l the fighting's done, for my comrade
and me owe the Frenchies something, and we should both like to get a
chance to pay it.--Here, I say, Private Gray, you might wake up now.
Water's only water, after all, and I want my breakfast. I shouldn't
mind if there was none, but it's aggravating to your inside to see it
lying there.--Hallo! There's somebody coming," for he heard voices from
somewhere outside. "That's the old father," muttered the boy. "Yes,
and that's that big Spanish chap. Didn't he look fine with his silk
handkercher round his head and his pistols in his scarf? I suppose he's
captain of the band. What did Gray say they were--smugglers? Why, they
couldn't be. Smugglers have vessels by the seaside. I do know that.
There's no seaside here up in the mountains. What have they got to
smuggle?"

"Punch, you there?" came in a sharp whisper.

"Yes," whispered back the boy. "All right. Wake up. Here's your
doctor coming to see to your wound."

The next minute the voices sounded from the room below, and the
smuggler's voice was raised and he called up in French:

"Are you awake there, my friends?" And upon receiving an answer in the
affirmative he began to ascend the step-ladder cautiously, and
apparently quite at home. As soon as he stood stooping in the loft he
drew back a rough shutter and admitted a little of the sunshine.

"Good-morning!" he said. "How's the wound? Kept you awake all night?"

Pen explained that he had only just woke up.

"Well, that means you are getting better," said the smuggler; and the
boys scanned the speaker's handsome, manly-looking face.

Just then fresh steps were heard upon the ladder, and the
pleasant-countenanced priest appeared, carefully bearing a large bowl of
water, and with a long strip of coarse linen hanging over his arm.

He smilingly nodded at the two lads, and then knelt by the side of the
bowl and watched attentively while Pen's wound was dressed and carefully
bandaged with the coarse strip of linen, after which a few words passed
in Spanish between the priest and the smuggler, who directly after
addressed Pen.

"He was asking me about getting you down to breakfast, but I tell him
that you will be better if you lie quite still for a bit, perhaps for a
few days, I don't think the French will come here again. They are more
likely to forget all about you, for they are always on the move; but you
could do no good if you came down, and I shall not sti