It was generally about sunset that Mamcuna sent for me, and I knew that at this time it would be well-nigh impossible for Senora de la Vega to leave Chimu's house without being observed and questioned, perhaps followed.

So when we met as agreed, I told her that I had decided to make the attempt on the next morning, and asked her to be in a grove of plantains, hard by, an hour before dawn.

I besought her, whatever she did, to be punctual; our lives depended on our stealing away before people were stirring.
Meanwhile Gahra and I had laid our plans.

He was to give out the night before that we were setting off early next morning on a hunting expedition.

This would enable us, without exciting suspicion, to take a supply of provisions, arms, and a led horse (for carrying any game we might kill) and, as I hoped, give us a long start.