CHAPTER XXXI.

At the sound of it, the face of every Indian lit up with hope and joy, while despair rushed quickly to the hearts of the Cristianos. Full well they knew that terrible war-whoop, the precursor of a charge from the disciplined and valorous warriors of Cuastral. As these came streaming across the plain with their lances set and ready for action, the white men knew that the day was lost. Some essayed flight, but watchful Tehuelches pursued them, and brought them back prisoners, and then it was that Gilwinikush remembered Sir Francis Vane’s advice.

In a moment he resolved to act upon it, and rode forward at once to meet the Indian warriors of Cuastral.

As they came forward, they could see his tall form sitting motionless on his horse with his hand raised. This made them slacken their pace, until at length they halted in a long line before him.

“Warriors,” he exclaimed, “the great white Caciques, the Indians’ friends, are here, and the head Cacique counsels you to surround the Cristianos and make them prisoners. He is right; for shall we not have more power over living men in our possession, than with cold clay?”

The advice was sound, but many of the new-comers were young and ardent, and longed to gain their laurels in a fight. So they received Gilwinikush’s suggestion with shouts of disapproval, which were, however, quickly silenced as Piñone galloped up. A few words from the Tehuelche chief sufficed to convey to him the situation. Then he, too, faced his people.

“Warriors!” he cried, “has not Gilwinikush fought the hated enemy on our ground, on our behalf, and shall we scout advice from our best friends? Not so. Piñone bids ye charge and surround the Cristianos, and he will give a horse in exchange for every prisoner.”

As he spoke the Araucanian warrior turned, and with Gilwinikush charged straight upon the scene of battle. But as they reached it, the sharp order was passed along the ranks of Araucanians to open and surround, and like magic it was done. The effect, too, was magical; the Cristianos saw it was hopeless to resist, and their leader bade them surrender, an order they were not loth to obey. But one of the Cristianos apparently did not heed this command. He was engaged in fierce combat with an Araucanian youth, who parried his furious blows with a strange skill. It seemed as though both had resolved that one or the other must die, so obstinately and determinedly did both dispute the struggle for mastery.

“It is Graviel!” exclaimed Piñone, as he eyed the combatants. “The boy fights well. Yet, have I not given the order to desist fighting? Has not the chief spoken? Why does the warrior disobey?”

He rode towards the fighting men as he spoke, his eyes keenly roving the battle field. Then for the first time he missed Aniwee.

Again his eyes scoured the plain. But ten minutes since, and he had seen her well, and in good fighting trim, but now he could see her nowhere. Then an anxious expression stole across his face, and a troubled look settled in his roving eyes.

“Aniwee,” he murmured, “where art thou?”

Unconsciously he quickened his pace, and came up with the combatants just as the seeming Cristiano, rushing at Graviel, had thrown his long arms round the slim youth’s form, and borne him from his horse by spurring his own forward. Quick as lightning, however, a knife flashed out in the hand of the young Araucanian, and before his assailant could disarm him, he had plunged it into that assailant’s breast.

With a yell of agony Graviel’s antagonist let go his hold. Not so the former, however, for seizing the wounded man round the neck, he dragged him from his horse, and the two rolled struggling to the ground.

In a moment Piñone was off his steed and bending over them. As he did so, he started back as if an adder had stung him. The next instant, however, he had swung his axe above his head, and brought it with fierce force upon the skull of Graviel’s foe. This settled for good and aye the life for which that foe was struggling. The victim relaxed his grasp of the Araucanian, his teeth became clenched, and he fell back dead. In that moment his features became disclosed, revealing those of Inacayal.

“So perish the traitor and serpent,” burst from Piñone’s lips, as he bent over Graviel and raised him up.

For a moment the youth appeared dazed, but quickly recovering himself, he looked anxiously around.

“Where is she?” he cried in a piteous voice. “Oh, Cacique! say she is well.”

“She! who, Graviel?” asked Piñone, trembling.

“The Queen, Cacique. Do I not mean the Queen, whom yon creeping thief struck down, and would have murdered as she lay helpless under his horse’s feet, had the good Gualichu not guided my footsteps to the rescue?”

As he spoke, the clatter of horse’s hoofs sounded near them, and looking in the direction whence the sound came, the two Indians beheld Harry and Topsie galloping to meet them. A few minutes later, and both pulled up some fifty yards away, and dismounted beside a motionless figure, which was lying stretched out in a narrow canon, and concealed from view. The motionless figure was Aniwee.

Kneeling down beside the young Queen, Topsie raised her head, and looked long and anxiously into her pretty dark face. Aniwee’s eyes were wide open, her white teeth were clenched, and every muscle seemed rigid.

