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diff --git a/44190.txt b/44190.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 95c3d38..0000000 --- a/44190.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,17027 +0,0 @@ - BOYS OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE - - - - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost -no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it -under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this -eBook or online at http://www.gutenberg.org/license. - - - -Title: Boys of the Light Brigade - A Story of Spain and the Peninsular War -Author: Herbert Strang -Release Date: November 15, 2013 [EBook #44190] -Language: English -Character set encoding: US-ASCII - - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK BOYS OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE *** - - - - -Produced by Al Haines. - - - - -[Illustration: Cover art] - - - - -[Illustration: The 95th Charge Home] - - - - - Boys of the Light Brigade - - A Story of - Spain and the Peninsular War - - - BY - - HERBERT STRANG - - AUTHOR OF "TOM BURNABY" - - - - With a Preface by Colonel WILLOUGHBY VERNER - late Rifle Brigade - - - - Illustrated by William Rainey, R.I. - - - - BLACKIE AND SON LIMITED - LONDON GLASGOW AND BOMBAY - 1905 - - - - -To Spain they sent The Rifle Corps -To teach the French the Art of War! - --_Old Rifleman's Song_. - - - - - DEDICATED - BY PERMISSION - TO - FIELD-MARSHAL HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS - - THE DUKE OF CONNAUGHT AND STRATHEARN - K.G., K.T., K.P., G.C.B., G.C.S.I., G.C.I.E, G.C.V.O., - - COLONEL-IN-CHIEF - - AND TO THE OFFICERS OF - - THE RIFLE BRIGADE - (Formerly 95th Rifles) - - - - - *Preface* - - -Mr. Herbert Strang has asked me to write a few words explanatory of the -title he has chosen for this book. - -"The Light Brigade" was the name given to the first British Brigade of -Light Infantry, consisting of the 43rd Light Infantry, 52nd Light -Infantry, and the 95th Rifles, which were trained together as a -war-brigade at Shorncliffe Camp in the years 1803-1805, just a century -ago, by General Sir John Moore, the Hero of Corunna. - -These regiments subsequently saw much service together in various -quarters of the globe; they were engaged in the Expedition to Denmark in -1807, the Campaign in Portugal in 1808 under Sir Arthur Wellesley, -including the Battle of Vimeiro, and the famous Corunna Campaign under -Sir John Moore. - -In July, 1809, The Light Brigade, consisting of the same three corps, -was re-formed under the gallant Brigadier-General Robert Craufurd -(afterwards slain at their head at the storming of Ciudad Rodrigo in -1812), at Vallada, in Portugal, and it was in the same month that it -made the forced march, famous in all history as "the March of the Light -Division", of some fifty miles in twenty-four hours to the battle-field -of Talavera. In June, 1810, when at Almeida, in Spain, "The Light -Brigade" was expanded into "The Light Division" by the addition of -Ross's "Chestnut Troop" of Horse Artillery,[#] the 14th Light -Dragoons,[#] the 1st King's German Hussars, and two regiments of -Portuguese Cacadores. - - -[#] The present "A" Battery, R.H.A., which bears its proud title of "The -Chestnut Troop" in the army lists to this day. - -[#] The present 14th (King's) Hussars. Charles Lever, the novelist, -recounts some of their gallant deeds in _Charles O'Malley, the Irish -Dragoon_. - - -It was as "_The_ Light Division", throughout the long and bloody -struggle in the Peninsula, and up to the Battle of Toulouse, fought in -April, 1814, that the regiments of the old "Light Brigade" maintained -their proud position, so well described by Sir John Kincaid (who was -adjutant of the 1st Battalion at the Battle of Waterloo) in his -delightful book, _Adventures in the Rifle Brigade_. He writes of the -95th Rifles in the Peninsula as follows:-- - - -"We were the Light Regiment of the Light Division, and fired the first -and last shot in almost every battle, siege, and skirmish in which the -army was engaged during the war. - -"In stating the foregoing, however, with regard to regiments, I beg to -be understood as identifying our old and gallant associates, the -Forty-third and Fifty-second, as a part of ourselves, for they bore -their share in everything, and I love them as I hope to do my better -half (when I come to be divided); wherever we were, _they_ were; and -although the nature of our arm[#] generally gave us more employment in -the way of skirmishing, yet, whenever it came to a pinch, independent of -a suitable mixture of them among us, we had only to look behind to see a -line, in which we might place a _degree of confidence almost equal to -our hopes in heaven_; nor were we ever disappointed. There never was a -corps of Riflemen in the hands of such supporters!" - - -[#] The Baker rifle, a short weapon with a flat-bladed sword-bayonet -known as a "sword", very like the present so-called "bayonet", only -longer. Hence the Rifleman's command, "Fix swords!" The three -battalions of the 95th were (with the exception of the 5th battalion of -the 60th Regiment) the only corps in the British army armed with rifles -at the period of the Peninsular War, all others carrying long -smooth-bore muskets, known as "Brown Bess", with long three-sided -bayonets. The Baker rifle fired with precision up to 300 yards, whereas -"Brown Bess" could not be depended upon to hit a mark at one-third that -range. - - -Such was the "Light Brigade" which gives its title to this book. - -The story deals with a period full of interest to Englishmen. Napoleon, -having overrun Spain with some 250,000 men, swept away and defeated all -the Spanish armies, and occupied Madrid, had set his hosts in motion to -re-occupy Portugal and complete the subjugation of Andalusia. At this -critical moment in the history of Spain, Sir John Moore, who had landed -in the Peninsula with a small British army only about 30,000 strong, -conceived the bold project of marching on Salamanca, and thus -threatening Napoleon's "line of communications" with France--whence he -drew all his supplies and ammunition. The effect was almost magical. -Napoleon was compelled instantly to stay the march of his immense -armies, whilst at the head of over 80,000 of his finest troops he hurled -himself on the intrepid Moore. The latter, thus assailed by -overwhelming numbers, was forced to order a retreat on his base at -Corunna, a movement which he conducted successfully, despite the -terrible privations of a rapid march in mid-winter through a desolate -and mountainous country, with insufficient transport and inadequate -staff arrangements. Thrice he turned to bay and thrice did he severely -handle his pursuers. Finally, at Corunna, after embarking his sick and -wounded, he fought the memorable battle of that name, and inflicted on -the French such heavy losses that his army was enabled to re-embark and -sail for England with but little further molestation. The gallant Moore -himself was mortally wounded, and died the same night. The effects of -the Corunna campaign were to paralyse all the Emperor's plans for nigh -three months, during which time the Spaniards rallied and regained -confidence, and the war took a wholly different turn, although it was -only after five years' constant fighting that the French invaders were -finally driven out of the country. - -The Spaniards, on the other hand, animated by the presence of their -English allies, once again took up arms in all directions and made a -desperate resistance. No struggle was of more appalling or sustained a -nature than was their second defence of Saragossa, which, in the words -of the French soldiers engaged in the siege, was defended not by -soldiers but by "an army of madmen". - -The following story has thus a double interest. In its account of -Moore's great Retreat it illustrates what we did for Spain in her dark -days of 1808-1809; while in the pages dealing with the heroic Defence of -Saragossa it illustrates what Spain did for herself. - - - - - *Contents* - -_Chapter_ I - CORPORAL WILKES WANTS TO KNOW - -_Chapter_ II - SOME INTRODUCTIONS - -_Chapter_ III - PALAFOX THE MAN, PALAFOX THE NAME - -_Chapter_ IV - A DELICATE MISSION - -_Chapter_ V - A ROADSIDE ADVENTURE - -_Chapter_ VI - MONSIEUR TABERNE - -_Chapter_ VII - PEPITO INTERVENES - -_Chapter_ VIII - DON MIGUEL PRIEGO - -_Chapter_ IX - SOME SURPRISES - -_Chapter_ X - THE EMPEROR'S DESPATCH - -_Chapter_ XI - NAPOLEON IN PURSUIT - -_Chapter_ XII - CORPORAL WILKES ON GUARD - -_Chapter_ XIII - DON MIGUEL'S MAN - -_Chapter_ XIV - AN INCIDENT AT CACABELLOS - -_Chapter_ XV - THE GREAT RETREAT - -_Chapter_ XVI - THE BATTLE OF CORUNNA - -_Chapter_ XVII - IN THE GUADALQUIVIR - -_Chapter_ XVIII - A SQUIRE OF DAMES - -_Chapter_ XIX - PALAFOX THE MAN - -_Chapter_ XX - A DAY WITH TIO JORGE - -_Chapter_ XXI - NIGHT ON THE RAMPARTS - -_Chapter_ XXII - JUANITA - -_Chapter_ XXIII - THE FIGHT IN THE RUINS - -_Chapter_ XXIV - "A BON CHAT, BON RAT" - -_Chapter_ XXV - PEPITO FINDS A CLUE - -_Chapter_ XXVI - WANTED: DON MIGUEL PRIEGO - -_Chapter_ XXVII - THE ELEVENTH HOUR - -_Chapter_ XXVIII - THE LAST FIGHT IN SARAGOSSA - -_Chapter_ XXIX - FRENCH LEAVE - -_Chapter_ XXX - THE WHIP HAND - -_Chapter_ XXXI - DOCTOR GRAMPUS AND A FRENCH COOK - -_Chapter_ XXXII - THE PRISONER AT BAYONNE - -_Chapter_ XXXIII - PALAFOX THE NAME - -_Chapter_ XXXIV - DEAD MEN TELL NO TALES - -_Chapter_ XXXV - DOOM - -_Chapter_ XXXVI - SERGEANT WILKES WANTS TO KNOW - -*Glossary of Spanish Words* - - - - - *List of Illustrations* - - -Plate I - THE 95TH CHARGE HOME . . . . . . . . . Frontispiece - -Plate II - A QUESTION OF SUPPLY - -Plate III - JACK CAPTURES A DRAGOON - -Plate IV - JACK MAKES AN OPPORTUNE APPEARANCE - -Plate V - FRANCISCO FALLS FROM THE PLANK - -Plate VI - JACK HAS A NARROW ESCAPE - -Plate VII - JACK LEADS A FORLORN HOPE - -Plate VIII - MIGUEL ESCAPES FROM THE GARDEN - - - *Maps and Plans* - -1. Map of Spain and Portugal, showing the positions of the French, -Spanish, and British forces at the commencement of Moore's retreat from -Sahagun - -2. Plan of the Battle of Corunna - -3. Plan of the City of Saragossa - -4. Plan of the Plaza Alvarez District - - -The plans of Corunna and Saragossa are copied, by kind permission of -Professor Oman and the Delegates of the Clarendon Press, from the -former's "History of the Peninsular War", Vols. I and II. - - - - - *CHAPTER I* - - *Corporal Wilkes wants to know* - - -An International Question--Discipline--An Onlooker--Lumsden of the -95th--Dogged--A Six Days' Ride--Puzzlement - - -"What I want to know," said Corporal Wilkes, banging his fist on the -table in front of him--"what I want to know is, what you Dons are doing -for all the coin we've spent on you." - -He was seated with a few other stalwarts of the 95th under the eastern -colonnade of the Plaza Mayor, in Salamanca; a nondescript group of -Spaniards, stolidly curious, blocked up the footway, and stood lounging -against the balustrade. Getting no answer to his question, and probably -expecting none, the corporal jerked his chin-strap under his nose, -glared comprehensively around, and continued: - -"I asked before, and I ask again, what has become of the ship-loads of -honest British guineas you Dons have been pocketing for I don't know how -long? Tell me that! What have you got to show for 'em, eh?--that's what -I want to know. Here are we, without a stiver to our name, no pay for -weeks, and no chance of seeing any. And look at this: here's a boot for -you; that's what your Spanish mud makes o' good Bermondsey leather; and -rain--well, of all the rain I ever see, blest if it ain't the wettest!" - -He paused; the knot of Riflemen grunted approval. The Spaniards, who had -by this time become aware that his remarks were aimed directly at them, -turned enquiringly to one of their number, who shrugged, and gave them -in Spanish the heads of the speaker's argument. Perceiving that he had -made some impression, the corporal proceeded to follow up his advantage. - -"What I want to know is, what 'ave we come here for? They did say as we -were sent for to help you Dons fight the French. That's what they said. -Well, the French are all right; but what are you doing? We showed you -the way at Vimeiro; that's a long time ago now--what have you done -since? Where are all the armies and the generals you talked so much -about? What's become of them? Tell me that! Here we've been in -Salamanky a matter of fourteen days, but we ain't seen none of them. -There's plenty of you Dons about, sure enough, but you don't look to me -like fighting-men. Where are you hiding 'em?--that's what I want to -know." - -There was no mistaking the glance of withering contempt with which the -speaker pointed his questions; a movement of resentment was already -visible among his mixed audience. The interpreter, whose dress -proclaimed him a seaman from one of the Biscayan ports, was now volubly -rendering the gist of the Englishman's taunts, to an accompaniment of -strange oaths and ominous murmurs from the crowd. Warming with their -sympathy, he became more and more excited, passed from explanation to -denunciation, and then, turning suddenly from his compatriots, clenched -his fist and poured out a torrent of abuse in a lurid mixture of Basque -and Billingsgate. The corporal, recognizing phrases that could only -have been picked up at Deptford or Wapping, smiled appreciatively, and, -with a wink at his companions, said: - -"Ain't it like home? He ought to be a drill-sergeant--eh, boys?" - -A shout of laughter greeted this sally. The Spaniard, his complexion -changing from olive to purple, strode forward and shook his fist within -an inch of the corporal's nose. Wilkes, greatly tolerant of foreign -eccentricity, preserved an unwinking front; but his bland smile was too -much for the Spaniard's fast-ebbing self-control. With a snarl of rage -he plucked a knife from his sash and aimed a blow at the Rifleman, -which, had it taken effect, would assuredly have put an end to his -interrogative career. But the corporal's left-hand neighbour, who had -been lolling against a post, flung out his arm and arrested the stroke; -almost at the same instant Wilkes himself got home a deft right-hander -beneath his assailant's chin that hurled him senseless across the table. -In a moment a score of Spaniards with drawn knives were surging around -the little group. Being without arms the Riflemen had slipped off their -belts and closed up to meet the attack. The colonnade now rang with -fierce shouts, and from all quarters of the large square there was a -hurry-scurry of idlers attracted by the noise of the fray. Cheerfully -confident, the half-dozen British soldiers, their backs against the -wall, kept the throng at arm's-length with the practised swing of their -long belts. But the odds against them were heavy. It could only be a -few moments before the Spaniards must get in with their knives, and then -the 95th would be six men short on parade. One or two of the Spaniards -had been hard hit; but the rest were drawing together for a rush, when -suddenly, above the din of the melee, rang out the clear authoritative -word of command: - -"Attention!" - -The habit of discipline was so strong that the British soldiers on the -instant dropped their belts and stood rigid as statues. On the -Spaniards the effect of the interruption was equally remarkable. -Surprised at the sudden change of attitude, they looked round with a -startled air to seek the cause of the Englishmen's strange quiescence. -A horseman had reined up opposite the scene of the scuffle--a tall -youthful figure, wearing the headgear of the 95th and a heavy cavalry -cloak. - -"Stand easy!" he cried to the Riflemen, over the heads of the crowd, -"and don't move an eyelash." - -With a dozen Spanish knives flashing before their eyes, the command was -a severe test of discipline; but in the British army a hundred years ago -rigid training had made instant unquestioning obedience an instinct. -While the Spaniards were still fingering their weapons, and hesitating -whether to finish off their work, the officer began to address them in -pure Castilian. - -"Pardon me, Senores," he said, "for interrupting what I am sure was a -pastime. I am an English officer, as you see, and I fear that my men, -ignorant of your customs and traditions, might have taken seriously what -was no doubt begun in sport. There is no need for me to say a word, -Senores about your valour; is not that known to all the world? and I am -sure you would be the last to do anything to endanger the friendly -alliance between your country and mine. The French are your enemies, -Senores; they are ours too. We are fighting shoulder to shoulder in a -noble cause. Confusion to the invader, say I! Hurrah for the -independence of Spain! Cry Viva la Espana with me!" - -Then turning suddenly to the Riflemen, he cried: - -"Now, men, give three rousing cheers." - -Wilkes and his friends cheered half-heartedly and with an air of -endurance; but the Spaniards were not discriminating, and responded with -shrill vivas. - -"Thank you, my friends!" said the officer, when the tumult had subsided. -"And now, as I have a few words to say to my men before I ride off, I -will bid you good-day." - -In a few moments the pacified crowd dispersed in small knots, discussing -with interested curiosity the young officer whose courteous firmness and -fluent Spanish had produced so remarkable an effect. When, last of all, -the interpreter, having recovered from the blow, had made his way across -the square, the horseman called up Corporal Wilkes, who advanced with a -somewhat guilty air and saluted. - -"Now, Corporal Wilkes, what do you mean by this? Have you forgotten the -general's orders about brawling with the Spaniards?" - -The corporal shifted his feet uneasily, and began to mumble an -explanation in his slow ponderous way. - -"That'll do," said the officer, cutting him short. "You're always in hot -water. Get off to your quarters, and report yourself to me in the -morning." - -"Very good, sir." - -With a look of injured innocence he saluted and slouched off with his -companions, while the officer, touching his horse's flanks with the -spur, cantered away. At the angle of the colonnade the crestfallen -Riflemen were confronted by a tall stately figure in cocked hat and long -military cloak, who had for some time been quietly watching the scene -from an inconspicuous post of observation. - -"Who's your officer, my man?" - -The Riflemen halted in a line, struck their heels together, and brought -their hands to the salute like automata. - -"Mr. Lumsden, your honour," replied Wilkes, looking as though he would -have liked to be elsewhere. - -"Oh indeed! Thank you!" - -The commander-in-chief acknowledged their salute and turned on his heel. -The men stared after him for a few moments in silence; then Wilkes -turned to his comrades, and said with a rueful look: - -"By gum! How much of that 'ere rumpus did Johnny see?--that's what I'd -like to know." - -Meanwhile Lumsden of the 95th had trotted off, across the great square, -past the church of San Martin, towards the University and the Tormes -bridge. He was bound for a farmhouse some five miles south-east of the -city, where it had been reported that a considerable quantity of flour -could be purchased for the troops. Since the arrival of his regiment in -Salamanca a fortnight before, he had been employed continuously on -commissariat business, and was the object of envy to his -fellow-subalterns, who would gladly have found some special work of the -kind to vary the monotony of life. - -It was the 28th November in the year 1808. Salamanca was full of -British soldiers, who had marched in on the 13th amid a drenching -rain-storm and the cheers of the inhabitants. They comprised six -infantry brigades and one battery of artillery, among the former being -the famous 95th Rifles under Colonel Beckwith, in which Jack Lumsden was -a second lieutenant. The main artillery force, with its escort, was -near the Escurial, a few miles from Madrid, under Sir John Hope, who was -intending to march northwards to join his chief; while Sir David Baird -lay at Astorga, with three batteries, four infantry brigades, and a -force of cavalry under Lord Paget. The infantry had marched from Lisbon -under Sir John Moore, who had succeeded to the chief command of the -British forces in the Peninsula recently vacated by Sir Hew Dalrymple. -At Salamanca Sir John expected to receive news of the approach of a -Spanish force under the Marquis of La Romana, to co-operate with him in -offensive movements against the French. The march had been particularly -arduous and uncomfortable; rain had fallen in torrents for the greater -part of the way, and owing to lack of supplies the men were in a sorry -state as regards clothes and equipment. But they nourished high hopes -of soon inflicting a heavy blow on the French invaders; and though the -delay, due to want of definite information about the movements of the -Spaniards and the position of the French, was telling somewhat on the -spirits of the force, Sir John Moore was so popular with all ranks, and -enjoyed their confidence so thoroughly, that discontent had only shown -itself in half-humorous protests like that of Corporal Wilkes. - -Jack Lumsden rode easily through the darkening streets, passed the -sentry at the bridge head, and cantered along the sodden road leading to -Alba de Tormes. Three miles out of Salamanca he struck off to the left, -and, carefully picking his way among the ruts and depressions, reached -his destination just as the black darkness of a November evening fell. -His errand with the farmer occupied some little time. He then accepted -the refreshments pressed upon him with true Castilian hospitality; and -at length, towards seven o'clock, set off on the return journey. - -The moon was rising behind him, throwing a dim misty radiance over the -bare fields to right and left. As he reached the cross-roads, and -wheeled round into the highway towards Salamanca, he saw, some hundred -yards ahead, several dark forms on both sides of the road, creeping -along with stealthy movements in the same direction. Carrying his gaze -beyond them, he descried a man leading a horse, who, he instantly -concluded, was being followed by a gang of foot-pads, or of the brigands -who notoriously infested every part of Spain. Almost involuntarily Jack -pricked his horse forward; he saw that the furtive band were rapidly -lessening the distance between them and the walking horseman, who every -now and then half-turned to look at them, and then resumed his slow -progress. - -The road was so soft, and the men were so intent upon their expected -prey, that they did not hear the sound of Jack's approach until he was -within a few yards of them. Then a sudden splash in a large puddle -caused them to stop and look round; Jack galloped up, and as he passed -them, ostentatiously held his pistol so that a glint of moonlight fell -on the barrel. At the same moment the dismounted rider heard the pad of -his horse's hoofs; he paused, still holding the bridle, and turned -towards Jack, who pulled his horse across the road and glanced back at -the brigands. They had now formed a group, and stood in the middle of -the road. Jack clicked the lock of his pistol. After an instant's -hesitation the men turned in a body and vanished into the darkness. - -"Many thanks!" said the pedestrian. "I was never more glad to see a -British officer. Those bandits have been following me up for some -minutes. My horse is lame, as you see, and though I've a couple of -pistols handy I'm afraid I'd be no match for eight big fellows with -their knives. And I've a particular reason for avoiding risks." - -"They've had the discretion to sheer off," said Jack, turning again -towards Salamanca. "It's unlucky your horse is lamed. Have you been -riding far, sir?" - -"About five hundred miles," was the reply. - -Jack stared. - -"No wonder your horse is lame--though you didn't ride the whole distance -on the same beast, I suppose." - -"No indeed; but I've scarcely been out of the saddle for six days--" - -"Six days! Hard riding that, sir." - -"True. The fact is, I've most important despatches for Sir John Moore, -and haven't wasted a minute more than I could help." - -Jack was off his horse in a moment. - -"In that case, sir, pray take my horse and finish your ride with equal -speed. If you bring news for the general, no one will be more delighted -to see you. It's only about three miles, and the road's straight ahead; -I'll follow with your horse." - -"That's very good of you. I didn't like the idea of trudging in in this -lame fashion. You're sure you don't mind? Those brigands, eh?" - -"Not a bit. They won't show their noses again." - -By this time the stranger had mounted Jack's horse, and was preparing to -ride off. - -"By the way," he said, "to what address shall I return the horse?