the best "Castile." Dona Isidora was not long in making a
trial of it, and found this to be true. The little round stones of the
berries, when cleared of the pulp, are very pretty, and are much used by
the missionaries in making rosaries. Leon found, dropping one of them on
a stone, that it was as elastic as a ball of India rubber, for it
rebounded several times the height of a man's head!

In the evening they all rested from their various occupations, and
seated themselves upon the new-cleared ground, upon the trunk of a tree
that had been felled. They were one and all quite cheerful. They felt no
more apprehension of pursuit. It would have been a very revengeful
enemy, indeed, who would have followed them so far into the wilderness.
They had no fear of that. Dona Isidora had just cooked a kettle of
coffee--they had both pots and kettles, for these were some of the
utensils with which Guapo, even in the hurry of flight, had taken the
precaution to load his llamas.

This coffee turned out to be of the finest quality. It was of a peculiar
species, which has long been cultivated by the missionaries of Peru, and
which yields a very high price. It used to be sent by the viceroys as a
valued present to the kings of Spain. To sweeten the coffee some joints
of sugar-cane had been crushed, and boiled in a rough manner; and for
bread they had roasted plantains. During the repast they were all quite
merry, and pleasant jokes were passed for the first time in many days.

While thus engaged a singular sound fell upon their ears. It was like a
voice repeating the word "Guaco!" They all listened. "Guaco--Guaco!"
again came the voice.

"Hola!" cried Leon, "Guapo--Guapo! there's some one calling you, Guapo.
There again!--no--it's 'Guaco'--listen! Guaco--Guaco' What is it, I
wonder?"

"That's the snake-bird," quietly answered Guapo, who, it must be
remembered, was a native of the Montana, and knew a great deal both
about the birds and beasts of these regions.

"The snake-bird?" exclaimed Leon, evidently interested in the name.

"Yes, young master!" replied Guapo; "look! yonder it goes!"

The eyes of all were instantly turned in the direction pointed out by
Guapo. There sure enough was a bird, not much larger than a common
pigeon, but which had all the appearance of a sparrow-hawk. It was
"swallow-tailed," however, and this, with its peculiar form and the
manner of its flight, showed that it was one of the kite-hawks. When
firs