er to march was
given, and the entire company wheeled to the right off the _Plaza_ into
the _Calle de los Angeles_, down which they proceeded at a rapid pace.

The low hum of conversation immediately broke out among the Chilians,
and it was not checked by their guards; therefore, although it was
impossible at present to discuss anything of a private nature, Jim took
the opportunity to ask his friends if they had any information as to the
fate in store for them, beyond the fact that they were destined for the
mines. He found, however, that the latter fact was practically all that
was known. They were to be taken, in the first place, he learned, to
the recently erected station at Callao, and then put in the train for
Lima. There they were to be imprisoned in the castle for one or two
nights, until a second detachment of Chilian prisoners should have
arrived from the south, and then the whole body was, as far as could be
ascertained, to be marched direct to Sorata by way of Yanyos,
Huancavelica, Guantanga, Cuzco, and Santa Rosa. This constituted a
journey of some six hundred miles, the whole of which was to be
accomplished on foot! Truly a pleasant prospect! But Jim vowed to
himself that it would not be his fault if he did even as much as a sixth
of that distance before he escaped. He therefore caused the word to be
passed round among his fellow-officers, to whom he was manacled, that he
wished to have a private talk with them upon the first occasion that
offered; and their nods of comprehension assured him that they pretty
clearly understood for what purpose the conversation was to be held.

But they had, by this time, arrived at the railway station, and the
detachment was halted in the goods-yard just outside. Although regular
passenger communication had not yet been established between Callao and
the capital, there had been for some time a line of railway for the
purpose of carrying merchandise from the coast to Lima; and when the war
began this line was seized upon by the military authorities for the
purpose of transporting stores and soldiers. A huge, gloomy barrack of
a station had been built, together with a number of auxiliary goods-
sheds for the purpose of holding the war material; and it was among
these sheds that the Chilians found themselves halted. The tedious
process of calling the roll was then again gone through, and by the time
that that was finished a shrill whistle, accompanied by much blowing