CHAPTER XVII.
Darkness covered the mountains, and the prince still waited impatientlyin his retreat for his attendant to return from the plateau. A feelingof anxious suspense, mingled with a sense of dread, as if impendingcalamity was threatening, oppressed him--a feeling which may cowardizethe bravest heart under less discouraging circumstances than thosewhich surrounded him at that moment. He was about to leave his shelteragain, to seek relief from the uncomfortable sensation which disturbedhim, when a peculiar cry attracted his attention, and caused him torouse up and listen. A moment later, to his great relief, it wasrepeated. He moved away from his retreat a short distance, to find asafe position from which to send back an answer, which, if it were Oza,would bring him in. The return signal was given and the result awaitedwith anxiety. His suspense was brief; for in a very short time twopersons came into the ravine and cautiously approached the shelteredrecess. The prince was not expecting that the hunter would return, andfor a moment was undecided what to do. Oza quickly reassured him bycalling, in a subdued voice:
"Master!"
"Here," returned he, leaving his concealed position.
"Didn't catch ye nappin', eh, Prince?" said Menke.
"No, my friend; with the anxious listening and watching I have done inthe last few hours that would hardly have been possible," returned he,and, continuing, he said: "I was not expecting that you would returnwith Oza; so when two came, instead of one, I was not sure of its beinghim."
"Hadn't thought of returning to-night, Prince; but findin' danger toyerself gettin' thicker an' thicker, concluded I'd better come."
"What have you discovered, hunter?" anxiously inquired the prince.
"Tepanec soldiers. They're gettin' too thick fur comfort round here.What they'll do when mornin' comes I wouldn't stay to find out ef I 'asthe one they're lookin' fur," replied the hunter, emphatically.
"Have you seen the soldiers, that you speak so positively?" questionedthe prince.
Here Menke gave an account of the meeting with the soldiers going out,and the difficulties encountered returning. When he concluded,Hualcoyotl said, despondently:
"What can I do, or where go, to find safety from my pursuers? Hunter,you know these mountains well; can't you tell us where we may findrefuge?"
"That's just what I'm here fur, Prince. Ef ye'll go 'long o' me I'lltry to put ye where ye'll be safe. Ye'll have to take some risk ingoin', but think we can dodge the pesky Tepanecs an' reach my place allright. Will ye go?"
"We believe you to be a good friend, hunter, and will trust you. Yes,we'll go with you."
"Good! When the night is darkest, and sleep has bound the soldiers,I'll lead ye from here to a better and safer concealment. But ye musteat. Here are bread and meat," continued the hunter. "Be liberal toyerself, Prince; there's plenty more where we're goin'," he said,giving each a bountiful supply of the provision.
They all partook heartily of the food; after which Menke insisted thatthe prince and Oza should lie down and sleep, while he would remain onwatch.
When the hour came around for leaving, the still tired fugitives weresleeping soundly. The hunter aroused them, and said it was time to go.The food remaining from the supply which he had provided was dividedamong them, and they started.
The prince was not insensible to the peril to which he was about toexpose himself, and, very naturally, experienced some uneasiness inconsequence. He did not doubt the fidelity of his guide, but, realizinghow powerless they were for defense against a band of armed soldiers,should they be discovered, he could hardly feel otherwise. He did notfollow blindly, but was guarded and ready for any emergency.
The direction taken to reach the plateau was different from thatfollowed by the hunter and Oza the day before. This course was adoptedwith the hope of avoiding the soldiers known to be encamped at the footof the mountain.
Their progress was slow, and much time was consumed in the descent. Itwas finally accomplished, however; but before leaving cover the huntermade a careful reconnoisance to ascertain if the way was clear. Findingno indications of the presence of soldiers, the party sallied out uponthe open ground, and cautiously crossed to the opposite side of theplateau. Turning to the right they moved along in single file, withgulches, crags and deep ravines to the left of them, and small fieldsof ripening maize and chia-plant, scattered here and there on thetillable ground, lying between them and the mountain they had justleft. The stars shone brightly down upon the trail they were pursuing,and the trio were proceeding on their way with increased confidence, atan easy pace, the hunter in the lead. Jam up against him came theprince and Oza. He had suddenly stopped.
"Why do you halt?" inquired the prince.
Menke only had time to whisper in reply, "Escape, ef ye can; we'rediscovered!" when they were set upon by a band of Tepanec soldiers.
The attack was made near a patch of corn, and the prince quickly saw init a way of escape. He still carried the stout stick which did him suchexcellent service on a former occasion. It was swung into position fordefense, and when the soldiers rushed upon them he met their onslaughtwith a resistance they were not expecting. In less time than isrequired to record it he cleared a way to the corn, into which hedisappeared, and was lost under the cover of night ere the assaultingparty discovered his intention. Some of the soldiers followed, but tono purpose; it was a case of life or death to him, and his pursuerswere soon left floundering in confusion behind.
