This was treading on dangerous ground; but as we really were worn out, and there seemed no chance of escape, I thought it best to take the bull by the horns. At the worst we should only be handed over to the enemy and sent back to prison. So I answered quietly, "No; we are Patriot officers who have escaped from the Spaniards. If you are on our side, perhaps you will help us to return to our own people." "You are with friends, senor, if what you say is true," remarked one who seemed to have some sort of authority. "_If?_" said I, trying to speak haughtily; "do you doubt it?" "Well," said the fellow, with a knowing grin, "you don't look much like officers of any kind." And he was right. We were, in fact, a pair of as dreary-looking objects as one would be likely to meet. Our sandals were worn out, our clothes hung in rags, and the holes in Alzura's tunic made it painfully apparent that he did not indulge in the luxury of a shirt. Whether we wore uniform, and if so what kind, would have been difficult to decide, as we were still plastered with mud from head to foot. So I could not altogether blame the man for his distrust. However, I repeated my statement, told him we had fought under the Englishman Miller, and at last introduced the name of Raymon Sorillo. "We know him well," I said in conclusion, "and are good friends of the Silver Key." Apparently my words were interpreted for the benefit of our captors, who jabbered together for a considerable time, while Alzura and I anxiously awaited the result of the conference. At last the leader of the horsemen, turning to me, said, "Senor, it is decided that I shall take you to the army, where your words can be proved. If your story is not true, you will be shot as spies." "All right; we agree!" I exclaimed joyfully, for it was a delightful thought that we were to escape the strange beings who spent their time in running about the rocks. "We shall start early," he continued, "so you had better get some rest." Which we did, as soon as our excited state permitted. "Bravo!" exclaimed Alzura, after breakfast the next morning; "this is an improvement. Fancy being on horseback again! This will be better than trudging on foot, Juan, eh?" "What about the men who have lent us their horses?" "Oh," said he merrily, "I believe they would as soon walk as ride, and I'm sure they could keep up longer than the animals." By this talk you will understand we had been provided with a couple of horses; and taking leave of our original captors, we rode off with our new ones. Of course, both Alzura and I were unarmed, and the leader, in a quiet way, so arranged that we were never very far from a man with a musket.