l bind yourselves to
this?"

"Yes, yes!" "Si!" "Oui, oui!" "Ya, ya!" "All!" "Todos, todos!"
cried a multitude of voices, each man answering in his own language.

"Let those who do not agree to it speak."

A profound silence followed this proposal. All had bound themselves to
the wishes of their leader.

"I am glad that you are unanimous. I will now state my purpose fully.
It is but just you should know it."

"Ay, let us know that," muttered Kirker, "if tain't to raise har we're
goin'."

"We go, then, to seek for our friends and relatives, who for years have
been captives to our savage enemy. There are many among us who have
lost kindred, wives, sisters, and daughters."

A murmur of assent, uttered chiefly by men in Mexican costume, testified
to the truth of this statement.

"I myself," continued Seguin, and his voice slightly trembled as he
spoke, "am among that number. Years, long years ago, I was robbed of my
child by the Navajoes. I have lately learned that she is still alive,
and at their head town with many other white captives. We go, then, to
release and restore them to their friends and homes."

A shout of approbation broke from the crowd, mingled with exclamations
of "Bravo!" "We'll fetch them back!" "Vive le capitaine!" "Viva el
gefe!"

When silence was restored, Seguin continued--

"You know our purpose. You have approved it. I will now make known to
you the plan I had designed for accomplishing it, and listen to your
advice."

Here the chief paused a moment, while the men remained silent and
waiting.

"There are three passes," continued he at length, "by which we might
enter the Indian country from this side. There is, first, the route of
the Western Puerco. That would lead us direct to the Navajo towns."

"And why not take that way?" asked one of the hunters, a Mexican. "I
know the route well, as far as the Pecos towns."

"Because we could not pass the Pecos towns without being seen by Navajo
spies. There are always some of them there. Nay, more," continued
Seguin, with a look that expressed a hidden meaning, "we could not get
far up the Del Norte itself before the Navajoes would be warned of our
approach. We have enemies nearer home."

"Carrai! that is true," said a hunter, speaking in Spanish.

"Should they get word of our coming, even though the warriors had gone
southward, you can see that we would have a journey for nothing."

"True, true!" shouted several