cattle stolen from Don Juan--in all numbering about fifty. The cibolero
said they must have passed over the ground two days before. That would
correspond with the time when they had been taken.

The trackers soon passed the limits of the valley, and entered the plain
through which runs the Pecos. They were about approaching that stream
in a direct line, and were still two miles from its banks, when the dog
Cibolo, who had been trotting in advance of the party, suddenly turned
to the left, and ran on in that direction. The keen eye of Carlos
detected a new trail upon which the dog was running, and which parted
from the track of the troopers. It ran in a direction due north.

What appeared singular both to Carlos and Don Juan was the fact of
Cibolo having taken this new route, as it was not marked by a road or
path of any kind, but merely by the footprints of some animals that had
lately passed over it!

_Had Cibolo gone that way before_?

Carlos dismounted to examine the tracks.

"Four horses and one mule!" he said, speaking to Don Juan. "Two of the
horses shod on the fore feet only; the other two, with the mule,
barefoot. All of them mounted--the mule led--perhaps with a pack.

"_No_!" he added, after a little further examination, "it's not a
pack-mule!"

It scarce cost the cibolero five minutes to arrive at these conclusions.
How he did so was a mystery to most of his companions,--perhaps to all,
except the half-blood, Antonio. And yet he was right in every
particular.

He continued to scrutinise the new trail for some moments longer.

"The time corresponds," said he, still addressing Don Juan. "They
passed yesterday morning before the dew was dry. You are sure it was
not midnight when they left your house?"

"Quite sure," replied the ranchero. "It was still only midnight when I
returned with your mother from the rancho. I am quite sure of that."

"One more question, Don Juan: How many Indians, think you, were in the
party that made their appearance at your house--few or many?"

"Not many I think. Two or three only could be heard yelling at once;
but the trees prevented us from seeing them. I fancy, from their traces
left, that the band was a very small one. It might be the same that
burned the rancho. They could have arrived at my house afterwards.
There was time enough."

"I have reason to believe they _were_ the same," said Carlos, still
bending over the hoof-prints, "and _this may be