Stars and Stripes in Peril Read Free

most unusual one in this poverty-stricken and neglected country. Because when it was finished it would also be the only road in all of Mexico. The British were the first invaders to ever have bothered building a road. Certainly the Spanish, in all their centuries of occupation never had. The most recent invaders of this unfortunate country, the French and the Austrians, had followed suit. All of them too interested in plundering the country so that there was never enough time to bother bringing the benefits of civilization to these shores. Communications were slow and commerce primitive where all of the messages and trade between cities went on muleback.
    Don Ambrosio touched his jacket pocket where the small book was safely settled, and smiled. His time here had been well spent. He had watched the sailing ships arrive and the soldiers come ashore. He had counted the men and made careful record of their number. He had noted their guns and their cavalry, and recorded as well their progress on the construction of their road. And, most important of all, he had transcribed every spoken word that he had heard. But all of his effort would be wasted if he and his book did not get to Vera Cruz as soon as possible.
    The trail wound upward to the pass at Matias Romero, then sloped gently down towards CampecheBay. They stopped when they reached the summit to rest their weary animals.
    "Tell me, Miguel, will we reach the city by dark?"
    "I cannot promise. But once out of the mountains the going will be easier because the land is very flat along the shore."
    "I am certainly hopeful of that. I am not used to the jungle and I am afraid that I do not like it all."
    "The jungle is rich and kind to those who know how to live there."
    "I wish them the best of luck. It is in the cities that I feel most at home."
    "Do you know, señor, why the tall gringos have come here to build this road?"
    "They say to each other that it is to cross Mexico and connect one ocean to another."
    "And when this is done—what will they do with it?"
    "I must admit that is a mystery that I have puzzled over. But I have not lost sleep over it. Sharper brains and wiser minds may know the answer. Now—do you think that we should push on?"
    "The animals are rested. We will make better time now."
    Insects hummed in the heat; birds called loudly from the trees. Don Ambrosio was tired and found himself nodding off in the saddle. He woke up with a start when Miguel suddenly hissed a quick warning—and held his hand up as he pulled his donkey to a stop. He pointed.
    Three men had emerged from between the trees on the far side of the clearing that they were now crossing. Two of them held long, sharp machetes; the third had an ancient musket. Don Ambrosio kicked his horse forward past the donkeys, reined it to a stop.
    "We come in peace," he said quietly.
    The man with the gun hawked and spat, then half-raised his weapon.
    "Gold?" he said hoarsely.
    "Only lead," Don Ambrosio said in a quiet voice. He loosened the carbine that was holstered to his saddle with his left hand, his right hand resting on the pommel of his saddle. The bandit pointed his own gun in response.
    With a motion too swift to follow the Don pulled the Colt .44 from his waistband and fired three quick shots.
    The armed man was down, as was the second man. The third staggered, wounded, turned to flee. A fourth shot dropped him by the others.
    "We must move quickly now," Miguel said, kicking his mule forward. "If there are others close by, they will have heard the shots."
    "Who are they? Or perhaps, more correctly, who were they?"
    "It does not matter. Hungry men with guns fill this poor land. We have had too many revolutions and rebellions, too much killing. Now, please, we must ride."
    "Take this," Don Ambrosio said, pulling out the carbine, turning and throwing it to him. "I'll go first." He reloaded the pistol as he rode. "I'll watch the path ahead—you watch the jungle on the side."
    If there were other