If you hand the end to those poor fellows in the water, your strength will be sufficient to haul them up." Roger at once set to, at the work of saving life, and dragged more than a score of men who would otherwise have been drowned.

He heard the cry which was raised, when Cortez was attacked; and throwing down his pike and drawing his sword, turned to rush to his assistance; but at this moment two Mexicans threw themselves upon him, his foot slipped in the mud, and in another moment he and his two assailants were rolling down the deep bank into the water.
With a mighty effort, he freed himself from their grasp and, gaining the bank, tried to climb up; but a canoe dashed up alongside, a dozen Mexicans threw themselves upon him, and with a triumphant shout drew him into the boat, which at once paddled off from the scene of conflict.
Roger, as he lay at the bottom of the canoe, felt that all hope was over.

He knew that the Aztecs never spared a captive taken in war, and that all who fell into their hands were destined for the altars of their gods.

He regretted deeply that he had not fallen in battle; but determined that, at any rate, he would not die tamely; and resolved that, rather than be slaughtered in cold blood on the altar, when the time came, he would offer so desperate a resistance that they would be forced to kill him.
Passing along several canals, the canoe stopped at some stairs.
Roger was taken out, and led through a shouting crowd to a great temple, where he was thrust into a prison room, already occupied by several Spaniards.

Their numbers increased, until they amounted to twenty.
Few words were spoken among the prisoners.