Darkness covered the mountains, and the prince still waited impatiently
in his retreat for his attendant to return from the plateau. A feeling
of anxious suspense, mingled with a sense of dread, as if impending
calamity was threatening, oppressed him--a feeling which may cowardize
the bravest heart under less discouraging circumstances than those
which surrounded him at that moment. He was about to leave his shelter
again, to seek relief from the uncomfortable sensation which disturbed
him, when a peculiar cry attracted his attention, and caused him to
rouse up and listen. A moment later, to his great relief, it was
repeated. He moved away from his retreat a short distance, to find a
safe position from which to send back an answer, which, if it were Oza,
would bring him in. The return signal was given and the result awaited
with anxiety. His suspense was brief; for in a very short time two
persons came into the ravine and cautiously approached the sheltered
recess. The prince was not expecting that the hunter would return, and
for a moment was undecided what to do. Oza quickly reassured him by
calling, in a subdued voice:
"Master!"
"Here," returned he, leaving his concealed position.
"Didn't catch ye nappin', eh, Prince?" said Menke.
"No, my friend; with the anxious listening and watching I have done in
the last few hours that would hardly have been possible," returned he,
and, continuing, he said: "I was not expecting that you would return
with Oza; so when two came, instead of one, I was not sure of its being
him."
"Hadn't thought of returning to-night, Prince; but findin' danger to
yerself gettin' thicker an' thicker, concluded I'd better come."
"What have you discovered, hunter?" anxiously inquired the prince.
"Tepanec soldiers. They're gettin' too thick fur comfort round here.
What they'll do when mornin' comes I wouldn't stay to find out ef I 'as
the one they're lookin' fur," replied the hunter, emphatically.
"Have you seen the soldiers, that you speak so positively?" questioned
the prince.
Here Menke gave an account of the meeting with the soldiers going out,
and the difficulties encountered returning. When he concluded,
Hualcoyotl said, despondently:
"What can I do, or where go, to find safety from my pursuers? Hunter,
you know these mountains well; can't you tell us where we may find
refuge?"
"That's just what I'm here fur, Prince. Ef ye'll go 'long o' me I'll
try to put ye where ye'll be safe. Ye'll have to take some risk in
goin', but think we can dodge the pesky Tepanecs an' reach my place all
right. Will ye go?"
"We believe you to be a good friend, hunter, and will trust you. Yes,
we'll go with you."
"Good! When the night is darkest, and sleep has bound the soldiers,
I'll lead ye from here to a better and safer concealment. But ye must
eat. Here are bread and meat," continued the hunter. "Be liberal to
yerself, Prince; there's plenty more where we're goin'," he said,
giving each a bountiful supply of the provision.
They all partook heartily of the food; after which Menke insisted that
the prince and Oza should lie down and sleep, while he would remain on
watch.
When the hour came around for leaving, the still tired fugitives were
sleeping soundly. The hunter aroused them, and said it was time to go.
The food remaining from the supply which he had provided was divided
among them, and they started.
The prince was not insensible to the peril to which he was about to
expose himself, and, very naturally, experienced some uneasiness in
consequence. He did not doubt the fidelity of his guide, but, realizing
how powerless they were for defense against a band of armed soldiers,
should they be discovered, he could hardly feel otherwise. He did not
follow blindly, but was guarded and ready for any emergency.
The direction taken to reach the plateau was different from that
followed by the hunter and Oza the day before. This course was adopted
with the hope of avoiding the soldiers known to be encamped at the foot
of the mountain.
Their progress was slow, and much time was consumed in the descent. It
was finally accomplished, however; but before leaving cover the hunter
made a careful reconnoisance to ascertain if the way was clear. Finding
no indications of the presence of soldiers, the party sallied out upon
the open ground, and cautiously crossed to the opposite side of the
plateau. Turning to the right they moved along in single file, with
gulches, crags and deep ravines to the left of them, and small fields
of ripening maize and chia-plant, scattered here and there on the
tillable ground, lying between them and the mountain they had just
left. The stars shone brightly down upon the trail they were pursuing,
and the trio were proceeding on their way with increased confidence, at
an easy pace, the hunter in the lead. Jam up against him came the
prince and Oza. He had suddenly stopped.
"Why do you halt?" inquired the prince.
Menke only had time to whisper in reply, "Escape, ef ye can; we're
discovered!" when they were set upon by a band of Tepanec soldiers.
The attack was made near a patch of corn, and the prince quickly saw in
it a way of escape. He still carried the stout stick which did him such
excellent service on a former occasion. It was swung into position for
defense, and when the soldiers rushed upon them he met their onslaught
with a resistance they were not expecting. In less time than is
required to record it he cleared a way to the corn, into which he
disappeared, and was lost under the cover of night ere the assaulting
party discovered his intention. Some of the soldiers followed, but to
no purpose; it was a case of life or death to him, and his pursuers
were soon left floundering in confusion behind.
