in search of the castaways-第33章

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imself　at　the　feet　of　the　Patagonian；　〃friend　Thalcave；　don't　leave　us！〃　〃No；〃　said　Glenarvan；　〃he　shall　not　leave　us。〃　And　turning　toward　the　Indian；　he　said；　pointing　to　the　frightened　horses；　〃Let　us　go　together。〃　〃No；〃　replied　Thalcave；　catching　his　meaning。　〃Bad　beasts；　frightened；　Thaouka；　good　horse。〃　〃Be　it　so　then！〃　returned　Glenarvan。　　〃Thalcave　will　not　leave　you；　Robert。　　He　teaches　me　what　I　must　do。　It　is　for　me　to　go；　and　for　him　to　stay　by　you。〃　Then　seizing　Thaouka's　bridle；　he　said；　〃I　am　going；　Thalcave；　not　you。〃　〃No；〃　replied　the　Patagonian　quietly。　〃I　am；〃　exclaimed　Glenarvan；　snatching　the　bridle　out　of　his　hands。　〃I；　myself！　　Save　this　boy；　Thalcave！　　I　commit　him　to　you。〃　Glenarvan　was　so　excited　that　he　mixed　up　English　words　with　his　Spanish。　　But　what　mattered　the　language　at　such　a　terrible　moment。　A　gesture　was　enough。　　The　two　men　understood　each　other。　However；　Thalcave　would　not　give　in；　and　though　every　instant's　delay　but　increased　the　danger；　the　discussion　continued。　Neither　Glenarvan　nor　Thalcave　appeared　inclined　to　yield。　The　Indian　had　dragged　his　companion　towards　the　entrance　of　the　RAMADA；　and　showed　him　the　prairie；　making　him　understand　that　now　was　the　time　when　it　was　clear　from　the　wolves；　but　that　not　a　moment　was　to　be　lost；　for　should　this　maneuver　not　succeed；　it　would　only　render　the　situation　of　those　left　behind　more　desperate。　and　that　he　knew　his　horse　well　enough　to　be　able　to　trust　his　wonderful　lightness　and　swiftness　to　save　them　all。　　But　Glenarvan　was　blind　and　obstinate；　and　determined　to　sacrifice　himself　at　all　hazards；　when　suddenly　he　felt　himself　violently　pushed　back。　Thaouka　pranced　up；　and　reared　himself　bolt　upright　on　his　hind　legs；　and　made　a　bound　over　the　barrier　of　fire；　while　a　clear；　young　voice　called　out：　〃God　save　you；　my　lord。〃　But　before　either　Thalcave　or　Glenarvan　could　get　more　than　a　glimpse　of　the　boy；　holding　on　fast　by　Thaouka's　mane；　he　was　out　of　sight。　〃Robert！　oh　you　unfortunate　boy；〃　cried　Glenarvan。　But　even　Thalcave　did　not　catch　the　words；　for　his　voice　was　drowned　in　the　frightful　uproar　made　by　the　wolves；　who　had　dashed　off　at　a　tremendous　speed　on　the　track　of　the　horse。　Thalcave　and　Glenarvan　rushed　out　of　the　RAMADA。　　Already　the　plain　had　recovered　its　tranquillity；　and　all　that　could　be　seen　of　the　red　wolves　was　a　moving　line　far　away　in　the　distant　darkness。　Glenarvan　sank　prostrate　on　the　ground；　and　clasped　his　hands　despairingly。　　He　looked　at　Thalcave；　who　smiled　with　his　accustomed　calmness；　and　said：　〃Thaouka；　good　horse。　　Brave　boy。　　He　will　save　himself！〃　〃And　suppose　he　falls？〃　said　Glenarvan。　〃He'll　not　fall。〃　But　notwithstanding　Thalcave's　assurances；　poor　Glenarvan　spent　the　rest　of　the　night　in　torturing　anxiety。　　He　seemed　quite　insensible　now　to　the　danger　they　had　escaped　through　the　departure　of　the　wolves；　and　would　have　hastened　immediately　after　Robert　if　the　Indian　had　not　kept　him　back　by　making　him　understand　the　impossibility　of　their　horses　overtaking　Thaouka；　and　also　that　boy　and　horse　had　outdistanced　the　wolves　long　since；　and　that　it　would　be　useless　going　to　look　for　them　till　daylight。　At　four　o'clock　morning　began　to　dawn。　　A　pale　glimmer　appeared　in　the　horizon；　and　pearly　drops　of　dew　lay　thick　on　the　plain　and　on　the　tall　grass；　already　stirred　by　the　breath　of　day。　The　time　for　starting　had　arrived。　〃Now！〃　cried　Thalcave；　〃come。〃　Glenarvan　made　no　reply；　but　took　Robert's　horse　and　sprung　into　the　saddle。　　Next　minute　both　men　were　galloping　at　full　speed　toward　the　west；　in　the　line　in　which　their　companions　ought　to　be　advancing。　They　dashed　along　at　a　prodigious　rate　for　a　full　hour；　dreading　every　minute　to　come　across　the　mangled　corpse　of　Robert。　　Glenarvan　had　torn　the　flanks　of　his　horse　with　his　spurs　in　his　mad　haste；　when　at　last　gun…shots　were　heard　in　the　distance　at　regular　intervals；　as　if　fired　as　a　signal。　〃There　they　are！〃　exclaimed　Glenarvan；　and　both　he　and　the　Indian　urged　on　their　steeds　to　a　still　quicker　pace；　till　in　a　few　minutes　more　they　came　up　to　the　little　detachment　conducted　by　Paganel。　　A　cry　broke　from　Glenarvan's　lips；　for　Robert　was　there；　alive　and　well；　still　mounted　on　the　superb　Thaouka；　who　neighed　loudly　with　delight　at　the　sight　of　his　master。　〃Oh；　my　child；　my　child！〃　cried　Glenarvan；　with　indescribable　tenderness　in　his　tone。　Both　he　and　Robert　leaped　to　the　ground；　and　flung　themselves　into　each　other's　arms。　　Then　the　Indian　hugged　the　brave　boy　in　his　arms。　〃He　is　alive；　he　is　alive；〃　repeated　Glenarvan　again　and　again。　〃Yes；〃　replied　Robert；　〃and　thanks　to　Thaouka。〃　This　great　recognition　of　his　favorite's　services　was　wholly　unexpected　by　the　Indian；　who　was　talking　to　him　that　minute；　caressing　and　speaking　to　him；　as　if　human　blood　flowed　in　the　veins　of　the　proud　creature。　Then　turning　to　Paganel；　he　pointed　to　Robert；　and　said；　〃A　brave！〃　and　employing　the　Indian　metaphor；　he　added；　〃his　spurs　did　not　tremble！〃　But　Glenarvan　put　his　arms　round　the　boy　and　said；　〃Why　wouldn't　you　let　me　or　Thalcave　run　the　risk　of　this　last　chance　of　deliverance；　my　son？〃　〃My　lord；〃　replied　the　boy　in　tones　of　gratitude；　〃wasn't　it　my　place　to　do　it？　　Thalcave　has　saved　my　life　already；　and　you　you　are　going　to　save　my　father。〃

