d.

"You will make me fancy soon that imprisonment is a privilege worth
paying for," he exclaimed.

"Hardly that," I replied; "but, as Barejo said, it keeps one out of
mischief."

We lowered the rope, the guide attached the surgeon's instruments, and
at a signal we hauled up. Then the rope went down again, the two
soldiers climbed to the cave, and the doctor followed unsteadily. It
was evident that this novel method of visiting patients found no favour
in his eyes; he was obviously nervous, and twice during the ascent I
quite expected to see him go headlong.

He was a citizen of Moquegua, very young, and utterly unsuited for his
present errand. So great was his agitation that when he had planted
his feet firmly on the floor of the cave his hands still clung like
grim death to the rope.

"You're all right now," I said, leading him away from the mouth of the
cave. "Rather a queer way of getting into a house, isn't it?"

"The saints preserve me!" he exclaimed, while his teeth chattered like
castanets, "this is horrible. A dozen times, coming up that rope, I
wished I'd never been born. But it's the last time I'll practise
doctoring outside Moquegua."

"You did very creditably, I assure you, doctor," observed Santiago,
whose eyes gleamed with fun; "such grace, such agility, is given to
few. I should have thought your life had been spent in scaling
mountains."

The doctor looked from Santiago to me, hardly knowing what to make of
such flattery.

"Faith," exclaimed he at last, "I hope there is an easier way of
getting down than of coming up."

"There is," said the major, "and much more expeditious. You have but
to step outside the cave, and there you are. Most people, however,
prefer to go down by the rope."

The doctor groaned.

"I shall never do it," said he, "never! I shall be shut up in this
place for the rest of my life."

"There will be one advantage in that," remarked Santiago pleasantly:
"your patients will always be able to find you. Now I fear we must
tear ourselves from your side."

"Do your best with these poor fellows," I said. "The one in the corner
yonder will not trouble you long; the others are getting on nicely.
You will find this cavern quite a comfortable dwelling-place. There is
plenty of food, a spring of clear water, and enough fuel to keep a fire
going for weeks."

"Meanwhile," observed Santiago, "we will ask the good folks of Moquegua
to make a nice long ladder, so th