In spite of Del Norte’s menacing words, Frank slept well that night. In the morning the Mexican met Merry with the politest manner possible and with the blandest smile. Indeed, his air was one of cordiality, and apparently he declined to be snubbed when Frank gave him something like the cold shoulder.
After breakfast Del Norte was set ashore at Fishmarket Wharf, and he presented an air of tropical comfort as he slowly sauntered into town attired in spotless white garments.
Proceeding to the post office, he had paused to purchase a paper at the news stand in the building when a hand touched him on the arm and he glanced up to see at his side a thick-set, florid-faced man, who was perspiring freely.
“Ah, Se?or Hagan!” exclaimed Porfias, at once turning and grasping the hand of the stout man. “It’s pleased I am to see you here. I received your letter telling me how the good work is progressing, and it interested me exceedingly. You are doing well.”
“There are some things I didn’t care to write about, Del Norte,” said the man addressed as Hagan. “That’s why I told you I would find you down this way somewhere and have a little chat with you. I traced the Sachem to this place, arriving here last night. Not wishing to arouse suspicions of a certain party on board the Sachem, I decided to wait and watch for an opportunity to see you. Had the Sachem departed before I could obtain such an opportunity, I should have followed it to its next port.”
“You were exceedingly cautious, se?or.”
Observing that the smooth-faced, youthful attendant at the news stand was regarding them with some curiosity, Hagan at once proposed to his companion that they should step outside.
“Never knew they had such devilish hot weather up here at this time of year,” he growled, mopping his perspiring face with his handkerchief as they reached the sidewalk. “Let’s walk up the street beneath the shade of those tall elms. We can chat as we walk without danger of being overheard. That youngster has a sharp nose, a keen pair of eyes, and ears altogether too good to suit me.”
“These confounded gringos seem to hear and see everything,” said Del Norte.
“That’s all right,” nodded Hagan; “but they can’t get ahead of the Irish, Del Norte, old man.”
“It’s the truth you speak, se?or,” nodded the Mexican. “I have observed its truthfulness, and that was why I sought one to assist me in my plans who had in his veins good Irish blood.”
“You made no mistake on that point when you dropped on me,” said Hagan. “I am Irish to the core. But let me tell you, my friend, we’re going to be kept mighty busy if we get ahead of this Yankee, Merriwell. He is a hustler. He has a faculty of setting things in motion so that they keep on moving while he seems to forget them. Apparently just now he is enjoying an outing on a yacht, yet before he stepped foot on the Sachem he had started a movement that is progressing with astonishing rapidity. I refer to the scheme for opening Eastern Sonora with a railroad. The syndicate is being organized, the capital pledged, and everything is making ready to push the project. Del Norte, I want you to answer me one question frankly and squarely.”
“You shall have the answer, Se?or Hagan. What is the question?”
“Are you absolutely confident you can induce the Mexican government to reaffirm that old land grant?”
“I am absolutely confident, se?or. There is not the remotest doubt of my ability to accomplish this. I have friends who are powerful with their influence and who stand close to President Diaz. Of course, they can’t push this thing through with a rush, for he might suspect something was not right if they seemed too eager. They are biding their time, and when the right moment comes President Diaz will reaffirm that grant of land.”
“Unless,” said Hagan, as they walked slowly along the sidewalk—“unless he favors this American syndicate organized by Merriwell. Del Norte, the operations of that syndicate must be checked. They are moving altogether too rapidly. That’s why I came here to see you. Before it became known that a project for building a railroad through Central Sonora to tap the Sonora line had been conceived, the men first concerned in the syndicate sent engineers down there and made a survey. They worked swiftly and quietly. Frank Merriwell paid a large part of the expense of this survey, and he has the result of it in his own possession. He has the papers. I believe he has them with him now.”
“What makes you think so?” asked Del Norte quickly.
“I think he brought them along with the idea that he might interest Henry Crossgrove.”
“Perhaps it’s right you are.”
“Yes, I believe I am right, Del Norte. That’s why I took the trouble to come ’way down here. I didn’t wish to write anything that might fall into the hands of the wrong people and make trouble for us, but I have a plan I desire to whisper in your ear. Lend me your ear, Del Norte, and I will do the whispering act.”
“It’s aloud you may talk, se?or, if you modulate your voice, without fear of being overheard. We will walk up and down here in front of this church as you talk. No one may come near us to listen.”
“It’s not a great deal I wish to say, Del Norte; but if by any means we can get our hands on that document it would give us a big advantage over the enemy. They would lose the plan, and we would secure it. If it pleased us we could push our work by their own survey just as soon as we were given the privilege to begin by the Mexican government. Thus, you see, Del Norte, we would save a pretty penny and give the enemy a solar-plexus blow.”
The dark ey............