--a -pretty animal, begad!" - -"I'm quartered at a worthy alderman's in the Calle de Moros--El Regidor -Don Perez Gerrion; my name's Lumsden." - -"Lumsden!" repeated the stranger with a start, letting the reins fall on -the horse's neck. - -"Yes," said Jack, looking up in surprise. "Why?" - -"Oh! Excuse me now. I have my despatches to deliver, and then I will -call on you at the regidor's. I have a communication, probably, to make -to you. Au revoir!" - -With a wave of the hand he galloped off, leaving Jack to tramp along -behind him, in some wonderment as to what communication a despatch-rider -could have to make to a subaltern of the 95th. - - - - - *CHAPTER II* - - *Some Introductions* - - -The Grampus--A Turn with the Foils--An Interruption--Enter a -Regidor--Flour and Water--A Soft Answer--Pepito--Biographical--Captain -O'Hare--Mr. Vaughan is announced - - -It began to rain when Jack was still two miles out of Salamanca, and he -was wet and chilled when, having put up the stranger's horse, he entered -the regidor's house and sought the general room, where, as he knew from -the sounds of laughter proceeding from it, his friends and comrades were -assembled. There was a universal shout as Jack pushed open the door. - -"Here's the commissary-general!" cried a tall, fair-headed subaltern of -seventeen years. "Look here, Jack, if this corn-chandler business of -yours gets you promotion before me, I'll--I'll punch your head." - -"Thanks! Pommy, my dear, unless you're careful, respectful, you know, -you'll find your next billet will be a stable or a pig-stye; you can -take your choice. A pig-stye would be the easier got, perhaps--this -country teems with porkers; but there are plenty of mules too, and one -more won't matter." - -"All the same, Lumsden," said Harry Smith, a lieutenant of twenty-one, -"I don't wonder Pomeroy's jealous. We didn't all have the luck to be -babies in Spain! But let me introduce a friend of mine--an old -school-chum. Lumsden--Dugdale, Percy Dugdale, otherwise the Grampus." - -Jack found his right hand engulfed in a huge fist, and shaken almost to -a jelly. It belonged to a tall young man in civilian dress, stout, -massive, broad-shouldered, with a rubicund, open, ingenuous face, and a -smile that bespoke friendliness at once. - -"Heard of you," said Dugdale cordially. "Heard of your little bet. -Reminds me of my wager with Blinks of Merton when I was a freshman. Bet -me a pound to a polony I wouldn't screw up a proctor; loser to eat the -polony. I won--and bought a champion polony in St. Aldate's. Blinks -stood us a supper to be let off. Ha! ha!" - -The Honourable Percy Dugdale's chuckle had a quality of its own. While -it seldom resulted from what others would have regarded as wit or -humour, it never failed to breed sympathetic laughter, and the room rang -with appreciative merriment. - -"What's this bet of yours, Lumsden?" asked Bob Shirley, lieutenant in -Jack's company. - -"Oh, a little affair with Pomeroy! He's so desperately cocksure of -everything, and what is worse, he will talk, you know. Said he'd hold -me at boxing, at wrestling, at swimming, at every mortal thing, -including fencing, so I bet him before we left Alcantara that I'd give -him points at them all, and we're going to begin with the foils." - -"What are the stakes?" asked Shirley. "Why didn't I hear of this?" - -"It's a guinea to a Bath bun. Pomeroy's amazing fond of Bath buns; and -as at present I haven't a guinea, at least to spare, and he hasn't a -bun, we're going to settle up when we get back to London, and you -fellows can come to Gunter's and see Pommy shell out twopence, if you -like." - -"No time like the present," said Smith. "We've half an hour before -supper, and nothing to do. If you fellows are game we'll make a ring -now." - -"I'm ready," said Pomeroy, pulling off his jacket, "if the corn-dealer -is." - -"By all means," retorted Jack, laughing; "but I hope, for the sake of -the company, your riposte is better than your repartee." - -"No more cackle!" cried Smith. "Let's get to business. Where are the -foils?" - -At a word from Jack, a tall, strapping Rifleman, who had followed him -into the room, disappeared for half a minute, and returned with a couple -of foils in his hands. He handed one to his master, who had meanwhile -peeled, and the other to Reginald Pomeroy. The two faced one another; -they were of equal height, but otherwise presented a strong contrast. -Both were tall, but Jack was slight and lissom, with dark hair, brown -eyes, and clear-cut features, while Reginald Pomeroy was heavier in -build, fresh-complexioned, with blue eyes and light curly hair. In -brief, if Jack was Norman, Pomeroy was as clearly Saxon, and as they -stood there, they were worthy representatives of the two fine strains of -our present English race. They were always sparring, always girding at -each other, but at bottom they were the best of friends, and had indeed -been inseparable chums ever since they entered the Charterhouse -together. - -"Gad, reminds me of the mill between Jones of Jesus and De Crespigny of -the House, in Merton meadow," said Dugdale with his capacious chuckle. - - "'His eyebrow dark, and eye of fire, - Shows spirit proud, and prompt to ire,'" - -quoted Shirley, amid a chorus of groans. - -"Shut up, Shirley!" cried Jack; "if you begin spouting poetry you'll -shatter my nerve." - -"Yes, by George," said Smith, "we had enough of _Marmion_ on the way -out. Shirley's a long way too fond of poetry. Now, you two, are you -ready? Buttons on the foils? That's right. Now then!" - - "Charge, Chester, charge; on, Stanley, on!'" - -shouted Shirley, who was irrepressible, and who, indeed, was said to -have got _Marmion_ by heart a week after it was issued, in February of -this year. - -The duel began. The combatants were pretty evenly matched, and as the -spectators watched thrust and parry, lunge and riposte, now cheering -one, now the other, the air became charged with electric excitement. -Right foot well forward, left arm well behind his head, Jack watched his -opponent with the keenness of a hawk, and for a time seemed to content -himself with standing on the defensive. He knew his man, and held -himself in with the confident expectation that Pomeroy would by and by -become reckless. - -"Two to one on Pomeroy!" shouted Dugdale, who was growing excited. - -"Done!" said Smith. "Name your stakes." - -"Anything you like; I'm not particular. I want a new pair of breeches. -Yours won't fit me, but mine'll fit you with a little trimming'. Gad, -Lumsden was nearly pinked that time. Make it two pairs!" - -"D'you mind moving aside?" said Shirley, who, being head and shoulders -shorter than Dugdale, found his view obstructed by six feet two and a -back broad in proportion. - -"Sorry; get on my back if you like," said Dugdale. "Won a bet by running -a race with young Jukes of Pembroke on my back. I don't mind." - -But Shirley contented himself with edging in to a place beside the big -sportsman. - -The foils clashed; Pomeroy made a rapid lunge at Jack, who instantly -straightened himself, and before his opponent could recover his guard, -Jack's foil was out, and slid along the other, and with a dexterous turn -of the wrist he sent the weapon flying out of Pomeroy's hand, over the -ring of onlookers, to the other end of the room, where it clattered -against the wall and fell with a clash to the floor. - -"Oh, come now! I never lose my wagers. I make a point of it," said -Dugdale with a rueful look. - -"End of the first round; that's Lumsden's," said Smith quietly. "Five -minutes' rest, then to it again. Give you six to one next round." - -"No, thanks! I'll wait a bit. Can't afford to part with all my pants. -What's that?" - -Above the voices of the officers discussing the details of the match -rose the clamour of a repeated battering on the door. - -"Oh, I say!" cried Dugdale, "we can't have this interrupted. Is the -door locked?" - -"Fast," replied Shirley, adding: - - "'And neither bolt nor bar shall keep - My own true--love--from--'" - - -The quotation remained unfinished, for Jack laid Shirley on his back and -sat on him. The knock was repeated again and again, with increasing -loudness; the door was rattled with ever-growing vehemence. - -"Set your back against the door, Giles," said Jack. "It'll take some -force to move your fourteen stone of muscle." - -The big Rifleman set his straight back against the door, planted his -feet firmly on the floor so that his body formed an obtuse angle, and -crossed his arms on his breast. The knocking continued. - -"Can't come in," shouted a shrill-voiced ensign. "We're busy." - -From outside an angry voice bawled in reply. - -"Be quiet, you fellows," cried Smith. "Let us hear who it is." - -The noise inside the room was hushed, and through the door came muffled -tones of angry and excited remonstrance. - -"It's very bad language, but I can't understand it," said Smith, who now -had his ear against the oak. "Here, Jack, you're the only fellow who -knows the lingo; leave that drain-pipe and see if you can make anything -of it." - -Jack rose from his wriggling seat, and, going to the door, shouted "Who -are you?" in Spanish. A moment later he turned to the company and said: -"By George! it's the regidor himself. We'd better let him in." - -"Not till I've licked you," said Pomeroy. "Let the old boy wait." - -"That's Pommy all over," said Smith; "I'm Reginald Pomeroy, and hang -civility! The regidor's our host, and we owe him a little -consideration." - -"Exactly," put in Jack. "Heave over, Giles, and let me open the door." - -He turned the key, threw the door open, and gave admittance to the -oddest figure imaginable. - -"Pommy's Bath bun--underbaked!" said Shirley under his breath. The rest -of the company were too much surprised for speech or laughter. The -intruder was presumably a man, but he was so completely covered with an -envelope of paste that form and feature were undiscoverable. Two -unmistakable arms, however, were wildly gesticulating; an equally -obvious fist was being shaken towards the group; and a human voice was -certainly pouring out a stream of violent language, of which no one -there, not even Jack, could make out a word. - -"Come, Senor Regidor," said Jack in Spanish, "what is the matter? -Really, you talk so fast that I cannot understand you." - -He laid his hand on the regidor's arm, but drew it back hastily; it was -covered with wet flour. - -"Shut the door, Giles," he said, wiping his hand; "this needs an -explanation. In fact" (he gave a quizzical glance from the floor to the -company) "it needs clearing up!" - -Taking the fuming regidor gingerly by the hand, he led him to the middle -of the room, where, with Pomeroy's assistance, he set to work to scrape -away the clinging paste that swathed the poor man from head to foot. -The first shock of surprise being over, the rest of the officers were -now fairly bubbling with merriment, for the regidor was too angry to -keep still, and never ceased from objurgating some person unknown. -Dugdale had stuffed a handkerchief into his mouth to stifle his -laughter, and Smith was thumping Shirley vigorously on the back. After -some minutes' scraping with the foils, the new-comer was revealed -standing in a circle of clammy flour--a little, round, pompous -individual, with a very red and wrathful face, made ludicrous by the -stiff moustache, to which a coating of flour obstinately adhered. - -"Now, Senor Regidor," said Jack soothingly, "tell us all about it. I -hope the mischief has gone no deeper than your clothes." - -And then the little alderman unfolded his pitiful story. It appeared -that he had gone round his premises in the rain, to see that all was -safely locked up for the night, when he found that his barn at the back -of the house had been left open--not only the lower door, but also the -upper door, through which sacks of flour entered the loft. It was very -dark, and he had been unable in the rain and wind to obtain a light. -Feeling his way into the barn, he had crept up the ladder leading to the -loft, stumbling as he did so over an empty sack that covered the last -two or three steps. Then, arrived at the top, he had lifted the -trap-door, and raised head and shoulders above the opening, when without -warning he was smothered by an avalanche of flour, which took him so -entirely by surprise that he had fallen backward, and only saved himself -from a headlong descent to the foot of the ladder by clutching at a rope -that dangled a few inches in front of him. It was no accident, he -declared, for he had heard the scurry of some living creature moving in -the loft. On recovering from his shock he had mounted again and -searched the place as thoroughly as he could in the darkness, but -without success. He had then locked up the barn securely, and being -convinced that he was the victim of a practical joke on the part of one -of the subalterns billeted upon him, he had come to demand satisfaction -for the insult, and compensation for the irreparable damage done to his -clothes. - -Such was his story, told at much greater length, and punctuated with -many violent gestures and still more violent expletives. Jack listened -to him patiently, while the rest of the company stood in a ring about -them, striving with ill success to hide their merriment. When lack of -breath at length brought the little man to a stop, Jack spoke to him -consolingly, assuring him that he was mistaken, and that no British -officer would so far have forgotten the courtesy due to their obliging -host. The regidor was not appeased; he was on the point of recommencing -his denunciation of the culprit, when Jack stopped him, and said that he -would question his brother officers and convince the regidor that he was -mistaken. He then briefly told his companions the outlines of the story -he had heard. Just as he came to the point where the shower of flour -had descended on the unfortunate regidor, he was annoyed at hearing a -loud chuckle. - -"Pomeroy, that's too bad," he exclaimed. "How can I persuade our host -that we have had nothing to do with his plight if you disgrace yourself -like that?" - -"Look here, Lumsden," said Pomeroy, "I'm not going to be lectured. As a -matter of fact, I didn't make a cheep." - -"Sorry, Pommy," said Jack, with a glance at Dugdale. "Well now, I can -assure the regidor, on your honour, that none of you had a hand in -this?" - -Every officer present gave his word. Then Jack put on his coat, and, -slipping his arm within the regidor's, led him off with a promise to -investigate the matter, and see whether any of the officers' servants -had been in fault. The moment their backs were turned, the same loud -chuckle was heard, followed by an unmistakable guffaw. Giles Ogbourne, -Jack's big servant, while maintaining a rigid position against the wall, -was putting his broad face through the oddest contortions of amusement. - -"What are you grinning at?" cried Pomeroy angrily. "Was it you who gave -that oily chuckle just now?" - -"Beg pardon, sir," said Ogbourne, endeavouring to look grave. "I really -couldn't help it. 'Tis a trick of that young varmint Pepito; I be sure -'tis." - -"That imp of a gipsy! I told Lumsden he'd be sorry he ever set eyes on -the creature. Why do you think he is at the bottom of it?" - -"Why, sir, I seed the boy bummelled out of the kitchen, and prowling -around by the barn, and, sakes alive, 'tis he and no one else." - -"Who's Pepito?" asked Dugdale. - -"A young sprat of a gipsy Jack picked up outside Queluz soon after we -left Lisbon. Here, Ogbourne, you know more about him than I do. Speak -up." - -"'Tis just as you say, sir. Mr. Lumsden found the critter on the -roadside, a'most dead, and took'm up and fed him, sir. A thoroughbred -gipsy, sir. His band had been cut up by the French after the fight by -Vimeiro; every man of 'em was killed dead except this mortal boy, and a' -got a cut in th' arm from a sabre. Mr. Lumsden gave him a good square -meal, sir, and next day a' hitched hisself on to us, followed us all -along, went a-fetching and a-carrying for Mr. Lumsden, for all the world -like a little dog. Mr. Lumsden says to me: 'Giles,' says he, 'there's -enough women and childer along of us without this young shaver; what'll -we do with him?' I couldn't think of anything, so Mr. Lumsden he takes -him to a Portuguese barber and hands him over some money for the boy's -keep, and tells him to make a barber of him. Bless you, next day the -varmint turns up again, and we can't shake him off nohow. If a' goes -away for a day, back a' comes the next, as perky as a Jack-in-the-box." - -"A sort of millstone round Lumsden's neck," said Shirley. - -"Not but what he's useful," added Ogbourne. "He's first-rate at shining -buttons and cleaning swords, and all sorts of little odd jobs. Only -he's so full of monkey tricks, you can't believe. One night a' put two -live toads in my bed, a' did; another night a' mixed some dubbin wi' my -soup. I tanned him, I did, but though a' blubbered hard enough, next -minute his wicked little black eyes were as mischievous as ever. Mr. -Lumsden's got a handful, sir, and that's gospel truth." - -"If that's his character, depend upon it he's responsible for the -regidor's whitening," said Smith. "We'll have to abolish the boy; don't -you think so?" - -"Oh, I say!" struck in Dugdale, "never mind about a scrubby gipsy. I -wish Lumsden would hurry up. I want to see Pomeroy lick him." - -"You'll lose this time," said Smith. - -Dugdale made a wry face. "Didn't know he was such a paragon. Speaks -Spanish as well as the Don. Learnt it for a bet, I suppose." - -"No," said Pomeroy, laughing. "He lived at Barcelona till he was -eleven." - -"Where on earth's Barcelona? Is it where the nuts grow?" - -"Yes--in the big square!" said Smith with a smile. - -Dugdale grunted. "But what was Lumsden doing there?" he asked. - -"Eating, and growing, and learning the lingo, of course," said Pomeroy. -"His father's a partner in some Spanish firm whose head-quarters are at -Barcelona, and lived there, as I say, until Jack was eleven. Then, as -the kid was more or less running wild, I suppose, Mr. Lumsden returned -to London as head of the branch there, and sent Jack to the -Charterhouse, and that's where I licked him first--" - -"Now, Pommy, at it again!" said Jack's voice. - -Dugdale chuckled, and Pomeroy looked aggressive; but immediately behind -Jack, as he re-entered the room, came a figure at the sight of which the -whole group broke out in exclamations of welcome. - -"Peter!" said Smith to Dugdale in a stage whisper. - -The new-comer was a tall man of some thirty-six years, wearing a big -greatcoat and a peaked cap drawn over his brow. His face was -particularly ugly, but redeemed by a pair of bright -good-tempered-looking eyes. He stood for a moment quizzing the company, -while the water streamed from his coat and made a pool on the floor. - -"Bedad," he said, observing the pasty mixture there, "sure if it's roast -beef that it is, it's myself that's thankful; but the flure's a queer -place to mix the Yorkshire." - -"No such luck," said Pomeroy. "No chance of that this side of -Portsmouth; it's only a toad-in-the-hole this time." - -Captain Peter O'Hare laughed when they told him of the regidor's plight. - -"And who was the blackguard that did it?" he asked, suddenly looking -serious. "Such conduct is terribly unbecoming an officer and a -gentleman." - -"It was Pepito," exclaimed Jack; "that little scamp of a gipsy who's -been shadowing me since we left Lisbon. I found him crouching in the -regidor's stable, smothered in flour from head to foot. It appears he -had made for the loft as the only dry place, and emptied a bag of flour -on the regidor in sheer self-defence, being afraid of a walloping if he -was caught. He jumped out of the upper door and slid down a -gutter-pipe. I'm afraid that young man will prove a thorn in my side." - -Captain O'Hare having by this time removed his dripping garments, Smith -took the opportunity to introduce his friend Dugdale. - -"He's just escaped from Oxford, O'Hare; heard the bugles sounding and -couldn't sit still." - -"What regiment, sir?" said the captain, shaking hands. "I knew a Dugdale -in the 85th." - -Dugdale chuckled. - -"My brother Tom, no doubt. Laid him a poodle to a pork-pie that I'd be -at the front first, and here I am." - -"Ah! an amachure, I preshume," said Captain O'Hare, glancing at his -civilian costume. "Sure, an' I hope you'll like it, for 'tis not all -beer and skittles. And that reminds me; 'tis time we cleared the decks -for supper. You'll stay and take pot-luck, Mr. Dugdale?" - -"Thank you, sir! but, you see--well, we had a little wager--in short, -thank you, sir!" - -O'Hare looked puzzled, and still more as he noticed a smile on the faces -of the rest of the company. - -"Never mind, Grampus," said Smith with a nudge, "they can fight it out -another time, and meanwhile you've saved your breeches." - -At this moment Rifleman Giles Ogbourne entered the room. - -"Please, sir," he said to Jack, "there's a Mr. Vaughan at the door as -would like to see you. I was to say 'twas he that borrowed your horse a -while ago." - -"Show him in," said Jack. - -"Beg pardon, sir, but he says as he would like to see you alone." - -"Oh, very well!" said Jack, rising, and he followed Giles from the room. - - - - - *CHAPTER III* - - *Palafox the Man, Palafox the Name* - - -A Letter from Saragossa--An Invitation--Bad News--Spanish -Apathy--Bonaparte--Jockeying a Nation--A Message from -Head-quarters--More Puzzlement - - -The visitor was awaiting Jack beneath a dim lamp in the vestibule. - -"You won't mind coming into my bedroom?" said Jack, after an interchange -of greetings. "It's the only place where we can be alone." - -He led the way, struck a light, and noticed that the stranger was -bespattered with mud from head to foot. - -"I'm scarcely fit to come into a house at all," said the latter -apologetically; "but as things are, no doubt you'll excuse me. I had -better introduce myself. My name is Vaughan, and I am acting as private -secretary to Mr. Stuart, our minister at Madrid. As I told you, I have -ridden in with important despatches for Sir John Moore; I happened to be -with Castanos' army, and as I came through Saragossa on my way to Madrid -I was entrusted by General Palafox with a letter to you, which I -promised to deliver to you in person if I should come across your -regiment. Here is the letter." - -He handed the paper to Jack, who looked at it in surprise. - -"General Palafox!" he said. "I don't know him. He is the Spanish -general who defended Saragossa recently, isn't he?" - -"Yes. I assure you it was he who gave me the letter." - -"Will you sit down while I look at it?" - -Jack hastily broke the seal. - -"I should add," said Vaughan, who had thrown himself wearily into a -chair, "that if I failed to find you, I was to carry the letter to your -father in London, whither I am proceeding at once." - -Meanwhile, Jack had opened the letter, which was written in a crabbed -and shaky handwriting. "My dear friend Jack," it began; and then Jack -turned to the signature, and read "Fernan Alvarez". A light dawned upon -him; his look of bewilderment vanished, and he turned back to the -beginning with eager curiosity. The letter ran as follows:-- - - -MY DEAR FRIEND JACK, - -My brave friend Captain-General Palafox tells me that Mr. Carlos Vawn, -who has of late arrived at this city, is on the point of leaving for -Madrid, and will then, it is possible, return to England by way of -Portugal, in which case he will, without doubt, visit the camp of the -great general, Sir Moore. By his courtesy I trust that this letter may -come to your hands all safe, and then I beg you will advise my agents in -Madrid, Senores Caldos and Gonzalez, inasmuch as I may be quite -altogether beyond the touch of your reply. The last letter I received -from my dear friend your father tells me that you sail instantly with -Sir Moore's army, and I already hear that your general landed soon after -the blessed victory at Vimeiro. - -You will have heard of our glorious defence against the usurper. We -shall not grudge our sufferings if the example of Saragossa do give -heart to the other great cities of my poor country so distracted. For -she will need indeed all her strength, all her courage, all her heroism, -in the storm which is now to burst upon her. Alas! I can no longer -hope to be of any service; my strength fails fast; I am old; I die. For -myself, I do not repine, but I am full of fear and trouble for the -safety of my poor Juanita, the little playmate whom I am sure you will -not have forgotten quite. I have done my all to provide for her, but -who can see through the clouds of war? We know not what may come in a -day. And the danger is not to be feared only from the outside. In a -letter to your father I have told him of what I have done. One thing is -needed to finish the things I tell him, and that is in the six -words--mark you--Palafox the Man, Palafox the Name. I beg you commit -these words to memory, and burn this letter the moment after you have -read it. - -I hope I may yet see you again before I die, but if it is not so be, I -say God bless you, and write myself for the last time - -Your old friend, - FERNAN ALVAREZ. - -_P.S._--Remember always: Palafox the Man, Palafox the Name. - - -"Palafox the man, Palafox the name!" said Jack half aloud. "What does -he mean? Did General Palafox send a message with this, sir?" - -"No. I understood that the writer was a friend of his and yours." - -"He is a friend of mine. He is my father's partner. But I don't -understand the letter. It appears to hint at something which he does -not care to express clearly. And he speaks of a letter to my father. -Have you that too?" - -"No; I know nothing about that." - -"Then it is probably with Don Fernan's agents in Madrid. But I am -forgetting to thank you. Really, sir, it was very good of you to -undertake this private errand when you must have been engrossed in -public affairs. We were just going to have supper; will you honour us by -joining our mess?" - -"I am very tired, and not at all in company trim; in fact, I had just -declined a similar invitation from Sir John; but--" - -"You will, then? I am very glad. We will not keep you late." - -"I must first go and give a coin to the boy who showed me the way -here--a little gipsy fellow who said he knew you." - -"Pepito! Let me deal with him, Mr. Vaughan; he has an extraordinary -knack of turning up just when he can make himself useful. You'll find a -towel there; I'll go and settle with Pepito, and you will follow me, -won't you? Our fellows will be delighted to meet you." - -And