fight first. This hill shelters us on one side. There are so many
trees that they can't roll stones down, nor can they shoot us. We'll
fix a barricade in front with our baggage. We'll have to fight behind
a barricade this time; though, by the Eternal! I wish it were
hand-to-hand again, for I don't remember of ever having had such a
glorious time in all my born days!"

The Senator passed his hand over his gory brow, and walked to the
coach.

"Where's Pietro?"

"Pietro! _Pietro_!"

No answer.

"PI-E-TRO!"

Still no answer.

"Pietro!" cried Dick, "if you don't come here I'll blow your--"

"Oh! is it you, Signori?" exclaimed Pietro's voice; and that
worthy appeared among the trees a little way up the hill. He was
deadly pale, and trembled so much that he could scarcely speak.

"Look here!" cried Buttons; "we are going to barricade ourselves."

"Barricade!"

"We can not carry our baggage away, and we are not going to leave
it behind. We expect to have another battle."

Pietro's face grew livid.

"You can stay and help us if you wish."

Pietro's teeth chattered.

"Or you can help us far more, by running to the nearest town and
letting the authorities know."

"Oh, Signore, trust me! I go."

"Make haste, then, or you may find us all murdered, and then how
will you get your fares--eh?"

"I go--I go; I will run all the way!"

"Won't you take a gun to defend yourself with?"

"Oh no!" cried Pietro, with horror. "No, no!"

In a few minutes he had vanished among the thick woods.

[Illustration: Pietro.]

After stripping the prostrate Italians the travellers found
themselves in possession of seven rifles, with cartridges, and some
other useful articles. Four of these men were stone-dead. They
pulled their bodies in front of their place of shelter. The wounded
men they drew inside, and the Doctor at once attended to them, while
the others were strengthening the barricade.

"I don't like putting these here," said the Senator; "but it'll
likely frighten the brigands, or make them delicate about firing at
us. That's my idee."

The horses were secured fast. Then the baggage was piled all around,
and made an excellent barricade. With this and the captured rifles
they felt themselves able to encounter a small regiment.

"Now let them come on," cried the Senator, "just as soon as they
damn please! We'll try first the European system of barricades; and
if that don't work, then we can fall back, on the