::*r THE VOLCANO BY MOONLIGHT m 



remounted. On our strong horses, Senorltu and I soon 

 distanced the plodding- pack-mules and found ourselves 

 far ahead. The muleteer was a trusty one, so we de- 

 cided not to wait for him, hut to go on alone. Up the 

 winding trail we climbed, criss-crossing the face of 

 rocky cliffs, next a gallop over a level moonlit stretch, 

 and then a plunge into another dark, shadowy barranca. 

 Ten or twelve miles passed, and we were confronted 

 with a toll-gate, tightly locked. We learned from a 

 sleepy Mexican that the keeper was at Platina, a vil- 

 lage some five miles back on the trail, and that he was 

 very likely dead-drunk. 



In vain we tried to find a place in the stone wall 

 over which we could leap our horses. In vain I offered 

 the man a jyeso, if he would get the key. We knew 

 that the Mexican Central train left Tuxpan at half -past 

 four in the morning, and the moon was already high 

 overhead. The chain was heavy and the lock inde- 

 structible, but there was a flaw in one of the cross-bars 

 of the gate. Senorifa held my horse Avliile I took a run 

 and threw my full strength against it, and at last it 

 gave way. 



An Indian came down the hill behind us, and al- 

 though he knew little Spanish, the situation was plain 

 to him. He kicked the sleeping Mexican, who paid 

 not the slightest attention, and then he helped me. 

 With a few hard rushes we had the gate scattered over 

 several yards of hillside. I had little fear of the con- 



«4 3.59 ^ 



