"He may chance to have his love-making spoiled before he even sees them," said Evaña, bending over the table and examining the map of the city which lay before him.
"Every bullet has its billet," said the aide-de-camp, with a sneer; "the billets of those of your militia seem mostly up in the air from what I hear of their shooting."
During this talk most of the officers who had taken part in the council left the room, but two or three still remained. One of them was a strikingly handsome man of medium stature, with curly brown hair and hazel eyes.
"Perhaps the Señor Evaña would like to know our plan of assault," said this officer.
"Explain it to him, Craddock," said the general.
"We shall keep 1000 men in reserve at the corrales," said Craddock, "besides Colonel Mahon's brigade, which will advance to the Galvès bridge to-morrow. The rest of the troops we divide into three columns of attack, which will advance by parallel streets through the city to the river-side, and will then unite in a combined attack upon the great square, where we understand the principal force of the enemy is entrenched."
"I see a great many streets marked on the plan," said Evaña.
"Exactly so," replied the aide-de-camp; "each column will march in subdivisions by adjacent streets, which will mutually support each other in case of need."
"And each subdivision will be separated from the next by a block of barricaded houses 140 yards long," interrupted Evaña.
"You see, General," said the handsome officer, "he has hit upon your weak place at once."
"What does he know?" said the general angrily; "fire away, Craddock."
"In the Spanish cities," continued Craddock, "the churches invariably occupy the most important positions. We have thus fixed upon two churches upon which the three columns will form their base of attack upon the centre."
"We have learnt to-day that they are running up barricades in some parts of the city," said the officer who had spoken before.
"Are they?" exclaimed Evaña eagerly, as he thought of the plan of defence he had left with Don Gregorio Lopez. "Do you know where they have placed these barricades?"
"Near to the principal square," answered the other.
"There is nothing that we know of to prevent us reaching our first positions," said the aide-de-camp. "We shall simply march down the streets musket on shoulder without firing a shot, till we are near enough to inspect these barricades. We may probably have to batter them with cannon before we make our second advance. See, these are the churches I told you of. On the north there is this place, a large convent, I believe."