Meanwhile the two men reached a glade where two horses were held by the bridle by a slave.
"Here is the horse of my brother, let him depart," said Tarou Niom; "I await his return with impatience. He proceeds towards the south. As for me, I return to the camp, soon to see you again."
Diogo did not know which of the two horses was his own; fearing to make a mistake, and to take one for the other, he feigned to stumble in order to give the chief time to put himself in the saddle, which the latter, whose suspicion was not awakened, did immediately.
Diogo imitated his example.
The two men buried their spurs in the flanks of their horses, and went off at full speed in different directions.
When he was at last alone, the captain could not suppress a sigh of relief.
[1] knife.