ls, besides those with which we were provided. Ammunition, too,
was in fair quantity; while, one way or another, our little garrison
could boast of plenty of provision.

"No sleep to-night, Harry," said my uncle, cheerfully. "We must all
watch, for the Indians will not be satisfied till they have thoroughly
ransacked the place."

"Of course we shall beat them off if possible; but what arrangements
have you made for retreat?" I said.

Without a word, my uncle led me into the kitchen of the hacienda, where
he had stabled four mules, with plenty of fodder.

"We must get off unseen if we can, my lad," he said, "and the mules will
carry plenty of ammunition and food. But about water?"

"Plenty at the cavern," I said.

"Good!" exclaimed my uncle. "And now look here, Harry," he said,
leading me to the inner room, and taking down a map, "show me, as nearly
as you can, where the cavern lies which contains all this rich
treasure."

I examined the map as carefully as I could, and then pointed out the
valley in which it seemed to me that, if the map were correct, the
cavern must lie.

"You say there is water?" said my uncle--"a stream?"

"Yes, a little rivulet."

"Then that must run down to this river. Good! And here again this
river joins the great Apure, which, in its turn, runs into the Orinoco.
Once well afloat, we should be pretty safe, and we could reach the mouth
of the great river, and from there Georgetown, Demerara. Why, Harry, it
could not be above a dozen miles from the mouth of your cave to the
water-way that should see us safe on the road homeward."

"But about canoes, uncle?" I said.

"Canoes, my boy? Well, of course, it would be well to have them; but we
must not be particular. I have known voyages made on skin-rafts before
now; and recollect this, that we shall have the stream to bear us along
the whole distance. But there, after all, we may be alarming ourselves
without cause."

Tom and I exchanged glances at the mention of the skin-raft, and then we
prepared to spend the watchful night.

"I need not hint to you, Hal, about trying to protect poor Lilla," said
my uncle, in tones that bespoke his emotion.

"No," I said, quietly.

My look, I suppose, must have satisfied Lilla, for I received one in
return full of trust and confidence in the efforts of my weak arm.

Night at last--beautiful, though anxious night, with the sky deepening
from blue to purple, to black, with the diamond-l