THE COUNCIL.
About midnight the storm broke out, but towards morning the hurricane became a little calmer, and the sun on rising, quite dispersed it. It was then that the five adventurers were able to discover the disasters produced by the tempest; some trees were broken and twisted like straws, while others, uprooted by the blast, lay with their roots in the air. The prairie was one vast marsh. The river, generally so calm, so limpid, so inoffensive, had invaded everything, rolling muddy waters, laying flat grass and plants, and digging deep ravines. Valentine congratulated himself on having in the evening established his camp upon the declivity of the mountain instead of descending into the plain, swallowed up by the furious waters.
The first care of the travellers was to rekindle their fire. Trangoil-Lanec looked about for a large flat stone. Upon this stone he laid a bed of leaves, with which the fire was at length lighted. Upon the damp earth it would have been impossible to obtain any. Soon a column of clear flame ascended towards the heavens, and revived the courage of the travellers. When breakfast was ended, gaiety returned, the sufferings or the night were forgotten, and the five men only thought of past miseries as an encouragement to support patiently those which still awaited them. Valentine began—
"We were wrong last night," he said, "to let Don Tadeo leave us."
"Why so?" Louis asked.
"Good Heavens! we were at that moment under the effects of a terrible impression, and did not reflect on one thing which has just occurred to me."
"And what is that?"
"This: as soon as Don Tadeo has accomplished the duties of a good citizen, it is evident to all of us that he will resign immediately a power he has accepted quite against his will."
"That is evident enough."
"What, then, will be his most anxious desire?"
"To set off in search of his daughter," said Louis.
"Or to join us."
"That is all the same thing."
"Granted; but there an impassable obstacle will rise."
"And what can that be?"
"The want of a guide to conduct him to us."
"That is true," the four men exclaimed.
"What is to be done?" Louis asked.
"Fortunately," Valentine continued, "it is not yet too late. Don Tadeo requires to have with him a man entirely devoted to him, perfectly acquainted with the country we propose to search, who could follow us on our track."
"Yes," said Trangoil-Lanec.
"Well," Valentine resumed, "that man is Joan."
"That is true," the Indian observed, "I will be his guide."
"Joan will leave us, I will give him a letter which Louis will write, and in which I will inform Don Tadeo of the mission with which our friend is charged."
"Good," said Curumilla, "our friend thinks of everything; let Louis write the letter."
"Well," cried Valentine, "now I think of it, it is all the better that this idea did not occur to me before."
"Why so?" said Louis in astonishment.
"Because poor Don Tadeo will be so happy to hear from us."
"That is true," said the count.
"Is it not? Well then, write the note, brother."
The count did not require to be told twice, but set to work immediately, Joan on his side.
"Brother," Valentine said to him on giving him the note, which the Indian concealed under the ribbon which bound his hair, "I have no instructions to give you; you are an experienced warrior."
"Has my brother nothing to say to me?" Joan replied, with a smile. "I leave my heart with you; I shall know where to find it again."
He bowed to his friends; then the brave Indian departed rapidly, bounding like a guanaco through the high grass.
"Brave fellow!" Valentine exclaimed, as he re-seated himself before the fire.
"He is a warrior," Trangoil-Lanec said proudly.
"Now, chief," continued the spahi, "suppose we have a little chat."
"I listen to my brother."
"Well, I will explain myself; the task we have undertaken is a difficult one! I would even add, it is impossible, if we had not you with us; Louis and I, notwithstanding our courage, would be obliged to renounce it; for in this country, the eyes of the white man, however good they may be, are powerless to direct him."
Trangoil-Lanec reflected for a few minutes, and then replied—
"My brother has spoken well; yes, the route is long and bristling with perils, but let my pale brothers leave it to us; brought up in the desert, it has no mysteries for us."
"That is exactly what I mean, chief," said Valentine; "as to us, we have only to obey."
"This point agreed upon," the count observed, "there is another not less important."
