As they rode on, Riego continued to converse with that imprudent
unreserve which the openness and warmth of his nature made natural to
him: not one word escaped the hermit and the peasant (whose name was
Lopez Lara) as they rode on two mules behind Falkland and Riego.
"Remember," whispered the hermit to his comrade, "the reward!" "I do,"
muttered the peasant.

Throughout the whole of that long and dreary night, the--wanderers rode
on incessantly, and found themselves at daybreak near a farm-house: this
was Lara's own home. They made the peasant Lara knock; his own brother
opened the door. Fearful as they were of the detection to which so
numerous a party might conduce, only Riego, another officer (Don Luis de
Sylva), and Falkland entered the house. The latter, whom nothing ever
seemed to render weary or forgetful, fixed his cold stern eye upon the
two brothers, and, seeing some signs pass between them, locked the door,
and so prevented their escape. For a few hours they reposed in the
stables with their horses, their drawn swords by their sides. On waking,
Riego found it absolutely necessary that his horse should be shod. Lopez
started up, and offered to lead it to Arguillas for that purpose. "No,"
said Riego, who, though naturally imprudent, partook in this instance of
Falkland's habitual caution: "your brother shall go and bring hither the
farrier." Accordingly the brother went: he soon returned. "The
farrier," he said, "was already on the road." Riego and his companions,
who were absolutely fainting with hunger, sat down to breakfast; but
Falkland, who had finished first, and who had eyed the man since his
return with the most scrutinising attention, withdrew towards the window,
looking out from time to time with a telescope which they had carried
about them, and urging them impatiently to finish. "Why?" said Riego,
"famished men are good for nothing, either to fight or fly--and we must
wait for the farrier." "True," said Falkland, "but--" he stopped