"I don't believe we've seen the last of these scoundrels yet," said b.u.t.tons.

"Nor I," said d.i.c.k.

A general conversation followed. It was late, and but few things were visible along the road. About two hours pa.s.sed away without any occurrence.

"Look!" cried d.i.c.k, suddenly.

They looked.

About a quarter of a mile ahead a deep red glow arose above the forest, illumining the sky. The windings of the road prevented them from seeing the cause of it. The driver was startled, but evidently thought it was no more dangerous to go on than to stop. So he lashed up his horses and set them off at a furious gallop. The rumble of the ponderous wheels shut out all other sounds. As they advanced the light grew more vivid.

"I shouldn't wonder," said the Senator, "if we have another barricade here. Be ready, boys! We won't get off so easily this time."

The other two said not a word. On, and on. The report of a gun suddenly roused all. The driver lashed his horses. The postillions took the b.u.t.ts of their riding-whips and pelted the animals. The road took a turn, and, pa.s.sing this a strange scene burst upon their sight.

A wide, open s.p.a.ce on the road-side, a collection of beams across the road, the shadowy forms of about thirty men, and the whole scene dimly lighted by a smouldering fire. As it blazed up a little the smoke rolled off and they saw as overturned carriage, two horses tied to a tree, and two men with their hands bound behind them lying on the ground.

A voice rang out through the stillness which for a moment followed the sudden stoppage of the coach at the barrier. There came a wail from the frightened pa.s.sengers within--cries for mercy--piteous entreaties.

"Silence, fools!" roared the same voice, which seemed to be that of the leader.

"Wait! wait!" said the Senator to his companions. "Let me give the word."

A crowd of men advanced to the diligence, and as they left the fire b.u.t.tons saw three figures left behind--two women and a man. They did not move. But suddenly a loud shriek burst from one of the women.

At the shriek b.u.t.tons trembled.

"The Spaniards! It is! I know the voice! My G.o.d!"

In an instant b.u.t.tons was down on the ground and in the midst of the crowd of brigands who surrounded the coach.

Bang! bang! bang! It was not the guns of the brigands, but d.i.c.k's pistol that now spoke, and its report was the signal of death to three men who rolled upon the ground in their last agonies. As the third report burst forth the Senator hurled himself down upon the heads of those below. The action of b.u.t.tons had broken up all their plans, rendered parley impossible, and left nothing for them to do but to follow him and save him. The brigands rushed at them with a yell of fury.

"Death to them! Death to them all! No quarter!"

"Help!" cried b.u.t.tons. "Pa.s.sengers, we are armed! We can save ourselves!"

But the pa.s.sengers, having already lost their money, now feared to lose their lives. Not one responded. All about the coach the scene became one of terrible confusion. Guns were fired, blows fell in every direction. The darkness, but faintly illuminated by the fitful firelight, prevented the brigands from distinguishing their enemies very clearly--a circ.u.mstance which favored the little band of Americans.

The brigands fired at the coach, and tried to break open the doors.

Inside the coach the pa.s.sengers, frantic with fear, sought to make their voices heard amid the uproar. They begged for mercy; they declared they had no money; they had already been robbed; they would give all that was left; they would surrender if only their lives were spared.

"And, oh! good Americans, yield, yield, or we all die!"

"Americans?" screamed several pa.s.sionate voices. "Death to the Americans! Death to all foreigners!"

These bandits were unlike the last.

Seated in the banquette d.i.c.k surveyed the scene, while himself concealed from view. Calmly he picked out man after man and fired.

As they tried to climb up the diligence, or to force open the door, they fell back howling. One man had the door partly broken open by furious blows with the b.u.t.t of his gun. d.i.c.k fired. The ball entered his arm. He shrieked with rage. With his other arm he seized his gun, and again his blows fell crashing. In another instant a ball pa.s.sed into his brain.

"Two shots wasted on one man! Too much!" muttered d.i.c.k; and taking aim again he fired at a fellow who was just leaping up the other side.

The wretch fell cursing.

Again! again! again! Swiftly d.i.c.k's shots flashed around. He had now but one left in his pistol. Hurriedly he filled the spare chamber with six cartridges, and taking out the other he filled it and placed it in again. He looked down.

