front of him, looking out towards the river,
apparently to watch that no hungry alligator or jaguar should pounce out
upon their master, upon this sprang to their feet, and looked very much
inclined to run away.

"Who are you; and whence do you come?" inquired the padre.

"I am travelling with my uncle, Senor Denis Concannan, and a servant,
towards our home, not far from hence, and having no guide we have lost
our way," I replied. "My father is Senor Barry Desmond--perhaps he is
known to your reverence?"

"Of course he is; and a dear friend," answered the padre. "And you are
his son! If I were not dripping wet, I would give you an embrace:
receive it in imagination. You, and your uncle, and attendants, if
there were fifty of them, are welcome to my abode. Go and bring them
hither; and as soon as my servant comes down with my dry clothes, I will
accompany you."

I must own, by-the-by, that I felt well pleased to accept the padre's
embrace in imagination rather than in reality; and heartily thanking him
for his kind reception, I begged to know his name, that I might tell my
uncle.

"The Padre Pedro Pacheco," he replied; "he will remember me, though he
has been absent so many years, and will require no further assurance
that he will meet with all the hospitality that I can afford him. Now
go, young caballero, and bring him here; and by the time he arrives I
shall be in a fit condition to set out."

On this, making another bow, I set off to return by the way I had come.

I had not gone far when I met Tim, who, ever careful about my safety,
had followed me.

"Hurrah! shure, it's all right if it's the Padre Pacheco," he exclaimed.
"I know his riverence well, and there isn't a praste like him in all
the country round; though, to tell you the truth, Misther Barry, he
isn't much in favour with the Spaniards or monks up in the towns, for
he's a mighty great Liberal, and is as ready to fight as to pray for the
cause of the Republicans."

Tim gave me this information as we were making our way back to where we
had left my uncle and the mules. We were not long in saddling the
animals and replacing their packs; and by the time we got back to the
padre's bathing-place we found him standing ready to receive us, clothed
in dry garments. He greeted my uncle as cordially as he had done me;
and taking our arms,--two of the Indians with torches leading the way,--
we proceeded by a path through the forest to his house, whic