"One of us must become an Indian."
"Become an Indian!" exclaims Ludwig. "What mean you by that, Gaspar?"
"I mean counterfeit a redskin; get disguised as one, and so steal into
their town."
"Ah! now, I understand. But that will be a dangerous thing to do,
Gaspar. If caught--"
"Of course it will be dangerous," interrupts the gaucho. "If caught,
whoever of us it be, would no doubt get his skull crushed in by a
_macana_, or maybe his body burnt over a slow fire. But as you see
everything's dangerous for us now, one may as well risk that danger as
any other. As to counterfeiting an Indian, I propose taking the part
myself; and I should be able to play it pretty well, having, as you both
know, had some experience in that line. It was by a trick of the same
sort I got off from the Guaycurus when I was their prisoner up the
Pilcomayo; and if I hadn't done it neatly, you shouldn't now see me
here."
"How did you manage it?" queries Ludwig mechanically, or rather, to know
how he intended doing it now.
"Well, I borrowed the costume of an ugly savage, who was set to keep
guard over me, having first taken a loan of his hardwood club. The club
I returned to him, in a way he wouldn't have wished had he been awake.
But he was silly enough to go to sleep, and was sleeping when I took
it--ah! and slept on after I returned it--ever after. His dress I kept,
and wore for more than a week--in short, till I got back to Paraguay,
for I was over a week on the road. It fitted me well; so well, that
with some colouring stuff I found in the fellow's pouch, I was able to
paint Indian, pass among the tents of the Guaycurus, and through a crowd
of the savages themselves, without one of them suspecting the trick. In
that way I slipped out of their camp and off. So, by something of the
same I may be able to get the dear little _nina_ out of this town of the
Tovas."
"Oh! do it, Gaspar!" exclaims Cypriano; "do that, and all I have will be
yours."
"Yes! all we both have," adds Ludwig; "all there is at the _estancia_.
But rescue sister, and I'm sure my mother will make you welcome to
everything."
"_Ta-ta_!" returns the gaucho, in a tone of reproach at being thus
bargained with; gentle, however, as he knows it is from their anxiety
about Francesca. "Why, _hijos mios_, what are you speaking of?
Promises to me,--a bribe for but doing my duty! 'Twill be a far day
before Gaspar Mendez will need that for service done to either friend or
relative of his dear dead master--ay, to the laying down of my life.
_Carramba_! are we not all embarked in the same boat, to swim or sink
together? But we sha'n't sink yet; not one of us. No; we shall swim
out of this sea of troubles, and triumphantly. Cease despairing, then;
for after all there mayn't be so much danger. Though Naraguana be dead,
there's one above him, above all, up there in Heaven, who will not
forsake us in this our extremity. Let us kneel and pray to Him."
And they do kneel; Ludwig, as called upon by Gaspar repeating the Lord's
prayer, with a solemnity befitting the occasion.