He dropped his reins--the horse had learned to obey the motions of his knees--and, drawing his sword, rode straight at the bandits.

Only a few muskets were discharged, and these so hurriedly that the balls missed their aim, and, with a shout, the party fell upon the brigands.

The pistols of the troopers and Mike cracked out, but they had no need to draw their swords, for the rush of the horses struck such a panic into the Spaniards that they sprang from the road, leaving the path clear, and the party thundered past them without a check.
"Is anyone wounded ?" Desmond asked, when they had passed beyond gunshot of their assailants.
"I have a ball in my shoulder, Major," one of the troopers said.
The rest were silent.
"Well, we have been fortunate," Desmond said.

"I will see to your wound, my man, when we get a little farther.

If those fellows had not been so scared with our sudden charge that they fired almost at random, we might have lost half our number." They stopped half a mile farther, and Desmond examined the trooper's arm.
"The ball has gone through the flesh," he said, "without touching the bone, so you will soon have the use of it again." He bound the wound tightly up with the soldier's sash; and then made, with his own, a sling.
"You may as well put the other arm in your jacket," he said, "and I will tie it round your neck.