"Whence, then, the haste you showed to join me again?"
"Oh! Excellency, it is not much; but an idea occurred to me--something I wished you to see."
"Ah, ah!" Don Sylva said. "What is it, my lad?"
"Look, excellency," the capataz continued, pointing in a south-western direction.
"Ah! What is that? A fire, if I am not mistaken."
"It is indeed a fire, excellency. Look here;" and he pointed east-south-east.
"There's another. Who on earth has lighted the fires on those scarped points? What can their object be?"
"Oh! It is easy enough to understand that, excellency."
"Do you think so, my boy? Well, then you will explain it to me."
"I am willing to do so. Stay," he said, pointing to the first fire: "that hill is the Cerro del Gigante."
"And that," the capataz continued, pointing to the second fire, "is the Cerro de San Xavier."
"As we know that a fire cannot kindle itself, and as people do not amuse themselves with a fire when the thermometer is up at a hundred--"
"That those fires have been lighted by robbers or Indians, who have had scent of our departure."
"Stay, stay! That is most logical, my friend. Continue your explanation, for it interests me enormously."
Don Sylva's capataz, or steward, was a tall, herculean fellow of about forty, devoted body and soul to his master, who placed the greatest confidence in him. The worthy man bowed with a smile of satisfaction on hearing the hacendero's kind remarks.
"Oh! Now," he went on, "I have not much more to say, except that the ladrones who are watching us know, through that signal, that Don Sylva de Torrés and his daughter have left Guaymas for the Rancho."
"My faith! You are right. I had forgotten all those details. I did not think of all the birds of prey that are watching our passage. Well, after all, though, what do we care if the bandits are at our heels? We do not hide ourselves. Our start took place in the presence of plenty of persons. We are numerous enough not to fear any insult; but if any of those picaros dare to attack us, cascaras! They will find their work cut out for them, I am convinced. Push on, then, without any fear, Blas, my boy! Nothing unpleasant can happen to us."
The capataz saluted his master and galloped back to the head of the column. An hour later they reached the Rancho without any accident.