the strange creature, but, disliking to
return home without something to show for the trip, remained out over
night, then chanced to fairly stumble into the way of a mighty grizzly.

There were a few moments during which he might possibly have escaped
through headlong flight, but he was too proud for that, and but for the
timely arrival and prompt action on the part of his white brothers would
almost certainly have paid the penalty with his life.

Then followed more thanks and broken expressions of gratitude, all of
which Waldo magnanimously waved aside as wholly unnecessary.

"Don't work up a sweat for a little thing like that, old man. Of course
we saw you were an Injun and--ahem! I mean, how in time did you happen
to catch hold of our lingo so mighty pat, laddy-buck?"

"My brother means to ask who taught you to speak as we do, Ixtli?"
amended Bruno, catching at the wished-for opportunity now it offered.

"And who was that nice little gal with the yellow hair? Is she--what did
you call her? Gladys--And the rest of it Edgecombe?"

Waldo was eager enough now that the ice was fairly broken, but his
very volubility served to complicate matters rather than to hasten the
desired information.

Ixtli apparently thought in English pretty much as he spoke it,--slowly,
and with care. When hurried, his brain and tongue naturally fell back
upon his native language.

Sounds issued through his lips, but, despite all their animation, these
proved to be but empty sounds to the eager brothers. And, divining the
truth, Bruno checked his brother, himself acting as questioner, pretty
soon striking the right chord, after which Ixtli fared very well.

Still, thanks to his difficulty in finding the right words with which to
express his full meaning, it took both time and patience for even Bruno
to learn all he desired; and even if such a course would be desirable,
lack of space forbids giving a literal record of questions and answers,
since the general result of that cross-examination may be put so much
more compactly before the generous reader.

The first point made clear was that the young Aztec owed his imperfect
knowledge of the English language to certain Children of the Sun, whom
he named as if christened Victo and Glady. With this as starting-point,
the rest formed a mere question of time and perseverance.

Growing in animation as he proceeded, Ixtli told of the coming to their
city of those glorious children; riding upon