"None," was the reply, "none whatever--unless you happen to possess a certain secret, the secret of _hiding the scent_, so that the dogs cannot follow your trail. Then, indeed, you _may_ hope to escape, but not otherwise. _I_ am fortunate enough to possess this secret, and as we have been good friends--you and I--I do not mind letting you into it--provided that if you make one in the hunt to-morrow--they take slaves to help sometimes--you will aid my escape in any way you can." "Agreed!" exclaimed George joyously. "In any case I would do that. Still, the secret is a valuable one, and I should like to be made acquainted with it." "You shall, _amigo_," said Pedro. And, placing his hand inside the bosom of his shirt, he produced a handful of leaves. "Do you see these?" he asked. George intimated that he did. "Take particular notice of them, so that you may recognise them again with certainty whenever you see them," urged Pedro. "Note their shape, their exact colour; note their peculiar odour; and, above all, note their taste; for there are other plants, quite worthless for the purpose, closely resembling this one; but the _taste_ will at once tell you when you have found the right one." George eagerly took a quantity of the leaves in his hand, and carefully examined them, noting that, though they varied in size, they were all of exactly the same shape and hue; then he held them to his nostrils and inhaled their odour until he thought he had become fully acquainted with it. And finally he put one in his mouth, and masticated it. The juice had a very peculiar flavour indeed, so peculiar that he felt sure he should never forget it. "And how do you use these leaves?" asked George. "If," answered Pedro, "you have an opportunity to gather them only a few hours before you wish to use them, so that they are perfectly fresh, all that you have to do is to bruise and crush them, so that their juice shall be free to escape, and then rub them well all over your feet. This imparts the odour of the plant to the skin, and so `hides the scent' that the dogs are quite unable to follow it. But if the leaves have been gathered so long that they have become dry, you must put them in water to soak until they become soft once more; then first wash your feet in the water, and afterwards rub them thoroughly with the leaves. Only, in the latter case, you will require a much larger quantity of leaves." "Thanks, Pedro, I shall remember that," answered George. "One more question, and I have done. Where is this plant to be found?"