A slight elevation of the sod, which would soon disappear, alone marked the place where reposed for ever the body of a man whose unfamed heroism had saved by a sublime devotedness those who had confided to him the care of their safety. The mourners separated, swearing to avenge the dead, or that failing, to do as he had done. Darkness was now spread over all. The general, after having made a last round, to satisfy himself that the sentinels were steady at their posts, wished his niece a good night, and laid himself down across the entrance of her tent, on the outside. Three hours passed away in perfect quiet. All at once, like a legion of demons, a score of men silently scaled the entrenchments, and before the sentinels, surprised by this sudden attack, could attempt the least resistance, they were seized and slaughtered. The camp of the Mexicans was invaded by the pirates, and in their train entered murder and pillage! CHAPTER VII. THE BATTLE. The pirates bounded into the camp like jackals, howling and brandishing their weapons. As soon as the camp was invaded, the captain left his people to pillage and kill at their pleasure. Without concerning himself any more about them, he rushed towards the tent. But there his passage was barred. The general had rallied seven or eight men round him, and awaited the bandit firmly, resolved to die rather than allow one of those wretches to touch his niece. At the sight of the old soldier, with his flashing eye, his pistol in one hand and his sword in the other, the captain paused. But this pause did not last longer than a flash of lightning; he got together a half-score of pirates by a shout for help. "Give way!" he said, brandishing his machete. "Come on!" the general said, biting his moustache with fury. The two men rushed upon each other, their people imitated them, and the _mêlée_ became general. Then followed a terrible and merciless struggle between men who, on both sides, knew they had no pity to expect. Everyone endeavoured to make his blows mortal, without taking the trouble to parry those dealt upon himself, satisfied with falling, provided that in his fall he could drag down his adversary. The wounded endeavoured to rise, for the purpose of burying their poniards in the bodies of those who were fighting around them. This fierce contest could not last long; all the lanceros were massacred; the general fell in his turn, struck down by the captain, who threw himself upon him and bound him tightly with his belt, in order to prevent the possibility of his resisting any further. The general had only received slight wounds, which had scarcely penetrated to the flesh; for the captain, for reasons best known to himself, had carefully protected him during the combat, parrying with his machete the blows which the bandits tried to inflict upon him. He wished to take his enemy alive, and he had succeeded.