no doubt that this time our poor lads will be brought in."

"Then they are not at the fort?" I asked.

"I cannot say. They had not yet come in when the Spanish dragoons came
to lure us away. But you know the obstinacy and combativeness of Meek.
_He_ will bring them in. Yes, by now they must be over the mountains and
on their way to Santa Fe, guided by the Spaniards left at the fort for
that purpose. Allencaster has promised to send them after us as soon as
they can march. By the way, he has complimented you with the return of
your rifle and pistols. As I positively refused to be disarmed, the
diplomatic supposition is that we need our weapons to provide against
attacks of the Apaches."

"Your papers?" I inquired, "all those invaluable charts and journals?"

He gave me a rueful look. "The enemy have them trapped in my little
paper trunk, most of them. When we first came into Santa Fe all the more
valuable ones were concealed in the clothes of these lads." He shook his
head sadly at the six privates. "But the over-hospitable ladies plied
them so freely with wine and ardent spirits that I feared some of the
papers might be lost during their tipsy antics. So I returned to the
trunk all except your copy of my courses. Immediately afterwards the
trunk was seized, and is now in the charge of our escort."

"They may be returned," I argued.

He shook his head.

"You say they lured you into Santa Fe?"

"Upon the report of his spies, Allencaster sent out a force of a hundred
men, under pretence that the Yutah Indians were about to attack us.
They were extremely courteous, and invited me to come into Santa Fe,
stating that the Governor wished to know our reasons for entering his
territories. When I had expressed our strategic supposition that we were
on the Red River, and they had explained that these were the waters of
the Rio del Norte, I at once hauled down our flag and agreed to
accompany them.

"As with yourself, Allencaster was at first exceedingly haughty to me.
But after I had expressed my opinion of their invasion of our
territories, and stated that I had come in merely to be directed how to
find the Red River, that my party might follow it down to Natchitoches,
he mellowed exceedingly. I believe the old fox thought he was playing me
a sly trick in thus sending us south through the heart of his country."

"He will be hoist by his own petard!" I cried. "Papers or no papers,
Salcedo is bound to free you at least,