There was a small
village here, and they at once halted. Although they had travelled slowly
they knew that the men could not come along for some time, as they were
not to start until an hour after them, and would be detained for some
considerable time at Castro. It was indeed nearly three hours before a
column marching in good order was seen coming along the road.
"That is a good sign," Terence said; "they have obeyed orders strictly;
whether they have got the arms I cannot tell yet. The men at the head of
the column have certainly muskets, but as the armed men were to go in
front that is no proof."
However, as the column approached, it could be seen that at any rate a
very considerable number were armed.
"We had better form them up as they come, Herrara. If the head of the
column stops it will stop them all, and then there will be confusion."
The road through the village was wide. When a hundred ranks had passed
they were halted, faced round, and marched forward, and so they continued
until the village was filled with a dense mass of men, twenty deep.
Terence observed with satisfaction that they had with them six bullock
carts filled with ammunition-cases, spare muskets, and powder-barrels. The
men who had first spoken to Terence had headed the column, and these had
stopped by his side as the others marched in.
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