The attack was made near a patch of corn, and the prince quickly saw in it a way of escape. He still carried the stout stick which did him such excellent service on a former occasion. It was swung into position for defense, and when the soldiers rushed upon them he met their onslaught with a resistance they were not expecting. In less time than is required to record it he cleared a way to the corn, into which he disappeared, and was lost under the cover of night ere the assaulting party discovered his intention. Some of the soldiers followed, but to no purpose; it was a case of life or death to him, and his pursuers were soon left floundering in confusion behind. When the hunter discovered that the prince had gotten away, he quietly surrendered. The soldiers could only have presumed that Hualcoyotl was one of the party they were attacking. If he was, a sudden seizure would secure him. On this hypothesis they had no doubt acted. It was not their purpose to injure anyone unnecessarily, and the struggle ended as suddenly as it had begun. Putting on a bold front, Menke, in a very stern voice, said: "Why d'ye jump onto a feller an' his men in this way? We're not outlaws." "Not so sure of that, stranger," answered one of the soldiers, looking the hunter over. "You are not the man we want, at any rate; one of your companions may be. Who are they?" "They're my servants," replied Menke. "Which you expect us to believe, of course," returned the soldier, doubtingly. "Oza, where's Yuma?" inquired the hunter, holding to his assumed position of master, hoping it would divert the soldiers from a pursuit of the prince. "Yuma ran away like a coward, master," answered Oza, comprehending the hunter's design. "Let 'im go; he'll come back with the sun," said Menke, with a show of indifference. The soldiers were not to be hoodwinked so easily, but proceeded to inspect Oza closely. After satisfying themselves that he was not the person wanted, the spokesman turned to the hunter and said: "You are quite clever with your tongue, stranger. What you say, may be true, but we are not obliged to believe it. Your Yuma, who ran away, showed too much skill to be a servant. We are inclined to believe him the man we are after." "As ye please, soldier. Havin' made up yer mind to think that way, there's no use o' wastin' words 'bout it; an' ef ye've no further use fur us, we'll move on," spoke Menke, decidedly. "You can go," returned the soldier, shortly. The hunter, without deigning to notice the soldiers farther, moved away from them, followed by Oza. When far enough off to be secure from observation, he paused to consider what should be done next.