rge onions, to which he added a small
bullock's horn whose opening was stopped with a ball of goatskin.

"_Bueno, bueno_!" said Pen, taking the food which was offered to him
with the grave courtesy of a gentleman; and, not to be outdone, he took
the hand that gave and lightly raised it to his lips. The act of
courtesy seemed to melt all chilling reserve, and the two men hurried to
throw some heather-like twigs upon the fire, which began to burn up
brightly, emitting a pleasant aromatic smoke. Then, seating themselves,
the more fierce-looking of the pair pointed to the bread and held up the
jar so that they could drink.

"_Amigos, amigos_!" he said softly; and he took the jar in turn, drank
to the lads, and gravely set it down between them; and then as Pen broke
bread Punch started violently, for each of the men drew out his knife,
and the boy's hand was stretched out towards the muskets, but withdrawn
directly as he realised the meaning of the unsheathed knives, each of
the goat-herds snatching up one of the onions and beginning to peel it
for the guests, before hastening to stick the point of his knife into
the vegetable and hand both to their visitors.

"They scared me," said Punch. "I say, don't the onions smell good!
Want a bit of salt, though."

He had hardly said the word before the taller of the two men caught up
the horn, drew out the ball-like wad which closed it up, and revealed
within a reddish-looking powder which glistened in the light of the fire
and proved to be rock-salt.

It was a very rough and humble meal, but Punch expressed his companion's
feelings when he said it was 'lishus.

"Worth coming for--eh, Punch?" said Pen, "and risking the wolves."

"Here, I say, drop that, comrade. Don't be hard on a fellow. One can't
help having one's feelings. But I say, you looked half-scared too when
these two Spaniards whipped out their knives."

"I was more than half, Punch. But it was the same with them; they
looked startled enough when we came upon them suddenly with our muskets
and woke them out of sleep."

"Yes; they thought we was Frenchies till you showed them we was
friends."

It was a rough but savoury meal, and wonderfully picturesque too, for
the fire burned up briskly, shedding a bright light upon their hosts in
their rough goatskin clothes, as they sat looking on as if pleased and
amused at Punch's voracity, while now the herd of goats that had
scampered away into the darkness recove