ay arrive, the country may be restored to peace,
prosperity may be her lot, and then I trust that you will come and visit
me at my home, and receive the thanks of my wife and children for the
benefit you conferred on me."

Saying this with the usual complimentary Spanish expressions, Don Josef
turned his horse's head, and rode back towards the village from which
they had started, while Ronald continued his journey.

CHAPTER THIRTY ONE.

A SPANISH INN--THE SPANIARDS AROUSED TO ARMS--RONALD HEADS A GUERILLA
BAND--EDDA RESCUED BY RONALD.

The sun had set some short time when Ronald, with his companions,
reached the village where the guide told him he could obtain shelter and
refreshment. The village itself was small and mean, and the only house
of entertainment it possessed offered but few attractions to the
travellers to remain there. However, as their beasts required rest,
they were compelled to dismount, and while the guide with the boys of
the inn led the animals into the stables, Ronald and the two seamen
walked into the common room, which served as dining-hall, kitchen, and
apparently the sleeping-place of the family, as well as of a numerous
family of fowls. A very unattractive dame, who presided over the
culinary department of the establishment, was now engaged in preparing
supper for a very mixed and somewhat suspicious-looking company, who
were seated at a long table, on benches at one side of the room. None
of them rose as the strangers entered, and the few who condescended to
pay them any attention scowled at them from under their brows, as if
resenting their appearance as an intrusion. Ronald was very little
moved by the want of courtesy with which he was received, but, walking
up to the presiding genius of the place, he inquired, in the best
Spanish he could command, whether he and his followers could have beds
and food. The old woman looked up with a sinister expression without
speaking, while she continued stirring the pot boiling on the huge wood
fire. Her eyes were bleared with the smoke, and her face was wrinkled
and dried, with a few white hairs straggling over her brow, while the
long yellow tusks which protruded beyond her thin lips gave her a
peculiarly hag-like look. Ronald repeated his question.

"Food?--yes, and good enough for any one," she answered in a low
croaking voice; "but for beds, the enemy carried them off, and
everything in the house. There is space enough and to spare