When all was ready, we sat down to the finest of corn-cakes, beans, eggs, and tender kidmeat.

We spread our blankets under a little shelter which stood in front of one side of the house.

None of us slept well.

It was very cold; dogs barked all night long; now and then a sudden outbreak of their barking, and curious signals and whistles, which were repeated in various parts of the mountain, gave us some uneasiness.

At three o'clock in the morning, just as we were napping, Don Anselmo startled us by the statement that our mule was dead.