ay, having men moving at a distance on each
flank, to prevent surprise.

"This," said Ned, "is a regular military enterprise. The last was a
mere pursuing party, gathered at random. It will not be so easy to
deal with cautious men, like these."

Three hounds ran ahead of the leaders, with their noses on the
ground, giving now and then the deep bay peculiar to their kind.
They reached the trap, and rushed into the gallery, which was some
twelve feet in length, and of sufficient height to enable a man on
foot to march through.

The leaders, on seeing the trap, drew in their horses, in doubt
what this structure could mean, and shouted to the hounds to stop.
But the latter, having the scent strong in their nostrils, ran on
without pausing. As the last hound disappeared in the gallery, a
crash was heard, and the whole erection collapsed, crushing the
hounds beneath it.

A cry of consternation and surprise burst from the Spaniards. The
artifice was a new one, and showed that the fugitives were assisted
by men with intellect far in advance of their own. The pursuit was
summarily checked, for the guides of the Spaniards were now gone.

The enemy paused, and a consultation took place among the leaders.
It was apparently determined to pursue their way alone, taking
every precaution, in hopes that the natives would attack them as
they had done the previous expedition; when they hoped to inflict a
decisive blow upon them. That they would, themselves, be able to
find the run-away negroes in the forest they had but small hope;
but they thought it possible that these would again take the
initiative.

First, under the guidance of one who had evidently been in the last
expedition, they took their way to the valley where the fight had
taken place. Here all was still. There were no signs of their foes.
They found, in the gorge, a great cairn of stones; with a wooden
cross placed over it, and the words in Spanish cut upon it:

"Here lie the bodies of ten Spaniards, who sought to attack
harmless men in these woods. Let their fate be a lesson to those
who may follow their example."

This inscription caused great surprise among the Spaniards, who
gathered round the mound and conversed earnestly upon it; looking
round at the deep and silent woods, which might, for ought they
knew, contain foes who had proved themselves formidable. It was
evident that the soldiers, brave as they were, yet felt misgivings
as to the task upon which th