"Lucky Barriero, sitting in his little hut!" said Alzura; "no fighting, no starving! The next time we're taken prisoners we'll make the best of it, Juan." "I doubt if the Spaniards will make many prisoners--that is, among the officers," growled Cordova. "The men will be spared, but we shall be put out of the way of doing mischief." I think myself Cordova exaggerated the danger; but his opinion was shared by the great majority of the Patriots, and it was this fear which made them resolve to fight to the bitter end rather than surrender. After breakfast we lounged about on the heights watching the Royalists, who had encamped just without gunshot, wondering what our leaders would decide to do. CHAPTER XXVIII. THE BATTLE OF THE GENERALS. "They're coming down!" cried Alzura excitedly, rushing into our tent. It wanted two hours to sunset; we had done nothing all day, and tired of watching the enemy on the opposite heights, most of us had gone to sleep. Alzura's announcement woke us up, and running forward, we glanced eagerly at the hill, which a battalion of infantry was descending. "Skirmishers, nothing more," said Plaza quietly. "They fancy we might attempt a night attack. Take my word for it, they won't be foolish enough to meet us on the plain." "Unless they try a rush in the dark." "That's just possible, but not probable; they're sure of us without that." "There goes a battalion of our light infantry in extended order," remarked Cordova; "but there won't be any real fighting to-night. I'm going back to bed." "A very sensible proceeding, too," exclaimed a genial voice; and turning round we beheld General Miller. "I should advise all of you not on duty to do the same," he added. "Are we going to fight, general?" I asked eagerly. "Hullo, Crawford! I've been so busy that I've lost sight of you lately. Well, I hardly know. Perhaps the viceroy would be better able to tell you; he knows more about it than I do." "I don't think he'll abandon his strong position just to give us a better chance, sir," remarked Plaza. "Perhaps not," replied the general. "But you mustn't think he's in clover up yonder. His men are as hungry as ours, and that's saying much. If it is a fight, however, 'twill be a fight to the finish, and the Hussars of Junin won't be missing!" "Take us with you, sir!" "That's just what I've come to see the colonel about. I intend to get all the regiment together and use it as a battering-ram." "He thinks the Royalists will attack," said Alzura, as the general passed on. "He has heard something important, you may depend. And why shouldn't they? they're two to one, and have no end of guns." "I like his idea of using all the regiment," laughed Cordova. "Nearly a half of the third squadron are mounted on baggage mules; their horses are all dead." "They must get fresh ones from the enemy," I suggested. "Come," said Plaza; "there's nothing more to see here." And we returned to the tent.