BRITISH MYSTERIES - Fergus Hume Collection: 21 Thriller Novels in One Volume. Fergus Hume

of this I am not sure. Well, to proceed. The country is very mountainous, and there are comparatively few roads. I am engaged by the Government to construct a railway to Acauhtzin.”

      “How far have you constructed?”

      “Fifty miles, or thereabouts, and now that this war is on the tapis, I expect the works will have to be abandoned. Failing this railway, the only way to get to the second capital is by water. So, you see, communication between the two towns is not so perfect as it might be.”

      “And thus offers good opportunities to Don Hypolito to make things nasty for the Government.”

      “There’s no doubt of that, provided Don Hypolito can secure the allegiance of the navy.”

      “The navy!” said Peter, in surprise. “You don’t mean to say, Jack, that Cholacaca has a navy?”

      “A very good one, as South American navies go. They have three war-ships, named respectively, The Columbus, The Cortes, and The Pizarro, all first-class vessels. The Government has also sent to England for two torpedo-boats, which are expected out shortly.”

      “Then, if Don Hypolito commands the navy, he can do what he likes.”

      “Not exactly. Tlatonac is well fortified, and the war-ships would have to keep well out of the range of the guns.”

      “Any army worth mentioning?”

      “Yes; a capital army for this part of the world. Mostly Mestizos, you know; and, if needs be, I dare say the Government can secure the forest Indians as their allies. Fools if they do. No wise man trusts an Indian. That holds good of governments also, I take it.”

      “Judging from your opal story,” said Philip, reflectively, “it seems to me that this Indian business depends on the stone.”

      “No doubt. If Don Hypolito secures Dolores and her opal, the Indians, out of sheer superstition, will side with him against the Government. In that case, they are too near Tlatonac to be pleasant.”

      “And what are the plans of this Don, if you please,” asked Tim, who was scribbling shorthand notes in his pocket-book.

      “Hum! you’ll have to ask Xuarez about those, and then he won’t tell you. So far as I can judge, he will win over the navy to his side, establish his head-quarters at Acauhtzin, and make things unpleasant all round. With the navy of three, he can blockade Tlatonac.”

      “What about the torpedo-boats?”

      “They, no doubt, are on their way out from England. If the war-ships can stop them, they certainly will.”

      “Torpedo-boats are unpleasant things to handle.”

      “Yes; I don’t suppose the war-ships will try force. Those in charge of the two torpedo-boats won’t know of the disaffection of the navy; so possibly their commander will be decoyed on board the ships, and the rebels can place their own men in charge of the torpederas.”

      “In that case,” said Philip, after a pause, “it would be as well to use this yacht to warn them before they enter the harbour.”

      “My dear Philip, if you tried on that game, the rebels would send a war-ship after you, and The Bohemian would be knocked to bits.”

      “Not if she gets a start. I’ll back her speed against the whole Cholacacan navy. When The Bohemian has all her furnaces going, she is like a streak of greased lightning.”

      “But, after all,” said Peter, yawning, “I don’t see why we need anticipate evil. Don Hypolito may not have rebelled, and the navy may still be loyal to the Government.”

      “What!” cried Tim, sticking his chin in the air, “d’ye think I’ve come all these miles to see a flash in the pan. If Don Hypolito doesn’t revolt, I shall consider myself deceived. I want war—blood red war, and plenty of it.”

      “Barbaric wretch!” said Philip, indolently. “War wasn’t invented to fill the empty columns of your paper during the silly season. Not that I would mind a war myself.”

      “You’ll see all that and more,” remarked Jack, confidently. “Xuarez is bent on becoming Dictator of the Republic, and as President Gomez won’t care about being kicked out, it will be a case of war to the knife.”

      “What kind of a man is Xuarez?”

      “He’s like Napoleon: a wonderful man, I can tell you. You can see from his face that he was born to command. If he gains the day, he won’t be content with playing at Dictator. Not he! He’ll make himself Emperor, establish his capital in the neck of the Isthmus of Panama, and conquer South America. He won’t attempt the north further than Mexico, in case the U.S. Government might make it hot for him. The Yankees object to foreign domination. Some people are so particular.”

      “The New World is not the place for empires,” said Philip, decisively. “Monarchs are at a discount in the Americas. Maximilian failed; Iturbide failed; Dom Pedro had to leave Brazil. No; Montezuma was the last of the American emperors—there will never be another.”

      “Don’t prophesy till you know, Philip. Don Hypolito is as cunning as the devil, and as clever.”

      “I don’t care how clever he is. No one can depend on the half-baked lot that form the population of Spanish America. You have to form a nation before you can construct an empire.”

      “There’s some truth in that.”

      “Still, if Xuarez appeals to their superstition through this opal,” said Peter, mildly, “there will be——”

      “That only counts with the Indians. The Mestizos and the descendants of the Spaniards won’t be led by such child’s play.”

      “What about the Church?”

      Jack flicked a spot of dust off his coat.

      “The Church has that much power in Cholacaca now,” he said slowly, “it’s effete; it’s worn out. The age of the Inquisition is past.”

      “If Don Hypolito does get to be Lord-Lieutenant,” asked Tim, inquiringly, “what will he do for the downtrodden country?”

      “According to his own showing—everything. Don’t I tell you he wishes to found a monarchy. But when he’s got the upper hand, I question whether he’ll do much, save what chimes in with his own personal ambition. Besides, Cholacaca is going ahead now quite as much as is good for it.”

      “That refers to the railway, Jack.”

      “Partly, and to other things also. This railway will open up a lot of valuable country. It will run through from end to end. From Janjalla in the south to Acauhtzin in the north. Then lines will branch off here and there to the sea-coast on one side, to the mountains on the other. Thus the whole country will be a network of railways, bringing the population and towns within trading distance of one another.”

      “All of which visions are to be realised by Jack,” said Peter, with mock sarcasm.

      “Yes, realised by Jack,” assented the engineer, good-humouredly. “If Don Hypolito gets beaten, and things go on as now, I will have plenty of work.”

      “Much virtue in ‘if,’” quoted Philip, smiling.

      “It is certainly difficult to foresee the end. Still, Gomez has the army.”

      “And Don Hypolito has the navy. It’s pretty even, I think.”

      “The combat will be decided by us four,” said Tim, conceitedly, “and we’ll fight on the side of Jack’s choosing.”

      “Then we will assist the Government. I don’t want to help Xuarez to marry Dolores, and get the Harlequin Opal.”

      “It’s my opinion that the war has nothing to do with the Harlequin Opal,” said Peter,