A cloud of dust mushroomed over the turn of the road and was lit up by the last rays of the setting sun. A shrill drawn-out whistle was heard.
Baltasar livened up.
Thats him! he said.
Not too damned soon either, said Zurita.
Striding briskly towards them was Cristo no longer a doddering old Indian with a sick grandchild come to see the doctor. Giving another whistle Cristo came nearer and saluted the pair.
Well, have you seen the sea-devil? Zurita asked him by way of greeting.
Not yet, but hes there all right. Salvator keeps him behind four walls. The main thing is Salvator trusts me. That sick granddaughter did it. Cristo laughed, narrowing his sly eyes. She nearly gave the whole show away though. When she recovered, I mean. Heres me, picking her up and kissing her like a loving grand dad and she kicks away and fairly bursts into tears, and he laughed again.
Where did you get the girl? asked Zurita.
Moneys hard to get, girls arent, said Cristo. And her mothers happy too. I got five pesos-she got her daughter back healthy.
That he had also received a sizeable sum from Salvator he didnt trouble to mention. All the more understandable this, since he wasnt going to share it with the childs mother.
A regular zoo that place chock-full of monsters. And Cristo started his story.
That might all be very interesting, Zurita said after some time and lighted a cigar, but you havent seen the goods. What do you propose to do next?
Make a trip to the Andes. And Cristo told them of Salvators plan.
Splendid! exulted Zurita. Well attack the place as soon as Salvators party leaves and carry the sea-devil away by force. The places so out-of-the-way one could do it in broad daylight and nobody the wiser.
Cristo shook his head.
The jaguars will bite your heads off. Even if they dont you wont find the sea-devil-not until Ive found out where he is.
Then heres what well do, Zurita said, after thinking it over for a while. Well ambush Salvators party, take him prisoner and hold him to ransom. The sea-devil'll be the price.
With a slick movement of his hand Cristo drew a cigar out of Zuritas breast pocket.
Many thanks. An ambushs better. But Salvators sure to pull some trick on you-promise to deliver the goods and never do it or something. Those Spaniards- the rest of the sentence was lost in coughing.
Well, what do you suggest? Zurita said irritably.
Patience. Salvator trusts me but only as far as three walls go. He must be made to trust me as he trusts his own shadow, then hell show me the sea-devil of his own free will.
Well?
Well, Salvator will be attacked by bandits, he jabbed his finger at Zuritas chest, and delivered from them by an honest Araucanian he tapped his own chest. Then there will be no secrets from Cristo in Salvators house. And no lack of golden pesos, he added in an aside for himself.
Thats not a bad idea.
Then they agreed on the road Cristo should suggest to Salvator.
On the eve of the departure Ill throw a red stone over the wall. Have everything ready. And Cristo was gone.
Though the plan of attack was well worked out an unforeseen circumstance nearly made it fall through.
Zurita, Baltasar and a dozen cutthroats hired in the dockside, wearing Gaucho clothes all well armed and mounted, had taken up stations alongside the pampas road. The night was dark. The gang listened hard for the hoofbeats.
Suddenly the bandits heard the chugging of an engine, quickly drawing nearer. Two powerful headlights stabbed the darkness and before they knew where they were a big black car had rushed by.
It had never entered Cristos head that Salvator could travel in this new, unconentional way.
Zurita was beside himself with rage and disappointment; Baltasar was amused.
Take it easy, master, he said. They travel by night and will rest in the daytime. Well overtake them. And he spurred his horse on; the rest followed suit.
They had ridden hard for the better part of two hours when they spotted the glow of a campfire ahead.
Thats them. Somethings happened. Wait for me here while I do some scouting.
And dismounting, Baltasar crawled snakelike into the darkness.
He returned in an hour.
The cars out of order. Theyre repairing it. Cristo keeps watch. Come on, lets hurry and get it done with.
It was a quick job. The bandits took Salvators party by surprise just when they had repaired the car-and tied Salvator, Cristo and the three Blacks hand and foot with not a shot fired.
One of the bandits, who acted chieftain, Zurita preferring to stay in the background, told Salvator that they were prepared to ransom him for a big sum of money and named it.
Youll have it, said Salvator.
Thats for you. And its double if you want your men set free too, said the bandit following up his advantage.
I havent got that much money available, Salvator said, after a pause.
Finish him off! the bandits shouted all at once.
Ill give you till dawn to think it over, said the bandits spokesman.
Salvator shrugged his shoulders as he repeated:
I havent got that much available.
His coolness impressed even the bandits.
Taking Salvator and his men aside, the bandits ransacked the car and found the spirits intended for collections. Soon they were drunk and sleeping on the ground.
At crack of dawn somebody crawled softly to Salvators side.
Its me, came Cristos voice. I managed to untie myself and have killed the bandit on watch. The rest are drunk and incapable. Lets hurry!
They got in, the Black driver started the engine, the car leapt forward.
Behind there were shouts and a few rifle shots rang out.
Salvator pressed Cristos hand.
Only after Salvators departure did Zurita learn that Salvator had been willing to pay. Wouldnt it have been simpler just to take it than try to kidnap a sea-devil nobody knew was worth anything? Its all over bar the shouting, though, he thought. And he waited for news from Cristo.
The Amphibian
Cristo had hoped that Salvator would send for him and say:
Youve saved my life, Cristo. From now on there will be no secrets for you in this place. Come with me, Ill show you the sea-devil. Or words to that effect.
But Salvator fell short of Cristos hopes. He generously rewarded the brave Araucanian and became all wrapped up in his research again.
So Cristo started his own research. The secret door proved a hard nut to crack but his patience was rewarded in the end. One day he pressed a boss on it and it swung slowly open, like the door to a strong room. Cristo slipped through and the door swung shut, taking him a little aback. He examined it, pressing every boss in turn; the door didnt open.
A fine trap I caught myself in, he muttered. Well, I might as well have a look round.
He found himself in a hollow, thickly overgrown with trees and bushes and walled in on all sides with man-made cliffs.
The plants Cristo saw were of the kind usually growing on humid soils. The big shady trees did not let sunlight through to the numerous rivulets burbling underneath. Fountains, scattered among the trees, added to the moisture in the air. The place was as damp as the low banks of the Mississippi. Standing in the middle of the grounds was a small flat-roofed stone house with lichen-clad walls. The green blinds on the windows were pulled down. The house had a not-lived-in look.