The　late　ravages　of　Ferdinand　and　the　continual　skirmishings　in　the　Vega　had　roused　the　vigilance　of　the　castle。　　One　morning　early；　as　the　sentinels　kept　watch　upon　the　battlements；　they　beheld　a　cloud　of　dust　advancing　rapidly　from　a　distance：　turbans　and　Moorish　weapons　soon　caught　their　eyes；　and　as　the　whole　approached　they　descried　a　drove　of　cattle　urged　on　in　great　haste　and　convoyed　by　one　hundred　and　fifty　Moors；　who　led　with　them　two　Christian　captives　in　chains。
  When　the　cavalgada　arrived　near　the　castle；　a　Moorish　cavalier　of　noble　and　commanding　mien　and　splendid　attire　rode　up　to　the　foot　of　the　tower　and　entreated　admittance。　　He　stated　that　they　were　returning　with　rich　booty　from　a　foray　into　the　lands　of　the　Christians；　but　that　the　enemy　was　on　their　traces；　and　they　feared　to　be　overtaken　before　they　could　reach　Granada。　　The　sentinels　descended　in　all　haste　and　flung　open　the　gates。　　The　long　cavalgada　defiled　into　the　courts　of　the　castle；　which　were　soon　filled　with　bleating　and　lowing　flocks　and　herds；　with　neighing　and　stamping　steeds；　and　with　fierce…looking　Moors　from　the　mountains。　　The　cavalier　who　had　asked　admission　was　the　chief　of　the　party；　he　was　somewhat　advanced　in　life；　of　a　lofty　and　gallant　bearing；　and　had　with　him　a　son；　a　young　man　of　great　spirit　and　fire。　　Close　by　them　followed　the　two　Christian　captives；　with　looks　cast　down　and　disconsolate。
  The　soldiers　of　the　garrison　had　roused　themselves　from　their　sleep；　and　were　busily　occupied　attending　to　the　cattle　which　crowded　the　courts；　while　the　foraging　party　distributed　themselves　about　the　castle　to　seek　refreshment　or　repose。　　Suddenly　a　shout　arose　that　was　echoed　from　courtyard　and　hall　and　battlement。　　The　garrison；　astonished　and　bewildered；　would　have　rushed　to　their　arms；　but　found　themselves；　almost　before　they　could　make　resistance；　completely　in　the　power　of　an　enemy。
  The　pretended　foraging　party　consisted　of　mudexares；　or　Moors　tributary　to　the　Christians；　and　the　commanders　were　the　prince　Cid　Hiaya　and　his　son　Alnayar。　　They　had　hastened　from　the　mountains　with　this　small　force　to　aid　the　Catholic　sovereigns　during　the　summer's　campaign；　and　had　concerted　to　surprise　this　important　castle　and　present　it　to　King　Ferdinand　as　a　gage　of　their　faith　and　the　first　fruits　of　their　devotion。
  The　politic　monarch　overwhelmed　his　new　converts　and　allies　with　favors　and　distinctions　in　return　for　this　important　acquisition；　but　he　took　care　to　despatch　a　strong　force　of　veteran　and　genuine　Christian　troops　to　man　the　fortress。
  As　to　the　Moors　who　had　composed　the　garrison；　Cid　Hiaya　remembered　that　they　were　his　countrymen；　and　could　not　prevail　upon　himself　to　deliver　them　into　Christian　bondage。　　He　set　them　at　liberty；　and　permitted　them　to　repair　to　Granada〃a　proof；〃　says　the　pious　Agapida；　〃that　his　conversion　was　not　entirely　consummated；　but　that　there　were　still　some　lingerings　of　the　infidel　in　his　heart。〃　His　lenity　was　far　from　procuring　him　indulgence　in　the　opinions　of　his　countrymen；　on　the　contrary；　the　inhabitants　of　Granada；　when　they　learnt　from　the　liberated　garrison　the　stratagem　by　which　Roma　had　been　captured；　cursed　Cid　Hiaya　for　a　traitor；　and　the　garrison　joined　in　the　malediction。*
