We had released the brigand from his ropes, and conducted him inside the hut. As soon as he had entered it, he stole cautiously to the back door; and, placing himself behind one of the jambs, remained for some seconds listening. I had given orders that no one should make a noise. There was none heard except the hoarse cataract and the shrill _caracara_. "_Esta bue no_!" he at length ejaculated. "The Moors are gone--the coast is clear." "It is?" I mechanically asked. "_Sin duda, senor_. My _camarados_ have taken their departure. If you wish to cross to the other side there will be no danger now." "We wish it! Quick! Show us the way!" "_Nos vamos_!" The bandit, stepping out upon the ledge--that served as a sort of sill to the back door of the cabin--knelt down upon it. Misled by a former experience, I fancied he was going to offer up a prayer for the success of his treasonable enterprise! I was undeceived, on seeing him glide gently over the edge. I craned my head outward, and looked below. He was already half-way down the cliff, suspended on the llianas that had formed the swing bridge. He was still rapidly descending. In another score of seconds he had reached the base of the barranca; where a narrow shelf of rock afforded him footing by the stream. On touching it, he stopped, looked upwards, and called out:-- "Hola! _senor capitan_! I've forgotten to tell you, that I require assistance. I shall not be able to raise the _puente-hamaca_ myself. You must give me one of your men; or else one of my old _camarados_!" "I know what he means," said the stage-driver, stepping forth as a volunteer, and stooping to take hold of the llianas. "Thar may be treezun in the skunk. I don't think thar is. But if there shed be, cap'n, jest keep a look out acrosst the gulley, an' give 'em plenty o' lead. I know enough o' your fellows, to feel sure they won't make a meal-sieve o' my carcass. Here goes for a bit o' gymnasticks!" Before I could make reply to this extraordinary speech, Sam Brown had disappeared below the level of the doorstep. When I next saw him, he was standing on the ledge below, with the froth of the cataract clouting up around his ankles! CHAPTER FORTY. THE CONSUMMATION. Though by this time the sun was in the sky, it was still sombre darkness at the bottom of the barranca. I could barely distinguish the forms of Sam Brown and the brigand. I was now convinced that the latter had no thought of treachery,--at least as regarded us; and with his treason to his old comrades we had nothing to do. That was an affair between him, and such conscience as he possessed. For a second or two, both stage-driver and salteador were out of sight. When I next set eyes upon them, they were upon the opposite side of the stream--climbing up the escarpment of the cliff, by a zigzag path that appeared to conduct to its summit.