"What is that point, brother?" Valentine asked.
"That of knowing which way we are to direct our course, and when we shall set off."
"Immediately," Trangoil-Lanec replied; "only we ought to adopt a line from which we will not deviate."
"That is reasoning like a prudent man, chief; submit your observations to us."
"I think," said Trangoil-Lanec, "that to recover the track of the pale blue-eyed maiden, we must return to San Miguel."
"That is my opinion," said Valentine; "I cannot, indeed, see how we can do otherwise."
Curumilla shook his head dissentingly.
"No," he said, "that track would mislead us."
The two Frenchmen looked at him with astonishment, whilst Trangoil-Lanec continued smoking.
"I do not comprehend you, chief," said Valentine.
"Let my brothers listen," exclaimed Curumilla. "Antinahuel is a powerful and formidable chief; he is the greatest of the Araucano warriors. He has declared war against the palefaces; this war he will carry on cruelly, because he has with him a Huincas man and woman, who, for their own purposes, will urge him to invade their country. Antinahuel will assemble his warriors, but he will not return to his village. The blue-eyed maiden was carried off by the woman with a viper's heart, in order to induce the chief to enter upon this war. In order to discover the track of the female puma, the hunters follow that of the male; to find the track of the maiden, we must follow that of Antinahuel."
He ceased, reclined his head upon his breast, and waited.
"In good truth," said the count, "the reasons the chief has given seem good."
"Yes," Valentine added, "I believe that my brother Curumilla has hit the mark. It is evident that Antinahuel loves Doña Rosario, and that it was for the purpose of giving her up to him that that hideous creature had the poor girl carried off. What do you think, Trangoil-Lanec?"
"Curumilla is one of the most prudent Ulmens of his nation; he has the courage of the jaguar and the cunning of the fox. He alone has judged properly."
"Let us then follow the track of Antinahuel," said Valentine gaily. "That will not be difficult."
Trangoil-Lanec shook his head.
"My brother is mistaken; we will follow the track of Antinahuel, but we will do so after the Indian fashion."
"That is to say?"
"In the air."
"Pardieu!" Valentine said, stupefied.
The chief could not help smiling.
"If we were to blindly follow the track of the Toqui," he said, "as he has two days in advance of us, and he is on horseback, and we on foot."
"Caramba!" said the young man, "that is true. I did not think of that. How can we procure horses?"
"We do not require any in the mountains; we travel more quickly on foot. We will cut the track in a straight line; every time we fall in with it we will carefully note its direction, and we will continue acting thus till we feel certain of finding that of the pale maiden."
"Yes," Valentine replied; "your plan is ingenious; you are certain not to lose your way or your time."
"Let my brother be satisfied on those points."
"Tell me, travelling thus, as the bird flies, when do you think we are likely to overtake the man?"
"By the evening of the day after tomorrow."
"What! so quickly as that? It is incredible!"
"My brother will reflect; whilst our enemy will travel four leagues across the plain, by following the road we are about to take, we shall travel eight on the mountains."
"Pardieu! we must apply to you to know how to overcome distance. Act exactly as you think best, chief."
"Shall we start at once, then?" Valentine asked.
"Not yet," replied the Ulmen; "everything is a guide in the desert; if it should happen that we who pursue, should, in our turn, be pursued, your boots would betray us. Take them off, and the Araucano warriors will be blind."
Without making a reply, Valentine took off his boots, and took moccasins.
"Now," said the Parisian, laughing, "I suppose I may as well throw the boots into the river."
"By no means, my brother!" Trangoil-Lanec replied seriously; "the boots must be taken care of."
The two young men had each a leathern knapsack, which they carried on their shoulders, and containing their absolute necessaries. Without a word, they fastened the boots to the knapsack, and buckled it on their shoulders. Curumilla had soon finished his job, and he gave each of them a pair of moccasins, exactly like his own, which he tied on for them.