Oza was quickly released from his uncomfortable predicament, and found to have received no personal injury.

Saluting his rescuer in a very humble manner, the prince said:

"To whom are we indebted for our happy deliverance?"

"To a hunter, only," replied the newcomer, who was none other than our recent acquaintance, Cacami, the Tezcucan hunter, whom we left enjoying the hospitality of the mountaineer, Tezcot, and who was now _en route_ home. "Seeing you unfairly set upon by a troop of villainous Tepanec soldiers," he went on, "I thought I'd take a hand, and see how quickly fled the cowardly pack, except these three--" He paused to examine the fallen soldiers, to learn what was their condition, and then continued, "who, I fear, are past the aid of man."

"Your coming, friend, was most timely; a moment later and we would have been in their power," said the prince.

"That was about the situation, stranger, as I saw it," returned the hunter.

"You have done us a very great service, and I regret that we are unable to suitably reward you. Words will not do it, which leaves us poor, indeed, at this moment. An expression of our deep grat.i.tude is all we have to offer you. Inadequate as it is, it is sincere," spoke the prince, feelingly.

"There is nothing to reward, friend, nor is there any call for an expression of grat.i.tude. What I did for you I would do for another, under the same circ.u.mstances," replied Cacami, who was disposed to depreciate the service he had rendered the prince.

"And yet you would be justified in p.r.o.nouncing us ungrateful were we silent and unfeeling in the matter," said Hualcoyotl.

"I only did my duty, stranger; that's all. So, say no more about it,"

persisted the hunter.

"You will at least give us your name," urged the prince. "We would be glad to know and remember it."

Cacami looked at the dead soldiers, two of them victims of his own sword; and realizing the magnitude of his offence against the king, decided not to make himself known. He said, very courteously, in reply to the prince:

"I do not doubt your grat.i.tude, friend, for the service rendered you.

It was done impulsively, and with unfortunate result to two of these men, lying here, dead, almost at our feet. I would not be remembered for such service, and beg that you will permit me to pa.s.s on unknown."

"We will not press you, hunter, but deeply regret that your feelings lead you to withhold your name. You have done a greater service than you can at present be aware of," pursued the prince in tones which conveyed an impression of mystery. "Should you become known to us, we will, if in our power, reward you for it in a fitting manner."

Cacami looked wonderingly at the prince, because of the hidden significance which was evident in his remark. He was, apparently, on the point of putting an inquiry, but suddenly changed his mind, answering only by a look of depreciation.

The prince, casting his eyes in the direction taken by the retreating soldiers, continued, by saying:

"Our a.s.sailants may return with a.s.sistance; I think we had better be gone. In parting from you, hunter, we would once more express our grat.i.tude, with a hope that we may meet again, under more auspicious circ.u.mstances."

"All right, stranger; I join you in the hope, but have no doubt that this little incident will have been forgotten then," returned Cacami.

"No, that could not be; at least, not by one of us."

With these words the prince turned away, and moved rapidly down the road, followed by his attendant.

Cacami's appearance and outfit bespoke him the citizen hunter. The Indian sword (_maquahuitl_) he carried marked him as such, for hunters, as a cla.s.s, did not carry that weapon, on account of its weight. He was undoubtedly a successful hunter if the game secured was taken into account. Standing some distance off from where he was were two men who proved to be his servants. They had charge of a fine collection of birds and small animals, which he had secured since leaving Tezcot's.

The men appeared to be awaiting orders from him; for on being signaled to move up they did so promptly.

The dead soldiers were moved to one side of the road by Cacami and his men, and left there to be disposed of by others, or, possibly, to become prey for carnivorous birds and beasts.

So soon as the prince and Oza got beyond the bend in the highway and out of view, they betook themselves to the fields and woods for better protection. Hualcoyotl's confidence in his security was gone, and he again became the anxious and watchful fugitive.

The mountains, in which refuge and safety were sought, were finally reached. In a fastness among the rocks the prince found a fairly comfortable retreat, and preparations were made for a temporary sojourn in it.

