ss this on the men. Two of
them had already been wounded by the guerillas' fire.

"Why, sir," one of them said, "if we had but muskets here, we would
turn out and help the French to drive those fellows off. The French
have behaved very well to us, while the Spaniards did their best to
starve us to death; and there ain't one of us who wouldn't jump at
the chance of paying them out."

"All right, men!" said Terence. "I agree with you, as to the
treatment you have received; however, we are not here to fight. We
are prisoners, and have nothing to do with the fray, one way or the
other; though I don't mean to say that I should not, myself, be
glad to see the French beat the guerillas off."

The other officers found the same spirit among the soldiers they
questioned.

"I quite agree with them," one of the officers said, "and if there
were muskets handy I would not mind leading them, myself, if it
were not for the uniform. Sir Arthur would scarcely be pleased if,
among all his other worries, he got a despatch from the central
Junta, complaining that a large number of innocent peasants had
been killed by English troops, fighting by the side of the French."

Gradually the guerillas drew in towards the village, taking
advantage of every stone and bush, and rarely giving a chance to
the French infantry. Their aim was exceedingly accurate and,
whenever a French soldier showed himself from behind a hut to fire,
he was fortunate if he got back again without receiving a bullet.

"This is getting serious," the French major said, coming into the
cottage where the English officers were gathered. "I have lost
thirty-eight killed and wounded, already. I have had the wounded
carried into the church, and some of your men are unloading the
provision waggons, and taking the contents inside. They have
requisitioned every utensil that will hold water in the village. No
doubt we shall be able to hold out there till some other detachment
comes along the road."

"I think that it is a very good plan, major," Terence said. "They
would hardly be able to carry it by assault, unless they burnt down
the door; and you ought to be able to prevent them from doing
that."

Half an hour later, the whole French force was collected in the
church. As soon as the Spaniards found what had happened, they
speedily entered the village; and opened fire from every window
giving a view of the church, and from loopholes that they quickly
made in the walls.