re setting out on his mission to the bachelor uncle, he had finished
his preliminary studies for the ecclesiastical calling; and it only
remained for him to return to the college, and present his thesis before
the faculty of examiners, to take out his orders. For this purpose it
was necessary he should repair to Valladolid, where the university was.
To make the journey, his father now provided him with an old she-mule of
a most unamiable disposition, which he had obtained in exchange for the
young horse--the gift of Don Mariano--with a goodly number of dollars in
"boot."

Thus mounted, the student started on his new journey--carrying with him
the paternal blessing, and a long chapter of instructions, as to how he
should manage his mule, and keep himself clear of all meddling with
insurrectionary matters.

After journeying for two days along the route to Valladolid, he had
arrived within sight of the straggling huts that compose the little
_pueblita_ of Caracuaro, when three horsemen appeared upon the road in
front, and riding towards him.

The student was at the moment occupied in passing through his mind the
rudiments of his theological education--which he had gained from a crowd
of books; and which, with some uneasiness, he found had been well nigh
driven out of his head by his late adventures in the South.

Just at that moment, when he was paying not the slightest attention to
his mule, the skittish animal, frightened by the approach of the
horsemen, threw up her hind quarters, and pitched her rider upon the
road. As the latter fell, his head came in contact with a large stone,
and with such violence as to deprive him of consciousness.

On coming to his senses again, he found himself seated against the bank
of the causeway, his head badly bruised, and above all without his mule.
The animal, profiting by the opportunity when the three horsemen had
alighted to look after her spilt rider, had headed about, and taken the
back track at full gallop!

Of the three horsemen, one appeared to be the master, and the other two
his attendants.

"My son!" said the first, addressing the student, "your situation,
without being dangerous, is nevertheless sufficiently serious. You will
stand in need of that which you cannot obtain in the poor village of
Caracuaro, which is, moreover, nearly two leagues distant. The best
thing you can do is to mount behind one of my attendants, and ride back
with us to the hacienda of San D