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"Yonder is the ca into the valley; "it will lead you to the main road; and there"--he turned to the northward--"is Matanzas Go with God, and don't drink the ater, which is polluted from the rains" With a sed into the jungle

As O'Reilly descended the slope he realized keenly that he was alone and in hostile territory The hills and the woods from Pinar del Rio to Oriente were Cuban, or, at round But here in the plains and valleys near the cities Spain was supreme From this moment on O'Reilly knew he must rely entirely upon hied upon his caution, his powers of dissimulation, his ability to pass as a harave him an unaccustomed thrill, by no means pleasant

The road, when he ca between red-clay banks cut by the high wheels of clumsy cane- carts Inas the past season, it was now little more than an oozy, sticky rut Not a roof, not a chiht; the valley was deserted Here was a fertile far, no sound of bells, no voices, no crowing cocks, no lowing cattle It was depressing to O'Reilly, andabout it all

Toward noon the breeze lessened and it became insufferably hot A bank of clouds in the east proht the nearest shade to wait for it, and took advantage of the delay to eat his slender lunch He wasa sweet-potato when a sound at his back caused him to leap to his feet in alarm He whirled, then uttered an exclaged boy, si a sweet-potato It was Jacket His brown cheeks were distended, his bright, inquisitive eyes were fixed upon O'Reilly from beneath a defiant scowl

"Jacket!" cried the oin' to let ed the intruder

"So! You followed me, after I said I didn't want you?" O'Reilly spoke reproachfully; but reproaches had no effect upon the lad With a nified his contempt for such a weak form of persuasion

"See here now" O'Reilly stepped closer "Let's be sensible about this"

But Jacket scra the uneaten portion of the sweet-potato into his mouth It was plain that he had no confidence in O'Reilly's intentions Muttering so in a muffled voice, he armed himself with a stout stick