The soldiers who escaped the deadly sword of the hunter, instead of returning to look after their unfortunate companions, hurried to the nearest point and reported their adventure to the military.

This was the first information received by the Tepanec authorities of the prince's whereabouts. Troops were dispatched immediately in the direction of the mountains in pursuit of him, and his place of concealment soon became menaced by straggling bands of them, making the matter of procuring food a very serious one. It was hardly safe for the fugitives to venture out on the mountain, leaving out of the question the idea of going from it. For days they had nothing to eat except roots and berries; as a consequence, their situation became very distressing.

The prince insisted that Oza should return to Tezcuco, and leave him to his fate, but the faithful slave would not hear to it.

"Why sacrifice two lives, Oza, when one may be saved?" urged he.

"It is useless to urge me, good master; I would be a base coward to leave you now," was the loyal answer.

"As you please, but remember you are free to go whenever you so desire," said the generous prince.

CHAPTER XI.

The mission which tzin Euet had undertaken to perform was essentially one of secrecy. The fact that he was little known outside of Tezcuco was greatly to his advantage, making it unnecessary for him to lay aside his personality. He a.s.sumed the character of a trader prospecting for future business. His primary object was to obtain certain information which he could not secure except by contact with his fellow Tezcucans, and then only through their confidence, which he was very successful in gaining.

The tzin was a young man of superior natural resources, and, being of an agreeable and affable disposition, his efforts were rewarded in a very satisfactory degree. He found the thoughtful men of his tribe, outside of Tezcuco, ready to talk sedition to anyone whom they could trust; and, as the sum of the tyrant's inhumanity grew in proportion with the pa.s.sing of every sun, their language became more p.r.o.nounced.

The young agitator quickly came to the conclusion that the times were almost ripe for insurrection, and decided to proceed at an early day to practical measures--which meant the organization of an army of resistance.

The attempted a.s.sa.s.sination of Hualcoyotl at his palace, and his sudden and mysterious disappearance, followed by the issuing of the king's proclamation, making him an outlaw with a price upon his life, when brought to the tzin's notice, caused him the deepest anxiety.

Realizing, however, that his presence would be of no advantage to the fugitive, even could he reach him, he continued to prosecute his mission, holding, at all times, an open ear for further information regarding him. He obtained no additional intelligence of his friend, meanwhile, which worried him considerably; so much, indeed, that he decided, on arriving at Tlacopan, to return to Tezcuco in quest of it.

He set out accordingly, and later on we find him at a small village within a short day's journey of his destination, where he has just entered a hostelry with a view to procuring supper and a night's lodging. On entering the hostelry he cast his eyes about him, as a person will at entering a public place, especially if a strange one.

They fell upon a young man whose appearance was that of a hunter, and, for some undefinable cause--a congeniality of spirit possibly--which under peculiar conditions draws one person unconsciously toward another--his attention was instantly attracted to him. The young man was, seemingly, weary; for at the moment in which the tzin entered he was more sleeping than waking. He was disturbed by the look which was fixed upon him, and raised his eyes, revealing to us again the now familiar countenance of the hunter Cacami, who only a few hours before had saved, unawares, the life of the fugitive prince. An expression of inquiry came over his face, as much as to say: "Did you speak?"

Euetzin moved near to where he sat, and addressed him.

Cacami straightened himself up, and a conversation was opened.

Following a few incidental remarks, the tzin said:

"You appear to be a stranger here, like myself."

"Yes, I am; entirely so. My home is more than a day's journey from this place," replied Cacami.

"If I read you correctly, you are a Tezcucan," continued the tzin.

"If a man at this time may make such a claim, yes. I live with my father, who resides about two leagues north of the city of Tezcuco."

"Are you going to or from home?" inquired the tzin, hoping it might be the former, in which case he would have a companion for the rest of his journey.

"I am homeward bound, and have only stopped for the night, intending to go on in the morning."

"I am glad to hear you say that," replied the tzin, his face brightening. "My destination is Tezcuco, or near there," he continued, "and it would please me much to be permitted to join you for the remainder of my journey."