ad now conducted my little party
to Immenstadt, at the foot of the Bavarian Alps, and, having completed
my compact, was about to bid them good-bye.

We were seated around our bivouac fire for the last time, as we deemed
it, and pledging each other in a parting glass, when suddenly our
attention was attracted to a bright red tongue of flame that suddenly
darted up from one of the Alpine summits above our head. Another and
another followed, till at length every mountain-peak for miles and miles
away displayed a great signal-fire! Little knew we that behind that
giant range of mountains, from the icy crags of the Glockner, and from
the snowy summit of the Orteler itself, similar fires were summoning all
Tyrol to the combat, while every valley resounded with the war-cry of
'God and the Emperor!' We were still in busy conjecture what all this
might portend, when a small party of mounted men rode past us at a
trot. They carried carbines slung over their peasant frocks, and showed
unmistakably enough that they were some newly-raised and scarcely
disciplined force. After proceeding about a hundred yards beyond us,
they halted, and drew up across the road, unslinging their pieces as if
to prepare for action.

'Look at those fellows, yonder,' said the old corporal, as he puffed
his pipe calmly and deliberately; 'they mean mischief, or I 'm much
mistaken. Speak to them, Tiernay; you know their jargon.'

I accordingly arose and advanced towards them, touching my hat in salute
as I went forward. They did not give me much time, however, to open
negotiations, for scarcely had I uttered a word, when bang went a
shot close beside me; another followed; and then a whole volley was
discharged, but with such haste and ill direction that not a ball struck
me. Before I could take advantage of this piece of good fortune to renew
my advances, a bullet whizzed by my head, and down went the left-hand
horse of the file, at first on his knees, and then, with a wild plunge
into the air, he fell, stone-dead, on the road, the rider beneath him.
As for the rest, throwing off carbines, and cartouch-boxes, they sprang
from their horses, and took to the mountains with a speed that showed
how far more they were at home amidst rocks and heather than when seated
on the saddle. My comrades lost no time in coming up; but while three of
them kept the fugitives in sight, covering them all the time with their
muskets, the others secured the cattle, as in amazem