My friends here are desirous that no stigma of massacre shall rest upon the Spanish honor, and they have therefore agreed to allow your men to keep their arms for purposes of defense on their return march." After a few words with his fellow officers the commander of the convoy agreed to the terms.

"You will, however," he said, "permit me to take with me one or more wagons, as may be required, to carry off my wounded ?" This was at once agreed to, and in ten minutes the two companies of French infantry were in readiness to march.

There were forty wounded in the wagons, and twenty-seven dead were left behind them.

The French officer in command, before marching off, thanked Jack very heartily for his interference on their behalf.
"I tell you frankly, Captain Stilwell," he said, "that I had no hopes whatever that I or any of my men would leave the ground alive, for these Spaniards invariably massacre prisoners who fall into their hands.

I could not have left my wounded behind me; and even if I had resolved to do so, the chances of our fighting our way back in safety would have been small indeed.