Frank Merriwell in Mexico: The Search for the Silver Palace — page 19: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

FRANK MERRIWELL IN MEXICO. bandits were -paid for at the price he should name, and this he proceeded to do. Now Frank did not have the price de- _ manded for the three horses, and he could not draw it that night, so he was . obliged to submit, and the two boys were prisoners till near three o’clock the next afternoon, when the money was obtained and the bill _ paid. _ To a certain extent, Frank relieved his feelings by expressing his mind very freely. But nearly eighteen hours had passed since the encounter of the previous ¢ven- ing and the kidnaping of Professor Scotch, so he felt that all hope of hot pursuit and capture of the bandits was gone. Ai the hotel he found a letter a awaiting him, and, to his unbounded amazement, it was from the professor. With haste he tore it open, and these words are what he read: “DEAR FRANK:—Pacheco commands me to write this letter. Weare at the head- waters of the Rio de Nieves, but we move on to the westward as soon as I have written. He tells me we are bound for the mountains beyond Huejuguilla el Alto, which is directly west of Zacatecas as the bird flies one hundred and. ten miles. He bids me tell you to follow to Huejuguilla el Alto, where he says atrangements will be made.for my ran- som. Remember Jack Burk. He spoke _of the mountains to the west of Zacatecas. Pacheco threatens to mutilate me and for- ward fragments to you if you do not follow to the point specified. He is watch- ing me as I write, and one of his men will carry this letter to Mendoza and deliver it. The situation is desperate, and it strikes me that it is best to comply with. Pacheco’s demands in case you care to. bother about me. If you want me to be, chopped up bit by bit and forwarded to you, do not bother to follow. I-have no: - doubt but Pacheco will keep his word toy the letter in this matter. boy, “Vour devoted guardian and tutor, “HORACE Orm AN TYLER ScortcH. ” Iam, my dear, could be no doubt, as it was written in the professor’ S peculiar style of chirog- = Ay raphy; but it did not sound like the professor, and Frank knew well. enough that it had been written under compul- sion, and the language had been dictated by another party. . ‘*Poor old professor!’’ murmured the boy. ‘‘Paor old professor! He shall be saved! He shall be saved! He knows i will do everything Ican for him.’? ~° ‘*Vah, but he don’d seein to say dot dex ledder in,’’? observed Hans, who had also read every word. ““Huejuguilla el Alto is one bundred and ten miles west of Zacatecas.’ | “Vere you belief they findt dot n ane, Vrankie?”? Frank did not mind. the Dutch ‘lads: question, but bowed his head on his hahd and fell to thinking. - ‘We must have horses, and we m mt follow. ‘Remember Jack Burk. > Surely. the professor put that part of the lette Yin of his own accord. He did not speak of the Silver Palace, but he wished to call it to my mind. That palace, according’ to: Burk, lies. directly west of Zacatecas, somewhere amid the mountains bey ond. this place he has mentioned. The profes-’ sor meant for me to understand that I would be proceeding on my way to search. for the palace. escape.’? ‘Vah,”? broke in Hans, “berhaps he: meant to dene dot, Vranktie.”’ . “We would be very near the mountains —it must be that we would be in: the mountains.” “TY guess dot peen shust apoudt ‘vere’ we peen, Vrankie.’’ “If he escaped, or should be rescued or easily continue the: ransomed, we could search for the palace.”’ ‘Vou vos oxactly 1ighdt. ” “We must have horses and a snide,” am ee ‘We can ged dem mit. money.”?. | » We had better proceed to Zacateede, : and procure the animals and the guide there.’ “Shust oxactly vot I vould haf sg igestet, Viankie.”? . “We will lose no time about it? ‘‘Vell, I guess nod!”’ “But Carlos—Carlos, my ¢ cousin. 7? shimminy! dot peen der trute.’ Perhaps he hopes. to. That this letter was genuine there/ very strange, but Professor Scotch dees, jnot mention him.’ a com choo (CO) in