as
rowed away.

"Not a word about attempting to escape!" remarked Barriero.

The sergeant heard the remark, and said with a laugh, "It is needless,
senor. No one ever got away from here. Some have tried, and they are
at the bottom of the morass. Why, even I would not venture to cross
that terrible place, except in broad daylight with a trusty guide. If
you think of trying, senor, let me advise you to stay where you are.
Here you can be comfortable; there--ugh!" and the man shuddered at the
very thought of it.

"Your advice is good, sergeant, and I intend to profit by it," cried
Barriero. "We saw one man slip when we were crossing, and I shan't
forget his face in a hurry. Caramba! it makes me shiver yet."

"Besides," continued the sergeant, "suppose that by some miracle you
cross the marsh, what would happen then? You would die of hunger. But
I will grant you a further miracle. You shall cross the mountains and
join your friends. Is the danger over? It is but just beginning. You
will be killed in battle. But your luck clings to you, and you still
survive. Well, then, the war comes to an end; you are hunted down,
captured with arms on you, and shot as rebels."

"What a charming picture, sergeant!" laughed Alzura. "It seems to me
we are better off where we are."

"I am glad for your own sake that you think so," said the officer
gravely. "I grow attached to my birds with their clipped wings, and
only desire their welfare. There was a young fellow here once, a
pretty boy, senor, like yourself"--Alzura bowed gracefully--"and I had
grown to love him. But he got tired of the place and the company, I
suppose, and one night he slipped into the water. I fired my musket,
and a boat which is always kept ready started in pursuit. He reached
the morass first, and found a track. My men followed cautiously. They
could not see him, but presently they knew there was no need to go
further."

"How?" asked Alzura curiously.

"The shriek of the boy as he went to his death told them what had
happened. Ah, it was not the first time some of them had heard such a
wail!"

"Sergeant," said Alzura, "you tell such lively stories that I wonder at
any one becoming tired of your society!"

"You are pleased to be merry," replied the man, "and I, too, can be the
same, only not when speaking of the morass. Come, let us forget it for
a while. Although you are my prisoners, you will not find me a harsh
jailer."

This