The general reflected. "What would you do in my place?" he asked. "Well, I will be frank with you, General. We men of the desert regard courage in a manner diametrically opposite to yours. As we generally fight only to save our life or our plunder, we never venture on an action unless we have almost a certainty of success." "Hence, under the present circumstances?" "I should turn back without shame, and be off to Coahuila at the same pace at which I started, that is, a gallop; that is what I should do. I can understand that you would act differently." "Ah!" the general said, giving him a piercing glance, "For what reason?" "Nonsense, General, you are making fun of me; for you know as well as I do. Come, have me shot, and let us have an end of it." "I shall not have you shot," he answered; "for, traitor or no, you have spoken to me like an honest man. Go where you please; you are free." The Canadian felt involuntarily affected by this remark. "Thanks, General. Now take my advice, and do not push on." "Does danger really exist?" "I cannot tell you; still, I confess that I have a bad opinion of that black large hole I see over there; it seems to me to contain a storm." "Yes, I feel that I ought to follow your advice, but unhappily I cannot do so. The troops of the king, my master, must not appear to recoil before such miserable foes; for it would be giving these scoundrels an importance which they do not possess." "You know better than I how you should act; but, I repeat, take care." "Oh, be sure of that. Well, good-bye; get away before the action begins." "Well, then, thank you, and good-bye, General--I dare not wish you good luck." The Canadian turned his horse and started at a gallop in the direction of Coahuila. The general looked after him till he was hidden by a turn in the road. "What a singular man!" he muttered; "If he is a spy I never saw one like him." It was high time, however, to come to some resolution, and so the general summoned his officers around him. "Caballeros," he said bluntly, when they were assembled, "I am afraid that we acted very imprudently in venturing to pursue the enemy with so small a force as we have at our disposal. Although I do not wish to throw any of my responsibility as chief upon you, still I deem it urgent to take your advice before crossing this stream, beyond which, as you can see from here, is a canyon, which, if I am not mistaken, contains a formidable ambuscade. Answer me frankly, which shall we do? Push boldly on, at the risk of what may happen; or quietly turn back and regain our entrenchments?"