At the same moment Antonio, Ignacio, Spotted Tiger,
Colonel Marchbanks, and the sporting Englishman sprang to the front, and
the old hunter, cutting Pedro's bonds, put a musket into his hands.

"Traitor!" exclaimed Cruz, grinding his teeth with passion, as he
scowled at Antonio.

"Fool! do you not know," retorted Antonio, contemptuously, "that
traitors are the offspring of tyrants? I acknowledge you as father in
this respect. But I am not here to bandy words. Colonel Marchbanks
will speak."

"Yes, Cruz," said the old colonel, stepping a pace to the front, "I will
speak, and that to the purpose. You see those men?" (pointing to the
heads looking over the corral wall)--"ten of the best shots among them
have their weapons pointed at your heart. If a single musket is fired
by your blackguards, you know what the result will be."

Bold as Cruz undoubtedly was, this speech of the colonel had an
obviously quieting effect on him, as well as on his followers, who,
however, being numerous, and not wanting in courage, stood ready to obey
orders.

"Now, I will tell you in few words what I have got to say," continued
the colonel, addressing Cruz. "When you locked the villagers here in
their own huts, you forgot, or did not know, that, being a tyrant as
well as a scoundrel, you had enemies among your own followers. These
have not only set us, your prisoners, free, but have done the same good
turn to the villagers, who have been persuaded to join us against you.
And now, as our numbers are pretty equal, we give you the option of
going away quietly wherever you please, or, if you prefer it, having a
fair fight. I may add that if I were backed by my troops, instead of
these villagers, I would not give you this option; but as I have no
official right to command these men, I now make you the proposal either
to retire quietly or fight."

"Aw--just so," said the sporting Englishman. "And let me add, as a sort
of--aw--freelance that I and my friend here hope sincerely that you will
choose to fight."

"You's a brick!" exclaimed Quashy, with emphasis, regarding the
sportsman for the first time with favour.

Cruz hesitated. He was swayed by a burning thirst for vengeance and a
prudent regard for his personal safety. By way of hastening his
decision, Colonel Marchbanks added--

"It may be well to remind you that when you unfortunately succeeded in
decoying me and my friends into your snares, and captured us, you did
not le