st an ambuscade.

"Quite unnecessary, sir," was the reply. "There is no rebel force in
this part of the country that would venture to come within a league of
us."

"So we are told," said Herrera; "but I have had occasion to see that
one must not always rely on such assurances."

"I shall do so, nevertheless, in this instance," said the major. "We
have a long march before us, and if I fag the men by sending them
clambering over hills and rocks, I shall lose half of them by
straggling, and perhaps not reach Pampeluna to-night."

"If you will allow me," said Herrera, "I will send a few of my
dragoons to do the duty. They will hardly be so effective as infantry
for such a service, but it will be better than leaving our flanks
entirely unguarded."

"I have already told you, sir," replied the major testily, "that I
consider such precaution overstrained and unnecessary. I believe,
Lieutenant Herrera, that it is I who command this detachment."

Thus rebuked, Herrera desisted from his remonstrances, and fell back
into his place. The march continued in all security through the wild
and dangerous defile; the men, refreshed by their momentary halt,
tramping briskly along, chattering, smoking, and singing snatches of
soldier's songs. It appeared as if the negligence of the major was
likely to be justified, as far as it could be, by the result; for they
were now within two hundred yards of the extremity of the pass, and in
view of the open country. The defile was each moment widening, and
the space between the road and the hills was filled up with a wood of
young beech and oak. Herrera himself, who had each moment been
expecting to receive a volley from some ambushed foe, was beginning to
think the danger over, when a man dressed in red uniform, with a
scarlet cap upon his head, and mounted on a white horse, suddenly
appeared at the end of the pass, and tossing his lance, which he
carried at the trail, into his bridle hand, put a trumpet that was
slung round his neck, to his mouth, and blew a loud and startling
blast. The signal, for such it was, did not long remain unanswered. A
hoarse wild shout issued from the wood on either side of the road, and
a volley of musketry resounded through the pass. In an instant the
hills were alive with Carlist soldiers, some reloading the muskets
they had just fired, others taking aim at the Christinos, or fixing
their bayonets in preparation for a closer encounter. Another minute
had scarce