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"Our Indian guide will be able to gain information; and should any of the patriot bands come into the neighbourhood, you will have the opportunity of joining them. I will introduce our friend Kanimapo to you, and you can consult him." The Indian, who was seated at a little distance, near another fire, with Tim, Chumbo, and Candela, was accordingly summoned.
I was afraid to risk a shot at the one with which Chumbo was engaged in combat, lest I might injure him; I therefore rushed forward and dealt it a blow on the head with the butt of my rifle, which fortunately stunned it, and enabled Chumbo to cast it from him to a distance just at the moment that one of its claws had reached his legs.
He told us that he had lost his way, and had caught sight of the banditti, from whom he had been compelled to hide till they had passed to a safe distance; and then, by turning back, he had been fortunate enough to discover the path he and Chumbo ought at first to have followed. We inquired if he had seen Kanimapo; but, as we suspected, he had missed him.
We then told him of the proposal that the animals should be left where they were, with Chumbo to look after them; and that should the enemy appear, Chumbo was to hide himself, and let the animals take their chance though we believed that there was little risk of them being discovered. Tim was eager to go back with us; indeed, he greatly required rest and food.
The two men approached, and to my infinite satisfaction I saw that Gerald was right. Still, I wished to see what Tim would do when he arrived at the barrier. He soon got up there, and I saw him looking about in every direction. He then turned round to his companion. "Faith, Chumbo, I begin to think that, after all, Masther Kanimapo is deceiving us," exclaimed Tim.
For a moment I thought it must be Chumbo; but then I recollected the distance I was from the camp, and that my father would not have allowed him to quit it for such a purpose, as we had as much food as we required. I had no cause to be afraid of the man, whoever he might be; but I advanced cautiously, so as not to alarm him.
Still, we would not let go our prey, and each time we beat them off we ran on, so as to gain a farther distance; till at length, after sweeping round our heads several times, they flew back to finish the carrion feast at which Chumbo had disturbed them, and we carried off their two dead companions in triumph.
So I propose that we camp where we are, and while you go and look for fruits and an opossum, or any other baste you can catch, I'll watch the animals." We waited till Chumbo had gone off on his errand; then leaping down from our hiding-place, Gerald shouted out in Spanish, "Your money or your life!"
They stopped for some time, as if undecided what road to take then moving on, they came directly towards us; and before long we made out two men one leading a couple of horses, and the other the same number of mules. "Hurrah! they must be Tim and Chumbo," exclaimed Gerald, jumping up. "Stay quiet till we are certain," I answered.
Chumbo, on hearing this, soon recovered his calmness, and in a short time returned to the camp with a large bundle of wood. Not having much confidence in the antidote, we expected to hear him soon begin to complain of the sensations which generally result from a snake-bite. I asked Kanimapo what he had given Chumbo.
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