"You shall be satisfied on the spot," he added. "Throw down a lasso!" he cried, with a loud voice.
Almost immediately a long leathern cord passed through one of the crevices, and came floating to within a foot of the ground. The count took a stone, enveloped it in the sheet of paper, and tied the whole to the end of the lasso, which was quickly drawn up.
"You will soon have an answer," he said.
All at once the moveable fortifications heaped upon the rock disappeared at if by enchantment, and the platform appeared covered with Chilian soldiers armed with muskets; a little in advance of them stood Valentine and his dog Cæsar.
"Count!" Valentine cried, in a voice that sounded like a trumpet, "in the name of your companions, you have very properly rejected the shameful proposals made to you; we are here a hundred and fifty resolute men, resolved to perish rather than accept them."
"That is understood," he cried to Valentine; then addressing the chief—"You see," he said, "my companions are of my opinion."
"What does my brother wish then?" Antinahuel demanded.
"Pardieu! simply to go away," the young man replied.
Antinahuel, Black Stag, and the general consulted for a moment; then Antinahuel said—"We agree to your terms; my young paleface brother is a great heart."
"That is well," the count replied; "you are a brave warrior, chief, and I thank you; but I have still one favour to ask you."