"Holy Virgin!" exclaimed the guerillero chief, turning his eyes towards heaven, "I promise you a wax candle as big as a palm tree, if this man falls into our hands!" "As big as a palm tree!" exclaimed Bocardo in astonishment.--"Camarado, do you mean it?" "Hush!" said the other in a low voice. "Hold your tongue, Bocardo; it's only to humbug the Virgin!" "Well," replied Bocardo, "whether they capture him or not, it don't much matter. We shall take him all the same. If I understand his history, and the meaning of the message which this coyote has for him, he can be lured by it to the farthest corner of the earth." At this moment the wife of Arroyo re-entered the tent, her face exhibiting a still stronger expression of fury than before. "The cage is empty!" cried she, "the bird has flown, and along with it the guardian left to watch it--the worthless Juan de Zapote!" "Blood and fire!" vociferated Arroyo, "quick, pursue them! Hola!" continued he, raising the flap of his tent, "twenty men to horse! Scour the woods and the river banks. Bring back the two fugitives bound hand and foot. Above all, bring them back _alive_!" The order created a brisk movement throughout the camp, where each seemed to compete with his fellow as to who should be the first to enter on the pursuit. "_Jesus Santo_!" muttered Bocardo to himself, "if this Colonel should escape, and also the messenger, adieu to all my fine combinations! Well!" he continued, after the wife of Arroyo had gone out of the tent to hasten the departure of the pursuers. "Well, Senor Arroyo! if he should get away from us it will be a great pity sure enough. Still we shall find consolation at the hacienda San Carlos." "True," replied the other, "and I have need of some distraction just now. This evening I mean to amuse myself. To-morrow we shall storm the fortress of Del Valle with all our force; and may the devil scorch me, if I leave one stone of it standing upon another!" "Yes; to-morrow let us set seriously about it," said Bocardo, gleefully rubbing his hands together. "But see!" he continued, glancing out of the tent, "our fellows are ready to start. If you take my advice, instead of twenty men, you'll send only ten. That will be quite sufficient to capture those two droll devils who have escaped from us. After you have sent the reinforcement to Del Valle we'll have no great number of men to remain at head-quarters here." The guerillero chief yielded to the counsel of his associate; and choosing from the horsemen that were ready ten of the best mounted, he directed them to enter upon the pursuit. The others were at the same time ordered to proceed to the hacienda Del Valle to reinforce the party already besieging the place. CHAPTER FIFTY EIGHT. AN UNEXPECTED RECEPTION.