When the hunter discovered that the prince had gotten away, he quietlysurrendered.
The soldiers could only have presumed that Hualcoyotl was one of theparty they were attacking. If he was, a sudden seizure would securehim. On this hypothesis they had no doubt acted. It was not theirpurpose to injure anyone unnecessarily, and the struggle ended assuddenly as it had begun.
Putting on a bold front, Menke, in a very stern voice, said:
"Why d'ye jump onto a feller an' his men in this way? We're notoutlaws."
"Not so sure of that, stranger," answered one of the soldiers, lookingthe hunter over. "You are not the man we want, at any rate; one of yourcompanions may be. Who are they?"
"They're my servants," replied Menke.
"Which you expect us to believe, of course," returned the soldier,doubtingly.
"Oza, where's Yuma?" inquired the hunter, holding to his assumedposition of master, hoping it would divert the soldiers from a pursuitof the prince.
"Yuma ran away like a coward, master," answered Oza, comprehending thehunter's design.
"Let 'im go; he'll come back with the sun," said Menke, with a show ofindifference.
The soldiers were not to be hoodwinked so easily, but proceeded toinspect Oza closely. After satisfying themselves that he was not theperson wanted, the spokesman turned to the hunter and said:
"You are quite clever with your tongue, stranger. What you say, may betrue, but we are not obliged to believe it. Your Yuma, who ran away,showed too much skill to be a servant. We are inclined to believe himthe man we are after."
"As ye please, soldier. Havin' made up yer mind to think that way,there's no use o' wastin' words 'bout it; an' ef ye've no further usefur us, we'll move on," spoke Menke, decidedly.
"You can go," returned the soldier, shortly.
The hunter, without deigning to notice the soldiers farther, moved awayfrom them, followed by Oza. When far enough off to be secure fromobservation, he paused to consider what should be done next.
The situation was rather perplexing. It would not do to signal theprince; that would attract the attention of his pursuers, and make hisposition more critical. The hunter was too shrewd to do that. The onlyalternative, therefore, was to wait for daylight to come to theirassistance. Having decided on this course a safe place in which to stopwas found, where we leave them to follow Hualcoyotl.
* * * * *
After going some distance into the corn patch, the prince paused tolisten for the noise of pursuit. He could distinctly hear the rustling
of the stalks, but too far away to give him any present concern. He wassafe, he felt, until daylight--at which time, however, he wiselyconcluded he would not be if he remained on the plateau; for thesoldiers would surely search it over from end to end, so soon as itbecame light enough to see. He must get away, and the sooner he wentthe better would be his chances of eluding them. But where should hego, was the all-important question. His eyes turned toward the mountainhe had just left.
"No, it will not do to go there," he thought; "there is danger in thatdirection." He quickly decided to take an opposite course and started.
The uncertainty of the situation led him to dismiss at once theconsideration of an immediate reunion with the hunter and Oza, andcaused him to think only of his personal safety.
He left the patch of corn into which he had fled, and passed stealthilyout onto the uncultivated ground, which he found covered with weeds andbushes, and very rough. He was compelled to move slowly and pick hisway over it. Coming to another patch of corn he entered it, and aftergoing a short distance, paused. Casting his eyes about him hediscovered, plainly outlined against the horizon, a mountain, seeminglynot very far off, which until now had escaped his observation, and towhich he determined to go. It took quite a while to reach it, for itproved to be farther away than he had reckoned. Finally, after alaborious tramp, he stood at its base, and was glad when he entered itsdense wood where he might rest once more in comparative security. Hewent far enough up the side of the mountain to render his positionreasonably safe, where he found a spot which was thickly covered withbushes, into which he crept to await the morning's dawning. Whendaylight spread itself over the scene he was unconscious of it; for heslept. Later on he awoke to find the sun shining brightly through thethick foliage about him. His location was found to be well protectedand secure, and he decided to remain in it for the time being.
The prince's situation was now more discouraging, if possible, than atany previous time. In his efforts to get away from his pursuers he hadput himself beyond the help of the hunter and Oza. It was hardlypossible that they would find him where he was; and it was out of thequestion for him to attempt to go to them. His case was hourly becomingmore desperate. Fate seemed to be driving him helplessly before it.Thus, in temporary security, we leave him for the present.
When day dawned Menke and Oza were on the lookout for Hualcoyotl; andthe soldiers were seen scouring their vicinity in search of him. But,as the reader knows, Menke and Oza, and the soldiers as well, weredoomed to be disappointed, for the man they were looking for was atthat hour sleeping on a mountain, several miles away.
The soldiers finally gave up the hunt for him on the plateau, and, asgood luck would have it, turned their attention to the mountain he hadpreviously occupied, believing he had sought the nearest shelter.
The hunter and Oza waited about the place all day, and when night cameon reluctantly turned their steps toward the home of the former.
A Prince of Anahuac: A Histori-traditional Story Antedating the Aztec Empire Page 19