of--I would go crazy with joy!"

There is no necessity for repeating the various arguments used, pro and
con, before the final agreement was reached. Enough has already been put
upon record, and the result must suffice: Professor Featherwit yielded
the vital point, and, having once fairly expressed his fears and doubts,
flung his whole heart into perfecting the disguise which was now counted
upon to carry Bruno safely into and out of yonder city.

He was carefully trigged out in the warlike uniform secured by Cooper
Edgecombe at the cost of a human life, and, with fresh stain applied
to his face and hands, the slight moustache he wore was not dangerously
perceptible.

"'Twould take a strong light and mighty keen eyes to see it at all, and
even if a body should happen to notice it, he'd reckon 'twas a bit of
smut, or the like," generously declared Waldo.

Under less trying circumstances, Bruno might have answered in kind, but
now he merely smiled at the jester, then turned again to receive the
earnest cautions let fall for his benefit by the professor.

Above all else, he was to steer clear of fighting, and, without he saw
a fair chance of winning speech with the white women, he was to keep in
such hiding as Ixtli might furnish, trusting the young Aztec to post the
Children of the Sun as to what was in the wind.

Tremulous, almost incapable of coherent speech, so intense was his
agitation, Cooper Edgecombe sent many messages to his loved ones,
begging for one word in return. And if nothing less would serve--

His voice choked, and only his feverishly burning eyes could say the
rest.

It was well past sunset ere the youngsters set forth from the
rendezvous, accompanied a short distance by both Waldo and the
professor; but the parting came in good time. It would be worse than
folly to add to the existent perils that of possible discovery by some
prowling Aztec who might work serious injury to them one and all.

That great bear-hide proved a tax upon their strength, even though the
bullet-riddled head-piece had been carefully cut off and buried, lest
those queer holes tell a risky tale on close examination; but Ixtli, as
well as Bruno, was upborne by an exaltation such as neither had known
before this hour.

There was nothing worse than the natural obstacles in the way to be
overcome, and, knowing every square yard of ground so thoroughly, Ixtli
chose the most practicable route to that hill-encircled town.

Th