"DEAR FATHER, I am in the power of the 'Sequestradores,' who make good plans and bind fast. It is madness to put the government on their track--they will escape and you will lose your son. Your secrecy and your money can at once free me. You can send the silver by Diego our steward, who is the bearer of this. Let him appear on the mountain between Grazalema and El Bosque, riding a white donkey and bringing ten thousand dollars." Here the prisoner stopped short and point blank refused to demand so large a sum, declaring that to pay it his brothers would be robbed of their patrimony and that he had no right to ask even when his life was at stake for more than his individual share as one member of a large family. It was a fair argument and he held out so staunchly that the brigand was pleased to reduce the demand to six thousand dollars. The letter conveying these terms was then completed, signed and delivered to Diego, who was told to make the best of his way to Xeres, and as dawn had now broken he had no difficulty in finding the road. Don Pedro was hospitably entertained. A wine skin (_borracha_) was broached and a plentiful supper laid out. The day was spent in sleep, but at nightfall the march was resumed. The prisoner was once more blindfolded, the weary pilgrimage, halting by day, travelling by night for three nights in succession, was resumed. On one occasion he seemed near rescue. A cry of "Civiles! Civiles!" was raised, an alarm of the near approach of the much dreaded _guardias civiles_. Orders were promptly issued to prepare for action. The brigands closed their ranks, sent their prisoner to the rear and took post to open fire. In the confusion Don Pedro, keenly alert for the deliverance that seemed so near, managed to lift the bandage over his eyes sufficiently to peep around. The party stood on a narrow ledge of the mountain side, straight cliff above, sheer drop below: movement forward or back was alone feasible. Meanwhile the increasing clatter of hoofs betrayed the enemy's approach, nearer and nearer, and the brigands barring the narrow road hoped to take them at a disadvantage and, after shooting them down, make good their retreat. But the sight of the first horse showed that it had been a false alarm. These were not "_Civiles_" but "_Contrabandistas_," smugglers not policemen, friends not foes. A long train of animals, heavily laden with goods that had paid no duty, were being guided across the mountains. Don Pedro's hopes were crushed out of him when he heard the interchange of friendly greetings: "_Muy buenas noches!_" on one side and "_Vayan ustedes con Dios_," on the other; "Good night!" and "Go in God's keeping," and room was made by the robbers for the safe passage of the smuggling train.