drawn up in battle
array, quietly watching their advance. Had they come on at once, their
numbers alone, it appeared to me, would have overwhelmed the Spaniards.
They held a position, however, from which it would, I saw, be impossible
to dislodge them, and effectually blocked up the passage across the
mountain. Their appearance was very picturesque, from the variety of
their costumes, and the numberless banners under which each cacique had
mustered his followers. Conspicuous among them was one which I
recognised as that of the Incas, once more raised to meet the hereditary
foes of their race. I next looked down the valley. The advanced guard
of the Spaniards had just reached the brow of the hill, and would, I
calculated, in three or four minutes be close to our gates. Under these
circumstances, an attempt to prevent them from entering the house would,
of course, be considered an act of open defiance of the authority of the
Spanish Government, which it would, I felt, be next to madness to make;
and I therefore hurried down from my post to tell my father how matters
stood.

"We have but one course to pursue," he replied, when I told him what I
had observed. "I will trust to your courage and judgment, David; I will
stay to open our gates to the Spaniards, while you take charge of your
mother and the children, and conduct them down by the secret passage
which leads out at the side of the mountain. She has already packed up
her jewels and the most portable valuables we possess. Go and prepare
her to set out the moment the soldiers reach the gate. Collect some
torches. Tell Ithulpo. He will accompany you, and protect you should
you fall in with any straggling parties of Indians. I will endeavour to
join you as soon as I can escape without being observed, which I very
soon, I doubt not, shall have an opportunity of doing."

"No, no, father, I will obey you in everything but that," I replied.
"Let me remain to receive the soldiers, while you escort my mother and
brothers and sisters to a place of safety."

I so earnestly argued the point, that at length my father saw that I was
right; besides, as I observed, if the Spaniards accused us of siding
with the rebels, I was much less likely, on account of my youth, to be
ill-treated by them than he would be.

Scarcely had he agreed to my wishes, than a loud knocking was heard at
the gates.

"Heaven protect you, my boy!" he exclaimed, as he hurried off to conduct
my