CHAPTER XXV.--ON THE TRAIL.

It will now be necessary to go back a little ways.

When Colonel Ashton, Mr. Willing, and U. S. Consul Edwards left the home of Hernandez, alias Martinez, following their brief interview, they looked about for Dick who had said he would wait for them on the outside; but having set forth on the trail of Captain Blusen, Dick, of course, was not in sight.

"Guess the young man has gone back to the consulate in a huff," said the consul with a slight smile.

"He shouldn't have spoken as he did," declared Mr. Willing.

"Is there any chance that he was right in his conjectures?" asked Colonel Ashton slowly.

"Hardly," replied the consul dryly. "Hernandez is a queer man, but he would hardly do a thing like that."

"Well, I don't know," replied the colonel. "I have found that you never go far wrong when you listen to what a newspaper reporter says. They seem to smell out these things."

"He's on the wrong scent now," declared Edwards.

At the consulate they could find no trace of Dick.

"What can have happened?" demanded Mr. Willing anxiously.

"Oh, he'll turn up," declared the consul. "We'll wait."

They sat down to await the return of Dick, meanwhile talking over what was best to be done.

Meantime, Dick, on the trail of Captain Von Blusen, was having troubles of his own. He had approached too close behind the German, and the latter had realized he was being followed.

Rounding a corner, the German officer stopped abruptly. As Dick swung around the corner he recognized him instantly and struck out with his fist. The blow caught Dick on the side of the head and he went down.

He was up in a moment, however, and grappled with his opponent. In this sort of fighting the German was no match for Dick, but he finally succeeded in breaking the latter's hold, and took to his heels.

Dick ran after him.

Unconsciously the German took the direction from which he had just come, and not stopping to think that he might be followed, had thus betrayed the rendezvous. He ran straight to Hernandez' home, as we already know, and Dick recognized it.

Captain Von Blusen entered by the back door, and there Dick stopped. He had seen enough to tell him just how the situation stood, and realizing that he could accomplish little himself and that haste therefore was essential, he hurried back to the consulate.

"Where have you been?" cried Mr. Willing jumping to his feet as Dick burst into the room.

"I've been trailing Von Blusen, sir."

"Von Blusen!"

"Yes, sir, and I have learned enough to warrant my belief that Hernandez is concerned in the disappearance of Shirley and Mabel."

In a few words he related what had occurred.

Consul Edwards drummed upon the table with his fingers for several minutes. Then he rose to his feet.

"You must be right," he said, "although it seems impossible. Are you armed?"

The others shook their heads. The consul left the room and returned a moment later with a revolver for each.

"We may not need them, but it's best to be prepared," he said grimly.

"What are you going to do?" asked Colonel Ashton.

"We shall go back and call on Hernandez. In my official capacity, of course, I could not do this, but I'm willing to take a chance. We'll search the house from top to bottom."

They did not enter the home of Hernandez by the manner in which they had gone before. Dick led the way to the place he had seen Captain Von Blusen enter, and tried the door.

To his surprise it opened easily, and Dick, with weapon ready, led the way in. From first one room to the other they went, Consul Edwards lighting the way with a pocket searchlight.

Suddenly Dick stooped and picked up something. The consul turned the light on it. It was a small handkerchief. Dick looked it over for a mark of identification. In the corner he saw two initials, "S. W."

He passed it to Mr. Willing.

"Shirley's!" exclaimed the latter, after a glance at it.

"We are on the right track," declared the consul.

They continued the search of the house, but not a soul could they find. From top to bottom and back again they went, but the result, of course, was the same.

At last they were forced to give it up.

"I have it!" exclaimed Dick suddenly. "Von Blusen warned them and they have taken the girls some place else."

"That's it, of course," said the consul. "Well there is nothing more we can do to-night, but I'll promise to have the town raked with a fine-tooth comb the first thing in the morning. If they are here, we shall find them before noon."

"But where can they be to-night?" demanded Mr. Willing anxiously.

The consul shrugged his shoulders.

"_Quien sabe?_ as the natives say," he replied. "However, you may make sure they are in no danger."

With this the others were forced to be content, and Edwards led the way back to the consulate. Here he suggested cigars before all should turn in for the night, and they sat down to talk over the situation.

"I'll have every house in town searched from top to bottom in the morning," said the consul. "They must be here, so we shall of course find them."

"I wish there was something we could do to-night," declared Dick. "This inaction makes me restless."

"It makes me that way too, young man," declared Mr. Willing, "but the consul undoubtedly knows best. We shall leave it to him."

Consul Edwards looked at Dick inquisitively.

"What I would like to have you tell me," he said, "is why you suspected Hernandez in the first place?"

"I don't know exactly," replied Dick slowly. "But he is a shifty-eyed old villain, and can't look at you. I have learned that a man like that is not to be trusted. I was morally certain he was lying. I don't know why, but I just seemed to feel it."

"Well, you figured it out and no mistake. I wouldn't be surprised now to learn that Hernandez and Martinez are one and the same person."

"They are!" came a voice from one of the open windows.

The four within the room started suddenly to their feet, and the consul advanced.

"Who and what are you?" he called, with his hand resting on his revolver. "Come out and show yourself."

There was a sound of someone climbing in the window, and a moment later a man stood before them. Colonel Ashton, Mr. Willing and Dick leaped to their feet with cries of amazement.

The newcomer was Captain Von Blusen.

Dick took a quick stride forward, and his hand grasped the young German by the collar of his coat.

"I'll guarantee you won't get away this time," he said grimly.

"Who are you and what do you want here?" demanded the consul, who had never seen the officer before.

"This," said Dick to the consul, "is the man who gave the warning in time to allow the girls to be taken to some other hiding place."

"Is that true, sir?" demanded the consul, taking a step forward.

Von Blusen nodded.

"It is," he replied briefly.

"Then you shall answer to me for your part in this outrage," declared Mr. Willing, advancing with great anger.

"And to me," declared Colonel Ashton, also advancing.

Captain Von Blusen raised a hand.

"One moment, gentlemen," he said calmly.

"Give the man a chance to speak," said the consul. "He shall not get away, and I'll give you my word he'll do no further mischief. What have you to say for yourself?"

"Well, I can tell you where the two young ladies have been taken."

"You can?" exclaimed the colonel eagerly. "Where?"

"Mazatlan!"

"Mazatlan? Where is Mazatlan?" demanded the consul.

"As to that I cannot say. They left on the train not half an hour ago."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive. I followed to make certain, that I might tell you."

"And why are you so interested in telling us?" asked Dick skeptically.

"For one reason, because Miss Willing saved my life no longer than an hour ago," was the calm reply.

"It is true," he continued, seeing that the others eyed him in amazement.

He then went into details of the scene that had occurred following his return to Hernandez after his fight with Dick in the street.

"But how are we going to find them in Mazatlan?" exclaimed Colonel Ashton.

"You might wire ahead and have them taken from the train," suggested Dick.

"No, I have a better plan than that," declared the consul.

"What is it?" asked the others eagerly.

"We'll kill two birds with one stone. I'll wire the American consular agent there to have them shadowed when they leave the train. Then we'll not only be able to rescue the young ladies, but the Mexican authorities will nab the plotters."

"An excellent plan," declared Colonel Ashton. "Now how shall we get there?"

"There is not another train till morning," said the consul, "but," and a twinkle came into his eyes, "if you have the price, I can guarantee to have a special engine and one car ready to go within the hour, and I can promise a clear track ahead."

"Let's have it no matter what the cost!" roared Mr. Willing. "I want my girl back as soon as I can get her!"

"And so do I," shouted Colonel Ashton.