ulled up. Not so our guide. It was one of the peculiarities and
strong points of Pedro's character that he was never taken by surprise,
or uncertain what to do.

Instantly he drew his sword with one hand, a pistol with the other, and,
driving his spurs deep into his mule, dashed down the steep road at the
banditti. In the very act he looked back, and, in a voice that caused
the echoes of the gorge to ring, shouted in Spanish--

"Come on, comrades! here they are at last! close up!"

A yell of the most fiendish excitement and surprise from Quashy--who was
only just coming into view--assisted the deception. If anything was
wanting to complete the effect, it was the galvanic upheaval of
Lawrence's long arms and the tremendous flourish of his longer legs, as
he vaulted over his mule's head, left it scornfully behind, uttered a
roar worthy of an African lion, and rushed forward on foot. He grasped
his great cudgel, for sword and pistol had been utterly forgotten!

Like a human avalanche they descended on the foe. That foe did not
await the onset. Panic-stricken they turned and went helter-skelter
down the pass--all except two, who seemed made of sterner stuff than
their fellows, and hesitated.

One of these Pedro rode fairly down, and sent, horse and all, over the
precipice. Lawrence's cudgel beat down the guard of the other,
flattened his sombrero, and stopping only at his skull, stretched him on
the ground. As for those who had fled, the appalling yells of Quashy,
as he pursued them, scattered to the winds any fag-ends of courage they
might have possessed, and effectually prevented their return. So
tremendous and sudden was the result, that Manuela felt more inclined to
laugh than cry, though naturally a good deal frightened.

Lawrence and Pedro were standing in consultation over the fallen bandit
when the negro came back panting from the chase.

"Da's wan good job dooed, anyhow," he said. "What's you be do wid
_him_?"

"What would you recommend?" asked Pedro.

The negro pointed significantly to the precipice, but the guide shook
his head.

"No, I cannot kill in cold blood, though I have no doubt he richly
deserves it. We'll bind his hands and leave him. It may be weakness on
my part, but we can't take him on, you know."

While Pedro was in the act of binding the robber, a wild shriek, as of
some one in terrible agony, startled them. Looking cautiously over the
precipice, where the sound seemed to