human
Why couldn't we take her in among these trees, and tie her to one of them? There's underwood thick enough to conceal her from the eyes of anyone passing by, and with the muffle over her head, as now, she couldn't cry out that they'd hear her.
gpt
rejoins Gaspar, after an instant of reflection.
human
Hide her as we might, they'd find her all the same. These redskins, half-naked though they are, can glide about among bushes, even thorny ones, like slippery snakes. So many of them, they'd beat every bit of thicket within leagues, in less than no time. Besides, you forget their dogs. Scores they have--ay, hundreds, some of them keen-scented as beagles. _Carrai_! they'd smell the nasty witch half-a-mile off, and so discover her whereabouts to their masters.
gpt
True, returns Cypriano, seeing the plan he has proposed would not do.
human
In that way they would find her, no doubt.
gpt
And if they didn't, interposed Ludwig, speaking from a sentiment of humanity,
human
Dreadful! what do you mean? asks Cypriano, looking puzzled.
gpt
For them _not_ to find her is just what we want.
human
Ah, cousin! how would it be for _her_? Tied to a tree, with no hope-- no chance of getting loosed from it--she'd die of hunger or thirst-- miserably perish. Wicked as Shebotha is, we'd be worse than she if we left her to such a fate as that, to say nothing of our bringing it upon her. Ay, and for doing so we'd deserve the same ourselves, or something as bad.
gpt
Well, Senor Ludwig, rejoins the gaucho, with an air of submission rather than conviction,
human
he adds, after a second or two spent considering,
gpt
What's the other?
human
Why, knock her on the head, or draw the blade of a _cuchilla_ across her throat, and so stop her grunting at once and for ever. The old wretch deserves no better fate and hanging's too good for her. But they'd find her dead body all the same; though not with a tongue in it to tell who stopped her wind, or, what's of more consequence, how and which way we went off. Besides, I dare say, the Senor Ludwig wouldn't agree to our getting disembarrassed of her in that fashion.
gpt
Oh! no, no! ejaculates the humane youth, horrified at the thought of such cruelty,
human
Well, there isn't anything but what I propose doing--that is, taking her along. I'm willing to accommodate her on the croup of my _recado_, and will show her all the gallantry she deserves. If you're jealous, Senor Ludwig, you may have her behind you; and as your horse is the lightest laden, that might be best. When we're crossing back over that _riacho_ where you left your saddle-bags, if you're tired of riding double, you can drop her down among the lightning-eels, and let them play their batteries upon her old bones till every joint of them cracks asunder.