ursuit, and after a long march I met an Indian,
who informed me that one of the bandits, not so good a walker as the
others, was not far off, and that if I and my guards ran quickly we
might overtake him. Alila was the best runner--he was as fleet as
a deer; so I told him: "Set out, Alila, and bring me that runaway,
either dead or alive."

My brave lieutenant, to be less encumbered in the race, left his
gun with us, took a long spear, and went off. Shortly after we had
lost sight of him we heard the report of firearms; we knew it must
be the brigand firing upon Alila, and we all thought that he was
killed or wounded. We hastened forward, in the hopes of arriving in
time to render him assistance; but we soon saw him coming leisurely
towards us; his face and clothes were covered with blood, the spear
in his right hand, and in his left the hideous head of the bandit,
which he carried by the hair--as Judith had formerly done with that
of Holophernes. But my poor Alila was wounded, and my first care was
to examine if the wound was serious. When I was satisfied it was not
dangerous, I asked him for the details of his combat.

"Master," said he to me, "shortly after I left you I perceived the
bandit; he saw me also, and ran off as quickly as he could, but I ran
faster than he, and was soon close to him. When he lost all hopes
of escaping he turned upon me and presented his pistol; I was not
alarmed, and advanced towards him at all risk. The pistol was fired,
and I felt myself wounded in the face; this wound did not stop me. I
darted at him and pierced his body with my spear; but, as he was too
heavy for me to bring to you, I cut off his head, and here it is."

When I had congratulated Alila upon his success, I examined his wound,
and found that a fragment of a ball, cut into four pieces, had hit
him upon the cheek, and was flattened on the bone. I extracted it,
and a speedy cure followed.

Now, as I have almost terminated, and shall not return to, my numerous
adventures with the bandits, I resume the continuation of my ordinary
life at Jala-Jala.

CHAPTER VIII.

Death of my Brother Robert--Our Party at Jala-Jala--Illness and
Last Moments of my Friend Bermigan--Recovery and Departure for
France or Lafond--Joachim Balthazard: his Eccentricity--Tremendous
Gale of Wind--Narrow Escape in Crossing the Lake--Safe Return
to Jala-Jala--Destruction of my House and the Village by a
Typhoon--Rende