As a matter of fact, Polynesia had been right about the danger we
were in. The news of our victory must have spread like lightning
through the whole town. For as we came out of the shop and
loaded the cab up with our stores, we saw various little knots of
angry men hunting round the streets, waving sticks and shouting,
"The Englishmen! Where are those accursed Englishmen who stopped
the bullfighting?--Hang them to a lamp-post!--Throw them in the
sea! The Englishmen!--We want the Englishmen!"
After that we didn't waste any time, you may be sure. Bumpo
grabbed the Spanish cab-driver and explained to him in signs that
if he didn't drive down to the harbor as fast as he knew how and
keep his mouth shut the whole way, he would choke the life out of
him. Then we jumped into the cab on top of the food, slammed the
door, pulled down the blinds and away we went.
"We won't get a chance to pawn the jewelry now," said Polynesia,
as we bumped over the cobbly streets. "But never mind--it may
come in handy later on. And anyway we've got two-thousand
five-hundred pesetas left out of the bet. Don't give the cabby
more than two pesetas fifty, Bumpo. That's the right fare, I
know."
Well, we reached the harbor all right and we were mighty glad to
find that the Doctor had sent Chee-Chee back with the row-boat to
wait for us at the landing-wall.
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