efend himself."

"What, did he tell you so?" I asked, interrupting Ithulpo.

"Oh no; his voice has ceased for ever," he replied, with a dark smile.
"He had been dead some time, and the fowls of the air were feeding on
him; but I knew him by his dress, and I recognised your pistol, which he
had fired. Here it is. I next reached the spot where you dismounted,
and your horses had run away. I began to fear that I was too late to
save you; and when following up the track of your footsteps, I saw that
a number of the Spanish cavalry had escaped, and had gone towards yonder
clump of trees. Several have fallen in the way, as the wings of the
condors I could see flapping above the ground, one beyond the other,
told me plainly. And now, Senores, it is time to mount and proceed.
Two hours' riding beyond those trees will carry us free of the desert;
and may you never again enter it without a proper guide."

My father rode Ithulpo's horse; and while I clambered upon the back of
the baggage mule, he walked. It was almost as hot as on the previous
day; but I kept my mouth cool by occasionally eating a grape, and
sometimes one of my favourite figs; and with little suffering we drew
near the oasis.

"Are you not afraid of falling into the hands of the Spaniards, and of
being accused of liberating their prisoners?" I asked.

He looked up, and, smiling significantly, answered. "I tell you, Senor,
not one of our enemies live to bear false witness against us. I have
marked among yonder trees signs not to be mistaken of their fate."

I asked no further questions. We passed, as we rode along, several
bodies of horses and men; and as we approached the trees, Ithulpo
shouting with all his might, several condors rose slowly on the wing,
and a huge tiger stalked slowly away, looking round every now and then
at us with an angry glance, for having disturbed him at his repast. I
thought I recognised him as the monster who had paid us a visit during
the night; and I have no doubt that he was the same.

I can scarcely describe the dreadful scene which met our sight as we at
length reached the longed-for oasis. In the centre existed a small
shallow pool, filled by a stream which bubbled up through the earth. It
would allow scarcely more than a dozen horses to drink therein at a
time. We at once perceived what had occurred. The survivors of the
cavalry had reached it in a body. Some of the front ranks, both horses
and men, overco