Tranquil found his friends comfortably located in a narrow clearing, near a fire, over which their next meal was cooking. Carmela, a little apart, questioned with an impatient glance the path by which she knew the hunter must arrive. So soon as she perceived him, she uttered a suppressed cry of delight, and made a movement to run and meet him; but she checked herself with a flush, let her head droop, and concealed herself timidly behind a clump of floripondios. Tranquil peacefully dismounted, took the bridle off his horse, which he sent with a friendly slap on the croup to join its comrades, and then sat down by the side of Loyal Heart. "Ouf!" he said, "Here I am, back again, and not without difficulty." "Did you run any dangers?" Loyal Heart asked, eagerly. "Not at all; on the contrary, the Jaguar received me, as he was bound to do, that is, as a friend; and I have only to complain of his courtesy; besides, we have known each other too long for it to be otherwise." Carmela had softly come up to the hunter; she suddenly bent her graceful head down to him, and offered him her forehead to kiss. "Good day, father," she said, demurely, "you have already returned?" "Already!" Tranquil answered, as he kissed her and laughed, "Hang it, girl, it seems as if my absence did not appear to you long." "Pardon me, father, I did not mean that," she said, in great confusion. "What did you mean, then, my child?" "Oh, nothing." "Yes you did, you little rogue! But you cannot deceive me, with all your tricks; I am too old a fox to be taken in by a girl." "You are unkind, father," she answered, with a pout, "you always give a false meaning to what I say." "Only think of that, señorita! Well, do not be in a passion, I have brought you good news." "Do you mean it?" she said, clasping her hands joyfully. "Would you doubt my word?" "Oh, no, father." "Very good, so now sit down by my side and listen." "Speak, speak, father," she exclaimed eagerly, as she took the seat allotted her. "You seem to take great interest in Captain Melendez, my child?" "I, father!" she exclaimed with a start of surprise. "Hang it! I fancy a young lady must feel a lively interest in a person, to take such a step for his sake as you have done." The maiden became serious. "Father," she said a moment later with that little, resolute tone spoilt children know so well how to assume; "I could not tell you why I acted as I did; I swear that it was against my will, I was mad; the thought that the Captain and the Jaguar were about to engage in a mortal combat, made me chill at heart; and yet I assure you, now that I am cool, I question myself in vain to discover the reason which urged me to intercede with you to prevent that combat." The hunter shook his head.