 one on the other side. I think they have all been sent
for, and will be assembled this afternoon at the mouth of the torrent."

"I am very glad to hear it, Dias; that is just what we wanted."

"In one way--yes," Dias said. "It would be a great thing for us to
catch them all together, for I have no fear that they will stand when
these fireworks begin to go off among them."

"What is the drawback, then?"

"It is, senor, that they have either been collected because they have
given up the hope of catching us at present, and are going to scatter
and hunt till we venture out, which would be the worst thing possible;
or they have made up their minds to make a rush upon us."

"Don't you think that we can beat them back?"

"Not if they are determined, senor. You see, we can't make them out
till they are within twenty or thirty yards of us. At most you and your
brother could fire four shots, then you would take up your rifles. We
shall have then only four shots left. If they continue their rush where
shall we be? There would be two of us on one wall and two on the other.
There would be four shots to fire from one side and four from the
other. Then the end would come. Two on each side would not be able to
keep back the rush of two or three score. In two minutes it would be
all over."

"Yes, Dias, I see that if they were determined to storm the place and
take us alive they could do it; but we have the fireworks."

"I did not think of that. Yes; but having once worked themselves up and
being mad with excitement, even that might not stop them, though I
should think it would. Yes, I believe we might feel assured that we
should beat them back, and if so, we should hear no more of them."

"If I knew that they would come," Harry said, "I would certainly say we
had best stay and defend ourselves; but we can't be sure that that is
their motive for assembling. They may, as you say, be going to move
off, leaving perhaps half a dozen men to watch the entrance and report
if we attempt to escape. That would be fatal, and our only chance