or I'm not inclined to solitary habits,
and I'm tired of being here alone."

As Don Rafael said this, he placed his carbine back into its sling, and
rebuckled the straps around it, as if it was no longer required. This
he did notwithstanding the half-hostile attitude of the adventurers.

The act did not escape the quick perception of the Indian; and, along
with the good-humour manifest in the stranger's speech, made an
instantaneous impression upon him.

"Perhaps," added Don Rafael, plunging his hand into the pocket of his
_jaqueta_, "you have no good feeling towards me for disturbing you in
your proceedings, which I confess I did not understand. Neither did
they concern me; but you will excuse a strayed traveller, who wished to
inquire his way; and as I had no means of making myself heard to you, I
was forced to adopt the method I did to draw your attention. I hope
that on reflection you will do justice to my dexterity in taking care
that none of the stones should hit you."

As he finished speaking the dragoon took a dollar from his purse, and
offered it to the Indian.

"Thank you," said Costal, delicately refusing the piece, but which
Clara, less scrupulous, transferred to his pocket. "Thank you,
_cavallero_! May I ask where you are going?"

"To the hacienda Las Palmas."

"Las Palmas?"

"Yes--am I far from it?"

"Well," replied Costal, "that depends on the road you take."

"I wish to take the shortest. I am rather pressed for time."

"Well, then--the road which is the shortest is not that which you will
find the most easy to follow. If you wish to go by the one on which
there is the least danger of your getting astray, you will follow up the
course of this river. But if you wish a shorter route--one which avoids
the windings of the stream--you will go that way."

As Costal finished speaking, he pointed in a direction very different
from that which he had indicated as the course of the river.

The Indian had no design of giving a false direction. Even had the
little resentment, which he had conceived for the stranger, not entirely
passed, he knew that he dared not mislead a traveller on the way to the
hacienda, of which he was himself a servitor. But he no longer held any
grudge against the young officer, and his directions were honestly
meant.

While they were speaking, another of those terrible screams that had
perplexed the traveller broke in upon the dialogue. It was the cry of
the jagu