eed by water, are about to return by the passes. How far you will be
able to get him to accompany you I cannot say, but at present he has
promised to take you over the Andes. The best course to take then you can
talk over with the muleteer. You will find many details of the various
routes in a letter Filippo has given him for you. And now adieu, senor. We
shall think of you often, and I shall pray for your safe return to your
friends. Possibly we may meet again some day, for Filippo has a powerful
relation who, it is expected, may some day be the Spanish ambassador in
London, and he says that he shall try and get him to take him on his
staff."

"I should indeed be glad if it could be so, senorita. I shall to the end
of my life entertain the liveliest feelings of gratitude to you and Don
Filippo for your kindness. Have you a pencil and paper?"

The girl pointed to the table, on which stood writing materials. Stephen
wrote his father's address upon it and handed it to her.

"That is my address in England," he said. "I pray you, when you return to
Spain, to beg Don Filippo to write to me there, and I am sure to get it
sooner or later. Directly I receive his letter I shall make a point of
taking a passage for Spain in order to thank you more fully and heartily
than I can now do. It would be dangerous were I to write to you here."

She nodded. "Adieu, senor."

"Adieu, senorita. May your life with Don Filippo be as happy as you both
deserve!"

He put the hand she gave him to his lips. A minute later she and her nurse
left the house, and Stephen remained wondering over the events that had
happened.

"It is certainly the best plan," he said to himself. "I daresay there will
be lots of hardships to go through, but it will be a glorious trip. Fancy
going down the Amazon from almost its source to the sea! The senorita said
nothing about money, but Filippo has shown himself so thoughtful in every
other way that I have no doubt he has not forgotten that for such a
journey some money at least will be required. Happily I am now in a
position to pay anything he may advance me, so I need not scruple to take
it. He told me that his father was very rich, but that money was very
little good to him in Peru, and that he had a very handsome allowance, but
no means whatever of spending it, especially in such a place as San
Carlos. I will write him a line or two now, and will give it to the old
woman after I have read his letter."

He