"Let us then follow the track of Antinahuel," said Valentine gaily. "That will not be difficult."
"My brother is mistaken; we will follow the track of Antinahuel, but we will do so after the Indian fashion."
"If we were to blindly follow the track of the Toqui," he said, "as he has two days in advance of us, and he is on horseback, and we on foot."
"Caramba!" said the young man, "that is true. I did not think of that. How can we procure horses?"
"We do not require any in the mountains; we travel more quickly on foot. We will cut the track in a straight line; every time we fall in with it we will carefully note its direction, and we will continue acting thus till we feel certain of finding that of the pale maiden."
"Yes," Valentine replied; "your plan is ingenious; you are certain not to lose your way or your time."
"Let my brother be satisfied on those points."
"Tell me, travelling thus, as the bird flies, when do you think we are likely to overtake the man?"
"By the evening of the day after tomorrow."
"What! so quickly as that? It is incredible!"
"My brother will reflect; whilst our enemy will travel four leagues across the plain, by following the road we are about to take, we shall travel eight on the mountains."
"Pardieu! we must apply to you to know how to overcome distance. Act exactly as you think best, chief."
"Shall we start at once, then?" Valentine asked.
"Not yet," replied the Ulmen; "everything is a guide in the desert; if it should happen that we who pursue, should, in our turn, be pursued, your boots would betray us. Take them off, and the Araucano warriors will be blind."
Without making a reply, Valentine took off his boots, and took moccasins.
"Now," said the Parisian, laughing, "I suppose I may as well throw the boots into the river."
"By no means, my brother!" Trangoil-Lanec replied seriously; "the boots must be taken care of."
The two young men had each a leathern knapsack, which they carried on their shoulders, and containing their absolute necessaries. Without a word, they fastened the boots to the knapsack, and buckled it on their shoulders. Curumilla had soon finished his job, and he gave each of them a pair of moccasins, exactly like his own, which he tied on for them.