Men plot and plan and calculate and contrive, thinking themselves very clever; but how feeble they are when Dame Nature steps in and takes a hand, and how easily she can upset all their calculations, we were to learn, once for all, that coming day.
CHAPTER XX The Memorable Twenty-Ninth
Though we had intended to get off about sunrise we failed to do so, for we found that Galvez was on the lookout for us. No sooner had we started than we saw the three men ride out from the Casa with the evident intention of cutting us off, so, not wishing to get into a fight if it could be avoided, we turned back again.
Thereupon, the enemy also turned back; but, watching their movements, we saw that soon after they had entered the house, the figure of one of them appeared again on the roof, and there remained—a sentinel. Plainly, they were not going to let us get away if they could help it.
At midday, however, we saw the sentinel go down, presumably to get his dinner, when we thought we would try again. Pedro therefore went off to get our horses for us, but he had hardly been gone a minute when we were startled to see him coming back with them, running as fast as his short legs would permit.
"What's the matter, Pedro?" cried Dick. "What's wrong?"
"I see the Señor Arturo coming!" shouted the Mexican.
"What!" cried Dick, and, "Where?" cried I, both turning to look out over the plain.