"Upon our ride I found an opportunity for the first time since our
capture for a talk with Rube.
"'What do you think of it, Seth?'
"'Looks bad, Rube,' I said. 'If we find El Zeres in camp, I expect
he will make short work of us; if he is away I suppose we shall get
till to-morrow morning. If we are to escape at all it must be
to-night.'
"'Escape!' Rube said scoffingly; 'of course we are going to escape.
The question is, Which one of all the ways open to us are we to
choose?' and he laughed merrily.
"'I don't quite see all the ways yet, Rube; however, we shall see
what sort of a place we are put in to-night, and can then come to
some conclusion. There comes the sun.'
"It was about nine o'clock when we rode into camp; and as we
approached it we acknowledged that a better place against a sudden
surprise could hardly have been chosen. The ground was flat for
miles round; but the site of the camp rose in a slight mound, of
nearly circular form and perhaps one hundred yards across; the
central part was thirty feet or so above the general level. Round
this the band of El Zeres was encamped. Rube and I guessed them at
four hundred strong. There was an attempt at military order, for,
by the bundles of wearing apparel, etc., it was evident that the
men slept round a series of bivouac fires, extending in a circle
round the foot of the mound.
Pages:
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109