Mitla wisely concluded it would not do to go back to the place where the man was concealed, just then; so, to consume a little time, went on to the house. After informing her mother and Oxie of her adventure, and cautioning them not to show any interest in her movements, she returned by a roundabout way to the chia patch. Coming to the pile of stalks under which the man was lying, she said--only loud enough for him to hear: "Do not attempt to rise; the soldiers are searching for you among the bushes near by, and might discover you. You will be informed when all danger is past." After thus enlightening him, she went leisurely back to the house, to await her father's return from the mountains, where he had gone in quest of game. The hunter returned early, and Mitla told him of her adventure. He decided at once that the man could not be relieved with safety before dark. In coming to this conclusion he felt, in his kindness of heart, that it was hard on the poor fellow to be left in such a trying position for so long a time, but, with the soldiers in the vicinity and liable to appear at any time, he must bear it if he would escape. The hunter suspected the fugitive's identity, and, while waiting for night to come, when he could go to his relief, occupied the time in ruminating as to how he might best serve him. He haply hit upon an idea which appeared so plausible to him that, with an emphatic slap of the knee, he exclaimed: "Just the thing! I'll save him, or my name's not Tezcot." "What is 'just the thing,' father; and who are you going to save?" asked Mitla, who was present, and somewhat startled by the hunter's sudden outburst. "The prince, child. Who else could I save just now?" he answered, absently. "The prince! what prince?" At this moment a revelation came to Mitla's mind, which was quite a surprise to her, and she said, expressing it: "What a simpleton I have been, father, not to have thought of it before--the man under the pile of chia-stalks is Hualcoyotl, the Tezcucan prince! Is that what you mean?" "Yes, Mit, that is just what I mean." "And you think you can save him?" "I'm sure I can, Mit," answered the hunter, positively. "But, child, ye must ask no questions; I can not answer ye." "Very good, father. I'm sure you will do whatever you think you can," she replied, with the confidence of an unqualified belief in his infallibility. The time dragged along very slowly to the kind-hearted hunter after his conception of a plan for relieving the fugitive. He felt that the poor fellow must certainly be suffering no little agony in his painful position, and his sympathy was stirred accordingly. Night, which was impatiently waited for, came on at last, enveloping the mountains in darkness, obscuring from observation objects at a very short distance. It was the hour of relief for the hapless wanderer hidden out in the chia patch.