The guide, with that presence of mind, and that imperturbable phlegm which never abandons the Indian or the half-breed, cast a suspicious glance around him, to assure himself that he was really alone; then he seized the hand which had remained resting upon his shoulder, and dragged the individual who had spoken to him, and who followed him without resistance, to a retired spot, where he thought he was certain of being overheard by nobody. At the moment when the two men passed by the tent, the curtains opened softly, and a shadow glided silently after them. When they were concealed amidst the packages, and standing near enough to each other to speak in a voice as low as a breath, the guide muttered: "God be praised! I have been expecting your visit with impatience, Kennedy." "Did you know that I was about to come?" the latter remarked suspiciously. "No, but I hoped you would!" "Is there anything fresh?" "Yes, and much!" "Speak, and make haste!" "That is what I am going to do. All is lost!" "Hem! what do you mean by that?" "What do I mean is, that today the general, guided by me, went----" "Ah! yes, I know all that. I saw you." "Maldición! why did you not attack us, then?" "There were but two of us." "I should have made the third, the party would then have been equal; the general had but two lanceros." "That's true; but I did not think of it." "You were wrong. All would now be ended, instead of which all is now probably lost." "How so?" "Eh! _caray!_ It is clear enough. The general and his niece held long conversations with that sneaking hound, Black Elk, and you know he has been acquainted with me a long while. There is no doubt he has made them suspicious of me." "Why did you lead them to the beaver pond, then?" "How could I tell I should meet that cursed trapper there?" "In our trade we must be awake to everything." "You are right. I have committed an error. At present I believe the evil to be without remedy, for I have a presentiment that Black Elk has completely edified the general with respect to me." "Hum! that is more than probable. What is to be done, then?" "Act as soon as possible, without giving them time to put themselves on their guard." "For my part, I ask no better than that, you know." "Yes, but where is the captain? Has he returned?" "He arrived this evening. All our men are concealed in the grotto; there are forty of us. "Bravo! Why did you not come all together, instead of you by yourself? Only see, what a fine opportunity you have lost? They are all sleeping like dormice. We could have seized them all in less than ten minutes." "You are right; but one cannot foresee everything; besides, the affair was not so agreed upon with the captain." "That is true. Why did you come then?" "To warn you that we are ready, and only await your signal to act." "Let us consider, then, what is best to be done? Advise me."