At first the going was pretty easy, but soon, Piñone having dived deeper into the forest, progress became more difficult. They had to keep a sharp look-out too, for there was no knowing what these strange, unexplored forests contained, and they might at any moment be confronted by an angry jaguar, or, more terrible still, an Andes demon, to say nothing of creatures yet unseen, and yet in all probability no less existent, for the vast solitudes which stretch beneath the mighty chain of South America’s giants have yet to be explored; and who knows what wonders they may not have in store for the adventurous explorer who is hardy enough to penetrate their mysterious depths?
As luck would have it, however, nothing arose to dispute the passage of the small reconnoitring party, and after about an hour’s fight with the dense undergrowth the Indian cacique was able to call a halt. Then, laying his fingers on his lips, he stole forward in the direction of the river, signing to the others to follow as quietly as possible.
Now the river for some time had been hidden from view, and with it the opposite banks thereof. Aniwee and her companions were therefore not a little astonished when, with its sudden appearance, a strange scene presented itself to their gaze on the frontage across the water.
Peering through some thick bushes behind which they lay effectively concealed, they made out the figures of some thirty or forty Traucos, all stretched out, or sitting in the sun and basking themselves in its rays. Two large rafts lay moored to the shore, of which both the centres were piled up with fruit. Behind, and higher up the bank, stood several bright green huts newly thatched, and sitting outside them were six white hairy forms, the Albino Traucos.
But as she looked upon this novel scene Aniwee could hardly repress a cry, as her eyes alighted on a tiny figure which she knew full well. Under a big awning of green branches, and lying on a thick jaguar skin, playing with two little Traucos a shade bigger than herself, lay La Guardia Chica, the little Indian child, upon whom the malice of Inacayal had fallen, Aniwee’s baby girl, the love of her tender heart. Her impulse was to spring forward, but with a tremendous effort she restrained herself, and Piñone, half divining the temptation, laid his hand on her arm.
“Courage, Aniwee,” he whispered; “see, La Guardia Chica does not suffer. Did I not tell thee, Carita, that they would treat her with kindness and care? Did I not say well?”
The Indian girl nodded, and a look of relief overspread her hitherto anxious, eager face, as she inquired, “But cannot we rescue her now, Piñone?”
“And lose her perchance for ever,” answered the young chief quickly. “No, no, Aniwee; the child can only be safely secured by cunning and ruse. The Traucos are merely resting ere proceeding up the river, and in a short space they will embark on their journey up country. We must watch for their departure, and make no attempt to pass this spot on our raft until the white Traucos are asleep. I see well that if they perceived us they would probably carry forward the alarm, and put the village on its guard, and thus we should lose the child, and place ourselves and our friends in a most dangerous position. Piñone has spoken.”
“And wisely, I feel sure, Aniwee,” put in Topsie kindly. “It would be madness to discover ourselves just now. Let us squat down here as Piñone advises, watch the Traucos depart, and then return to the raft.”
Softly and quietly the little reconnoitring party went down on their knees, and thence into a more comfortable position, keeping their eyes fixed upon the scene before them. Aniwee never took hers off her child, who appeared very happy, and who had evidently struck up a firm friendship with its little comrades.