"No other, senor. If we manage to get past there, all will be well. But they may be encamped on both sh.o.r.es, and demand that we draw in under penalty of being fired on," Felipe went on, without removing his snapping black eyes for even a single second from the ever-moving panorama of shifting water and floating debris, that the searchlight disclosed ahead of the laboring boat.

"But nothing must tempt us to obey; no matter if they send volleys aboard. The distance is too far for them to do much damage; and I hear they are as a rule pretty punk shooters."

Felipe may hardly have known what that word meant, but he could give a guess.

"But sometimes, young senor, they even have cannon!" he remarked.

"You don't say!" e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed Andy, in new alarm; but he quickly caught himself, and went on. "Let 'em try it then. We'll just shut off the searchlight, and take our chances for a while with the old floaters on the river. Then perhaps they won't see anything to bang away at. Anyhow, just make up your mind, Felipe, we don't haul in, not while the blessed old tub keeps above water."

"It is good to hear such brave talk," said the old pilot, chuckling. "Me, I will keep going straight ahead, no matter what comes, until I have the order from you to turn the boat. Yes, let them shoot, senor. After all, I do not believe they could hit the side of a palace in this dark."

All the same Andy thought he ought to arouse his cousin, and make Frank aware of the new threatening peril.

On hearing the facts, Frank agreed with all the one on guard said, even to being ready to extinguish the useful searchlight when the critical moment arrived.

"We'll just have to take chances, that's all," he declared. "Even if we came swat up against one of those floaters, that's no reason we'd be snagged and sunk. They make these boats pretty strong, over there across the big pond, and I guess our hull could stand a hard punch."

"Yes," remarked Andy, feeling easier, now that Frank was on deck, ready to take matters in his able hands; "and after all, it's a choice between two bad things, in which we pick out the lesser. Hang the old insurrectoes, I say! Why can't they just pay attention to their own business, and let us two peaceful Bird boys alone?"

"Well," laughed his chum, "you know how it is yourself, when you want something pretty hard. And they've got the notion in their stubborn heads that if they only had a modern, up-to-date aeroplane, they could just make the miserly old government come to terms instanter. Don't blame them too much, Andy. Maybe you and I would do the same thing--if we were Colombians, and on the outs."

"Looks to me like there was something like a fire ahead, Frank!"

declared Andy, right at that juncture.

"I say, you're on the spot every time, old fellow," observed the other, as he shaded his eyes to look. "There's a sharp turn ahead, where Felipe says we enter the narrow place. And I honestly believe they've got a bonfire burning on the right-hand bank."

"Then, after all, shutting off our bully little searchlight won't do us much good," complained Andy, regretfully.

"Don't you believe it," Frank hastened to remark. "A fire isn't going to reach all the way across the river, which is pretty wide, even at its narrowest part. And depend on it, our clever old wheelsman will keep just as snug up against the left hand sh.o.r.e as he dares go."

All the same, despite these a.s.surances from his cheerful chum, Andy confessed to a secret feeling of apprehension as they drew closer to the point of land beyond which the danger possibly lay in wait.

It seemed to him that every conceivable species of peril threatened the sacred enterprise, upon which he had so eagerly embarked. From various sources did harm hover over their heads. And even though they pa.s.sed safely through all these, there must be many more to come, after they had launched their little airship, and started to explore the strange regions of this tropical land.

"It's a fire, all right, Frank," he said, as they negotiated the bend, and opened up a new vista ahead.

"Yes, that's so for a fact," returned his chum. "And notice, will you, Andy, how old Felipe has managed to keep over well toward the port sh.o.r.e. He sized up the situation all right, and knew how to act."

"Yes, Felipe tells me he used to serve in the army. Many a battle he has been through, not only in Colombia, but in other countries as well. He was once something of a soldier of fortune. But where are you going, Frank?" as his comrade started to leave him.

"I must warn the crew to keep out of sight, or they may be hit, if there happens to be any shooting going on," called the other, over his shoulder.

