but he saw a ladder leaning against the masonry, and up he
went without asking permission of anybody. He was now standing upon the
broad parapet, with his glass at his eye, and he was obtaining a
first-rate view of the bombardment. On the land, stretching away to the
west and south, were the long lines of the American batteries, within a
not very long range of him, and from each of them at intervals the red
sheets of fire burst forth, while over them the black clouds of powder
smoke arose to be carried away by the brisk March wind that was blowing.
Far away to his right, or seaward, all at anchor in the positions
assigned them, lay the United States ships of war, of all kinds and
sizes, and these, too, were getting at work, although they were as yet
by no means putting forth their whole destructive power. It was as if
they were but studying this siege business, getting the ranges
correctly, and were preparing to do worse things than this in the days
which were to come. Ned was gazing intently at a great 44-gun ship,
which appeared to be sending her missiles at the castle, when a heavy
shot from one of the batteries struck the wall within a few yards of
him. It seemed to go deeply in, and the entire top of the parapet was
torn away for a width of several feet. Ned hurried at once to get a good
look down into the chasm, for it was the first time that he had seen
anything of the kind.

"I wonder if our shot are doing this kind of thing for their batteries
yonder," he said aloud, in the Spanish which was now habitual with him,
but at that moment a not unfriendly hand was laid upon his shoulder, and
a quiet, firm voice said to him:

"What are you doing here, Senor Carfora? You seem to have no fear."

"General Morales!" exclaimed Ned, in astonishment. "No, your Excellency.
I was not thinking of that, but of this big hole. I was wondering if the
walls of the castle are not stronger than these. If they are not--"

"They are much stronger, my brave fellow," interrupted the general. "I
am going over now to see how they are standing it. The Americans are
very accurate gunners. Now, sir, you must not expose yourself in this
manner. You are not a soldier. Go back into the city!"

"General," said Ned, pointing in the direction of the cathedral, "do,
please, look! Some of their shot go over the wall and strike away
inside. I am safer here than I would be in yonder. What I am afraid of
is that a great many of the women and children