Then turning to Cypriano, he adds, “Now, señorito; be good enough to strip off everything, and draw this over your shoulders.”
Without a word of protest, or objection, the young Paraguayan does as requested, and is soon inside the holiday shirt; his own having been laid aside, as also his jaqueta, calzoneras, and every other article of dress worn by him.
Meanwhile, Gaspar has been engaged getting ready several other things for the change of costume intended; one of these being a silk handkerchief of a bright scarlet colour, also taken out of the inexhaustible alparejas. This he ties about Cypriano’s neck, not as an ordinary cravat, but loosely folded, so as to expose a breadth of several inches all round.
The gaucho’s next move is to snatch from off the fire one of the faggots still only half consumed; from which with his knife he scrapes the red coal, leaving the surface black, at the same time paring the stick to a sharp point. With some wet gunpowder he further blackens it; then placing the thick end against Cypriano’s forehead, he binds it fast with a piece of raw-hide thong, the last carried around and firmly knotted at the back of the neck.
A few more touches and the toilet is complete; transforming Cypriano into what, at a distance, might be supposed a soldier-crane! At all events, the ostriches will so suppose him, as Gaspar knows; for he is but copying a scheme often practised by South American Indians for the capture of these shy birds.
“Muy bien!” he exclaims, as he stands contemplating his finished task. “By my word, muchacho mio, you look the character to perfection. And if you act it cleverly, as I know you can and will, we’ll make breakfast on something better than beans. Now, señorito; you’re in costume to go garzoneando.”
Long ere this, Cypriano has come to comprehend what is required of him, and is quite eager to have a try at the ruse so cunningly contrived. Declaring himself ready to start out, it but remains to be decided what weapon he ought to take with him. For they have the three kinds—gun, bolas, and lazo; and in the use of the two last he is almost as skilled as the gaucho himself.
“The gun might be the readiest and surest,” remarks Gaspar; “and it will be as well to have one with you, in case of your not getting a good chance to cast either of the others. But just now the less noise that’s made the better. Who knows, but that some of these traitorous redskins may be still straggling about? Hearing shots they’d be sure to come up to us; which we don’t want, though ever so much wishing to come up with them. Therefore, I say, use either the balls or the rope.”
“All the same to me,” observes the young Paraguayan. “Which do you think the better?”
“The bolas, decidedly. I’ve known the lazo slip over an ostrich’s head, after the noose had been round its neck. But once the cord of the bolas gets a turn round the creature’s shanks, it’ll go to grass without making another stride. Take this set of mine. As you see, they’re best boliadores, and you can throw them with surer aim.”