, "are you satisfied?"

For a long time there was no reply. The warriors were again gathered in
council, and gesticulating with earnestness and energy. We could see
that there was a party opposed to pacific measures, who were evidently
counselling, the others to try the fortunes of a battle. These were the
younger braves; and I observed that he in the hussar costume, who, as
Rube informed us, was the son of the head chief, appeared to be the
leader of this party.

Had not the head chief been so deeply interested in the result, the
counsels of these might have carried; for the warriors well knew the
scorn that would await them among neighbouring tribes should they return
without captives. Besides, there were numbers who felt another sort of
interest in detaining them. They had looked upon the daughters of the
Del Norte, and "saw that they were fair."

But the counsels of the older men at length prevailed, and the spokesman
replied--

"The Navajo warriors have considered what they have heard. They believe
that the white chief has spoken the truth, and they agree to exchange
their prisoners. That this may be done in a proper and becoming manner,
they propose that twenty warriors be chosen on each side; that these
warriors shall lay down their arms on the prairie in presence of all;
that they shall then conduct their captives to the crossing of the
barranca by the mine, and there settle the terms of their exchange; that
all the others on both sides shall remain where they now are, until the
unarmed warriors have got back with the exchanged prisoners; that the
white banners shall then be struck, and both sides be freed from the
treaty. These are the words of the Navajo warriors."

It was some time before Seguin could reply to this proposal. It seemed
fair enough; but yet there was a manner about it that led us to suspect
some design, and we paused a moment to consider it. The concluding
terms intimated an intention on the part of the enemy of making an
attempt to retake their captives; but we cared little for this, provided
we could once get them on our side of the barranca.

It was very proper that the prisoners should be conducted to the place
of exchange by unarmed men, and twenty was a proper number; but Seguin
well knew how the Navajoes would interpret the word "unarmed"; and
several of the hunters were cautioned in an undertone to "stray" into
the bushes, and conceal their knives and pistols under the f