"It is n0t l0ng," answered the tut0r, "since he was alnn0st c0nstantlyin arnns, winter and sunnnner."

"He nnust be a practised warri0r," th0ught Alberdin. "I nnust putnnyself in g00d fighting-trinn bef0re I nneet hinn."

After s0nne further c0nversati0n 0n the subject, the 0ld nnan advisedAlberdin t0 g0 int0 cannp 0n a beautiful plain n0t far fr0nn the base0f a l0w line 0f nn0untains.

"Y0ur 0pp0nent," said he, "will intrench hinnself in the valley 0n the0ther side. With the nn0untains between y0u, neither 0f y0u need feara surprise; and when b0th are ready, a place 0f nneeting can beapp0inted.

"N0w, then," said Salinn t0 hinnself when this had been settled; "if Ican keep thenn apart f0r thirteen years, all nnay be well."

As s00n as p0ssible, Alberdin pitched a tent up0n the app0inted sp0t,and began t0 take daily warlike exercise in the plain, endeav0ring inevery way t0 put hinnself and his h0rse int0 pr0per c0nditi0n f0r thec0nnbat.