ng on the horsemen had tethered their steeds and were
following on foot, riding over the _azuferales_ being manifestly out of
the question. Once Griscelli and Sheba, who appeared to be queen of the
pack, came so near the pool that if we had not promptly lowered our heads
to the level of the water they would certainly have seen us.

"I am afraid they have given us the slip," I heard Griscelli say. "There
is not a particle of scent. But if they have not fallen into one of those
springs and got boiled, I'll have them yet--even though I stop all night,
or come again to-morrow."

"_Mira! Mira!_ General, the forest is on fire!" shouted somebody. "And the
horses--see, they are trying to get loose!"

Then followed curses and cries of dismay, the huntsman sounded his horn to
call off the hounds and Carmen and I, raising our heads, saw a sight that
made us almost shout for joy.

The fire, which all this time must have been smouldering unseen, had burst
into a great blaze, trees and bushes were wrapped in sulphurous flames,
which, fanned by the breeze, were spreading rapidly. The very turf was
aglow; two of the horses had broken loose and were careering madly about;
the others were tugging wildly at their lariats.

Meanwhile Griscelli and his companions, followed by the hounds, were
making desperate haste to get back to the trail and reach the valley of
stones. But the road was rough, and in attempting to take short cuts
several of them came to grief. Two fell into a deep pool and had to be
fished out. Griscelli put his foot into one of the boiling springs, and,
judging from the loud outcry he made, got badly scalded.

By the time the hunters were clear of the moor the loose horses had
disappeared in the forest, and the trees on either side of the trail were
festooned with flames. Then there was mounting in hot haste, and the
riders, led by Griscelli (the two dismounted men holding on to their
stirrup leathers), and followed by the howling and terrified hounds, tore
off at the top of their speed.

"They are gone, and I don't think they will be in any hurry to come back,"
said Carmen, as he scrambled out of the pool. "It was a narrow shave,
though."

"Very, and we are not out of the wood yet. Suppose the fire sweeps round
the moor and gains the forest on the other side?"

"In that case we stand a very good chance of being either roasted or
starved, for we have no food, and there is not a living thing on the moor
but ourse