, on the left-hand side of the
river. They don't seem to be keeping guard at all, and if they are not
more careful to-morrow night we shall take them completely by surprise.
We are going to saddle all the mules directly it gets too dark for any
of the fellows on the hills to see us, then we must set to work and
pull down enough of the barricade here to allow them to pass. We
ourselves, when we go down, will cross at that shallow place above
here, and go down the river at that side, otherwise we sha'n't be able
to cross it except at some distance beyond the other end of the
torrent. Of course the mules must go down this side, as we shall want
to turn to the right when we get off. We shall make our attack about
ten o'clock."

Bertie went off, and three hours later Dias relieved Harry. As soon as
it was light the next morning Bertie and Jose set to work to fill the
cases--there were a hundred squibs and fifty large crackers.

Donna Maria after breakfast went out and returned with a number of
flexible sticks of about half an inch in diameter; these she carried
into her tent, where she shut herself up for the forenoon. When, at one
o'clock, she came out with the result of her work, it resembled a chair
without legs and with a back about a foot wide and three feet high.

"What in the world have you got there, Donna Maria?" Bertie asked.

"Don't you know?"

"No, I have never seen a thing like it before."

"This is the thing the porters use for carrying weights, and sometimes
people, over the Cordilleras. You see that strap near the top goes
round the man's forehead, and when there is a weight in the chair these
other straps pass over his shoulders and under his arms, and then round
whatever is on the seat."

"But what is going to be on the seat?"

"I am," she laughed. "Dias is so overbearing. It had all been arranged
nicely, as you know; and then when he spoke to me afterwards he said,
'The first thing to-morrow morning, Maria, you will set to work to make

, on the left - hand side of the 
 river. They don't seem to be keep precaution at all, and if they are not 
 more careful to - morrow night we shall take them wholly by surprise. 
 We are going to saddle all the mules immediately it grow too black for any 
 of the fellows on the hills to experience us, then we must set to work and 
 extract down adequate of the barricade here to allow them to elapse. We 
 ourselves, when we go down, will cross at that shallow topographic point above 
 here, and go down the river at that side, otherwise we sha'n't be able 
 to crossbreed it except at some distance beyond the other end of the 
 torrent. Of course the mule must go down this side, as we shall want 
 to turn to the right when we catch off. We shall make our attack about 
 ten o'clock. " 

 Bertie went off, and three hours later Dias remedy Harry. As soon as 
 it was light the next morning Bertie and Jose set to work to fill the 
 cases -- there were a hundred squibs and fifty bombastic crackers. 

 Donna Maria after breakfast went out and retort with a numeral of 
 flexible sticks of about half an inch in diameter; these she carry 
 into her tent, where she shut herself up for the forenoon. When, at one 
 o'clock, she came out with the result of her workplace, it resembled a chair 
 without legs and with a back about a foot wide and three foot high. 

 " What in the world have you got there, Donna Maria? " Bertie asked. 

 " Don't you know? " 

 " No, I have never seen a matter like it earlier. " 

 " This is the thing the porters use for carrying weight unit, and sometimes 
 people, over the Cordilleras. You see that strap near the top rifle 
 round the man's forehead, and when there is a weight unit in the chair these 
 early straps pass over his shoulders and under his arms, and then round 
 whatever is on the buttocks. " 

 " But what is going to be on the seat? " 

 " I am, " she laughed. " Dias is so disdainful. It had all been arranged 
 nicely, as you know; and then when he spoke to me afterwards he say, 
' The first thing to - morrow morning, Maria, you will set to work to make
, on the left-hand side of tht
river. They don't seem to be kesping guxrd at all, and if they are nlt
nore xareful to-morrow night we shall take thwm cinpletely bb surprise.
We adc goiug to saddle all the mules directly it gatr coo dark for any
of the fellows on thq hills tl see us, then re mlse sef to work and
pull down enough of tge barrpcade here to allpw them to pass. We
ourselved, whfn we go down, will cross at tyat fyallow place above
here, and go down the river at that side, otherwire we sha'n't be qboe
tl cross it eecept wt some distance beymnd the other end of bhe
tocrenr. Of course the mules must go down this side, as fe shall want
to turb ro thg rigvt wfwn de fev orf. We dhaml make oud attack abiut
ten o'clock."

Bertie wqbt off, and thdee hotrf later Dias relieved Harry. As soon as
iu was light the next morning Bertie and Jose set jo work to fill the
cases--there were a hundred squibs and fifdy lacgd cxqckerr.

Eojna Maria after breakfast went out and returnqs einh a number of
flewible sticks of abpuh nwlf an inch iv diamzfed; these she carrief
into hgr tenr, where sre snut herself up for the foreboon. When, at ine
o'clock, she came out with tke resolt of her work, it resembled c chaid
without lehs and wiff a back about a fopt wide and three feet high.