[Ill.u.s.tration: A Free Fight.]

There was the Senator. More than twenty men surrounded him, firing, swearing, striking, shrieking, rushing forward, trying to tear him from his post. For he had planted himself against the fore-part of the diligence, and the mighty arm whose strength had been so proved at Perugia was now descending again with irresistible force upon the heads of his a.s.sailants. All this was the work of but a few minutes.

b.u.t.tons could not be seen. d.i.c.k's preparations were made. For a moment he waited for a favorable chance to get down. He could not stay up there any longer. He must stand by the Senator.

There stood the Senator, his giant form towering up amidst the melee, his muscular arms wielding the enormous iron bar, his astonishing strength increased tenfold by the excitement of the fight. He never spoke a word.

One after another the brigands went down before the awful descent of that iron bar. They clung together; they yelled in fury; they threw themselves _en ma.s.se_ against the Senator. He met them as a rock meets a hundred waves. The remorseless iron bar fell only with redoubled fury. They raised their clubbed muskets in the air and struck at him.

One sweep of the iron bar and the muskets were dashed out of their hands, broken or bent, to the ground. They fired, but from their wild excitement their aim was useless. In the darkness they struck at one another. One by one the number of his a.s.sailants lessened--they grew more furious but less bold. They fell back a little; but the Senator advanced as they retired, guarding his own retreat, but still swinging his iron bar with undiminished strength. The prostrate forms of a dozen men lay around. Again they rushed at him. The voice of their leader encouraged them and shamed their fears. He was a stoat, powerful man, armed with a knife and a gun.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Don't Speak.]

"Cowards! kill this one! This is the one! All the rest will yield if we kill him. Forward!"

That moment d.i.c.k leaped to the ground. The next instant the brigands leaped upon them. The two were lost in the crowd. Twelve reports, one after the other, rang into the air. d.i.c.k did not fire till the muzzle of his pistol was against his enemy's breast. The darkness, now deeper than ever, prevented him from being distinctly seen by the furious crowd, who thought only of the Senator. But now the fire shooting up brightly at the sudden breath of a strong wind threw a lurid light upon the scene.

There stood d.i.c.k, his clothes torn, his face covered with blood, his last charge gone. There stood the Senator, his face blackened with smoke and dust, and red with blood, his colossal form erect, and still the ponderous bar swung on high to fall as terribly as ever. Before him were eight men. d.i.c.k saw it all in an instant. He screamed to the pa.s.sengers in the diligence:

"There are only eight left! Come! Help us take them prisoners! Haste!"

The cowards in the diligence saw how things were. They plucked up courage, and at the call of d.i.c.k jumped out. The leader of the brigands was before d.i.c.k with uplifted rifle. d.i.c.k flung his pistol at his head. The brigand drew back and felled d.i.c.k senseless to the ground. The next moment the Senator's arm descended, and, with his head broken by the blow, the robber fell dead.

As though the fall of d.i.c.k had given him fresh fury, the Senator sprang after the others. Blow after blow fell. They were struck down helplessly as they ran. At this moment the pa.s.sengers, s.n.a.t.c.hing up the arms of the prostrate bandits, a.s.saulted those who yet remained.

They fled. The Senator pursued--long enough to give each one a parting blow hard enough to make him remember it for a month. When he returned the pa.s.sengers were gathering around the coach, with the driver and postillions, who had thus far hidden themselves, and were eagerly looking at the dead.

"Off!" cried the Senator, in an awful voice--"Off; you white-livered sneaks! Let me find my two boys!"

CHAPTER XLVII.

BAD BRUISES, BUT GOOD MUSES.--THE HONORABLE SCABS OF d.i.c.k.--A KNOWLEDGE OF BONES.

The Senator searched long and anxiously among the fallen bandits for those whom he affectionately called his "boys." d.i.c.k was first found. He was senseless.

The Senator carried him to the fire. He saw two ladies and a gentleman standing there. Hurriedly he called on them and pointed to d.i.c.k. The gentleman raised his arms. They were bound tightly. The ladies also were secured in a similar manner. The Senator quickly cut the cords from the gentleman, who in his turn s.n.a.t.c.hed the knife and freed the ladies, and then went to care for d.i.c.k.