others. They had
a fandango with the Yankee dragoons. You know what the old man thinks
of Pinzon. He'd sooner part with his wife."

"You think he will exchange them, then?"

"It is not unlikely."

"And yet he wouldn't trouble much if you or I had been taken. No--no;
he'd let us be hanged like dogs!"

"Well; that's always the way, you know."

"I begin to get tired of him. By the Virgin! Jose, I've half a mind to
slip off and join the Padre."

"Jarauta?"

"Yes; he's by the Bridge, with a brave set of Jarochos--some of our old
comrades upon the Rio Grande among them. They are living at free
quarters along the road, and having gay times of it, I hear. If Jarauta
had taken these Yankees yesterday, the zopilote would have made his
dinner upon them to-day."

"That's true," rejoined the other; "but come--let us un-blind the devils
and give them their beans. It may be the last they'll ever eat."

With this consoling remark, Jose commenced unbuckling our _tapojos_, and
we once more looked upon the light. The brilliance at first dazzled us
painfully, and it was some minutes before we could look steadily at the
objects around us.

We had been thrown upon the pavement in the corner of the _patio_--a
large court, surrounded by massive walls and flat-roofed houses.

These buildings were low, single-storied, except the range in front,
which contained the principal dwellings. The remaining three sides were
occupied by stables, granaries, and quarters for the guerilleros and
servants. A portale extended along the front range, and large vases,
with shrubs and flowers, ornamented the balustrade. The portale was
screened from the sun by curtains of bright-coloured cloth. These were
partially drawn, and objects of elegant furniture appeared within.

Near the centre of the patio was a large fountain, boiling up into a
reservoir of hewn mason-work; and around this fountain were clumps of
orange-trees, their leaves in some places dropping down into the water.
Various arms hung or leaned against the walls--guns, pistols, and
sabres--and two small pieces of cannon, with their caissons and
carriages, stood in a prominent position. In these we recognised our
old acquaintances of La Virgen.

A long trough stretched across the patio, and out of this a double row
of mules and mustangs were greedily eating maize. The saddle-tracks
upon their steaming sides showed them to be the companions of our late
wearisome journey.