"He must be a cavalier, to judge by his horse and arms, as far as I could take note of them, some way down the road."
"If he were such he would not travel alone through these solitudes."
"Perhaps he has got separated from his followers by accident in this thick wood."
"Whether he is a cavalier or not, go and advise our chiefs. I will remain here and keep a close eye on the road. There may perchance come other men behind him, and 'going for wool we might return shorn.'"[1]
"I shall do it at once, comrade."
Guillen looked carefully into the wood, and though there was no brushwood between the trees he could see nothing. Just, however, as it occurred to him that the speakers might be concealed behind the trunk of a tree, he saw a man coming out from such a position and running towards an adjacent glen; he was clad almost exactly like those of the band of the Vengador. Guillen then knew with what kind of people he had to do: the Vengador was evidently encamped in that wood, and had placed sentinels on those high trees. He got into readiness his lance and shield, in case he might be compelled to use them, and continued his way. Scarcely, however, had he advanced twenty paces when four horsemen rode forth from the glen, on a pathway that led from it, and cried out to him—
"Halt, cavalier!"
"I shall do so if you address me more courteously," replied Guillen, without obeying their order.
"Now we shall use courtesy towards a very daring individual."
And the bandits, for those men did really belong to the band of the Vengador, rushed on the ex-page, who received them with the point of his lance.