pected. Nothing was moving upon it, nor, looking
back, could we see any sign of the Mexicans. Away to the left, a mile or
so, we could see a clump of trees, and something like the roof of a
house among them. This, we had no doubt, was Pepita's. About a mile down
the road the other way was a biggish wood, through which the road ran.
"Let's make for that wood, Rube, and wait; the Cap will be up in another
half hour, and it ain't likely the Mexicans will be along much before
that. They're likely to stop for a drink at Pepita's." In another ten
minutes we were in shelter in the wood, taking care not to get upon the
road, in case the Mexicans should come along with the hound before our
men. We hadn't been there twenty minutes before we both heard a
trampling of horses; but it was a minute or two more before we could
decide which way they were coming. At last, to our great comfort, we
found it was the right way. Just before they came up, I had an idea I
caught a sound from the other way, but I couldn't have sworn to it. We
lay till the troop came fairly up, as it might be another party of
Mexicans; but it was all right, and we jumped out, with a cheer, into
the middle of them. Mighty surprised they were to see us, on foot, and
all dust and sweat. Rube's face, too, was tied up; and altogether we
didn't look quite ourselves. They all began to talk at once; but I held
up my hand urgent, and, when they saw it was something particular, they
shut up, and I said to the Cap: "Don't ask no questions, Cap; I'll tell
you all arterwards. El Zeres with about fifty of his men will be here in
about three minutes, I reckon. They've ridden thirty miles, and the
beasts ain't fresh; so it's your own fault if one gets away." The Cap
didn't waste a moment in words. He ordered half his men to ride back two
hundred yards, and to charge when they heard his whistle; and he and the
rest turned off into the wood, which was very thick, and screened 'em
from any one passing. Rube and I, not having horses, were no good for a
charge; so we went on in the wood, as near as we could guess, half-way
between them, so as to be ready to jump out and join in the skrimmage.
It all takes some time to tell, but it didn't take two minutes to do,
and in another minute we could hear the Mexicans close. On they came: we
knew now that they had passed the Cap, and we clutched our rifles tight
and peered out through the leaves. On they came, and we could see El
Zeres riding f