CHAPTER　XX　STRANGE　SIGNS

AFTER　the　first　joy　of　the　meeting　was　over；　Paganel　and　his　party；　except　perhaps　the　Major；　were　only　conscious　of　one　feeling　they　were　dying　of　thirst。　　Most　fortunately　for　them；　the　Guamini　ran　not　far　off；　and　about　seven　in　the　morning　the　little　troop　reached　the　inclosure　on　its　banks。　The　precincts　were　strewed　with　the　dead　wolves；　and　judging　from　their　numbers；　it　was　evident　how　violent　the　attack　must　have　been；　and　how　desperate　the　resistance。　As　soon　as　the　travelers　had　drunk　their　fill；　they　began　to　demolish　the　breakfast　prepared　in　the　RAMADA；　and　did　ample　justice　to　the　extraordinary　viands。　　The　NANDOU　fillets　were　pronounced　first…rate；　and　the　armadillo　was　delicious。　〃To　eat　moderately；〃　said　Paganel；　〃would　be　positive　ingratitude　to　Providence。　　We　must　eat　immoderately。〃　And　so　they　did；　but　were　none　the　worse　for　it。　The　water　of　the　Guamini　greatly　aided　digestion　apparently。　Glenarvan；　however；　was　not　going　to　imitate　Hannibal　at　Capua；　and　at　ten　o'clock　next　morning　gave　the　signal　for　starting。　　The　leathern　bottles　were　filled　with　water；　and　the　day's　march　commenced。　The　horses　were　so　well　rested　that　they　were　quite　fresh　again；　and　kept　up　a　canter　almost　constantly。　　The　country　was　not　so　parched　up　now；　and　consequently　less　sterile；　but　still　a　desert。　No　incident　occurred　of　any　importance　during　the　2d　and　3d　of　November；　and　in　the　evening　they　reached　the　boundary　of　the　Pampas；　and　camped　for　the　night　on　the　frontiers　of　the　province　of　Buenos　Ayres。　　Two…thirds　of　their　journey　was　now　accomplished。　It　was　twenty…two　days　since　they　left　the　Bay　of　Talcahuano；　and　they　had　gone　450　miles。　Next　morning　they　crossed　the　conventional　line　which　separates　the　Argentine　plains　from　the　region　of　the　Pampas。　　It　was　here　that　Thalcave　hoped　to　meet　the　Caciques；　in　whose　hands；　he　had　no　doubt；　Harry　Grant　and　his　men　were　prisoners。　From　the　t