"Well, it did not prevent you facing the foe." "If I had run away, the goat, who runs a great deal faster than I can, would soon have overtaken me. I waited for him, so as to frighten him with my stick, and, if possible, avoid his horns." "You could not have acted more sensibly. At all events you've plenty of coolness, and that is about the best quality a traveller can show." "All right now, but in future I shall keep clear of goats. But I thought they were afraid of men." "Not always, as you were very near finding out to your cost. Perhaps, however," continued Sumichrast, smiling, "your enemy did not look upon you quite as a man; and, after all, I fancy he thought more of playing with you than of hurting you, for he must be thoroughly accustomed to the sight of children." At this moment Gringalet came running up with his tail between his legs, and with a most doleful look; he was closely pursued by all the dogs of the plateau, who, instead of barking, were making a kind of howling noise, common to those that are but half domesticated. On hearing all this uproar, two Indian women came running towards us, but stopped, abashed at our appearance. The youngest of them, rather a pretty girl, wore nothing but a short linen chemise, and a piece of blue woollen stuff fastened round her hips by a wide band, ornamented with red threads. Her hair, which was plaited and brought over her forehead, formed a sort of coronet. Her companion, who was dressed in a similar way, wore, in addition, a long scarf, which was fixed to her head, and fell round her like a nun's cloak. "God bless you, Maria!" I said to the eldest. "Can you take us in for one night?" [Illustration: "On hearing the uproar, two Indian women came running towards us."] "I have nothing to offer you to eat, I am afraid." "Perhaps you can sell us a fowl and some eggs." "Well, I must see if my husband objects to guests." "Surely your husband will not refuse the shelter of his roof to weary travellers?" She reflected for a moment, and then answered, "No, he is a Christian! Come in and rest yourselves." The Indian woman called to her children, who one after the other showed their wild-looking heads peeping out from some hiding-place, and ordered them to drive away the dogs. It was not without some degree of pleasure we got rid of our travelling gear, as we felt no ordinary amount of weariness, which was easily accounted for by the exertion of our recent ascent. L'Encuerado, always brisk, began to assist the housewife; he stirred up the fire, arranged the plates, and looked to their being clean. The Indian woman then asked him to go and draw some water from a spring about a hundred yards from the hut; and off he went, led by the children of our hostess. His young guides, completely naked, and their heads shaved, rode on bamboo-canes as make-believe horses, and pranced along in front of him.