'Going in winter across the Andes! That must be a terribly dreary
journey.'

'It is. Yet it has its advantages. I never have to flee from hostile
Indians then. They do not like the hills in winter.'

'Are you not afraid of the pampas Indians?'

'No, not at all. They visit me occasionally here, but do not stay long. I
trust them, I am kind to them, and I have nothing they could find to
steal, even if they cared to be dishonest. But they are _not_. They are
good-hearted fellows in their own way.'

'Yes,' I said, 'very much in their own way.'

'My dear boy,' said the hermit, 'you do not know all. A different policy
would have made those Indians the sworn friends, the faithful allies and
servants of the white man. They would have kept then to their own
hunting-grounds, they would have brought to you wealth of skins, and
wealth of gold and silver, too, for believe me, they (the Indians) have
secrets that the white trader little wots of. No, it is the dishonest,
blood-stained policy of the Republic that has made the Indian what he
is--his hand against every man, every man's hand against him.'

'But they even attack you at times, I think you gave us to understand?'

'Nay, not the pampas or pampean Indians: only prowling gipsy tribes from
the far north. Even they will not when they know me better. My fame is
spreading as a seer.'

'As a seer?'

'Yes, a kind of prophet. Do not imagine that I foster any such folly, only
they will believe that, living here all alone in the wilds, I must have
communication with--ha! ha! a worse world than this.'

As we rose to go the hermit held out his hand.

'Come and see me to-night,' he said; 'and let me advise you to make this
glen your headquarters for a time. The hills and glens and bush for
leagues around abound in game. Then your way back lies across a pampa
north and east of here; not the road you have come.'

'By the by,' said Archie, 'before we go, I want to ask you the question
which tramps always put in England: "Are the dogs all safe?"'

'Ah,' said the hermit, smiling, 'I know what you mean. Yes, the dogs are
safe. My pet pumas will not come near you. I do not think that even my
jaguars would object to your presence; but for safety's sake Archie shall
go along with you, and he shall also come for you in the evening. Give him
these peaches when you reach camp. They are our own growing, and Archie
dotes upon them.'

So away back by the banks of the stream we went, our