slow for fear of meeting obstructions on the track.

I reached Pucacancha, stopping far enough back to allow the passenger
to pull up and back on the side track. The siding had only one switch,
chiefly used for ballast for the road bed. I looked anxiously for the
passenger. Seconds dragged like hours. Would she never come? There was
a curve not far from the station, and the passenger could not be seen
until it almost reached it. I listened. I could hear the low
tremulous noise of the rails, a puff of black smoke went up from
behind the curve--at last it was in view, engine No. 8. On seeing me
the engineer came to a sudden stop. I hurriedly told him what to do.
He was to back onto the siding and let me pass, then pull out and
follow me back to Pampa de Avieras, where I told him the government
troops would surely be. Our plans were quickly executed. I determined
that should the troop train come before I could get by the passenger,
Manuel and I would desert the Arequipena, start her back with a full
head of steam, and cause a collision. No doubt there would have been
loss of life, but it would have given an opportunity to escape by
going on the passenger train.

Dobbie, the engineer, succeeded well in backing into the clear. Not
seeing the troop train, I ran with a hammer and spike when he left the
switch with the Arequipena ahead of him and spiked the track. Just
then the troop train came in sight. I hurriedly boarded the
Arequipena and started, Dobbie backing up at fast as he could.

There were several officers on the engine of the troop train, and when
they saw us they compelled the engineer to increase his speed, with
the result he could not check his train in time to stop it from
running into the switch. His engine jumped the track half burying
itself in the ground.

We arrived at Pampa de Avieras and the government troops came thirty
minutes later. I was beginning to get weak from loss of blood. My left
arm seemed to be a dead weight, and the muscles were painful and
swollen. The people from the passenger train crowded about me and did
everything in their power to relieve my suffering. The soldier who had
been struck with the shovel came out of his stupor.

I was lying in the coach of the Arequipena, when the commanding
officer of the government troops came to see me. After detailing the
story to him, I turned over fourteen rifles, ten revolvers, and seven
swords, all the cartridges and barrels of powder, togeth