.

The house of Don Cumanos was well suited to resist an attack of this
description, in which musketry only was expected to be employed. It was
a long parallelogram of stone walls, with a wooden veranda on the first
floor,--for it was only one story high. The windows on the first story
were more numerous, but at the basement there were but two, and no other
opening but the door in the whole line of building. It was of a
composite architecture, between the Morisco and the Spanish. If the
lower part of the house, which was of stone, could be secured from
entrance, the assailants would, of course, fight under a great
disadvantage. The windows below were the first secured by piling a
heavy mass of stones in the interior of the rooms against them, rising
to the ceiling from a base like the segment of a pyramid, extending to
the opposite side of the chamber; and every preparation was made for
effectually barricading the door before night. Ladders were then fixed
to ascend to the veranda, which was rendered musket-proof nearly as high
as its railings, to protect the men. The Donna Isidora, and the women
of the establishment, were, in the afternoon, despatched to Don
Teodoro's; and, at the request of Francisco, joined to the entreaties of
Donna Isidora, Don Cumanos was persuaded to accompany them. The don
called his men, and telling them that he left Francisco in command,
expected them to do their duty; and then shaking hands with him, the
cavalcade was soon lost in the woods behind the narrow meadows which
skirted the river.

There was no want of muskets and ammunition. Some were employed casting
bullets, and others in examining the arms which had long been laid by.
Before evening all was ready; every man had received his arms and
ammunition; the flints had been inspected; and Francisco had time to pay
more attention to the schooner, which had, during the day, increased her
distance from the land, but was now again standing in for the shore.
Half-an-hour before dusk, when within three miles, she wore round and
put her head to the offing.

"They'll attack this night," said Francisco, "I feel almost positive:
their yards and stay-tackles are up, all ready for hoisting out the
long-boat."

"Let them come, senor; we will give them a warm reception," replied
Diego, the second in authority.

It was soon too dark to perceive the vessel. Francisco and Diego
ordered every man, but five, into the house; the door was firm