Just about the moment when Pepe Lobos and his comrades had made their
dispositions for advancing into the thicket, Don Rafael awoke from his
prolonged slumber. On first opening his eyes, the glare of the sunlight
so dazzled them, that he inquired of himself where he was. Presently,
however, objects appeared more distinctly; and he became aware of the
extraordinary situation in which he had placed himself.
He had scarce time for a single reflection, when his attention was drawn
to a rustling among the leaves at a short distance off; and, looking
diagonally downward, he perceived two men on foot advancing towards the
cedrela.
On first awaking, he had felt such an extreme lassitude throughout all
his limbs, that he could scarce believe himself to have slept as long as
he had done. The height of the sun, however, proclaimed that he had
slumbered for many hours.
Notwithstanding the strong desire he had to descend from his
uncomfortable couch, at the sight of the two men he prudently deferred
his intention. He took the precaution, however, to untie the sash that
bound him to the branches--doing this as gently as possible--while he
kept his eyes fixed upon the new-comers, who, to say the least,
presented a suspicious appearance.
The costume of both was odd enough, and altogether unsuited for
traversing such a thorny jungle as that through which they were passing.
It consisted merely of a shirt and cotton drawers--while each of them
carried in hand a large parcel. Although the night had been dry
throughout, the garments of both pedestrians appeared saturated with
water!
Without the slightest suspicion that Don Rafael was in the tree, or that
any other human being was near, the two men were nevertheless moving
with cautious steps. Now they looked to the right, and then to the
left, with quick earnest glances--as if they were either searching for
something, or in dread that an enemy might be concealed in the bushes.
"These droll fellows," said the Colonel to himself, "are either
searching for some one, or fear that some one is searching for them--
which of the two?"
He watched them, listening attentively.
The same reason which had induced Don Rafael to select this part of the
wood as a hiding-place--that is the impenetrability of the thicket that
surrounded it--seemed to have influenced in like manner the two
thinly-clad pedestrians.
"We had better stop here," said one to the other, as both came to a
halt, "at least until we can put on our clothes again."
"Agreed," was the response; "but we must make our stay as short as
possible: we should by this time have been far along the road to
Huajapam."
Each at the same moment untied the parcel which he carried, and which
consisted of his upper garments that had been kept dry. Then stripping
off their wet shirts and drawers, they commenced dressing themselves in
their proper habiliments.
"So, amigo!" said the first speaker, pointing to a small packet which
the other had been carrying, "that, you tell me, is worth its weight in
gold?"
"Yes; and you shall soon find that you have nothing to regret in helping
me to escape, and sharing with me the douceur we shall receive on
presenting it. If we are only lucky enough to get away from this
neighbourhood--I have no doubt they will pursue us."
"We may be certain of that, _compadre_; but don't be uneasy about their
finding us. If we should fall into the hands of any of those who are
besieging Del Valle, trust me for getting clear of them. As they are my
comrades, and don't know yet that I have run away, I shall be able to
mislead them. I can tell them, that I have been sent along with you, to
receive the ransom of one of our prisoners."
"What if they should carry us back to Arroyo's camp?"
"Why, in that case we shall both be hanged. What matters it, a little
sooner or later--it is the common lot?" philosophically added Juan el
Zapote--for it was he, in company with the messenger whom he had aided
in making his escape. "Never mind, _compadrito_," he continued in a
more cheering tone, "I shall do my best to get _you_ clear of the scrape
anyhow."
"_Santa Virgen_!" mentally ejaculated the Colonel. "This droll fellow,
who thinks it is the lot of all men to be hanged sooner or later,
appears to be so sure of the fact, that it would not expose him to much
more risk to conduct me also to a safer harbour."
And in making this reflection, Don Rafael caught hold of the llianas by
which he had climbed up; and at the risk of leaving some of his garments
behind him, sprang out from between the branches, and dropped down
between the two pedestrians with a suddenness that stupefied them.
The man who was to pay so dear for the precious packet sent him by
Gertrudis, was now face to face with the messenger who bore it; and yet
neither of them knew the other!
"Hush!" said the Colonel, taking the initiative, "you have nothing to
fear. I promise you my protection; but first lay down your arms!"
Zapote had drawn his long dagger, and stood ready to use it against the
first enemy who came near, with that indifference peculiar to one who
believed in the rope or garotte as the necessary termination of his
life. But Don Rafael had at the same instant caught hold of his arm,
which he held with a grasp, that proved he could also become as terrible
an antagonist as he might be a powerful protector.
"Who are you?" simultaneously inquired the two fugitives.
"Ah! it might be indiscreet in me to tell you that," replied Don Rafael.
"I am a young man who has just sprung down from the tree above you, as
you may see by my hat still sticking up there among the branches."
Without letting go his hold of Zapote the Colonel raised himself on his
toes; and, stretching his arm upwards, proceeded to disengage the
insurgent's hat from among the branches.
"So, amigos!" continued he as soon as he had recovered his hat. "You
are fleeing from the guerilleros of Arroyo? Well--so am I: that is
enough for you to know at present. You are two and I only one; but let
me plainly tell you, that if you do not make common cause with me, I
shall be under the necessity of killing you both. Now you may choose--
Yes or no!"
