rge turtle, which
served for relish at several meals. His mode of taking the turtle was
somewhat curious, and deserves to be described.

The balza had been brought to the bank, and they were just mooring it,
when something out on the water attracted the attention of Leon and
Leona. It was a small, darkish object, and would not have been observed
but for the ripple that it made on the smooth surface of the river, and
by this they could tell that it was in motion.

"A water-snake!" said Leon.

"Oh!" ejaculated the little Leona, "I hope not, brother Leon."

"On second thoughts," replied Leon, "I don't think it is a snake."

Of course the object was a good distance off, else Leon and Leona would
not have talked so coolly about it. But their words had reached the ear
of Dona Isidora, and drawn her attention to what they were talking
about.

"No; it is not a snake," said she. "I fancy it is a turtle."

Guapo up to this had been busy with Don Pablo in getting the balza made
fast. The word "turtle," however, caught his ear at once, and he looked
up, and then out on the river in the direction where Leon and Leona were
pointing. As soon as his eye rested upon the moving object he replied
to the remark of Dona Isidora.

"Yes, my mistress," said he, "it is a turtle, and a big one too. Please
all keep quiet--I think I can get him."

How Guapo was to get the turtle was a mystery to all. The latter was
about thirty paces distant, but it would be difficult, if not
impossible, to hit his small snout--the only part above water--with the
arrow of the blow-gun. Moreover, they thought that the arrow would not
penetrate the hard, bony-substance, so as to stick there and infuse its
poison into the wound.

These conjectures were true enough, but his gravatana was not the weapon
which Guapo was about to use. He had other weapons as well--a
fish-spear or harpoon, and a regular bow and arrows, which he had made
during his leisure hours in the valley.

The latter was the weapon with which the tortoise was to be killed.

Taking the bow, and adjusting an arrow to the string, Guapo stepped
forward to the water's edge. All watched him, uttering their hopes of
his success. It was still not clear with them how the turtle was to be
killed by an arrow shot from a bow any more than by one sent from a
blow-gun. Would it not glance from the shell even should he succeed in
hitting it under water? Surely it would!

As they stood w