d I know not where he is."

"My poor father and mother! they will think I have been killed," I
ejaculated. "It will make them grieve very much."

"They will trust in God and hope for the best, as you must, my friend,"
he observed. "But I must not let you talk, or it will bring back the
fever which has been on you. Nita will watch over you, for I have
matters which call me away." As he spoke, his young wife handed me a
cup filled with a cooling draught distilled from herbs, which I drank
eagerly off. "That will do you good," he remarked. "To-morrow, if you
are stronger, I will answer the questions I see you are eager to put.
Now, farewell!" He shook his head when he saw that I was about again to
speak, and went off across the glade.

I next tried to interrogate Nita, speaking in the Quichua language,
supposing she did not understand Spanish; but with a smile she signed to
me not to talk.

"Sleep, stranger, sleep," she said in a sweet musical voice in her
native tongue; "it will strengthen you to undergo the toils which are in
store for you. My husband has promised to tell you more to-morrow. I
must quit you if you persist in talking."

Seeing that she was determined not to answer any of the questions I
longed to ask, I felt that it would be ungrateful not to do as she
desired me, and I once more resigned myself to sleep.

The next day I felt better and stronger, and my wounds were healing
rapidly; but Manco did not return, and Nita told me that he was engaged
in mustering and arming his followers. She would, however, give me no
other information. I felt very sad and solitary, notwithstanding her
kindness; for, whenever I could collect my thoughts, I could not help
fearing that some misfortune had befallen those I best loved on earth.
Fortunately I slept or dozed away the greater part of the day, and this,
I suspect, contributed to the rapidity of my recovery, aided by my good
constitution and the pure air I breathed. At night Nita sent an old
woman to sit by me, who was relieved by a young lad of my own age. I
expected to gain some information from the latter, for he looked very
intelligent; but when I spoke to him he shook his head, and I afterwards
discovered that the poor fellow was deaf and dumb. There were several
huts near mine, one of which I found was occupied by Nita and her
husband.

Three days passed away, and at last, to my great joy, Manco came back.
He seemed in high spirits when he sp