ds being unable to stay the murderers' hands.

At last it was all over; the casualties were counted up and the roll
called. The Peruvians had lost but eleven men, all killed, whereas the
Chilians were reduced to forty, all told, scarcely one of whom did not
bear a more or less serious wound on his person. But the Peruvian
captain was furious at what he called the "dastardly attack" of the
Chilians on his men, and he swore to take a full and complete revenge
when the next morning should arrive. The wretched men were then allowed
to lie down once more and sleep--if they could; and thus the remaining
hours of that ghastly night passed slowly away.

The next morning, as soon as day dawned, Captain Garcia-y-Garcia, having
appointed a sergeant and a corporal to assist him, constituted himself
and his two assistants into what he called a "court-martial," and then
proceeded to try the prisoners.

Jim he promptly pounced upon as the ringleader, and subjected the young
Englishman to a short examination, which, however, was the merest farce,
for the captain had already determined upon his fate. After a trial
lasting, perhaps, five minutes, therefore, Jim was condemned to be shot
before mid-day, as were nine more of his unfortunate companions. The
remaining thirty Chilians were each sentenced to receive a flogging of a
hundred lashes as soon as they arrived at the mines; and Captain Garcia-
y-Garcia promised himself that he would be the man to supervise the
punishment.

The ten men who were condemned to death were then separated from the
rest of the troop, and were told to seat themselves on the ground at
some little distance away, where they were at once surrounded by guards.
Garcia-y-Garcia then selected a squad of twenty Peruvian soldiers, and
told them off for the firing-party. They were then formed up in a
single line and ordered to load their rifles with ball cartridge.

When everything was in readiness, the ten unfortunate prisoners were
brought forward and made to stand, also in line, with their backs
against a huge rock which was to serve as a background; and Jim found
himself, for the second time in his life, facing a firing-party and
condemned to death. But this time there seemed to be no hope or
possibility of reprieve. He was surrounded by cruel men who had no
feelings save those of a brutal nature, and it seemed as though no power
on earth could save him.

Jim was very thankful that no attempt was made t