Fired, no doubt, with the glow of
conscious victory the mule moved on and up at a more lively pace than
before.

Thus the pair advanced until they gained a rocky eminence, whence the
rich Peruvian plains could be seen stretching far-away toward the
glowing horizon, where the sun was about to dip into the Pacific.

Here again the mule stopped, and the rider getting off sat down on a
rock to take a look at the level horizon of the west--for he had reached
a spot where the next turn in the road would partially shut out the
plains and enclose him among the giant mountains.

As he sat there meditating, while the mule cropped the herbage at his
side, he observed two riders a considerable way down the circuitous road
by which he had ascended--a man and a boy, apparently.

Whether it was the fine stalwart figure of the man that influenced him,
or the mere presence of wayfarers in such a solitary place, our
traveller could not tell, but he certainly felt unusual interest, and
not only watched the pair as they approached, but sat still until they
came up. As they drew near he perceived that the smaller of the two,
whom at a distance he had taken for a boy, was an Indian girl, who,
according to custom, bestrode her mule like a man. Her companion was a
handsome Spanish-looking man--a Peruvian or it might be a Chilian--with
fine masculine features and magnificent black eyes. He was well-armed,
and, to judge from his looks, seemed a little suspicious of the tall
Englishman.

The hearty salutation of the latter, however, in bad Spanish, at once
dissipated his suspicions. Replying in the same tongue, he then added,
in good English:--

"You are a stranger in this land, I perceive."

"In truth I am," replied the other, while the Peruvian dismounted,
"nevertheless, I ought scarcely to admit the fact, for I was born in
Peru. This perhaps may seem contradictory, but it is not more so than
your being apparently a native of the soil yet speaking English like an
Englishman."

"From which it follows," returned the Peruvian, "that men ought not to
judge altogether by appearances. But you are wrong in supposing me a
native of the soil, and yet--I am not an Englishman. I have got a gift
of language, however--at least I feel myself equally at home in English,
Indian, Spanish, and Portuguese, which is not to be wondered at, seeing
that I have been forced to talk in all four languages for nigh a quarter
of a century."

"Then you mu