ng, and so enable
somebody else to prepare a warm reception for them. I, therefore,
proceeded to examine the ground carefully, quartering it now in this
direction and now in the other, in search of some mark or sign which
should furnish us with a clue. Nor was my search by any means barren of
results, for after a time I came to a spot where the guinea grass had
been well trampled, indicating, to my mind, that this was the point
where the various divisions of the attacking party, including their
wounded, had rallied, and from which they had begun their retreat. And
in this belief I was fully confirmed, a little later, by finding that
the footmarks led away in a direction that gradually trended round
toward the back of the house, past the coffee plantation, and so back
toward the mountains.

Now, if they had decided to retreat to their mountain fastnesses, there
was no need to trouble further about them, at least for the moment. But
in my walks in the same direction with Don Luis I had noticed several
paths which, I had been informed, led to certain plantations in the
neighbourhood; and it was of course quite possible that the brigands
might be making for one of these; I, therefore, determined to follow up
the trail while it was fresh, and endeavour to obtain some definite clue
to their actual destination. My first idea was to return to the house,
acquaint the occupants with the result of my investigations thus far,
inform them as to my further plans, and then retrace my steps to the
spot where I at that moment stood; but I reflected that to do all this
meant the loss of some twenty minutes or more, which might make all the
difference between success and failure to my plan, so I determined to
push on at once, and immediately proceeded to do so.

I had not proceeded very far before I had conclusive evidence that I was
on the right track by coming upon a wounded negro, who lay fair in the
middle of the path, groaning piteously as he clasped his head, swathed
in a blood-stained bandage, between his hands. I asked him if he was
badly hurt.

"_Si, senor_," he answered; "hurt to the death, I fear, unless I can
obtain speedy help. I could walk no farther, and my companions have
abandoned me. Take me to the house, I pray you, Senor, and let my hurt
be attended to. It will be horrible to die here alone in the open;
moreover, the ants will find me before long, and consider what my fate
will then be."

Dreadful enough,