r the town, or lay down your life in it.
Certainly neither, unless my plan get spoiled by the ill luck that's
been so long hanging about us. It isn't much of a plan after all; only
to find one of the Indians, to whom I did a service when they were
living at their old place. I cured the man of a complaint, which, but
for the medicine I administered, would have carried him off to the happy
hunting grounds--where just then he didn't wish to go. That medicine
wasn't mine either. I had it from the _dueno_. But the sick man gave
me credit for it all the same, and swore if I ever stood in need of his
services, I could count upon receiving them, sure. From what I saw of
him afterwards, and we came to know one another pretty well, I think I
can. If ever there was a redskin to be trusted it's he. Besides, he's
one of some authority in the tribe--a sort of sub-chief."

"I know another," breaks in Ludwig, as if suddenly recollecting; "one
who'd help us too--if we could only have a word with him. That's
Nacena's brother, Kaolin."

Cypriano casts at his cousin a glance of peculiar meaning--something
like surprise. Not because the latter has made mention of an Indian
girl and her brother, both known to himself; but his giving the girl's
name first, as though she were uppermost in his thoughts. And she is;
though that is a secret the young naturalist has hitherto kept close
locked within his own breast.

Without noticing the glance of scrutiny bent upon him, he proceeds to
explain himself.

"You may remember, Kaolin and I were the best of friends. He often went
fishing with me, or rather I went with him. And I'm sure he'd stand by
me now, in spite of Aguara."

"So much the better," rejoins Caspar. "If my man fail me, we can fall
back upon yours. What I propose doing, then, is this. We must keep
quiet, and of course concealed, all day to-morrow till after sunset. We
can employ ourselves in the preparation of my masquerading costume.
When it comes on twilight, or a little later, I can slip down among
those _toldos_, and go sauntering about, like any other redskin, till I
find my old patient. He being a big fellow, there shouldn't be much
difficulty in doing that. When found I'll make appeal to him, to help
us in getting the _nina_ out of--" he has it on his tongue to say
"Aguara's clutches," but thinking of the effect of such a phrase falling
upon Cypriano's ears, he concludes with the words, "whatever place
they