University of Virginia Library

12. XII.

But there needed little time for consultation. The
leading spirit of Pelayo at once became conspicuous
beyond all the rest. He boldly took upon himself the
full command, and the rest readily yielded him obedience
as they beheld his promptness and efficiency.

“Make no fires,” cried he, to those around him who
were preparing to do so; “make no fires which shall
guide our enemy. Let us first see what are his designs.
If he builds fires, we will build them also; not
that we would use them, for we must leave them soon,
but that by them we may lead him to believe that we
shall encamp here to-night. If he would assail us now,
he must do so at disadvantage, which our fires would
only lessen. We can hold council without their aid.”

He was obeyed, and in the dim and imperfect light of
the stars the chiefs deliberated together.

“Where are your Hebrews, Melchior?” demanded
Pelayo of the venerable man.

“They wait us at the rocky pass beyond Abela,” replied
Melchior.

“Their number?”

“Near a thousand,” replied Abimelech; “but they
lack weapons of war.”

“They must have them, Melchior,” said Pelayo,
promptly. “Let us now divide our weapons with the
Hebrews who are with you, and of whom you shall take
command. We will maintain the post here against the
force of Edacer, while you shall pass, making a goodly
circuit, to the Cave of Wamba. The course is free if
you move with caution. Your men can bring with them
all the weapons in the cave if they are not forced to
fight, and in such event they may readily throw them
aside. But I trust you will not need to do so. Edacer

will deem us too cautious and too few in number to encounter
new risk by a division of our band; and, if he
moves at all to-night, he will move on us who remain.
To meet this chance you will ply your way with all
speed. We wait you with open eyes, for we must arm
your Jews ere the day dawns upon us.”

Melchior was soon prepared and in motion. The
movement was fitly assigned to a people accustomed to
secret and wily operations. The outlaw was one well
able to direct their course and counsel their designs,
and Pelayo saw him depart with a full confidence in
his success, which he might not so readily have felt had
any of his own rash chiefs been appointed to the duty.

Meanwhile the re-enforcement of Edacer came quickly
to his aid; but they were in no mood to pursue their
enemies when they beheld the condition of their leader.
He had been stunned by the blow of Pelayo, and his
men, though not beaten, were disheartened by his fall,
and by the death of several of their stoutest warriors.
The stupor of Edacer continued for some hours after,
and it was resolved, during this period, among his inferior
officers, that they should keep the field and remain
upon their arms all night, as they well knew the valuable
estimate which Edacer had placed upon the prey
before them. Their fires were accordingly lighted up,
and they strove for the recovery of their leader, on the
spot where he had fallen, as they readily saw that his
injuries were too slight to require his removal.

The lighting up of their fires at once kindled those of
Pelayo, and some few of his more light-heeled and venturous
warriors stole down the hill to the edge of Edacer's
encampment, and surveyed with impunity the condition
of things in that quarter. The camp was not
closely guarded, but sufficiently so to make surprise
difficult, if not dangerous, with a force so small and so
partially armed as that led by Pelayo. They came
back to him with loud arguments in favour of the attempt,

but the game was too deep, the risk too great, to
permit of his adoption of their counsels.

Meanwhile Edacer recovered from his stupor. His
first words, with returning consciousness, were those of
anger, which was duly increased when he discovered
that his re-enforcement had arrived, yet had done nothing
towards the capture of his foe.

“Knaves!” he cried, to the inferior officers, “why
did ye not pursue? Ye were enough—what more?
Are ye cowards; and could ye do naught unless I led,
and bade, and showed you where to strike? But it is
not yet too late. Their fires are lighted—they will
stand us, will they? We shall see! Set on, knaves,
as ye would escape the lash—set on—surround the hill
on which they rest, and wait for no word from me.
Cry `Cordova,' and strike well.”

Though weary and suffering pain with every movement,
Edacer yet boldly led the way. He too well
knew the value of his victims in promoting him to the
further favour of Roderick, and nothing short of absolute
incapacity could have kept him back from the pursuit.
His men followed with a fierce war-cry, anxious to redeem
themselves in the estimation of their captain; but
they sought their enemies in vain. The hill on which
Pelayo had built his fires was deserted—the foe was
gone; already at some distance on their way, with arms
in their hands, to join the assembled Hebrews gathered
together by Abimelech.

The fury of Edacer knew no bounds. The game
was to be begun anew; but he did not despair. Encamping
where he was for the night, he despatched emissaries
back to Cordova and to other places, calling for
additional troops. A large force under one of the lieutenants
of Roderick, which he had summoned to his aid
before leaving the city, he expected to reach him before
the morning. With this force, which arrived during the
night, he pressed forward with the earliest glances of

daylight, and soon recovered from his anger as he found
himself upon certain tracks of the hastily-retreating foe.