ching the Royalists,
who had encamped just without gunshot, wondering what our leaders would
decide to do.

CHAPTER XXVIII.

THE BATTLE OF THE GENERALS.

"They're coming down!" cried Alzura excitedly, rushing into our tent.

It wanted two hours to sunset; we had done nothing all day, and tired
of watching the enemy on the opposite heights, most of us had gone to
sleep.

Alzura's announcement woke us up, and running forward, we glanced
eagerly at the hill, which a battalion of infantry was descending.

"Skirmishers, nothing more," said Plaza quietly. "They fancy we might
attempt a night attack. Take my word for it, they won't be foolish
enough to meet us on the plain."

"Unless they try a rush in the dark."

"That's just possible, but not probable; they're sure of us without
that."

"There goes a battalion of our light infantry in extended order,"
remarked Cordova; "but there won't be any real fighting to-night. I'm
going back to bed."

"A very sensible proceeding, too," exclaimed a genial voice; and
turning round we beheld General Miller. "I should advise all of you
not on duty to do the same," he added.

"Are we going to fight, general?" I asked eagerly.

"Hullo, Crawford! I've been so busy that I've lost sight of you
lately. Well, I hardly know. Perhaps the viceroy would be better able
to tell you; he knows more about it than I do."

"I don't think he'll abandon his strong position just to give us a
better chance, sir," remarked Plaza.

"Perhaps not," replied the general. "But you mustn't think he's in
clover up yonder. His men are as hungry as ours, and that's saying
much. If it is a fight, however, 'twill be a fight to the finish, and
the Hussars of Junin won't be missing!"

"Take us with you, sir!"

"That's just what I've come to see the colonel about. I intend to get
all the regiment together and use it as a battering-ram."

"He thinks the Royalists will attack," said Alzura, as the general
passed on. "He has heard something important, you may depend. And why
shouldn't they? they're two to one, and have no end of guns."

"I like his idea of using all the regiment," laughed Cordova. "Nearly
a half of the third squadron are mounted on baggage mules; their horses
are all dead."

"They must get fresh ones from the enemy," I suggested.

"Come," said Plaza; "there's nothing more to see here." And we
returned to the tent.

Anxious to have a good long night, Cordova soon f