mstrong to you; Senhor, my old comrade Ignacio, who, as I have told
you, nursed me back to life many years ago."

The old man held out a hard bony hand, and gave Lawrence a hearty
squeeze of friendship that had something vice-like in its vigour. He
then turned to Pedro, and began to make anxious inquiries about the war.
As the two men spoke in undertones, Lawrence drew back a few paces, and
followed them towards the cottage. He observed that Ignacio shook his
head very often, and also that he laughed once or twice silently, but
with apparent heartiness. As he overheard the name of Manuela just
before one of these laughs, he experienced some disagreeable feelings,
which it was not easy to understand or get rid of, so he took to
fondling the hunter's dogs by way of diversion to his mind.

The animals testified indirectly to the character of their master by
receiving his advances with effusive demonstrations of joy.

At the cottage they found Ignacio's horse--a very fine one--with a lasso
hanging from the saddle. Beside it stood a loose horse with the carcass
of a guanaco flung over it, and a Gaucho lad who was the hunter's only
attendant. Quashy was engaged in animated conversation with this youth,
and Manuela stood beside him listening.

"I cannot understand," said Lawrence to Pedro, as they approached, "how
men ever acquire dexterity in the use of these bolas."

"Practice makes perfect, you know," said the guide, "and it doesn't
matter much what sort of weapons you use, if you only learn to use them
well. Of course it's not easy to a beginner. When Ignacio's dogs turn
out a jaguar or a puma, they follow him hotly till he stops to defend
himself. If the dogs fly upon the brute, the hunter usually jumps off
his horse, whirls the three balls about till they get up tremendous
momentum, and then brings them down on the jaguar's skull with a whack
that generally drops him. But if the dogs are afraid to go at him,
Ignacio throws the lasso over him, gallops away, and drags him over the
ground, while the dogs rush in and tear him. What between bumping and
hounds, the jaguar's career is soon finished."

"I'm glad I've met you," said Pedro to Ignacio, as they turned aside
into the bushes together, "for I've got news to tell, and I'll want your
help. There's mischief brewing in the air, and I am commissioned--"

Thus much did Lawrence and Quashy overhear before the voice died away in
the distance. It was a tantali