The rest of the night passed away without incident.
A few minutes before sunrise, the soldiers and arrieros prepared to load the mules, and prepare everything for the start.
"Stay," the Captain suddenly exclaimed, "where is the monk? We cannot abandon him thus; lay him on a mule, and we will leave him at the first rancho we come to."
The soldiers hastened to obey, and look for Padre Antonio, but all their search was in vain; he had disappeared, and left no trace of his flight.
Don Juan frowned at the news, but, after a moment's reflection, he shook his head carelessly.
"All the better," he said, "he would have been in our way."
The conducta herewith started again.