r side of the mountains.

They proceeded among the trees for some little distance, till they
came to some very thick undergrowth, where Bathalda thought it
would be perfectly safe to light a fire. This he accordingly did,
as Roger said he would rather run any danger than go without a
fire.

In spite of the exertions they had made, they were chilled to the
bone. Their clothes were stiff with the frozen moisture from their
bodies, and the cotton mantles offered but small protection against
the cold. A pleasant glow stole over them, as the fire burnt up.

"I will watch now, Bathalda, and you shall sleep."

"I do not think that there is any danger, my lord. They believe us
among the woods on the other side of the mountains, and it is not
at all likely there will be any vigilant watch kept upon this side.
We can both sleep without fear."

Roger was glad to hear his companion's opinion, and in a few
minutes was fast asleep.

When he awoke it was day. Bathalda was cooking some flesh over the
embers of the fire.

"You have been asleep, I hope, Bathalda?" Roger said, as he rose to
his feet and shook himself.

"I have slept, my lord," the hunter said, although in fact it was
not until morning began to break that he had relaxed his
watchfulness. "We will be off as soon as we have eaten. It is
possible that parties may, as soon as it is daybreak, go along by
the edge of the snow line, to assure themselves that we are still
on the other side of the mountain; and if so, they will probably
come across our footsteps--therefore we had best be moving, at
once."

Two long days' marches took them deep into the woods lying north of
Tlatlanquitepec. Here they set to work to construct a rough hut of
boughs, near a mountain spring; and when this was completed, they
set to work hunting.

Turkeys abounded. These they generally obtained by shooting them at
night, as they roosted in the trees; but they sometimes hunted them
by day, Bathalda imitating their call so accurately that they came
up within easy shot of them, without the least suspicion of danger.
They killed several small bears, which were useful, not only for
their flesh, but for the warmth of their skins at night. Once or
twice they shot deer, and obtained other game in abundance.

At night they frequently heard the roar of the mountain tiger. Once
or twice, when the sounds approached too close to their hut, they
left it and took refuge in trees, as the hunter said that