Genres: Children's, Adventure
Dime Novel Bibliography: https://dimenovels.org/Item/2044/Show
Gutenberg link: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/32084
Chapters: 25
Warning: This may include outdated and derogatory language and attitudes.
CHAPTER I
AN ENCOUNTER
Juarez was sleepy, very sleepy. He had been traveling on a railroad train for several days, and while ordinarily, he could adapt himself to circumstances, traveling by car instead of having a soothing influence as it does with some, seemed to keep him awake. He was thoroughly tired out and was standing, just now, when our story opens, on a dark and lonesome dock in San Francisco.
He was awaiting the return of Jo and Tom Darlington, his comrades in many trying and nerve-racking ventures, and he did not observe, or at least he did not give heed to a single, tall, sturdy figure quietly approaching him from the back, but keeping the while in the shelter of the warehouse roof which cast a heavy shadow upon the floor of the dock.
Juarez, as we have said, was sleepy, so sleepy that it seemed to him that the most desirable thing in the world would be to lie down upon the rough and knotty planks upon which he was standing and give himself up to the drowsiness that was overpowering him.
For the time he had entirely forgotten Jo’s last admonition:
“Remember, Captain Bill Broome is in town, and he’ll sure get you if you don’t watch out.”
He had smiled grimly at the warning, visions of some of his experiences with the redoubtable captain passing through his mind, but he had in no other way shown any evidence that the words of Jo had made any impression upon him. Nevertheless, he had mentally promised himself to be on his guard, but the sleepy spell that he could not shake off put old Bill Broome and everything else out of his mind.
Besides, how could the captain know that he was in town? It would seem that if he, the captain, knew anything at all about the whereabouts of the boys, he would place them, Jo and Tom in New York, and Juarez in Kansas, for they had arrived in San Francisco only a few hours before and their visit too a most unexpected one.
Juarez, the reader should know, was a youth of eighteen, and although the son of American parents, he had been stolen by Indians when a child and had been brought up by them. He and his sister had been rescued by Jo, Tom, and their elder brother Jim.
He had many of the traits and habits peculiar to the wild life he had led so long and ordinarily could be depended upon to be watchful and alert. But tonight, after the long railroad journey, he found himself in a large city where safety was seemingly assured. With the insistent desire for sleep, he relaxed his vigilance and was only recalled to wakefulness and a recognition of his surroundings when he felt himself suddenly seized and his arms pinned fast to the rough wall of the building against which he had been carelessly leaning.
We have made some mention of the early life of his comrades, the Frontier Boys, and the reader will likely wish to know more about them. Jo and Tom were twins; however, the former was the most active and go-ahead, but the real leader in their adventures was James, the elder brother. It would be difficult to find anywhere a finer specimen of young manhood than James, better known among his friends as Jim Darlington.
Tall, rather slender in build, but well proportioned, with muscles as hard and strong as though they were wrought of steel, he had the strength and quickness of a catamount and was afraid of nothing, but even more than this, he was manly, honest, resourceful, and to be depended upon to the last. He was not exactly handsome, but the self-reliant way in which he carried himself made him conspicuous even in a crowd. With it all, he was in no way assertive or aggressive, but calmly ready to meet whatever might happen to come whether it were good or ill.
From his hometown in New York State, Jim had been suddenly called to the Far West to look after his yacht, the Sea Eagle, an ocean-going boat equipped for propelling power with sail and engine. He had bought the boat fairly enough, but on enforced conditions, which Captain Bill Broome, the former owner, had recently found a way to override, illegally, of course, but he was in possession, which is generally said to be nine points of the law.
Juarez had known nothing of the Sea Eagle complication, but one day a stranger had come to the Kansas Town where he lived, enquired for him and had promptly laid before the youth a proposition to join in a venture to search for lost treasures in the South Seas. The professor, for so he introduced himself, had all the needed funds for the venture, but lacked experienced assistants. He wanted them not only with experience, but honest as well, for naturally, if success attended his efforts, and the sought for treasure was found it would prove an ever-present temptation to an unruly crew, or one disposed to evil.
Juarez had accepted the offer as soon as made. The quiet life of the farm, and even the occasional visits to the small, nearby country town were dull indeed. To one of his active nature, this life was very monotonous. He had promptly wired, at the professor’s request, to James Darlington, and Jo, receiving the message in his brother’s absence, had, after consulting Tom, wired acceptance of the very liberal offer made.
So it had come about that Jim being in San Francisco on one mission, his brothers and their friend had arrived to take part in another enterprise.
Reaching San Francisco, effort had been made by the three boys to locate Jim, but so far unsuccessfully. The reader of the “Frontier Boys in Frisco” is fully conversant of the episode that had taxed Jim’s time and attention.
The boys had arranged to sleep aboard the professor’s boat, and Juarez was awaiting the return of Jo and Tom, who had gone upon some errand.
Juarez, thus suddenly awakened, struggled vainly but furiously for a few moments to break the iron grasp that held him as in a vice. Then, with cunning, he apparently gave up the attempt and ceased to struggle, but resolved to renew his efforts at the first opportunity that offered.
He had been taken so unaware that he had no chance to see who it was that had stolen upon him from the back, seized him, and held him with his face to the wall of the building against which he had been leaning.
“Ho!” cried a gruff voice, “I have got you at last.”
“It looks that way,” admitted Juarez. “Who are you and what do you want?”
“You,” replied the other.
“What do you want with me?” went on Juarez.
“That you will soon find out,” was the reply, with just a suspicion of exultant laughter in the tone of the speaker, at the same time relaxing his hold a little.
With the quickness of a panther, Juarez, as he felt the other’s hold relax, slipped from his grasp, and whirling about seized his opponent in turn and a moment later the two were rolling and tumbling about on the floor of the dock. They were so equally matched in strength that it seemed only by chance or through some lucky turn in his favor that either would be able to overcome the other.
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