The Spaniard leapt from his donkey, and with angry gesticulation endeavored to arrest them.  Finding that they heeded not his orders, he put his hand on his knife, but in a moment the boys’ dirks flashed in the air.

“Now, my lad,” Hawtry said.  “Two can play at that game, and if you draw that knife, we’ll let daylight into you.”

The Spaniard hesitated, then drew back and gave a loud, shrill whistle which was, the boys fancied, answered in the distance.

“Come on, Jack.  We must run for it.  We can leave this lumbering Spaniard behind, I have no doubt,” and sheathing their dirks, the boys set off at full speed.

The Spaniard appeared inclined to follow them, but distrusting his powers, he paused, gave a long, shrill whistle, twice repeated, and then mounted his donkey and driving the mules before him, he followed the boys at a hand gallop.

They had, however, a good start, and maintained their advantage.

“I don’t think,” Jack said, “we have passed a village for the last hour.  When we get to one, we’d better rush into a house, and ask for shelter.  These fellows will hardly dare to touch us there.”

Had the race been simply between the boys and their immediate pursuer, it is probable that they would have won it, for they were light, active, and in good condition, while the animals behind them had already been travelling for five hours, at a rate considerably above the speed to which they were accustomed.  The road, however, was an exceedingly winding one, which gave time to the confederates of the mule-driver to make a short cut, and, as the boys turned a sharp corner, they saw three men barring the road in front.

“It’s all up, Jack,” Hawtry said, pausing in his run.  “It’s no use making any resistance.  We should only get our throats cut straight off.”

Jack agreed, and they walked up to the men in front just as the muleteer came galloping up with his troupe.

“What do you want with us?” Hawtry said, advancing to the men.

There was a volley of maledictions at the run they had given them.  The boys were seized by the collar, their dirks, watches, and money roughly taken from them, their arms tied to their sides by the ropes taken from the mules, and they were motioned to accompany their captors.  These at once left the road and struck up the hill, the muleteer proceeding along the road with the animals.

With their arms tied, the boys found it hard work to keep up with their captors, who strode along with long steps.  The sun had by this time sunk, and presently they heard the distant boom of the sunset gun from Gibraltar.

“That gun must be fifteen miles away,” Hawtry said.  “What fools we have been, Jack, to be sure!”

In one of the three men who accompanied them they recognized the peasant who had spoken to the muleteer when he refused to accept their first offer, and they had no doubt that he had arranged with the man to lead them to a certain spot, to which he had proceeded direct, while their guide had conducted them by a circuitous route.