Jack left his visitor to his ablutions. - -There was much curiosity among the subalterns as to the identity of -Jack's visitor and the subject of their private interview; but Jack -volunteered no information, merely telling them, as he passed through -the room on his way to find Pepito, that Mr. Vaughan would join them at -supper. - -"So you boys will have to mind your p's and q's," said Captain O'Hare. -"No antics now. Some of these politicals are very starchy." - -Consequently it was a quiet group to whom, in a few minutes, Mr. Vaughan -was introduced. They were all hungry, and Jack apologized for the -plainness of the fare. - -"You see, sir," he said, "Sataro, our Portuguese contractor, has failed, -and we all have to get what food we can." - -"You won't find me fastidious," replied Vaughan. "I could almost eat my -boots, I think." - -"Mr. Vaughan has just ridden five hundred miles on end," explained Jack. - -"By George!" exclaimed Dugdale. - -"Five hundred, bedad!" said Captain O'Hare. "If they were like the -miles round Salamanca, sure you must have come through a power of mud!" - -"How long did it take you, sir?" asked Shirley. - -"Six days." - -There was a cry of astonishment. - -"Gad, that beats Bagster of Trinity!" said Dugdale. "Backed himself to -ride sixty miles and eat sixty oysters in a hundred and sixty minutes; -lost by six oysters, and always vowed he could ha' done that if the -vinegar hadn't run short!" - -There was a general laugh. - -"I could have done with the oysters--even the six," said Vaughan, who -was tickled by Dugdale's whole-hearted enjoyment of his recollection. - -"And why did you pelt along so terrible hard, may I ask, Mr. Vaughan?" -said the captain. - -"It'll be common property to-morrow, so I may as well tell you. I have -been for some time with the staff of General Palafox in Aragon. Six -days ago General Castanos was totally defeated at Tudela." - -"Good heavens!" cried Pomeroy; "another defeat! It was quite time we -turned up to help the Dons." - -"What a cowardly crew!" added Smith. "They run at the sound of their -own guns. Bang! whizz! and Vamos, they cry, which Lumsden will tell you -means: 'Let us skedaddle'." - -"We mustn't be too hard on them," said Mr. Vaughan quietly. "They used -to fight well, by all accounts. There were good men in Alva's time--not -to go back any further. All they want is proper leading. Their generals -happen to be no match for the French marshals, and unlucky to boot. A -little British discipline would work wonders. Well, as I happened to be -with the Spanish army, I rode off to Madrid at once with the news, and -our minister there sent me off with despatches to Sir John." - -"Lucky you were on the spot, sir," said Smith, "or we might have waited -till doomsday. The villainous way we are served with intelligence is -the common talk of the army." - -"I judged as much. The fact is, the Spaniards think they can do the -whole thing unaided; you gentlemen are mere interlopers. They'd like to -have the French all to themselves." - -"Well, they've had a lesson at Tudela," said Pomeroy. "Who had the -presumption to beat them there? Was it Marshal Ney?" - -"No, a Marshal Lannes. It's rather curious how he managed to take the -command, seeing that as he rode across the mountains a fortnight ago his -horse fell with him over a precipice, and every bone in his body -appeared to be broken. But a clever surgeon named Larrey mended him in -some ten days--how do you think? He stitched him up in the skin of a -newly-flayed sheep!" - -"A wolf," said Shirley, "a wolf in sheep's clothing; and the British -dogs of war'll soon be at him." - -"How does this defeat affect us, sir?" asked Jack. - -"That depends on how the French follow it up. Bonaparte may--" - -"Oh, I say, sir," cried Dugdale excitedly, "is old Boney himself in -Spain?" - -"Didn't you know? He crossed the border three weeks ago. He may swoop -down on Madrid, for, except Heredia and San Juan, there seems to be -nobody to bar his way." - -"Bedad, sir, but there's a certain General Sir John Moore, to say -nothing of the 95th," said Captain O'Hare with a laugh; "though, to be -sure, 'twas Soult we were to tackle first." - -"Won't this defeat bring the French on our flank?" asked Smith, already -showing the strategical perception that distinguished the victor of -Aliwal. - -"It certainly seems likely. I found Sir John terribly distressed at his -imperfect knowledge of the French position, and at the sluggishness of -the Spaniards. The proud Dons seem to have no plans, and to be -perfectly content to drift along. But that won't do against soldiers -like Bonaparte and his marshals." - -"Do you know how many the French number, all told?" asked Jack. - -"I don't, and I'm sure no Spaniard does. I heard 80,000 given as one -estimate, but I shall be much surprised if the total is not much larger -than that." - -"Whew!" exclaimed Dugdale. "And we've only a few thousand here at any -rate. What's the odds! an Englishman was always worth ten Frenchmen, -and I don't care if Boney comes with a million." - -"I admire your confidence and spirit, Mr. Dugdale," said Vaughan dryly. - -"Though I'm hanged if I know what we're fighting Boney in Spain for," -added Dugdale. "Not that that matters." - -"Indeed, but it matters a terrible deal," said Captain O'Hare earnestly. -"We've crossed the mighty ocean--and mighty unpleasant it was, -bedad!--to help a disthressed and downtrodden people; and sure 'tis we -Irishmen can feel for the like o' them." - -Dugdale, feeling out of his depth, was silent for a time while the -conversation took a more serious tone, and turned on the chain of events -which had led to the presence of the British army in Spain. - -It was fifteen years since a little Corsican officer of artillery, named -Napoleon Bonaparte, had first drawn attention to himself by his clever -work at the siege of Toulon. In that time he had made himself Emperor -of the French and dictator of Europe, and become one of the greatest -figures in universal history. His ambition was insatiable and hitherto -his success had been stupendous. Within a few years he had subdued -Austria, humbled Prussia, hoaxed Russia, and plundered Italy. Alone of -the nations, England had checked his series of triumphs by her victories -at the Nile and Trafalgar; but even in England his name was held by the -more timorous in awe, and caricatures represented him as a voracious -ogre who made his meals of little children. He longed to have England -also at his feet--a longing only intensified by the success with which -she had hitherto defied his efforts cripple her trade. - -Before he could subdue England, however, Bonaparte saw the necessity of -adding Spain and Portugal to his tale of victims. Portugal was our -ally, and he gave her the choice between breaking with us and fighting -France. She held to her alliance, and was promptly overrun with French -troops. Having crippled Portugal, he turned his attention to Spain. In -that country the old King Charles had allowed the government to fall -into the hands of his unscrupulous minister Godoy, who was universally -detested. The greater part of the nation wished the king to abdicate in -favour of his son Ferdinand, with whom he was constantly quarrelling. -Taking advantage of these dissensions, Napoleon sent a French force to -Madrid, with the intention, as the Spaniards believed, of supporting -Ferdinand. But both Charles and Ferdinand were summoned to meet -Napoleon at Bayonne; there they were in turn tricked into resigning the -sovereignty, which the emperor at once bestowed on his brother Joseph. -This was the signal for a great national rising, the first which -Napoleon had yet encountered. The Spaniards were proud, high-spirited, -and independent, and refused tamely to submit to this arbitrary -interference with their affairs. In all parts of the country they -proclaimed Ferdinand king, and when Napoleon poured his troops in an -endless stream across the Pyrenees, their eyes turned to England as -their only stand-by, and to England they sent for help. A British army -under Sir Arthur Wellesley landed in Portugal, and defeated Marshal -Junot at the battle of Vimeiro; but, ere the victory could be completed -and followed up, the chief command was assumed in succession by Sir -Harry Burrard and Sir Hew Dalrymple, who came out within a few days of -one another. To Wellesley's disgust, they allowed the French, by the -Convention of Cintra, to withdraw from Portugal with the honours of war. -But their action aroused intense indignation at home; they were -recalled, with Wellesley, to appear before a court of enquiry, and Sir -John Moore was unexpectedly placed in command. - -Meanwhile the French forces in the Peninsula had been continually -increasing; the regular armies of Spain had been beaten on all sides; -and instead of meeting, as he had expected, large forces, well equipped -at English expense, ready to co-operate with him, Sir John found that he -had to defend the Portuguese frontier and undertake offensive operations -almost single-handed against a victorious enemy many times outnumbering -his own army. Immense sums of money and stores of all kinds had been -given to Spain by the British Government, but owing to the corruption of -the Spanish officials, and the want of any real governing authority, the -gift was virtually wasted. The Juntas, or committees, which had -undertaken the government of the various provinces, were all acting, or -rather talking of acting, independently, and were strangely blind to -their deadly peril. They appeared to regard England as an unfailing -source of money and arms, and in some cases actually resented the -arrival of British troops, in a sort of blind confidence that they were -able unaided to withstand the invader. - -Mr. Vaughan had seen something of this during his stay with General -Castanos, and his account of what had come under his own eyes kept his -hosts interested to a late hour. At length he rose. - -"I am very tired," he said, "and as I expect to have to ride again -to-morrow, I know you gentlemen will excuse me for leaving you. Many -thanks for your hospitality, and may we meet again!" - -"I will see you to your quarters," said Jack. "Where are you staying?" - -"At an inn in the Plaza Santo Tome. I shall be glad of your company, if -the hour is not too late." - -When Jack returned, half an hour afterwards, his man Giles handed him a -note which had been left at the house by an orderly during his absence. - -"The commander-in-chief", it ran, "presents his compliments to Mr. -Lumsden, and will be glad to see him at his quarters at nine o'clock -to-morrow morning." - - -"Another letter," said Jack to himself; "and almost as mysterious as the -first. I wonder what it can mean!" - -He read the note again, but finding himself unable to make any inference -from the few simple words, he wisely resolved to allow the morning to -bring its own solution. In the few moments that elapsed between his -laying his head on the pillow and falling asleep, his mind see-sawed -between the two letters. Now it was Sir John Moore's that was -uppermost, now Don Fernan's; breaking the darkness of his room he seemed -to see the phrases, one above the other, in letters of fire: "At nine -o'clock to-morrow morning"--"Palafox the Man, Palafox the Name". - - - - - *CHAPTER IV* - - *A Delicate Mission* - - -Sir John Moore--In the Dark--A Roving Commission--Maps and Plans--Camp -Critics--An Hidalgo--Mystification--Exasperation--Pepito again--A -Bargain--Force majeure - - -At nine o'clock next day Jack made his way through a crowd of officers -congregated about the door of the archbishop's palace, where Sir John -Moore was quartered. It seemed to be nobody's business to show him up, -so he discovered for himself the room in which the commander-in-chief -was, as he supposed, awaiting him. Entering at the door, and lifting a -heavy velvet curtain that hung within, he found himself in a large -chamber, at the other end of which stood a group of officers engaged in -what was evidently a very animated discussion. He noticed the tall, -handsome figure of General Sir Edward Paget, the commander of the -reserve; near him was General Anstruther, a rugged, untiring Scot; in -the centre of the group was Sydney Beckwith, Jack's own colonel, rough -of tongue and unsparing in his demands on his men, but withal kind of -heart and true as steel. He was at this moment eagerly pointing to a -map which lay outspread on a table, over which bent several other -officers, among them the commander-in-chief himself. Fine men as were -all the soldiers gathered there, Sir John Moore was easily first among -them. At this time forty-seven years of age, his tall graceful figure, -crowned by a head nobly fashioned, with classic features, large lustrous -eyes, and bright close-clustering hair, would have marked him out in any -crowd as one above the generality of men. He was listening intently to -what Colonel Beckwith said. His lips were firmly compressed; every now -and then the fingers of his right hand restlessly tattooed upon the -table. Suddenly he straightened himself and moved backward a pace; the -hubbub of conversation ceased, and in the silence Jack heard, in Moore's -clear and measured tones, the following words: - -"Excuse me, gentlemen, I take the whole responsibility of my decision; -and I only expect my officers to prepare to carry it into effect." - -There was sternness, even a touch of irritation, in his accent. -"There's something wrong," thought Jack; "I've no business here; I'd -better make myself scarce." - -He withdrew into the corridor, and began to walk up and down, with that -curious feeling of excitement which takes hold of a boy when waiting for -an interview on some unknown matter with his head-master. In a few -minutes the officers left the room in a body, still talking with -animation, and passed down the corridor, away from Jack, towards the -street. Judging that Sir John was now alone, Jack returned to the room. -The general was pacing the floor with long steps, his hands clasped -behind him, his head bent forward in anxious thought. Jack hesitated a -moment; then stepped forward. Sir John looked up, and stood with legs -apart, evidently not for the moment recognizing his visitor. Then his -brow cleared; his features softened in the kindly smile for which he was -celebrated. - -"Ah! Mr. Lumsden, I think," he said; "I am glad to see you. I fear I -have kept you waiting. Yes, I see it is twenty minutes past the hour. -Let me waste no time, then. Sit down at the table there." - -Sir John seated himself at the opposite side of the table, gave the lad -one quick glance, and said: - -"Without beating about the bush, are you willing, Mr. Lumsden, to -undertake an important and possibly dangerous mission?" - -"Certainly, sir." - -The answer came without a moment's hesitation, and the general seemed -pleased. Then, observing a look of surprise on Jack's face, he went on: - -"You wonder at my selecting you? I happened to overhear yesterday an -eloquent address in Spanish by an officer of the 95th, and when I came -to enquire of Colonel Beckwith, he told me that Mr. Lumsden's knowledge -of Spanish had already proved useful. That is how it happened, Mr. -Lumsden." - -He gave the young officer a friendly smile, and Jack's cheeks flushed -with pleasure as the general continued: - -"You are the man I've been looking for. What I want you to do is out of -your regular duty, but then a knowledge of Spanish is out of the usual -officer's acquirements, more's the pity. Do you know French also?" - -"A little, sir; just well enough to understand what is said and to make -a shift to reply." - -"That's well. Now I suppose you have some sort of notion of what my -intentions were in marching from Lisbon, eh?" - -"We've talked it over at mess, sir," said Jack with a smile. - -"Naturally. Well, if you're to be of use to me, and I think you will -be, I must take you into my confidence. What I want, Mr. Lumsden, is -information--information that I can rely on." At this point he rose -from his chair and resumed his restless pacing to and fro. "I started -to join forces with the Spaniards, but they haven't put themselves into -communication with me. I don't know their plans; I don't know what -their Government is aiming at. I am in entire ignorance of the numbers -or the situation of the enemy. The Spaniards seem to be living in a -fools' paradise; talk very big about their own armies, and very small -about the enemy; keep us short of supplies, and shorter still of news. -I do know that a fortnight ago General Blake's Spanish army in the north -was beaten, and now a Mr. Vaughan has brought me news that General -Castanos has been routed at Tudela; which means that his co-operation -with me is out of the question. Do you see what I am driving at?" - -"You mean, I think, sir, that as the Spaniards are beaten, the French -are free to attack you." - -"Precisely. Now follow the positions on the map here and you will see -more clearly what I want of you. Here am I at Salamanca; Sir John Hope, -with the cavalry and guns, is marching to join me by Talavera and the -Escurial--a roundabout route, you see, and a long march that might have -been avoided if I could have been sure the mountain roads were passable -for wheeled transport. All the guns might have come by Guarda and saved -a hundred miles; but the Portuguese engineers assured me the road was -too difficult. Farther north there is another division under Sir David -Baird, who landed recently at Corunna, and is now at Astorga. You see -the positions?" - -"Yes, sir; of course your idea was to join." - -"Exactly. But now you see that I dare not attempt a junction with Sir -David. As long as General Castanos' army remained, there was a hope, -but now that all the Spanish armies are beaten, the French are free to -march against us. Their numbers, I believe, very much exceed my own, so -that if they get between me and Sir David we shall be in an awkward -hole. And therefore I have determined to retreat." - -Jack opened his eyes. A retreat had never entered into his imagination. -He understood now what had been the subject of discussion at nine -o'clock, and suspected from the general attitude of the officers, and -from the few words he had heard, that the decision to withdraw without -firing a shot did not meet with the approval of the staff. - -"I have already sent orders to Sir John Hope," Moore went on, "to retire -by way of Penaranda and Ciudad Rodrigo, and Mr. Vaughan has been good -enough to offer to carry a letter to Sir David Baird ordering him to -re-embark at Corunna, and land his division at Lisbon. God knows I -would have run great risks to help the Spanish cause, but the Spaniards -have shown so little ability to do anything for themselves that I should -only sacrifice my army, and do no good to Spain, if I attempted the -impossible." - -The look of anxiety and worry had returned to Sir John's face. It -cleared, however, in a moment, and he continued brightly: "Now, Mr. -Lumsden, you see the position. The questions are: Where is the enemy? -and What is he going to do? The French were, a fortnight ago, at -Valladolid; if they go north-west in force they will come across Sir -David's division; if they come south, and are reinforced by the French -from Tudela, they will threaten Sir John Hope's flank, and I must then -do something to relieve the pressure. But any movement on my part would -disclose my position and strength to the enemy, who, I hope and believe, -at present know nothing about me. What I want then, Mr. Lumsden, is -exact information of the enemy's whereabouts and numbers, and I think -that you, with your mastery of Spanish, are the most likely officer to -obtain it." - -"I am ready to start at once, sir," said Jack. - -"That's right. If you're the fellow I take you for, you won't want any -further instructions from me. What means you use I must leave to your -own discretion. I'll supply you with anything you require; money in -moderation. I am terribly hard up; our Government showers gold on the -Spaniards, but can't afford to pay my army. Now, before we settle the -matter, it is only fair to warn you of the danger you run. If you are -caught by the French within what they claim to be their lines, you'll be -shot, as sure as eggs is eggs. Think of it then; you have free choice. -Will you go?" - -"I'll take the risk, sir," replied Jack instantly. - -"It is confidential, of course," added the general. "You will report -direct to me what information you obtain, or, in my absence, to one of -my aides-de-camp or to General Paget." - -"I am at liberty to employ messengers?" - -"Certainly, but you will satisfy yourself that they are trustworthy." - -"And may I have a map?" - -"Of course. We haven't too many, and they are not particularly good, -but send your man, and I will have one looked out within an hour. How -long will it take you to make your preparations?" - -"Not a minute longer than is necessary to get a Spanish dress and -requisition a mule," answered Jack with a smile. - -"You'll make a presentable Spaniard," said Moore, smiling back. "But -wouldn't a horse serve you better than a mule? You were riding a good -mount yesterday." - -"A horse would attract too much attention, I think, sir. And I was used -to riding mules when I was young." - -Sir John laughed. - -"You're not a very ancient Pistol even now, Mr. Lumsden," he said. "But -that's the right spirit; regard yourself as a man and you'll do a man's -work. Well, that is settled, then. I'll send you some money, and I -hope you will do me valuable service and come back with a whole skin. -Stay; you want a Spanish outfit. I know the very man who can be useful -to you--a Spanish gentleman, one of the old school. I will write you a -line of introduction. Let me see." Sir John hastily rummaged among a -heap of papers. "I mustn't forget one of the names; that would be an -unpardonable slight. Here it is." - -He scribbled a note, copying the address with some care. Jack read: "El -Senor Don Pedro Benito Aguilar Quadrato Garrapinillos de Sarrion de -Gracioso," and caught a twinkle in Sir John's eye. - -"I am sure he will do all he can for you," added the commander-in-chief. -"He is a good patriot, not a painted one. Now good-bye, and good luck -to you!" - -He shook hands with Jack, who, feeling as though he trod on air, so much -elated was he at the confidence placed in him, went back to his -quarters. At the door he found a small group of his fellow-officers, -evidently in a high state of excitement. - -"Hi, Jack," cried Smith, as he came up to them, "what do you think of -this? The army's going to retreat." - -"You don't say so?" said Jack with well-feigned surprise. - -"I do, though. Did you ever hear of such an order from a British -commander-in-chief! We haven't even had a glimpse of the enemy, and by -all we can hear their cavalry vedettes are at least four marches away. -I can't for the life of me make out what Johnny Moore can be thinking -of. How did he get his reputation, I wonder?" - -"Depend upon it, he's good reason if he has ordered a retreat." - -"'He that fights and runs away,'" began Shirley; but Jack had already -gone into the house, where he found his man Giles Ogbourne in the -kitchen, polishing his boots and hissing like a kettle with the -exertion. - -"Giles," said Jack, "cut off and find me a strong, steady mule -somewhere. Then go to Sir John Moore's quarters; say you have come from -me; you'll get some money and a paper packet; take them, with the mule, -out of the town as quickly as you can, and wait for me some two miles -along the Valladolid road. Don't say a word to anyone about me, mind." - -"Very good, sir!" - -Giles dropped the boots and departed on his errand. Then Jack found his -way to the palace of the much-baptized hidalgo. After the usual -salutations, made on both sides with more than ordinary regard to -punctilio, Jack presented his note. Don Pedro, an old and stately -cavalier, with thin pointed features and wearing a crimson skull-cap, -looked up after reading it, and said: - -"General Sir Moore's wishes are to a good Spaniard commands. If you -will acquaint me, Senor, with the manner in which I may serve you, I -shall feel myself indeed honoured." - -Jack, bowing his acknowledgments of the hidalgo's courtesy, went -straight to the point. - -"My general, Senor, has entrusted me with a somewhat delicate mission -towards Olmedo. As you may imagine, it would not be politic for me to -make such a journey as a British officer. Relying on a certain -familiarity with your noble language"--here the courtly hidalgo waved -his hand in graceful acknowledgment--"I propose to pass for the time as -one of your countrymen. I shall need in the first place a dress, and -secondly one or two willing helpers." - -"Ah! as to the dress," said the hidalgo musingly. "Let me see. You will -do best to wear a quiet costume, such as might become a well-to-do -tradesman--say a snuff-coloured cloak, a pointed hat, velvet breeches, -and high gaiters. Well, give me half an hour, and I will have the -costume ready for you. As to the helpers, that is a little more -difficult. I have no intimate acquaintance in the neighbourhood of -Olmedo. If you had asked me but a few short months ago, I should have -said that any of my countrymen might have been trusted, but, alas! too -many now have betrayed their country to the usurper. But now I bethink -me, an old servant of mine keeps a small inn, the Posada de Oriente, at -Medina del Campo, some twelve miles on this side of Olmedo. He is an -excellent worthy fellow, and staunch, and if you so please, Senor, I -will write a note to him, asking him to serve you as he would serve me." - -Jack eagerly accepted the hidalgo's offer. Don Pedro opened a -heavily-chased escritoire, selected a sheet of paper, then cut a new -quill, and proceeded with as much formal deliberation as though he were -penning a document of state. The letter finished, he carefully -sprinkled it with sand from a silver pounce-box, delicately shook the -paper clean when the ink was dry, and after folding it, impressed upon -it a seal some two inches in diameter. The whole operation had occupied -nearly half an hour, which Jack had utilized in thinking out his plans. - -"I much regret to hear, Senor," said the hidalgo, as he handed him the -note, "that my dear friend General Castanos has suffered a check, and -that this may cause some change in General Sir Moore's plans. But I -hope your excellent countrymen will not be discouraged by this temporary -mischance. 