et ag'in, b'yee--don' do et; ye've smashed my tinpanum all inter
flinders! Good heaven! ye hev got a bugle wus nor enny steam tooter
frum heer tew Lowell."

"Hark!" said the youth, bending forward in a listening attitude.

The next instant silence prevailed, and the twain anxiously listened.
Wafted down across the plain came in faint piteous accents the
repetition of the cry they had first heard, only it was now much
fainter. Evidently whoever was in distress, was weakening rapidly.
Soon the cries would be inaudible.

"It's straight ahead!" exclaimed Fearless Frank, at last. "Come along,
and we'll soon see what the matter is!"

He put the spurs to his spirited animal, and the next instant was
dashing wildly off over the sunlit plain. Bent on emulation, the
"General" also used his heels with considerable vim, but alas! what
dependence can be placed on a mule? The animal bolted, with a vicious
nip back at the offending rider's legs, and refused to budge an inch.

On--on dashed the fearless youth, mounted on his noble steed, his eyes
bent forward, in a sharp scrutiny of the plain ahead, his mind filled
with wonder that the cries were now growing more distinct and yet not
a first glimpse could he obtain of the source whence they emanated.

On--on--on; then suddenly he reins his steed back upon its haunches,
just in time to avert a frightful plunge into one of those remarkable
freaks of nature--the blind canal, or, in other words, a channel
valley washed out by heavy rains. These the tourist will frequently