Twenty sentries were placed at various points round the village; and as many more were posted, in pairs, three or four hundred yards farther out.
At three in the morning, several shots were fired.

The troops all got under arms, and parties were sent out to the outposts.

At two of these posts both the sentries were found stabbed to the heart.
At others men had been seen crawling up towards them, and the shots that had aroused the troops had been fired.

The outposts were recalled to the village, and the soldiers remained under arms until morning.
As soon as it was daybreak a scattered fire opened from the hills on either side of the valley, and it was evident that these were occupied by strong parties.

The villagers, on being questioned, denied all knowledge of these bands; but under threats said that they had heard that Minas, with a very strong force, was in the neighbourhood, and that the Impecinado had been reported to be among the hills between the pass and that of Roncesvalles.
"What strength do you put them down at, colonel ?" the major asked Terence.
"I should say, from what we can see of them, that there must be four or five hundred on each hill." "They must have had information from their spies at Zadorra, colonel, and half a dozen bands must have united to crush us.
"Diable, that was a good shot!" he exclaimed, as his shako was struck from his head by a bullet.