"_Carrambo_!" exclaimed Zapote, not ill pleased with the frank, off-hand
manner of the stranger, "what a capital trader you would make with your
roundabout way of coming to terms! Well, cavallero! what can we do for
you?"
"Pass me off with these fellows of Arroyo: as you are intending to do
your comrade here. Say that I am charged with the ransom of a prisoner
at the hacienda Del Valle, and thus obtain for me permission to pass the
lines. If you do this, I promise you a recompense. And since you are
both about to share the bounty of some one between you--"
"Only a little commission," interrupted Zapote; "and if you knew what it
is--"
"Oh, I have no intention of claiming my third in the reward. I don't
care to know what it is."
"But you shall know, for all that," replied Zapote, apparently carried
away by an irresistible desire of giving his confidence. "Among
friends--for we are so at present--there should be no concealment."
"Well, then, what is it?" inquired the Colonel.
"It is the will of a rich uncle in favour of a nephew who believed
himself disinherited, and to whom we are now taking it. You may fancy
whether we have just grounds for expecting a good perquisite."
"Are you sure that the will is not a false one?" inquired the Colonel,
not without suspicions as to the veracity of Zapote.
"Neither of us knows how to read," replied the ex-guerillero, with an
air of affected innocence.
"But take my word for it, cavallero," he hastily added, "we had better
get out of this place as quickly as we can. We have already lost too
much time."
"But my horse," objected the Colonel, "what's to be done with him?"
"Oh, you have a horse? Well, then, the best way is to leave him behind:
he will only embarrass you."
"He would certainly do so," interrupted the messenger, "if he was like a
horse I once knew. Ah, that was a devil of an animal! If you had only
heard--"
The man was alluding to a horse he had once seen in the stables of his
master, Don Mariano de Silva, and which was no other than Roncador
himself. He was about to recount the peculiarities of this famous
steed--which would no doubt have led to a recognition between himself
and Don Rafael--when his speech was interrupted by voices heard in
different directions, as if men were approaching the spot from different
sides.
Both Don Rafael and the messenger interrogated with anxious regard the
countenance of Zapote.
"_Carrambo_!" exclaimed the latter, "it may be more serious than I
thought."
The voices had now broken forth into shouts and cries--as if uttered by
men engaged in a chase; and the sounds expressed a sort of vengeful
resolve--on the part of those who uttered them--not to show mercy or
give quarter.
El Zapote looked for some moments with fixed gaze upon the royalist
fugitive, who with the felt hat of an insurgent, the jacket of an
infantry soldier, and the pantaloons of a dragoon officer, presented a
somewhat motley appearance.
"You are a man who has just dropped down from a tree," said he. "I will
not deny that fact; but if you are the only one about here, I should say
there is a royalist in this wood, that these fellows are about to hunt
to death."
"On my side I shall be frank with you," answered Don Rafael. "You have
guessed rightly: I am in the King's cause."
"These shouts," continued Zapote, "the meaning of which I understand
full well, denote that there is a royalist hidden in these woods, who is
to be taken dead or alive. Have the men who are pursuing you ever seen
you?"
"I killed two of their number yesterday evening. There were others who,
no doubt, saw me."
"Then there is no hope of my being able to pass you off as an ordinary
prisoner, like my companion here, who is neither royalist nor
insurgent."
"It is very doubtful, to say the least," remarked Don Rafael, in a
desponding tone.
"Altogether impossible; but I can promise you one thing, however: that
we shall not betray you, should we fall in with these pursuers.
Moreover, I shall endeavour to throw them off your scent: for I am
beginning to tire of this brigand life of theirs. On one condition, how
ever."
"Name it!" said the Colonel.
"That you will permit us to part company with you. I can do nothing to
save you--you know it--while you may only ruin us, without any profit to
yourself. On the other hand your fate has become in a manner linked
with ours; and to abandon you in the midst of danger would be a baseness
for which I could never pardon myself."
There was in the words of Zapote an accent of loyalty, which moved the
Colonel to admiration, in spite of himself.
"Have no care for me," resolutely rejoined Don Rafael. "Go which way
you please without me; and I hope," he added with a smile, "that you
will reach that nephew you speak of, and safely deliver to him his
uncle's will!"
"After all, _amigo_," he continued in a more serious tone, "I have but
little reason to care for life more than yourself. A little sooner or a
little later, what matters it? Only," added he, smiling, "I should not
exactly fancy to be hanged."
"Thanks for your permission that we should part from you," said Zapote;
"but, Senor Cavallero, a word before you go. If you take my advice, you
will climb back into that tree where no one will suspect your presence."
"No," interrupted Don Rafael. "Up there I should be as a jaguar pursued
by hounds--without the power to defend myself; and I am like the
Indians, I wish, on entering the other world, to send as many enemies
before me as possible."
"Well, then, do better still--make towards the river; keep due south
from this place; and, on reaching the banks of the Ostuta, you will see
a vast thicket of bamboos--in which my comrade and myself have just
found a refuge, and where we might have remained safe from enemies till
the day of judgment, had we not to go forward upon our errand. If you
can only succeed in reaching the bamboos, you are saved."
Saying this El Zapote, followed by his companion, turned his face
northward, and striking off into the thicket but were soon lost to Don
Rafael's sight.