The "report" delivered by Antonio was of a character to have caused serious apprehension to the cibolero--fear, in fact, had he been the man to have such a feeling. It had the effect of still further increasing his caution, and his mind was now bent with all its energies upon the craft of taking care of himself. Had he contemplated an open fight, even with the two strong men who were seeking him, he would have been less uneasy about the result; but he knew that, strong as they were, these ruffians would not attack him without some advantage. They would make every effort to surprise him asleep, or otherwise take him unawares. Against their wiles he had now to guard himself. He rode slowly back to the ravine, his thoughts all the while busied about the yellow hunter and his companion. "They must know of the cave," so ran his reflections. "Their following my trail yesterday is an evidence that they suspected something in the direction of the ravine. They had no doubt heard of late affairs before getting so far. Some _hatero_ on the outer plains has told them all, very like; well, what then? They have hastened on to the mission. Ha! the Padre Joaquin took the boy over to the Presidio. I see--I see--the Padre is the `patron' of these two ruffians. They have told him something, else why should he be off to the Presidio so early? News from them--and then Roblado starting directly after to seek them! Clear--clear--they have discovered my hiding-place!" After a pause:-- "What if they have reached the ravine in my absence? Let me see. Yes, they've had time enough to get round; that is, if they started soon after Roblado's interview. The boy thinks they did. By Heaven! it's not too soon for me to be on the alert." As this thought passed through the cibolero's mind, he reined up his horse; and, lowering his head, glanced along the neck of the animal into the darkness before him. He had now arrived at the mouth of the canon, and nearly on the same track by which he had ridden out of it; but the moon was under thick clouds, and the gloom of the ravine was no longer relieved by her light. "It would be their trick," reflected he, "to get inside the canon, at its narrow part, and wait for me to come out of the cave. They would waylay me pretty handy there. Now suppose they _are_ up the canon at this moment!" For a moment he paused and dwelt upon this hypothesis. He proceeded again. "Well, let them; I'll ride on. Cibolo can beat the rocks a shot's range ahead of me. If they're ambushed there without him finding them, they'll be sharper fellows than I take them to be; and I don't consider them flats, either, the scoundrels! If he start them, I can soon gallop back out of their reach. Here! Cibolo!" The dog, that had stopped a few paces in front, now came running back, and looked up in his master's face. The latter gave him a sign, uttering the simple word "Anda!"