what was wanted, and, laying his nose to the ground, ran
forward silently. The hunter again climbed back to his saddle, and both
he and his companion spurred their horses so as to keep pace with the
bloodhound.

This was easy enough, though the moon was no longer seen. The colour of
the dog--a very light red--rendered him conspicuous against the dark
greensward, and there were neither bushes nor long grass to hide him.
Moreover, by the instruction of his master, he moved slowly along the
trail--although the scent was still fresh, and he could have gone at a
much faster rate. He had been trained to track slowly in the night, and
also to be silent about it, so that the "bay" peculiar to his race was
not heard.

It was two hours, full time, before they came in sight of the grove
where the cibolero had halted. The moment the mulatto saw the timber,
he pointed to it, muttering to his companion:--

"See, boy Pepe! dog make for island--see! Bet onza guero there. Dam!
there sure!"

When they had arrived within five or six hundred yards of the grove--it
was still but dimly visible under the darkening sky--the yellow hunter
called the dog off the trail, and ordered him to keep behind. He knew
that the horseman must have passed either into the grove or close beside
it. In either case his trail could be easily taken up again. If--as
the mulatto from his excited manner evidently believed--their victim was
still in the grove, then the dog's sagacity was no longer needed. The
time was come for them to take other measures.

Diverging from his forward course, the yellow hunter rode in a circle,
keeping at about the same distance from the edge of the timber. He was
followed by his companion and the dogs.

When opposite the gap made by the avenue, a bright blaze struck suddenly
upon their eyes, causing both to rein up with an exclamation of
surprise. They had arrived at a point commanding a view of the glade,
in the centre of which they perceived a large fire!

"Told so, boy Pepe! fool's asleep yonder--never dream could trail him by
night--don't like cold--good fire--believe safe enough. Know that
glade--cunning place--only see fire from two points. Ha! yonder horse!"

The figure of a horse standing near the fire was plainly discernible
under the light.

"Dam!" continued the hunter; "guero bigger fool than thought 'im.
Mighty God, see! believe 'im sleep yonder! him, sure!"

As the mulatto uttered these words, he