"And where is the good if we succeeded, as you say?"
"Good!" reiterated Toro, passionately. "Are they not our sworn foes? Are they not here in pursuit of us? Good!—why, will it not lessen the number of our enemies by their number at least?"
"Yes, perhaps," replied Hunston. "And if successful, it would so thoroughly alarm the country, that it would cause a whole army to be sent after us, and make the end a mere question of time. Let one escape to tell the tale and it would bring them down to this spot, our safest place in the mountains, and hitherto undiscovered by our enemies."
Toro grumbled.
Yet there was so much truth in what Hunston said that he could urge nothing further in favour of violent measures.
The sentry, who was still on the watch at the fissure in the rocks, here turned round and motioned them to silence.
"Not so loud," he exclaimed, in a whisper; "they can hear something; they are looking our way."
"Hah!"
In fact, the military were so near, that they could be heard plainly enough giving their words of command.
"Halt! Ground arms!"