Now, thought I, here is my chance
for an honorable retreat if anything should go wrong. I intended to
close up the hole behind me with the wet sacks, taking the risk of
snake bites in preference to the tender mercies of the Indians. As
these ground lairs take a turn a few feet down and are connected with
various underground passages and have several outlets, I had a fair
prospect to escape should the Indians discover my whereabouts, for
they could neither burn nor smoke me out, and were not likely to take
the time to reduce my fort by starvation. It took me but a very short
time to make my preparations, and I did it unnoticed by my
companions, who seemed fully preoccupied with their own troubles.
A horseman galloped up to our division, a great, swarthy,
fierce-looking man, bearded like the pard. This man did not act like
a scared person. One glance at the frightened faces of his countrymen
sufficed to enlighten and also to enrage him.
"Senores," he said, "I perceive you are anxious and ready for a
fight. I hope the Indians will accommodate us, as we are greatly in
need of a little sport. It may happen that some of you will lose your
scalps, and I hope that it is not you, Senor Felipe Morales.
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