perhaps, at a loss for verbal arguments, had agreed to
refer the matter to a trial of individual skill. The challenge came
from the dragoon, who, as soon as he heard it accepted, proceeded to
lighten himself for his task. With great alacrity he threw aside his
foraging-cap, stripped off his pouch-belt and uniform coat, and
unfastened his spurs. The preparations of the muleteer were even more
rapidly completed. When he had thrown off his jacket--the back of
which was adorned, according to the custom of his class, with flowers
and various quaint devices, cut out in cloth of many colours, and sewn
upon the brown material of which the garment was composed--he stood in
his shirt and trousers of unbleached linen, with light sandals of
plaited hemp upon his feet. In this latter respect he had the
advantage of the soldier, who, not choosing to play barefooted, was
obliged to retain his heavy boots. In apparent activity, too, the
advantage was greatly on the side of the Navarrese, who was spare and
sinewy, without an ounce of superfluous flesh about him, but with
muscles like iron, and limbs as elastic and springy as whalebone. His
very face partook of the hard, wiry character of his person; the
cheekbones were slightly prominent, and, although he evidently wanted
some years of thirty, two deep furrows or lines, such as are rarely
seen on the countenance of so young a man, curved outwards from either
nostril to considerably below the mouth, increasing in depth when he
talked or smiled, and giving, in conjunction with a quick grey eye,
considerable character to his frank, and by no means disagreeable
countenance.

The game began with great spirit, and with much appearance of equality
between the players, who would both have been deemed first-rate in any
ball-court in Europe. The great strength of the dragoon seemed at
first to give him the advantage; the tremendous blows he delivered
sent the ball against the wall with as much seeming force as if it had
been driven out of a cannon, and caused it to rebound to an immense
distance, keeping the muleteer continually at the very top of his
speed. The match was to be the best two out of three games. The first
of the three was won by the muleteer, after the victory had been long
and well contested.

"_Bien!_" said the dragoon, as he wiped the perspiration from his
face, and took a deep draught out of a jug of wine which the ventero
presented to him. "_Bien_--that is one for you; the n