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Updated: June 20, 2025
Now, through one of those coincidences which occur oftener in this life than is supposed, the catboat had touched shore at the opening of a clearly-marked trail, leading into the interior. It was pure chance or providence, for even Martella knew nothing of the path, which was one of many that wound down to the river.
The most wrenching effort of his life was to restrain himself from breaking into a lope and calling upon his charge to do the same with her horse. He succeeded by a supreme effort. It was a hundred yards to the point where the bit of level land dipped, and half the distance was passed, when Captain Navarro called: "Stop, Martella! Wait!"
The wooded shore so blanketed the catboat, that Martella took up a pole to push the craft out into the stream. Soon, enough impulse caught the sail to give headway, and they moved slowly out toward the middle of the river. Martella laid down the pole, and seated himself, still grinning. "Major, I have pleasing news for you," he chuckled. "I am listening."
At the moment when the rear of the procession was opposite our friends, who were breathlessly watching from their hiding place, the pony suddenly threw up his head and emitted a resounding whinny that could have been heard a mile away. "That means a fight!" exclaimed the Major, tightening his grasp on his rifle; "be ready, Captain and Martella!"
It will be recalled that the catboat, in which Major Jack Starland was descending the river in company with Captain Guzman and the Atlamalcan deserter, Martella, landed them at the spot where the young women had left the tug the night before, the cause for which action on their part has been made clear.
Martella turned to move off, but the Captain caught his arm. "No, no, no, Martella! You must not do that; you see the dilemma I am in; if I make a mistake, it will cost me my life." "It is with you whether you shall make a mistake or not; I have done my duty." He made again as if to go, but the officer would not permit it. The moment had come for Martella to play his trump card.
Not Captain Navarro alone, but two of the soldiers had come to the head of the path and stood out in clear relief in the strong moonlight, looking after the vanishing couple. Martella grimly thought: "The Captain is not easy in his mind, but it is now too late for him to stop me."
Many of the fish in the bifurcated river are of delicious flavor, but rice and fruit form the principal diet. She prepared coffee and the first food that was ready was taken below by Martella for the men who did the hardest work. "The Captain must not be forgotten, Martella; will you carry a tray to him?"
The moment the alarming cry echoed among the mountains, General Yozarro and his friends stopped and stared in the direction of the disturbance. Martella was the only one with the quickness of resource to meet the crisis. In a twinkling, he slipped the bridle of the horse over his head, unfastened the cinch and flung the saddle to the ground.
"We shall not, but you're likely to be. However, here goes!" He whipped out his note book and hastily penned the few lines that have already been revealed. "God go with you, Martella! You are a valiant man; I can hardly believe you will succeed, but the need is desperate."
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