“I am afraid, _señor_, that the men will not do as you order, in that case. They are frightened now. They know they are lost if they do not strike immediately. They may even turn against you----” “Hah!” “It is to be expected, _señor_--many of them will pay forfeit with their lives if the conspiracy is not successful. Come with me to the rancho as soon as night falls, _señor_--and give the word. Every hour we delay they will be making preparations at the mission and presidio.” “At least,” replied the caballero, “I’ll go with you to the rancho at fall of night.” The Indian showed his delight in his face. Without a word he slipped away down the cave toward the streak of light in the distance, and the caballero stood beside his horse, listening, waiting, trying to pierce the gloom with his eyes. “Dead or alive, eh?” he muttered. “I would I had slain this pretty gentleman at San Diego de Alcalá when I had the opportunity!” It was an hour before the gentile returned--an hour during which the caballero often led his horse through the cave to the exit and looked out over the valley, but dared not leave until he received the Indian’s report. And then the native slipped in past the rocks and stood before him. “I have been over the hill, _señor_,” he said. “The soldiers burned the camp in the cañon and then went back. They have been scattered over the hills, and two rode away down the valley, probably to spread the alarm and warn rancho owners to watch for you. It will soon be dark, and we can leave this cave.” “The soldiers will remain in the hills for the night?” the caballero asked. “They would fear to do that, _señor_, if they think we contemplate an attack. They will return to the mission, perhaps, and spend the night there, and go into the hills at dawn again. Two men remain at the presidio with the sergeant who brought the warning, I heard them say. If we could take the presidio to-night, _señor_, and get the arms there----” “It may be a trap,” the caballero said. “I know the tricks of the soldiers, remember. It would be better to be guided by me in these matters.” The gentile replied nothing, but the expression of his face told that he was not pleased. For another hour they remained in the cave, scarcely speaking, and then the Indian crept to the entrance, remained there for a time, and returned to say that it was time to go. Emerging from the cavern, they made their way slowly, and as silently as possible, down the slope to the floor of the cañon, and along this they hurried, the Indian leading, the caballero walking beside his horse. Out upon a plain trail that ran to the south the caballero mounted, with the gentile behind him. At a trot they went along the trail, stopping now and then to listen for sounds of other horsemen, the caballero waiting at every likely ambush until the Indian had made an investigation.