His face only was visible, round and luminous, like the full moon; and, like her, too, variegated with light and shade, for fear had produced spots of white and purple over the surface of his capacious cheeks.
As soon as the major saw how the "land lay", he came blowing and blustering through the bushes like an elephant; and it now became apparent that he carried his long sabre drawn and nourishing.
"Bad luck, after all!" said he as he marched round the pond with a bold stride.

"That's all--is it ?" he continued, pointing to the dead cayman.
"Bah! I was in hopes we'd have a brush with the yellow-skins." "No, Major," said I, trying to look serious, "we are not so fortunate." "I have no doubt, however," said Clayley with a malicious wink, "but that we'll have them here in a squirrel's jump.

They must have heard the report of our guns." A complete change became visible in the major's bearing.

The point of his sabre dropped slowly to the ground, and the blue and white spots began to array themselves afresh on his great red cheeks.
"Don't you think, Captain," said he, "we've gone far enough into the cursed country?
There's no mules in it--I can certify there's not--not a single mule.

Had we not better return to camp ?" Before I could reply, an object appeared that drew our attention, and heightened the mosaic upon the major's cheeks.
A man, strangely attired, was seen running down the slope towards the spot where we were standing.
"Guerillas, by Jove!" exclaimed Clayley, in a voice of feigned terror; and he pointed to the scarlet sash which was twisted around the man's waist.
The major looked round for some object where he might shelter himself in case of a skirmish.