Ralph Compton Sixguns and Double Eagles (31 page)

 

As the fire flamed higher, Wes smothered it with his coat, creating clouds of smoke that filtered upward. Suddenly there was a shout and a fumbling at the hatch door.

“Damn,” said Wes, “get ready.”

The first man down the narrow stairs had a Winchester. Wes seized the muzzle of the weapon with his left hand, throwing its bearer off balance, slugging him unconscious with a right to the chin. Quickly Wes was through the hatch, El Lobo at his heels. Three men ran toward them, but they just as quickly turned and fled when Wes fired three times, driving lead into the deck beneath their feet. Reaching the ship's rail, Wes dropped the Winchester, going over the side. Seconds after he hit the water, El Lobo swam beside him toward the distant pier.

“After them,” Antonio Diaz shouted.

Quickly a dinghy was lowered and five crewmen piled into it. Two began rowing while the others—armed with Winchesters—began firing at the escaping captives. But they soon changed their minds, for on the pier Bryan Silver had seized the Winchester Tom Rigger had loaned him. Silver fired as rapidly as he could lever in the shells, and lead slammed into the dinghy, bringing a cry of pain from one of the men rowing rapidly back toward the distant ship. Satisfied that Wes and El Lobo would safely reach the shore, Silver slid the Winchester back into his saddle boot. Finding the eyes of all four of the federal lawmen on him, Silver spoke with sarcasm that could have been cut with a Bowie knife.

“I'm obliged for your help.”

None of the four said anything, and Silver took his lariat from the saddle and made a loop at one end. Tying the loose end to his saddle horn, he led the horse as near the edge of the pier as he could. He then dropped the loop to Wes, and finally to El Lobo. For a moment the two sprawled on the pier, exhausted.

“Silver,” said Wes, breathing hard, “you've got to stop that ship! It's loaded with all the evidence you'll ever need.”

“It's too late for that,” Buford Anderson said. “They'll soon be in international waters.”

“I'll stop it, in or out of international water,” said Silver. “Where's the naval station?”

“Not far,” Anderson said. “Mount up and we'll take you there.”

“Then let's ride,” said Silver. “Will a couple of your deputies allow my men to ride double with you?”

“Condon, Densmore,” Anderson said, “give them a hand up.”

 

When they reined up near the naval station, the federal marshals waited while Silver, Wes, and El Lobo entered.

“I am Captain Stevens, the post commander. What can I do for you?”

Quickly Silver produced his identification. He then introduced Wes and El Lobo, and as briefly as he could explained the situation to Captain Stevens.

“This is highly irregular,” said Stevens, “and might well result in a court-martial for me and my crew. I suppose you're aware of our diplomatic relationship with Mexico?”

“I'm entirely too much aware of it,” Silver said. “Frankly, I think we were better off in the old days, us shooting at them an them shooting at us. Will you side me, or not?”

“Very well,” said Stevens, “I'll risk it. Before they reach international water, we have the right to board and search the craft. But there won't be room for all of you. Who are those men with you?”

“Federal marshals,” Silver said, “and they haven't been much help.”

“We won't need them,” said Stevens. “I have a five-man crew, all armed.”

“Then get them ready,” Silver said, “while I dismiss the lawmen.”

“The navy's going after them,” Silver told Anderson and his deputies, “but I still want you to get me into that warehouse. It's more important now than ever.”

“If all this is important enough to involve the navy,” said Anderson, “I reckon we'll be able to help you wrap it up. You want us to wait for you here?”

“Yes,” Silver said. “Keep an eye on my horse.”

From his saddlebag Silver took a box of shells, and drawing the Winchester from its saddle boot, began loading the weapon. The naval craft proved to be a fast clipper ship, and with Silver, Wes, and El Lobo aboard, it started in pursuit of the Mexican vessel. The journey afforded Wes and El Lobo time to tell Silver much of what he needed to know of the Golden Dragon's San Francisco operation.

