rench
artiste, who volunteered to do his _possible_, if he could be supplied
with arms: thereupon we made a forcible seizure from the stock of the
brave Don Pancho. There were but two other passengers, who, not having a
dollar in their purses, or a stealable garment on their persons,
expressed utter indifference as to the course of events, lit cigars, and
crouched beneath the seats.

At last the long thong of hide was jerked from the leaders' heads, and
away they plunged like demons. We sped on for a league or more, over a
smooth broad road, lined with dense foliage of cactus and vines; keeping
a wary look-out, and occasionally cautioning the driver, at the risk of
his brains, to give his horses the rein, at the first appearance of our
expected visitors. Indeed I was on the point of congratulating myself
upon escaping their clutches altogether, when, as we whirled quickly
towards a slight declivity, the progress of the vehicle was necessarily
impeded by a few roods of rocky, uneven road; and at the same
moment--_Voila!_ said my companion, _Voila! les voleurs!_ Like magic
sprang up on either side, behind and ahead, a dozen villanous-looking
scoundrels; whilst to the right, upon a gentle knoll, were as many more
mounted, holding the animals of their brethren, and calmly regarding the
sport before them. I instantly levelled a pistol at a gentleman with a
raised carbine in one hand, and sombrero coolly doffed in the other, who
was courteously observing to the cochero, _Como estamos, Don
Pepe?_--how are we?--he was directly ahead of the leaders, and as my
finger sought the trigger, Don Pepe knocked the barrel up with his whip,
and shouted,--"we are good people!" Becoming conscious of the folly of
contending against such odds, I sank back to await my fate. I noticed
one swarthy old villain on horseback, who appeared chief of the gang,
and was withal rather uneasy, urging his _hijos_--children--_Presto! de
priesa! hombre!_--hurry! make haste!--and with good reason too, for
hardly had the villains opened the coach-doors, and commenced rifling
the gallant Pancho, whilst two more had clambered up the wheels, to have
an overhaul of the French painter and myself, when a voice cried
out--_Los dragones! los dragones!_--and the clash of sabres greeted our
ears: _Los dragones! los dragones!_ cried we all. Away hopped the agile
_compadres_ from the horses' heads, down jumped others from boot and
wheels, off they scampered right and left