Then he saw Obed's tall figure striding
down the slope in the dusk, and he went forward to meet him.
"I suppose you've spent the afternoon sleeping," said Obed.
"I might have done so, but we had a visitor."
"A visitor? What kind of a visitor?"
"A jaguar. He wanted to eat our horse and as the horse could not get
away, being tethered strongly, I had to shoot his jaguarship."
He showed Obed the body, and his comrade approved highly of the shot.
"And now for the history of my own life and adventures during the
afternoon," said Obed. "The country to the eastward is not rough, and I
made good time through it. Sure enough the army of Cos is there, about
five miles away, camped in a plain. It was beaten about a good deal by
the storm, and it keeps poor guard, because it is in its own country far
from any expected foe, and because the Mexicans are Mexicans. I think,
Ned, that we can lift a horse without great trouble or excessive danger.
We'll go over there about midnight."
"And we'd better take our present horse with us," said Ned, "or other
jaguars may come."
They remained in their own valley until the appointed time, and then set
out on a fairly dark night, each taking his turn at riding the horse.
Pages:
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
222
223
224
225
226
227
228
229
230
231
232
233
234
235