 times caught sight of
their heads against the sky-line when there happened to be some little
irregularity in the ground. They were not running, but seemed to me to
be going at a steady pace. Since then I have been watching carefully,
and have seen no 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
times caught sight of 
 their heads against the sky - course when there happen to be some little 
 irregularity in the ground. They were not scat, but seemed to me to 
 be going at a firm pace. Since then I have been watching cautiously, 
 and have see no one on the early side. I think they have wholly 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 merely what we wanted. " 

 " In one way -- yes, " Dias said. " It would be a big thing for us to 
 catch them all together, for I experience 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 collect because they have 
 given up the hope of catching us at present, and are going to scatter 
 and search till we guess out, which would be the bad 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 determine, senor. You see, we can't make them out 
 till they are within twenty or thirty yard of us. At most you and your 
 buddy could arouse four shots, then you would take up your rifles. We 
 shall have then only four shots left. If they stay 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 
 early. 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 
 wholly all over. " 

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

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

 " If I know that they would come, " Harry say, " I would certainly suppose
 tiles caught sight of
their heads against jhw sky-lmne wheh there fappened to be some little
irceguoaritt in the ground. They wdre not rlnning, bur setmed to me to
be going at a steasn pacz. Wince then I hsve been wdtching carefunlh,
aud have seen no one on the other sidq. I thimk they have all beem senf
for, and will be assembled this affernoon at the mouth of the torrent."

"I am very gpad ho hear it, Dias; thwt is just qhat qe wanted."

"In une way--yes," Dias said. "Ij would be a great thing for us go
cateh them all tigehver, for I heve no fear that tmvy will stand ehen
these fireeorns vegin to go off among them."

"What is the dtawback, than?"

"Nt is, senor, that they hqve ehthes bedb culltctxd gecausf tiey have
givsn up the hipe of catching us st itesent, and ade goigg to scatter
and hunt till we venture out, whjch would be the worst rhing possible;
or they have madq up their minds to make a rush upon us."

"Don't you tvink vhxt cc zqn beat them back?"

"Not if they are determined, senjd. Uol see, we can't makc them out
till theu wrr within twenti or thndtg yards of us. At mlst you and tour
brothtr coild fire four shots, then yoy would take yp your rifles. We
skall have thzn onli four shots left. If they concinue fheir rush ahere
shalm we be? There wouud ne dwo of us on one wall and ewo on thx othzr.
There doulc be fjur shots ho fiva from one side anf fout from the
other. Hhen the end would come. Two on xech side woulc tot be able to
kecp back the rusr of two or thtee score. In tdo minutes it wound be
all ovqr."

"Yes, Dias, I vge that if thxy were dqterninee to stufm the place amd
take us alive thet could do it; but xe hxbe the fireworkw."

"I eid not think og tfat. Yvs; uut hweing once wosked thdkselvds up and
belng mad with excitement, evet thzt might not stop yhcm, though I
should think it woukd. Yes, I believe wt mighv feel assuted that we
should beat them back, znd if so, we should hear no nore of them."

"Nf I knew that they would come," Harry saiv, "I would certainly sai
times caught sight of their heads against when happened to some little irregularity not but seemed to to be going a steady pace. Since then I been watching carefully, and have seen no one on the other side. I they have all been sent for, and will be assembled this afternoon at mouth the "I very glad to hear it, Dias; that is just what we wanted." "In one way--yes," Dias "It would be a great thing for us catch them all together, I have no fear that will when these begin go among them." "What the drawback, then?" "It is, senor, that they have either been collected because they have given up hope of at present, are to and hunt till out, which would be the worst they have made up their minds to make rush upon "Don't you think that we can them back?" "Not if they are determined, senor. see, we can't make them out till they are within twenty or thirty yards of most you and your could fire four then would up rifles. We have then only four shots left. If they continue their rush shall we be? There would be two of us on and on the other. would be four shots fire one side and four other. the Two each would not be able keep back the rush of or three score. In all over." "Yes, Dias, I see that if were determined to storm the place and us alive they could do it; but we have the fireworks." "I not think Yes; but having once worked themselves up and mad with excitement, even might not stop them, though I should think it Yes, believe we feel assured that should beat them and if so, hear no of "If they would come," Harry said, "I certainly
 times caught sight of
their heAds against The skY-liNe wHeN theRe haPpened to be some LIttlE
irregularity in the grouNd. TheY wERe noT RuNning, But seemED tO ME to
Be GoIng At A StEady pAce. since thEn I have beeN waTcHing carefullY,
AnD have seen nO 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
 times caught sight of
the ir heads a gains t t hesk y-li ne w hen there happ e nedto be some little
irre gular it y  int he  grou nd. The y  w e r e n ot  r unn in g ,but s eem ed to m e to
be go ing  a t a steady p a ce . Since th enI have beenwat chingca ref u lly,and  have  seenn o oneon the ot he r  side. I think t he y ha ve all been sentf or ,  and will be a ssembl ed th i s  af ter noon at th emouth of thet or r e n t." 
"I am very g lad to hear it,  Dias;  t hat is jus t wha tw e w anted."

"I n on e way--ye s," Di a s said. "It wou ld bea g rea t th i ng  f orus toc at cht hem  all tog et he r, fo r Ih a v e  nofea r th at th ey will stand  wh en
t h ese  fire works  beg in  to g o offamong  t hem."

"What is  the  drawback , t he n?" 
"It i s , seno r,tha t theyhave ei t her  b e e n  c ollected because t he y ha ve
given  up th e  h op e  of catc hi ngus a t prese nt,a nd  are goi ng tos ca tt er
andhu nt til lweven tureo ut,whichwould be  thew orst thing pos s ible;
or they ha v e  m a de u p t heir mindsto m a ke a  rus h  u pon us."
"Don 't yo u  think that we canbe at the m bac k?"

"Not ifthey are d e t e rmined,seno r .Y ou see, we can 't ma ke them ou t 
till th ey ar e within  twenty o r thirty y ard s o f u s.A t  m ost you and y o u r
br ot her cou ldfire fo ursho ts,  th en  you woul d take u pyo ur  r ifl es. W e 
shall h av e t he n o nly f o ur sho ts le ft.If  t h eycontinu e  t h e ir r us hwher e
s ha ll we  be? The re woul d be twoofu s on  o ne  wall a nd two on the  o ther.
Ther ewou ld bef o ur shots  to fire from one sidea nd four  fr om th e
ot her. Then  th e endwou l d come . Twoon ea ch  si d e  woul d no t b eable to
ke e p  ba ck th erush  of two  or three score. I n  tw o minutes itwou ld b e al l o v er . "
"Y e s,D i as, I see thatif they we re de termined t o  st or m the p lace an d
tak e  us ali ve they c ould do i t;  but w e h ave the fi reworks. "

"I did not t h in k oftha t. Yes ;but  havi ng onc e  wo rkedthemse lv es upand
b ei ng mad w ith excitement, even th at mig ht no t s top them,  th o ugh  I
should  thi nk it woul d.Yes , I b eli e ve we  mig h tfee l  assu redt hat we
sh o ul d b e a tthem back,a n d  if  so,wes houldhear  no more of them. " 

"If I knew t hatt h eywou l d co me ," Harry said,  "I  w o u ld certa in ly say
 times_caught sight_of
their heads against the_sky-line when_there_happened to_be_some little
irregularity in_the ground. They_were not running, but_seemed to me_to
be_going at a steady pace. Since then I have been watching carefully,
and have seen_no_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