our way over the rough ground down the stream.

"I should think we must be safe from pursuit here; but I will just take
a look-out from yonder height," observed Uncle Richard.

He had scarcely got to the summit of the hill when he shouted out, "Here
come some suspicious-looking fellows; but they are a good way astern at
present, so that we must somehow or other leave them on this side of the
river." After taking another look, to assure himself that he was not
mistaken, he rejoined us, and we hurried along the bank.

We had not gone far when Antonio exclaimed, "I see a tarabita! It will
serve our purpose; and we must take care that it does not help our
enemies across."

He pointed, as he spoke, towards a long thin rope thrown across from one
cliff to the other. On getting up to it we found the bridge--for so it
might be called--consisted of a long rope made of hides, the ends
secured by stakes driven into the earth; to this a sort of basket was
suspended, with two smaller ropes fastened to it--the one reaching to
the side we were on, the other to the opposite bank, where a man--
apparently the guardian of the so-called bridge--was seated on a log
smoking. Antonio shouted to attract his attention; and getting up, he
made a sign for one of us to enter.

"You go first, Senor Ricardo," said Antonio to Uncle Richard.

But the latter insisted on going last, and made me and Lion get into the
basket. The bridge-keeper immediately began to haul away, and I soon
found myself dangling over a fearful chasm. I was, however, quickly
across; and, by means of a rope passing through a block on the side I
had left, the basket was immediately drawn back.

Antonio was passed over in the same way, and joined me.

Uncle Richard had, in the meantime, gone to the height overlooking the
path behind us, but he soon hurried back and took his seat in the
basket.

"Tell the old Indian to be smart in hauling me across," he shouted out.

The man obeyed; but Uncle Richard was not more than half-way over when
we saw a party of soldiers on the height above the river, and I clearly
made out that they were Spanish soldiers. Should they reach the end of
the rope before Uncle Richard was safe, they might, by threatening to
cut it, compel us all to come back; so we hastened to seize hold of the
tackle, in order to assist the Indian in dragging the basket over more
quickly.

"Take care, senores; you will break it, if you pull too hard," he