176 TRAVEL, ADVENTURE, AND SPORT. 



The troops turned out in an instant ; a body of cav- 

 alry was sent to patrol the road, whilst parties of in- 

 fantry hastened in all directions to endeavour to inter- 

 cept the flight of the prisoners. Amidst the din and 

 confusion, the voice of the French colonel might be 

 heard exciting his men by the promise of large re- 

 wards for the recapture of the notable partisan who 

 had thus eluded his vigilance. Meantime, Marquinez 

 and his aid-de-camp, guided by La Collegiala, laboured 

 through the heavy ground ; now falh'ng into ditches, 

 now stumbling over stumps of trees and other objects 

 which their haste and the darkness prevented them 

 from seeing. They fortunately passed the pickets 

 before the intelligence of their escape had reached 

 those advanced posts, the officers in command of 

 which, hearing the drums beat to arms, and not 

 knowing the nature of the alarm, kept their men to- 

 gether, instead of extending them right and left, which 

 would probably have ensured the taking of the three 

 Spaniards. At length, covered with mud and pant- 

 ing for breath, Marquinez and his companion reached 

 the squadron, which was still formed up in the field 

 where La Collegiala had left it. Two men dis- 

 mounted ; Marquinez and Villaverde sprang into 

 their saddles, and the little party of hussars moved 

 off across the country in good order, and as fast as the 

 heavy ground would permit. At the same instant 

 they heard the clatter of the horses' hoofs of the 

 French dragoons as they galloped along the road, 



