"but I cannot allow
you to be placed in any danger on my account: you make me feel
uncomfortable, if not nervous, and I am almost inclined to be angry with
you for your disobedience."

Archie at length rode on, though very unwillingly, and the hill being
passed the road now struck more inland, sometimes leading over slight
elevations, and at others along the levels for some distance, when the
steeds, trained to a Spanish amble suitable for a tropical climate, got
quickly over the ground. The groves of tall trees threw a shade across
the road which prevented the heat from being overpowering. Before the
sun had attained its full strength a rocky hill rose before them with a
wood at its base; here they found a tent already pitched, and a fire at
a little distance from it. A number of black servants, who, it
appeared, had been sent on before, were busily engaged in cooking
breakfast.

"De tent for de missee," said a black, Quambo by name, who acted as
under-butler to old Martin, coming forward. "Dey rest dere till de
carriages come if dey like."

The gentlemen threw themselves from their horses, eager to assist Ellen
and Miss Pemberton to dismount, the lieutenant rushing forward and
offering his hand to the former, who accepted it with a smile which sent
a pang of jealousy through poor Archie's breast, the gallant major
helping Fanny from her horse. While the young ladies took advantage of
the tent to rest--for the ride had been much longer than they had been
accustomed to take, and they felt somewhat tired--the gentlemen,
lighting their cigars, strolled through the thick wood towards the
entrance of the cavern. On their way they passed a large lagoon of
stagnant water, surrounded by trees, every branch and leaf reflected on
its mirror-like surface with a peculiar clearness. They could discover
only two holes, which looked like the upper parts of arched doorways.
Between them, in the face of the rock, was a niche in which a statue
might have been placed, while just below it was a basin or hollow in the
rock, which appeared to have been formed by art for the purpose of
holding water.

"I shouldn't be surprised if the Spaniards had made a sort of chapel
here when they had possession of the country," observed Lieutenant Belt.
"See, that niche looks as if a figure of the Virgin Mary, for instance,
had been placed there. This basin was evidently made to hold what they
call holy water. They had probably made an atte