sleep, and
we soon followed his example. When we awoke, l'Encuerado mounted the
steed he had brought, and, taking Lucien up in front, led us back to the
baggage.

"Why did you start without letting us know?" asked Sumichrast.

[Illustration: "We had to cross some muddy marshes."]

"Because you would have prevented me from following out my plan. I
was convinced there were woods and flocks not far ahead of us, and as I
feared not the sun for myself, I started as soon as you were all fast
asleep, having fortified myself for the journey with a drop of the
cognac. I often longed, as I proceeded, to lie down and rest, but then I
thought of Chanito, and ran on faster than ever. Without knowing why, I
stumbled, and I think I must have fallen asleep. When I opened my eyes
the sun was set, and Gringalet was licking me with his tongue. I got up,
stupefied as I was, and ran forward, without halting, to the verge of a
wood. I dashed in among the trees, and in less than a quarter of an hour
I came upon a great lake, and horses and buffaloes running wild. My
strength, however, began to fail, and it took me more than four hours to
catch this mustang," continued the Indian, looking down on his steed,
"but I soon made him know his master was on his back."

Having returned to our bivouac to recover our treasures, we resolved to
start immediately, as the sky was obscured by clouds.

Next day l'Encuerado set to work to provide us all with horses. Having
prepared a lasso, the agile Indian darted off at full gallop towards a
drove which were grazing some distance off; and by night had captured
five of their number. Two days, however, were spent in breaking our
mounts and rendering them docile; but as our stores were visibly
diminishing, and we were considerably freshened up, it became highly
necessary for us to start.

Next morning our little cavalcade crossed the plains and woods almost at
a gallop. The blue mountains in front looked higher and higher, and the
outlines of the volcano grew more defined.

The second day of our march we had to cross some muddy marshes, in which
our horses mired up to their bellies. On reaching firm ground again, we
hoped to perceive a human dwelling, but the trees restricted our view.

At last, in the afternoon of the third day, just as we were endeavoring
to go round two wild bulls engaged in a combat, a horseman came out in
front of us, halted for a moment as if in indecision, and then turned
short r