owner's protestations. She was a fine, handsome, and remarkable
woman, who traded on her own account like a man, and she made a sturdy
fight for her property. Directly the mules were seized she bounced
into the colonel's room, her eyes ablaze.

"Good-morning, madam," said he courteously.

"It's a bad morning for me," she replied. "Do you know that your men
have stolen my mules?"

"Not stolen, madam; only borrowed, by my orders, for the good of the
Patriot cause."

"I defy you to keep them!" she cried. "See," and waving & paper, added
triumphantly, "that will make you less high and mighty, Senor
Englishman!"

The paper was a passport and protection signed by San Martin himself;
but it produced no effect on the stubborn colonel.

"I am sorry, madam," he exclaimed, still courteously, "but my men need
the mules. They shall be paid for, handsomely, but I must have them."

The woman gasped with astonishment, and pushing the paper close to the
colonel's face, cried, "Are you blind? Can't you see General San
Martin's name? Don't you know that he can have you shot to-day if he
pleases?"

"Not _to-day_, madam. The swiftest messenger could not get here from
Lima to-day; and thanks to your mules, which are really very fine
animals, we shall begin to chase the Royalists at dawn."

Luckily she could not see my face as she broke into a torrent of abuse.
She had a fine command of the Spanish language, which she used for his
benefit, besides throwing in a number of odd phrases picked up from
English sailors. And all the while the colonel beamed upon her
genially, as if she were paying him the highest compliments. At length
she announced, in high-pitched tones, that where her mules went there
would she go also; she would not trust them to such a band of thieving
scoundrels.

"I am delighted, madam," said the colonel, bowing low; "your society
will in some degree atone for the hardships of our journey."

Neither of us thought she would really carry out her threat; but early
next morning she appeared mounted on one of her own mules, and attached
herself to me.

"Madam," said I gravely, trying to imitate the colonel, "this is a
great pleasure for us; but even at the risk of losing your valued
company, I must once more point out to you the real nature of this
journey. We shall be half starved, besides suffering torments from
thirst; we shall be worn out by forced marches, and some of us, no
doubt, will fall victim