lers were not
regarded with hostility by the peasants, whereas no mercy was shown
to ours."

"Yes, major, one of the battalions that fought at Talavera was
entirely composed of men who had straggled in the retreat, and who
afterwards succeeded in gaining the Portuguese frontier."

That evening they halted, for the night, at a small village high up
in the passes. The French officer took every precaution against
surprise. Twenty sentries were placed at various points round the
village; and as many more were posted, in pairs, three or four
hundred yards farther out.

At three in the morning, several shots were fired. The troops all
got under arms, and parties were sent out to the outposts. At two
of these posts both the sentries were found stabbed to the heart.
At others men had been seen crawling up towards them, and the shots
that had aroused the troops had been fired. The outposts were
recalled to the village, and the soldiers remained under arms until
morning.

As soon as it was daybreak a scattered fire opened from the hills
on either side of the valley, and it was evident that these were
occupied by strong parties. The villagers, on being questioned,
denied all knowledge of these bands; but under threats said that
they had heard that Minas, with a very strong force, was in the
neighbourhood, and that the Impecinado had been reported to be
among the hills between the pass and that of Roncesvalles.

"What strength do you put them down at, colonel?" the major asked
Terence.

"I should say, from what we can see of them, that there must be
four or five hundred on each hill."

"They must have had information from their spies at Zadorra,
colonel, and half a dozen bands must have united to crush us.

"Diable, that was a good shot!" he exclaimed, as his shako was
struck from his head by a bullet. "That is the worst of these
fellows. They are uncommonly good shots. You see, almost all these
mountain men are accustomed to carry guns, and the charcoal burners
and shepherds eke out a living by shooting game and sending it down
to the towns."

"What are you thinking of doing, major?"

"I shall hold the village," the latter replied. "We might get
through the pass, but I doubt whether we should do so; and if we
did, my men and yours would suffer terribly. Can I rely upon your
fellows keeping quiet?"

"I think so. At any rate, we will all go round and order them to do
so."

There was, however, no necessity to impre