ranslate, that
I may enjoy the joke?"

"It is not easy to translate," replied Pedro. "In fact, I doubt if you
will see the joke at all. It requires a little knowledge of Manuela's
past career to make understanding possible. She only said that she
delighted in this wild, free life."

"Not much jest in that, truly," returned Lawrence, "being, I fear, dull
of comprehension; nevertheless, I see an unintentional compliment to
_us_ in the remark, for it implies that we have not made Manuela's
journey tedious to her."

"It may be so," said Pedro, simply. "I was just telling her that we
shall soon get to more inhabited parts of the land, where she will have
a little female society now and then, and I was about to add that
afterwards we shall descend into the lower grounds of Bolivia, where she
will have wild life enough to her heart's content--perchance too much of
it."

Soon afterwards the guide's prophecy came true, for they passed from the
rugged mountains into a wide and richly clothed table-land, where there
were a few scattered farms, at which they were made heartily welcome
whenever they chose to stop for the night or for a meal.

Passing thence into another range of comparatively low hills, they
reached the town of San Ambrosio, where they found comfortable quarters
in a new and commodious inn--at least it seemed commodious, after the
recent experiences of our travellers.

Here Pedro said he would have to spend a day or two, as he had business
to transact in the town, and that he would search out an old
acquaintance with whose family he would place Manuela till their
departure.

While Pedro was gone in quest of his friend, the Indian girl, probably
feeling shy in the midst of such unwonted crowds, retired to the room
provided for her, and Lawrence and Quashy found themselves left in the
unusual condition of having nothing to do. Of course, in these
circumstances, they resolved to go out and see the town.

While Lawrence was questioning the landlord, an American, as to how he
should proceed, a very decided tremor passed through his frame. Quashy
seemed to experience a similar sensation, for he said abruptly--

"Eart'quak'!"

"That's nothing new here, sir," said the landlord to Lawrence, as he
lighted a cigarette; "we're used to it, though some of the natives ain't
quite easy in their minds, for the shocks have been both frequent as
well as violent lately."

"Have they done any damage?" asked Lawrence