"General," he said raising his voice, "can you hear me?"
"Who speaks?" the General answered immediately.
"I, Colonel Melendez de Gongora."
"Heaven be praised!" the General shouted; "in that case all goes well."
"On the contrary, all goes ill."
"What do you mean?"
"That, like yourself, I am in the hands of the accursed insurgents who have captured you."
"Mil Demonios!" the old soldier shouted angrily.
"Are you all right?"
"Bodily, yes; my officers and myself have received no wounds; I must confess that the demon who played us this trick was so far civil."