"Take marks, Captain," whispered he; "we may get separated."
It was a dismal suburb. No living thing was apparent, with the
exception of a gang of prowling dogs, lean and savage, as all dogs are
during a siege. An image, decked in all the glare of gaud and tinsel,
looked out of a glazed niche in the opposite wall. A dim lamp burned at
its feet, showing to the charitable a receptacle for their offerings. A
quaint old steeple loomed in the darkness overhead.
"What church?" I asked Raoul.
"La Magdalena."
"That will do. Now onward."
"_Buenas noches, Senor_!" (good-night) said Raoul to a soldier who
passed us, wrapped in his great-coat.
"_Buenas noches_!" returned the man in a gruff voice.
We stole cautiously along the streets, keeping in the darker ones to
avoid observation. The citizens were mostly in their beds; but groups
of soldiers were straggling about, and patrols met us at every corner.
It became necessary to pass through one of the streets that was
brilliantly lighted. When about half-way up it a fellow came swinging
along, and, noticing our strange appearance, stopped and looked after
us.
Our dresses, as I have said, were of leather; our calzoneros, as well as
jackets, were shining with the sea-water, and dripping upon the pavement
at every step.
Before we could walk beyond reach, the man shouted out:
"_Carajo! caballeros_, why don't you strip before entering the _bano_?"
"What is it?" cried a soldier, coming up and stopping us.
A group of his comrades joined him, and we were hurried into the light.
"_Mil diablos_!" exclaimed one of the soldiers, recognising Raoul; "our
old friend the Frenchman! _Parlez-vous francais_, _Monsieur_?"
"Spies!" cried another.
"Arrest them!" shouted a sergeant of the guard, at the moment coming up
with a patrol, and we were both jumped upon and held by about a dozen
men.
In vain Raoul protested our innocence, declaring that we were only two
poor fishermen, who had wet our clothes in drawing the nets.
"It's not a fisherman's costume, Monsieur," said one.
"Fishermen don't usually wear diamonds on their knuckles," cried
another, snatching a ring from my finger.
On this ring, inside the circlet, were engraven my name and rank!
Several men, now coming forward, recognised Raoul, and stated, moreover,
that he had been missing for some days.
"He must, therefore," said they, "have been with the Yankees."
We were soon handcuffed and marched off to the guard-prison. There we
were closely searched, but nothing further was found, except my purse
containing several gold eagles--an American coin that of itself would
have been sufficient evidence to condemn me.
We were now heavily chained to each other, after which the guard left us
to our thoughts. They could not have left us in much less agreeable
companionship.