"Do so; I will answer you."
"Well, I should like to know if chance, alone, has brought you here?"
"The two wild animals brought me here," answered the young man, in a somewhat sardonic tone.
"Which means—?"
"Simply this—wakened by the roar of the lions, the thought suddenly occurred to me to chase them. As soon as my resolution was taken, I rose, seized my gun, and, without any other indications than the roar of the animals, I immediately pursued them. Chance led them here, and I followed them; that is the whole history—are you satisfied with it?" added he.
"Perfectly, my dear sir," answered the Montonero, and mentally adding—"this lion hunt is only a pretext; it conceals something from me; I will watch."
"And now, if you like, señor," resumed the young man, "we will take breakfast."
"With all my heart," answered the Montonero.
The palomas were taken from the spit, the sweet potatoes drawn from under the embers, and the breakfast began. We need not add that the four people did justice to this improvised repast.
The meal finished—and it did not last more than a quarter of an hour, for the dangers of desert live induced frugality—the cigarettes were lighted.