ndertake to do this?"

"Senor Teniente, I will," answered the young Spaniard, "and there is my
hand on it. One thing, however, I must ask," he continued. "How will
you deliver me from the hate of yonder black devil by the fire? But
for you he would have taken my life long since, and when he discovers
that you do not intend to kill me, he will assuredly make an attempt to
do so."

"I have no doubt he would if he had a chance," replied Ridge, "but we
must take turns at watching, and see that he doesn't get one. I will
remain on guard the first half of the night, since you need sleep more
than I, and will also show how fully I trust you by restoring your
pistol."

"Your confidence will not be misplaced, senor."

With these arrangements perfected, the little camp sank into quiet, the
only sounds being the chirping of insects, the harsh cries of night
birds, and those made by the horses, which occasionally snorted at some
fancied alarm. The two white men lay in their respective hammocks
under the rude thatch of palm leaves, while Dionysio occupied a similar
but smaller shelter beyond the fire.

For a long time Ridge watched the flicker of its flames, until they
finally died down, and the darkness was only illumined by the fitful
flashing of fire-flies. As these were the most brilliant he had ever
seen, his eyes followed their zig-zag dartings until they exercised a
hypnotic influence, and his heavy breathing showed him to be fast
asleep.

A few minutes later the occupant of the other hammock lifted his head
and listened. Then he slipped noiselessly to the ground and
disappeared in the profound darkness at the back of the hut. For an
hour longer the peace of the camp was unbroken. At the end of that
time one of the horses snorted more loudly than usual, while the other
dropped heavily to the ground as though lying down.

After awhile, if Ridge had been awake, he might have noted a slight
rustling in the grass, as though some animal were making a cautious way
through it towards the hut. But his slumber was too profound to be
easily broken, and no instinct warned him of approaching danger.

The rustling drew closer, until it sounded within a few feet of the
unconscious sleeper. Then a black bulk slowly lifted from the ground,
and gradually assumed the proportions of a man standing motionless. Of
a sudden this figure, whose blurred outlines were barely discernible,
made a quick movement, and the hammock of