do you
intend to do, Luis? Must we really run away and leave this beautiful
place to be destroyed and ourselves ruined? Is there nothing that can
be done to save it?"

"I will not go so far as to say that," answered Don Luis; "on the
contrary, I am strongly indisposed to abandon it without a struggle.
What say you, Don Ricardo?" turning to me. "You are a fighting man; do
you think this house is capable of being defended successfully against
an armed but undisciplined rabble of some three hundred blacks?"

"That depends entirely upon how strong a garrison you can muster, my
dear friend," answered I. "So far as the house itself is concerned I
believe that, given, say, a couple of hours for preparation, it might be
put into a very excellent state of defence; but that would be no good at
all unless you could raise a garrison of, let us say, thirty fighting
men, and at least as many non-combatants to act as loaders, ambulance
party, and so on."

"Thirty fighters, and thirty non-combatants," returned Don Luis.
"Surely that might be managed. Why, my `boys' number more than three
hundred, nine-tenths of whom were born and bred upon the estate. A few
of them might possibly desert--perhaps twenty-five per cent of them, to
put the figure at its very highest; but I feel certain that the bulk of
them would stand by me through thick and thin; they have everything to
lose and nothing to gain by going over to the outlaws. Oh yes, I am
convinced that there should be no difficulty in the matter of raising a
sufficient number of fighters."

"So far, then, so good," said I. "The next question is that of
weapons--firearms especially. I am afraid, my dear Don Luis, you will
scarcely be able to raise thirty guns, with adequate ammunition for the
same."

"Ah, true," answered Don Luis, "I had not thought of that. Still--now,
let me think a moment--"

"I may as well tell you here," cut in Don Esteban, "that although we
could not see our way to defend Montpelier successfully, my sons and I
have each brought our guns with us, and they of course will be
available, should you decide to make a stand and defend the house."

"But, my dear Don Esteban, you will need them for your own protection on
your way to--to--wherever you propose to make for; unless, of course,
you choose to throw in your lot with us, which would perhaps be scarcely
more dangerous than the attempt to reach one of the towns. For the news
of this rising will spre