iately
undertook to supply us from his own stud, and also to advance any money
we might require.

While my father was writing the letters, I hastened back to our own
house, being still dressed as a groom. I found Mr Laffan seated at the
table as he proposed, with a flag over his head. The house, as I had
fully expected, had been visited and searched, but had not been
plundered. Probably the officers had been forbidden to plunder it, in
order that my father might be the more easily enticed back.

On hearing the proposed plan, Mr Laffan sprang to his feet, and
declared that he was ready at once to proceed. The question was, What
was to be done with the house?

"Leave dat to me," said Paul; "me find honest woman who fight like one
panther 'fore she let any one come into de house."

As a precautionary measure, we concealed all the most valuable articles
we could find; leaving, however, a few silver forks and spoons to
mislead plunderers, who might suppose that they were the only things in
the house worth taking.

The dominie--for so I may again call him--having dressed in as
appropriate a style as possible, as the tutor of a young English milord,
and Lobo having warned us that the coast was clear, we left the house to
proceed to a posada where Don Cassiodoro had arranged to send the
horses. I carried the valise containing Mr Laffan's wearing apparel.
My own was in the provision-basket on my back. The load, I must say,
was rather a heavy one. Lion rushed out with us. At first I thought of
leaving him as a guard to the house, but he seemed to have made up his
mind to come, and Mr Laffan advised me to take him. "The noble brute
may render us good service on our journey, and I would sooner have him
than half a dozen guards, who would be very likely to rob us, or run
away if we were attacked." Lion wagged his tail and showed every sign
of satisfaction when he understood that I intended to take him with me.

On arriving at the posado, the dominie put a piece of money into my
hand, as if to pay me for having carried his valise; and I heard him
tell the landlord that he was waiting for a young English milord, who
was anxious to return home by way of Bogota. I then hurried back to Don
Cassiodoro's, where I resumed my proper costume. To prevent my being
recognised, my father had provided a pair of huge whiskers and
moustaches, and by careful painting he made me look considerably older
than I was. With the aid of a