oing of?" cried the boy angrily. "Stopping you from bringing
the French down upon us," cried Pen sharply. "What were you thinking
about?"

"I wasn't thinking at all," said the boy slowly, as his brow wrinkled up
in a puzzled way. "Well, I was a fool! Got a sort of idea in my head
that some of our fellows might hear it and come down and find us."

"I wish they would," said Pen sadly; "but I don't think there's a doubt
of it, Punch, we are surrounded by the French. There, I'm sorry I was
so rough with you, only you were going to make a mistake."

"Sarve me jolly well right," said the boy. "I must have been quite off
my chump. There, hang it up. I won't do it again."

It was quite dark now, and in the silence Pen soon after heard a low,
deep breathing which told him that his wounded companion had once more
sunk asleep, while on his part a busy brain and a smarting hand tended
to reproduce the evening scene, and with it a series of mental questions
as to what would be the result; and so startling were some of the
suggestions that came to trouble the watcher that he placed himself by
the side of the bed farthest from the door and laid his rifle across the
foot ready to hand, as he half-expected to see the dim, oblong square of
the open doorway darkened by an approaching enemy stealing upon them,
knife-armed and silent, ready to take revenge for the blow, urged
thereto by a feeling of jealous hatred against one who had never meant
him the slightest harm.

That night Pen never closed his eyes, and it was with a sigh of relief
that he saw the first pale light of day stealing down into the rocky
vale.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN.

JUAN'S REVENGE.

"Oh, you have come back again, then," grumbled Punch, as Pen met his
weary eyes and the dismal face that was turned sideways to watch the
door of the hut. "Thought you had gone for good and forgotten all about
a poor fellow."

"No, you didn't, Punch," said Pen, slowly standing his rifle up in a
corner close at hand, as he sank utterly exhausted upon the foot of the
bed.

"Yes, I did. I expected that you had come across some place where there
was plenty to eat, and some one was giving you bottles of Spanish wine,
and that you had forgotten all about your poor comrade lying here."

"There, I am too tired to argue with you, Punch," said Pen with a sigh.
"You have drunk all the water, then?"

"Course I have, hours ago, and eat the last of the bread, and I should
have eat