Several Mexicans came running up from the camp to ask if
anything was the matter, Rube's yell having reached their ears.
They were told it was only those mad Americanos amusing themselves,
and with many angry threats of the different sort of yells we
should give next day, they sauntered off again.
'That's rather a good thing,' Rube said to me when he stopped
making a noise. 'If any sound of the little fight we are going to
have here reaches the camp, they will put it down to us shouting
for our amusement.'
By this time it had become perfectly dark, and the guard lighted a
fire in the middle of the room in which they sat. A pile of wood
had been brought in for the purpose, and when the smoke had a
little abated, the door was shut and barred. Every three or four
minutes one of the men would take a lighted brand and come in to
see that we were not near to each other, and that all was secure.
'What time shall we begin, Seth?' Rube asked.
'In another hour or so,' I said; 'by eight. They will be gambling
and quarreling round the fire by nine o'clock; and the talk, and
the noise of the horses, will prevent them hearing anything here.
We must not think of going out for two hours later, and even then
they won't be all asleep; but we dare not put it off later, for El
Zeres may come back earlier than he said he should, and if he does
it's all up with us.
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