iet and sure-footed, if
not swift.

Tom's mishaps had their pleasant face, though; they served to make a
horribly monotonous journey more bearable, and on an average he was in
grief, some way or another, about every two hours.

"Oh, senor," said the guide proudly, "the mule is perfect! He is a
magnificent beast, but he has his antipathies. He used to be ridden by
the padre, and he is a most holy and Christian mule. He shows his
dislike a little sometimes like that, because the senor who rides him is
a heretic."

"Oh!" I said.

"Yes, it is so, senor, I assure you," said the guide. "Let your friend
ride my beast and I will take his, and then you will see how peaceable
he is."

At first Tom did not seem disposed to agree, for he did not like being
beaten; but I ordered him to dismount, his accidents tending so greatly
to lengthen our journey. So the exchange of mules was made, and on we
went once more.

"See, senor!" said the guide. "He is a pattern mule, is Juan; he goes
like a lamb. It is a natural dislike that he has not learned to subdue.
He does not know what good men and generous there are amongst the
heretics."

"Haw, haw, haw, haw! Look at that, Mas'r Harry--there's a game!" roared
Tom, for the guide had hardly done speaking, just as we were travelling
pleasantly along, before Juan, the mule, stopped short, put his head
between his legs, elevated his hind-quarters, and the next moment the
guide was sitting amongst the stones staring up at us with a most
comical expression of countenance.

"The beast has been cursed!" he cried angrily as he rose.
"Car-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-ambo! but you shall starve for this, Juan!"

"Let me have another turn at him," cried Tom, as he started off to catch
the mule, which had cantered off a few hundred yards, and was searching
about with his nose amongst the sand and stones for a few succulent
blades of grass where there was not so much as a thistle or a cactus to
be seen.

But Juan had no wish to be caught, and after leading his pursuer a
tolerable race, he stopped short, and placed all four hoofs together, so
as to turn easily as upon a pivot, presenting always his tail to the
hand that caught at his bridle.

"Poor fellow, then! Come, then--come over," said Tom soothingly.

But the only response he obtained was an occasional lift of the beast's
heels, and an angry kick.

"You ignorant brute, you can't understand plain English!" cried Tom
angrily.

"No, senor,