Whistling to his ocelot, the adventurer quickened his pace, and was soon far in the advance.
CHAPTER III.
A CHALLENGE.
In the valley of Anahuac, at the time I write, are four lakes,—Xaltocan, Chalco, Xochichalco, and Tezcuco. The latter, besides being the largest, washed the walls of Tenochtitlan, and was the especial pride of the Aztecs, who, familiar with its ways as with the city, traversed them all the days of the year, and even the nights.
“Ho, there!” shouted a voyageur, in a voice that might have been heard a long distance over the calm expanse of the lake. “Ho, the canoe!”
The hail was answered.
“Is it Guatamozin?” asked the first speaker.
“Yes.”
“And going to Tenochtitlan?”
“The gods willing,—yes.”