in icy water. It was
death to remain behind, however, and though many men, numbed and
exhausted, were swept down the stream, only two lives were lost.

On the last night in November we reached a valley whose sides were
clothed with enormous trees, and the order to encamp was gratefully
received.

"Thank goodness!" said Alzura. "We shall have a comfortable night at
last. The trees will shelter us from the cold winds, and we shall be
as cozy as in bed."

"Humph!" said Gamarra testily; "much you know about it. In half an
hour you'll wish we had camped on the top of a mountain."

"Why?" I asked curiously, for the valley seemed to me a very suitable
camping-ground.

"Wait!" growled the crusty old major; "you'll soon know."

This sounded very mysterious, but in a short time the secret was out.
We had just settled ourselves comfortably when Alzura started up, and
some one said, in a tone of great disgust, "Mosquitoes!"

They were very fine specimens, and, I suppose, exceedingly angry at our
invasion of their territory. They came buzzing up in countless
thousands, and though many were slain, the slaughter made no apparent
difference in their numbers.

I had put on my gloves, and now hastily covered my face with a
handkerchief. The mosquitoes were by no means dismayed. Thirsting for
blood, they would not be denied, but drank deeply. To any one
mosquito-proof the scene would have been most laughable. We made a
desperate fight, but the victory was to the mosquitoes.

Our hands, necks, and faces were swollen from their venomous bites.
Some of the men could hardly see; and though we were dreadfully
fatigued, every one longed to hear the bugle-call to fall in. No one
wanted to remain in what Plaza christened "Alzura's paradise."

The welcome sound came at break of day, and we moved out quickly,
abandoning the battlefield to our active and vigorous foes. As soon as
we reached the open country the rain began to fall, and continued in
torrents all that day and the following night.

"I don't exactly see how much better off we are than Barriero,"
remarked Alzura, as we lay down to sleep in a muddy puddle.

"You should have stayed with him, then."

"It's all very well to say that now. Why did you bring me away?"

I was too much staggered by the audacity of the question to make a
suitable reply.

Hungry, cold, and wet, we resumed the retreat, and soon began defiling
into another valley. Our squadron was right