216 LIFE IN THE FAR WEST 



Great was the grief, and violent the sobbing, when all 

 the girls in the Mission surrounded Juanita to bid her 

 adieu ; as she, seated en cavalier on an easy-pacing 

 mule, bequeathed her late companions to the keeping of 

 every saint in the calendar, and particularly to the 

 great St Ferdinand himself, under whose especial tute- 

 lage all those in the Mission were supposed to live. 

 Pedrillo, poor forsaken Pedrillo, a sullen sulky half- 

 breed, was overcome, not with grief, but with anger at 

 the slight put upon him, and vowed revenge. He of 

 the " sangre regular," having not a particle of enmity in 

 his heart, waved his arm that arm with which he hac 

 mowed down the enemies of Carlos Quinto and re- 

 quested the mountaineers, if ever fate should carry then 

 to Spain, not to fail to visit his quinta in the vega cf 

 Genii, which, with all in it, he placed at their worship's 

 disposal con muchissima franqueza. 



Fat Fray Augustin likewise waved his arm, but 

 groaned in spirit as he beheld the noble band of mules 

 and horses, throwing back clouds of dust on the plain 

 where they had been bred. One noble roan stallion 

 seemed averse to leave his accustomed pasture, and 

 again and again broke away from the band. Luckily 

 old Walker had taken the precaution to secure the 

 " bell-mare " of the herd, and mounted on her rode 

 a-head, the animals all following their well-known 

 leader. As the roan galloped back, the padre was 

 in ecstasy. Tt was a favourite steed, and one he would 

 have gladly ransomed at any price. 



" Ya viene, ya viene ! " he cried out, " now, now it's 



