the
horses, catching up the general enthusiasm, sent forth a loud, wild
neighing.

In another instant the chamber was emptied of its guests. Morelos had
gone down into the courtyard to press the hands of his new adherents,
and the other officers had followed him.

Far from partaking of the universal warlike ardour, the student was
suffering at the moment the most terrible anguish of heart. The thought
of his theological studies being thus interrupted, in order that he
might figure in the middle of an insurgent camp, was rendering him
completely miserable; but still more the unpleasant information he had
just received, that he had been declared a rebel, and that a price was
set upon his head. All this, too, had been brought about by the
shameful stinginess of his father, in providing him with that sorry
mule--just as his former misfortunes had arisen, from his having no
better horse than the old steed of the _picador_.

It is scarce necessary to say, that under these circumstances he passed
a wretched night of it, and that his dreams were a continued series of
horrid visions. He fancied himself engaged in numerous sanguinary
battles: and that the insurgent army in which he was enrolled had
suddenly changed into a legion of demons, with horns and hoofs!

On waking with the first dawn of day, his dreams, instead of being
terminated, appeared to be continued. He heard a noisy tumult in the
court below; and rising far above the general clamour could be
distinguished a strange trumpet-like sound, now shrill, now hoarsely
bellowing--as if the fiend himself was sounding the signal of "Boots and
Saddles" to his infernal legions. Bathed in a cold sweat, he started up
from his couch; and approaching the window, cast a glance into the
courtyard. As before, he saw that it was crowded with armed men in
every kind of equipment. The cannon was there, standing in the middle
of the court. A negro was reloading it. It was not without surprise
that Don Cornelio recognised in the negro the same man who, along with
the tiger-hunter, had conducted him to the hacienda of Las Palmas.

Yes, the artillerist was no other than Clara; who was thus improvised as
full commander of the solitary piece of cannon--the first which Morelos
had at his disposal, and which, under the name of _El Nino_, became
afterwards so celebrated in the history of the Mexican revolution. The
student also saw the instrument that had been bellowing forth thos