CHAPTER THIRTEEN.
WHO GOES THERE?
At a glance Costal saw what the strange object was--a broad band of goldlace encircling a _sombrero_, and placed, Mexican fashion, around theunder edge of the brim. The cigar illuminating the lace had deceivedthe negro, guiding him to the idea of a diadem!
"_Carajo_!" muttered Costal between his teeth, "I told you so. Did Inot say that some profane white had hindered the Siren from appearing?"
"You were right," replied Clara, ashamed at the mistake he had made, andfrom that time losing all belief in the _genius_ of the cascade.
"An officer!" murmured Costal, recognising the military equipments ofthe dragoon, who, with a carbine in one hand, and his bridle in theother, sat smoking his cigar, as immoveable as a statue.
"Who goes there?" cried Costal, saluting him in a loud, bold voice.
"Say, rather, who stands there?" responded Don Rafael, with equalfirmness, at the same moment that he recognised in the speaker theIndian whose incantation he had witnessed.
"Delighted to hear you speak at last, my fine fellows," continued thedragoon in his military off-hand way, at the same time causing his horseto step forward face to face with the adventurers.
"Perhaps we are not so much pleased to hear you," replied Costalroughly, as he spoke, shifting his gun from one shoulder to the other.
"Ah! I am sorry for that," rejoined the dragoon, smiling franklythrough his thick moustache, "for I'm not inclined to solitary habits,and I'm tired of being here alone."
As Don Rafael said this, he placed his carbine back into its sling, andrebuckled the straps around it, as if it was no longer required. Thishe did notwithstanding the half-hostile attitude of the adventurers.
The act did not escape the quick perception of the Indian; and, alongwith the good-humour manifest in the stranger's speech, made aninstantaneous impression upon him.
"Perhaps," added Don Rafael, plunging his hand into the pocket of his_jaqueta_, "you have no good feeling towards me for disturbing you inyour proceedings, which I confess I did not understand. Neither didthey concern me; but you will excuse a strayed traveller, who wished toinquire his way; and as I had no means of making myself heard to you, Iwas forced to adopt the method I did to draw your attention. I hopethat on reflection you will do justice to my dexterity in taking carethat none of the stones should hit you."
As he finished speaking the dragoon took a dollar from his purse, andoffered it to the Indian.
"Thank you," said Costal, delicately refusing the piece, but whichClara, less scrupulous, transferred to his pocket. "Thank you,_cavallero_! May I ask where you are going?"
"To the hacienda Las Palmas."
"Las Palmas?"
"Yes--am I far from it?"
"Well," replied Costal, "that depends on the road you take."
"I wish to take the shortest. I am rather pressed for time."
"Well, then--the road which is the shortest is not that which you willfind the most easy to follow. If you wish to go by the one on whichthere is the least danger of your getting astray, you will follow up thecourse of this river. But if you wish a shorter route--one which avoidsthe windings of the stream--you will go that way."
As Costal finished speaking, he pointed in a direction very differentfrom that which he had indicated as the course of the river.
The Indian had no design of giving a false direction. Even had thelittle resentment, which he had conceived for the stranger, not entirelypassed, he knew that he dared not mislead a traveller on the way to thehacienda, of which he was himself a servitor. But he no longer held anygrudge against the young officer, and his directions were honestlymeant.
While they were speaking, another of those terrible screams that hadperplexed the traveller broke in upon the dialogue. It was the cry ofthe jaguar, and came from the direction in which lay the route indicatedby Costal as the shortest.
"What on earth is that?" inquired the officer.
"Only a jaguar searching for prey," coolly responded Costal.
"Oh!" said the dragoon, "is that all? I was fancying it might besomething more fearful."
"Your shortest route, then, lies that way," said Costal, resuming hisdirections, and pointing with his gun towards the spot where the howl ofthe tiger had been heard.
"Thank you!" said the horseman, gathering up his reins, and heading hishorse to the path. "If that is the shortest, I shall take it."