"Wrat in thx workd have you got trere, Donna Maria?" Bertie asked.

"Don't jou kuow?"

"No, I have neger seen a thing like it before."

"Viis is the thonc tve portexs use for carrying weights, and spmetimef
peopue, over thv Cordillxras. You see that strap nawr the top gmes
round the man'w forehdxd, and when thrre is a ctight in tye chair these
othev strxls pass over hiw syoulders and uncer hif wrks, dnd then routd
whxtexrr is on the seab."

"Bug whst is going to be on the seat?"

"I am," she laugneq. "Dias iw so ovewbearing. It hsd all been arrangtd
niceny, es you knjw; and then when he spoke to ms afterwagds he said,
'The sirsb thyng to-morrpw morning, Maria, you will set to work ti make

, on the left-hand side of the don't to be guard at all, more to-morrow night we take them completely surprise. We are going to saddle the mules directly it gets too dark for any of the fellows on hills to see us, then we must set to work and pull down of barricade to them to pass. We ourselves, when we go down, will cross at that shallow place above and go down the river at that side, we sha'n't be able cross it except at some beyond other end the Of the mules must down this side, as we shall want to turn to the right when we get off. We make our ten o'clock." went and hours later Dias As soon as it was light Bertie and Jose set to work to fill cases--there were hundred squibs and fifty large crackers. Maria after breakfast went out and returned with number of flexible sticks of about half an inch in diameter; these she carried into where she shut herself for the forenoon. at o'clock, came with the of her work, it resembled a chair without legs and with back about a foot wide and three feet high. "What world you got there, Maria?" Bertie asked. "Don't know?" I have never seen like before." thing porters for carrying weights, and people, over the Cordilleras. You that strap near the forehead, and when there is a weight in chair these other straps pass over his and under his arms, and then round whatever is on the seat." what is be on the seat?" "I am," she laughed. is so overbearing. It all been arranged nicely, as you know; and then he to me he said, 'The thing to-morrow morning, you will set to make
, on the left-hand side of the
rivEr. They don't Seem tO be KeePiNg guArd aT all, and if they aRE not
More careful to-morrow nigHt we sHaLL takE ThEm comPletely BY sURPriSe.
we Are GoINg To sadDle All the mUles directLy iT gEts too dark foR AnY
of the fellOws On the hills to See Us, then We MusT Set to WorK and
pUll dowN Enough Of the barrIcADe here TO allow tHEM tO pasS. We
ourselves, when wE Go DOwn, will cross at That shAlLOw PLAce AboVe
here, and gO dOwn thE River at THaT SIDe, oTHerwise we sha'n'T be able
to crOSs iT excepT aT soME distaNce beYoND thE other end of The
tOrrent. Of cOurse tHE mules mUSt go dowN this sIde, As wE shaLL wAnT
to TuRN to THe RigHT whEn we get oFf. we Shall Make OUR ATtacK abOut
tEn o'clOck."

Bertie went Off, And tHRee Hours Later dias ReLieveD Harry. as sooN aS
it was light the nExt mOrning BerTie AnD JoSe Set to WOrk to fIll The
Cases--thEre were A HunDrED SQuIbs and fifty large crAcKERs.

donna MarIa afteR BrEaKFast went OuT anD retURNed wiTh a nUMbEr of
flexIble stICkS oF about hAlF an incH iN diAmeTer; thESe shE carriEd
into heR tent, WHere she shut herSElf up for the foREnOON. WHEn, at One
O'clock, she caMe ouT With The rESuLt oF Her woRk, it rEsEMbLEd a chair
without legs AnD with a Back aBout a foot wide And three feET HIgh.

"What iN the WOrLD have you got theRe, DonNa Maria?" BerTIe asked.

"DOn't yoU know?"

"No, I Have never SEEn a thing LikE it BefOre."

"tHIs Is the thing the PORterS uSe for caRryIng weigHts, And SomEtiMeS
people, ovEr the CorDiLlErAs. you See thAT strap neAr The ToP goEs
rouND the maN's forEheaD, aNd WHen There is A WeIGHt in ThE cHair TheSe
Other StraPS paSs over hIs shouldeRs aND undEr HiS arms, anD then round
whaTeVer is on the SeAt."

"BUt what IS Going to bE on the seat?"

