which had probably been dug out by the
brigands as a cachette for their provisions and the booty which they
could not conveniently carry.

By the conversation of the three fellows, Gabriel conjectured that the
band had gone to a place of rendezvous, on the bank of some river, and
that the party who had carried away our horses was to proceed only six
miles south, to a stream where the track of the horses would be effaced
and lost in case of our pursuit. As soon as they considered that we were
far enough from our encampment, they were to return by another road, and
rejoin the three men left behind. Gabriel conjectured that only four men
had gone away with the horses. After a little consultation, we awoke our
comrades, and explaining to them how matters stood, we determined upon a
counterplot.

It was at first proposed to shoot the three scoundrels left for our
saddle-bags, but reflecting that they were better acquainted than we
were with the locality, and that the report of one of their fire-arms
would excite the suspicion of those who had charge of our horses; we
determined upon another line of conduct. Before daylight, I took my bow
and arrows and succeeded in reaching a secure position, a few yards from
the burrow where the thieves were concealed. Gabriel did the same, in a
bush halfway between the burrow and our encampment. In the meantime,
Roche, with the five Americans played their part admirably--walking near
to the burrow swearing that our horses had been frightened by some
varmin and escaped, and started upon the tracks, with as much noise as
they could make; to deceive the robbers the more, they left their
rifles behind.

As soon as they were gone, the thieves issued from their places of
concealment, and one arming himself with his rifle, "went," as he said,
"to see if the coast was clear," He soon returned with two of our rifles
and a blazing piece of wood, and the worthies began laughing together at
the success of their ruse. They lighted a fire, took another dram, and
while one busied himself with preparing coffee, the other two started,
with no other weapon but their knives, to fetch the saddle-bags
and saddles.

They had not been gone five minutes when I perceived an enormous
rattlesnake, ready to spring, at not half a yard from me. Since my snake
adventure among the Comanches, I had imbibed the greatest dread of that
animal, and my alarm was so great, that I rushed out of my concealment,
and, at a sin