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Updated: June 25, 2025
"I don't much care who leads," said Alzura, "as long as we win; and it's about time something was done. The Royalists are getting a strong following in the city again." "Bah!" exclaimed Plaza scornfully, "they're just weather-cocks, twisting about with every wind that blows first Royalist, then Patriot, then Royalist again! It's enough to take away one's breath. Did you hear about Camba?"
Two days had passed since my interview with Rosa Montilla, and I was sitting in my room at the barracks, feeling at enmity with all the world. "It's a pity we've nothing better to do than to make fools of ourselves," said I savagely, when young Alzura burst in on me excitedly.
In honour of our arrival our brother officers had organized a grand supper, the greatest delicacy being a small loaf of white bread, which they insisted on sharing with Alzura and myself.
"What is it, Alzura? what's all the fuss about?" I asked, wearily getting off my mule for we rode horses only when absolutely necessary. "Oh, my dear Juan, you will be delighted," he replied, his face brimming with fun. "We are just going back to Challuanca. The viceroy is somewhere in our rear with all his army, and we have to run for it." "My animal is dead-beat," said I gloomily.
Twice, in spite of every precaution, I missed my footing, and the second time had sunk to the waist before Alzura could pull me out. "I can't see you very well, Juan," said he, laughing, "but I have an idea that you would cut a fine figure in a ballroom just now." "Especially if it were a fancy-dress affair," I replied in the same tone.
In addition, we were allowed at certain hours to walk up and down a long corridor, so that we got a fair amount of exercise. Alzura and a few of the other youngsters spent much time in planning methods of escape, and they were glad of any suggestions I could offer. As a rule, our arrangements ended in talk.
"Nearly a half of the third squadron are mounted on baggage mules; their horses are all dead." "They must get fresh ones from the enemy," I suggested. "Come," said Plaza; "there's nothing more to see here." And we returned to the tent. Anxious to have a good long night, Cordova soon fell asleep; but Alzura and I sat up chatting till within an hour or two of dawn.
While we had been fighting, General Miller had rallied the beaten battalions and posted them in a commanding position to cover our ride through the pass. That night in bivouac we counted Santiago's venture had cost us more than two hundred men, all the spare horses, and a quantity of stores. "I hope you are proud of your Royalist friend," said Alzura to me. "He has done us a nice bit of mischief."
"Take care of the town, Juan," said one; "we shall want it when we come back." "Some day, when you are a man, we will take you with us," laughed Ensign Alzura, a merry, round-faced youngster of sixteen; "but we must have seasoned men for this trip, dear boy." "Should the Spaniards arrive while we're away, ask them to wait till our return," remarked another.
They carried on their heads whatever bundles they had, and we carefully noted the landing-place, as well as the track across the morass which they appeared to take. "It seems easy enough, doesn't it?" Alzura would say; "but in the dark it would be different! Think of the quagmires, Juan! Caramba! the sergeant was right. We had better give up our dreams, Juan, eh?"
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