“You will find the plan of the town in your room when you return.”

Paolo was waiting for him.

“It is settled, Paolo; we are to go.”

“This is an adventure after my own heart,” the boy said with delight.  “It will be great fun to outwit the Spaniards.”

“Yes, but we must mind that they don’t outwit us, Paolo, which is quite as likely.  Now let us talk of our disguises again.  I think you had better go and buy them.  I would rather get old ones than new.  I don’t suppose that anyone is likely to take notice of me in the streets, but it would be well at any rate that we should not both have new clothes, and better that neither of us did so.”

“I can manage that, sir.  There are shops here where one can buy old clothes as well as new ones.  I noticed one the other day in a narrow street by the wall.  I wondered then who would buy some of the garments hung up.  They were so old and so often mended that it was difficult to say what was the original colour.  The people are very poor up in the mountains; since the war began, doubtless they have grown poorer, and are glad to buy anything that will cover them.”

“Well, here are ten crowns.”

“They won’t cost half that, master, but I will take them.”

“Mind and get something warm, Paolo; it is like enough that we shall have to sleep more than once in the open air, and the winds are bitterly cold.”

In half an hour the officer came with the plan, which Hector at once set to to study.  The citadel stood on ground but little, if at all, higher than that upon which the town was situated.  It was pentagonal in form, and was built in 1565, and was the earliest fortification in Europe in this style, and was considered a masterpiece.  It was separated from the town by its glacis.  A deep fosse ran along the foot of the wall.  The town itself was walled, and extended to the foot of the citadel, and was capable of offering a sturdy resistance even after the citadel had fallen, just as the citadel could protect itself after the capture of the town by an enemy.  Hector examined carefully that portion of the town facing the citadel, and took notes of the streets that ran through to the walls, specially noting those which extended farthest from the wall before being broken by cross lanes.

It was evident from the width of the streets that this was the poorest quarter of the town, for the wealthy would not care to build their houses in a position where, if the town and citadel were hostile to each other, they would be exposed to the fire of the latter’s guns.

In another half hour Paolo returned with a large bundle.  It contained two coarse cotton shirts, two warm garments resembling waistcoats, and fastened by strings closing up to the neck, two red sashes of coarse flannel, and two loose doublets reaching down to the hips.  These were worn and patched, but had been newly lined with sheepskin.  The breeches, which reached down to the knee, were of coarse brown cloth; to cover the leg below the knee were bands of gray flannel which were wrapped round and round the leg and foot, while over these were worn wooden shoes.  The hats were of conical shape with wide brims, and both, like the clothes, bore signs of long wear.