ly plants which we used to call `puzzle monkeys' in
the West Indies, only these grew like so many swordblades, with thorns
on both sides, sticking out of the ground. It was impossible to get
through this bristling barrier, so we had to turn on one side, and run
along it, hoping, at length, to double round the end.

"The hedge might, for what we knew, extend for miles, and we were almost
in despair; for should the gauchos follow us we should lose all chance
of escaping.

"At last, however, we came to a dip; our hopes revived; it was, we felt
sure, the head of a valley, for we saw the ground rising on the other
side, and that it must lead us down to the Parana itself, or to some
stream running into it. Trees, instead of those abominable prickly
pears, thinly covered the banks, and on reaching the bottom we found a
rivulet, from which we thankfully quenched our thirst. We agreed that
things were beginning to look brighter, the horsemen were not likely to
find us, and we should have no difficulty in making our way either in
the water, or along the edge of the stream. Gerald reminded me that
Bruce, or some other Scotch hero of ancient days, when pressed by his
enemies, had escaped from them by wading along the bed of a stream, so
that all traces of his footsteps were lost. The only question was,
whether our enemies would take the trouble to hunt us so far, and if
they did not, we should have had all our pains for nothing. However, as
it was the safest plan, we stepped into the stream; on we went down it,
feeling with our sticks, for fear of tumbling into a hole. The water
was fortunately shallow, and the bed tolerably smooth, so we got on
better than we should have done on dry ground.

"At last the water, which had been growing deeper and deeper, came
almost up to our hips, and we agreed that it would be safer to land and
try and make our way through the bushes, or near the stream, which would
serve as a guide. I cannot tell you how delighted we were after we had
gone on in this way for a couple of hours to see before us, with the
stars reflected on its smooth surface, the broad channel of the river;
we could scarcely believe that we had reached it in so short a time. We
forgot, indeed, how far we had galloped, and the distance we had come on
foot. We at once began to look along the shore for a spot where we
might hide ourselves while we rested, for, as you may suppose, we were
very tired. For fear that the smok