after breakfast next
morning.

The plain was a splendid place for a camp, though rather high up, being
some twelve thousand feet above the level of the sea. Surrounding it
on all sides, huge mountains towered, their mighty summits hidden by
the clouds. The table-land itself was alive with soldiers, and
presently I caught sight of the flag which had been presented to the
Peruvian Legion.

"Take us over there," I cried excitedly to the guide.--"There are our
comrades, Alzura. I see Plaza, and Cordova, and the sour-faced old
major. Viva! viva!" and I rose in the stirrups with delight.

What explanation the Indian gave I do not know. We were plucked from
the saddles and bandied about from one fellow to another in less than
no time, every one helping to keep up a running fire of remarks.

"Now let the Royalists tremble!" exclaimed Plaza, striking a dramatic
attitude, spoiled only by the fun and twinkle in his eyes.

"Only think, our little Alzura has returned to us!" cried another; "let
us embrace him."

"Wait till he's been scrubbed a few times," suggested Plaza. "The
legion should be proud of these 'young bloods.' What airs and graces!
What remarkable and novel costumes! What--"

"Can any one lend me a shirt?" interrupted Alzura.

"A shirt?" exclaimed Cordova. "My dear fellow, I have a dozen, quite
clean and doing nothing, I shall be proud to let you and Crawford each
have one."

"Oh, thanks!" said Alzura. "I thought something practical ought to
come from all that talk. Come on, my boy, let's have them at once.
Where are they?"

"Just down in Lima. You have only to--" but a roar of laughter drowned
the end of the sentence.

"You really don't require one," remarked Plaza; "it would spoil the
rest of your uniform--that is, if you have one under that dirt."

Every one was still enjoying the joke, when a number of officers in
brilliant uniforms approached our quarter of the plain. In the leader
I recognized Bolivar; and, to my great satisfaction, Colonel Miller was
one of his suite.

"Your men seem to be enjoying themselves, colonel," we heard Bolivar
remark; "what is it all about?"

At that moment Miller caught sight of us, and leaving the general's
question unanswered, called us over, saying, "Alzura! Crawford! Where
have you been, my boys? We had quite given you up.--General, these are
two of my young officers who have been missing for months."

Bolivar, who was in good humour that morni