It soon became apparent to the bandits that the ammunition of their antagonists was expended; and their courage and insolence rose accordingly. They showed their whole figures at times, and fired with greater rapidity than before, shouting,— "_Mueran los heregos! Muera, borrachos! perros! ladrones!_" and many a loud and deep _carajo_, together with innumerable other Spanish epithets and maledictions. "Thank Heaven, day begins to break!" observed Pedro Gomez, as a pale light in the east began to replace that of the faded moon. "We shall then get rid of these bawling rascals; they will scarcely dare to besiege us in open daylight." "I have my doubts as to what course they may pursue, senor." "How, Pedro?" "Indeed, senor, in the present disorganized state of the country, our Spanish robbers are bold enough to do any thing. Throughout the whole land they are numerous as the leaves of the forest, and keep up lines of regular communication between one place and another. We may thank the French invasion for such a state of things." "Why are such bands permitted to exist?" "Exist, senor! Can shaven monks or lazy alcaldes subdue them?"’ "No; but armed soldiers may." "Lord Wellington does not meddle with them, as they never assault his troops; and old Murillo’s soldiers have always work enough on hand, without making war on the banditti." "But how do these fellows come to be so numerous? Ah, curse that ball! a narrow escape!" "Senor, war compels our peasantry to become fierce and roving guerillas: from the guerilla to the bandit is an easy transition." "I may rejoice that at home, in my own country, we have nothing of that kind to experience. ’Tis perfect day-light now: the thieves are still on the watch. I would they had retired, as I feel very much exhausted by fatigue and want of sleep." The two soldiers felt in the same predicament, and the reader may imagine the comfort of being drenched by fording the deep stream, and then being obliged to pass the night in a damp cavern without sleep or rest, after the stirring events, exhaustion, and fatigue of the day, and the exposure to the bullets of some twenty desperadoes for an entire night. Evan was seized with a cold shivering, like a fit of the ague, and began to drop asleep in spite of his strenuous efforts to keep himself awake.