"
Lathrop was in a quandary. To refuse to sit down at the instrument
meant instant death.
He could tell that by the look in Diego's eyes and from what he had
seen of him he knew he would not stop at a little thing like a
murder to drive home a point.
The question was, did the man really understand telegraphy? If he
didn't and was only, bluffing Lathrop determined to inform Frank of
the true state of affairs. Otherwise it would do neither himself
nor the others any good to try to trick Diego.
With a prayer on his lips that the Portuguese might not have been
stating the truth about his knowledge of wireless the boy started to
send. He had in his mind the message he would try to get through:
"We have been attacked. Get help and follow us."
But he had hardly tapped out with a hesitating finger the first word
of his message when he felt a bullet whiz by his ear and the report
flashed so close to him that it deafened him and scorched his skin.
"Thought I was bluffing did you, eh?" sneered the Portuguese, "come
now, no tricks; send out what I tell you or the next bullet will
come closer."
And so it came about that the queer hesitating message that Frank
received at Moon Mountains was sent out.
Immediately it was dispatched Muley-Hassan gave the order to advance
and his ragged followers, carrying the worst wounded in improvised
litters, set out toward the northwest.
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