“I reckon you won” recover all the stolen gold from that ship,“ said Wes, ”but you'll get a pile of it. There were six crates loaded in the hold with us.“

“Recovery of some of the gold will help,” Silver replied, “but I'm more concerned with what we're likely to find behind the walls of that warehouse. Buford Anderson and his deputies have promised to get me in there.”

“I hope you have better luck than we did,” said Wes.

“
Sí
,” El Lobo said. “We be shot.”

“One way or another,” said Silver, “we're going in. I expect to find the molds and all the necessary equipment for counterfeiting, and we'll need it for evidence.”

“There she is!” a crewman shouted, looking through binoculars.

“We'll cut in as close as we can, and I'll challenge them,” said Captain Stevens.

Once the naval vessel was near enough, Captain Stevens spoke through a megaphone.

“This is Captain Stevens of the United States Navy. In the name of the United States of America, this is a formal request to board and search.”

“Señor Stevens,” came the response, “I am Captain Antonio Diaz. This is a commercial vessel, and we do no wrong.”

“Then you have nothing to fear,” Stevens shouted back. “We believe you may have taken on illegal cargo without your knowledge. Request to come aboard.”

“Your request is denied, señor,” said Diaz.

“Captain Diaz,” Stevens shouted, “we have cannon, as well as a Gatling gun. We can and will board you by force, if there's no other way. The choice is yours, and I won't warn you again.”

“I will yield, señor,” Diaz responded, “but I will file a formal protest.”

“We're coming aboard,” Stevens shouted.

Stevens' crew were already lowering a boat.

“We're going to have to confiscate some cargo, Captain,” said Silver.

“Then I'll take two crewmen with us,” Captain Stevens said. “With the three of you, it should be enough.”

“If you have extra weapons,” said Wes, “El Lobo and me would be obliged for the use of them. We were held prisoner aboard that ship, and we're not of a mind to return to it unarmed.”

“We have extra rifles,” Stevens said. “I'll get them.”

“Wes,” said Silver while Stevens was away, “do you have any idea where those crates are within the hold?”

“They should be near the front,” Wes said. “After we were taken to the hold, nothing else was brought aboard.”

“Good,” said Silver. “The sooner we can wrap this up, the better. We must return to the Dragon headquarters as quickly as we can.”

Captain Stevens returned with a pair of Winchesters, passing one of them to Wes and the other to El Lobo.

“This won't be pleasant,” Silver said. “Let's be done with it.”

When the six armed men boarded the Mexican vessel, they found Captain Antonio Diaz and his crew in a hostile mood. Four of the men were armed with Winchesters.

“Put the weapons aside,” Captain Stevens ordered.

Reluctantly they did so.

“Captain Stevens,” said Silver, “if you'll leave your men up here to keep this bunch of
hombres
from getting foolish ideas, we'll go below and begin our search.”

Captain Stevens nodded to his men and they assumed port arms positions with their Winchesters, facing Diaz and his crew.

“Now,” Silver said, seizing a single-bitted ax, “let's investigate that cargo.”

Wes and El Lobo led the way, Silver and Stevens following. There was a lantern on a hook above the hatch. Silver lighted it, passed it to Wes, and he ascended the narrow steps into the hold. El Lobo, Silver, and Stevens followed.

“Those six crates nearest the steps were loaded after El Lobo and me were brought aboard,” Wes said.

Using the blade of the ax, Silver pried off the boards securing the top. Within was a metal box surrounded by straw. Silver dropped the ax, and with El Lobo's help tried to lift out the heavy metal box. The two of them were unable to do so, and taking the ax, Silver demolished all of the crate except the bottom, on which the metal chest rested. Wes brought the lantern closer, and stenciled on top of the box were the words UNITED STATES MINT, SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA. Silver smashed the lock with the ax and raised the lid. In the lantern's pale light, there was no mistaking the glitter of gold.

“My God,” said Captain Stevens.

“Stolen from United States mints and replaced with counterfeit,” Silver said.

He took up the ax and began smashing the other wooden crates, and one by one, they each yielded stolen gold.

