'And in which direction do the Guachos believe that their camping-ground lies?' Mr. Jamieson asked after a pause; 'because it appears to me that it is a waste of time to look for the trail, and that our only plan is to push straight on to their villages, which we may reach before they get there. And in that case, if we found them unguarded, we might seize all their women, and hold them as hostages until they return. Then we could exchange them for Ethel; and when we had once got her, we could fight our way back.' 'Capital, capital!' the other English exclaimed. 'Don't you think so, papa?' Hubert added, seeing that Mr. Hardy did not join in the general approval. 'The plan is an admirably conceived one, but there is a great difficulty in the way. I observed yesterday that the trail did not lead due south, as it should have done if the Indians were going straight back to their camping-ground. I questioned the Guachos, and they all agree with me on the subject. The trail is too westerly for the camping-grounds of the Pampas Indians; too far to the south for the country of the Flat-faces of the Sierras. I fear that there is a combination of the two tribes, as there was in the attack upon us, and that they went the first day in the direction which would be most advantageous for both; and that, on reaching their halting-place,--perhaps twenty or thirty miles from here,--they made a division of their booty, and each tribe drew off towards its own hunting-grounds. In this case we have first to find the two trails, then to decide the terrible question, which party have taken Ethel?' Again the Guachos, upon this being translated to them, expressed their perfect accordance with Mr. Hardy's views, and some surprise at his ideas having been so identical with their own upon the subject. As for the six young men, they were too dismayed at the unexpected difficulties which had started up in their way to give any opinion whatever. This uncertainty was terrible, and all felt that it would have a most depressing effect upon themselves and upon the whole expedition; for how could they tell, after journeying for hundreds of miles, whether every step might not take them farther from the object of their search? In this state of depression they remained for some minutes, when Perez the Guacho said, in his broken English, 'Most tribe take most plunder, most cattle, most sheep,--take girl.' 'Well thought of, Perez!' Mr. Hardy exclaimed warmly. 'That is the clue for us, sure enough. As you say, the tribe who has furnished most men will, as a matter of course, take a larger share of the booty; and Ethel, being the only captive, would naturally go to the strongest tribe.' The rest were all delighted at this solution of a difficulty which had before appeared insuperable, and the most lively satisfaction was manifested.