He found that every member of the crew seemed to be awake, as if they had talked the situation over, and also guessed where the trouble would lie in wait for the venturesome young Americano senors.

So Frank gave his warning, and saw that they obeyed. While they were in his employ he felt a certain degree of interest in these ragged fellows, and did not wish to be held responsible for any damage they might receive, if inclined to be reckless at times.

When he once more reached Andy's side the latter was looking through a pair of marine gla.s.ses they had fetched along, thinking they would prove especially valuable in scrutinizing the country over which they might be pa.s.sing in the aeroplane.

"They're our friends, the revolutionists, I reckon," he announced. "I can see several who carry big swords that dangle around their heels. And the common soldiers, while they have little if any uniforms, and some of them no shoes, seem to all have guns in their hands. Here, look and tell me what that is on the little rise. I'm afraid our worst fears are going to come true."

"Well, you're right, Andy," replied the other, after he had clapped the binoculars to his eyes. "That's a cannon, all the same, and they're getting ready to shoot!"

"Oh! my! It makes a fellow's flesh just creep, to think of being banged away at with a great big cannon!" declared Andy.

"This one isn't so very big, I think. And now we're nearly opposite where the fire burns. They're going to make a move to show their hand. Drop down flat on the deck, Andy--quick with you!" and Frank, as he spoke, set the example himself.

Hardly had the two boys thus thrown themselves down than there was a heavy boom, accompanied by a brilliant flash of fire from the sh.o.r.e.

The revolutionists had fired upon the little steam yacht!

CHAPTER XII.

A GREAT SURPRISE.

"Wow! now, what do you think of that?" exclaimed Andy, raising his head, just as one of the big turtles native to these warm waters might thrust his out of his sh.e.l.l.

"Why, that was only a warning to bring us up short, and pay attention!"

declared Frank. "Because, as you saw, the ball splashed the water ahead of our bow."

"But Frank, we don't mean to head across?" cried Andy, getting up on his knees, the better to see.

"To be sure we don't. That was all settled long ago; and you notice that our good Felipe is still keeping her nose headed straight upstream. Now out goes the searchlight, just as we arranged. Wonder what they'll think that means!"

"Perhaps they'll believe they knocked it overboard with that shot!"

suggested Andy, who could joke, even when facing troubles as thick as a sea fog.

"Listen!" Frank exclaimed, "there's a chap with a pair of leather lungs, shouting a lot of gibberish. I suppose he's demanding our surrender, and threatening to blow us to smithereens if we decline to believe him."

"One good thing is that each minute takes us further up the river, and every foot counts in this game of runaway. Already we're past where the gun stands; and those fellows are working like fun to get her turned around, so as to point after us. While they load we're doing more stunts. Yes, and Frank, we're leaving 'em in the lurch, I do believe."

"Sure thing," returned Frank, composedly, "only both of us want to duck when it looks time for the blamed old gun to bang again. They mean business from the word go, now, and will shoot to hit! By some accident it might run afoul of the boat, and splinters fly. There, get ready to drop, Andy! It's coming!"

It certainly was, for immediately another flash sprang up, accompanied by the same deep bellow, as the fieldpiece was discharged. No doubt, while it may have been rather out of date in pattern, the cannon was good enough to have done savage execution, handled by expert German or French gunners.

But there did not seem to be any such among the rag-and-bobtail army of the new aspirant for the presidency of Colombia. At any rate, the missile whizzed and whined past the retreating boat, missing her by yards.

"Bully!" shouted Andy, jumping up and cutting a few pigeon wings on the deck to ill.u.s.trate just how pleased he was. "By the time they're ready to let her off again we'll be nearly out of range. And from the looks of the bank I feel pretty sure they never can catch up with us, toting their old gun along."

Three minutes later there came the third report, and they heard the ball pa.s.s high overhead, proving that the marksmen had entirely lost all traces of the boat and simply fired at random.

"That settles it," said Frank, decisively.

"Do you think so?" asked his chum, joyously.