ed and Gerald had no fear,
whatever, of its being forced. As the time approached when Ned
expected an attack, the defenders of the farthest barricade were
strengthened by a considerable number, lying down upon the path;
for it was certain that, for the first two or three assaults, the
Spaniards would push matters to the utmost; and that they would not
be repulsed, without severe fighting.

So indeed it proved. Advancing with great caution along the narrow
path, which was sometimes seven or eight feet wide, sometimes
narrowing to a few inches, the leaders of the party of attack made
their way along, until they turned the projecting point. Then the
guns of the two men on guard spoke out, and the two leaders fell,
shot through the body, over the precipice. Now that they knew the
position of their enemy, the Spaniards prepared for a rush.
Gathering themselves as closely as they could together, they
pressed round the corner. Shot after shot rang out from the
defenders, as they turned it; but although many fell, the others
pressed forward so numerously, and bravely, that they could be said
fairly to have established themselves round the corner.

The barricade now, however, faced them; and behind this were
gathered the bravest of the negroes, led by the boys. The
barricade, too, had been covered with thorny branches, as had that
which they had defended before; and the Spaniards, of whom only
some ten or twelve could find fighting room round the corner, were
shot down before they could make any impression, whatever.

Bravely as they fought, it was impossible for men to maintain so
unequal and difficult a fight as this; and after trying for an hour
to storm the barricade, the Spaniards fell back, having lost over
fifty of the best of their men.

In the meantime, with a thundering sound, the rocks were rolling
down from the summit of the mountain. The greater portion of them
did not fall in the amphitheater at all; but, from the impetus of
their descent down the sloping rocks above, shot far out beyond its
edge. Others, however, crashed down on to the little plateau; but
all who were there were lying so close to the face of the rock,
that the missiles from above went far beyond them.

From below in the valley a constant fire was kept up, but this was
as innocuous as the bombardment from above; and when the Spaniards
fell back, only three of the defenders had been in any way injured,
and these were hit by the pistol balls,