Doña Clara hung her head and returned to her seat by the wounded man.
The adventurers had continued to advance and were soon scarce ten paces from the Spaniards, whose terror was augmented by this disagreeable vicinity.
"Hola, brothers!" Montbarts shouted in a powerful voice; "Halt, if you please."
The filibusters instantaneously became motionless.
"And now, you fellows," the Admiral continued, addressing the soldiers; "throw down your arms, unless you wish to be immediately shot."
All the lances and swords fell on the ground with a unanimity which proved the desire of the soldiers not to have the menace carried into effect.
"Surrender your sword, sir," Montbarts said to the Count.
"Never!" the latter exclaimed, as he made his horse curvet, and advanced with upraised blade on the adventurer, from whom he was only three paces distant.
At the same instant a fusil was discharged and the sword blade, struck within an inch of the guard, was shivered; the Count found himself disarmed. With a sudden movement Montbarts seized the horse's bridle with one hand, and with the other hurled the Count from the saddle and laid him prostrate on the ground.
"Patatras!" Lepoletais said laughingly, while reloading his fusil; "What a deuced funny idea to try alone to resist five hundred men."