Valentine fastened his lasso to a branch and prepared to slide down, but Curumilla laid a hand on his shoulder.
"You see," Valentine said, pointing to the lasso.
Curumilla shook his head with an air of dissatisfaction.
"Ah, _Canarios!_" the hunter exclaimed, as he struck his forehead, "I did not think about him. Why, I must be going mad. By Jove, chief! You are a precious man, nothing escapes your notice--wait."
Valentine stooped, and forming his hands into a speaking-trumpet, shouted--
The sachem seized the lasso, and by the strength of his wrists raised himself to the branch, where Valentine and Curumilla received him.
"By what chance are you hunting in the forest at this time of night?" the hunter asked him.
Unicorn told him in a few words what had occurred. At this narration Valentine frowned, and in his turn informed the chief of what he had done.
"It is serious," Unicorn said, with a shake of his head.
"It is," Valentine answered; "it is plain the men we seek are not far from here. Perhaps they are listening to us."
"It is possible," Unicorn muttered; "but what is to be done in the darkness?"
"Good! Let us be as clever as they. How many warriors have you down there?"
"Good. Have you among them any in whom you can trust?"
"I do not allude to courage, but to experience."
"That's the man. He will take our place here with his warriors; he will cut off the communication aloft, while my comrades and I follow you. I should like to inspect the spot where your prisoner was tied up."
All was arranged as Valentine proposed. Spider established himself on the trees with his warriors, with orders to keep a good look-out; and Valentine, now sure of having raised an impassible barrier before Red Cedar, prepared to go to the camp, accompanied by Unicorn. Curumilla again interposed.
Valentine was so well acquainted with his comrade's way of speaking, that he understood him at half a word.
"True," he said to Unicorn; "let us go to the camp, proceeding from branch to branch. Curumilla is right; in that way, if Red Cedar is concealed in the neighbourhood, we shall discover him."
The Comanche Sachem nodded his head in assent, and they set out. They had been walking for about half an hour, when Curumilla, who was in front, stopped and uttered a suppressed cry. The hunters raised their heads, and perceived, a few yards above them, an enormous black mass, carelessly swaying about.