These words, spoken in Indian, must reach the traitor's ear as a vain sound, for the Aucas dialect is not generally understood by the Spaniards.
Still, a man, clothed like the other chiefs, and protected by the darkness, suddenly bounded far out of the circle, and uttered three different times the hoarse croak of the urubús. He leant against the trunk of the tree of Gualichu, and with his legs far apart, and a pistol in each hand, waited. This man was Pedrito, the bombero.
A living wall, formed of hundreds of Indians, rose in arms before him, and menaced him from all sides. Pedrito, to whom flight was impossible, frowned, gnashed his teeth, and foamed with rage.
"I am waiting for you, dogs," he yelled.
"Forward! Forward!" the Indians shouted.
"Silence!" Nocobotha ordered in a rough voice. "I wish to question him."
"What good is it?" Pincheira remarked, with a hateful expression. "He is one of those rats of the Pampa, whom the Spaniards call bomberos. I recognize him. Let us kill him at once."
"A bombero," the Indians yelled anew. "Death to him, death."
"Silence," said Nocobotha, "who dares to interrupt?"
At the command of the master silence was reestablished.