was out,
so I went to my mother in order to have her sanction, in case Mr Laffan
should prove obdurate. Juan was a favourite of hers, as well as of
everybody who knew him, so when I told her of his request she made no
objection.

"Then I'll tell Mr Laffan that I have your leave," I observed.

"And that you have mine too," exclaimed my young sister Flora; "for I
want you to carry a packet to Rosa, and a note with my love, and tell
her she must come here soon and stay with us."

While I ordered my horse, and put on my riding costume, Flora wrote and
sealed her note, which I promised faithfully to deliver with the packet
she entrusted to my care. On going to Mr Laffan to beg that he would
excuse me from my studies for a few hours, he exclaimed, looking out of
the window--

"It's a mighty fine day. Hugh and I will be ready to take a ride with
you. I can instruct him in orthography, geography, botany, and the
natural sciences, as we go along."

Hugh was delighted to go, and undertook duly to receive all the
instruction our worthy tutor could impart to him on the way. Though my
brother was still very young, he was a capital horseman, and would make
nothing of riding a dozen leagues or more in a day. I was in doubt,
however, whether Juan would be particularly pleased to have Mr Laffan's
company; but such an idea never occurred to our good tutor, who was not
inconveniently troubled with bashfulness. I knew, however, that he
would be welcomed at the house of Don Ricardo, who esteemed him for his
many sterling qualities.

Hugh and Mr Laffan were ready almost as soon as I was, and when Juan
returned we were all three mounted in the courtyard, prepared to
accompany him.

"I did not know that you were coming, Mr Laffan," he said, lifting his
hat and bowing politely; "but it will afford me great pleasure to have
your society."

Our tutor replied in wonderfully curious Spanish, into which he could
not help occasionally introducing a few Irishisms, for the purpose, as
he used to say, of adding pepper to his remarks.

Without delay we set off, Juan and I riding together, Mr Laffan and
Hugh following; and I saw by our tutor's gestures, after we got clear of
the town, that, faithful to his promise, he was imparting information in
his usual impressive manner, which Hugh was endeavouring with all his
might to take in.

While we ride along, I will describe the region and the city in which I
was born, and some of the pri