y subsequently slept the sleep of
the just, on great piles of soft rugs spread upon the short grass.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN.

THEIR FIRST DAY IN ULUA.

With the rising of the sun on the following morning, the camp became a
scene of bustling activity, the soldiers grooming, feeding, and watering
their horses, while a little army of servitors bestirred themselves in
the kindling of fires and the preparation of a meal, prior, as the two
white men surmised, to a start for the city.

Whatever might be the climatic conditions in the valley later on in the
day, the early morning air was fresh, cool, and fragrant, with the
mingled odours of rich pastures, luxuriant cornfields, orchards, and
gardens, brilliant with many-hued flowers.

As Earle and Dick emerged from their tent, fresh and buoyant after a
sound night's sleep, the troopers, very lightly clad, were mounting
their horses, bare-backed, with the evident intention of taking the
animals down to the lake; and the idea occurred to Dick and Earle
simultaneously, that there was nothing in the world they so ardently
desired at that moment as a dip in the lake, which, gently ruffled by
the lightest and most balmy of zephyrs, lay shimmering invitingly in the
sunshine some two miles away. With one accord, therefore, they advanced
toward where the horsemen, now mounted, awaited the word of command to
march. Most of the troopers had only their own individual horses to
look after, but there were some twenty or so who were each also in
charge of a led horse, and walking up to a couple of these, the two
white men took from the somewhat surprised but submissive soldiers a
horse apiece, and vaulting upon the animals' bare backs, lined up
alongside the officer in command, who received them with a respectful
salute. Half an hour later, Dick and Earle were sporting in the lake
like a couple of mermen, to the amazement and admiration of the Uluans,
not one of whom appeared to possess the most elementary knowledge of
swimming. The temperature of the water was just right to render a swim
both invigorating and enjoyable, and when at length the two friends
returned to camp, they were in excellent form to do justice to the
breakfast which they found awaiting them.

The journey from the foot of the cliff road where the camp had been
pitched, round the south-eastern extremity of the lake and so to the
city, was taken at an easy pace, to spare the cattle which drew the camp
carts, in whic