shout told that the enemy had made an entrance, and directly after
we could hear footsteps coursing all over the house, as if in search of
the gold that they expected to find; whilst one voice, which I twice
heard shouting, sent a thrill through my body.

"Quick, Uncle!" I exclaimed, "before they find the kitchen door."

"It is almost madness to try and escape, my lad," said my uncle
despondently. "Had we not better fight it out from here?"

"No," I exclaimed fiercely, as I threw open the door and gave a glance
out, to see that this side of the house was in shadow, while a bright
light was beginning to illumine the trees around. "No; let us make for
the forest. Tom, bring the two pack-mules. Uncle, lead the other."

Then taking the bridle of Lilla's mule in one hand, gun in the other, I
led the way, trembling all the while with excitement, for we could hear
the shouts of the searchers, and, above all, those of Garcia. It seemed
that every moment they must be upon us; but all four mules were led out
at last and stood in the black shadow over on that side of the house.

"Don't leave me, Harry!" whispered a voice at my side.

For an instant I wavered, and that instant nearly sealed our fate.

"Only for a few moments," I said huskily.

I rushed to the kitchen door, dragged out the key, and inserted it on
the outer side, with the Indians beating the while at the inner door,
which was rapidly giving way, as they seemed now to have determined that
it was here we had taken refuge.

Then I had the door to, locked it, and hurled away the key into the
plantation, just as, with a crash, the inner door succumbed; and, headed
by Garcia, the party of Indians rushed into the kitchen, to utter howls
of rage and disappointment on finding it empty, and then began battering
the door I had that moment locked.

Fortunately for us, the window was strongly barred; but I knew that some
of them must be round directly; and dashing to Lilla's bridle, "Come
along!" I whispered hoarsely, and I led the mule towards the nearest
packing shed.

To reach this place part of our way was in black shadow, the rest across
a broad glowing band of light, after which we could hurry along behind
two or three long low coffee sheds, keeping them between us and the
fire, when the plantation trees would shelter us, I knew, till we could
reach the forest.

"Quick--quick!" I exclaimed. "To the left of the shed!"

The yells behind us were fearful,