'Tis but the fortune of war, or perhaps a warning, a summons -to us to cast off our lethargy; and Spain will hear, and when she -awakes, let her foes beware." - -Jack took his leave, thanking the hidalgo in flowing Castilian, and -requesting him to send the promised costume to his quarters. Half an -hour afterwards the clothes arrived. Meanwhile Jack had procured a -little saffron, by whose aid he had given his complexion a sallow tinge, -and this, with the large-brimmed pointed hat, the cloak, and other -details of the costume, effected a complete transformation in his -appearance. Armed with the note to Don Pedro's old servant, he walked -boldly out by the front door into the street. As luck would have it, -the first person he met was Captain O'Hare himself. - -"Vaya usted con Dios!" said Jack, with a slight bow, giving the usual -Spanish salutation. - -"Buenos dias, Senor!" returned the captain, with so vile a pronunciation -that Jack could scarcely repress a smile. He passed on unrecognized, -and chuckled at having so completely deceived the worthy captain. - -Rather more than half an hour later he came to a spot on the road to -Medina del Campo where Giles was patiently waiting with the mule. The -big private was sitting on a heap of stones, holding the reins with one -hand while with the other he flung pebbles across the road in idle -preoccupation. Jack went up to him. - -"You Inglese soldier?" he said, in a foreign accent. - -"Yes, mister." - -"Inglaterra a fine region," said Jack. "You go a viaje?" - -"See then, what's a viaje?" - -"A voyage, a march, on the mule back." - -"No, I'm not goin' a march on the mule back." - -"The mule is to you?" - -"The mule bean't nowt to me." - -"Where you go then?" - -"What's that to you, mister?" - -"What for you--?" - -"Now look here, mister, doan't ye be too inquisitive. Axing me forty -questions indeed. See then, I'll punch your head, iss a wull, if ye--" - -Jack burst out laughing. - -"Well, Giles," he said, "that's a compliment to my disguise at any rate. -Have you got the packet for me?" - -"Yes, sir," said Ogbourne, springing to his feet with a sheepish grin. -"Beg pardon, sir, but I took you for a Don." - -"I know you did. Well now, get back to quarters, and don't say a word -to anybody about where I have gone. If you are asked about me--and no -doubt you will be--just say that I have been sent on an errand by the -general." - -"Very good, sir. Mumchanced as a scarecrow, sir." - -"That's right. Good-day!" - -He sprang on to the mule, took a switch and the packet containing the -map from his man's hands, and rode off in the direction of Medina del -Campo. It was fortunate that he had previous experience of such steeds -when a young boy in Barcelona, for the animal began at once to play -pranks. It got up first of all on its hind-legs, and then gave a lurch -forward, a movement for which Jack was prepared, and which he defeated -by a sudden violent strain upon the reins that brought the animal to -reason. The mule requires wholly different treatment from a horse. -Prick him with the spur, he stops dead; strike him with a whip, he lies -down; draw rein, and he begins to gallop. Sometimes he will halt in the -middle of the road, lift his head, stretch his neck, draw back his chops -till he shows his gums and long teeth, and then give vent to sobs, -sighs, gurgles, squeals like a pig's; and thrash him as you please, he -will not budge a step until his vocal exercises are finished. Jack knew -all this of old, and after trying a few experiments the mule appeared to -recognize that he had no raw hand to deal with, and settled down into a -steady trot, making the bells upon his neck tinkle merrily. - -Jack had not ridden more than a quarter of a mile when, as he was -passing by a small clump of trees, the mule stopped short, and not all -his rider's coaxing sufficed to make him move. Springing off his back, -Jack went to his head, to see if leading would prove more effectual than -driving. As he stood there a pebble fell at his feet, then another, and -another, coming, apparently, from the sky. He looked up, and there, -ensconced in a fork of one of the trees, crouched a small human figure. - -"Well I'm hanged!" exclaimed Jack. "Come down, Pepito." - -The figure swung itself over the bough, clambered down the trunk with -the nimbleness of a squirrel, dropped lightly from the lowest branch, -and stood before Jack, looking up into his face with a broad smile. It -was a curious figure indeed: a boy about four feet six in height, with -tanned skin some shades darker than the Spaniard's olive hue, thick red -lips now open and showing strong white teeth, narrow brow, arched nose, -and long raven-black hair that hung in a tangled mass over his eyes. He -was not pretty, but there was something strangely attractive in his -smile, and his brilliant black eyes, with their indescribable touch of -mystery, were dancing with fun as they met the surprised gaze of the -young Englishman. - -"And what does this mean, Pepito?" said Jack in Spanish. - -"Go with Senor," replied the boy briefly. He shivered; it was a cold -day, and the raw air cut through the tatters which left his flesh here -and there exposed. - -"No, that's impossible," said Jack decisively. "I couldn't be bothered -with you." - -"Want to go with Senor," persisted the boy. "Know the roads--Medina, -Valladolid, Segovia, all the places; the Gitanos know everything." - -"That's all very well, but I don't want you. You'd be in the way. -Besides, I'm riding. You couldn't keep up with me." - -"Can run fast. No mule can beat me." - -"Nonsense! I shall be riding all day, and you'd be dead before night." - -"I can get a mule, then." - -"Where, may I ask?" - -"From the Busne." - -Jack knew that Busne was the gipsies' name for the Spaniards. - -"That means that you would steal it, eh? Didn't I tell you that if you -were caught stealing you'd be hanged, or at any rate soundly flogged?" - -"Yes. Hanged!" He shrugged his shoulders. "Flogged!" He pulled aside -his rags and showed the marks left by old thrashings on his skin. - -"Incorrigible little imp!" muttered Jack in English. "Look here," he -went on in Spanish, "you can't go with me; that's settled. You must go -back to Salamanca. I'll give you a note to Ogbourne--" - -"He'll flog me." - -"No. I'll tell him to get you some clothes and see that you are fed, -and to keep his eye on you till I get back. Now, will you promise me to -keep out of mischief?" - -"No." - -"Impudent little beggar! I suppose you know no better. You know at any -rate that my man will lay on pretty heavily if you plague him. Look, -here's a silver peseta. I'll give you this if you promise to go back to -Salamanca." - -He held up the coin between finger and thumb. - -"Give it me," said Pepito. - -"Promise." - -"I'll go with you, Senor," said the boy obstinately. - -"Don't you understand? It's impossible. I can't be clogged with you. -Come now, here's the money. Cut away, and when I see you next take care -that you've decent clothes on your back." - -Jack rapidly scribbled a note, and gave it with the coin into the brown -lean little paw, eagerly outstretched to receive it. Pepito stowed them -both into a pocket he discovered somewhere among his rags, then grinned, -and said: - -"Now I run with Senor's mule." - -"Confound you!" cried Jack, losing patience at last. "I won't have you -with me." - -He raised the switch which he had laid across the saddle and made to -strike at the gipsy. Pepito looked in his face with an inscrutable -expression in his dark eyes, shrank back from the expected blow, then -slowly turned on his heel and slunk away in the direction of Salamanca. - -"The obstinate little mule!" said Jack to himself as he watched him go. -"I don't wonder that Giles has given him many a tanning. I'd sooner be -haunted by a ghost." - -As soon as Pepito was out of sight Jack remounted, and set the mule at a -canter to make up for lost time. - - - - - *CHAPTER V* - - *A Roadside Adventure* - - -A Spanish By-Road--Negotiations--A Rupture--A Village Inn--Family -History--Antonio the Brave--A Near Thing--The Other -Cheek--Explanations--Recruits--Quits - - -For a few miles Jack followed the highroad, meeting no one but an old -wizened woman staggering along under a basket-load of onions. Then, -thinking it well, as he approached the district in which there was a -possibility of encountering the enemy's vedettes, to avoid the main -thoroughfare, he struck off to the right along what was little better -than a cart track, discovering from his map that this would lead him to -his destination by way of Pedroso, Cantalapiedra, and Carpio, villages -which were scarcely likely to be selected as billeting-places by any -considerable force. It was a dreary ride. The road was heavy with the -recent rains. It passed through a country consisting partly of bare -heath, partly of grain-fields, now black and desolate. He had started -from Salamanca shortly after eleven o'clock, and, owing to interruptions -and the state of the roads, it was nearly three in the afternoon before -he arrived at Cantalapiedra, little more than half-way to Medina. By -that time he was hungry, and his steed was both hungry and tired. -Dismounting before a posada at the entrance to the town, he sent the -mule to be fed and rubbed down, and went into the house to seek -refreshment himself. - -There was no other guest in the place, and the landlord, slow and stolid -like a genuine Spaniard, showed neither pleasure nor displeasure at the -appearance of a traveller. In reply to Jack's request for food, he -brought, after some delay, a basin of very greasy soup of a reddish -tinge, due to the saffron with which it had been liberally sprinkled, -and a dirty carafe of violet-coloured wine, which Jack found, when he -poured it out, almost thick enough to cut with a knife. The bread, -however, was eatable, if a trifle salt, and Jack munched away with an -appetite that evoked a gleam of interest in the landlord's solemn eyes. -He began to ask questions, and indeed to show himself inquisitive, -remarking on the strange fact of a young man travelling alone through -disturbed country at such a time. Jack good-humouredly parried enquiries -that seemed too direct, merely explaining that he had been on a visit to -Salamanca, and was riding across country because, having heard rumours -that the French were in possession of Valladolid, he had no wish to fall -into their hands. The landlord dryly told him that travelling anywhere -in Spain was rather dangerous for a man with good clothes on his back -and money in his pocket, for if he escaped the French he might fall in -with bandits, and there was little to choose between them when plunder -was in question. In answer to this Jack opened his coat and showed the -man the butt of a big Spanish pistol. - -"Even a peaceful merchant," he said with a laugh, "may prove an awkward -customer to tackle." - -The landlord shrugged. - -"One against a troop of French cavalry, or a gang of bandits, would fare -rather badly," he said. "I suppose you will want a bed to-night, -Senor?" - -"Not I. I'm going to push on to Medina." - -"The saints help you to find your way in the dark, then!" - -"Oh! I shall find it. The road is direct, you know, and my mule will -not wander." - -He set off after an hour's rest and rode on in increasing darkness. -What the landlord had said about brigands gave him little concern. For -one thing, the mule trod almost silently on the sodden road, and he had -removed the bell from its neck; for another, he had avoided the highway, -and did not suppose that much booty was ever to be obtained on the -by-roads; and lastly, he trusted to his wits, his mule, and his pistol. -As he rode on, the air grew colder and the sky darker; there was no -moon, and a thickening haze lay over the fields to right and left of the -road. It was impossible to proceed at more than a walking pace, except -at risk of breaking the mule's knees in a rut or ditch. To divert his -thoughts from the cold and the unpleasantness of his journey, he ran -over in his mind the events of the last few days. He dwelt particularly -on the strange message he had received from Don Fernan Alvarez. -"Palafox the man, Palafox the name!"--what could it mean? How did it -concern his old playmate Juanita, whom he remembered, a little -black-eyed child, clambering on his father's knee, and listening with -her finger in her mouth to the stories told her by Mr. Lumsden, so merry -and frank compared with her stiff, stately, solemn father. Palafox!--he -was a young general, with a brilliant reputation; Jack had heard Colonel -Beckwith give high praise to his strenuous defence of Saragossa against -Verdier; but what likelihood was there that the chances of the campaign -would give Jack an opportunity of meeting him! Suppose he did meet him, -what-- - -"Buenas noches, caballero!" said a thick guttural voice at his mule's -head, breaking into his meditation, and giving him a momentary shock. - -"Buenas noches, hombre!" he replied. - -The mule had stopped short. Jack saw dimly, right in front of him, a -thick-set figure clad in a heavy cloak, his head covered with a pointed -large-brimmed hat, reminding the rider of pictures he had seen of -Italian brigands. - -"O Senor caballero," said the man, "will you have the charity to tell a -poor wayfarer the time?" - -Jack was on the point of pulling out his big hunting-watch, but it -struck him suddenly that it was advisable to be on his guard until he -was sure of his man. - -"Somewhere about seven o'clock, I fancy," he said courteously. "You are -right in my way, my friend." - -"Si, caballero, but it is my way as well as yours." - -"It is wide enough for both of us," rejoined Jack with a smile; "and as -I have some miles to ride, I shall be obliged to you if you'll stand -away and let me get on." - -The man did not budge, but brought his left hand from beneath his cloak -and seized the off rein. - -"Come, my friend, don't delay me. 'Tis a cold night, and the sooner I -reach my journey's end the better I shall be pleased." - -Jack spoke quietly and politely as before, but he was watching the -fellow with the wariness of a hawk. - -"'Tis cold for me also, caballero; a fire and warm drink await me -yonder. I am going to fight the accursed French, and it strikes me a -mule like yours will serve me well. I will trouble you, therefore, to -dismount, caballero. I perceive you are a tradesman from the town, and -you will admit the fighter is more useful to Spain than the shopkeeper. -If you will do me the honour to descend, I will mount in your place." - -"Not so fast, my man," said Jack. "I don't want to hurt you, but if you -continue to stand there you may come to grief when I whip up my mule." - -Realizing from Jack's firm tone that his object was not to be gained -without a struggle, the man suddenly threw off the fold of the cloak -enveloping his right arm, and with a guttural oath lifted a huge mallet -he carried in his hand, springing slightly aside to give his arm free -play. The movement was fatal to him. With a sharp dig in the groin -Jack swung the mule round in the same direction, and launched him full -at his assailant. Before the ponderous mallet had time to complete its -swing, the mule had struck the man square in the chest, and as he reeled -and fell under the blow Jack brought down his switch smartly across his -brow. - -"That's well saved, anyhow," said Jack grimly to himself as he cantered -on, and smiled as he heard the man's curses pursuing him. The mule -seemed to share in his rider's feelings, for as he trotted steadily on -he lifted his head high in the air, curled up his lip, and showed his -long yellow teeth, as though laughing at the man's ignominious -overthrow. Jack let him have his way, and the animal kept up the same -pace unfalteringly, with never a slip or stumble, until he reached the -squalid streets of Medina del Campo. The curfew had just ceased -ringing, and the great market-square was quite deserted; but Jack -knocked at a house in which he saw a light, enquired the way to the -Posada de Oriente, and in a few minutes was standing within the doorway -of that hostelry. To judge by the various voices issuing from its -interior, it was entertaining a numerous company. - -He presented to the landlord the letter he had brought from the man's -former master, Don Pedro, and was led with some hesitation into the inn, -while his mule was handed over to an ostler. The inn consisted of one -large apartment with a fireplace at each end, a timber roof blackened -and varnished by smoke, stalls at each side for horses and mules, and -for travellers a few small lateral chambers each containing a bed made -of planks laid across trestles, and covered with sheets of coarse -sacking. "Rough lying," thought Jack, as he looked in at the open door -of one of these. The floor was of brick, strewn with rushes. A large -fire burnt in one of the grates, strings of onions hung from nails on -the walls, and the place was pervaded by an odour of scalded oil and -grilled tomatos. Jack gave a comprehensive greeting to the company as he -entered. A deep silence had fallen upon the room, and he was conscious -of the curious scrutiny of several pairs of eyes; but knowing that the -Spaniard is always reserved with a stranger until assured that he is -not, let us say, a pedlar, or a rope-dancer, or a dealer in hair-oil, he -paid the company for the moment no further attention, but sat down on a -back seat pointed out by the patron, and ordered food. The landlord -regretted that at short notice he could supply him with nothing but a -simple gaspacho. Jack laughed inwardly at the thought of how his friend -Pomeroy would turn up his fastidious nose at such fare, but assured his -host that in his present state of hunger he could eat anything, and the -gaspacho was accordingly prepared. Some water was poured into a -soup-tureen, to this was added a little vinegar, a few pods of garlic, -some onions cut into four, a slice or two of cucumber, a little spice, a -pinch of salt, and a few slices of bread; with this the detestable -mixture was complete. As Jack began his meagre meal the landlord opened -the hidalgo's note, and Jack threw a glance round the company. - -Nearest the fire sat a lean, cadaverous old gentleman closely wrapped in -a chestnut-coloured cloak, and sipping at a glass of dry Malaga. Next -him reclined the village priest, a rotund figure clad in a black -cassock, with cloak of the same colour; he nursed on his knee an immense -hat, at least three feet long, with a turned-in brim, which when upon -his head must have formed a sort of horizontal roof. Then came a couple -of arrieros, or carriers, in rough fustian, with big leather gaiters and -broad sashes of red silk; and a loutish Maragato with shaven head, clad -in a long tight jacket secured at the waist by a broad girdle, loose -trousers terminating at the knees, and long boots and gaiters. A few -young villagers completed the circle. By this time the landlord had -spread out his old master's note, and was scrutinizing it with a puzzled -expression, his head screwed aside and his lips pursed up. After a few -moments he appeared to come to the conclusion that he would never -decipher the crabbed handwriting unaided, and handed it to the priest, a -broad grease mark showing where his thumb had pressed it. - -"Here, Senor cura," he said, "be so good as to read it to me; Don -Pedro's hand is growing paralysed, surely." - -The priest took it, giving Jack a humorous smile. - -"Don Pedro merely introduces the caballero as a friend of his," he said, -"and asks you, for his sake and the sake of Spain, to serve him in every -possible way." - -"To be sure," returned the landlord; "I have done it without asking. I -have given the caballero a gaspacho, and if he will wait till Antonio -arrives he shall have a puchero in addition, and a grilled tomato." - -"Thanks, landlord! I shall do very well," said Jack. "But I fear I am a -kill-joy, Senores. Pray don't let me interrupt your conversation." - -"The caballero, being a friend of Don Pedro, may be trusted," said the -lean gentleman by the fire, taking a sip. "He is welcome, particularly -if he joins us in giving God-speed to Antonio as he goes on his way to -join the brave guerrilleros." - -"I shall be happy," said Jack. "Antonio, I presume, is a soldier of -this neighbourhood?" - -"Nay, Senor, all our soldiers are already with General Castanos or the -Marquis of La Romana or brave San Juan, doing deeds of valour against -the accursed French, every man of them worth three of the enemy. Were I -not old and worn, I myself would have led them, and drawn the sword of -my ancestors in defence of my country. I am a hidalgo of noble line, -Senor, tracing my descent back to a paladin who slew ten Englishmen with -his own sword, when, in the days of Great Philip, we landed in England -and held London to ransom." (Jack opened his eyes at this new light on -English history!) "His blood still flows in my withered veins, and my -neighbours here know well that only my great age keeps me from driving -the French back across the mountains at the head of my troop." - -Most of the company applauded this patriotic speech, but Jack observed a -whimsical look on the priest's face. - -"I rejoice to know," continued the hidalgo, "that the old valour is -still alive in the breasts of my countrymen; they are flocking in their -thousands to join the bands of guerrilleros who dog the French at every -step, and our friend Antonio, whom we expect to-night, and who leaves -to-morrow for Saragossa, is one in whom the Spanish valour most brightly -shines." - -"Antonio is a journeyman cooper, Senor," said the priest confidentially, -"a dare-devil by report, a contrabandista too at times, and a great -favourite in these parts. He is expected from Cantalapiedra to-night." - -"And here he is," cried one of the younger men, who had gone to the -door. "Late, but welcome. Viva Antonio!" - -All the company but Jack rose to their feet to greet the hero. He came -hastily into the room, flung the door to behind him, bolted it, and -heaved a sigh. Jack saw at a glance that he was no other than the man -who had sought to borrow his mule, and had found the apparently -inoffensive rider tougher than he expected. - -"Senores, Senores," cried the man, "only by a miracle and by my own -courage have I escaped this night! Blessed be the saints that I have a -stout heart and a strong arm, or I should have been but a dead man -to-night!" - -He spread himself with an air of bravado upon a low bench, and as he -removed his hat, disclosed a deep-red wale across his brow. His friends -gathered about him in consternation, and the old hidalgo rose painfully -from his chair, and, tottering across the room, handed a bumper of -Malaga to the panting new-comer, who quaffed it gratefully. - -"Yes, Senores," he continued, "but for the merciful protection of -Santiago and Santa Maria, and the fact that I know no fear, I should -have been lost to Spain, a cold corpse even now. Four miles back, as I -trudged wearily along the miry road, thinking of the kind friends and -the warm food awaiting me here--" - -"Manuel," cried the landlord to a strapping youth who stood with sleeves -tucked up near the fireplace, "grill a tomato for our brave Antonio." - -"As I trudged along," Antonio resumed, "all at once I heard a great -splashing and clanking behind me, and before I could stand aside, three -horsemen were upon me. They reined up when they saw me, and one of them -called me dog, and asked the way to Valladolid. I knew by his tongue -that he was one of the thrice-cursed French, and, commending myself to -Santiago in a breath, I raised my mallet and struck him upon the head, -and he fell. His comrades drew their swords and made at me over their -horses' necks. I defended myself as best I could with my good mallet, -but it was an unequal fight, Senores, and I was at my wits' end, when I -bethought me that all the French are craven curs, and I shouted aloud, -as though summoning a hidden band to the rescue. The Frenchmen started -back, looked fearfully around, and then, unmindful of their dead comrade -on the ground, set spurs to their horses and galloped away, one of them, -as he passed, striking me--with the flat of his sword, praised be -Santiago!