LIFE IN THE FAR WEST. 153 



implored him to enter, he replied with cries of defiance, 

 " Viva Carlos Quinto ! " and " Death or glory ! " He shouted 

 in vain to the flying crowd to halt ; but, seeing their 

 panic was beyond hope, he clutched his weapon more 

 firmly as the Americans dashed at him, closed his teeth 

 and his eyes, thought once of the vega of his beloved 

 Genii, and of Granada la Florida, and gave himself up for 

 lost. Those inside the Mission, when they observed the 

 flight of their cavalry, gave up the defence as hopeless ; 

 and already the charging mountaineers were almost under 

 the walls, when they observed the curious figure of the 

 little Don making demonstrations of hostility. 



" Wagh ! " exclaimed the leading hunter (no other than 

 our friend La Bonte), " here's a little crittur as means to 

 do all the fighting ; " and seizing his rifle by the barrel, he 

 poked ut the Don with the but-end, who parried the blow, 

 and with such a sturdy stroke, as nearly severed the stock 

 in two. Another mountaineer rode up, and, swinging his 

 lasso overhead, threw the noose dexterously over the Span- 

 iard's head, and as it fell over his shoulders, drew it taut, 

 thus securing the arms of the pugnacious Don as in a vice. 



" Quartel ! " cried the latter ; " por Dios, quartel ! " 



" Quarter be d ! " exclaimed one of the whites, who 



understood Spanish ; " who's a-goin' to hurt you, you little 

 crittur ? " 



By this time Fray Augustin was waving a white flag from 

 the roof, in token of surrender ; and soon after he appeared 

 trembling at the door, beseeching the victors to be merci- 

 ful and to spare the lives of the vanquished, when all and 

 everything in the Mission would be freely placed at their 

 disposal. 



"What does the niggur say?" asked old Walker, the 

 leader of the mountaineers, of the interpreter. 



" Well, he talks so queer, this hos can't rightly make it 

 out." 



" Tell the old coon then to quit that, and make them 

 darned greasers clear out of the lodge, and pock some 

 corn and shucks here for the animals, for they're nigh 

 give out." 



