I was sitting on my horse in dumb stupefaction, when, on a sudden, I perceived somebody laying hold of the bridle of my steed, and pulling her forcibly after him. After a few minutes I saw at a distance a glimmering light shining through the bushes; as we came nearer to the spot, I beheld in my conductor the terrible leader of the band, and we at length arrived at a place surrounded with bushes, where the robbers were seated round a fire, dividing the spoil; they all gave a loud shriek, as if they already knew how badly I had acquitted myself of my first task.
"Let us pronounce sentence against the rascal!" exclaimed my conductor, with a thundering voice.
"Let us knock his brains out," roared one of the robbers.
"Send him to the dungeon," exclaimed a second.
"The