In a moment Piñone and Graviel were beside her, horror and despair in their eyes.

“Graviel, get water, quick!” commanded Topsie authoritatively, and as the youth rushed off, she sat down on the ground and took Aniwee’s head in her lap.

“Piñone,” she said gently, “keep up thy heart; she is not dead, only stunned. I saw yon villain strike her, but he never touched her afterwards, for Graviel rushed in and engaged him. Water will bring her round in a very short time, you will see.”

And when Graviel came back with a plentiful supply in his skin potro top-boot, she took some in her mouth and blew it into Aniwee’s face, repeating the operation several times. And an unfailing cure—as she knew it to be—it proved on this occasion, for in a few minutes the Indian girl moved, her teeth unclosed, and the light of intelligence came back into her eyes. She at once recognised Piñone, and smiled.

“Fear not,” she said in a weak, faint voice, “Aniwee is well.”

“She said no more, for Piñone had her in his arms, and was pressing her to his heart, while a smothered sob burst from Graviel.

“Now, Piñone, you must not squeeze the little breath she has got left in her, entirely out of her body,” put in Topsie, laughing. “You must give Aniwee to me to look after, while you go and see to your prisoners. You will find the head white Caciques with Gilwinikush, and they will need you. Trust Aniwee to me.”

“I am well, quite well,” exclaimed Aniwee, as Piñone set her down, but there was a dazed look in her eyes, which showed she was not altogether recovered.

Her horse was grazing near, and Topsie directed Piñone to lift her upon it, and then she and Harry mounted, and placed themselves on either side of her to be ready to support her in case of need.

Piñone, seeing he could be of no further use, and implicitly trusting in Topsie’s power to completely cure his treasure, after signing to Graviel to follow him, rode off quickly to rejoin Gilwinikush.

The white prisoners had all surrendered and been disarmed when he rode up, and had likewise had their horses taken from them. When joined by Piñone, Gilwinikush was busy forming them into a column, thirty deep, around which the Araucanian warriors were massed to guard them.

As Las Manzanas was within a few miles of their present position, it was hastily agreed to send on the prisoners to that place, and Gilwinikush, while electing to accompany Piñone and the remaining Araucanians, decided to send back the greater part of his Tehuelche followers to the valley camp, in order to guard against an entry into Patagonia from that side.

It was judged prudent not to send for the baby Cacique while hostilities continued. She was safer in Keoken’s keeping than she could be amongst a lot of warriors, and Aniwee’s heart was quite at rest about her.

Chasquis, in the persons of Chorlo and Coquet, had been sent on by Piñone to the Araucanian camp, whence the rescue party had started in search of La Guardia Chica so many weeks before, and they were charged to fully report all that had happened during that time to Cuastral, as well as the results of the battle, which had just taken place, the death of Inacayal, and the valuable capture of prisoners. Piñone further requested that Cuastral would at once join him at Las Manzanas, there to discuss terms of peace with the Cristiano leader, Sir Francis having offered to act as mediator between the rival people.

That night, therefore, our white friends found themselves seated around a roaring camp fire, in front of the same tolderias which they had occupied on the first night of their arrival in the land of the Araucanians. Aniwee had been “put to bed,” so to say. That is, she had been relegated to a couch in her tolderia, and ordered by doctor Topsie to lie quite still, her head being bandaged up with cold water. Piñone was in constant attendance, and Blancha never left her side, while Graviel hovered about anxious and depressed.

They were discussing a fine steak of ostrich picane, several of these fleet birds having been bolased that day, and consequently tasted for the first time by Sir Francis, Lady Vane, and their children, though to Harry and Topsie they were of course no strangers. Every one pronounced the meat delicious, and supper was appreciated that night more than it ever had been during their wanderings. A strange rest had settled upon every one, and the quiet which reigned was doubly felt after the excitement and turmoil of that eventful day. The prisoners were all bivouacked in the neighbourhood of a thick copse, and were liberally provided with meat at the earnest request of Sir Francis, who had begged that they might be properly treated. But around them Araucanian warriors kept stern watch, the sentinels being replaced every three hours.

“Heigh ho!” exclaimed Harry, as the time arrived for turning in. “We have had a jolly time of it, and no mistake. I’ve enjoyed our trip uncommonly. Won’t I spin the fellows a yarn when I rejoin my ship!”

“And draw the long bow, too,” laughed Mary, as she dived into her tolderia, and evaded the pretended blow which her cousin levelled at her with his clenched fist.

Thus night fell upon Las Manzanas and the safe return of our white friends.

CHAPTER XXXII.
CONCLUSION.

Three weeks had passed away since the events related in the last chapter, a three weeks full of fun and adventure for our young friends.

