d saluted them.

He appeared to be worn out with exhaustion, for, flinging himself on the
ground beside the fire, he rested his head in silence for a few minutes
on a poncho. Then, observing a piece of manioca cake that had been
dropped by some one at supper, he took it up and ate it almost
ravenously.

"Why, you seem to be starving, Pedro," said Lawrence, earnestly

"Not so bad as that," returned Pedro with a faint smile. "A man can
scarcely be said to starve with so many of the fruits of the earth
around him. But I've been hard pressed since early morning, and--"

"Stay," interrupted Lawrence, "before you say another word, I will go
and fetch you some food."

"No need, senhor. My old friend Spotted Tiger has forestalled you."

This was true. The Indian, having seen at a glance how matters stood,
had gone up to the hut without speaking. He now returned with a bowl of
boiled maize, a bunch of bananas, and a jar of water.

While his friend was busy with these, he asked a few questions, which
Pedro answered briefly.

From the expression of the Indian's face, Lawrence gathered that these
replies caused him some anxiety. As the guide's appetite became
gradually appeased his loquacity increased, but he made few remarks to
Lawrence until the meal was finished. Then, turning to him with a sigh
of contentment, he said--

"I've been slightly wounded, senhor, but I doubt not that you can soon
put me all right."

Taking off his poncho as he spoke, and pushing aside his light cotton
shirt, he revealed the fact that his left breast was bound with a piece
of blood-stained calico.

Lawrence at once examined the wound.

"A slight wound, indeed," he said, "but vigorously dealt. I can see
that,--and you've had a narrow escape, too. Half an inch higher up
would have been fatal."

"Yes, it was meant to kill," was Pedro's quiet rejoinder; "but, thank
God, I had a friend near who meant to save, and he turned the knife
aside in time. Sit down now, I'll tell you how it happened.

"My business required me to visit a certain tribe of Indians at a
considerable distance from here, where the country is somewhat
disturbed, and the white inhabitants are threatening to cut each other's
throats by way of mending political affairs. They took me for a spy.
It is not the first time that I have been taken for a spy, and I suppose
it won't be the last," continued Pedro, with a grave smile. "Of course
I protested my innocence,