After his strange proposal to the hunters, the leader of the pirates retook, at his best speed, the road to his den. But he was too much accustomed to the life of the prairies not to suspect that several of his enemies would follow his track at a distance. Therefore, he had put in practice, to mislead them, all the tricks which his inventive mind could furnish with him, making _détours_ without number, retracing incessantly his steps, or, as it is vulgarly said, going back ten yards to advance one. These numerous precautions had excessively retarded his journey. When he arrived on the banks of the river whose waters bathed the entrance to the cavern, he cast a last look around him, to make certain that no busy eye was watching his movements. Everything was calm, nothing suspicious appeared, and he was about to launch into the stream the raft concealed beneath the leaves, when a slight noise in the bushes attracted his attention. The pirate started; promptly drawing a pistol from his belt, he cocked it, and advanced boldly towards the spot whence this alarming noise proceeded. A man bent towards the ground, was busy digging up herbs and plants with a small spade. The pirate smiled, and replaced his pistol in his belt. He had recognized the doctor, who was as much absorbed in his favourite passion as usual; so much so, indeed, that he had not perceived him. After surveying him for an instant with disdain, the pirate was turning his back upon him, when an idea occurred to him, which made him, on the contrary,--advance towards the _savant_, upon whose shoulder he somewhat roughly laid his hand. At this rude salutation, the poor doctor drew himself up in a fright, letting fall both plants and spade. "Holla! my good fellow," said the captain, in a jeering tone, "what madness possesses you to be herbalizing thus at all hours of the day and night?" "How!" the doctor replied, "what do you mean by that?" "Zounds! it's plain enough! Don't you know it is not far from midnight?" "That is true," the _savant_ remarked ingenuously; "but there is such a fine moon." "Which you, I suppose, have taken for the sun," said the pirate, with a loud laugh; "but," he added, becoming all at once serious, "that is of no consequence now; although half a madman, I have been told that you are a pretty good doctor." "I have passed my examinations," the doctor replied, offended by the epithet applied to him. "Very well! you are just the man I want, then." The _savant_ bowed with a very ill grace; it was evident he was not much flattered by the attention. "What do you require of me?" he asked; "are you ill?" "Not I, thank God! but one of your friends, who is at this moment my prisoner, is; so please to follow me." "But----" the doctor would fain have objected. "I admit of no excuses; follow me, or I will blow your brains out. Besides, don't be afraid, you run no risk; my men will pay you all the respect science is entitled to."