ic of highest rank in the town, and of one of the
principal merchants, proceeded to the forest. When they were seen
by the lookout to be approaching, Ned and Gerald, with the leading
native and negro, proceeded to meet them. The details were soon
arranged, upon the basis which had been suggested. The forest men
were to enjoy their freedom, unmolested. They were to be allowed to
cultivate land on the edge of the forest, and it was forbidden to
any Spaniard to enter their limits, without previously applying for
a pass. They, on their part, promised to abstain from all
aggression, in any shape.

The question of runaways was then discussed. This was by far the
most difficult part of the negotiations. The Spaniards urged that
they could not tolerate that an asylum should be offered, to all
who chose to desert from the plantations. The boys saw the justice
of this, and finally it was arranged that the case of every slave
who made for the forest should be investigated; that the owners
should, themselves, come to lay a formal complaint of their case;
that the slave should reply; and each might produce witnesses. The
negro was to be given up, unless he could prove that he had been
treated with gross cruelty, in which case he was to be allowed
protection in the forest.

These preliminaries settled, a short document embodying them was
drawn up, in duplicate, and these treaties were signed, by the
three Spaniards who formed the deputation and by the governor on
the one side, and by the four representatives of the forest men on
the other.

Thus ended the first successful resistance, to Spanish power, among
the islands of the western seas.

The governor and his son then left for the city, and the forest men
retired to what was now their country. Ned and Gerald impressed
upon their allies the importance of observing, strictly, the
conditions of peace; and at the same time of continuing their
exercises in arms, and maintaining their discipline. They pointed
out to them that a treaty of this kind, extorted as it were from
one, and that the strongest of the contracting powers, was certain
not to have long duration. The Spaniards would smart at the
humiliation which had, in their opinion, befallen them; and
although the fugitive clause might for some time act favorably, it
was sure, sooner or later, to be a bone of contention. They
impressed upon them also that although they might, as had been
shown, achieve successes for a time, y