Frank Merriwell.’?

Fighting an Unknown Foe. By
Author of ‘‘Frank Merriwell.”’
14.—Frank Merriwell in Chicago; or,
Meshed by Mysteries. By the Au-
thor of ‘‘Frank Merriwell.’’
15.—Frank Merriwell in Colorado; or,
Trapping the Train . Wreckers.
By Author of‘‘Frank Merriwell.”’
16.—Frank Merriwell in Arizona; or,
The Mysteries of the Mine. By
the Author of ‘‘Frank Merriwell.’’
17.—Frank Merriwellin Mexico; or, The
Search for the Silver Palace. By
the Author of ‘‘ Frank Merriwell.”’

18.—Frank Merriwell in New Orleans;
or, The Queen of Flowers. By
the Author of ‘‘Frank Merriwell.”’
19.—Frank Merriwell’s Mercy; or, The
Phantom of the Everglades. By
the Author of ‘‘ Frank Merriwell.”’
20.—Frank Merriwell’s Friend; or,
Muriel the Moonshiner. By the
Author of ‘‘Frank Merriwell.”?
Double; or,
Fighting for Life and Honor. By
the Author of ‘‘Frank Merri-
well.”’

STREET & SMITH, PUBLISHERS, NEW YORK.

PPALTOE™

For Sale by all Newsdealers.

Every Saturday.