All the able-bodied men from the Tyuonyi had not been permitted to join the expedition.  Hayoue was not among them, neither was Okoya.  It was a sad disappointment to the boy, and yet was he not staying at home in defence of his mother and of Mitsha?  Say Koitza had ceased to weep, but the persistent neglect which she thought she suffered from Shotaye grieved her.  At last she asked Okoya whether he had seen anything of the cave-woman.  His reply, that he thought she had gone, explained everything.  She recollected the confident words that Shotaye had spoken to her, and concluded that the woman had carried out her plan of taking refuge with the Tehuas.  That quelled her apprehensions and allayed her fears.  Shotaye knew what she was and had to do; and Shotaye—­of this Say felt convinced—­was true to her.  In order to be quite sure of the fact, however, she strolled up to the cave in the course of an afternoon.  The rooms were empty, and Say turned back.  One of Shotaye’s neighbours stopped her to ask where the medicine-woman might be.  Say carelessly replied that she was probably on the heights above, gathering herbs.  The wily fugitive had left her household as if she were about to return soon.  With the exception of the mother of Okoya nobody noticed her absence.  She was known to disappear occasionally for several days; and furthermore, the excitement and bustle incident upon the prospective expedition against the Tehuas engaged everybody’s attention.

Say Koitza could not help wondering whether Shotaye would inform the Tehuas of the impending attack.  Perhaps she might, perhaps not.  At all events she felt relieved upon hearing that neither her son nor her husband nor even Hayoue were to go with the warriors.  The enterprise aroused within her vague apprehensions; why, she could not tell.  But it pleased her to learn that Tyope was going,—­going as the leader, the war-captain of the party.

[Illustration:  Rito de los Frijoles

Looking out from the Ceremonial Cave]

Tyope had worked incessantly and with brilliant results.  The Shkuy Chayan and the Koshare Naua had succeeded in so inveigling the principal shaman that he ordered that all the men from the Water clan, and those from Shyuamo with few exceptions, should stay at home for the protection of the women and children.  That included Hayoue, of whose abilities and popularity Tyope was afraid, and saved the Turquoise people from the casualties of war.  Tyope went so far as to praise Hayoue in the council, suggesting that the young man should be intrusted with authority as war-chief ad interim.  The suggestion was carried out at once, and afterward the Hishtanyi Chayan appointed Tyope as commander-in-chief of the forces marching out.  He himself accompanied the body of warriors as adviser and spiritual guide to the captain.  Nothing could suit Tyope better.  The man was old and not very strong, and people are often killed in war.