"Pate is like old John Bunyan's poor pilgrim," said Tom Seddon.
"Groaning under his load of sin," said Toney.
"Let us shrive him," said the Professor. And he and Toney seized Pate by the legs, and, pulling vigorously, succeeded in relieving him from the immense load of iniquity which rested upon him.
CHAPTER XLII.
After spending a day in Callao, and visiting the site of the ancient town, which had been destroyed by an earthquake, the band of gold-hunters proceeded to the city of Lima. This splendid capital presents many objects of interest to the stranger. The Professor and his companions were astonished at the number and magnificence of the churches; and as he was going through a gallery in one of these sacred edifices, Wiggins discovered three holy men playing at monte, and was only prevented from taking a hand by his ignorance of the Castilian language. Moses was shocked at seeing the countrywomen riding astraddle on donkeys when they entered the town on their way to the market; and he was inexpressibly alarmed when a young female stopped him on the street, and, producing a cigar, politely asked him for a light. So great was his agitation that, instead of complying with her request, he dropped his own cigar in the gutter and hastily retreated behind Botts, whose ugly visage frightened the woman away. Hercules, having constituted himself an inspector of the pale brandies of the country, on a certain night went up on the flat roof of the hotel and fell through a glass door among some Spaniards engaged in a quiet game below; and the Dons, supposing, from his novel mode of entrance, that he came with burglarious intent, fled from the apartment, leaving him lying in the middle of the floor, and uttering the most terrific yells.
Toney and the Professor rushed into the room, and with some difficulty lifting the giant on his feet, discovered that he had sustained no injury from his sudden descent. As Hercules staggered out of the room, the Professor pointed towards him, and gravely remarked,—
"I am now convinced of the utter falsity of what has been so long received as an axiom in natural philosophy."
"What is that?" asked Toney.