ntage; giving them evidence that the Indians have gone across the
_arroyo_. For their horses' tracks are distinctly traceable on the
steep faces of both banks; the dust either not having settled there, or
been washed off by the rain which fell after.

Without difficulty they themselves ride across; for the rapid-running
stream has returned to its ordinary dimensions, and is now quite
shallow, with a firm gravelly bed. Once on its western side, however,
and up to the level of the _campo_ beyond, they are again at fault; in
fact, have reached the point spoken of where all certainty is at an end.
Far as they can see before them, the surface is smeared with mud, just
as behind, and no sign of a trail visible anywhere. Like enough the
Indians have still continued on along the river, but that is by no means
sure. They may have turned up the _arroyo_, or struck off across the
pampa, on some route known to them, and perhaps leading more direct to
whatever may be their destination.

It is all conjecture now; and upon this they must rely. But the weight
of probability is in favour of the pursued party having kept to the
river, and Gaspar is of this opinion. After riding some distance up the
western bank of the _arroyo_, and seeing no trail or track there, he
again returns to where they had crossed, saying:--

"I think we may safely stick to the river. I'm acquainted with its
course for at least thirty leagues further up. At about half that
distance from here it makes a big elbow, and just there, I remember, an
old Indian path strikes off from it, to cross a _traveria_. Ha! that's
good as sure to be the route these redskins have taken. For now, I
think of it, the path was a big, broad road, and must have been
much-travelled by Indians of some kind or other. So, _muchachos_; we
can't do better than keep on to where it parts from the water's edge.
Possibly on the _traveria_, which chances to be a _salitral_ as well, we
may find the ground clear of this detestable stuff, and once more hit
off the _rastro_ of these murderous robbers."

His young companions, altogether guided by his counsels, of course offer
no objection; and off they again go up the bank of the broad deep river.

Nor less swiftly do they speed, but fast as ever. For they are not
impeded by the necessity of constantly keeping their eyes upon the
earth, to see if there be hoof-marks on it. There are none; or if any,
they are not distinguishable through