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I turned my horse's head round as quickly as possible, but the ferocious yells which burst out on every side told me that I was discovered." The stranger, in whom the reader has doubtless recognised Gayferos, the unfortunate man who had been scalped, paused an instant as though overcome by horrible recollections.
"There!" cried he, "I see a man approaching at full gallop: it is Gayferos or Cuchillo?" "Pray God it be the latter," said Don Estevan. "I prefer having him near rather than far from my sight." "I think I recognise his grey horse." In a minute, indeed, they recognised Cuchillo himself.
He hesitates; perhaps smiles scornfully upon my little band; I answer him by deeds, as Don Ferdinando, my illustrious grandfather, answered Atahuallpa at Peru, in sight of all his court and camp." "With your lance-point, as Gayferos did the Soldan?" asked Amyas, amused. "No, sir; persuasion first, for the salvation of a soul is at stake. Not with the lance-point, but the spur, sir, thus!"
I thought again of Master Peter's puppet-show and of how the petticoat of the peerless Lady Melisendra caught in one of the iron rails as she was letting herself down from the balcony, so that she hung dangling in midair, and Don Gayferos had to bring her to the ground by main force. The rest of the scene in the grotto could not have gone better and the audience were enthralled by it.
Bois-Rose, looking towards the shore now perceived the unlucky Gayferos stretching out his arms towards him, and feebly calling for help. The dying Indian still held the scalp in his clenched hand. At this terrible spectacle the Canadian drew himself up to his full height. "Fire on these dogs!" cried he, "and remember never let them take you alive."
They testified no surprise on seeing the gambusino, but a lively curiosity was depicted in the glance of each. A look from Gayferos, however, soon satisfied them. That look doubtless assured them that all was as they wished. Fabian alone expressed some astonishment on seeing his old companion so near the Hacienda del Venado.
Then to Gayferos, "We came too late to save the skin of your head, my poor fellow, but console yourself, it is no such dreadful thing. I have many friends in the same condition, who are none the worse for it. Your life is saved that is the great thing and we shall endeavour to bind up your wounds."
Here is water and dried meat, and twenty-four hours will soon pass." It was not without regret that Gayferos consented to this separation; however, reassured by a new promise from the generous hunters, to whom he owed so much, he resigned himself to being left behind. "I have one last word to say to you," said Bois-Rose.
He, like Don Gayferos, "forgot his lady fair and true," and was only anxious about the expected visit of the Marquis of A . Soothfast tidings had assured him that this nobleman was at length, and without fail, to honour his castle at one in the afternoon, being a late dinner-hour; and much was the bustle in consequence of the annunciation.
He, clinging to his shoulders, had the presence of mind to leave his preserver's arms free; who, with his burden, again entered the water, going backwards. Then his rifle was heard, and an Indian's death-cry immediately followed. This valiant retreat, protected by Pepe and Fabian, awed the Indians, and some minutes after, Bois-Rose triumphantly placed the fainting Gayferos on the island.
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