"I began to be afraid something had happened to you, chief," said the count.
Upon which Curumilla only smiled. "Everything is ready," he said; "and when the palefaces please, they can penetrate into the defile."
"Do you think your plan will succeed?" Don Tadeo asked anxiously.
"They stand in no need of us; as soon as the fire is alight we will set out in search of the young maiden."
Curumilla, after lighting a bit of tinder which he had in a horn box, collected with his feet a heap of dried leaves, placed the tinder beneath them, and began to blow with all his might. The fire, acted upon by the breeze, which at that height blew strongly, was rapidly communicated, and shortly a thick column of flame mounted roaring to the sky.
"Good!" said Curumilla to his companions; "they see the signal."
"Let us begone, then, without delay," cried the count, impatiently.
The three men plunged into the immense virgin forest which covered the summit of the mountain, leaving behind them that sinister beacon--a signal for murder and destruction. On the plain, Don Gregorio, fearing to advance before he knew what he had positively to trust to, had given orders to his troops to halt. He did not conceal from himself the dangers of his position, so that if he fell in the battle he was about to fight, his honour would be safe and his memory without reproach.
"General," he said, addressing Cornejo, who as well as the senator was close to him, "you are accustomed to war, are an intrepid soldier, and I will not conceal from you that we are in a position of peril.
"Oh! oh!" said the general; "explain, Don Gregorio, explain!"
"The Indians are in ambush in great numbers, to dispute the passage of the defile with us."
"The rascals! Only see now! Why, they will knock us all on the head," the general, still calm, said.
"Oh! it is a horrible trap!" the senator cried.
"Caspita! a trap, I believe it is, indeed!" the general continued. "But you will be able to give us your opinion presently; if, as is not very probable, you come safely through, my friend."
"But I will not go and run my head into that frightful fox's hole!" cried Don Ramón, beside himself.
"Bah! you will fight as an amateur, which will be very handsome on your part."