--across the brow, and--" - -"What was he like, hombre?" asked Jack quietly, bending forward on his -chair and looking the man full in the face. - -Antonio's jaw dropped. He gave a scared look at the speaker, and spilt -the remainder of his wine upon his boots. - -"The brave fellow is overcome," said the hidalgo. "Fill his glass, -Manuel." - -Antonio gulped down a second glass, and looked with apprehension at -Jack, who was now sitting back again in his chair, keeping his eyes -fixed on the abashed Spaniard. - -"A lucky escape, Antonio," said the cura with a twinkling eye. "In the -morning, no doubt, some passing arriero will see the dead Frenchman on -the road, and bring him here for dog's burial." - -"No doubt, no doubt, Padre," said Antonio hurriedly. "But I am faint, -Senores, and as my nose tells me the tomato is now well grilled, I would -fain stay the pangs of hunger." - -As he devoted himself to the succulent fruit, the hidalgo entered upon a -long oration on the iniquities of the French and the heroism of the -Spaniards, with particular reference to the guerrilla band in the Virgen -mountains, whom Antonio was on his way to join. He concluded by calling -upon the company to drink the health of the brave Antonio, and confusion -to the French. When the ringing vivas had ceased, Jack rose from his -chair. Approaching the hero, who looked far from comfortable, he held -out his right hand, and, laying his left on Antonio's shoulder, said: - -"I am glad that, as a chance traveller, I am here in time to add my good -wishes to so staunch a patriot. With a spirit like yours, we shall soon -succeed in driving the enemy headlong through the passes of the -Pyrenees. I myself hope to do something in my small way for Spain, but -nothing I can do will match the valiant deeds of the brave guerrilleros, -who face the rigours of winter cold on the barren mountains, and leave -all the comforts of home in their noble enthusiasm. I call upon the -sons of Spain here present to drink once more a health to Antonio the -guerrillero, and confusion to the French! Viva Antonio! Viva la -Espana!" - -He grasped the hand of the astonished Antonio, and shook it heartily, -amid the applause of the company. Antonio's look of amazement gave way -gradually to one of smug content, and when, after another flowery speech -from the hidalgo, the guests rose to take leave, the cooper had quite -recovered his wonted air of assurance. - -After the departure of his guests, the landlord was proceeding to bolt -the door for the night, when Jack stopped him. - -"Don't fasten up yet, landlord," he said. "I am going farther -presently." - -"To-night, Senor?" - -"Yes; the moon is rising, and I shall ride as far as Olmedo." - -"But, Senor, you may be set upon by French horsemen, like Antonio here." - -"I don't think so," replied Jack with a smile. "Remember, Don Pedro -sent me here to claim your assistance. He assured me you are a good -patriot, and I don't suppose you love the French any better than the -Senor hidalgo, or than Antonio, eh?" - -"The French, Senor! I hate them. Every good Spaniard hates them. We -are all caballeros, Senor, and we're not going to have any masters over -us but our own hidalgos and the king--our own king." - -"Have you seen anything of the French yourself?" - -"The saints forbid! They spare neither man nor beast. If they came this -way I'd have never a pig in my stye nor a copa of wine in my cellar. -Antonio has seen some of them to-night, and my son Manuel told me that a -squadron of dragoons passed through Olmedo and went south yesterday, and -all last week parties of French horse were scouring the district north -of Olmedo, playing the very devil with the people." - -"They came from Valladolid, I suppose?" - -"No doubt, Senor; Valladolid has been occupied by them for at least a -fortnight past. We're hoping every day that the Marquis of La Romana or -General Palafox will swoop down on them and slit their weasands. Or -maybe the English general Sir Moore, now at Salamanca, will come and -trounce them." - -"You know the English are at Salamanca, then? Do the French know it?" - -"Not from us, Senor. Not a man of us will give them any information." - -"Well, landlord, I'm an Englishman--" - -The man threw up his hands in amazement, and Antonio gasped. Jack -watched the effect of his announcement; he had come rapidly to the -conclusion that as Antonio was clearly regarded by his friends as a -staunch patriot, there would be no danger in disclosing his own -nationality. - -"And I've come this way to find out all I can about the French. I want -two active young fellows to help me, and I've been looking at these two -fine lads--sons of yours, I take it?" - -"Yes, Senor, they are my sons. Manuel is nineteen, and his brother Juan -a year younger, and 'tis ten years yesterday since their poor mother -went to heaven." - -The two young men, with square-set faces and ragged shocks of black -hair, stood listening with interest. Jack had watched them narrowly -during the evening. They had something less than the usual stolidity of -expression, looked fairly intelligent, and appeared likely to serve him -well as special messengers. - -"They would have to be prepared for hard work," he said, "at any hour of -the day or night. They would be well paid, of course--" - -"Senor," interrupted the landlord, "a good patriot doesn't require pay -for working against the French." - -Jack thought he had heard a different account about some of his host's -countrymen, but he went on: - -"Well then, you will not object to your sons entering my service as -messengers between me and my general?" - -"But, Senor, I shall then be single-handed. Who will there be then to -attend to my guests--to mix the puchero, and stir the gaspacho, and rub -down the mules? The lads could not leave their poor old father alone." - -"Caramba!" struck in Antonio, who was now devoting himself to a fried -onion, "what is that? Here am I leaving my wife and three children, to -fight the French." - -"You've left them before," said the landlord dryly. - -"And there's Don Pedro's letter, you know," suggested Jack. - -The landlord glanced at the letter, which lay on the table, and shrugged -his shoulders. - -"Well," he said, "I would do much for Don Pedro. He was a good master to -me; he gave me the money to buy this inn; and since he asks me to serve -you and my country at the same time, I can't refuse, Senor--if the lads -are willing to go." - -They at once professed their readiness to serve the Senor in any way, -and assured him that they were well acquainted with the country for -miles around. - -"That's settled, then," said Jack. "Now, Manuel, you won't mind being -employed at once? Have you any mules on the premises?" - -"Two, Senor." - -"Just the number required. You will saddle up and ride off at once to -Salamanca. I will give you a note to take to Sir John Moore, the -English general there. If you can't find him, ask for General Paget. -You can say Paget?" - -After two or three attempts, Manuel succeeded in pronouncing a passable -imitation of the sound. - -"When you have delivered the note, you will return to Carpio, and wait -there for further orders. Both in going and coming you will take care -to attract as little attention as possible, and of course you will not -say a word to anyone, not even to your dearest friend, about your -business. You understand?" - -"Yes, Senor. And I have a friend near Carpio, a farmer, who lives about -a league out of the town, so that I can stay with him if need be." - -"Very well. Go and get your mule saddled, and return here for the -note." - -Jack wrote a few lines to Sir John, giving him the news of the passing -squadron of French horse he had just learnt from the landlord, and ten -minutes later Manuel left the inn with the note and a little money to -serve for his immediate needs. - -"Now, Juan," said Jack, when the elder brother had gone, "go to bed and -get what sleep you can till three o'clock. At that hour I shall want -you to start with me for Olmedo. I'm pretty tired, so I shall turn in -myself, landlord, for a brief rest, and I shall take care that your -assistance is brought to the notice of my general and also of your own -juntas. Good-night!" - -At three o'clock, beneath a pale half-moon, Jack stood at the door of -the inn, waiting as Juan brought up his mule. He was about to mount, -when he was surprised to see Antonio issue from the door and approach -him. - -"I'm a rough common man, Senor," he said; "you're a caballero. My big -tongue will not say what I have in my heart, but I know what I owe you -for your kindness to-night. Yes, Senor, it was like a true caballero -not to remember what had happened on the road; and I say, Senor, that if -ever there comes a chance to do you a good turn, por Dios! Antonio will -not forget." - -"Thanks, Antonio!" replied Jack, holding out his hand. "We'll cry quits -and part friends." - -"Vaya usted con Dios!" returned the man; and then Jack, followed by -Juan, cantered up the quiet street. - - - - - *CHAPTER VI* - - *Monsieur Taberne* - - -Westphalian Light Horse--Mine Host--Two Menus--Feeding a -Commissary--Practice in French--Another Bottle--A Sum in -Arithmetic--Inferences--A Cold Prospect - - -Daylight was just breaking as the riders came to the dreary outskirts of -Olmedo, passing by one or two desolate-looking vineyards, untidy -brick-fields, gloomy convents, and neglected kitchen-gardens, the walled -town itself rising before them on an eminence in the midst of a wide -sandy plain. - -Jack had already learnt from Juan on the way that, nearly a mile from -the town, a small clump of pine-trees grew, the only trees to be seen on -all the barren heath. This, Jack thought, would be a convenient spot at -which to leave the youth with the mules while he himself went into the -town and reconnoitred. Accordingly, he sent Juan into the wood with the -animals and sufficient food to last them the day, telling him to wrap -his cloak well about him to keep off the cold, and on no account to -allow himself to be seen from the road. Then he proceeded alone into -the town, the narrow dirty streets of which he found in a great bustle. -There appeared to be a horse at the door of every one of the six hundred -houses of which the place consisted, and at the side of every horse -there was a French trooper, who was either brushing his mount, or -fastening its saddle-straps, or feeding it, or watching his comrades -engaged in one or other of those operations. In short, three squadrons -of French dragoons, which had been quartered on the town, were saddling -up in preparation for marching, and the streets resounded with the clank -of metal, the pawing of horses' hoofs, and the cries of the soldiers. - -Jack made his way to the first inn, where he found the landlord -endeavouring to reconcile his Castilian dignity with the obsequiousness -demanded by the troopers he was serving. Ordering some chocolate, Jack -sat down quietly on a bench, prepared to pick up any scraps of -information he could gather from the half-dozen troopers who were loudly -conversing over their drink. But a few moments later a sergeant -entered, in a rage at finding the men away from their horses. They left -in a body, and Jack seized the occasion to make a few discreet enquiries -of the aggrieved and perspiring innkeeper. The troopers, he learnt, -were the Westphalian light horse, belonging to General Maupetit's -brigade, which formed the cavalry division of the fourth army corps -under Marshal Lefebvre, Duke of Dantzig. They had arrived in the town -on the previous afternoon, and the landlord, like all the inhabitants, -was anxious to see the last of them; for the town had been visited by -numerous smaller parties of horse during the previous week, and the -French always took what they wanted, and were not very scrupulous about -paying for it. - -While Jack was condoling with the landlord, he heard the bugle ring out -the "boot and saddle". A few minutes later the whole force moved out -along the main road to the south, leading to Villacastin and Madrid. -Jack stood just within the door, watching them defile past, and he could -not but admire the excellent condition of the horses and the soldierly -smartness of the men. - -"I wonder where they are bound for?" he said to himself. He knew, from -a careful examination he had already made of his map, that if the -cavalry kept to the main road it would bring them, within about thirty -miles, in contact with Hope's outposts, with the result that their -general, Lefebvre, would not remain much longer in ignorance of the -proximity of the British forces. - -"I must see what they are after," thought Jack. Hastening to the -plantation outside the town, where he had left Juan and the mules, he -mounted and rode alone after the dragoons, being careful to maintain a -discreet distance between himself and their rear. After riding for some -three miles, he observed that they were leaving the main road and -bearing to the left. Taking out his map, he found that they were -evidently making for Segovia by the shortest cut, and the obvious -inference was that they were as yet quite unsuspicious of the proximity -of the British army, and had no intention of marching towards the -Portuguese frontier. Riding another mile, to make sure that this -supposition was correct, Jack then returned to the plantation, scribbled -a note to Moore giving this important news, and ordered Juan to set off -with it, going round Medina to Carpio, where he would meet his brother, -whom he was to instruct to carry the message to Salamanca. - -Having thus despatched his second messenger, Jack made his way back to -Olmedo, with the intention of obtaining a more substantial meal than he -had yet had time for. He sought, this time, the principal inn of the -place, and found that with the departure of the dragoons the inhabitants -of the town, previously invisible, had now formed little knots at the -street corners, and were condoling with one another on the indignities -they had suffered at the hands of the enemy. The landlord was at first -too much occupied with the gossips at the door of his posada to attend -to a stranger, but Jack at last boldly took him by the arm and declared -that he must have food of some sort. - -"Food! All very well for a stranger to ask for food," he replied -bitterly, "but these cursed Frenchmen have stripped us bare, and are -verily capable of eating our children." - -"Come, landlord," said Jack, "I heard an old cock crowing lustily as I -came up the street. At least you have an egg or two. I don't love the -French any more than you; and I'll pay, which is more than they do, by -all accounts." - -"Well, Senor, perhaps I can find you an egg, but you must wait till I -can send for it and borrow a frying-pan, for a Frenchman knocked a hole -in mine last night." - -Jack sat down on a bench within the bar-room, and listened to the -conversation, or rather the declamation, of the men at the door. While -he sat there waiting with scant patience, for he was very hungry, the -sound of horses' hoofs was heard approaching, mingled with the clank of -steel. The knot at the door melted away as by magic, and a few moments -later a small party of horsemen clattered into the courtyard, and loud -voices were heard calling to the inn servants. In a minute or two a -portly French officer clanked into the room, now empty save for Jack. -He was clad in a uniform of some brilliance, with a heavy shako and an -embroidered white cloak, and the stone floor resounded to the tread of -his heavy spurred riding-boots. Giving a casual glance at Jack, who was -staying his hunger with a crust of dry bread until the egg should -appear, the officer strode up to the low counter, smote it heavily with -his riding-whip, and bellowed for the landlord, in execrable Spanish, -freely interlarded with French expletives. - -"Ohe, landlord!" he shouted. "Palsambleu! Where has the hog hidden -himself? Ohe! Come out of your pig-stye, canaille that you are, and -bring me some food." - -He continued shouting and belabouring the counter, setting the crockery -rattling on the big dresser behind. - -"Nice manners!" said Jack to himself, closely watching the new-comer. -"I wonder who he is!" - -At this moment the landlord entered with a fried egg, which he brought -to Jack without giving more than one sullen glance to the boisterous -officer. This neglect wounded the gentleman's dignity; he strode across -the room and, lifting his whip, spluttered: - -"Insolent dog! Don't you hear? I order you to bring me food, and, -palsambleu! you had better hurry. What do you mean by keeping an -officer of the emperor waiting while you serve a beggarly tradesman?" - -"In a moment, Senor," said the landlord, setting the dish before Jack. - -"Would the noble marquis like my egg?" said Jack meekly in bad French. - -"Egg!" The officer snorted his contempt for such frugal fare. "Look -you, landlord, I want soup to begin with, and then a mayonnaise--sweet -olive-oil, mind you--and a capon well basted to follow, and--" - -"Senor, Senor," interrupted the landlord, "I've not any such things on -the premises. Your dragoons have eaten me up already. I can give you -an omelet--" - -"An omelet! Morbleu, landlord! If you don't hurry with something more -substantial than an omelet I'll slice your fat cheeks into collops." - -[Illustration: A Question of Supply] - -He glared at the Spaniard and laid his hand on his sword; and the -landlord, giving up all attempt to preserve his dignity further, -scuttled through the door leading to his kitchen. - -"Hola!" cried the officer, calling him back; "before you go give me a -stoup of wine; none of your tarred vinegar of Toro, pardi, but good wine -of Valdepenas, something with a tang. Ventrebleu! it's a poor thing if -an officer of the emperor, who has to feed an army, can't get good food -for himself." - -("Ah!" thought Jack, "we have a commissary here. He ought to be worth -something.") - -The trembling landlord set a goat-skin and a cup before the blusterous -commissary, and hurried off to ransack his larder for something -wherewith to appease his Gargantuan appetite. - -After two or three draughts of wine the big man appeared to be somewhat -mollified. He threw more than one glance at Jack, as he strode up and -down the room, objurgating the landlord's sluggishness. To Jack's -amusement and surprise, the Spaniard returned in a very few minutes, -bearing a steaming tureen of soup. - -"Would the Senor like his meal served in a private room?" he asked. -"There is only my own sitting-room, with no fire at present, but if his -excellency pleases a fire shall be lit, and--" - -"Tenez, tenez!" said the officer; "let me fill my stomach, in the public -room here by the fire. I may want the private room by and by," he added -pompously; "but meanwhile I have no objection to your guest being -present." - -He glanced at Jack, who at once said, in his politest tones: - -"I shall be happy to retire if I am in the noble marquis's way. -Personal convenience must, of course, give way to the public service, -and anyone can see that the noble marquis is a very high functionary." - -The deferential tone and the barefaced flattery conciliated the big man. -Puffing himself out he said: - -"Not marquis yet, young man, not yet, though it may come--yes, it may -come in time. Lefebvre is Duke of Dantzig: he rose from the ranks, and -there's no reason in the world why I, Gustave Taberne, shouldn't be a -marquis before long. Personal business, you say? Well, my business is -wholly personal at present, since it consists in lining my not -inconsiderable person, hein! But I don't regard your company as an -intrusion, monsieur; far from it; I welcome you heartily." - -Jack bowed his acknowledgments. Meanwhile the officer had begun to gulp -his soup with no little noise, gobbling like a turkey-cock, as Jack -described him afterwards. As his meal progressed he unbent still -further. - -"You are almost the first of your cursed countrymen I've met who can -speak tolerable French," he said. "Where did you learn it, young man?" - -"I picked up a little in Barcelona, your excellency," replied Jack, "but -not till now have I had the opportunity of improving myself by -conversation with an officer used to high society." - -"Ah! you know a galant homme when you see him. You have some sense, -young man. Yes, I'm commissary-general to the Duke of Dantzig's forces, -and, parbleu! in the emperor's service I spare no one, neither myself -nor others. Ohe, landlord, bring the next course." - -The landlord brought in a number of dishes. - -"Senor likes the puchero?" he said. - -"Puchero, you call it? Well, if this is puchero, I do like it. Now, -par le sambleu, you wanted to put me off with an omelet! He! he!" - -He lay back in his chair and roared. Jack himself was not a little -amused, for he saw on the table a quarter of veal, a neck of mutton, a -chicken, the end of a sausage called _chorizo_, slices of bacon and ham, -a jug of sauce made of tomatos and saffron and strong spices, a dish of -cabbage soaking in oil, and a platter filled with a vegetable rather -like haricot beans, called _garbanzo_. All these the landlord mixed in -one big vessel so as to make a mayonnaise, which Jack hoped did not -taste as strong as it smelt. The commissary fell to with avidity, but -he was evidently fond of hearing his own voice, and his tongue being -loosened by the unexpected good cheer, and by Jack's respectful -admiration, he condescended to converse between the mouthfuls. - -"Pity your countrymen are not all as civil and sensible as yourself," he -said. "If they'd only put a good face on it, and pay willing obedience -to King Joseph--though, to tell the truth, he's only a proxy for the -emperor,--they'd live a quieter life and make the duties of the -commissary less of a torture. I tell you, young man--moi qui vous -parle--there isn't a more harassed man in the army than the -commissary-general. Hang me if he is not every way as important as the -commander-in-chief!" - -Jack looked at him sympathetically. - -"A general gets all the credit of a victory, but, parbleu! 'tis the -commissary that deserves it. Who won the battle of Austerlitz three -years ago? Folks say it was the emperor, but between you and me, mon -ami, it was I myself, Gustave Taberne. Soult, Massena, Lannes, the -emperor himself--all very well, but could the men fight if they weren't -well fed?--tell me that. And I feed the army. Skill, that is good; -courage, that is better; devotion, that is excellent; but a good meal -has won more victories than the cleverest tactics." - -"The world knows nothing of its greatest men," said Jack. - -The commissary gleamed approval, but at this point the conversation was -interrupted by the entrance of a corporal. - -"Well, Antoine," said the officer, "where is the alcalde?" - -"He cannot be found, mon colonel," replied the man. - -"Cannot be found! Cannot! Who dares use such words to the emperor's -commissary-general? The alcalde must be found, or, parbleu! I'll burn -every house and pig-stye in the place. Let him be here in half an -hour--not a moment sooner, for I must finish my dejeuner; not a moment -later, for he will fare ill if he keeps me waiting. Away with you, -Antoine." - -The corporal vanished. - -"Ohe, landlord!" shouted the commissary. "Another bottle of wine. No, -don't take out the stopper. Set it on the table there in front of me." - -The commissary gloated at the rotund wine-skin, but made no sign of -opening it. Catching an enquiring glance from Jack, he said loftily: - -"I drink no more till my work is done, young man. If I drank more now, I -should get drunk; and if I got drunk the emperor would call me a pig, -and I should deserve it. Duty first, young man, always remember that." - -"It astonishes me," said Jack, "--forgive my ignorance, Colonel,--how -you officers can make the calculations necessary for feeding an immense -army. In our little villages, for instance, if we keep the festival of -a saint or a guild, when there are only some hundreds of mouths to feed, -we either run short or have so much left that bushels of good stuff have -to be thrown to the pigs." - -Jack spoke from recollections of the autumn bean-feast in his little -Surrey village at home. The commissary rose to the bait, and spoke, -always with a thirsty eye fixed on the wine-skin. - -"Oh! as to that," he said, "we do everything by system. Nothing is -easier when you have a system. We allow a pound of biscuit a day to each -man, and half a pound of meat, and as much wine as is good for him and -can be got. For myself, as you see, I can drink a gallon without -staggering, and hold a fresh bottle always at arm's-length without -touching it." - -"Matchless strength of will!" exclaimed Jack. "But even so, the -responsibility of obtaining just the right quantity for so many -thousands of men would make a weaker man quaver. The biscuit, for -instance--what a huge quantity you must consume!" - -"Huge indeed!" said the commissary. "Why, in Valladolid, where I have -come from, we use nine tons a day." (Jack made a rapid mental -calculation: one pound of biscuit to each man; nine tons a day. "So -there are about twenty thousand men in Valladolid!" he concluded.) "And -in the present temper of your confounded countrymen," continued the -commissary, "such a man as I is not to be envied. I have had great -difficulty in procuring supplies in some places. Like your landlord -here, they offer an egg, and we have to curse them before they bring out -the chicken. But we stand no nonsense, I can tell you. Your alcaldes -have bad memories, but 'tis amazing how refreshing is a yard or two of -hempen rope or the touch of a cold pistol-barrel. We had trouble in -Valladolid, and 'tis rumoured we are to have trouble in Segovia; but let -'em beware, let 'em beware." - -"Ah! I'm afraid our poor people have small chance against the hosts of -your emperor--the finest soldier the world has seen since Alexander the -Great." - -"You say true, monsieur; you are a sensible fellow--for a Spaniard. The -Little Corporal is indeed a new Alexander, destined to conquer the whole -world, and, parbleu! those upstart meddling shopkeepers of English into -the bargain. Why, the emperor is at this moment marching south, and my -bag here is stuffed with bulletins of his victories." - -He pulled out a handful of papers, and spread them on the table. At -this moment the corporal re-entered, followed by the trembling alcalde -of the village, whose bemired dress showed