it into his head to sleep instead.

"I should like to find out where Canterac is. He is quite clever
enough to set a very ugly trap for us."

It was dark now, and the road was difficult; but we rode cautiously,
listening for sounds, and keeping our eyes well open. At the end of
perhaps half a mile the colonel suddenly stopped, and said in a
whisper, "Some one is coming towards us."

The position was very awkward. We were on a narrow road with no
hiding-place at hand, and must either retreat rapidly or plump
ourselves right into the arms of the strangers. In another minute we
had no choice at all, as several dusky figures loomed up before us.
Fortunately Colonel Miller favoured the practice of taking the bull by
the horns, and levelling his pistol, he cried in a stern voice, "Halt!
Who are you?"

Taken by surprise, the men stopped, and we heard one of them say, "No,
no; he's no Spaniard. I can tell by his speech."

"Quite right," cried the colonel. "I'm an English officer in the
Patriot army. Who are you? Make haste; we don't want to stay here all
night."

"We're deserters from General Canterac's army," replied one boldly,
"and want to give ourselves up."

"Then you're just right. We will return with you to the camp, or the
sentries might shoot you.--Crawford, turn your horse round so that they
can pass between us.--Now, my good fellows, march, and I hope for your
own sakes that you've given a true account of yourselves."

Thus we journeyed back to the camp, where, beside a good fire, Colonel
Miller examined the prisoners. From them we learned that General
Canterac had halted in a strong position halfway up the mountain; upon
which I could see, by his restlessness, that the colonel was eager to
resume the pursuit at once. A glance at his wearied men, however,
showed him the folly of such an enterprise.

"No," said he at last; "they couldn't stand it." Which was quite true.

Having given the strangers into the charge of the guard, we unsaddled
our horses, wrapped ourselves up, and lay down near the fire. Two
seconds later we were fast asleep. At daybreak we were moving again,
and I fancy the colonel felt glad he had not attempted to lead his men
up the mountains in the darkness of night. The road was simply
horrible, and the pass might have been defended by a score of resolute
men against an army. Halfway up we received a check. O'Brien, going
forward with a handful of men, got in touch with