uits and other impedimenta. A
photo was secured of him as he lay half concealed amongst the
portmanteaux, packages and "pan." We refrain from publishing it, because
the chief feature of the picture is in the boots of the sleeper. (We
trust no weak humour is intended in the preceding paragraph?--EDITOR.)

[Illustration: _Hart-Parr Engine, drawing Roadmaker_.]

A slight diversion was caused by a repacking of some goods after lunch.
It seems that the bottles, with contents (a most important item), had
been forgotten, and The Wild Man was approached with a request that the
bottles might be transported to Lucero in his bag; of course, he
cheerily acquiesced, but as the whole of the contents of his bag had to
be turned out to pack the bottles scientifically, and as that bag
happened to be the same receptacle in which The Wild Man had secreted
the various articles collected during his tour of appreciation this
morning, developments were interesting to all, save to the man who had
laboured under the delusion that several horns and other articles which
appeared from the bag, were still in his own possession. However,
probably remembering The Wild Man's character (_vide_ page 205), he said
nothing, but calmly looked on as his goods were repacked and removed
from his sight for ever. All honour to such unselfishness.

After a cup of tea and farewells, the ladies were transferred to the
coaches in a highly skilled manner, and a damp drive to Lucero followed.
One sheet of drizzling rain surrounded us all through the journey, and
none were sorry when, after a side slip or two, the coaches drew up (not
before it was quite dark) outside the estancia house. A change into dry
garments was very welcome, and there was to be noticed for the first
time since the start of the Tacuruers, a dull air of respectability
over the party, as they collected for their evening meal.

Shirt fronts and pretty frocks appeared once more, for here we had a
lady presiding over the table. Still the old proverb proved true "Fine
feathers do not make fine birds," and some members of the party did not
live up to their costumes. It may have been the good dinner, or the
genial glow of a fire that upset their behaviour, but the fact remains
that there were two or three unusual occurrences during the course of a
merry meal. The Kid was observed to be burying her face in a spoonful of
jelly, and others seemed to be performing a sort of a general post
during the repa