"I echo the oath!" cried Don Juan, grasping the hilt of his _machete_. "Masters! dear masters!" said Antonio, "you both know I am not a coward. I shall aid you with my arm or my life; but it is a terrible business. Let us have caution, or we fail. Let us be prudent!" "True, we must be prudent. I have already promised that to my mother; but how, comrades?--how! In what does prudence consist?--to wait and watch, while she--oh!" All three were silent for a while. None of them could think of a feasible plan to be pursued. The situation was, indeed, a most difficult one. There was the Presidio, and within its walls--perhaps in some dark chamber--the cibolero well knew his sister was a captive; but under such peculiar circumstances that her release would be a most difficult enterprise. In the first place, the villain who held her would assuredly deny that she was there. To have released her would be an acknowledgment of his guilt. What proof of it could Carlos give? The soldiers of the garrison, no doubt, were ignorant of the whole transaction--with the exception of the two or three miscreants who had acted as aides. Were the cibolero to assert such a thing in the town he would be laughed at-- no doubt arrested and punished. Even could he offer proofs, what authority was there to help him to justice? The military was the law of the place, and the little show of civic authority that existed would be more disposed to take sides against him than in his favour. He could expect no justice from any quarter. All the proof of his accusation would rest only on such facts as would neither be understood nor regarded by those to whom he might appeal. The return trail would be easily accounted for by Vizcarra--if he should deign to take so much trouble--and the accusation of Carlos would be scouted as the fancy of a madman. No one would give credence to it. The very atrociousness of the deed rendered it incredible! Carlos and his companions were aware of all these things. They had no hope of help from any quarter. There was no authority that could give them aid or redress. The cibolero, who had remained for a while silent and thoughtful, at length spoke out. His tone was altered. He seemed to have conceived some plan that held out a hope. "Comrades!" he said, "I can think of nothing but an open demand, and that must be made within the hour. I cannot live another hour without attempting her rescue--another hour, and what we dread--No! within the hour it must be. I have formed a sort of plan--it may not be the most prudent--but there is no time for reflection. Hear it." "Go on!" "It will be of no use our appearing before the gate of the Presidio in full force. There are hundreds of soldiers within the walls, and our twenty Tagnos, though brave as lions, would be of no service in such an unequal fight. I shall go alone." "Alone?"