leading a couple of horses,
and the other the same number of mules.

"Hurrah! they must be Tim and Chumbo," exclaimed Gerald, jumping up.

"Stay quiet till we are certain," I answered.

The two men approached, and to my infinite satisfaction I saw that
Gerald was right. Still, I wished to see what Tim would do when he
arrived at the barrier. He soon got up there, and I saw him looking
about in every direction. He then turned round to his companion.

"Faith, Chumbo, I begin to think that, after all, Masther Kanimapo is
deceiving us," exclaimed Tim. "Here we are, after all our troubles and
adventures, with a high wall before us, and no means that I can see to
get over it. The bastes are hungry, and so am I; but they can pick up
their suppers off the grass, while we must hunt about till we can find
ours. So I propose that we camp where we are, and while you go and look
for fruits and an opossum, or any other baste you can catch, I'll watch
the animals."

We waited till Chumbo had gone off on his errand; then leaping down from
our hiding-place, Gerald shouted out in Spanish, "Your money or your
life!" Tim, like a brave fellow, grasped his shillelagh to defend
himself against the supposed banditti; but just then discovering us, he
threw it down, shouting out, "Erin-go-bragh! shure it's the young
masthers; and a welcome sight they are to me."

We were soon grasping Tim's hand, and inquiring how it was he had been
so long in reaching us. He told us that he had lost his way, and had
caught sight of the banditti, from whom he had been compelled to hide
till they had passed to a safe distance; and then, by turning back, he
had been fortunate enough to discover the path he and Chumbo ought at
first to have followed. We inquired if he had seen Kanimapo; but, as we
suspected, he had missed him. We then told him of the proposal that the
animals should be left where they were, with Chumbo to look after them;
and that should the enemy appear, Chumbo was to hide himself, and let
the animals take their chance--though we believed that there was little
risk of them being discovered.

Tim was eager to go back with us; indeed, he greatly required rest and
food. He had been unable to ride, owing to the badness of the path, any
part of the distance; while the food he and Chumbo had taken with them
had been for some time exhausted, and they had been hard pressed.
Chumbo, however, did not reappear, so I told Gerald and Tim to s