that he had been hiding in no -very sanitary spot. - -"Ohe, Don Long-chops," said the commissary, "you thought to escape me, -did you? Now you and I will have a reckoning." - -As the alcalde was brought round the table until he faced the -commissary, Jack rose. - -"I will bid you good-day, monsieur," he said politely. "I have a long -way to go, and be sure that in whatever village I pass through I shall -warn them that so capable an officer is not to be trifled with." - -"That is sound sense, pardi," said the commissary. "You will do well to -prepare them for my coming, and, look you, if we meet again, you and I -will drink as much Valdepenas as our skins will hold--provided my duty -is done. Au revoir!" - -Jack bowed and took his leave. The information he had obtained from the -self-sufficient commissary was clearly of the highest importance. There -were twenty thousand men in Valladolid: they were about to march for -Segovia; and the emperor himself was coming southward at the head of an -army. It was evident that the French were as yet in ignorance of the -proximity of Moore's army. They were probably intending a blow at -Madrid; and Jack saw in a flash that this might have a direct bearing on -the movements contemplated by Sir John. - -"Why shouldn't we march eastward and cut their communications?" he -thought. - -The question was, how was this information to be conveyed to -head-quarters? At the earliest Juan could not be back before dark, even -if he met his brother the instant he arrived at Carpio. - -"There's nothing for it but to go myself," said Jack to himself, "and -that's a pity. I should have liked to get a little more out of my -budding marquis when he is in one of his expansive moods. Well, I've a -cold ride before me." - - - - - *CHAPTER VII* - - *Pepito intervenes* - - -Precautions--Gone to Earth--Foundered--In the Nick of Time--The Allied -Army--At the Marchesa's Palace--Social Salamanca--Light -Refreshments--Messengers--A Recognition - - -The stable-yard lay to the rear of the inn. Snow had been falling -lightly during Jack's conversation with the commissary, and one of the -servants was busily sweeping the slush into a corner. The stable doors -were open, and several lads and men were attending to the horses of the -commissary's escort, the universal hiss of men employed in that -occupation being mingled with curses which it was lucky the Frenchmen -could not hear or understand. Jack went up to one of the men and asked -him to bring out his mule. The ostler turned from the horse he was -grooming and looked at Jack with an air of incivility, if not downright -insolence. He made no movement to carry out the order, and, glancing -round, Jack became aware that all the other stable-helps had left their -work and were gazing at him with the same distrustful, lowering scowl. - -"What's the matter?" he thought. - -The men had been all civility when he gave his mule into their hands on -his arrival. What could be the cause of this unpleasant change of -attitude? Jack was puzzled. Meanwhile he wanted his mule unhaltered and -saddled, and though he was tempted to do it himself, and not trouble the -reluctant servants, he saw that such a course would not improve his -position with them. He knew the Spanish character too well to bluster -or dictate. After a pause of only a few moments he addressed the same -man quietly and politely, but with a firmness that admitted no refusal; -and the servant, dropping his eyes, turned sullenly to do his bidding. - -A few minutes later, as he rode out of the courtyard, he met the -alcalde, looking very angry and much perturbed. He was coming, -evidently, from his interview with the commissary. He looked up at Jack -as he passed, and half-stopped, as though hesitating whether to address -him. Jack was surprised to note the same quick glance of suspicion in -the alcalde's eyes as he had seen in those of the stablemen. The -official seemed to be on the point of speaking, but he gave a hurried -and anxious glance towards the window of the commissary's room, flushed -hotly, and with a final dark look at Jack turned away. Jack rode on, -feeling that the eyes of the whole inn were upon him, and possessed by -an unaccountable sense of insecurity. - -The meaning of it all flashed upon him quite suddenly. The alcalde had -seen him in close and apparently friendly conversation with the -commissary. Their interview had lasted for a considerable time, and -must have been talked about among the people of the inn. Every Spaniard -must feel that no true patriot would hold amicable intercourse with a -Frenchman, an enemy of his country, except under compulsion, and it was -now evident to Jack that he was regarded as a traitor, perhaps a spy, -selling the interests of his compatriots to the invader. The thought -made him smile. - -"Shall I go back and tell them?" he said to himself. "They'd be -surprised to find how the boot is on the other leg." - -But a moment's reflection convinced him that to reveal his secret would -not be politic, even if he were believed. There were too many Frenchmen -about the inn to make it safe for him to enter into long explanations. -Then another thought came which promised a spice of adventure. - -"I shouldn't wonder if they follow me, and perhaps try to do for me. -They will if they think I'm a French spy. I'll take the Valladolid road -first, and cut off to the left when I'm well out of sight from the -town." - -Careful not to look behind, he rode slowly on until a bend in the road -concealed him from the inn; then he jogged the sides of his mule and -quickened its pace from a walk to a trot. - -The snow had ceased to fall, and the afternoon sun promised to thaw the -light glistening mantle that covered the bare country. There was enough -snow yet on the ground to show clear tracks of his course to any -pursuers. Being anxious to get a good start, he soon urged his mule to a -gallop, hoping that, if he was indeed followed, the hoof-marks might -have been thawed away from the high-road before he turned off to Medina -del Campo. - -After riding hard for some three miles he came to a river. On either -side of the bridge the bank sloped down to the water's edge, and Jack, -feeling that his mule needed a rest, saw here an excellent opportunity -of learning, without risk to himself, whether a pursuit had been -commenced. Dismounting, he led the animal carefully down the shelving -miry bank, and found that underneath the first arch of the bridge there -was ample room to conceal both himself and the mule from the eyes of any -but careful searchers. The snow had by this time been converted to a -washy sludge, and the ground having been trampled by many animals before -his own, he had no fear of his tracks being sufficiently marked to -attract special attention. - -He had remained in his place of concealment but a few minutes when he -heard in the distance, in the direction from which he had come, the dull -thud of hoofs. As they approached, the sounds were mingled with the -subdued hum of voices. Jack waited with no little curiosity, keeping a -hand on his mule's reins to prevent the animal from emerging into view. -The sounds grew louder. Several riders galloped their steeds up to the -end of the bridge, and halted them for a moment as though in indecision. -Then they resumed their progress and rode on to the bridge, the clatter -of hoofs awaking an echo from the arches below. When they had gained -the other side Jack crept carefully up the bank until he could safely -peep over the parapet, and saw four riders pelting rapidly towards -Valladolid. He gave a chuckle as he recognized the men who had behaved -so churlishly in the stable-yard. - -"A lucky miss!" he thought. "They're after me." - -They were riding horses, and it was clear that but for his little -stratagem he must soon have been overtaken. What should be his course -now? He could not reckon on their riding much farther along the main -road, for they would naturally enquire of anyone they might meet if a -tradesman had been seen riding a mule that way, and in the course of a -few miles, allowing for their greater speed, they must suspect that -their quarry had turned to one side or the other. Obviously he must -lose no time. Retracing his steps, he led the mule from the muddy -river-bed, remounted, and rode along the tow-path in the hope of soon -discovering a road that would lead in the direction of Medina. In a few -minutes he came to a rough and narrow cart-track between two fields on -his left hand. It must lead somewhere, and, being anxious at any rate -to put as much ground as possible between himself and his pursuers, Jack -wheeled his mule to the left and rode along the rough track at a canter. - -He found that it led into a somewhat wider road, crossing it at an -obtuse angle. The ground was much cut up by cart-wheels, and the mule -laboured heavily on the soft swampy ground. Jack eased the pace, hoping -that the start he had obtained would enable him to keep well ahead of -his pursuers, even if they soon discovered their mistake and had the -luck to track him. By and by he came to a considerable ascent, up which -he was fain to allow the animal to walk, and on reaching the summit he -found the poor beast so breathless that he dismounted and walked slowly -on, leading the mule. Turning after a while in the direction from which -he had come, he caught a glimpse, in the far distance, of a group of -riders coming towards him. It was impossible to distinguish their -figures, much less their features. Delay was dangerous; so without -hesitation Jack sprang again on the mule's back and set off once more -towards Medina. For a time he was hidden from the riders by rows of -stunted trees that lined the road. Then the road took a sharp curve to -the right, and before him he saw a long hill, sloping gradually down for -nearly a mile towards what appeared to be a plantation. He urged the -mule now to its top speed, noting with some anxiety that the animal was -breathing with difficulty, and showing other only too manifest signs of -fatigue. Before he had reached the foot of the hill it was patently -flagging, and when, having passed that point, another upward ascent -began, the mule staggered once or twice, recovered itself, staggered -again, and, finally, just as Jack came abreast of a low farmhouse that -lay back some sixty yards from the road, it dropped on its knees, its -rider barely escaping being thrown on his head upon the road. - -"Whew! This is awkward," he said to himself. He looked up the hill he -had just descended. "By George! there they are," he exclaimed under his -breath. Four riders had just topped the crest, and were coming towards -him, at no great speed, for their horses were evidently tired; but -clearly they must overtake him in less than five minutes. Jack looked -around for some means of escape. He might stand his ground and fight -them, but the odds were against him, and a single crack in the head -would prevent him from reaching Salamanca, and render useless the -information he had obtained for his general. "I must run for it, but -how and where?" he thought. - -At this moment he heard a sound behind him. Turning hastily, he was -amazed to see a little dark figure clad in a zamarra of sheepskin, a -high-peaked, narrow-brimmed hat, a red plush waistcoat with many buttons -and clasps, and a brilliant crimson-silk girdle about the waist. In one -hand the dwarfish creature carried a large pair of shears, in the other -the reins of a half-clipped mule, which walked meekly behind him. - -"Pepito!" Jack gasped in amazement. - -Pepito grinned. - -"No time to waste, Senor," he said. "I saw you come down the hill, and -the Busne behind you. Your mule has foundered. Here is a fresh mule I -was clipping; mount him and ride on." - -Clearly there was no time for explanations. In a moment Jack was on the -mule's back. - -"Thanks, Pepito!" he said. "But what will you do? Those fellows will -kill you." - -Pepito smiled. - -"Never fear, Senor. The Gitano is more than a match for the Busne. -Ride, Senor, ride. They have not seen you yet. Quick!" - -He led the mule a few yards beyond the spot at which Jack had halted, -and pointed to a road that went off the main-road to right and left. - -"The left road leads to Medina," he said. Then he struck the mule -sharply on the flank, and waved his hand gaily to Jack, who set off at -full speed, rounded a curve, and was soon lost to sight. As he -disappeared, he heard behind him the shrill notes of a song that was -ever and anon on Pepito's lips: - - "The Romany chal to his horse did cry, - As he placed the bit in his horse's jaw, - Kosko gry! Romany gry! - Muk man kistur tute knaw." - -He smiled as he heard the uncouth words, and rode on, wondering by what -cunning device the little gipsy would throw the pursuers off the scent, -as he evidently intended to do. - -Jack had intended to make his way back to the Posada de Oriente at -Medina, and there obtain a rest and a change of mules. But having got a -fresh steed by Pepito's fortunate intervention, he changed his plan, and -decided to make straight for Salamanca by Carpio and Cantalapiedra. He -had still fifty miles to ride, and after his experience with the -foundered mule he doubted whether one animal would carry him the whole -way. But there was an off chance that another mount might be procurable -in case of need, and his mission was urgent. He therefore pushed on, -avoiding Medina, and taking a short cut for Carpio. It was four o'clock -when he reached that town. He halted for half an hour to bait his mule -and snatch a meal, then he resumed his journey, and an hour and a half -after dark he entered the wretched streets of Pedroso. He had ridden -but a few yards into the town when a figure on horseback moved silently -out from the shadow of a church and stood full across his path. He -pulled up, and then a guttural and husky voice addressed him roughly: - -"Who go zere? Qui va la? Quien vive?" - -Jack laughed quietly. - -"Is the caballero himself the allied army?" he said in his best -Castilian. - -"Donnerwetter noch einmal!" growled the horseman, adding in bad Spanish: -"Give the word, and quickly." - -"You have the advantage of me, my good friend," responded Jack in -English, "so you had better take me to your captain." - -Jack had now recognized the man by his uniform as a trooper in the 3rd -Light Dragoons of the King's German Legion. The dragoon grunted in -surprise on hearing English, and, wheeling his horse beside Jack's mule, -he laid one hand on his rein, and with the other held his carbine close -to the new-comer's head, and so escorted him to the inn where the -cavalry patrol was quartered. - -The officer there seated at ease, a burly moustachioed Hessian, looked -up as the trooper clanked into the room, holding Jack by the sleeve. - -"A stranger, Herr Rittmeister," he said in German, "who cannot or will -not give the countersign." - -"Not such a terrible stranger, Captain Werder," said Jack in English, -recognizing the German as the officer through whom he had obtained his -horse in Salamanca. A few words sufficed to explain his presence in such -guise, and half an hour afterwards, mounted on a spare horse luckily at -hand, he set off on the last eighteen miles that lay between him and his -destination. - -It was seven o'clock when he reached Salamanca, and, tired as he was, -bespattered with mud from head to foot, he proceeded at once to the -general's quarters. There he learnt that Sir John was attending a -reception given by the Marchesa de Almaran, one of the grandes dames of -the city. Leaving the horse at a neighbouring inn, Jack made his way to -the Marchesa's palace, hoping that the commander-in-chief's explicit -instructions would excuse any want of ceremony there might be in his -action. He pulled the broad brim of his hat well over his eyes, and -turned up the high collar of his coat, passed the English guard of -honour outside the palace, and, entering at the open door, asked for the -major-domo. - -"General Sir Moore is within?" he said to that functionary when he -appeared. - -"He is." - -"Will you tell him that a senor waits below with important news, and -begs an instant audience?" - -The major-domo looked somewhat suspiciously at the dirty, travel-stained -Spaniard before him. - -"The general is in the sala, and there is dancing. I do not know that I -can interrupt him now." - -"If you will kindly give my message, the general will see me," persisted -Jack. - -"What name shall I tell him?" - -"I do not give my name. Merely say that it is a senor whom he knows." - -The functionary shrugged, and led Jack within the vestibule--a vaulted -apartment not unlike the porch of a church, illumined by a single small -lamp. Two or three servants were gathered about a fire. - -"Wait here," said the major-domo, and left the visitor. The servants -eyed him for a moment, then resumed their conversation, of which Jack -caught a few words here and there. A messenger from General Castanos--a -long ride from Saragossa--brave fellow--yes, a true caballero, no other -would have faced the perils of so long a ride through country infested -by the French--yes, such courage was worthy of a true son of Spain, and -far exceeded anything of which the English were capable. Such were some -of the remarks Jack overheard, and he smiled as he remembered that Mr. -Vaughan had ridden double the distance, and come through equal perils, -arriving earlier after all. - -Some minutes passed, and every now and then, as the sound of guitars -floated down the broad staircase, Jack envied the good fortune of the -officers who, he did not doubt, were footing it gaily above. Then the -major-domo returned and silently beckoned the visitor to follow him. He -led him upstairs, through a narrow corridor where, on benches of carved -wood or plaited straw, lay a variety of cloaks, hats, and silken -scarves. Pushing open a door, the major-domo preceded him into a wide -dimly-lighted room. "Remain here; I will fetch the general," he said, -and was gone. - -Jack saw that the room was connected by folding-doors, which were now -thrown open, with a large salon lighted by numerous candles. It was -crowded with a brilliant assembly. Along the walls sat many ladies in -elegant mantillas, each gracefully wielding the indispensable fan. Among -them was a sprinkling of priests and sad-eyed students of the -university. The centre of the room was occupied by the younger society -of the city--Spanish officers and lawyers, with young ladies in festal -array, engaged in dancing the javaneja to the music of a band of -guitarists stationed at the farther end of the room. It was the first -time that Jack had seen this characteristically Spanish dance since he -had left Barcelona six years before, and his feet itched to join in it. -He watched the couples as they made their graceful rhythmic movements, -each holding a coloured kerchief in one hand, the other curved over the -head. It formed an interesting spectacle against the bright background -formed by the red coats of British officers of all ranks, who stood -silent spectators, each no doubt privately wishing that the unfamiliar -dance would come to an end, and that an opportunity might be given them -of teaching the senoritas the quadrilles which were then all the rage in -England, or country-dances, in which they were still more at home. -Nearly all the men, except those who were dancing, were smoking -cigarettes. Every lady, young or old, had a flower in her hair. - -The javaneja at length ceased, and the Spaniards gave place with evident -reluctance to the British officers, who immediately set partners for a -quadrille, and began their task of tuition, to the great hilarity of the -ladies. Jack was becoming impatient. He had not caught sight of Sir -John Moore, and wondered how long he was to be kept waiting in this dim -ante-chamber. He looked around. There were two or three tables set -with refreshments; but there was no tea, no ices, no punch; nothing but -urns of chocolate, small glasses of sugared water, and a plate of -azucarillos. - -Jack wondered how the English section of the company, among whom he had -now recognized his friends Pomeroy and Smith and several other of his -acquaintance, would be satisfied with this plain and simple fare, so -different from that provided at the luxurious entertainments at home. -Two or three solemn servants moved quickly about between the rooms, -carrying glasses of sugared water to the ladies. As they passed Jack -they eyed him curiously, but with Spanish stolidity made no remarks. -Keeping in the shadow, he looked on at the animated throng with -ever-increasing impatience, wondering whether the major-domo had -forgotten him altogether. By and by he saw Pomeroy lead his partner to -a seat, and come towards the ante-room with the manifest intention of -seeking refreshment for her himself. Jack stepped back as Pomeroy -crossed from room to room, and the subaltern, throwing a curious glance -at the strange cloaked figure that stood there in the shadow, looked for -a moment as though he would like to question his right to be there. But -the moment passed, and almost immediately afterwards Sir John Moore -emerged from a curtained doorway behind the band, and crossed rapidly to -where Jack stood awaiting him. - -"I am sorry to have kept you waiting, Senor," he said in Spanish, with -his unvarying courtesy, "but I have had to listen for half an hour to a -countryman of yours who brought me news which, after all, happened to be -a trifle stale. You have an important message for me, I understand?" - -"I am Lumsden of the 95th," said Jack in English, in a low tone which -none but the general's ear could catch. Sir John started, and glanced -keenly at Jack; then a smile passed over his face. - -"Capital! capital!" he said. "I shouldn't have known you from Adam. -Come into the farther corner, away from these noisy dancers, and tell me -your news. You'd rather be kicking your heels among them, eh?" he added -with a twinkle. - -"Not till you have done with me, sir," replied Jack as he accompanied -the general out of earshot. There, in a dim corner of the room, he gave -Sir John a succinct account of his movements, assuring him that the -French were beyond doubt making for Madrid, ignorant of, and not even -suspecting, the proximity of the British column at Salamanca. - -"You have come very pat to the occasion," said Moore, who had listened -to Jack's story without interrupting it. "You confirm what I already -suspected from a previous messenger. No, not the messenger who came -just now from General Castanos, and whom the good people here have -already elevated into a hero; his news was three days behind time. But -to-day the Spanish generals Bueno and Escalente reached me from the -Junta at Madrid, and made a strong, and, I must say, insolent, protest -against my intended retreat, assuring me that General San Juan, with -20,000 men, has fortified the pass of Somosierra and effectually blocked -the way to Madrid, and urging me to march towards him. They would have -talked a cow's hind-leg off, Mr. Lumsden, but I effectually shut the -mouths of my informants by confronting them with Colonel Graham, who has -just come in from Talavera, where San Juan is the prisoner of the -villainous runagates from Castanos' beaten army. If the Spaniards -depend on him to defend the Somosierra pass their hope is a poor one. -However, what you tell me proves that the French are not coming towards -me, and for the present at any rate I am perfectly safe here. Now, you -have been so successful that I am going to tax you still further. You -are very tired, no doubt?" - -"A good supper and a night's rest will cure that, sir." - -"Then you'll be prepared to set off again to-morrow?" - -"Certainly. I am very glad to be of use." - -"You have been of the greatest use; I shall act upon your information, -and at once. And, by the bye, I must congratulate you on your -messengers. Your two Spanish lads brought me your messages, and gave me -great hopes that I had not misjudged you--hopes amply justified. I have -despatches to write, so I will take leave of my hostess and accompany -you to the door." - -In a few minutes Sir John Moore, cloaked and hatted, was striding down -the corridor with Jack by his side. They came to the outer door, where -by the light of a huge torch a tall Spanish officer in brilliant uniform -was taking leave of two ladies with what struck Jack as somewhat -affected gallantry. He glanced up as the Englishmen passed, saluted Sir -John Moore with much condescension, and then, as his eye fell on Jack, -started with an air of bewilderment. He looked again with still keener -scrutiny at the shorter of the two figures, whom he followed slowly. At -the porch Sir John bade Jack a cordial good-bye. The latter turned to -the left, towards Don Pedro's house, but had only walked a few yards -when he felt a touch on his arm. Glancing over his shoulder without -checking his pace, he saw that he had been followed by the tall Spaniard -whom he had passed at the door. The next moment a voice that was oddly -familiar addressed him in smooth suave tones that struck him with a -curious sense of discomfort. - -"Surely the Senor will spare a minute to an old friend." - - - - - *CHAPTER VIII* - - *Don Miguel Priego* - - -Memories--A Self-confessed Patriot--Confidences--Plain -Speaking--Reflections--A Public Departure - - -Jack stopped now, and faced round at the speaker, who still had a hand -on his arm. - -"I recognized you at once," the man continued, "though your disguise is -good, very good. I have not seen you for a good many years, Jackino, -but I never forget any face I have once seen, still less one that I have -lived with in the days of childhood. Don't you remember your old -friend--" - -"Why, you're