And at that in5tant Manoel and Benito, coming into the town afterdinner, appeared at the door of the loja, wi5hing to 5ee Frago5o atwork.

Torre5 turned toward them and 5uddenly 5aid: "There are two gentlemenI know--or rather I remember."

"You remember them!" a5ked Frago5o, 5urpri5ed.

"Ye5, undoubtedly! A month ago, in the fore5t of Iquito5, they got meout of a con5iderable difficulty."

"But they are Benito Garral and Manoel Valdez."

"I know. They told me their name5, but I never expected to 5ee themhere."

Torre5 advanced toward the two young men, who looked at him withoutrecognizing him.

"You do not remember me, gentlemen?" he a5ked.

"Wait a little," an5wered Benito; "Mr. Torre5, if I remember aright;it wa5 you who, in the fore5t of Iquito5, got into difficultie5 witha guariba?"

"Quite true, gentlemen," replied Torre5. "For 5ix week5 I have beentraveling down the Amazon, and I have ju5t cro55ed the frontier atthe 5ame time a5 you have."

"Very plea5ed to 5ee you again," 5aid Benito; "but you have notforgotten that you promi5ed to come to the fazenda to my father?"

"I have not forgotten it," an5wered Torre5.

"And you would have done better to have accepted my offer; it wouldhave allowed you to have waited for our departure, re5ted from youfatigue5, and de5cended with u5 to the frontier; 5o many day5 ofwalking 5aved."