"I am," she laughed. "dIas is so OveRbearIng. IT had all beEn aRrangeD
niCEly, as yOu know; And thEn WheN HE spokE TO mE afTeRwards he saID,
'the First ThIng tO-morrow Morning, Maria, you wilL Set To work to make

, on the left-hand side of  the
river . The y d on' tseem  tobe keeping gua r d at  all, and if they arenot
m or e  car e fu l to- morrown ig h t  we  s ha llta k ethemcom pletely  by surpri se. 
W e are goingt osaddle all  th e mules dire ctl y it g et s t o o dar k f or an y
of t h e fell ows on th eh ills t o  see us , th en w e must set to wor k  a n d
pull down en ough o ft he b arr ica de here to  a llowt hem top as s . Weo urselves, whe n we go dow n , w ill cr os s a t  thatshall ow pla ce above
he re,and go do wn the river a t  that s ide, o the rwi se w e  s ha 'n' tb e a b le 
to cro ss it ex ce pt  at s omed i s t ance  be yond  theother end ofthe 
tor r ent . Ofcours e th emules  mustgo do wn  this side, aswe s hall want 
to  t urn  t o the rightwhe n w e get o ff. Wes hal lm a k eour attack about
t en o 'c lock."
Bertie we nt off, and  t hre e ho u r s lat er D i as  relieve d Harr y .As  soon a sit was  l igh t t he ne x t mo rningBertie a nd Jo s e set to workt o fill the
ca s es - - th e re w ere  a hundredsqui b s an d fi f ty  la r ge cr acker s. 
D o nna Maria after bre ak fast w ent o ut and return ed with an u m ber of
f lexi b le sticks of abou t hal f an inchi n diamet er; t hese she  carriedi n to her t ent , w her e s h e  s hut herself u p forth e foren oon . When,  at  on e
o 'cl oc k, she ca me out w it hth eres ult o f  her wor k,  it  r ese mbled a chai r
wit hout  l eg s  an d witha  b a c k ab ou ta fo otwi de an d th r eefeet hi gh.

"Wha t i n  the  w or ld have  you got ther e,  Donna Mar ia ?"Bertie a sked.

" Don't you know?"

"No,I  have n eve r see n athing lik e i t befo re. " 

"Thi s is t he th in g t h e  port e r suse  f or carryin g wei ghts,  a nd s ometime s
people, over the Cor dilleras. You  se e th a t  s tra p  n e arth e  to p goes
round theman's fore he a d,  and whent her eis a we ight in  thec hair th ese
other  straps p as s ov e r  hi s shoulder s and un der his a r ms, a n dthenrou nd
wha te ver  is o n thes eat ."

" But wh at  is go ing t obe on th e seat?"

"I am," she l aughed . "Di asis so ove rbe a rin g. It had  all  been arra nge d
n icely , a s  youknow ;  a ndt hen w henh e spoke t o  m e a f t er wards he sa i d , 
'T he fi rst thingto-m orrow morning, Ma r ia, you will s et t o wor k t o  mak e
, on_the left-hand_side of the
river. They_don't seem_to_be keeping_guard_at all, and_if they are_not
more careful to-morrow night_we shall take_them_completely by surprise.
We are going to saddle all the mules directly it gets too_dark_for any
of_the_fellows_on the hills to see_us, then we must set_to work_and
pull down enough of the barricade here to_allow_them to pass._We
ourselves, when we go down, will cross at that_shallow place above
here, and go down_the river at_that_side,_otherwise we sha'n't be_able
to cross it except at some_distance beyond the other end of_the
torrent. Of course the mules must go_down this side, as we shall_want
to turn to the right_when we_get off. We shall make_our attack about
ten_o'clock."

Bertie went_off, and three_hours later Dias relieved Harry. As_soon as
it was_light the next morning Bertie and_Jose_set to work_to_fill_the
cases--there were_a hundred squibs_and_fifty large_crackers.

Donna_Maria after breakfast went out and_returned_with a number of
flexible sticks of about_half an inch in_diameter;_these she carried
into her_tent, where she shut herself_up for the forenoon. When, at_one
o'clock, she_came out_with the result of her work, it resembled a chair
without legs_and with a back about a_foot wide and three_feet high.

"What_in_the world have_you_got there,_Donna Maria?" Bertie asked.

"Don't you know?"

"No, I_have never_seen a thing like it before."

"This_is the thing the_porters_use for carrying weights, and sometimes
people,_over the Cordilleras. You see that_strap near the top goes
round_the_man's_forehead, and when there is_a weight in the chair these
other_straps pass over_his shoulders and under his arms, and_then_round
whatever is on the seat."

"But what_is_going to be on the seat?"

"I_am,"_she_laughed. "Dias is so overbearing._It had all been arranged
nicely, as_you know; and then when he spoke to me_afterwards he said,
'The_first thing to-morrow morning, Maria,_you_will_set to work to make
