the crusade of the excelsior-第18章

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others。　　〃Is　it　goodbuenoyou　know？〃　he　continued　to　the

officer；　with　vague　gesticulations。



〃En　tiempos　pasados；〃　returned　the　officer　gravely。



〃I　wonder　what　that　means？〃　said　Winslow。



But　before　Crosby　could　question　further；　the　subaltern　signaled　to

them　to　dismount。　　They　did　so；　and　their　horses　were　led　away　to　a

little　declivity；　whence　came　the　sound　of　running　water。　　Left　to

themselves；　the　Americans　looked　around　them。　　The　cavalcade　seemed

to　have　halted　near　the　edge　of　a　precipitous　ridge；　the　evident

termination　of　the　road。　　But　the　view　that　here　met　their　eyes　was

unexpected　and　startling。



The　plateau　on　which　they　stood　seemed　to　drop　suddenly　away；

leaving　them　on　the　rocky　shore　of　a　monotonous　and　far…stretching

sea　of　waste　and　glittering　sand。　　Not　a　vestige　nor　trace　of

vegetation　could　be　seen；　except　an　occasional　ridge　of　straggling

pallid　bushes；　raised　in　hideous　simulation　of　the　broken　crest　of

a　ghostly　wave。　　On　either　side；　as　far　as　the　eye　could　reach；　the

hollow　empty　vision　extendedthe　interminable　desert　stretched　and

panted　before　them。



〃It's　the　jumping…off　place；　I　reckon；〃　said　Crosby；　〃and　they've

brought　us　here　to　show　us　how　small　is　our　chance　of　getting　away。

But；〃　he　added；　turning　towards　the　plateau　again；　〃what　are　they

doing　now？　　'Pon　my　soul！　　I　believe　they're　going　offand　leaving

us。〃



The　others　turned　as　he　spoke。　　It　was　true。　　The　dragoons　were

coolly　galloping　off　the　way　they　came；　taking　with　them　the　horses

the　Americans　had　just　ridden。



〃I　call　that　cool；〃　said　Crosby。　　〃It　looks　deuced　like　as　if　we

were　to　be　left　here　to　graze；　like　cattle。〃



〃Perhaps　that's　their　idea　of　a　prison　in　this　country；〃　said

Banks。　　〃There's　certainly　no　chance　of　our　breaking　jail　in　that

direction；〃　he　added；　pointing　to　the　desert；　〃and　we　can't　follow

them　without　horses。〃



〃And　I　dare　say　they've　guarded　the　pass　in　the　road　lower　down；〃

said　Winslow。



〃We　ought　to　be　able　to　hold　our　own　here　until　night；〃　said　Brace；

〃and　then　make　a　dash　into　Todos　Santos；　get　hold　of　some　arms；　and

join　the　ladies。〃



〃The　women　are　all　right；〃　said　Crosby　impatiently；　〃and　are　better

treated　than　if　we　were　with　them。　　Suppose；　instead　of　maundering

over　them；　we　reconnoitre　and　see　what　WE　can　do　here。　　I'm　getting

devilishly　hungry；　they　can't　mean　to　starve　us；　and　if　they　do；　I

don't　intend　to　be　starved　as　long　as　there　is　anything　to　be　had

by　buying　or　stealing。　　Come　along。　　There's　sure　to　be　fruit　near

that　old　chapel；　and　I　saw　some　chickens　in　the　bush　near　those

huts。　　First；　let's　see　if　there's　any　one　about。　　I　don't　see　a

soul。〃



The　little　plateau；　indeed；　seemed　deserted。　　In　vain　they　shouted；

their　voices　were　lost　in　the　echoless　air。　　They　examined　one　by

one　the　few　thatched　huts：　they　were　open；　contained　one　or　two

rude　articles　of　furniturea　bed；　a　bench；　and　tablewere

scrupulously　cleanand　empty。　　They　next　inspected　the　chapel；　it

was　tawdry　and　barbaric　in　ornament；　but　the　candlesticks　and

crucifix　and　the　basin　for　holy　water　were　of　heavily　beaten

silver。　　The　same　thought　crossed　their　mindsthe　abandoned　mine

at　the　roadside！



Bananas；　oranges；　and　prickly…pears　growing　within　the　cactus…hedge

of　the　chapel　partly　mollified　their　thirst　and　hunger；　and　they

turned　their　steps　towards　the　long；　rambling；　barrack…looking

building；　with　its　low　windows　and　red…tiled　roof；　which　they　had

first　noticed。　　Here；　too；　the　tenement　was　deserted　and　abandoned；

