Wearied with my efforts, I gave up pressing him any more, and resigned myself to speaking only of his flocks. Towards three o'clock in the afternoon don Torribio informed me that our journey was at an end, and that we were about to return to the rancho, from which we were then distant four or five leagues. A ride of five leagues, after a day passed in an adventurous gallop, is but a trifle for gauchos mounted on the untiring horses of the pampa. Our horses brought us in less than two hours in sight of the rancho, without a hair being moistened. A horseman advanced at full speed to meet us. This horseman--I recognised him immediately with feelings of joy--was don Zeno Cabral. "There you are, then," said he, riding up by the side of us, "I have been waiting for you for an hour." Then, addressing me, he added, "I bring you a surprise, which I think will be agreeable to you." "A surprise," I cried, "what is it?" "You shall see; I am convinced you will thank me." "I thank you in advance," I answered, "without seeking to guess of what character this surprise is." "Look," answered he, stretching out his arm in the direction of the rancho. "My guide," I cried; recognising my rascal of an Indian, firmly tied to a tree. "Himself! What do you think of that?" "Upon my word, it appears to be a marvel; I cannot understand how you have been able to meet with him." "Oh! That is not so difficult as you suppose, especially with the information you gave me. All these vagabonds are of the family of wild beasts; they have hiding places from which they never go far. For a man habituated to the pampa, nothing is more easy than to put his hand upon them; this one, especially, trusting to your ignorance of the desert, did not take the trouble to conceal himself. He travelled openly and quietly, persuaded that you would not dream of pursuing him. This confidence, however, has ruined him, and I leave you to guess his fright when I surprised him unawares." "All that is very well," I answered; "but what do you wish that I should do with this pícaro?" "What!" he cried with astonishment, "What do I wish you to do? I wish that you should first correct him, in a style he will remember; then, as you have engaged him to serve as guide as far as Brazil, and as he has received in advance a part of the price agreed on, he must fulfil his engagement." "I confess I have no great confidence in his future faithfulness." "You are in error; you do not know the Manso Indians. This man, when once he has been corrected, will serve you faithfully; you may safely trust me for that." "I will do so willingly, but this punishment, whatever it may be, I confess I feel incapable of administering it to him." "Oh, don't let that disturb you; here is our friend, Don Torribio, who has not so tender a heart as you." "I ask nothing more than to be agreeable to you," said don Torribio, in confirmation.