g after us in full gallop, and
the next moment their vengeful screams were ringing in our ears.

"Now, do yer best, boys!" cried Lincoln, "an' I'll stop the cavortin' of
that 'ere foremost feller afore he gits much furrer."

We trailed our bodies on, but we could hear the guerilleros fast closing
upon us. The bullets from their escopettes whistled in our ears, and
cut the grass around our feet. I saw Raoul, who had reached the timber,
turn suddenly round and walk back. He had resolved to share our fate.

"Save yourself, Raoul!" I called with my weak voice, but he could not
have heard me above the din.

I saw him still walking towards us. I heard the screams behind; I heard
the shots, and the whizzing of bullets, and the fierce shouts.

I heard the clatter of hoofs and the rasping of sabres as they leaped
out of their iron sheaths; and among these I heard the crack of
Lincoln's rifle, and the wild yell of the hunter. Then a peal of
thunder drowned all other sounds: the heavens one moment seemed on fire,
then black--black. I felt the stifling smell of sulphur--a hot flash--a
quick stroke from some invisible hand--and I sank senseless to the
earth!

Something cool in my throat and over my face brought back the
consciousness that I lived. It was water.

I opened my eyes, but it was some moments before I could see that Raoul
was bending over me, and laving my temples with water from his boot. I
muttered some half-coherent inquiries.

"It was a _coup d'eclair_, Captain," said Raoul.

Good heavens! _We had been struck by lightning_! Raoul, being in the
advance, had escaped.

The Frenchman soon left me and went to Clayley, who, with Chane and the
hunter, lay close by--all three, as I thought, dead. They were pale as
corpses, with here and there a spot of purple, or a livid line traced
over their skins, while their lips presented the whitish, bloodless hue
of death.

"Are they dead?" I asked feebly.

"I think not--we shall see;" and the Frenchman poured some water into
Clayley's mouth.

The latter sighed heavily, and appeared to revive.

Raoul passed on to the hunter, who, as soon as he felt the water,
started to his feet, and, clutching his comrade fiercely by the throat,
exclaimed:

"Yur cussed catamount! yer wud hang me, wud yur?"

Seeing who it was, he stopped suddenly, and looked round with an air of
extreme bewilderment. His eye now fell upon the rifle, and, all at once
seeming to recolle