"Well--let me see.--Ah!--a cup of `Bordeos'--that you received by last
arrival."

The claret was ordered and brought up; and the padre, tossing off a
glassful, smacked his lips after it with the air of one who well knew
and appreciated the good quality of the wine.

"_Linda! lindisima_!" he exclaimed, rolling his eyes up to heaven, as if
everything good should come and go in that direction.

"And so, padre," said the impatient Roblado, "you have got your
buffalo-tongues? Your hunters, then, have returned?"

"They have; that is the business that brought me over."

"Good! that was the business that was about to take me to the mission."

"An onza we were both on the same errand!" challenged the padre.

"I won't bet, father; you always win."

"Come! you'd be glad to give an onza for my news."

"What news?--what news?" asked the officers at once, and with hurried
impatience of manner.

"Another cup of Bordeos, or I choke! The dust of that road is worse
than purgatory. Ah! this is a relief."

And again the padre swallowed a large glassful of claret, and smacked
his lips as before.

"Now your news, dear padre?"

"_Pues_, cavalleros--our hunters have returned!"

"_Y pues_?"

"_Pues que_! they have brought news."

"Of what?"

"Of our friend the cibolero."

"Of Carlos?"

"Precisely of that individual."

"What news? Have they seen him?"

"No, not exactly _him_, but _his trail_. They have discovered his lair,
and know where he is at this moment."

"Good!" exclaimed Vizcarra and Roblado.

"They can find him at any time."

"Excellent!"

"_Pues_, cavalleros; that is my news at your service. Use it to your
advantage, if you can."

"Dear padre!" replied Vizcarra, "yours is a wiser head than ours. You
know the situation of affairs. Our troopers _cannot catch_ this
villain. How would you advise us to act?"

The padre felt nattered by this confidence.

"Amigos!" said he, drawing both of them together, "I have been thinking
of this; and it is my opinion you will do just as well without the help
of a single soldier. Take these two hunters into your confidence--so
far as may be necessary--equip them for the work--set them on the trail;
and if they don't hunt down the heretic rascal, then I, Padre Joaquin,
have no knowledge of men."

"Why, padre!" said Roblado; "it's the very thing we have been thinking
about--the very business for which I was about to seek you."

"You had good reason, caval