Hunger was pressing hard upon the fugitive prince and his companion,
and it became an absolute necessity for one of them to venture out in
search of food. Hualcoyotl took it upon himself to do this.
The natives were adepts in the practice of imitating certain birds and
animals, and a signal of this kind was agreed upon, to be used in
emergencies.
Before setting out on his venture, Hualcoyotl enjoined upon his man the
strictest watchfulness, and that he should on no account leave his
retreat, unless driven from it by threatened danger; also to listen for
the signal, but not to answer until it had been repeated.
It was night, and black darkness enveloped the mountain, especially
within the dense woody growth which covered it. The prince stole
noiselessly forth from his hiding-place, and with that stealth which
is characteristic of the American Indian, passed down the mountain's
side, and out onto the plain below. Food in abundance was just before
him, but to undertake to secure it would be at the risk of discovery,
and, possibly, death. The maddening pangs of hunger were impelling
him on; and in his starving condition the tempting food, which was
almost within his reach, outweighed the instinctive sense of
self-preservation. With cat-like tread he moved away from the
mountain's base, knowing that, at any moment, he might come upon a
camp of his enemy. In his weak and nervous condition the noise made
in the rustling of a leaf, or by the breaking of a twig, was
magnified a dozenfold in his imagination.
Though desperation was leading him on, the prince did not for an
instant relax his vigilance.
At last he was in the midst of plenty; fields of corn just in the milk,
and fruit, on shrub and tree, to be had for the plucking. Securing a
quantity of each, he started to return. The same watchful vigilance was
observed returning as in going out. He was moving cautiously along,
with his senses wide awake, when a sound, very like the noise of some
one moving near him, arrested his attention.
"Pish!" he ejaculated, after listening a moment. "'Twas but the
flapping of a wing by some nightbird."
The thought had scarcely crossed his mind when a screech most dismal,
and quite close, struck upon his sensitive ear, sending a chill to his
very heart. Reduced as he was by hunger, with nerves up-strung to their
utmost tension, the shock was very severe, and he felt, for an instant,
as if he would sink to the earth.
"What a woman I have become!" he muttered, chidingly, to himself. "This
will not do. To allow the scream of a bird to affect me thus is
cowardice."
Bracing himself against further weakness, he resumed his cautious
movement toward the foot of the mountain. When he reached it, he
attempted to ascend, but now, that he was in a measure safe, the
nervous rigor and force of will, which had sustained him, relaxed, and
he was compelled to sit down until his exhausted powers were restored.
While he lingered thus, his thoughts reverted to his palace home; to
old Itzalmo, his faithful friend and counselor; to Euetzin, his
companion and confidante, and to Zelmonco villa, the home of Itlza.
Thoughts of her awakened a pleasurable thrill in his soul, and his
features softened under the touch of a sentiment which, if not love,
was something very nearly akin to it. To himself he said:
"Am I, indeed, in love with my friend's sweet sister? Yes, it must be
so; for I feel that I could sacrifice the man who would dare to come
between us!"
When he felt himself sufficiently recovered to ascend the mountain, he
arose and proceeded slowly up its side, and on toward his retreat. As
he approached his hiding-place he became more wary. What if, in his
absence, his retreat had been discovered by his enemy? The thought
impressed itself upon him so forcibly that he paused frequently to
listen for unusual sounds; but nothing reached his ear save the low and
familiar murmur of the night winds, lulling, with their monotonical
song, nature's wearied hosts to rest.
When near enough to give it, he sounded the signal, so like the real
that the shrewdest woodsman might have been deceived. Again it pierced
the silent woods, and quickly came back the echo in Oza's answer.
Hualcoyotl, now relieved of his apprehensions, went boldly forward, and
was gladly welcomed back by his anxious attendant.
They could not risk a fire in the nighttime, and were compelled to make
a supper on uncooked maize and fruit. Very soon sleep, "Nature's sweet
restorer," claimed her own, and they were lost to the dangers about
them.
The next morning, before the sun was up, a fire was built, and a
breakfast of roasted maize duly prepared. They had no salt with which
to season it, but that was of little consequence to them; hunger
furnished the added relish, and gave it a flavor that all the
condiments required by necessity and art, for man's gratification and
need, could not have given. It was a delicious feast to the
half-starved fugitives, and was repeated several times during the day.