“I'll go after Captain Diaz,” said Stevens. “I'm going to confront him with this.”

Predictably, Diaz denied any prior knowledge of the stolen gold.

“The crates are closed when I get them, señors,” Diaz protested. “I do not know what is in them, I swear.”

“There are bills of lading,” said Silver. “Get them.”

Captain Stevens escorted Diaz to the captain's quarters, and when they returned with the necessary bills, Stevens was shaking his head.

“The bills of lading call for machinery,” Stevens said.

“I reckon you freight a lot of machinery,” said Silver, his hard eyes on Diaz. “Comin' in, how much did you deliver to these people?”

“Four pieces,” Diaz said sullenly. “It is machinery also.”

“Like hell,” said Silver. “I suppose you didn't know two of my men were here in your cargo hold, bound hand and foot?”

“I do not know, señor,” Diaz said with as much conviction as he could muster.

“He's lying through his damn teeth,” said Wes. “The dirty coyote made a deal to drop El Lobo and me overboard once they were at sea.”

“I do not,” Diaz protested.

“You knew they were aboard,” said Silver. “I saw them jump ship, and I saw your crewmen come after them, shooting. They changed their minds when I began shooting at them.”

“You are wrong, señor,” Diaz insisted. “Those not my crew.”

“Silver,” said Captain Stevens, “we need to talk.”

Leaving Wes and El Lobo to watch Diaz, Stevens and Silver moved far enough away so that they couldn't be overheard.

“I don't aim to let that lying varmint get away with this,” Silver said angrily.

“The burden of proof is on us,” said Stevens, “and we have no real evidence.”

“We have the gold,” Silver said, “and I know for a fact Wes and El Lobo were taken prisoner and brought aboard this ship.”

“Diaz has denied prior knowledge of the gold,” said Stevens, “and unrealistic as it may seem, we can't prove otherwise. While you know for a certainty that your men were held prisoner in the hold of this ship, you still can't prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Diaz was party to it. From a distance you saw men leave this ship in pursuit of your men as they swam to safety, but can you swear that any one of the men in that boat is among the crew Diaz has assembled on deck?”

“You know I can‘t,” Silver replied in disgust. “I couldn't identify them from so great a distance. I only know they lowered a boat from the deck of this ship and came after Wes and El Lobo, shooting.”

“All we can legally do is take the gold and go,” said Stevens.

“Come on, then,” Silver said.

“Diaz,” said Captain Stevens, “I am confiscating this gold on behalf of the United States of America. You will instruct your crew to transfer it to our vessel.”

“And then, señor?” Diaz asked.

“Then you may be on your way,” said Stevens.

“You'd let this yellow coyote go free?” Wes shouted.

“Sorry,” said Silver.

“Señor Antonio Diaz,” El Lobo said through gritted teeth, “we meet again.”

Diaz directed his crew to remove the gold, transferring it to the navy clipper. When the task had been completed, Wes and El Lobo watched angrily as the Mexican vessel sailed away.

“The burden of proof was on us,” said Silver, “and Captain Stevens said we'd be pushing our luck, pressing charges.”

“El Lobo spoke for the both of us,” Wes said. “Someday, somewhere, we'll meet the Señor Diaz again, and when we do, he's a dead man.”

“Captain Stevens,” said Silver when they had returned to the naval station, “I'm much obliged for your help. I promise you, your efforts and those of your men won't be without reward.”

“I'm glad we could be helpful,” Stevens said. “If you need official testimony, just say the word.”

“I have just one request,” said Silver. “I'd like to keep this affair as quiet as possible.”

“I'll so instruct my men,” Stevens said.

Silver's livery horse was where he had left it. Buford Anderson and his deputies were nowhere in sight.

“Damn it,” said Silver, “I told them to wait.”

“If that bunch that came after me and El Lobo in the boat wasn't part of the crew from the ship,” Wes said, “then they had to be some of Belton's men taken aboard to see that we didn't escape. If they were, then the Dragon's headquarters may be deserted by the time we get there.”