"I hear nothing," the young man remarked at the end of a moment.
"That is true," the other replied with a smile; "your ears are not like mine, open to every sound that troubles the silence of the desert; a carriage is rapidly coming up from the direction of Orizaba, and is following the same route as ourselves; you will soon see it appear, for I can perfectly distinguish the tinkling of the mule bells."
"It is doubtless the Veracruz diligence, in which my servants and luggage are, and which we are only a few hours ahead of."
"Perhaps it is; perhaps it is not. I should be surprised if it had caught us up so quickly."
"What does it matter to us?" the count said.
"Nothing, that is true, if it is the diligence," the other replied after a moment's reflection; "at any rate it is as well to take our precautions."
"Precautions, why?" the young man asked in astonishment.
Oliver gave him a look of singular meaning.
"You know nothing as yet about American life," he said presently; "in Mexico, the first law of existence is always to put yourself on guard against the possible chances of an ambuscade. Follow me, and do what you see me do."
"Are we going to conceal ourselves?"