  *Pulgar；　Cron。；　part　3；　cap。　130；　Cura　de　los　Palacios；　cap。　90。
  But　the　indignation　of　the　people　of　Granada　was　destined　to　be　roused　to　tenfold　violence。　　The　old　warrior　Muley　Abdallah　el　Zagal　had　retired　to　his　little　mountain…territory；　and　for　a　short　time　endeavored　to　console　himself　with　his　petty　title　of　king　of　Andarax。　　He　soon　grew　impatient；　however；　of　the　quiet　and　inaction　of　his　mimic　kingdom。　　His　fierce　spirit　was　exasperated　by　being　shut　up　within　such　narrow　limits；　and　his　hatred　rose　to　downright　fury　against　Boabdil；　whom　he　considered　as　the　cause　of　his　downfall。　　When　tidings　were　brought　him　that　King　Ferdinand　was　laying　waste　the　Vega；　he　took　a　sudden　resolution。　　Assembling　the　whole　disposable　force　of　his　kingdom；　which　amounted　but　to　two　hundred　men；　he　descended　from　the　Alpuxarras　and　sought　the　Christian　camp；　content　to　serve　as　a　vassal　the　enemy　of　his　faith　and　his　nation；　so　that　he　might　see　Granada　wrested　from　the　sway　of　his　nephew。
  In　his　blind　passion　the　old　wrathful　monarch　injured　his　cause　and　strengthened　the　cause　of　his　adversary。　　The　Moors　of　Granada　had　been　clamorous　in　his　praise；　extolling　him　as　a　victim　to　his　patriotism；　and　had　refused　to　believe　all　reports　of　his　treaty　with　the　Christians；　but　when　they　beheld　from　the　walls　of　the　city　his　banner　mingling　with　the　banners　of　the　unbelievers　and　arrayed　against　his　late　people　and　the　capital　he　had　commanded；　they　broke　forth　into　revilings　and　heaped　curses　upon　his　name。
  Their　next　emotion；　of　course；　was　in　favor　of　Boabdil。　　They　gathered　under　the　walls　of　the　Alhambra　and　hailed　him　as　their　only　hope；　as　the　sole　dependence　of　the　country。　　Boabdil　could　scarcely　believe　his　senses　when　he　heard　his　name　mingled　with　praises　and　greeted　with　acclamations。　　Encouraged　by　this　unexpected　gleam　of　popularity；　he　ventured　forth　from　his　retreat　and　was　received　with　rapture。　　All　his　past　errors　were　attributed　to　the　hardships　of　his　fortune　and　the　usurpation　of　his　tyrant　uncle；　and　whatever　breath　the　populace　could　spare　from　uttering　curses　on　El　Zagal　was　expended　in　shouts　in　honor　of　El　Chico。
  CHAPTER　LXXXVI。
  HOW　BOABDIL　EL　CHICO　TOOK　THE　FIELD；　AND　HIS　EXPEDITION　　　　　AGAINST　ALHENDIN。
  For　thirty　days　had　the　Vega　been　overrun　by　the　Christian　forces；　and　that　vast　plain；　late　so　luxuriant　and　beautiful；　was　one　wide　scene　of　desolation。　　The　destroying　army；　having　accomplished　its　task；　passed　over　the　bridge　of　Pinos　and　wound　up　into　the　mountains　on　the　way　to　Cordova；　bearing　away　the　spoils　of　towns　and　villages　and　driving　off　flocks　and　herds　in　long　dusty　columns。　The　sound　of　the　last　Christian　trumpet　died　away　along　the　side　of　the　mountain　of　Elvira；　and　not　a　hostile　squadron　was　seen　glistening　on　the　mournful　fields　of　the　Vega。
