when the months
of rain were normally at an end, the mere presence of clouds heralded
another spell of broken weather, though the preceding gale had probably
marked the worst of it. Indeed, valuable auxiliary as the moon had
proved during the march across rough country, it would be no ill hap if
her bright face were veiled later. The mere prospect of such an
occurrence was a cheering augury, and it was in the highest spirits
that the little band set out resolutely for the Curral.

Here they encountered no difficulty whatever. Perhaps the prevalent
excitement had drawn its custodians to the town, since they found no
one in charge save a couple of barking dogs, while, if there were
people in the cattle-keepers' huts, they gave no sign of their
presence. A few stakes were pulled up; they even came upon a couple of
axes and a heavy hammer. Equipped with these weapons, eked out by
three revolvers owned by the Brazilians and the dapper captain's sword,
they hurried on, quitting the road instantly, and following a cow-path
that wound about the base of a steep hill.

They met their first surprise when they tried to cross the road to the
fort. Quite unexpectedly, they blundered into a small picket stationed
there. Its object was to challenge all passers-by during the dark
hours, and it formed part of the scheme already elaborated by the
authorities for a complete search of every foot of ground. But
Brazilian soldiers are apt to be lax in such matters. These men were
all lying down, and smoking. For a marvel, they happened to be silent
when Marcel led his cohort into the open road. They were listening, in
fact, to the crackling of the undergrowth, though utterly unsuspicious
of its cause, and the first intimation of danger was given by the
startling challenge:

"Who goes there?"

It was familiar enough to island ears, and the convict answered readily:

"A friend!"

"Several friends, it would seem," laughed a voice. "Let us see who
these friends are."

Luckily, in response to De Sylva's sibilant order, most of the
_Andromeda's_ crew were hidden by the scrub from which they were about
to emerge.

The soldiers rose, and strolled nearer leisurely.

"Now!" shouted De Sylva, leaping forward.

There was a wild scurry, two or three shots were fired, and Hozier
found himself on the ground gripping the throat of a bronzed man whom
he had shoved backward with a thrust, for he had no time to swing his
stake for a b