"Ay! ay!" repeated a mocking voice. "It is time."
"That's William again," said Francisco. "We have not seen him for long, but now he is here."
There was a crashing through the bushes, and the form of their enemy appeared. He was whirling a dead rattlesnake on the point of a stick. Much to their surprise, he neither paused nor sought to molest them. Apparently he was in a hurry to get away.
They were greatly alarmed the next moment at sight of Nellie running toward them. Her hat was off, her braids were unfastened, and she was panting for breath.
"What is wrong? What is the matter?" cried Walter and Francisco together.
"I can not find 'Rita," she replied, and burst into tears. "We were looking for sour-grass, and she went a little distance off. All at once that horrid boy came with a dead snake. He began to run after me. I ran ever so far, and at last he stopped. I begged and begged him not to throw it on me, and I cried. Then, when he went away, I called 'Rita because I could not see her. She did not answer. I went back to the place where she had been. She wasn't there. And I can't find her at all."
"But you were not far?" inquired Francisco. "She could not get lost so soon. Walter and I will find her in a minute. Sit there and rest."
The two boys were soon traversing the broad, grassy plateau. It was so bare of trees that no one could possibly be roaming over it without being seen. 'Rita was not there. Francisco called to her Indian fashion, but his calls were not answered.
"Come up, Nellie," said Walter, at last, running down again to the edge of the bank where they had left his sister. "Come and show us where you last saw her. We can't find her nor make her hear."
The little girl was soon beside them.