Once these arrangements were made, Leon counted the hearty men left of his comrades, and ordered three to escort the two generals and Colonel Don Juan, along with Don Pedro's lanceros; then turning to the other five, he said to them--
"My friends, I shall require you to second me in what I am going to undertake; we are going to rescue from the Indians General Soto-Mayor's two daughters."
"What are we to do?" the smugglers asked; "we are ready."
"Wilhelm," said Leon, addressing one of them, "and you, Harrison, will come with me."
"You others," he continued, pointing to the other men who were awaiting his instructions, "will return at once to Valparaíso; the road is a long one, but you must cover it with the greatest promptitude, and I reckon on your punctuality."
"In eight days we shall be at Valparaíso."
"Very good. So soon as you arrive, you will collect the band, and if Crevel has at his disposal twenty resolute fellows, you will enrol them, and I will give you the money for the purpose; but be very careful only to take bold companions like yourselves, and wood rangers accustomed to a life on the Pampas. You understand me?"
"Yes, captain," said Hernandez, a tall fellow, with a hangdog face and of herculean stature, "you can feel perfectly assured."
"And where is the band to go?" his comrade Joaquin asked, as he twisted his black moustache.
"Very good, captain," Hernandez again said; "but are you going to encamp here till we come?"
"No. Harrison alone will be here, and lead you to the spot which I shall inform him of."
Hernandez, Joaquin, and Enrique took leave of the party, and soon found themselves on the road that led to Valparaíso, while the three men told off to serve as an escort to the generals only awaited an order from the latter to place themselves at their disposal.
All at once General Soto-Mayor addressed Leon, who was watching all that went on.
"We are going," the old gentleman said, as he took a parting glance at his wife's tomb; "and I bear with me the assurance which you have given me that you will start at once in search of my daughters."
"You can reckon on it, general; all that it is humanly possible to do I will do, and I hope to have succeeded within two months."