one, Captain. There is a good road, though, and well paved."

"Paved! why, the country around is wild--is it not?"

"True; but the road was paved by the priests."

"By the priests!" I exclaimed with some astonishment.

"Yes, Captain; there's a convent in the valley, near the crossing; that
is, there _was_ one. It is now a ruin."

We crept slowly down, our mules at times seeming to walk on their heads.
The hissing of the torrent grew gradually louder, until our ears were
filled with its hoarse rushing.

I heard Raoul below me shouting some words in a warning voice, when
suddenly he seemed borne away, as if he had been tumbled over the
precipice.

I expected to feel myself next moment launched after him into empty
space, when my mule, uttering a loud whinny, sprang forward and
downward.

Down--down! the next leap into eternity! No--she keeps her feet! she
gallops along a level path! I am safe!

I was swung about until the thongs seemed to cut through my limbs; and
with a heavy plunge I felt myself carried thigh-deep into water.

Here the animal suddenly halted.

As soon as I could gain breath I shouted at the top of my voice for the
Frenchman.

"Here, Captain!" he answered, close by my side, but, as I fancied, with
a strange, gurgling voice.

"Are you hurt, Raoul?" I inquired.

"Hurt? No, Captain."

"What was it, then?"

"Oh! I wished to warn you, but I was too late. I might have known they
would stampede, as the poor brutes have been no better treated than
ourselves. Hear how they draw it up!"

"I am choking!" I exclaimed, listening to the water as it filtered
through the teeth of my mule.

"Do as I do, Captain," said Raoul, speaking as if from the bottom of a
well.

"How?" I asked.

"Bend down, and let the water run into your mouth."

This accounted for Raoul's voice sounding so strangely.

"They may not give us a drop," continued he. "It is our only chance."

"I have not even that," I replied, after having vainly endeavoured to
reach the surface with my face.

"Why?" asked my comrade.

"I cannot reach it."

"How deep are you?"

"To the saddle-flaps."

"Ride this way, Captain. It's deeper here."

"How can I? My mule is her own master, as far as I am concerned."

"_Parbleu_!" said the Frenchman. "I did not think of that."

But, whether to oblige me, or moved by a desire to cool her flanks, the
animal plunged forward into a deeper part of the stream.

After strai