“Viva Cuba Libre!”
Ramirez shouted that stirring battle-cry with the full strength of his lungs.
“Oh, it’s just glorious!” declared Hal, turning his sparkling eyes upon his comrade. “Two recruits, with six horses and sixty rifles!”
“Our comrades—that is, our comrades-to-be—will embrace us!” uttered Juan.
Click-clack! Hoofs rang out sharply on the stony bed of the ravine.
“Even if they turn to follow, we are leaving the Spaniards behind,” cried Juan.
“Very likely; but what if we were to encounter a second body of the enemy here in this ravine? Our turn to laugh would be over.”
That thought urged them to greater speed. When the ravine narrowed, Hal, with two of the led horses in tow, took the lead, Ramirez following closely.
“Juan, my comrade!”
“Si, mi amigo!”