human
Well, Major--what's to be done?
gpt
Nothing!
human
Nothing!
gpt
Why, what could we do?
human
Take them prisoners--every one of them.
gpt
Whom prisoners?
human
These Mexicans--these before us.
gpt
Ha! before you they are--a long way, too. Bah! they are ten miles off, and, even if we could ride straight down the bluff with winged horses, what could our hundred men do in that jungle below? Look yonder!--there are a thousand of them crawling over the rocks?
human
And what signify numbers? asked I, now speaking for the first time.
gpt
They are already defeated and flying--half of them, I'll wager, without arms. Come, Major, let us go! We can capture the whole party without firing a shot.
human
But, my dear Captain, we cannot reach them where they are.
gpt
It is not necessary. If we ride up the cliffs, they will come to us.
human
How?
gpt
You see this dark line. It is not three miles distant. You know that timber like that does not grow on the naked face of a cliff. It is a gorge, and, I'll warrant, a watercourse too. They will pass through it.
human
Beautiful! We could meet them as they came up it,
gpt
No, lads--no! You are all wrong. They will keep the bottom--the heavy timber, I warrant you. It's no use losing time. We must round to the road, and forward. Who knows that we may not find work enough yet? Come!