The report of a musquet, the whiz and crack of a ball, as it was flattened against the hard granite walls of the cavern, made him suddenly withdraw his head; and the loud shout of savage derision and laughter which arose from those below caused his blood to boil tumultuously, and his heart to swell with anger and impatience. He soon found himself becoming a prey to weariness and exhaustion, owing to the fatigue, excitement, and want of sleep which he had endured during the last twenty-four hours, and it was with the utmost difficulty he refrained from following Evan’s example, and falling into slumber. Often did Pedro Gomez recommend him earnestly to do so, reminding him how much might yet have to be endured, and promising to keep faithful watch and ward; but Ronald dared not trust him, fearing that he too might be overcome with drowsiness, and leave them at the mercy of the bandits. Towards noon, to their inexpressible satisfaction, the besiegers began to draw off by degrees, as if wearied of the affair, and retired into the wood, leaving the ford of the river free. "_Hio!_ our Lady del Pilar!" cried Pedro, exultingly. "_Viva!_ senor; they have abandoned their post. Should we get off scathless, I vow most solemnly to visit the shrine of our Lady of Majorga, and present her with three days’ pay, and a new hat of the best kind that Badajoz or Zafra can produce."[*] [*] Great manufactories of hats are carried on in these towns. "And should we not get off scathless, Pedro?" said Ronald merrily, as he rose from the ground and stretched his limbs. "Then not a maravedi shall she get from Sargento Gomez,—no, _diavolo_!" Ronald laughed aloud at the Spaniard’s ideas of religious gratitude, and aroused his servant, who started up with agility, grasping his musquet, all alive in an instant to the recollection of their situation. "Gracious me, sir! I daur say I have slept. On sic an occasion as this to tempt Providence wi’—" "Never mind, Evan, my honest man; all is right now." "But the reiving loons—" "Have abandoned their post and fled. We have nothing to do now but to march off, and make the best of our way to some safe place. Had we accepted the offer of the honest muleteer, we should have escaped a most disagreeable night; but as the play says, ’All is well that ends well.’" "But dinna be ower rash, sir," said Evan cautiously, as he looked through the screen of vines, and surveyed the ground with a sharp glance. "Be weel assured that the caterans are gane for gude and a’," he added, grasping his master’s belt as he was about to descend. "Gone? I tell you they are so undoubtedly," replied Ronald, testily. "You see there is no trace of them now, and we had better depart from our uncomfortable billet without further delay." "I beg your pardon, sir; but just bide a wee—bide a wee. What ca’ ye that?"