make a good defence from inside."

"Honestly, aren't you pulling our legs about the brigands?" asked Dick,
half-scornful and half-amused, as we slowed down.

"No," said the Cherub. "I'm not joking, if that's what you mean; for we
are on the borders of the _bandido_ country now. It will be years before
brigandage is stamped out in Spain; and you must have read of the trouble
there's been lately. Not that I think there's much chance of an encounter,
but it's well to be prepared; for if a band of men jump at you with
carbines to their shoulders, there's no getting out revolvers."

"H'm!" muttered Dick. "I suppose you know what you're talking about; but I
wouldn't mind betting that these people would laugh if we asked, 'What
about brigands?'"

"All right; let us ask," said the Cherub calmly.

By this time the car had stopped close to a tiny white box of a house set
a few yards back from the road, with a strip of grass for a lawn; and an
old man, evidently an ex-soldier, with a plump wife and a pretty daughter
were coming out. We interchanged various compliments; said that, with the
kind permission of his honour, the road-mender, we would lunch near his
house; were told that the house and everyone as well as everything in it,
was at our worship's disposal; and finally the Cherub murmured a question
as to whether any _bandidos_ had been seen lately.

This way and that the old man glanced before answering. Then below his
breath replied that, as it happened, four gentlemen of the profession had
passed no more than three or four hours ago. They were out of luck, for
they had been hunted by the civil guard; and as they were hungry had gone
over to the right, there, to see what could be got at the nearest farm. As
for this place, it was safe enough, for there was nothing in it which even
a brigand would have; and one had to be agreeable to these persons, if
they stopped to rest or chat; it was more prudent.

"You see, you would have lost your money if I'd taken your bet, Senor
Waring," said the Cherub.

Never was such a lunch as that we had by the roadside. We all worked at
spreading out the contents of the hampers, while the road-mender and his
family bustled about, not as inferiors with the hope of a tip, but helping
us as friends and hosts.

When we arrived, not a soul was to be seen, save the dwellers in the white
box. The only living things beside the trio and ourselves, were the larks
that sprang heavenward pouring