Miguel Priego," interrupted Jack, with no great cordiality -of tone. "How you've grown! Who would have thought you would have -topped me by a couple of inches! And what a swell, too!" - -"Yes, I have changed more than you, amigo," said Don Miguel with a -complacency that irritated Jack, already annoyed that his disguise had -been penetrated. "Ah! and there have been other changes, great changes, -since I last saw you, Jackino. You are an English officer, and I might -perhaps not have recognized you so easily if you had been dressed in -your uniform like your friends; but the hat and cloak--oh! Miguel -Priego would have been a fool indeed if he had not known the dear -companion of his boyhood." - -"You're rather more affectionate than you were when we parted, Miguel," -said Jack bluntly. - -"Don't say that. We were always good friends, Jackino; is it not true? -You and I and Juanita--ah! what fun we had in the old house at -Barcelona. Do you remember the times when Don Fernan came from -Saragossa and brought Juanita on a visit to your father and mine, and -how we shared the presents he gave us?" - -"Your share usually happened to be the biggest, if my memory doesn't -play me false." - -"Well, I was the eldest of the three; I am three years older than you, -amigo mio, and four years older than Juanita." - -"How is Juanita?" asked Jack. - -"In fair health, but paler than I should like to see her. But her grief -will wear away in time, and when she becomes my--" - -"Her grief! What do you mean, Miguel?" - -"You do not know, then? I am forgetting; of course you do not get news -very well here. I myself rode in only to-day from Saragossa, at the -risk of my neck, Jackino, with tidings of the unfortunate misadventure -at Tudela, and--" - -"Come, Miguel," said Jack, "we can't stand here. Where are you staying? -While I'm in this rig-out it will be better for me to go with you than -for you to come with me." - -"That is true. Come, then; I am staying at the Fonda de Suizo in the -Calle de Zamora. We can talk there at ease, and I shall be glad on my -part to hear again of my old friends your father and mother, and to tell -you of the sad changes that have taken place, and the bright changes -also, dear friend." - -Jack was very tired, and in no mood to make himself amiable to a man for -whom he had an intense aversion. But he was so anxious to learn the -meaning of Miguel's hints and half-statements that he put his feelings -in his pocket and trudged along. Ever since he could remember, he had -disliked Miguel, the only son of his father's second partner, Don -Esteban Priego. They had grown up together in Barcelona, and almost his -earliest recollections were connected with the petty meannesses and -cruelties of Miguel. Three years older than Jack, Miguel had played the -bully with the younger boy until he grew strong enough to defend -himself; and then, not daring to molest him openly, he had shown great -ingenuity in devising petty annoyances which were even harder to bear -than his former brutalities. He was cruel to children and animals -smaller than himself. Jack remembered how Miguel had once lamed a -spaniel of his in wanton mischief, and how, whenever Juanita, the only -daughter of Don Fernan the senior partner, had been brought to Barcelona -on a visit, she had often run to Jack's house in tears to seek -protection from the boy's bullying and domineering. The tone in which -Miguel had referred to Don Fernan and Juanita gave Jack vague -uneasiness, and he paid scant heed to Miguel's talk by the way, and -scarcely answered him. - -Don Miguel, however, was quite content to do all the talking. He was a -patriot, he said, and high in favour with General Palafox. He had early -volunteered in defence of his country, and had won rapid promotion, -being now indeed, though but twenty years of age, a major in Palafox's -Hussars. When the news of Castanos' defeat arrived in Saragossa, -Palafox had sent him off with the news to General Moore, and he boasted -largely of his readiness to undertake, with only one servant, so -perilous a ride. Not, he thought, that his servant would have been of -much use had they come across the French; he would have had to trust to -his own skill and courage, for the poor man had unfortunately lost an -eye; still, he was a faithful fellow and a good forager. - -Jack caught himself wondering what service the man could have rendered -the master. It was scarcely in Miguel's character to allow a mere -question of sentiment to outweigh the loss of an eye. Jack recalled his -passion for display; he could not imagine him willingly accepting a -one-eyed follower. This thought passed like a flash through Jack's mind -while Miguel was proceeding to dilate complacently on the scenes of -butchery and torture he had witnessed as he came through the country of -the guerrilleros, who had no mercy on the stray Frenchmen they succeeded -in ambushing. Jack at last gave utterance to an exclamation of disgust. - -"Ah!" sneered Miguel, "that is your English squeamishness. You English -have no nerves. What is the good of your coming out here? We will show -you how to deal with these accursed Frenchmen, and if your stomach turns -against it, well, go home to your nurses in little England, and play -with your tin soldiers and toy guns, for you are no good in Spain." - -Their arrival at the inn checked the reply that rose to Jack's lips. -Don Miguel, in the same oily, languid tone that was causing Jack more -and more irritation, ordered the landlord to make himself scarce, as he -had important business to discuss with his friend, and in a few moments -the two were left alone in the room. The Spaniard flung off his cloak, -revealing the resplendent uniform of Palafox's Hussars, and as he -removed his hat Jack noticed a long, livid scar running from his brow to -his left eye, disfiguring what was otherwise a well-looking countenance -so far as features were concerned. - -"And how is your excellent father?" asked Miguel as he lolled in the -only easy-chair in the room. "He is lucky, truly, for the stock in -London is a good one, and he will do a good business, whereas with us -these troubles have brought trade to a stand-still, and we are obliged -to suspend all operations. But things will improve. Don Fernan, with -his shrewd head for business, foresaw what would happen, and took steps -to realize what he could on the stock before the outbreak of war, which -was a very lucky thing for my father and myself and Juanita. And he -could not have chosen a more convenient moment for dying, for--" - -"For dying! Is Don Fernan dead?" cried Jack. - -"Dead as a door-post, poor man! I thought you would be surprised to -hear it. He had been ailing ever since his exertions in the siege of -Saragossa last summer--there was something wrong with his heart, I -think,--and when the news came that General Castanos had met with a -mishap at Tudela, he held up his hands and cried: 'Oh my country! my -poor country!' then fell forward and died. He was an old man, of course, -and must have died soon, and I have only come a little sooner into the -inheritance that was bound to come to me." - -"Did Don Fernan appoint you his heir, then?" asked Jack with a keen -look. "What about Juanita?" - -"Does it not come to the same thing, my friend? Juanita, of course, is -Don Fernan's heiress, but since in a little while, when the mourning is -over, she will marry me--" - -"Marry you!" - -There was contempt as well as surprise in Jack's tone, and Miguel -evidently felt this, for he replied with flashing eyes, though with no -change in his bland manner: - -"Yes, marry me--that was what I think I said. Of course if my good -friend Jackino has any objection--" - -"Good heavens! Juanita is a thousand times too good for you!" Jack -blurted out. - -"Quite so; she is a thousand times too good for any man. But since she -does me the honour to become my wife, you will surely not have the -impudence to question her choice, dear friend." - -He hissed out the last sentence, and bent a little forward. Jack -shrugged. - -"She wasn't always so fond of you," he said bluntly. - -"That is not the point, is it?" returned Miguel with an exasperating -smile. "The match has long been talked of; Don Fernan and my father -were agreed that it was an excellent arrangement for uniting the -business interests of the two families. And now that Don Fernan is dead -I shall marry Juanita as soon as possible, my father will retire, and I -shall be the sole partner of your excellent father, for you, of course, -have a soul much above business, and will no doubt ere long be a -field-marshal. Perhaps, however, you have no ambition to earn fame in -the open and heroic way? Your costume would suggest, my friend, that -you are satisfied with a more modest and retiring part--but still, no -doubt, profitable--" - -"It seems to me, Miguel," said Jack, interrupting him very quietly, -"that you have forgotten the last thrashing I gave you. Remember, I am -always at your service. But I should not advise you to risk another -scar like the one you have already. How," he added quickly, "did you -come by that?" - -Miguel's sullen face assumed a dusky hue, and the scar showed all the -more livid. He flinched, as bullies will, before Jack's menacing -attitude. - -"Hot-tempered as ever," he said with an attempt to smile. "Why will you -take offence so easily? What have I said? Here I find you, an -Englishman, in Spanish dress, and I conclude, naturally enough, that you -are fulfilling an office of very great importance and usefulness, and -when I--" - -"Now look here, Miguel, I don't want to quarrel with you, but you'd -better understand at once that I'm not a child, and that your oily -tongue won't do you any good with me. I don't suppose we shall see much -more of each other; when--if--you marry Juanita you will settle down, I -suppose, in Saragossa, and our paths won't cross. I tell you frankly -I'm astonished that Juanita will have you; but she's old enough to know -her own mind--though our girls in England don't marry so early--and I -hope with all my heart she'll be happy. And now I think I'd better say -good-night!" - -"And good-bye!" said Miguel sweetly. "I will carry your good wishes to -Juanita, be sure of that." - -"Where is she, by the way?" asked Jack. - -"In Saragossa, with her aunt the Dona Teresa." - -"And you are returning immediately?" - -"Oh no! I go on to-morrow towards Leon, with despatches for the Marquis -of La Romana. The Spanish generals will have to strike a blow without -the assistance of your General Moore, it appears." - -Jack ignored the sneer. - -"Well, good-bye!" he said. "There's no need to suggest that you should -take care the French don't catch you." - -"True, true, Jackino. Give my respects, when you see him, to your -excellent father, to whom I hope to have before long the honour of -sending the documents relative to the changes in the business. Adios, -amigo mio!" - -He accompanied Jack to the door, and looked after him with a mocking -smile. Jack, pulling his cloak more closely around him, and his -sombrero lower over his eyes, walked rapidly to his quarters, where, -proceeding directly to his room, he threw himself upon his bed with a -sigh of weariness and contentment. - -But it was long before the much-needed sleep came to him. He lay awake, -unable to keep his thoughts from running round the circle of his -adventures and dwelling on his unexpected meeting with Miguel. The more -he thought of his conversation with that gentleman the more puzzled he -felt. As a child, Juanita had shrunk from the boy and had never -willingly gone into his presence. It was very odd that she should have -overcome her dislike and now be ready to marry him. Perhaps she still -disliked him, and had agreed to the match merely because it was desired -by Don Fernan and Miguel's father, Don Esteban. But even then it was -extraordinary, for Don Fernan himself had never shown any liking for -Miguel, and had indeed on many occasions taken him severely to task and -punished him for acts of deceit and dishonesty. Miguel did not appear to -Jack to have changed: what had altered Don Fernan's opinion of him? -Then, too, there was Don Fernan's letter, in which he had spoken of his -anxiety on behalf of his daughter. Why, if he were satisfied with the -proposed match, should he be anxious about her future? And what had -General Palafox to do with all this? Miguel was the general's trusted -messenger; could Palafox have influenced Don Fernan's judgment? Jack -wished he could go to Saragossa, and enquire for himself into all the -circumstances--see Juanita, and discover whether she were in truth a -willing bride. And then he thought of the phrase Don Fernan had so -carefully impressed upon his memory: "Palafox the man, Palafox the -name," and with this repeating itself to the hundredth time in his weary -brain he at length fell asleep, and slept on until he was awakened about -ten o'clock next morning by loud cries in the street. - -Springing from bed, he ran to the window. Men were waving their hats, -women their fans and handkerchiefs. At every window there was a -fluttering scarf. Loud vivas rose into the air as an officer in full -uniform, followed by a gorgeously-dressed orderly, clattered by. - -The officer smiled with gratification at the warmth of the cheers, and -kissed his hand gallantly to the ladies who peeped at him out of their -mantillas. Jack smiled satirically. - -"Pooh! It's only Don Miguel Priego! Confound the sneak!" - -He was about to withdraw, when the orderly turned his head to the left, -as though seeking a share of the admiration so lavishly bestowed on his -superior. Jack noticed that one eye-socket was closed; the man's -remaining eye had a curiously malign glitter that gave the beholder a -strange sense of uneasiness. - -"Is this how people feel when they talk of the evil eye?" he said to -himself with an unmirthful laugh. Then he donned his own clothes and -went gloomily downstairs to find his brother officers. - - - - - *CHAPTER IX* - - *Some Surprises* - - -At the Cross-Roads--A Melee--Bagged--Franceschi's Chasseurs--Under -Guard--A Hard Case--Moore's Plans--Reconnoitring--Within the -Gates--Caged--Blind Man's Buff--A Strategic Move--A Dash on Rueda--An -Alarm--A Chase in the Dark--A Tragedy - - -About two o'clock on a frosty December afternoon, some ten days after -Jack Lumsden's return to Salamanca, four riders were walking their -horses up a slight incline about three miles out of Alaejos towards -Valladolid. Three of them were troopers in the 18th Light Dragoons, the -fourth, riding slightly in advance of the rest, was Jack himself, now -wearing his own uniform, and mounted on a fine black charger borrowed -from the regiment to which his companions belonged. A few yards from -the crest of the hill, lying back from the road, was a mean-looking -hovel at the door of which stood a little black-eyed girl, who watched -the advancing riders with her finger in her mouth. - -"Hullo, little girl," said Jack in Spanish, pulling up as he came -abreast of her, "are we on the right road for Tordesillas?" - -The child gave a scared look at the troopers and fled into the hut -without replying. - -"You've sent the timid little beggar into her burrow," said Jack with a -smile. At the same moment a heavy-browed man appeared at the door, in -the rough coat and thick gaiters of a muleteer. - -"Ha, my friend," said Jack in a genial tone, "your little daughter -needn't have been afraid of us! Are we going right for Tordesillas?" - -"Straight on, Senor," replied the man, with stolid countenance. "Over -the river; you can't miss your way." - -"Thanks! Any sign of the French hereabout?" - -"Never a man--the saints forbid!" said the man with a scowl. "They -carried off my last pig six months ago. Gr-r-r! I hate them!" - -"Well, they won't trouble you much longer if we can help it. Buenas -tardes!" - -"Vaya usted con Dios, Senor!" replied the muleteer, doffing his hat; and -as the Englishman rode off, his little daughter came to his side and -watched with him their retreating figures. - -A mile farther on they had just crossed the stream of which the man had -spoken, when Jack suddenly reined up his horse and in a low tone ordered -his men to halt. - -"Do you hear anything, Kelly?" he asked of one of the troopers. - -The man turned his head aside, and his companions sat motionless, an -expectant look upon their faces. - -"Riders, sir!" said Kelly in a moment. - -"I thought so," returned Jack. "To our right, eh?" - -"Yes, sir." - -There was a moment's silence. Behind them came a slight murmur from the -full river, but more distinctly, from some distant point beyond a -wall-enclosed orchard on their right, sounded the unmistakable clatter -of horses' hoofs on the hard road. - -"Wait here," said Jack, springing from his horse. "Don't make a sound. -I'm going forward to reconnoitre. Hold my horse's rein, Kelly, and don't -let him champ his bit." - -He ran forward, round a slight bend in the road. In two minutes he was -back. - -"Men," he said in a low voice, "there's a road to the right, and half a -dozen Frenchmen riding down towards us. I think they're French--by -their helmets. We four are a match for the six, eh?" - -The men grinned. - -Jack rapidly took stock of the situation. The wind was almost due east; -he and his men were riding north-east, and as they were the smaller -party, and had been travelling only at walking pace, it was not likely -that the enemy had heard them coming. The idea of dismounting his men -and forming an ambuscade at first suggested itself. Jack glanced round -for a convenient tree or post to which they might tether the horses; but -though there were plenty of trees beyond the orchard wall, the only way -in was a quarter of a mile to their rear. This meant that even if the -ambuscade were successful two at least of the enemy would be almost -certain to escape, for Jack and his men, with three carbines and a -pistol, could at the best only account for four at the first volley, and -the remaining two would have a start of half a mile before they could be -pursued. On the other hand, if Jack told off a man to hold the horses, -his striking force would be reduced to three, and there was always the -risk that two of the horses--young Spanish chargers purchased at -Salamanca and only half-trained--would break away at the sound of the -firing. For these reasons Jack preferred to trust to cold steel. - -Giving his commands almost in a whisper, he drew up his men in line -under cover of the wall, about thirty yards from the cross-road, -ordering them to be in readiness to charge at the word. Each man -silently drew his sabre and Jack uncovered his sword, still fresh as -when he received it from the makers in Pall Mall. It was not perhaps -quite so suitable for the purpose in hand as the weapons carried by the -troopers, but Jack knew that it was of the highest temper, and felt -confident that it would not fail him. - -In little more than a minute the increasing clatter showed that the -unsuspecting Frenchmen were approaching the cross-roads. There was no -slackening of pace as they neared the junction, and Jack inferred from -this that their route lay straight across the main road towards -Castroduno or Toro. Every second seemed like a minute to him as he -waited for the horsemen to arrive, but after what seemed an interminable -delay two helmets at last appeared beyond the angle of the wall. Jack -drove his spurs into his horse, giving the word "Charge!" and, with -their leader a pace or two in advance, the three troopers dashed -forward. In a few seconds the two bodies met with a terrific shock. -The French dragoons, unable to check their progress, had just had time -to draw their sabres; the leading files had half-wheeled their horses to -meet the storm, but the two succeeding troopers were taken square on the -flank, and all the advantage of momentum being on the side of the -attacking force, the whole four went down like a ship struck by a -squall. Almost before Jack could realize what had happened he was -reining in his horse on the far side of the cross-road; three of the -Frenchmen were lying motionless on the road, a fourth, dismounted, was -defending himself with spirit against one of Jack's troopers, and three -horses were scampering wildly towards Toro. He was wheeling his horse -round, when, almost at the same moment, two bullets whizzed past his -head. The two remaining Frenchmen had halted before reaching the -cross-road, rapidly fired their carbines, and, turning round in the -direction from which they had come, were now galloping wildly away. - -"After them, Kelly!" shouted Jack to the corporal, who was just beside -him; and, leaving the other two troopers to secure the dismounted -Frenchmen, the two dashed off at a mad gallop. They were a hundred -yards behind at the start; the Frenchmen were down upon their horses' -necks, shouting to the beasts in a fever of haste. But as luck would -have it, they were heavy men; Jack was a light-weight, and before the -chase had proceeded for two hundred yards he began to gain, and the -interval between himself and Kelly was increasing. Foot by foot he made -up on his quarry; in little more than a mile he was at the heels of the -rearmost Frenchman. The man, feeling that he was at a disadvantage, -suddenly swerved towards the near side of the road, bending low as he -did so to avoid Jack's blow, and then, as Jack darted past, pulled his -horse on his haunches and wheeled round to meet Kelly. Thinking he -could safely leave this man to the heavy trooper, Jack rode on after the -Frenchman in front, and within a couple of minutes had him at his mercy. -The dragoon had no time to turn and meet his pursuer; with a horse of -superior speed, Jack, coming up behind him, had a terrible advantage -over the fugitive, who was painfully twisting himself round in the -saddle to meet the expected blow. Choosing his opportunity, Jack, -dropping his own sword, wrested the Frenchman's sabre from his grasp, -and next moment drove him into the hedge. - -"Je me rends! je me rends!" cried the Frenchman, panting. - -"Comme de juste!" gasped Jack, who then turned to see how Kelly was -faring. He had ridden down and over the luckless dragoon, who, rising -painfully to his feet, called for quarter. Being a strapping fellow, -the trooper had been unable to do more than maintain his distance from -the second Frenchman, who, however, seeing Jack now standing full in his -path, recognized that the game was up, checked his horse, and quietly -surrendered his sword just as Kelly came bustling to his side. - -[Illustration: Jack Captures a Dragoon] - -"Jolly good chase, sir!" said Kelly, as Jack and his prisoner came up. -"The froggies showed the cleanest pair of heels I ever did see." - -"You stuck to it like a Briton," said Jack. "Now we'll get back to the -others and see what damage is done." - -With the two Frenchmen disarmed between them, they retraced their steps, -the Frenchmen sitting limp and careless, with a resigned expression of -countenance that tickled Kelly's sense of humour. - -"Where do you come from, mon brave?" asked Jack of the man next to him. - -"From Rueda, monsieur le capitaine," answered the trooper with a smile. -Jack chuckled inwardly at his sudden promotion, and went on: - -"And what is your regiment?" - -"Mais, monsieur, the 22nd Chasseurs of General Franceschi's cavalry. -And little did we think, monsieur, that we should meet Englishmen -to-day. Eh bien! it is all the fortune of war, and monsieur le -capitaine rides a good horse." - -"No better than your own, mon brave," said Jack, not to be outdone in -politeness. "Well now, how many of your regiment may happen to be in -Rueda, if I may ask?" - -The trooper looked at him with twinkling eyes. - -"Non, non, monsieur le capitaine," he said. "You have captured our -patrol: c'est egal! but you want to know too much. I tell you how many? -Non, non; but we are enough to capture all Sir Moore's army before it -ends its retreat to Lisbon. Monsieur wants to spoil the joke." - -"Very well," said Jack with a laugh. "I won't press you; but there are -more ways than one of killing a cat, as we say in English." - -He kept up an amicable conversation with the Frenchman until they -arrived at the cross-roads. There he found his two troopers mounting -guard over the four wounded chasseurs, and Jack was sufficiently new to -warfare to feel relieved and glad that no life had been lost. The -dragoons had made clumsy attempts to bind up their prisoners' wounds, -and had allowed the least injured of them to fetch water in his helmet -from the stream. - -"That's right," said Jack as he came up. "We've had an unexpected piece -of luck, my men, and our capture may be important. But we have no time -to lose. We made noise enough along the road to bring up the whole -French army if it's hereabouts. Lucky the regiment isn't far behind us. -Now help these fellows on to their horses; we'll take them back to the -hut we left a while ago, and I'll leave them in your charge while I go -on alone and pick up a little information." - -"May I come, sir?" asked Kelly. "'Tisn't safe to go alone." - -"Safer for one than two. But come along; there's no time to waste, and -it's getting dark." - -In a few minutes the cavalcade had reached the hut on the hillside. The -muleteer glowered viciously at the prisoners as they were led up to his -door, and handled his knife as though he would have liked there and then -to take vengeance upon them for the loss of his favourite pig. But Jack -allowed no mistake about his intentions; he told the man that the -prisoners would remain with him, in charge of the dragoons, until the -British advance-guard under General Stewart arrived. - -"I'm going on to Rueda," he added. "How far is it from