ition his comrade
assents to with eagerness. They have not eaten since dinner of the day
before, their provisions having been left below, and the sharp morning
air has given additional edge to their appetites. This at length draws
them down to their mules.

Taking off the _tapados_ to relieve the poor animals, who have somewhat
suffered from being so scurvily treated, they snatch a hasty repast from
their haversacks, then light their pipes for a smoke preparatory to
setting forth. It is not yet time, for the soldiers are still in sight.
They will wait till the last lance pennon sinks below the horizon.

Whilst smoking, with eyes bent upon the receding troop, a sound salutes
their ears, causing both to start. Fortunately they draw back behind
one of the boulders, and there remain listening. What they heard was
certainly a hoofstroke, whether of horse or mule--not of either of their
own; these are by their sides, while the sound that has startled them
appears to proceed from the other side of the mound, as if from the
summit of the pass leading up out of the valley.

They hear it again. Surely it is in the gorge that goes down, or at the
head of it.

Their conjecture is that one of the lancers has lagged behind, and is
now _en route_ to overtake the troop.

If it be thus what course are they to pursue? He may look back and see
themselves or their animals, then gallop on and report to his comrades.

'Twould be a sinister episode, and they must take steps to prevent it.

They do so by hastily restoring the _tapados_ and leading the mules into
a _cul-de-sac_, where they will be safe from observation.

Again they hear the sound, still resembling a hoofstroke, but not of an
animal making way over the ground in walk, trot, or gallop, but as one
that refused to advance, and was jibbing.

Between them and it there seems great space, a projecting spur of the
butte from which they have just descended. By climbing the ridge for a
score of yards or so they can see into the gorge that goes down to the
valley.

As the trampling still appears steadfast to the same point, their alarm
gives place to curiosity, then impatience. Yielding to this, they
scramble up the ridge that screens the kicking animal from their view.

Craning their heads over its crest, they see that which, instead of
causing further fear, rather gives them joy.

Just under their eyes, in the gap of the gorge, a man is struggling with
a mule. It