he captain’s presentiments were verified. the suspicions of his lieutenant had been aroused by his unusual manner, nor had they been allayed by the explanation he gave of his intended journey. immediately after the captain’s departure he had convened the members of the band, and harangued them thus.
“boys, i have something to say to you that affects our common interests. the captain has left us for a visit to the city, and he has explained his reasons for going. he will try to negotiate the bonds taken from one of our late prisoners. very likely he has told us the truth. he will doubtless get what he can for them, but will he come back?”
at this significant question the robbers started, and their faces looked dark and threatening.
“what makes you think he won’t, lieutenant?” asked one.
“human nature,” replied alonzo. “if he gets a good round sum, say ten or twenty thousand dollars, he will be tempted to keep it all himself, and leave us to our fate. who shall say there is no danger? what should hinder his taking the next steamer for new york?”
alonzo saw by the fierce looks of his adherents that his suggestion had produced its effect. he continued:
“i noticed, just before the captain’s departure, that he acted strangely; he took walks by himself, and evidently had some plan in view. i noticed also that he had a confidential talk with the boy, tom. what does all this mean?”
“but the bonds didn’t belong to the boy.”
“no, but there were other matters in which he might wish to obtain information from the boy. again, this boy was on his way to the mines. after his talk with the captain, he changed his plans and returned to the city. shall i tell you what i think?”
“yes, yes.”
“i think, then, that the boy and he were old acquaintances, that he brought the captain a message from outside, and that this and the bonds decided him to abandon us.”
“let us pursue him! let us kill him!” exclaimed the exasperated robbers.
“hold! not so fast. let him be followed, but by one only. remember, he may be innocent. he may mean to deal fairly and squarely with us. if so, let him still remain our honored chief. but if he means to play us false”—here the speaker’s face grew stern—“let him die the death of a traitor.”
“how shall we find out?” asked one.
“appoint me to follow and watch him. i will go in disguise. i will see for myself what he does. i will dog his steps, and if it be true that he would desert us, i will be your avenger. shall it be so?”
“yes, yes, let alonzo go!” was the unanimous shout.
“be it so. boys, i go as your messenger. i go into danger, but i go to serve your interests. whoever may be found wanting, you shall never find me a traitor.”
he finished his harangue, and an hour later he was on his way to san francisco, which he reached nearly as soon as the captain.
he met his superior in command for the first time on the occasion mentioned in the last chapter. he penetrated his disguise at once, assisted thereto by his companion’s presence. as we know, the captain was not so fortunate, and in the bowed and decrepit beggar who implored alms, he failed to recognize his subordinate—the man whom he had the greatest cause to fear—nor did he observe that the beggar followed him. had he done so, his suspicions would hardly have been aroused.
after the captain left tom, he made his way to the office of the steamship company. alonzo’s keen eyes lighted up when he saw his destination. now his suspicions were verified.
“it is as i thought,” he said to himself. “the captain has betrayed us. arrived in new york, he may make his peace with the authorities and renounce his old comrades, and bring us to capture and death. he shall never do it! he shall never live to do it!”
as we know, he did the captain wrong in this suspicion. though he fully intended to forsake the band and hoped never to meet any member of it again, it never once occurred to him to denounce them. there is honor among thieves—so the proverb has it—and he would have shrunk from such a betrayal.
the captain went back to his place of temporary sojourn. now that his object was so far accomplished, and ticket secured for new york, he deemed it discreet to keep himself as much out of the way as possible till the time came for going on board the steamer.
every evening tom came to see him. he handed our hero his ticket, and the evening before sailing he handed tom the belt containing the papers and securities, much to our hero’s amazement. the captain read his wonder in his eyes.
“you are surprised that i give you them so soon,” he said.
“yes,” said tom. “of course i am glad to have them in charge, but i did not suppose you would trust me with them.”
“i will tell you why,” said the robber-chief. “i have a presentiment of evil. i feel that some one of my old comrades is on my track. should evil befall me, i do not want the bonds to fall into their hands. i prefer, if they cannot benefit me, that they should go to you.”
“thank you,” said tom, “but i heartily hope that you are mistaken—that you will leave this city in safety, and far away have a chance to redeem your past life.”
“i think you are sincere,” said the captain, taking his hand. “i trust you more than any other living being. for that reason, whatever comes to me, i wish that you may prosper.”
the day of sailing came. tom and the captain went on board the steamer. as they stood by the railing and looked over the side, tom said in a low voice:
“where are your presentiments now? nothing has happened.”
the captain shook his head.
“it is not too late yet,” he said.
he had scarcely finished the sentence than a report was heard. the captain pressed his hand convulsively to his breast and dropped upon the deck. he never uttered another word. when he was taken up he was dead.
tom looked about him in horror, expecting to see the assassin. but there was no one who looked likely to commit the deed. no one thought of suspecting a decrepit and infirm old beggar, who tottered slowly away from the wharf with head bowed down.
“the traitor is punished! we are avenged!” he muttered. “now i am the captain!”
but alonzo’s triumph was premature. he had been seen in the act of firing the pistol. he was arrested, and identified as a member of the famous band that had been the scourge of the interior. he was tried, convicted and executed within the space of one month. so the captain was revenged, and the band, now without a head, was speedily disbanded.
