The mule uttered a cry of disappointment, and, dropping the bloodhound, rushed forward, knife in hand, to attack Cibolo. At the same moment the hound sprang forward, and the two dogs became engaged in a desperate conflict. This would have terminated to the disadvantage of the hound, but, in another moment, all four--mulatto, zambo, hound, and wolf--were assailing Cibolo both with knives and teeth. The latter, seeing himself thus overmatched, and having already received several bad cuts, prudently retreated among the rocks. He was not followed, as the ruffians had still some hopes that the cibolero, not suspecting what it could mean, might yet advance towards the cave. But these hopes were of short duration. Next moment through the dim light they perceived the horseman wheel round, and gallop off towards the mouth of the ravine! Exclamations of disappointment, profane ejaculations, and wild oaths, echoed for some minutes through the vaulted cavern. The excited ruffians at length became more cool, and, groping about in the darkness, got hold of their horses, and led them out upon the ledge. Here they stopped to give farther vent to their chagrin, and to deliberate on their future course. To attempt immediate pursuit would not avail them, as they well know the cibolero would be many a mile out of their reach before they could descend to the plain. For a long time they continued to give utterance to expressions of chagrin, mingled with anathemas upon the head of the dog, Cibolo. At length becoming tired of this, they once more set their heads to business. The zambo was of opinion it would be useless to go farther that night-- they had no chance of coming up with the cibolero before morning--in daylight they would more easily make out his trail. "Boy Pepe, fool!" was the mulatto's reply to these observations. "Track by daylight--be seen--spoil all, fool Pepe!" "Then what way, brother Man'l?" "Dam! forgot bloodhound? Trail by night fast as ride--soon overtake guero." "But, brother Man'l, he's not going to stop short of ten leagues from here! We can't come up with him to-night, can we?" "Fool again, boy Pepe! Stop within ten miles--stop because won't think of bloodhound--won't think can trail 'im--stop, sure. Dam! that dog played devil--thought he would--dam!" "Malraya! _he_ won't trouble us any more." "Why think that, boy Pepe?" "Why, brother Man'l! because I had my blade into him. He'll not limp much farther, I warrant." "Dam! wish could think so--if could think so, give double onza. But for dog have guero now. But for dog, get guero before sun up. Stop soon-- don't suspect us yet--don't suspect hound--stop, I say. By mighty God-- sure!" "How, brother Man'l? you think he'll not go far off?" "Sure of it. Guero not ride far--nowhere to go--soon trail 'im--find 'im asleep--crawl on 'im but for dog--crawl on 'im sure."