"Stay!" said Costal, approaching a little nearer, and speaking with morecordiality than he had yet shown.
"_Oigate, senor cavallero_! A brave man like you does not need to bewarned of every danger; but one ought to be informed of the dangers onemust meet."
Don Rafael checked his horse.
"Speak, friend," said he; "I shall not listen to you ungratefully."
"To reach from here the hacienda of Las Palmas," continued Costal,"without going astray, or making detours, be careful always to keep themoon to your left, so that your shadow may be thrown on the right--alittle slanting--just as you are at this moment. Moreover, when youhave started, never draw bridle till you have reached the house of DonMariano de Silva. If you meet a ditch, or brake, or ravine, cross themin a direct line, and don't attempt to go round them."
The Indian gave these directions in so grave a tone of voice, and withsuch solemnity of manner, that Don Rafael was struck with surprise.
"What frightful danger is it that threatens me?" he inquired at length.
"A danger," replied Costal, "compared with which that of all the tigersthat ever howled over these plains is but child's play--the danger ofthe _inundation_! Perhaps before an hour has passed, it will comesweeping over these savannas like a foaming sea. The _arriero_ and hismules, as well as the shepherd and his flocks, will be carried away byits flood, if they don't succeed in reaching the shelter of that veryhacienda where you are going. Ay! the very tigers will not escape, withall their swiftness."
"I shall pay strict attention to the directions you have given me," saidthe officer--once more about to ride off--when just then he rememberedhis fellow-traveller whom he had left on the road.
In a few hurried words he made known to the Indian the situation of theyoung student of theology.
"Make your mind easy about him," replied the latter. "We shall bringhim to the hacienda to-morrow, if we find him still alive. Think onlyof yourself, and those who might bewail your death. If you meet thejaguars don't trouble yourself about them. Should your horse refuse topass them, speak to him. If the brutes come too near you, let them hearyou as well. The human voice was given us to procure respect, which itwill do from the most ferocious of animals. The whites don't knowthis--because fighting the tiger is not their trade, as it is that ofthe red man; and I can tell you an adventure of this kind that I oncehad with a jaguar--Bah; he's gone!"
The last exclamatory phrases were drawn from the speaker, on perceivingthat the horseman, instead of staying to listen to his tale ofadventure, had put spurs to his horse, and suddenly ridden away.
In another instant he was beyond earshot, galloping over the moonlitplain in the direction of the hacienda Las Palmas.
"Well!" cried Costal, as he stood gazing after him, "he's a frank bravefellow, and I should be very sorry if any mischance were to happen tohim. I was not pleased about his interrupting us. It was a pity, to besure; but after all, had I been in his place I should have done just ashe did. Never mind," he added, after a pause, "all is not over--weshall find another opportunity."
"Hum!" said Clara, "I think the sooner we get out of the neighbourhoodof these tigers the better for our skins. For my part, I've had enoughadventure for one day."
"Bah! still frightened about the tigers! For shame, Clara! Look atthis young man, who never saw a jaguar in his life; and heeds them nomore than so many field mice. Come along!"
"What have we to do now?"
"The spirit of the waters," replied Costal, "does not show herself inthe cascade alone. She ap
pears also to those who invoke her with theconch, amidst the yellow waves of the inundation. To-morrow we may tryagain."
"What about the young fellow whom the officer has recommended to ourcare?"
"We shall go to look after him in the morning. Meanwhile, we must havesome rest ourselves. Let us climb out of the ravine, and carry thecanoe up to the summit of the _Cerro de la Mesa_. There we shall sleeptranquilly, without fear either of floods or jaguars."
"That's just the thing," said Clara, his black face brightening up atthe prospect of a good night's rest. "To say the truth, friend Costal,I'm tired enough myself. Our gymnastics up yonder, on the _ahuehuetes_,have made every bone in my body as sore as a blister."
And as the two _confreres_ ended their dialogue, they stepped brisklyforward, and were soon at the top of the precipitous path that led upfrom the ravine.