of the Cathedral, then of the Acordada, and the
convent of San Francisco, with other convents and churches, till there
was a clangour all over the city!

Hark again! A second gun from the citadel, quickly followed by another
from Chapultepec, evidently signals and their responses!

"What the _demonio_ is it? A _pronunciamento_?" Not only did the
sergeant thus interrogate, but all the soldiers under his command,
putting the question to one another. It would be nothing much to
surprise them, least of all himself. He was somewhat of a veteran, and
had seen nigh a score of revolutions, counting _ententes_.

"I shouldn't be surprised if it is," he suggested, adding, as a third
gun boomed out from the citadel; "it must be a _grito_!"

"Who's raising it this time, I wonder?" said one of the soldiers, all
now in a flurry of excited expectancy.

Several names of noted _militarios_ were mentioned at a venture; but no
one could say for certain, nor even give a guess with any confidence.
They could hardly yet realise its being the breaking out of a
_pronunciamento_, since there had been no late tampering with them--the
usual preliminary to revolutions.

It might not be, after all. But they would be better able to decide
should they hear the rattle of small arms, and for this listened they
all ears.

More than one of them would have been delighted to hear it. Not that
they disliked the _regime_ of the Dictator, nor the man himself. Like
all despots he was the soldiers friend; professed and giving proofs of
it, by indulging them in soldierly licence--permission to lord it over
the citizen. But much as they liked "El Cojo" (Game leg), as they
called him, a _grito_ would be still more agreeable to them--promising
unlimited loot.

The sergeant had views of his own, and reflections he kept to himself.
He felt good as sure there was something up, and could not help
connecting it with the carriage which had just passed. He now no longer
doubted having seen his old captain in it. But how came he to be there,
and what doing? He had been in the city, that's certain--was now out of
it, and going at a speed that must mean something more than common. He
could get to San Augustin by that route. There were troops quartered
there; had they declared for the Liberals?

It might be so, and Rivas was on his way to meet and lead them on to the
city. At any moment they might appear on the _calzada_, at the corner
round which th