a sailor; he had been a midshipman, and he had always a remarkably good
appetite; and now, much to his surprise (for when he stopped at the door
of the inn he had no thoughts of eating), he felt every inclination to
do justice to the feast set before him.

"He'll do," observed Job to Bob, as they sat at a respectful distance
from their officer. "At first I could not tell what had come over him
as he got on his horse after he'd been talking to that young lady up at
the window. Whenever I sees a man able to take his grub, whatever's the
matter with him, I knows it's all right."

Ronald had addressed some of the Spaniards near him. They listened
respectfully. He spoke to them of the tyranny to which Spain had been
so long subject; of the sufferings she had endured; of the only means of
freedom--the rising of the whole nation, as a man, to throw off the
yoke. "The English will help you, but they can only help, remember. It
is you who must do the work," he added.

"True, true! the cabaliero speaks well!" resounded from all parts of the
room.

"It is to urge you to rise in arms, to drive the invaders from your
country that I have come among you," said Ronald. He warmed on the
subject. His hearers grew enthusiastic.

"We have arms! we have arms!" they shouted. "We will bring them forth;
we have powder and shot. The enemy are not far off. We will go and
meet them. We will drive them before us like sheep."

Ronald was satisfied with the effect of his address. He knew perfectly
well that in the morning, after they had cleaned their arms and filled
their pouches with powder, they would stop and consider before they
advanced to meet the enemy. Altogether, he felt that the evening had
not been ill-spent, and at the end of it the very people who had, when
he came among them, cast on him such sinister looks, now regarded him
with the greatest respect. It was late before he threw himself down on
a sack of straw in a corner of the upper room, wrapped up in his cloak.
Though the room was occupied by a large portion of the rest of the
guests, who kept up a concert of snores all night long, he managed to
sleep soundly till daylight.

The next morning after breakfast, having bid farewell to his new
friends, he continued his journey. Nothing would induce his horse to go
out of a walk, while the mules refused to proceed at a faster rate than
their more noble companions, so that their progress was of necessity
slow. As