, for as sure as Larry
O'Hale has got two legs, which makes a pair, you'll see him in
Callyforny yit, diggin' for his fortin'. In the main time, as I know
ye'll want money, an' as I've made a lot more than you by huntin'--
becase of being a better shot, d'ye see--here's a small sum which I axes
you to accept of as a testimoniyall of my ondyin' friendship."

Muggins bluntly refused the leathern bag which Larry thrust into his
hand, but he ultimately allowed him to force it into his pocket--and
turned away with a sigh.

It was a lovely morning when Wandering Will sorrowfully bade his friends
farewell, and, with his faithful followers, turned his face towards the
snow-capped range of the mighty Andes.

CHAPTER ELEVEN.

WANDERING WILL TRAVELS, FINDS HIS PROFESSION PROFITABLE, AND SEES A GOOD
DEAL OF LIFE IN NEW FORMS.

The first part of the journey was performed in a canoe on the Tacames
river, up which they ascended with considerable speed. The scenery was
delightfully varied. In some places the stream was wide, in others very
narrow, fringed along the banks with the most luxuriant timber and
brushwood, in which the concert kept up by birds and beasts was
constant, but not disagreeable to the ears of such enthusiastic
sportsmen as Will Osten, Larry O'Hale, and Bunco. The only disagreeable
objects in the landscape were the alligators, which hideously ugly
creatures were seen, covered with mud, crawling along the banks and over
slimy places, with a sluggish motion of their bodies and an antediluvian
sort of glare in their eyes that was peculiarly disgusting. They were
found to be comparatively harmless, however. If they had chanced to
catch a man asleep they would have seized him no doubt, and dragged him
into the water, but being arrant cowards, they had not the pluck to face
even a little boy when he was in motion.

Towards the afternoon of the first day, the hunters came to a long bend
in the river. Here Will Osten resolved to leave Bunco to proceed alone
with the canoe, while he and Larry crossed the country in search of
game. Their friend Gordon had given them an elaborate chart of the
route up to the mountains, so that they knew there was a narrow neck of
jungle, over which they might pass, and meet the canoe after it had
traversed the bend in the river.

"Have you got the tinder-box, Larry?" inquired Will, as they were about
to start.

"Ay, an' the powder an' shot too, not to mintion the bowie-kn