Late in the afternoon, the brigands, as usual, came dropping in, in twos and threes.  One brought in a kid, and two others exhibited to their admiring friends a purse containing some ten or twelve dollars in silver.  They related, amid the uproarious laughter of their comrades, the manner in which they had threatened the worthy farmer, its late possessor, into surrendering the proceeds of his day’s marketing without resistance.  It was already dusk.  Jack and Hawtry had a minute before been standing near the edge of the slope.  The guard was chatting with the last comer, and keeping one ear open to the narrative told by the fire.

Suddenly he glanced round, and perceived that the figures he had, as he believed, scarcely taken his eye off were missing.

“Madre de Dios!” he exclaimed.  “Where are the prisoners?”

At his exclamation, all round the fire started into activity.  A hasty glance round the encampment showed that their captives were not within its circle.  With an exclamation of fury, the captain seized his gun, and with the butt-end struck the sentry to the ground.  Then in furious tones he ordered every man off in instant pursuit.  Snatching up their arms, some hurried off one way, some another, shouting threats of vengeance as they went.

As their voices receded, there was a slight movement among the rugs, and the boys’ heads peered out from below their hiding-place.  The encampment was deserted, save that on the ground lay the form of the prostrate sentinel, while the captain stood, gun in hand, on the edge of the slope, peering down into the gathering darkness.

The boys rose stealthily to their feet, and keeping along by the side of the hill, so as to be out of the direct line of sight should the brigand turn towards the fire, they noiselessly approached him.

He did not look round until they were within five paces, and it was then too late.  He turned and threw up his gun, but before he could level it, they both threw themselves upon him.

Taken wholly by surprise, he staggered backwards.  He was but a pace from the edge of the steep declivity, and in another moment he fell backward, his gun exploding in the air as he went.  The boys heard his body as it rolled and crashed through the slight brushwood on the slope.  Fainter and fainter became the sound, and then it suddenly ceased.

As long as it continued the boys stood motionless, and were turning to go, when there was the crack of a rifle, and a ball whizzed between them.  Leaping round, they saw the guard, whom they had supposed to be insensible, had risen to his feet.  Throwing down the rifle which he had just discharged, and drawing his long knife, he rushed at them.

“Dodge him, Hawtry, dodge him.  Get hold of the rifle.  I will get a stick from the fire.”