But before proceeding further, let us
take a look at this curious thing here, and see what we can make of it.
Besides, our animals need breathing a bit."

So saying, he dismounts, as do the others; and leaving their horses to
stand at rest, all three commence examination of the tract which shows
stirred and trampled.

They see hoof-marks of horses--scores of them--all over the ground for
the space of several perches, and pointed in every direction; among them
also the foot-prints of men, with here and there smooth spots as if
where human bodies had reclined. That both men and horses had been
there is evident, and that they had gone off by the trace running
westward, equally so. But how they came thither is a question not so
easily answered; since the same halting-place shows no track of either
horse or man leading towards it!

Odd all this might appear, indeed inexplicable, to one unacquainted with
the nature of a dust-storm, or unaware of the incidents which have
preceded. But to Gaspar, the gaucho, everything is as clear as
daylight; and, after a short inspection of the "sign," he thus
truthfully interprets it:--

"The redskins had just got thus far, when the _tormenta_ came on. It
caught them here, and that's why we see these smooth patches; they lay
down to let it blow by. Well; there's one good turn it's done us: we
now know the exact time they passed this spot; or, at all events, when
they were on it. That must have been just after we entered the cave,
and were engaged with the _tigre_--I mean it Number 1. No doubt by the
time we tackled the old Tom, they were off again. As, you see,
_muchachos_, some little rain has sprinkled that trail since they passed
over it, which shows they went away in the tail of that terrific shower.
So," he adds, turning round, and stepping back towards his horse,
"there's nothing more to be done but ride off after them; which we may
now do as rapidly as our animals can carry us."

At this they all remount, and setting their horses' heads to the Indian
trail, proceed upon it at a brisk pace; no longer travelling tandem, but
broadly abreast.

CHAPTER FORTY TWO.

PICKING UP PEARLS.

From their new point of departure, the trackers have no difficulty about
the direction; this traced out for them, as plain as if a row of
finger-posts, twenty yards apart, were set across the _salitral_. For
at least a league ahead they can distinguish the white list, where the
saline e