Part 24 (2/2)
As ue, they were still in the Pedregal But the purple twilight was now around theht; sooner froot nearly across the lava field, and under the shadow of Ajusco, which, like a black wall, towered up against the horizon They had stooped for aup to an elevated spot, and reconnoitring the ground in front
”It will be necessary for us to reach the ,” he added after a pause ”Were we but conify, and we'd be safe here for days, or indeed for ever The authorities of Mexico, such as they are at present, don't show themselves very zealous in the pursuit of escaped criminals But neither you nor I, Senor Kearney, coory--unluckily for us, just now--and the Pedregal, labyrinth though it be, will get surrounded and explored--every inch of it within the next forty-eight hours So out of it we ht on the table-lands of the western world is a , the night darkness had drawn around the onwards, however, the Mexican onceupon the others to keep close to him, andover rocks, with here and there a scraain ca the same This time to use their ears, rather than eyes; since around all was black as a pot of pitch, the nearest object, rock or bush, being scarcely visible
For a ti, however, before hearing sounds--the voices of ht, which rose in radiation above the crest of a low ridge at some distance ahead
”_Un piquet_!” pronounced Rivas, in a half-whisper
”_Soto en la puerto---drawn accentuation, froly exclaiaed, not ht else I know the spot they're in, and a way that will take us round it Coh it proved so A path that showed no sign of having ever been trodden, but still passable, led out past the ga soldiers, without near approach to theame--as could be told by its calls every now and then drawled out, and sounding strange in that solitary place Ruperto Rivas conducted his trio of coal, and beyond the line of enfilade the steep slope of the Cerro Ajusco, amid tall forest trees, with no fear of pursuit by the soldiers, than if separated fro the mountain for so--
”Well, _caballeros_, we're on safe ground now, and h; and we may thank our stars there are none in the sky--nor moon Look yonder! They're at it yet '_Soto en la puerto--ht visible at a long distance below, on the edge of the Pedregal, where they had passed that of a picket fire-cas on their cards
”We ly relieved froitive party stayed but a short while there; just long enough to recover wind The point they were h none of them could tell where save Rivas hi to it, and well; otherwise he could not have followed theht it would have been difficult enough, yawning chasms to be crossed _barransas_--with cliffs to be clial were but as garden walls
In a groping way, hand helping hand, all were at length got up and over, as the tolling of distant church bells, down in the valley below, proclai a stop, plucked a leaf fro it between his lips gave out a peculiar sound, half screech, half whistle--a signal as the others supposed; being assured it was, by the response soon after reaching their ears
The signal was given again, with some variations; responded to in like manner Then a further advance up thethe hail:
”_Quien viva_!”
”_El Capitan_!” called out Rivas in answer, and received for rejoinder first an excla permission to approach and pass
The approach was not so easy, being up a steep incline, alht of the e-looking figure he seeirded at the waist--the garb of athem; yet with the air of a soldier, and sentinel-fashi+on, carrying a gun!
He was at ”present ar, but without saying aught, they passed him--their conductor, after aon as before
Another ascent, this ti came to an end
CHAPTER FORTY
A FAITHFUL STEWARD
The spot where they had now ht--was still far below the summit of the mountain It was a sort of platfor spur, the cliff rising sheer at its back Its level surface was only a few acres in extent, supporting a thick growth of tall evergreen pines, the long-leaved species indigenous to Mexico Centrally there was a place clear of timber, which ran up to the cliff's base, or rather to a building contiguous to it In front of this they halted, Rivas saying--
”Behold my humble abode, _caballeros_! Let h to let theainst the cliff's _facade_, while too diuish its features They could make out, however, what appeared to be a pair of ith pointed arches, and between the more like the mouth of a cavern Out of this caht, and as they drew up to it, a candle could be seen burning inside a sort of covered porch, reseate of a country church There were some stone benches outside, from one of which athe fororio_!” was the answer given by Rivas