It was three in the afternoon. Fearfully hot, too, but not so bad as it might have been. High trees sheltered them. They could ruminate under the shade. The only difficulty was the want of food. What can a garrison do that is ill provided with eatables? The Doctor's little store of crackers and cheese was divided and eaten. A basket of figs and oranges followed. Still they were hungry.
"Well," said Dick, "there's one thing we can do if the worst comes to the worst."
"Go through the forest in Indian file back to Perugia."
"That's all very well," said the Senator, stubbornly, "but we're not going back. No, Sir, not a step!"
"I'm tired of this," said Buttons, impatiently. "I'll go out as scout."
"Don't go far, boys," said the Senator, in the tone of an anxious father.
"No, not very. That hill yonder will be a good lookout place."
"We'll risk that. If we see any signs of these scoundrels, and find that they see us, we will fire to let you know. If we remain undiscovered we will come back quietly."
"Very well. But I don't like to let you go off alone, my boys; it's too much of an exposure."
"No, no, you had better stay to hold our place of retreat. We'll come back, you know."
The Senator sat himself down again, and Buttons and Dick vanished among the trees. An hour passed; the three in the barricade began to feel uneasy; the prisoners were asleep and snoring.
"Hang it," cried the Senator, "I wish I had gone with them!"
"Never fear," said the Doctor, "they are too nimble to be caught just yet. If they had been caught you'd have heard a little firing."
At that very moment the loud report of a rifle burst through the air, followed by a second; upon which a whole volley poured out. The three started to their feet.
"They are found!" cried the Senator. "It's about a mile away. Be ready."
Mr. Figgs had two rifles by his side, and sat looking at the distance with knitted brows. He had received some terrific bruises in the late mêlée, but was prepared to fight till he died. He had said but little through the day. He was not talkative. His courage was of a quiet order. He felt the solemnity of the occasion. It was a little different from sitting at the head of a Board of bank directors, or shaving notes in a private office. At the end of about ten minutes there was a crackling among the bushes. Buttons and Dick came tumbling down into the road.