"Well, as your name is to be written in full in the State records, you won't grudge me my simple initials on the rock," replied Ruggles. "And I shouldn't wonder if they last longer."
They had ridden but a few miles farther when Azito pointed to the right, and declared that he had seen three horsemen coming towards them. Nobody else could distinguish the figures. Colonel Blanco decided to halt in a clump of trees until the strangers came up. Will thought they might bring news of the prisoners, or that two of them might be the prisoners themselves; but Azito said they were coming from the wrong direction.
In twenty minutes the three riders came clearly into view. Then Will saw that one of them was Antonio de Mello. The others were strangers to him. He went out to meet them.
"Hallo, old chap!" said De Mello. "What are you doing here?"
"I'm going to pay a visit to General Carabaño's hacienda."
De Mello laughed.
"What is this I hear about the Liberator?" he said. "My Indians--I have had spies at my place all along--told me that he was abducted in the middle of the night. Is it true?"
"Perfectly," said Will. "Your place is just now a hospital."
"What! Has there been a fight?" asked De Mello, grimacing.
"No: a smash on the line. I suppose you are on your way there?"