When the hunter discovered that the prince had gotten away, he quietly
surrendered.
The soldiers could only have presumed that Hualcoyotl was one of the
party they were attacking. If he was, a sudden seizure would secure
him. On this hypothesis they had no doubt acted. It was not their
purpose to injure anyone unnecessarily, and the struggle ended as
suddenly as it had begun.
Putting on a bold front, Menke, in a very stern voice, said:
"Why d'ye jump onto a feller an' his men in this way? We're not
outlaws."
"Not so sure of that, stranger," answered one of the soldiers, looking
the hunter over. "You are not the man we want, at any rate; one of your
companions may be. Who are they?"
"They're my servants," replied Menke.
"Which you expect us to believe, of course," returned the soldier,
doubtingly.
"Oza, where's Yuma?" inquired the hunter, holding to his assumed
position of master, hoping it would divert the soldiers from a pursuit
of the prince.
"Yuma ran away like a coward, master," answered Oza, comprehending the
hunter's design.
"Let 'im go; he'll come back with the sun," said Menke, with a show of
indifference.
The soldiers were not to be hoodwinked so easily, but proceeded to
inspect Oza closely. After satisfying themselves that he was not the
person wanted, the spokesman turned to the hunter and said:
"You are quite clever with your tongue, stranger. What you say, may be
true, but we are not obliged to believe it. Your Yuma, who ran away,
showed too much skill to be a servant. We are inclined to believe him
the man we are after."
"As ye please, soldier. Havin' made up yer mind to think that way,
there's no use o' wastin' words 'bout it; an' ef ye've no further use
fur us, we'll move on," spoke Menke, decidedly.
"You can go," returned the soldier, shortly.
The hunter, without deigning to notice the soldiers farther, moved away
from them, followed by Oza. When far enough off to be secure from
observation, he paused to consider what should be done next.
The situation was rather perplexing. It would not do to signal the
prince; that would attract the attention of his pursuers, and make his
position more critical. The hunter was too shrewd to do that. The only
alternative, therefore, was to wait for daylight to come to their
assistance. Having decided on this course a safe place in which to stop
was found, where we leave them to follow Hualcoyotl.
* * * * *
After going some distance into the corn patch, the prince paused to
listen for the noise of pursuit. He could distinctly hear the rustling
of the stalks, but too far away to give him any present concern. He was
safe, he felt, until daylight--at which time, however, he wisely
concluded he would not be if he remained on the plateau; for the
soldiers would surely search it over from end to end, so soon as it
became light enough to see. He must get away, and the sooner he went
the better would be his chances of eluding them. But where should he
go, was the all-important question. His eyes turned toward the mountain
he had just left.
"No, it will not do to go there," he thought; "there is danger in that
direction." He quickly decided to take an opposite course and started.
The uncertainty of the situation led him to dismiss at once the
consideration of an immediate reunion with the hunter and Oza, and
caused him to think only of his personal safety.
He left the patch of corn into which he had fled, and passed stealthily
out onto the uncultivated ground, which he found covered with weeds and
bushes, and very rough. He was compelled to move slowly and pick his
way over it. Coming to another patch of corn he entered it, and after
going a short distance, paused. Casting his eyes about him he
discovered, plainly outlined against the horizon, a mountain, seemingly
not very far off, which until now had escaped his observation, and to
which he determined to go. It took quite a while to reach it, for it
proved to be farther away than he had reckoned. Finally, after a
laborious tramp, he stood at its base, and was glad when he entered its
dense wood where he might rest once more in comparative security. He
went far enough up the side of the mountain to render his position
reasonably safe, where he found a spot which was thickly covered with
bushes, into which he crept to await the morning's dawning. When
daylight spread itself over the scene he was unconscious of it; for he
slept. Later on he awoke to find the sun shining brightly through the
thick foliage about him. His location was found to be well protected
and secure, and he decided to remain in it for the time being.
The prince's situation was now more discouraging, if possible, than at
any previous time. In his efforts to get away from his pursuers he had
put himself beyond the help of the hunter and Oza. It was hardly
possible that they would find him where he was; and it was out of the
question for him to attempt to go to them. His case was hourly becoming
more desperate. Fate seemed to be driving him helplessly before it.
Thus, in temporary security, we leave him for the present.
When day dawned Menke and Oza were on the lookout for Hualcoyotl; and
the soldiers were seen scouring their vicinity in search of him. But,
as the reader knows, Menke and Oza, and the soldiers as well, were
doomed to be disappointed, for the man they were looking for was at
that hour sleeping on a mountain, several miles away.
The soldiers finally gave up the hunt for him on the plateau, and, as
good luck would have it, turned their attention to the mountain he had
previously occupied, believing he had sought the nearest shelter.
The hunter and Oza waited about the place all day, and when night came
on reluctantly turned their steps toward the home of the former.