"I fancy that you can recognize that fact from my way of speaking Spanish. But where the deuce are you stowed away, chief, for I cannot see you?" "I am close to my brother, seated on his right hand." The hunter looked carefully in the direction which the strange speaker indicated, and at length distinguished a human form crouched in a corner of the wall. "On my word," he continued, "I am not sorry to have someone to talk to, for time passes more quickly. Tell me, chief, what have you done to be here?" "Are not the Indians hunted like wild beasts by the Yoris?" he answered, bitterly. "Is a pretext wanted to kill a redskin?" "That is true, chief. You are right. It is unhappily but too true. And have you been a prisoner long?" "Running Water fell into the trap he set for others. The sun was level with the lowest branches at the moment when his enemies threw him into this hole like an unclean beast." "That is a sad thing for you, chief; the more so, as in all probability you will only leave it to march to your death." "It will be welcome," the Indian said in a hollow voice, "since Running Water's vengeance has escaped him." There was a silence, during which the two men reflected.-- "If you succeeded in getting out of this hole, as you term it so correctly," the Canadian presently continued, "and your liberty were restored you, would you be grateful to the man who did you so great a service?" "My life would belong to him," the Indian exclaimed eagerly; but quickly recovering himself, he added, "Why should I believe such words? All the palefaces have crooked tongues; moreover, is not my brother a prisoner also?" "That is true; but I may possibly find means to aid your escape. I have my plan; although my detention ought to be short, I have but very slight confidence in the word of a man who, contrary to the law of nations, put me here; and, perhaps, instead of waiting for a problematical tomorrow, I shall attempt to escape with you tonight. I am not at all anxious to dance at the end of a rope." The greater part of this explanation was thrown away on the redskin, who did not understand it in spite of the great attention he paid to the hunter. "Hence," the latter continued, "if you will let me act in my own way, we shall probably go away together, the more so because I have no reason to owe you a grudge, as you never did me any harm." "Running Water is a chief," the redskin replied emphatically; "he will not lie to save his life." "Good. I know the principles of you Indians, and that when you believe yourself at death's door you seem to forget your system of dissimulation, so explain yourself. I shall put faith in your words whatever you may say." "Let my brother listen. He was attacked two nights ago by the redskins." "True, chief. It would be droll had you been among the Indians who attacked us." "Running Water was there, but was ignorant of my brother's presence. He only attacked the Yoris."