He said, however, that he would not press them for an answer, at once.
Greatly rejoiced at finding that they were not, at present, to be thrown into prison; but were to be allowed to continue their independent life, in the barracks; the lads took their departure from the governor's house, and were most cordially received by their comrades.
For a short time everything went smoothly.

The suspicion that they were spies had now passed away, and the remembrance of their courageous action made them popular among all classes in the town.
A cloud, however, began to gather slowly round them.

Now that they had declared their nationality, they felt that they could no longer even pretend that it was likely that they might be induced to forsake their religion; and they accordingly refused, positively, to submit any longer to the teaching of the priests.

Arguments were spent upon them in vain and, after resorting to these, threats were not obscurely uttered.

They were told, and with truth that, only two or three months before, six persons had been burned alive, at Lima, for defying the authority of the church; and that, if they persisted in their heretical opinions, a similar fate might fall upon them.
English boys are accustomed to think with feelings of unmitigated horror, and indignation, of the days of the Inquisition; and in times like these, when a general toleration of religious opinion prevails, it appears to us almost incredible that men should have put others to death, in the name of religion.