It was twelve o'clock, when José, Manuel and Francisco galloped off in the direction of the river, and it was just mate time when they came in sight of the charcoal kilns and adobe huts near the river's bank.
Gathered about the fires, over which hung boiling water for making the máte, were several clusters of these uncouth appearing men. Dirty looking women sat in groups apart, with dozens of dirtier children rolling about on the hard earth at their feet. A pack of dogs ran out to greet them, yelping in front of their horses, until they were called off by their respective owners.
José and Manuel approached one group, and after greeting and being greeted, asked for boiling water with which to make mate. This was given willingly, and with Francisco they sat down on the ground among the men and began leisurely to sip mate from the gourd that Manuel always carried in his saddle bags.
They talked in friendly fashion with the dirty carboneros, who were as black as the fuel they made. Francisco noticed two men, who were less grimy in appearance and who sat quietly side by side, taking no part in the conversation.
They glanced occasionally at José and Manuel in a hostile manner, and suspicion seemed to lurk in their attitude towards them. Francisco felt sure these were the thieves, but José and Manuel took no notice whatever of them and Francisco feared his friends had not seen them.
After mate Francisco asked to see the kilns and José and Manuel took him over to examine them and explain to him how the willow was made into charcoal. It was quite dark when they returned to the huts and proposed that they return to the casa.
"Can the boy take another long ride in the same day?" asked one of the carboneros, more kindly in manner than the rest. "Is he not exhausted? We have no shelter here, but you are welcome to roll up in your blankets by the fires, for the night wind from the Pampas is cool."
"No, it is moonlight. A thousand 'gracias'[21] for your offer, but the lad is a good rider and we shall be home before midnight;" and bidding them adios, José and Manuel with Francisco, wondering at their behaviour, started towards the enclosure where the horses had been staked together with several other animals.
And then José did a thing that made Francisco's eyes fairly start from his head. He deliberately lifted up the stake to which a piebald mare, belonging to one of the thieves, was tethered, and throwing the knotted end of the long bridle across the pommel of his own saddle, rode out at the far end of the enclosure.
As he galloped off, Manuel and Francisco followed and soon they were all abreast, their horses' swift feet brushing the evening dew from the pampas grass as they flew along the level prairie. They rode so fast that the little fellow could not venture a question, it required all of his wits to keep his seat.