A few minutes before sunrise, Valentine awoke. "Up," he said to his companions, "it is the hour for starting."
Don Pablo and Shaw opened their eyes and got ready; but Curumilla was not there.
"Oh, oh," the hunter said; "the chief is up already, I fancy. Let us go down to the plain. We shall probably soon come across him."
The three men left the grotto, and began, by the uncertain rays of the moon, sliding down the abrupt sides of the Teocali, leaving their comrades asleep. A few minutes later, they reached the plain, where Curumilla was waiting for them, holding four horses by the bridle. Valentine gave a start of surprise.
"We had agreed to go on foot, chief," he said. "Have you forgotten that?"
"No," the other replied, laconically.
"Then, why the deuce did you saddle these horses, which are useless to us?"
The Indian shook his head.
"We shall be better on horseback," he said.
"Still," Don Pablo observed, "I fancy that it's better to follow a trail on foot, as you said yourself yesterday, Don Valentine."