"¡Caramba!" he said, as he measured the height of the sun; "I fancy I have forgotten myself; it must be very late."
"Ten o'clock," the hunter answered with a smile.
"Ten o'clock!" José exclaimed, as he leaped up; "And you have let me idle thus instead of waking me."
"You slept so soundly, my friend, that I had not the courage to do so."
"Hum!" Paredes replied, half laughing, half vexed; "I know not whether I ought to complain or thank you for this weakness, for we have lost precious time."
"Not at all; see, the water has disappeared; the ground is growing firm again, and when the great heat of the day is spent we will mount our horses and catch up in a few hours the time you are regretting."
"That is true, and you are right, comrade," said the majordomo, as he looked around with the practised glance of a man accustomed to a desert life. "Well, as it is so," he added, with a laugh, "suppose we breakfast, for that will enable us to kill some time."
"Very good," the hunter replied, good humouredly. They breakfasted as they had supped on the previous night. When the hour for starting at length arrived, they saddled their horses and led them down the hill; for the ascent which they had escaladed so actively by night, under the impulse of the pressing danger that threatened them, now proved extremely steep, abrupt, and difficult. When they mounted, Stronghand said—"My friend, I am going to take you to an atepetl of the Redskins. Do you consider that disagreeable?"
"Not personally, but I will ask what advantage my master can derive from it?"
"That question I am unable to answer at the moment. You must know, though, that we are taking this step on your master's behalf, and that his affairs, instead of suffering by it, will be greatly benefited."