driguez and his compatriot rested under the table, while the
others were scattered in various picturesque, but undignified, attitudes
about the different rooms.

"My prophecy of last night is likely to prove a true one," said Bertram,
as they stood side by side surveying the prostrate figures. "They will
not open their eyes till mid-day, and it will be some hours afterwards
before we shall be able to get upon the road."

It turned out as he had said. Mid-day had arrived and passed before the
remainder of the party seemed capable of getting upon their feet, much
less of exerting themselves. Even then, the two Spaniards, Rodriguez,
and Pereira, would have needed but little persuasion to make them
continue the orgie for another night. Of this, however, Max and the
Englishman would not hear, and even Moreas, who was by this time
comparatively himself once more, joined in the chorus of disapproval.
Accordingly, the horses and mules were caught and saddled, and, half an
hour later, the party bade the village farewell and embarked upon their
journey proper. For three days they traversed through well-vegetated
forests, and over long rolling plains, with never a bush or a tree,
until they entered a forbidding mountain range, and some stiff climbing
became the order of the day. By the time they had had twenty-four hours
of this, the strength and temper of both mules and men were well-nigh
exhausted. It was in one of these gloomy passes, or canons, as perhaps
it should be properly termed, that an incident occurred that might very
well have ended disastrously for the whole company concerned. It
happened in this way. Ever since they had left the forest and set foot
upon the sterile plateau, the commissariat, once so plentifully
supplied, had been impoverished to a degree that bordered upon
starvation. As a result, they were compelled to fall back upon the
preserved food they had brought with them, and which was only to be used
in case of emergency. This had given rise to a considerable amount of
grumbling, and from grumbling certain members of the party found it a
very short step to open quarrelling. Antonio Rodriguez and Moreas were
the principal offenders in this respect. Indeed, it was noticeable to
more than one that, in the last few days, the latter's character had
changed completely. He was silent, morose, rarely smiled, and equally
seldom allowed an opportunity to pass him of saying something that was
likely to give offence.