64 



THE ADVENTURES OF 



" Well, it did not prevent you facing the foe." 



" If I had run away, the goat, who runs a great deal fast- 

 er 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 appear- 

 ance. 



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 w T as 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 ?" 