but　there　was　evidence　of　some　previous　and　more　ambitious

preparation：　in　a　long　dormitory　off　the　corridor　a　number　of

scrupulously　clean　beds　were　ranged　against　the　whitewashed　walls；

with　spotless　benches　and　tables。　　To　the　complete　astonishment　and

bewilderment　of　the　party　another　room；　fitted　up　as　a　kitchen；

with　the　simpler　appliances　of　housekeeping；　revealed　a　larder

filled　with　provisions　and　meal。　　A　shout　from　Winslow；　who　had

penetrated　the　inner　courtyard；　however；　drew　them　to　a　more

remarkable　spectacle。　　Their　luggage　and　effects　from　the　cabins　of

the　Excelsior　were　there；　carefully　piled　in　the　antique　ox…cart

that　had　evidently　that　morning　brought　them　from　Todos　Santos！



〃There's　no　mistake；〃　said　Brace；　with　a　relieved　look；　after　a

hurried　survey　of　the　trunks。　　〃They　have　only　brought　our　baggage。

The　ladies　have　evidently　had　the　opportunity　of　selecting　their

own　things。〃



〃Crosby　told　you　they'd　be　all　right；〃　said　Banks；　〃and　as　for

ourselves；　I　don't　see　why　we　can't　be　pretty　comfortable　here；　and

all　the　better　for　our　being　alone。　　I　shall　take　an　opportunity　of

looking　around　a　bit。　　It　strikes　me　that　there　are　some　resources

in　this　country　that　might　pay　to　develop。〃



〃And　I　shall　have　a　look　at　that　played…out　mine；〃　said　Crosby；　〃if

it's　been　worked　as　they　work　the　land；　they've　left　about　as　much

in　it　as　they've　taken　out。〃



〃That's　all　well　enough；〃　said　Brace；　drawing　a　dull　vermilion…

colored　stone　from　his　pocket；　〃but　here's　something　I　picked　up

just　now　that　ain't　'played　out；'　nor　even　the　value　of　it

suspected　by　those　fellows。　　That's　cinnabarquicksilver　oreand

a　big　per　cent。　of　it　too；　and　if　there's　as　much　of　it　here　as　the

indications　show；　you　could　buy　up　all　your　SILVER　mines　in　the

country　with　it。〃



〃If　I　were　you；　I'd　put　up　a　notice　on　a　post　somewhere；　as　they　do

in　California；　and　claim　discovery；〃　said　Banks　seriously。

〃There's　no　knowing　how　this　thing　may　end。　　We　may　not　get　away

from　here　for　some　time　yet；　and　if　the　Government　will　sell　the

place　cheap；　it　wouldn't　be　a　bad　spec'　to　buy　it。　　Form　a　kind　of

'Excelsior　Company'　among　ourselves；　you　know；　and　go　shares。〃



The　four　men　looked　earnestly　at　each　other。　　Already　the　lost

Excelsior　and　her　mutinous　crew　were　forgotten；　even　the　incidents

of　the　morningtheir　arrest；　the　uncertainty　of　their　fate；　and

the　fact　that　they　were　in　the　hands　of　a　hostile　community

appeared　but　as　trivial　preliminaries　to　the　new　life　that　opened

before　them！　　They　suddenly　became　graver　than　they　had　ever　been

even　in　the　moment　of　peril。



〃I　don't　see　why　we　shouldn't；〃　said　Brace　quickly。　　〃We　started

out　to　do　that　sort　of　thing　in　California；　and　I　reckon　if　we'd

found　such　a　spot　as　this　on　the　Sacramento　or　American　River　we'd

have　been　content。　　We　can　take　turns　at　housekeeping；　prospect　a

little；　and　enter　into　negotiations　with　the　Government。　　I'm　for

offering　them　a　fair　sum　for　this　ridge　and　all　it　contains　at

once。〃



〃The　only　thing　against　that；〃　said　Crosby　slowly；　〃is　the

probability　that　it　is　already　devoted　to　some　other　use　by　the

Government。　　Ever　since　we've　been　here　I've　been　thinkingI　don't

know　whythat　we've　been　put　in　a　sort　of　quarantine。　　The

desertion　of　the　place；　the　half　hospital　arrangements　of　this

building；　and　the　means　they　have　taken　to　isolate　us　from

themselves；　must　mean　something。　　I've　read　somewhere　that　in　these

out…of…the…way　spots　in　the　tropics　they　have　a　place　where　they

put　the　fellows　with　malarious　or　contagious　diseases。　　I　don't

want　to　frighten　you　boys：　but　I've　an　idea　that　we're　in　a　sort　of

