A drouthier pair of mortals could not have been found anywhere; and at the first draught, each emptied his cup to the bottom! "It has a quare taste, hasn't it?" said Barney, after he had taken the vessel from his lips. "Oui! c'est vrai, monsieur!" "What dev ye think it is?" "Je ne sais quoi. It smells like one--one--" "Is it fish, ye mane?" "Oui! like one feesh: un bouquet tres bizarre Fichtro!" "I suppose it's something that the Mexicans have drapped in to give the agwardenty a flayver. It's mighty strong anyhow. It's nothing the worse av that; but it 'ud be sorry drinkin' alongside a nate dimmyjan of Irish patyeen. Och! mother av Moses! but that's the raal bayvaridge!" Here the Irishman shook his head to express with more emphasis his admiration of the native whisky. "Well, Misther Gowdey," continued he, "whisky's whisky at any rate; and if we can't get the butther, it's no raison we should refuse the brid; so I'll thank ye for another small thrifle out of the kig," and the speaker held out his tin vessel to be replenished. Gode lifted the keg, and emptied more of its contents into their cups. "Mon Dieu! what is dis in my cops?" exclaimed he, after a draught. "Fwhat is it? Let me see. That! Be me sowl! that's a quare-looking crayter anyhow." "Sac-r-r-re! it is von Texan! von fr-r-og! Dat is de feesh we smell stink. Owah--ah--ah!" "Oh! holy mother! if here isn't another in moine! By jabers! it's a scorpion lizard! Hoach--wach--wach!" "Ow--ah--ah--ack--ack! Mon Dieu! Oach--ach--! Sac-r! O--ach--ach-- o--oa--a--ach!" "Tare-an-ages! He--ach! the owld doctor has--oach--ack--ack! Blessed Vargin! Ha--he--hoh--ack! Poison! poison!" And the brace of revellers went staggering over the azotea, delivering their stomachs, and ejaculating in extreme terror as the thought struck them that there might be poison in the pickle. I had risen to my feet, and was enjoying the joke in loud laughter. This and the exclamations of the men brought a crowd of hunters up to the roof, who, as soon as they perceived what had happened, joined in, and made the ruin ring with their wild peals. The doctor, who had come up among the rest, was not so well satisfied with the occurrence. After a short search, however, the lizards were found and returned to the keg, which still contained enough of the spirit for his purposes. It was not likely to be disturbed again, even by the thirstiest hunter in the band. CHAPTER THIRTY FOUR. THE PHANTOM CITY. On the morning of the fourth day our spies came in, and reported that the Navajoes had taken the southern trail. They had returned to the spring on the second day after our leaving it, and thence had followed the guiding of the arrows. It was Dacoma's band, in all about three hundred warriors. Nothing remained for us now but to pack up as quickly as possible, and pursue our march to the north. In an hour we were in our saddles, and following the rocky banks of the San Pedro.