olling so large a
number being one that was likely to grow daily: and it was finally
decided that, as the rest of the army had by this time passed on, and
were scarcely likely to return over the same ground, the sound
prisoners, together with those of the wounded who were so slightly hurt
as to be able to travel, should be set at liberty and escorted for some
few miles on the road to Pinar del Rio by a strong band of armed
negroes, whose duty it would be to see that the released men did not
attempt to rejoin the main army; that as soon as those were disposed of,
the estate--which was practically destroyed, and therefore could not
very well be further injured--should be abandoned to the Spanish doctor
and such assistants as he could persuade to remain with him to look
after the wounded; and that, as soon as the Senora's health would
permit, Don Hermoso, Carlos, and Jack should attach themselves to one of
the guerrilla bands who were hanging upon the skirts of the main Spanish
army and harassing it night and day. The only difficulty in the way of
this programme was the question of what to do with the Senora; but this
was disposed of by a suggestion from Jack that the lady should be
conveyed to the Laguna de Cortes, where the _Thetis_ was due to arrive
in about a fortnight, and be put on board the yacht.

Then Jack undertook to see to the release of the unhurt prisoners, with
all the business incidental thereto; and, as a first step, he proceeded
with a band of fifty armed negroes to the captured camp, and forthwith
went to work to bring in all the weapons and ammunition, the uninjured
field gun, the tents, and the wagons, all of which would be exceedingly
valuable acquisitions to any revolutionary force which they might chance
to join. Then the horses, mules, and cattle were driven in, the mules
being harnessed to the gun and the wagons. All these captures having
been stored as carefully as circumstances permitted, the prisoners who
were to be released were paraded, and each was served with one day's
rations; then they gladly moved off, _en route_ for Pinar del Rio, under
a strong escort of armed negroes, led by Jack, who was on this occasion
mounted upon a good horse. It was about four o'clock in the afternoon
when the little army started; and they marched until eight o'clock, when
they camped for the night in the open, Jack and his band returning some
three miles along the road by which they had gone, and passing the