s they went, and
as they entered the fort they threw down their rifles and drew their
sabres.

Then began a fight most grim and terrible. The Bolivians outnumbered
their assailants by about four to one, but the latter had the advantage
of a complete surprise, and they mowed down the savage guerillas by the
score. There was a passage leading from the gate to the interior of the
fort, but this was soon very nearly choked with dead and wounded. Jim
therefore rallied his men for another charge before the way should be
quite closed, and, with a cheer, his brave fellows forced a passage
through for themselves, cutting down all who opposed them. So
completely were the outlaws taken by surprise that many of them had not
found time to arm themselves, and were therefore slaughtered like so
many sheep. The promise of success, on the other hand, spurred the
Chilians on to still further effort, and in another ten minutes they had
struck such terror into the hearts of the defenders of the stronghold
that the guerillas flung down their arms and cried for quarter; and thus
at last the tide of death was stopped.

The guerillas were then disarmed and imprisoned in batches in the prison
cells which they had so carefully prepared for others, while their arms
were collected and destroyed, and the fort was in the hands of the
Chilians. The terror of the surrounding country had been brought to
nothing at last, and there would be no more savage raids and midnight
massacres.

A messenger was at once dispatched to La Paz to acquaint the Government
with the fact of the capture and downfall of the guerilla band, with a
request that a body of Bolivian troops might be dispatched to take
charge of the prisoners. Jim determined, however, not to hand over the
fort, although it was situated in Bolivian territory, until he should
receive definite instructions so to do from headquarters; for he did not
know what new boundaries Chili proposed to arrange as the limits to the
country which she had acquired by conquest from the two republics; and
he thought it more than probable that his Government would decide to
retain the fort, since it occupied such a very commanding position.

He therefore in due time handed over the eight hundred prisoners--the
rest of the band having been killed--to the Bolivian troops; who
immediately returned with them to La Paz. Meanwhile Jim repaired the
fort sufficiently to provide accommodation for his own troops, wit