"Very. And I should almost advise you to leave the country, if that were
possible. But reaching the coast in present circumstances is out of the
question. All the ports are in possession of the Spaniards, and the roads
thither beset by guerillas. I see nothing for it but to go on the llanos
and form a guerilla band of our own."

"Isn't guerilla merely another name for brigand?"

"Too often. You must promise the fellows plunder."

"And provide it."

"Of course, or pay them out of your own pocket."

"Well, I am not disposed to become a brigand chief; and I could not keep a
band of guerillas at my own charge even if I were disposed. As we cannot
get out of the country either by the north or east, what do you say to
trying south?"

"How far? To the Brazils?"

"Farther. Over the Andes to Peru."

"Over the Andes to Peru? That is a big undertaking. Do you think we could
find that mountain of gold and precious stones you were telling me about?"

"I never entertained any idea so absurd. I merely mentioned poor old
Zamorra's crank as an instance of how credulous people could be."

"Well, perhaps the idea is not quite so absurd as you suppose. Even
stranger things have happened; and we do know that there is gold pretty
nearly everywhere on this continent, to say nothing of the treasure hidden
in times past by Indians and Spaniards, and we might find both gold and
diamonds."

"Of course we might; and as we cannot stay here, we may as well make the
attempt."

"You are not forgetting that it will be very dangerous? We shall carry our
lives in our hands."

"That will be nothing new; I have carried my life in my hands ever since I
came to Venezuela."

"True, and if you are prepared to encounter the risk and the hardship--As
for myself, I must confess that the idea pleases me. But have you any
money? We shall have to equip our expedition. If there are only four of us
we shall not get beyond the Rio Negro. The Indians of that region are as
fierce as alligators."

"I have a few _maracotes_ in the waistband of my trousers and this ring."

"That ring is worth nothing, my friend; at any rate not more than a few
reals."

"A few reals! It contains a ruby, though you don't see it, worth fully
five hundred piasters--if I could find a customer for it."

"I don't think you will easily find a customer for a ruby ring on the
llanos. However, I'll tell you what. An old friend of mine, a certain
Senor Morillones, has a large