His first act was to make a fire. The night had grown chill enough to
give excuse for one. It was kindled near the centre of the glade. Dry
logs and branches were found among the underwood, and these were brought
forward and heaped upon the pile, until the flames blazed up, illuming
the glade to its very circumference. The huge pitahayas, gleaming in
the red light, looked like columns of stone; and upon these the eyes of
the cibolero were now turned.

Proceeding towards them, knife in hand, he commenced cutting through the
stem of the largest, and its tall form was soon laid prostrate upon the
grass. When down, he hewed both stem and branches into pieces of
various length, and then dragged them up to the side of the fire.
Surely he did not mean to add them to the pile! These green succulent
masses would be more likely to subdue the flame than contribute to its
brilliancy.

Carlos had no such intention. On the contrary, he placed the pieces
several feet from the fire, arranging them in such a manner as to
imitate, as nearly as possible, the form and dimensions of a human body.
Two cylindrical pieces served for the thighs, and two more for the
arms, and these were laid in the attitude that would naturally be
adopted by a person in repose or asleep. The superior shoulder was
represented by the "elbow" of the plant; and when the whole structure
was covered over with the ample "manga" of the cibolero, it assumed a
striking resemblance to the body of a man lying upon his side!

The head, lower limbs, and feet, were yet wanting to complete the
design--for it _was_ a design. These were soon supplied. A round clew
of grass was formed; and this, placed at a small distance from the
shoulders by means of a scarf and the cibolero's hat, was made to look
like the thing for which it was intended--a human head. The hat was
slouched over the ball of grass so as nearly to conceal it, and seemed
as if so placed to keep the dew or the musquitos from the face of the
sleeper!

The lower limbs and feet only remained to be counterfeited. With these
considerable pains had to be taken, since, being nearest to the fire--
according to the way in which hunters habitually sleep--they would be
more exposed to observation than any other part.

All these points had been already considered by the cibolero; and,
therefore, without stopping for a moment he proceeded to finish his
work. His leathern "botas" were pulled off, and adjusted