ing his men, "I am not going to upbraid
you with the want of courage you have shown, only to tell you that when
the French come on again it will most likely be with lights. Those are
what I believe they are waiting for. The poor fools think that torches
will enable them to see us and shoot us down, but they will be to our
advantage. We shall be in the darkness; they will be in the light; and
I am going to lead you in such an attack that I feel sure if you follow
out my instructions we can make them flee. Once get them on the run, it
will be your duty to scatter them and not let them stop. Yes," he
added, turning sharply in the darkness to some one who had touched him
on the shoulder; "who is it?"

"It is I," said the officer who had taken the lead in the King's flight,
and to whom the whole of the monarch's followers looked for direction.
"His Majesty wants to speak with you."

"I'll come," replied the _contrabandista_. "Do you know why he wants
me?"

"Yes," replied the officer briefly.

"I suppose it is to find fault with me for our want of success."

"I believe that is the case," said the officer coldly.

"Ha!" ejaculated the _contrabandista_. "I have as good a right to blame
his Majesty for the meagreness of the help his followers have afforded
me."

"I have done my best," said the officer gravely, "and so have the rest.
But this is no time for recriminations. I believe you, sir, are a
faithful friend to his Majesty; and I believe you think the same of me."

"I do," replied the smuggler, "and his Majesty is not to blame for
thinking hard of one who has brought him into such a position as this."

"Be brief, please," said the officer, "and be frank with me before you
join the King. He feels with me that we are completely trapped, and but
a short time back he went so far as to ask me whether the time had not
come for us all to make a desperate charge upon the enemy, and die like
men."

The smuggler uttered an ejaculation which the officer misconstrued.

"I meant for us, sir," he said bitterly, "for I suppose it is possible
that you and your men are sufficiently at home in these noisome passages
to find hiding-places, and finally escape."

The smuggler laughed scornfully.

"You speak, sir," he said, "as if you believe that my men would leave
his Majesty to his fate."

"Their acts to-day have not inspired him with much confidence in them,"
said the officer coldly.

"Well, no," said the smuggler