“Yes, it is; but if they come across my path again, I shall make short work of them.”
“Well,” said the general after a few more questions and answers, “I think we know enough. I shall expect to see you at Presidio del Norte in a few days. I trust you will succeed in your mission with Villa.”
Then, as he emerged from the old mill and once more stood and looked at the old structure: “This surely is a wonderful spot! We must see that it is properly fortified.”
The visitors approached their horses and were about to mount, when a peon on foot was seen approaching from downstream. That he was the bearer of a message of some sort was evident from his actions, and the horsemen remained unmounted, awaiting his coming.
“It’s one of the men who were with us on last night’s expedition,” explained Don Rafael as the man approached near enough to be recognized. “I wonder what he wants.”
They were not kept long in suspense, for the messenger, seeing that they were waiting, hastened his footsteps and soon reached them.
“A lot of rifles and a machine gun were left on the American side of the river.”
“What!” exclaimed Don Rafael “A machine gun?”
“That’s what Don Pablo wants to know. He told me to say that he has discovered that the guns are right where they were left and so far have not been seen. One of the men has been posted on this side of the river to watch that no one molests them. Don Pablo thinks if they are not discovered during the day, we can easily bring them over right after dark, so that they can come up here with the others!”
“I don’t see anything else to do,” said Don Rafael.
“Then you will send the men to help?” asked the man.
“Very well. Tell him I will have a dozen men on hand as soon as it is dark. I may come myself to see that he makes no more blunders.”
“That’s the only safe way,” said the general.
The messenger made no reply, but with a muttered “_Hasta lluego_,”[3] took his departure as fast as he had come and the three strangers soon followed his example.
Left alone, Don Rafael watched them as they slowly wound their way down the mountain path, and when they finally passed from view, turned and entered the mill. Quickly he ascended the dilapidated stone stairs to the second story, where, in a small room partitioned off from the rest of the mill, he had made him a habitation, and threw himself upon his crude bed.