oom.

"He is nowhere below, but we shall probably unkennel him in the upper
story," I heard one of them say as they mounted the stairs.

They at last entered the room.

"Where can that rascally English doctor be?" exclaimed one of them. "He
was too wise to hide in his own house; but if he is not here, where is
he?"

"Never fear, we shall catch him somewhere," observed another; "and we
shall have the pleasure of seeing the Republican heretic shot, to repay
us for our trouble."

From these remarks I knew that our house must have been searched
directly after I left it, and that I had had a very narrow escape. I
was in hopes that something would have been said to inform me of what
had happened to Mr Laffan; but no remark was made on the subject. I
could only hope that Mr Laffan's plan had succeeded, and that they had
been afraid to touch him. The long-coated, grave-looking dominie would
never have been suspected of having lately acted the part of a dashing
lancer.

We lay listening and perfectly still, for as we could hear everything
that was said, we knew that the slightest noise might have betrayed us.

"Are you convinced, gentlemen, that the English doctor is not here?" I
heard Don Cassiodoro ask. "Now, I desire you to apologise to me for
your intrusion. The general knows best whether it would be politic to
shoot a skilful surgeon and an Englishman, who is willing and able to
heal the wounds of the loyal subjects of King Ferdinand as well as of
rebels. My belief is, that although he may love liberty in the
abstract, he is too much engaged in his professional duties to interfere
in any way in politics."

At length we heard the front door close, and Don Cassiodoro returned to
the recess to tell us that we might come down, but that my father must
be ready to return to his place of concealment at a moment's notice.
"And you, young sir," he said, turning to me, "it will be wise in you to
keep out of the way of General Calzada; for, should he find out whose
son you are, he might seize you as a hostage for the doctor."

On this, my father told Don Cassiodoro that he was anxious to send me
and my tutor to Bogota, and that under the circumstances it would be
safer for us to travel under assumed names.

Don Cassiodoro at once agreed to render all the assistance in his power;
for he saw that the sooner I could set off the better. So, in the first
place, as it was necessary to obtain a couple of horses, he immed