ut his
gun in his holster. Then, good company enough one for the other, though
with eyes ever on the watch, they proceeded along tortuous bridle paths
until twilight, meeting no one. They camped in the same forest which
that same moment held Murguia, Driscoll, and the two girls. They
tethered their horses together and made a bed of leaves for themselves.
Each laid his pistol a comfortable distance away, so that if either
tried to arm himself while the other slept, there would be much snapping
of twigs under his feet. Again simultaneously, they sat down and talked,
and smoked cigarettes in lieu of supper. Ney progressed in his Spanish
that evening. Fra Diavolo wished to impress on the companionable
Frenchman that he, Rodrigo Galan, was a more terrible person than
Colonel Dupin. He seemed envious, even of the compliment implied in the
Tiger's nickname.

During a pause the brigand said, "Now don't jump, caballero, because I'm
only getting out my flask."

"The beautiful idea!" returned Ney. "I'll do the same."

But each stopped with the liquor at his mouth. It was consolation for
lack of food, but if one refrained and the other partook--well, there
would be a light sleeper and a heavy sleeper. With the tempting fumes in
their nostrils, they waited, each for the other, to quaff first. And
neither did. Finally Rodrigo proposed that they equalize the perils of
indulgence. Accordingly each lowered the contents of his flask by three
swallows, after which they compared the extent of the ebb tide in either
bottle.

"But, voyons," Ney objected, "you haven't taken as much as I have!"

Rodrigo admitted the impeachment, and amiably took another draught. But
the swallow proved too large, and Ney in his turn tried to balance that
one, only to fail likewise. This entailed another effort from Rodrigo,
which resulted in still another exaggeration.

"Now you've had _more_ than I have," Michel complained, growing
vague on the real point at issue.

"Bien, senor, suppose you try a little of this. It's catalan, genuine,
too, smuggled at Tampico."

"Mine's cognac," said Ney. "Have some?"

They exchanged flasks, and that night in the forest their snores were
discordant and loud. Ney half awoke once, and remembered that he seemed
to have heard the tramp of many horses. Toward morning, when it was not
yet light, he was aroused for good by a savage tightening around his
waist and a tremendous pull. He sat up, and heard his prisoner scuffl