ot lose consciousness altogether, but my nerves were so shattered that I mixed up fact

. In the opposite corner was a mattress, with a blanket and rug rolled neatly at the head; above

nd open, and he had fine dark eyes. He was in undress uniform, and I judged, rightly as it turned out, that he was a Spanish

but could not speak

I understand," and at that he went out, com

an enemy his due, and it is only just to say that this young officer, Captain Santiago Mariano,

he only one rescued. Three men, he said, had been washed ashore, but they were all dead. Two were

icked up by some Indians further along the coast; but no one really kn

n to hope that José had somehow escaped from the sea. He was a strong man

expression on his face. I was able to walk by this time, and stood by

y, "have you any reason to

eadlong into another; but this question made me uneasy. As far as safety went, I might as well have stay

ed Santiago, "but the warning may help

aid I, w

general, who is inspecting

father speak of

interested. 'A boy named Crawford?' said he thoughtfully; 'is he in the fort now?' and on hearing you were, told

a short, spare man, with closely-cropped gray hair and a grizzled beard. His face was tanne

d, and, at a sign from t

laimed, "By St. Philip, there's no need to ask. You'

," said I, for his cool and somewhat

hands as if to say, "The boy's crazy;" but wh

ith my father's fate," I answere

les his feathers early!" and then, again addre

e benefit of my health-a

he were in deep thought. I stood by the window watching

derstand. Your father tried, and tried hard, to wrest this country from its proper ruler, our honoured master, the King of Spain. He failed; but others have taken his place, and

of kindness rather stra

be out of mischief, and here I intend you

if you mean to keep me a p

then turning on hi

and enter the commandant's quarters. Ten minutes a

tain, coming into the room, "but a soldi

or a better jailer

ortunately you won't be under my care. H

, the soldiers a few paces in the rear. At the end stood

I, looking in,

y barred. The furniture consisted of bedstead and rugs, a chair, small table, and one or two other ar

me; "but"-and here he lowered his voice to a whisper-"don't be foolish and try to escape.

hint," said I as

were shot, the footsteps of the so

lested about the courtyard. The general had gone, and most of the officers, including Santiago, showed

ry, and I was carefully watched. One day I dragged my bedstead under the window, and making a ladder of the table and chair, climbed to the bars. A single glance showed the folly of

paniards had allowed me to keep the silver key,

g the Indian, as usual, brought in my breakfast, and was turning to go, when he suddenly stopped and stared at me with a loo

hat is it? Have I alter

owing low, exclaimed in grea

being unfastened, the silver key had sli

is the key right

now, and the glow in th

ter's name?" he

be trustworthy; and in the second, the only name I knew was that of the bandit chief. However, I

, "he is a great chief. Hide the key, se?or, and wait.

? Thrusting the mysterious key out of sight, I sat down to breakfast with what appetite I could muster. All that day I was in a state of great excitemen

ange of jailers? What has b

the man, who was evidently in a very b

him, and shooting the bolts viciously. The next morning he came again,

h curiosity, and to a certain extent strengthened my hope that the Indian intended to

nd that reached me was the periodical "All's well!" of the sentry stationed at the end of the corrido

one was creeping stealthily across the floor. Presently I heard a faint sound, and knew that the object, whatever it mi

id I. "Wh

y. Dress quickly and come

the sentry

replied the voice. "Quick

nds of an unknown man, but I slipped on my clothes, and keeping

the end of this passage the body of the sentry lay on the g

he way into an empty room, the door of which was o

then said something to an unseen per

he figure of a third man, who, grasping my hand, whi

ight of steep steps in a kind of shaft, very narrow, and so foul that breathing was difficult. At the bottom was a fair-sized chamber, with a lofty roof-at least I judged it so by the

so low that we had to lie flat on the ground, and so n

ile when I speak of what one man called "crawling along a passage;" yet had the terrors of the

s not a glimmer of light, and the foul air threatened suffocation at every yard. I could breathe only with great difficulty,

was truly and horribly afraid. However, there was no turning back-indeed ther

ising to his feet, stood upright: we had arrived at the exit from the tunnel. Clambering up, I once more found myself in the open air, and was instantly fol

n I had no idea. At first we had the roar of the thundering sea in our ears, but presently that grew faint, until the sound was completel

gures, including both men and horses. No time was wasted in talk; a man brought me a horse, and a loose cloak with a hood i

almost to their fetlocks; every puff of wind blew it around us in cloud

unless it was by the direction of the wind, as there were

ed a narrow valley shut in by two gigantic ranges of hills. Here a voice hailed us from the rocks,

dotted about on both slopes; and the horsemen who had for

he, "and the dogs ha

t somewhat apart from the rest. An Indian boy standing at

e?or, or sleep?"

oon as you have answer

best, and he mixed it up with a patois which I only half understood. However,

he fort both as a spy on the garrison and to assist comrades if at any time they endeavoured to capture the stronghold by way of the secret passage. Only

was to communicate with his friends, and then, by feigning illness, to divert suspicion from himself. As soon as we de

is explanation, I asked him to

has ever set foot. Here you are quite safe, for all

ever come he

ssengers come and g

ther. "I shall be able to get a message through to

ther, and in a few minutes I was fast asleep, forgetful