lazaretto；　and　the　people　outside　won't　trouble　us　often。〃





CHAPTER　X。



TODOS　SANTOS　SOLVES　THE　MYSTERY。





Notwithstanding　his　promise；　and　the　summons　of　the　Council；　Father

Esteban；　on　parting　with　the　Excelsior　prisoners　in　the　San　Antonio

Road；　did　not　proceed　immediately　to　the　presence　of　the

Comandante。　　Partly　anxious　to　inform　himself　more　thoroughly

regarding　Hurlstone's　antecedents　before　entering　upon　legislative

functions　that　might　concern　him；　partly　uneasy　at　Brace's　allusion

to　any　possible　ungentleness　in　the　treatment　of　the　fair

Americanas；　and　partly　apprehensive　that　Mrs。　Brimmer　might　seek

him　at　the　Mission　in　the　present　emergency；　the　good　Father　turned

his　steps　towards　the　Alcalde's　house。



Mrs。　Brimmer；　in　a　becoming　morning　wrapper；　half　reclining　in　an

Indian　hammock　in　the　corridor；　supported　by　Miss　Chubb；　started　at

his　approach。　　So　did　the　young　Alcalde；　sympathetically　seated　at

her　side。　　Padre　Esteban　for　an　instant　was　himself　embarrassed；

Mrs。　Brimmer　quickly　recovered　her　usual　bewildering　naivete。



〃I　knew　you　would　come；　but　if　you　hadn't；　I　should　have　mustered

courage　enough　to　go　with　Miss　Chubb　to　find　you　at　the　Mission；〃

she　said；　half　coquettishly。　　〃Not　but　that　Don　Ramon　has　been　all

kindness　and　consideration；　but　you　know　one　always　clings　to　one's

spiritual　adviser　in　such　an　emergency；　and　although　there　are

differences　of　opinion　between　us；　I　think　I　may　speak　to　you　as

freely　as　I　would　speak　to　my　dear　friend　Dr。　Potts；　of　Trinity

Chapel。　　Of　course　you　don't　know　HIM；　but　you　couldn't　have　helped

liking　him；　he's　so　gentle；　so　tactful；　so　refined！　　But　do　tell　me

the　fullest　particulars　of　this　terrible　calamity　that　has　happened

so　awkwardly。　　Tell　me　all！　　I　fear　that　Don　Ramon；　out　of

kindness；　has　not　told　me　everything。　　I　have　been　perfectly　frank；

I　told　him　everythingwho　I　am；　who　Mr。　Brimmer　is；　and　given　him

even　the　connections　of　my　friend　Miss　Chubb。　　I　can　do　no　more；

but　you　will　surely　have　no　difficulty　in　finding　some　one　in　Todos

Santos　who　has　heard　of　the　Quincys　and　Brimmers。　　I've　no　doubt

that　there　are　books　in　your　library　that　mention　them。　　Of　course

I　can　say　nothing　of　the　other　passengers；　except　that　Mr。　Brimmer

would　not　have　probably　permitted　me　to　associate　with　any

notorious　persons。　　I　confess　nowI　think　I　told　you　once　before；

Clarissathat　I　greatly　doubted　Captain　Bunker's　ability〃



〃Ah；〃　murmured　Don　Ramon。



〃To　make　a　social　selection；〃　continued　Mrs。　Brimmer。　　〃He　may

have　been　a　good　sailor；　and　boxed　his　compass；　but　he　lacked　a

knowledge　of　the　world。　　Of　the　other　passengers　I　can　truly　say　I

know　nothing；　I　cannot　think　that　Mr。　Crosby's　sense　of　humor　led

him　into　bad　associations；　or　that　he　ever　went　beyond　verbal

impropriety。　　Certainly　nothing　in　Miss　Keene's　character　has　led

me　to　believe　she　could　so　far　forget　what　was　due　to　herself　and

to　us　as　to　address　a　lawless　mob　in　the　streets　as　she　did　just

now；　although　her　friend　Mrs。　Markham；　as　I　just　told　Don　Ramon；　is

an　advocate　of　Women's　Rights　and　Female　Suffrage；　and　I　believe

she　contemplates　addressing　the　public　from　the　lecturer's

platform。〃



〃It　isn't　possible！〃　interrupted　Don　Ramon　excitedly；　in　mingled

horror　of　the　masculinely　rampant　Mrs。　Markham　and　admiration　of

the　fascinatingly　feminine　Mrs。　Brimmer；　〃a　lady　cannot　be　an

oratora　haranguer　of　men！〃



〃Not　in　society；〃　responded　Mrs。　Brimmer；　with　a　sigh；　〃and　I　do

not　remember　to　have　met　the　lady　before。　　The　fact　is；　she　does

not　move　in　our　circlein　the　upper　classes。〃



The　Alcalde　exchanged　a