  The　eyes　of　Boabdil　el　Chico　were　at　length　opened　to　the　real　policy　of　King　Ferdinand；　and　he　saw　that　he　had　no　longer　anything　to　depend　upon　but　the　valor　of　his　arm。　　No　time　was　to　be　lost　in　hastening　to　counteract　the　effect　of　the　late　Christian　ravage　and
  in　opening　the　channel　for　distant　supplies　to　Granada。
  Scarcely　had　the　retiring　squadrons　of　Ferdinand　disappeared　among　the　mountains　when　Boabdil　buckled　on　his　armor；　sallied　forth　from　the　Alhambra；　and　prepared　to　take　the　field。　　When　the　populace　beheld　him　actually　in　arms　against　his　late　ally；　both　parties　thronged　with　zeal　to　his　standard。　　The　hardy　inhabitants　also　of　the　Sierra　Nevada；　or　chain　of　snow…capped　mountains　which　rise　above　Granada；　descended　from　their　heights　and　hastened　into　the　city　gates　to　proffer　their　devotion　to　their　youthful　king。　　The　great　square　of　the　Vivarrambla　shone　with　legions　of　cavalry　decked　with　the　colors　and　devices　of　the　most　ancient　Moorish　families；　and　marshalled　forth　by　the　patriot　Muza　to　follow　the　king　to　battle。
  It　was　on　the　15th　of　June　that　Boabdil　once　more　issued　forth　from　the　gates　of　Granada　on　martial　enterprise。　　A　few　leagues　from　the　city；　within　full　view　of　it；　and　at　the　entrance　of　the　Alpuxarras　mountains；　stood　the　powerful　castle　of　Alhendin。　　It　was　built　on　an　eminence　rising　from　the　midst　of　a　small　town；　and　commanding　a　great　part　of　the　Vega　and　the　main　road　to　the　rich　valleys　of　the　Alpuxarras。　　The　castle　was　commanded　by　a　valiant　Christian　cavalier　named　Mendo　de　Quexada；　and　garrisoned　by　two　hundred　and　fifty　men；　all　seasoned　and　experienced　warriors。　　It　was　a　continual　thorn　in　the　side　of　Granada：　the　laborers　of　the　Vega　were　swept　off　from　their　fields　by　its　hardy　soldiers；　convoys　were　cut　off　in　the　passes　of　the　mountains；　and；　as　the　garrison　commanded　a　full　view　of　the　gates　of　the　city；　no　band　of　merchants　could　venture　forth　on　their　needful　journeys　without　being　swooped　up　by　the　war…hawks　of　Alhendin。
  It　was　against　this　important　fortress　that　Boabdil　first　led　his　troops；　and　for　six　days　and　nights　it　was　closely　besieged。　　The　alcayde　and　his　veteran　garrison　defended　themselves　valiantly；　but　were　exhausted　by　fatigue　and　constant　watchfulness；　for　the　Moors；　being　continually　relieved　by　fresh　troops　from　Granada；　kept　up　an　unremitted　and　vigorous　attack。　　Twice　the　barbican　was　forced；　and　twice　the　assailants　were　driven　forth　headlong　with　excessive　loss。　The　garrison；　however；　was　diminished　in　number　by　the　killed　and　wounded；　there　were　no　longer　soldiers　sufficient　to　man　the　walls　and　gateway；　and　the　brave　alcayde　was　compelled　to　retire　with　his　surviving　force　to　the　keep　of　the　castle；　in　which　he　continued　to　make　a　desperate　resistance。
  The　Moors　now　approached　the　foot　of　the　tower　under　shelter　of　wooden　screens　covered　with　wet　hides　to　ward　off　missiles　and　combustibles。　　They　went　to　work　vigorously　to　undermine　the　tower；　placing　props　of　wood　under　the　foundations；　to　be　afterward　set　on　fire；　so　as　to　give　the　besiegers　time　to　escape　before　the　edifice　should　fall。　　Some　of　the　Moors　pl