worthy companions, I present you with this
purse, a specimen of our own handicraft and may you never lack means to
keep it full.'

"The purse was a long, knit affair in colored yarns, looking like an
old fashioned necktie. I thanked them and regretted the cruel
circumstances which prevented their accompanying me, while secretly
rejoicing that such a disreputable looking set of villains was
closely guarded.

"I took to the stream again and the mountains once more looked as if
they were closing in on the river. At times I would sink into quiet
pools, requiring incessant paddling to push through and then emerge into
rapids that would necessitate the utmost labor to keep from being dashed
on the rocks. I ran all that day without meeting any one. About ten
o'clock at night, I noticed a light down the stream and sounded my
bugle. I was tired and chilly and glad to hear a hail from the
direction of the light. I landed at a sort of ferry and found a man and
woman awaiting me with a lantern. They escorted me to a little cabin and
the woman bustled about, building a fire out of weeds and other stuff,
wood being very scarce. Their patois was of the mountains and I could
not understand their speech nor they mine. By signs, however, we
understood each other very well and I intimated to them that I would
stretch out before the fire all night. But they refused to allow me to
lie on the floor. I understood them to mean for me to take the bed
as the man was going away somewhere. This I did and was soon sound
asleep. At one o'clock in the morning, I was awakened with an impression
that some one was in the room near me. I looked up and by the dim rush
light saw a tall figure standing by the bedside, upright and stiff,
a three cornered hat on his head, a carbine strapped across his back and
a sword by his side. In answer to my look of wonder, he simply raised
his right hand and gave a military salute. I asked:

"Que esta, Senor?" "What is it, sir?"

"His reply was: 'By order of the king, I am here to offer you protection
and assistance.'

"Thanking him for his courtesy, I turned over in bed and went to sleep
again.

"After breakfast of wild boar bacon, which was the sweetest meat I ever
tasted, the guard and my host accompanied me to the river. I carried a
good supply of gold and silver with me; but all offers of money
throughout the entire eight hundred miles of this voyage, were
peremptoril