Soon the hum of voices, the neighing of steeds, and the clang of steel
fell on my ear, and peering between the branches I could see a group of
shadows moving toward us. Then the shadows, taking form and substance,
became six horsemen. They passed within a few feet of our hiding-place. We
heard their talk, saw their faces in the moonlight, and Carmen whispered
that he could distinguish the facings of their uniforms.

"It is as I feared," he muttered, "the entire regiment of Irun, shifting
their quarters to Caracas. We are prisoners here for an hour or two. Well,
it is perhaps better to have them behind than before us."

"What will happen when they find the bodies of the two troopers?"

"That is precisely the question I am asking myself. But not having met us
they will naturally conclude that we have gone on toward Caracas."

"Unless they are differently informed by the man who escaped us."

"I don't think he would be in any hurry to turn back. He went off at a
devil of a pace."

"He might turn back for all that, when he recovered from his scare. He
could not help seeing that we were only two, and if he informs the others
they will know of a surety that we are hiding in the ravine."

"And then there would be a hunt. However, at the speed they are riding it
will take them an hour or more to reach the scene of our skirmish, and
then there is coming back. Everything depends on how soon the last of them
go by. If we have only a few minutes start they will never overtake us,
and once on the other side of Los Teycos we shall be safe both from
discovery and pursuit. European cavalry are of no use in a Venezuelan
forest; and I don't think these Irun fellows have any blood-hounds."

"Blood-hounds! You surely don't mean to say that the Spaniards use
blood-hounds?"

"I mean nothing else. General Griscelli, who holds the chief command in
the district of San Felipe, keeps a pack of blood-hounds, which he got
from Cuba. But, though a Spanish general, Griscelli is not a Spaniard
born. He is either a Corsican or an Italian. I believe he was originally
in the French army, and when Dupont surrendered at Baylen he went over to
the other side, and accepted a commission from the King of Spain."

"Not a very good record, that."

"And he is not a good man. He outvies even the Spaniards in cruelty. A
very able general, though. He has given us a deal of trouble. Down with
your head! Here comes some more."

A whole troop this time.