The first venture of the prince having proved successful, others
followed as often as circumstances required it. With each recurring
trip he became more bold, and less vigilant, and finally it was decided
to make a daylight venture. The first was successful, but the second
proved unfortunate, and the last. On this occasion he got too far away
from the base of the mountain, and, in returning, was intercepted by a
party of Tepanec troops. They were discovered to each other about the
same time. The soldiers, to be sure of their man, sent up a savage
yell, which had the desired effect, for the prince immediately started
to run for his life, making his identity quite certain, and a chase
began at once.
Hualcoyotl was fleet of foot, and had recovered, in the past few days,
much of his former vigor. He gained rapidly on his pursuers, which gave
him an opportunity to change his course. The deflection he made took
him out of sight of the soldiers, but their continued yells indicated a
hot and determined pursuit.
He was becoming hopeful of his ability to evade them, if he could only
hold out. The gaining confidence within him added strength to his
limbs. On, on, he almost flew; and, as he ran, the yells of his
pursuers impelled him forward in his flight.
The course the fugitive was now pursuing was nearly in the direction of
the mountain, and he was speeding along on the wings of hope, when, as
he dashed into a narrow vale, he came suddenly upon another party of
soldiers. He was right in their midst before he was aware of their
presence. "The gods defend me now!" was the prayerful ejaculation which
escaped him as he took in the situation.
The moment the prince came into their midst the soldiers surmised who
he was, and, closing around him, seized and laid him on the ground. A
large drum, which they had with them, was then brought forward and
placed over him. When this was done, they began to sing and dance
around it.
When the pursuers of the prince came in sight of the party of soldiers
who were dancing around the drum under which he was lying, they
suddenly stopped and viewed the scene with an air of bewilderment, as
if uncertain what to do. The pause was of short duration, however; for,
with a yell of disappointment and rage at the disappearance of the
prince, they changed their course so as to pass the dancing party, and
were soon out of sight and hearing.
Hualcoyotl's wonder and astonishment were great when his captors began
to sing and dance around the drum. The song did not indicate a spirit
of hostility, but, on the other hand, friendliness. What did it mean?
Could it possibly be that he was not in the hands of an enemy? These
queries passed quickly through his mind.
The mystery was very soon cleared away. When his pursuers had
disappeared, his captors lifted the drum from over him and assisted him
to rise. He was free; no hand was upon him, and the faces about him
were wreathed in smiles of satisfaction, while he was told that he was
among friends. His astonishment, and the joy he experienced because of
his deliverance, were very great. His captors were men of Tlacopan, a
friendly nation, whose singular conduct was explained when they
informed him that on his appearance in their midst they guessed who he
was, and that his pursuers were emissaries of Maxtla. There was no time
to lose in explanations, then, if they would save him; so he was
quickly seized and placed under the drum as a means of concealment.
Hualcoyotl expressed his gratitude in words of no uncertain meaning,
and commended the soldiers for their ready shrewdness in devising and
executing the plan to save him.
He remained with them until night, when he was escorted by them to
within a short distance of his retreat, where they left him with a
feeling of personal friendliness, and also one of satisfaction at
having done a kind act in the service of a good man.
Oza was overjoyed at his master's safe return, for he had given him up
as lost or captured.
After explaining the cause of his protracted absence, the prince said:
"And now, Oza, we must leave this place at once, and get as far from it
as possible before daylight to-morrow morning. My pursuers will scour
these rocks and hills in every direction without delay in search of me.
If we would escape them, we must lose no time in getting away."
The prince took his bearings, and they started. It began to rain, and
the night grew wet and dark. They suffered much from the inclement
weather, and the hurts and bruises which they got in their efforts to
cross the mountain. All night through they dragged themselves wearily
on, over the rough and rocky ground. When day dawned they knew not
where they were, nor did they care, so they were beyond pursuit.
The first thing to be done after daylight was to find a suitable place,
safe and comfortable, in which to fix a temporary habitation.
In a small, narrow ravine among the rocks a spot was found which
promised protection from the sun and rain by adding a covering of
boughs and leaves, which was speedily accomplished. After partaking of
a light breakfast of maize and fruit, the last they had excepting a few
ears of the former, they disposed themselves to rest; and being greatly
worn and fatigued from the laborious tramp of the night, soon found
oblivion in sleep.