"My wound?" said Pen dreamily. Why, you know--in my leg. But it's
better now. So am I. But what does it all mean? Did something hit me
on the head?

"I didn't half see; but you went down a horrid kelch, and must have hit
your head against the rocks."

"Yes, yes, I am beginning to understand now. But where are we? What's
going on? Fighting?"

"Fighting? I should just think there is! Can't you hear?"

"I can hear the shouting, but I don't quite understand yet."

"Never mind, then. I was afraid you were done for."

"Done for! What, killed?"

"Something of the kind," grumbled Punch; "but don't bother about it
now."

"I must," said Pen, with what was passing around seeming to lighten up.
"Here, tell me, are my arms fastened behind me?"

"Yes, and mine too. But I just wriggled one hand out so as to feel for
you. We are prisoners, lad, and the Frenchies have chivied right back
to where the King and his men have been making a bit of a stand. I
can't tell you all azackly, but that's something like it, and I think
they are fighting now--bad luck to them, as O'Grady would say!--right in
yonder where we had our braxfas'. I say, it's better than I thought,
comrade."

"In what way, Punch?"

"Why, I had made up my mind, though I didn't like to tell you, that
they'd give us both the bay'net. But they haven't. Perhaps, though,
they are keeping us to shoot through the head because they caught us
along with the smugglers. That's what they always do with them."

"Well,"--began Pen drearily.

"No, 'tain't. 'Tain't well, nor anything like it."

The boy ceased speaking, for the fight that had been raging in the
interior of the cavern seemed to be growing fiercer; in fact, it soon
became plain to the listeners that the tide of warfare was setting in
their direction; the French, who had been driving the _contrabandista's_
followers backward into the cavern, and apparently carrying all before
them, had met with a sudden check. For a fairly brief space they had
felt that the day was their own, and eager to make up for the long check
they had suffered, principally through the keen firing of the two boys,
they had pressed on recklessly, while the undrilled _contrabandistas_,
losing heart in turn, were beginning, in spite of the daring of their
leader, who seemed to be in every part of their front at once, to drop
back into the cavern, giving way more and more, till at last they had
shrunk some distance into