ainly of infantry: but there
was a small body of cavalry with them, about fifty in number; and they
also had two light field pieces, each drawn by six mules.

While the infantry were forming up, and the mules were being put to the
guns, the general and his staff suddenly rode out of camp and advanced
along the main road, with the evident intention of reconnoitring the
menaced position and ascertaining the most promising point of attack.
But Jack had no idea of allowing them to gain even so much advantage as
that; he therefore moved among his men, and selecting some twenty of the
best shots, rapidly transferred them to another patch of cover which
commanded the junction of the private with the main road, and instructed
them to open fire upon the reconnoitring party the moment that it should
come into view, himself remaining with them to encourage and give them
confidence. He had scarcely got his little body of sharpshooters into
position when the leading files of the reconnoitring party appeared in
sight at the junction of the two roads, evidently bent upon examining
the wrecked bridge; and Jack, waiting only until the entire body came
into view, gave the order to fire. The effect was disastrous to the
Spaniards, for the negroes, concealed as they were, and confident of
their own absolute safety, took aim with the utmost coolness and
deliberation, with the result that seven out of the dozen saddles were
emptied, while the general and another officer had their horses shot
under them. There was an immediate wild stampede of the survivors, the
two dismounted men contriving with difficulty to catch and mount a
couple of riderless horses; and ere they had got beyond range two more
men and three more horses were bowled over by the main body of Jack's
negroes, who had the adventurous party in view as soon as they were lost
to sight by the band of sharpshooters nearer the bridge.

Upon regaining his camp the Spanish general at once ordered forward his
two field guns, his instructions to the artillerymen apparently being to
shell the little clump of cover in which Jack had concealed his
sharpshooters. But the latter, despite his youth and inexperience, was
shrewd enough to foresee some such move as this, and accordingly he had
no sooner put the reconnoitring party to flight than he withdrew his men
from their place of concealment and marched them back to rejoin their
comrades, taking care to keep them all together, for he had