"Wait for me here," he said, and passed on rapidly, after delivering the torch to the capataz.
Shortly after, he returned.
"Come," said he, "all goes well."
They followed him anew. Suddenly a fresh, cool breeze met their faces, and through the obscurity before them they saw two or three points of light glittering. They had reached the other rock.
"We must now redouble our caution," said the hunter; "those points of light you see shining through the mist are the campfires of the Apaches. Their ear is fine; the least noise would betray our presence."
The canoe was launched again; the Mexicans embarked, the capataz, at the stern of the frail bark, holding the reins of the horses, which followed swimming.
Crossing occupied only a few minutes, and the canoe soon grated against the sandy beach.
Nothing could be better than the place chosen by the hunter. A high rock threw over the water, to a considerable distance, so dark a shadow, that it was impossible to distinguish the travellers ten paces off.
The forest, scarcely twenty yards from the shore, offered, amongst its thickets, immediate protection to the fugitives.
"The señorita will remain here, with one peon to guard the horses," said the hunter; "we others will attempt the surprise."