The three men set off at once. In spite of the means employed by the doctor, the general and the Negro were not quite at ease.
They arrived at the compartment which now served as a dormitory for the bandits; they were lying about asleep in all directions.
The fugitives passed safely through them.
When they arrived at the entrance of the grotto, at the moment they were about to unfasten the raft to cross the river, they saw, by the pale rays of the moon, another raft, manned by fifteen men, who steadily directed their course towards them.
Their retreat was cut off.
How could they possibly resist such a number of adversaries?
"What a fatality!" the general murmured, despondingly.
"Oh!" said the doctor, piteously, "a plan of escape that cost me so much trouble to elaborate!"
The fugitives threw themselves into a cavity of the rocks, to avoid being seen, and there waited the landing of the newcomers, whose manoeuvres appeared more and more suspicious.