"Nevertheless, take this as well: better to have too much than too little."
He placed in the hands of Carlocho a long netted purse, across the meshes of which a goodly number of gold pieces glittered.
"Now, Pablito, my horse."
The vaquero led from the recesses of the wood a magnificent charger. Don Fernando vaulted into the saddle.
"Remember," said he, "prudence and fidelity; one indiscretion would cost you your lives."
He waved his hand to the vaqueros, gave his horse the spur, and rode off in the direction of the presidio. The two men resumed the road to the pueblo.
When they were a good way off, the brushwood at one corner of the clearing began to shake, and a human head slowly emerged, the face blanched with terror.
The head was succeeded by the body of the verado who had risen to his feet, his knife in one hand, a pistol in the other, and now looked about him with his hair standing on end.
"¡Canarios!" he cried in a low tone; "rid themselves of me quietly! We shall see! we shall see, ¡Santa Virgen del Pilar! What demons! Aha! I was right to listen."
"It is the only way to hear," said a mocking voice.