Faithful to his promise, Sir Francis had acted the true part of mediator between the Indians and the Argentines, and in company of Lady Vane and a mixed escort of Cristianos and Araucanians, had visited the Argentine Republic, and there concluded a most satisfactory peace for both sides, the Government agreeing—on condition the prisoners were released—to grant an annual subsidy to both the Tehuelches and Araucanians, of horses, blankets, guns, and ammunition, and these latter undertook, in consideration of such subsidy, to desist from raiding the frontier of the white men, and to live at peace with them, and punish all depredators thereon. While these satisfactory and happy terms were being discussed and arranged, our five young friends, with Aniwee and Piñone, were enjoying many a wild horse hunt and prairie gallop after ostriches and guanacos, varied now and again by a jaguar or puma encounter, which afforded plenty of excitement. And a strange thing had happened during one of their forest expeditions, for the sound of a bell had struck upon their ears, and proceeding in the direction whence it came, they had fallen across the old bell mare and troupiglia which they had turned loose by the banks of the Trauco river, during their expedition in search of the baby Cacique. With true sagacity, the madrina had worked her way homewards, and would doubtless have eventually made her way back to the pastures amidst the araucaria groves, where she had been bred and raised.

Several of the troupiglia were missing, and had doubtless fallen victims to jaguars during their wanderings. They greeted the hunters with neighs of recognition, and seemed truly glad to come across them again.

And now the great day had arrived for the signing of the peace and the restoration of the Cristianos’ prisoners to liberty. Sir Francis and Lady Vane and their escort were momentarily expected, and a gallant array of over two thousand Araucanian and Tehuelchan warriors followed in the wake of Cuastral, Gilwinikush, Piñone, Aniwee, and our five young friends, as they rode forward to meet and welcome them. It was a glorious day, the sun was shining on the sparkling mica rocks which bound the rocky gorges through which they rode, turning them into a living mass of silver light, and glorifying all around. In the distance stretched the rugged plains of Patagonia, presenting a strange contrast to the mountain and valley-bedecked country through which this great array was riding.

“Mark forward yonder!” shouted Freddy suddenly, as a column of dust rose up upon the horizon.

“There they are; I see them!” echoed his brother with a triumphant cheer, and the next moment our five young friends, regardless of rough ground and rocky descents, were galloping as hard as they could to meet the approaching party.

As may be imagined, the meeting was a glad and happy one; for much as they had enjoyed themselves, our young friends had missed Sir Francis and Lady Vane sadly. As for Harry, his mirth was quite boisterous, and he never seemed to cease talking. But his voice quickly became drowned in the rattle of musketry with which Cuastral’s and Gilwinikush’s two thousand warriors greeted the approach of their peace-bringing envoys. Far and wide this salute of a half-tamed people re-echoed, giving to the meeting a most imposing aspect; and hardly had these echoes died away, when the thunder of thousands of horses’ hoofs resounded, as in splendid array the two thousand red men came charging forward with Cuastral, Piñone, Aniwee, and Gilwinikush at their head. A monster ceremony of welcome was then gone through, and when the shouting, firing, and galloping had come to an end, every one was very hot, and Harry declared that he was utterly exhausted.

Having formed again into order, the big cavalcade, swollen by the arrival of the new-comers, faced round and retraced its steps towards Las Manzanas, where, when reached, a monster Parliament was held, when the articles, and stipulations, and conditions of peace were read over, and made clear to both sides, and assented to amidst loud acclamation by the Indians. Then Sir Francis and Lady Vane wrote out the signatures of Cuastral and Gilwinikush, to which these Caciques appended their marks, and the happy peace was concluded amidst general rejoicing. Finally the white prisoners filed, to the number of five hundred, before the chiefs, who shook hands with each, pledging a mutual friendship with the friendly grasp; and as each Cristiano received back in this manner his freedom, his horse, fully saddled, was led forward and restored to him.

When all had mounted, they turned and faced Cuastral and Gilwinikush, who addressed a few friendly words to them. As soon as he had ceased speaking the Cristianos’ leader replied, and then, amidst a fusilade of rifle salutes, the liberated whites rode away from Las Manzanas, where they had been prisoners for more than a month.

“So begins the great peace,” exclaimed Sir Francis, as he turned from watching the last man disappear. “Thank God! everything has terminated so fortunately. I know you and I, Ruby, have spared no pains to make it a success.”

“As it will be, dear, assuredly,” answered his wife, linking her arm in his. “It would seem as if Providence had brought us here to help in its establishment. Well, young people, we have had a very pleasant expedition, have we not?”

“Rather,” answered all the children eagerly; and then Topsie added gravely, “We shall never forget it. It will be a very bright spot through life.”