last night I reached this wood, when I met with the
mishap you know. If I asked for La Pena de Francia, it was only by way
of making some answer to the questions put to me; for I know that it
lies beyond Salamanca."

"True," observed Andrew, "you left it on your right, about twenty
leagues from this. So you see what a straight road you were taking, if
you were going thither."

"The road I did intend to take was that to Seville; for there I should
find a Genoese gentleman, a great friend of the count my relation, who
is in the habit of exporting large quantities of silver ingots to Genoa;
and my design is, that he should send me with his carriers, as one of
themselves, by which means I may safely reach Carthagena, and thence
pass over to Italy; for two galleys are expected shortly to ship some
silver. This is my story, good friend: was I not right in saying it is
the result of pure ill luck, rather than disappointed love? Now if these
senores gitanos will take me in their company to Seville, supposing they
are bound thither, I will pay them handsomely; for I believe that I
should travel more safely with them, and have some respite from the
fear that haunts me."

"Yes, they will take you," said Andrew; "or if you cannot go with our
band--for as yet I know not that we are for Andalusia--you can go with
another which we shall fall in with in a couple of days; and if you give
them some of the money you have about you, they will be able and willing
to help you out of still worse difficulties." He then left the young
man, and reported to the other gipsies what the stranger desired, and
the offer he had made of good payment for their services.

They were all for having their guest remain in the camp; but Preciosa
was against it; and her grandmother said, that she could not go to
Seville or its neighbourhood, on account of a hoax she had once played
off upon a capmaker named Truxillo, well known in Seville. She had
persuaded him to put himself up to his neck in a butt of water, stark
naked, with a crown of cypress on his head, there to remain till
midnight, when he was to step out, and look for a great treasure, which
she had made him believe was concealed in a certain part of his house.
When the good cap-maker heard matins ring, he made such haste to get out
of the butt, lest he should lose his chance, that it fell with him,
bruising his flesh, and deluging the floor with water, in which he fell
to swimming with might and