But suddenly from above there came a sound other than that of the
rushing rocks, the sound of men joining in battle, that grew and grew
till the air was full of its tumult, then something whirled down from on
high. I looked; it was no stone, but a man, one of my own men. Indeed he
was but as the first rain-drop of a shower.
Alas! I saw the truth; I had been outwitted. The Spaniards, old in war,
could not be caught twice by such a trick; they advanced down the pass
with the carronades indeed because they must, but first they sent great
bodies of men to climb the mountain under shelter of the night, by
secret paths which had been discovered to them, and there on its summit
to deal with those who would stay their passage by hurling rocks upon
them. And in truth they dealt with them but too well, for my men of the
Otomie, lying on the verge of the cliff among the scrub of aloes and
other prickly plants that grew there, watching the advance of the foe
beneath, and never for one moment dreaming that foes might be upon their
flank, were utterly surprised. Scarcely had they time to seize their
weapons, which were laid at their sides that they might have the greater
freedom in the rolling of heavy masses of rock, when the enemy, who
outnumbered them by far, were upon them with a yell. Then came a fight,
short but decisive.
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