"Children of the war-god. This hath been given to us again. We saw the stone revolve--we saw it stay. Blue was the ray of the gem. Blue, my children, is the sign of peace. Huitzilopochtli, the lord of war, is appeased. He proclaims peace. No longer wait we here. To Totatzine!" "To Totatzine!" roared the vast host, and, at a signal, rushed for their horses. War, plunder, Xuarez, all was forgotten. The blue ray of the opal proclaimed peace, and this vast host, laying down its arms, departed at the bidding of the god. The townspeople on the walls of the city saw with amazement the Indians suddenly, without any apparent reason, strike their camp, and file off in long lines towards the north. Astonished at the sight, Don Sebastian sent off a message to the President. In a quarter of an hour he arrived at the Puerta de la Culebra, followed by Jack and Tim. "Behold, Señor!" cried Jack, triumphantly pointing to the myriads tramping across the plain. "Did I not speak truly? The opal has done its work." "The opal! The opal!" murmured those around him, and the cry being caught up by the populace, passed from one mouth to another. The crowd on the walls, seeing in the departure of the Indians the influence of the opal, began to cry out madly. They deemed that the opal was still within the walls of Tlatonac. "Viva el opale! El Chalchuih Tlatonac!" "Bueno!" said Maraquando, with satisfaction, shaking Jack by the hand; "you were right, Señor. The Indians will give us no more trouble. Now we can crush Xuarez in the south. Señor de Ahumada open the gates!" In a few moments His Excellency, followed by Jack, Tim, and Don Sebastian, was galloping in the direction of the chapel. They reached it, dismounted, and entered. The opal was gone and Cocom also! "I knew we would lose the opal," said Jack, cheerfully; "but I thought they would kill Cocom. Fortunately they have only taken him prisoner." "To reserve him for a more cruel death in Totatzine, Señor," replied Maraquando, his delight slightly damped. "He has served the Republic well. I would he could have been saved." "Poor devil!" murmured Tim, in English, as they remounted their horses. "In any case, Jack, his death has saved the Republic. Now the savages have gone away, it won't be difficult to thrash Don Hypolito." At the city gates a new surprise awaited them. Don Rafael, mounted on a mustang, came galloping through the gate, and reined up his steed in front of his astonished father. "My father! Great news; good news! I have just returned in _The Montezuma_. We have captured _The Cortes_ and the transports." Don Miguel looked incredulous. This news, coming after the departure of the Indians, seemed too good to be true. "It is true, my father," said Rafael, proudly. "By noon to-day you will see them in the harbour. Now Don Hypolito has no fleet." "Hurrah!" cried Jack, tossing his hat in the air. "The luck of the opal!"