The labourers hoeing among the young maize plants, and the _tlachiquero_
drawing the sap from his magueys, saw a sight to astonish them. Two
horses of unusual size, both carrying double, and going at full gallop
as if running a race--on one of them two men in cloaks, blue and
scarlet; the other ridden by a giant, with a mis-shapen monkey-like
creature clinging on the croup behind--harness bridles, with collars
dancing loose around their necks--chains hanging down and clanking at
every bound they made--all this along field paths, in an out-of-the-way
neighbourhood where such horses and such men had never been seen before!
To the cultivator of "milpas" and the collector of "aguamiel" it was a
sight not only to astonish, but inspire them with awe, almost causing
the one to drop his hoe, the other his half-filled hog-skin, and take to
their heels. But both being of the pure Aztecan race, long subdued and
submissive, yet still dreaming of a return to its ancient rule and
glories, they might have believed it their old monarchs, Monctezuna and
Guatimozin, come back again, or the god Oatluetzale himself.
In whatever way the spectacle affected them, they were not permitted
long to look upon it. For the galloping pace was kept up without halt
or slowing; the strange-looking horses--with the men upon their backs,
still stranger to look at--soon entered a _chapparal_, which bordered
the maize and maguey fields, and so passed out of sight.
"We're near the end of our ride now," said Rivas to Kearney, after they
had been some time threading their way through the thicket, the horses
from necessity going at a walk. "If 'twere not for this ironmongery
around our ankles, I could almost say we're safe. Unfortunately, where
we've got to go the chains will be a worse impediment than ever. The
file! Have we forgotten it?"
"No," answered Kearney, drawing it from under his cloak, and holding it
up.
"Thoughtful of you, _caballero_. In the haste, I had; and we should
have been helpless without it, or at all events awkwardly fixed. If we
only had time to use it now. But we haven't--not so much as a minute to
spare. Besides the lances from Chapultepec, there's a cavalry troop of
some kind--huzzars I take it--coming on from the city. While we were
cutting loose from the carriage, I fancied I heard a bugle-call in the
direction cityward. Of course, with guns and bells signalling, we may
expect pursuit from every point of the compass. Had we kept to the
roads, we'd have been met somewhere. As it is, if they give us another
ten minutes' grace, I'll take you into a place where there's not much
fear of our being followed--by mounted men, anyhow."
Kearney heard this without comprehending. Some hiding-place, he
supposed, known to the Mexican. It could only mean that. But where?
Looking ahead, he saw the mountains with their sides forest-clad, and
there a fugitive might find concealment. But they were miles off; and
how were they to be reached by men afoot--to say nothing of the chains--
with cavalry in hue and cry all around them? He put the question.
"Don't be impatient, _amigo_!" said the Mexican in response; "you'll
soon see the place I speak of, and that will be better than any
description I could give. It's a labyrinth which would have delighted
Daedalus himself. _Mira_! You behold it now!"
He pointed to a _facade_ of rock, grey, rugged, and precipitous,
trending right and left through the _chapparal_ far as they could see.
A cliff, in short, though of no great elevation; on its crest, growing
yuccas, cactus, and stunted mezquite trees.
"The _Pedregal_!" he added, in a cheerful voice, "and glad am I to see
it. I've to thank old Vulcan or Pluto for making such a place. It has
saved my life once before, and I trust will do the same now, for all of
us. But we must be quick about it. _Adelante_!"
The horses were urged into a final spurt of speed, and soon after
arrived at the base of the rocky escarpment, which would have barred
them further advance in that direction, had the intention been to take
them on. But it was not.
"We must part from them, now," said Rivas. "Dismount all!"
All four slipped off together, Rock taking hold of both bridles, as if
he waited to be told what to do.
"We mustn't leave them here," said the Mexican. "They might neigh, and
so guide our pursuers to the spot. In another hour, or half that, we
needn't care; it'll be dark then--"
He interrupted himself, seeming to reflect, which, the Texan observing,
said to Kearney--
"He weeshes the anymals sent off, do he?"
"Just that, Cris."
"I war thinkin' o' thet same, meself. The groun' for a good spell back
hez been hard as flint, an' we hain't left much o' trail, nothin' as a
set o' bunglin' yaller-bellies air like ter take up. As for startin'
the horses, that's easy as fallin' off a log. Let me do it."
"Do it."
"Take holt o' one then, Cap. Unbuckle the neck strap and pull off the
bridle, when you see me do so wi' t'other. It is a pity to act cruel to
the poor brutes arter the sarvice they've did us; but thar ain't no help
for 't. Riddy, air ye?"
"Ready!"
The Texan had taken out his knife; and in another instant its blade was
through the horse's ear, the bridle jerked off at the same time. The
animal, uttering a terrified snort, reared up, spun round, and broke
away in frenzied flight through the thorny _chapparal_. The other, also
released, bounded after, both soon passing out of sight.
"_Bueno_--_bravo_!" cried the Mexican, admiringly, relieved of his
dilemma. "Now, senors, we must continue the march afoot, and over
ground that'll need help from our hands, too. _Vamonos_!"
Saying which, he took up the bridles, and tossed them over the crest of
the cliff; then ascended himself, helping Kearney. There was no path;
but some projections of the rock--ledges, with the stems of cactus
plants growing upon their--made the ascent possible. The Texan swarmed
up after, with hunchback at his heels; as he got upon the top, turning
suddenly round, laying hold of the chain, and with a "Jee up," hoisting
the creature feet foremost!
Another second and they were all out of sight; though not a second too
soon. For as they turned their backs upon the cliff, they could hear
behind, on the farther edge of the thicket through which they had
passed, the signal calls of a cavalry bugle.