erable repair); and, as a storm was
threatening, we resolved to make it our abode for the night. It was a
small, low, round tower, but the roof was wanting, which was our first
care to supply. For this purpose Ned and I tore off and cut down a
number of branches from the trees which grew near; and finding, in a
hollow some way down the hill, a pool with rushes growing round it, we
collected a sufficient supply to aid materially in forming a thatch. We
left Pedro meantime to clean the floor, and to light a fire, though we
only had some cocoa and a little Indian corn to cook by it.

Returning with our materials, we placed the boughs across the top of the
walls, with the rushes in the form of a rude cone verging from the
centre above them. I then collected a number of stones, with which the
road supplied us, and handing them up to Ned, he put them on the thatch
to prevent its being blown away. Our work being speedily concluded, for
Ned had a very systematic way of doing everything, I bethought me of
collecting some more rushes to form a bed for Pedro. I was hurrying
down for the purpose, when on my way I observed between the trees the
walls of a building, standing on a level plot of ground. I called to
Ned, and we set off together to examine it, for it struck me it was a
small farm belonging to _mestizos_ or Indians. We soon reached it, and
I found I was not mistaken. The inhabitants had lately fled, the roof
was off the hut, and the maize crop had been reaped. We were at first
without hopes of benefiting by our discovery; but as I was looking
about, I observed a fig-tree with some ripe figs on it, which I at once
collected; and on further search, Ned espied a herd of guinea-pigs
nestling under the walls. To knock some of the little animals on the
head, was the work of a minute. We would gladly have exchanged some of
them for corn, but just as we were about to return to our tower, I
discovered a few ears of maize still standing close to a wall. With
much satisfaction I gathered all I could find. We had still more good
fortune in store. Close to the front I caught sight of a she-goat with
a young kid by her side. She had been a pet of the family, I suppose,
for she did not run away from us. Ned at once caught the kid, and
carrying it in his arms, the mother came after it to our hut.

"I haven't the heart to kill the little animal," he observed; "but I'll
tell you what, mate, the mother shall give the young