eir weapons with them?" one of the men said;
"they will be useful to us. Why should we let them carry them away to
kill more Spaniards?"

"The reason why I would let them take their arms is this," Jack said.
"Unless they march away armed you will not be able to restrain your
followers, who will be likely to break any convention you may make and
to massacre them without mercy. As to the arms being used again against
you, I will put the officers under their parole that they and their men
shall not take any further part in the war until they are exchanged for
an equal number of prisoners taken by the French."

"Who would trust to a Frenchman's word?" a man asked scoffingly.

"I would trust to a French officer's word as much as to that of an
English officer," Jack replied. "You would expect them to trust to your
word that they should be safe if they laid down their arms; and yet, as
you know, you might not be able to keep it. Better a thousand times
that a handful of French officers and men should be allowed to join the
enemy's ranks than that the national honor of Spain should be soiled by
a massacre perpetrated just after a surrender."

"The Englishman is right," Father Ignacio said positively. "Let us waste
no further words on it. Besides, I have a reason of my own. I started
before daybreak without breakfast and have got nothing but a piece of
dry bread with me. If we don't accept these fellows' surrender we may
be on the hillside all night, and I told my servant that I should have
a larded capon and a flask of my best wine for dinner. That is an
argument, my sons, which I am sure comes home to you all; and remember,
if we accept the surrender we shall soon quench our thirst on the good
wine which, I doubt not, is contained in some of the barrels I see down
yonder."

There was a hearty laugh and the question was settled; and it was
arranged at once that Father Ignacio, one of the other leaders, and Jack
should treat with the enemy. The other leaders hurried away to their
respective sections to order them to cease firing when a white flag was
raised; and, having given them twenty minutes to get to their several
posts, a white handkerchief was waved in the air. The Spanish fire
ceased at once, and as soon as the French perceived the flag they also
stopped firing.

"We are coming down, three of us, to discuss matters with you," Father
Ignacio shouted out.

The three accordingly descended the hill, and when within a