here?" - -"A league and a half, Senor," said the man. - -"That's about seven miles as your Spanish league goes. Kelly, if General -Stewart arrives before I get back, tell him that there are some of -General Franceschi's chasseurs at Rueda on our right flank, and I've -gone to find out how many. If all goes well I'll be back within two -hours." - -"Very good, sir!" said Kelly, and then looked as though he would have -said more. - -"Well, what is it?" asked Jack. - -"Beg pardon, sir, but you'll be nabbed as sure as a gun. Your -uniform--" - -"Don't worry, Kelly. I'm going to borrow an outfit from one of our -French friends here. Come, mon ami," he said, turning to the sergeant -whom he had captured, "I must trouble you to take off some of your -things--your helmet, say, and your cloak, your breeches, and your boots; -I think they'll be enough." - -"Pardon, monsieur le capitaine, but I'm a soldier of the emperor, and -the emperor would shoot me as a traitor if I parted with my uniform to -an Englishman." - -"That would be unfortunate. But we can't stand on ceremony now; make -haste, if you please." - -"But, monsieur," said the man, "the breeches won't fit you." - -"They will be a trifle baggy, but no one will be critical in the dark. -Come now, hurry up!" - -"But, monsieur, I shall be cold, I shall freeze. If monsieur will lend -me his things in exchange, perhaps--" - -"No, thanks! If you're cold you'd better ask the muleteer to lend you -some things, or, better still, go to bed. Kelly, come and help the -sergeant off with his things." - -But as Kelly approached him with a grin, the Frenchman unclasped his -cloak and proceeded to divest himself of the garments Jack required. -Soon Jack was cantering off on his reconnoitring expedition to Rueda. - -By this time it was almost dark, and Jack rode gently, partly in order -to avoid mishap, and partly to spare his horse in case hard work were -required of him later. His blood tingled with the excitement of his -recent adventure and with anticipation of the unknown adventures before -him. Like his brother officers, and indeed every member of the army, -from the chief of staff to the smallest drummer-boy, he rejoiced in the -sudden change of plan which Sir John Moore had announced about a week -before. The news he himself had brought to the general, reinforced by -further news obtained through Manuel and Juan, and by information that -the Spanish armies were concentrating, had determined Sir John, on -December 5th, to countermand his order to retreat. The French, he had -learnt, were not marching in his direction, but towards Madrid, which, -he was assured, was defended by large forces at the difficult Somosierra -Pass, and would resist to the utmost. He put little faith in the -Spaniards' power of resistance, but he saw a possibility of creating a -diversion in their favour, and of cutting in between Soult and Napoleon -and striking a blow at the former. If Madrid had not yet fallen, his -movement might draw off Napoleon and save the capital, or at any rate he -might make matters so unpleasant, by seizing Valladolid and Burgos, that -time would be gained for the re-equipment of the Spanish armies. If, on -the other hand, Madrid fell, he could still make a run for it. He -therefore ordered Baird on his left and Hope on his right to move -forward towards Valladolid, while he himself prepared to advance on the -same town by way of Alaejos and Tordesillas, acquainting the Marquis of -La Romana, who was at Leon, some 120 miles due north of Salamanca, with -his intentions. - -A few days after Moore had arrived at this decision he received the news -that Madrid had capitulated to Napoleon. It was a severe blow. He had -hoped against hope that the Spanish promises would at last be fulfilled, -that their boasts would at last justify themselves. Once more the -Spaniards had shown their instability. But Moore was not disposed to -alter his plans; there seemed every probability of his striking a -successful blow at the French communications. On December 11th, then, -the infantry moved out from Salamanca, General Paget marching with the -reserve for Toro, where his brother, Lord Paget, had already arrived -with Baird's cavalry, while Hope left Alba de Tormes next day to join -the main body on the Valladolid road. The advance along this road was -led by General Charles Stewart's cavalry brigade, consisting of Hussars -and Light Dragoons. It happened that during the previous week Jack had -more than once been sent backwards and forwards between Salamanca and -Alba de Tormes with despatches and reports, and he had come under the -notice of General Stewart. When the advance was ordered, Stewart, -thinking that Jack would be useful in gathering news from the Spaniards, -and acting as interpreter in matters connected with commissariat and -billeting, asked that he might be temporarily attached to him as extra -aide-de-camp, and it was while riding ahead to enquire about billets in -Tordesillas that Jack met with the adventure just related. - -As he rode along towards Rueda he could not help feeling a glow of -satisfaction at his continued good luck. But he did not indulge in idle -dreams. It was now too dark to see, but his ears were keenly alert to -catch any sound that betokened danger, and he told Pomeroy afterwards -that he felt as sensitive as a cat's whiskers. His enterprise was -obviously full of peril, for he had no knowledge of the number of troops -in Rueda, or of that town itself, and it behoved him to go warily. If -the French force was large, there would certainly be outposts at some -distance from the town, and every now and then he pulled up his horse -and waited, straining eyes and ears for a sound or a light. - -At length, when he had been riding for about three-quarters of an hour, -he saw, at the bottom of a slight hollow more than half a mile in his -front, a twinkle of light which he inferred came from a house by the -roadside. Dismounting at once he led his horse off the road to the -left, and found that he was in a vineyard where many of the poles used -for supporting the vines were still standing in the soil. He led his -horse well out of sight from the road, tied him to one of these poles, -patted his neck, and then set off to walk through the field, keeping a -distance of about fifty yards from the highway. The light shone more -clearly now, and as he approached it he went ever more and more -cautiously, stopping at one point to remove the spurs that, in spite of -his careful tread, made a slight clanking on the frozen ground. At -thirty yards distance from the light he saw that it proceeded from the -window of a small cabin not unlike the muleteer's behind him. Now every -step he took was as stealthy as a cat's. His pulse beat a little faster -as he came within a few feet of the cabin, though he was barely -conscious of this, so intent was he on the task in hand. - -He crept at first behind the hut and waited for a moment. Voices -reached him from within. Pressing his ear against the wooden wall, he -distinguished a few exclamations in French, and then a burst of -laughter. - -"They're having a high old time!" he said to himself with a chuckle. -"Evidently well occupied. I'll chance it." - -Stealing round the hut he fell down on hands and knees and crawled till -he came beneath the window; he then removed his helmet, took a breath, -and raised himself inch by inch until he could just peer over the lower -sill. For a moment his eyes were dazzled by the light. As they became -more accustomed to it he saw four French troopers, in the same uniform -as the one he now wore, seated at a round table playing cards. An empty -bottle stood in the centre, and some glasses were half-full of red wine. -Jack inferred at once that the cabin was a sort of impromptu guard-room, -from which sentries were posted at the entrance to the village. - -"Pretty sentries!" he said to himself. "I wouldn't give much for their -skins if Boney caught them! They're making enough row to drown the -sound of an army. So much for that." - -Lowering himself with equal care, he crept away, rose to his feet, and -set off at a sharp walk towards Rueda. Before long he descried a number -of scattered lights ahead. Then he found himself in a lane that -appeared to lead towards the town. "Here goes," he thought, and without -hesitation struck up the lane in the direction of the lights. - -It led straight into the principal street. Jack walked boldly on, -thinking that boldness would attract less attention than stealth. He -noticed that nearly all the houses at this end of the place were lit up. -Sounds of merriment floated upon the air--a laugh, a cheer, an -exclamation of anger, the clink of glasses, the rattle of dice. There -was a small inn; twenty yards away Jack smelt fried onions, and longed -for his supper. The street was empty, and as he went forward he -observed that the houses were almost all dark, and guessed that the -French were billeted at the end he had passed. By and by he came to the -Plaza, a narrow open space in the centre of the town, and saw what was -evidently the town-house looming before him, a large building in the -middle of the square. He halted in the shadow of a church porch. - -"There'll be a sentry posted here," he thought. "I wonder which side of -the building he is on!" He hesitated for a moment whether to proceed or -to return at once, seeing no prospect of obtaining definite information -of the number of the French. "In for a penny in for a pound," he said -to himself; "I'll try another few yards." - -He chose the street passing by the left-hand face of the town-house, and -stole along on tiptoe. A narrow beam of light fell obliquely across the -street from an upper window on his left, throwing a luminous circle on -the townhouse wall just above the level of his head. He skirted the -wall, and had reached the mid-point of that face of the square, when a -voice suddenly arrested his steps. - -"Senor, charity for a poor prisoner. A copper, Senor, for the love of -God!" - -The voice appeared to come from just above his head. There was something -in the tone that seemed familiar, and with a quickening pulse he -resolved to test the surmise which had flashed upon him. Retracing his -steps for a couple of yards, he looked up, and there, full in the shaft -of light from the house opposite, he saw the barred grating of a -dungeon, and, pressed against the bars--yes, it was the small elfin face -of the gipsy boy Pepito. "Here's luck again!" he thought. Being below -the level of the beam of light, Jack himself was out of sight, and he -knew that Pepito could only have caught the sound of his footsteps, and -must have addressed him without knowing who he was. Putting his hand -into the pocket of his breeches--forgetting they were not his own--he -took out a few copper coins, and stretched his arm up towards the -grating. - -"Here you are, poor prisoner!" he said softly in Spanish. - -A low exclamation answered him. The coins were taken, and a small lean -hand pressed his gently. - -"Muchas gracias," said Pepito; then turning to speak to someone behind -him in the cell: "A Christian gives alms to the poor, and four noble -Spaniards and a gipsy boy will not go supperless to bed." - -"Four noble Spaniards!" echoed Jack. "Let me speak with one of them." - -Pepito disappeared instantly, and his place was taken by a large, -heavy-jawed Spaniard, whom Jack recognized at once as the stableman who -had led the pursuit of him from Olmedo. The man looked suspiciously at -the French uniform. - -"Hist! I may help you," began Jack, but at this moment he heard the -clamp-clamp of ammunition boots approaching from round the corner behind -him. "The sentry!" he thought. "Silence! I will come back," he -whispered. - -He crept along the wall on tiptoe, in the direction away from the -approaching footsteps. At the same time he heard from within the cell -Pepito's shrill voice in song: - - "Kosko gry! Romany gry! - Muk man kistur tute knaw!" - - -"Clever little imp!" he thought. "He didn't give me away to his -companions there, and now he's trying to smother the sound of my -footsteps." - -He turned the corner and waited. The sentry was still approaching with -measured tread, and when he arrived beneath the grating he cried -angrily: - -"Tais-toi, maraud! Il faut te taire, ou je vais te bruler la cervelle." - -The singing ceased, and the sentry with a grunt resumed his march. - -"He's going to make the round of the building," thought Jack. "So will -I; but I hope to goodness no one will be passing on the other side." - -He tiptoed along and turned the other corner. Not a soul was to be -seen. He waited. On this face of the building was the door, over which -a feeble light flickered, and Jack wondered whether it was open, and if -he would be seen from within. But there was no time for hesitation. The -tramping sentry was coming behind him. Taking his courage in both -hands, Jack slipped along, passed the door safely, turned the farther -corner, and in another half-minute was back under the grating, -breathless with excitement. - -For a moment he stood listening. The sentry had halted in front of the -building. - -"Hist! Are you there?" he whispered towards the grating. - -"Si, Senor," said the man. - -"Now, answer quickly. How many French are in the town?" - -"About a hundred, Senor." - -"Foot or horse?" - -"Half one, half the other." - -"And they come from--" - -"From Segovia, Senor." - -"That'll do. Where's that gipsy boy?" - -"But, Senor--" - -"Hush! Where's the gipsy?" - -"Here, Senor," said Pepito, pulling the Spaniard away. - -"Here's a few pesetas. Buy them all a supper from the jailer. All -being well, I'll have you out to-night." - -Then he thought for an instant. He must make sure his escape from the -town. What if the sentry were again moving round the square? Stepping -softly into the road, he picked up a large loose cobble and flung it -with all his force towards the corner farthest away from the road he -meant to take. The stone struck the road several yards beyond the -building, and made a clatter as it ricochetted along. He heard an -exclamation from the sentry, who set off at a quick step in the -direction of the sound. Without more delay Jack hastened in the opposite -direction, hearing behind him, more and more faintly, the quaint refrain -of the gipsy's wild song: - - "Kosko gry! Romany gry! - Muk man kistur tute knaw!" - - -He arrived safely at the end of the street. The mirth of the French was -even more uproarious, their fancied security clearly still more -confident. Out of the town, into the lane, Jack hurried at full speed; -past the guard-house, along over the field, among the bare vine-poles -until he reached his horse again. A whinny greeted him. He sprang on to -the animal's back, and cantered back rapidly in the direction of the -Valladolid road. - -"We'll make a clean swoop of them or I'm a Dutchman," he said to himself -gleefully. "Was there ever such luck--and such bad management! Won't -Charley Stewart be delighted!" - -On he rode, keeping his ears open for the slightest sound. He had come, -as he judged, within a mile of the scene of his afternoon's adventure -when he heard the sound of horses trotting. Turning off the road, he -walked his horse for some distance across the field and waited. The -riders were approaching him. He tried to determine from the sound of -the hoofs how many they were. Then he heard voices--they carried far in -the silence of the frosty night,--and as they came opposite him he heard -an English voice say with a growl: - -"'Pon my soul, the madcap deserves to be nabbed!" - -"Charley himself!" chuckled Jack. "Who goes there?" he called. - -The horses stopped, and a voice called sharply: - -"Who are you?" - -"Lumsden of the 95th." - -"Gad, it's the fellow himself. Come and show yourself, you daredevil! -Where in the world have you been?" - -"Into Rueda and back, sir," said Jack, saluting. - -"And what the blazes have you been doing there?" - -"Taking stock, sir. There are a hundred French in the town, cavalry and -infantry mixed, and they're all hard at it with drink and cards." - -"The deuce they are! No sentries, eh?" - -"A few in a cabin this side of the town, sir, but they're busy at the -same game." - -"Are they, begad? Seymour, we'll collar this little lot. We were -coming to rescue your dead body, young man, and you've disappointed us. -Ride back, there, and tell the squadron to hurry. We'll draw first -blood to-night." - -Ten minutes later the whole squadron of 250 men of the 18th Light -Dragoons, General Stewart himself in command, were on their way to -Rueda. Jack rode ahead by the general's side--no longer in French -uniform, for when the squadron arrived on the scene Kelly came forward -and said: - -"Brought these, sir; thought you might want 'em." - -He handed Jack his head-dress and cloak, receiving the Frenchman's cloak -and helmet in exchange. - -"I didn't bring the breeches, sir," added Kelly, "thinking it might be a -cold change to-night." - -"Right, Kelly! and that reminds me that I've borrowed some of the -Frenchman's money; all fair in war, eh?" - -General Stewart enquired of Jack as they rode how he had contrived to -pick up his information. - -"Famous, famous!" he exclaimed when the tale had been briefly told. "We -mustn't let a man escape if we can help it. If Franceschi doesn't hear -of this we may scoop up his whole division. How are we going to escape -the sentries? They can't fail to hear us on this hard road, and we -can't muffle the horses' hoofs." - -"If you like, sir," suggested Jack, "I'll go ahead with a few men across -the fields and collar them first." - -"You want to do it all, eh? Very well; we'll halt when you tell us. If -anything goes wrong, give us a hail and we'll be on your tracks like the -wind." - -When he judged that the squadron had arrived at a safe distance Jack -gave the word, the general halted, and Jack went forward across the -fields with four men to make a detour and come upon the sentries' cabin -from the direction of Rueda, thereby to deceive the Frenchmen into the -belief that the approaching riders were a party coming out to relieve -guard. Jack's men had ridden two hundred yards beyond the cabin, and -were just turning to the left to regain the road, when one of the men -declared that he heard the sound of trotting horses from the town. - -"That's a relief patrol," said Jack. "Ride back to the general, Kelly; -tell him we can hardly hope to surprise the town now, and ask him to -pick up the men in the cabin as he passes. Now, dragoons, forward with -me into Rueda." - -They set spurs to their horses, and made for the road. Secrecy was no -longer possible; the approaching chasseurs heard them, stopped short, -hesitated a moment, then turned tail and made at full speed back towards -the town, with Jack and his men close at their heels. - -"Who's in first, my boys!" cried Jack, rising in his stirrups and urging -his flying steed. On they went, heedless of the road, sparks flying -from the hoofs, the horses snorting with the joy of the chase. Into the -town with a clash and a clatter! - -"Sauve qui peut! Les Anglais! Les Anglais!" shouted the sergeant of -the flying patrol. Instantly the little town was filled with noise, the -inns belched forth their scared revellers, from every house streamed -soldiers, drunk and sober, some in full uniform, some half-dressed, some -without swords, some without muskets, the chasseurs clamouring for their -horses, the officers of Lefebvre's infantry shouting to their men to -form up and stand firm in the square. Jack dashed on. A pistol flashed -at him; he heeded nothing, keeping his eye on the form of the sergeant -who headed the patrol, and who had now distanced his companions, and was -clearly making in a panic for safety. By this time about sixty of the -infantry had formed up in some sort of order in the square. Giving rein -to his horse, the sergeant of chasseurs, yelling incoherent -exclamations, dashed into their midst, cleft a way through them, and -pelted on towards the other end of the town. At his heels flew Jack, -whom in the confusion and the semi-darkness the Frenchmen appeared to -take for one of themselves. Behind him he heard the clatter of hoofs -and the shouts of Stewart's dragoons as they dashed into the town, the -crack of pistols, the dull thud of infantry muskets, then the clash of -sabres and the yells of wounded men. Still he rode on. "Not a man must -escape," the general had said, and not a man should, if Jack could help -it. - -He was now out of the town, and the Frenchman was apparently losing -ground. Jack spurred his panting horse, and knew by the louder clicks -of the hoofs before him that he was gaining on the enemy. But it was -only for a moment. The chasseur shouted to his horse, flung a mocking -cry behind, and tore on at increased speed. On went Jack, his mouth set, -determined to run his quarry down if only his horse would hold out. -Mile after mile the chase continued; each horseman could hear the pants -of the other's steed, each rode headlong, careless of ruts or stones, -Jack hoping now against hope that something would happen to check the -Frenchman's career. His own horse was almost done; he remembered that it -had had scarcely any rest for half a day, while the chasseur's was -probably fresh; and it occurred to him at length that the Frenchman -could easily have outstripped him if he pleased, and must be holding him -now for his own malicious amusement, or perhaps to lure him on till he -reached a larger body of Franceschi's men. Just as he was wondering -whether it might not be the more discreet part to relinquish the chase, -he caught sight of lights ahead. The Frenchman was quickening his pace; -evidently then he did not expect to find friends in the village or town -to which they were coming. Jack endeavoured to get still more out of -his own breathless steed. On went the chasseur at full gallop into the -town. At the door of an inn a group of men was gathered, some of their -number holding flaring torches above their heads. The crowd parted to -make way for the flying horseman, and he dashed pell-mell through their -midst. - -"The game's up!" thought Jack with a sigh of disappointment. "Poor old -horse! You're done up." He rode into the crowd. "After him!" he cried -in Spanish, pointing after the Frenchman. "After him, hombres! The -English are at Rueda. Don't let him escape. My horse is foundered; -somebody mount and catch the dog!" - -But not a man moved in response to his cry. Jack dismounted, trembling -in every limb, and furious with the Spaniards for their apathy. As he -led his quivering horse towards the inn, and the throng gathered around -him, he stopped suddenly, for there, in front of the inn door, stretched -on his back, lay a soldier, his eyes closed, his cheeks pale in the -ghastly torchlight, a dark stain marking the frosty road. - -"What is it? Who is he?" asked Jack. He looked round, and saw at the -inn door a man with a reeking knife in his hand. As Jack passed, the -man came forward. - -"I did it! One of the accursed French. I killed him!" - -He went on to explain that he was the posting-master of the place. The -French horseman had ridden up half an hour before and demanded -refreshment; he had behaved with such insolence and brutality that human -nature could not endure it. - -"He was an enemy of my country, and I killed him!" the man concluded. - -Jack shuddered involuntarily, and stepped round the corpse to enter the -inn. - - - - - *CHAPTER X* - - *The Emperor's Despatch* - - -Spoils of War--Hard Cash--A Good Bargain--"To Command the World"--A -Wigging--"Missing"--Through the Night--Dead Beat--Grumbling--A Late -Breakfast--Mixed Metaphors--A Change of Route - - -Jack threw himself wearily into a chair. He was tired, famished, -disappointed--above all, disappointed,--for he had set his heart on -capturing the Frenchman as a crowning achievement for this crowded day. -For a few moments he sat staring with downcast eyes at the floor; then -he pulled himself together. - -"It can't be helped," he thought. "I did my best.--Landlord, give me -some food." - -The landlord put down on the table, between two smoking candles, the -knife which he had retained up to this moment. - -"Some food for the caballero," he said to one of his men. "And you, -Perez, go outside and bury that carrion Frenchman." - -Some minutes passed. Jack found that he had no appetite for the crude -dishes set before him, and heard dully, with inattentive ears, the slow -monotone of the landlord, who seemed to be anxious to justify to himself -the act of murder he had committed. Presently two of the inn servants -entered. - -"We have buried him, master," said the first. "And his clothes are -rich; we thought maybe you would wish to have them." - -His companion came forward, and laid before the inn-keeper a heap of -garments. - -"He was a handsome man," added the first. - -"Fine feathers, fine feathers!" muttered the landlord. He took the -garments up one by one, turning them over and commenting on them. There -was a black cloth pelisse, a white dolman with gold braid and fur, and a -shako of scarlet cloth, surmounted by an aigrette of white heron's -plumes. The uniform was ornate with gold braid, cord, and buttons; and -a rich sash of black and gold silk, a small cartridge-pouch, a -sabretache, and a long Damascene sabre completed the brilliant -appointments. As Jack watched the landlord fingering the articles, he -recognized vaguely that they could only have belonged to a soldier of -high rank or position, and for the first time he wondered what had -brought the Frenchman to this out-of-the-way village of Valdestillos. -The landlord stroked the fur of the dolman caressingly. - -"Worth some dollars, this," he said, shaking it out to see its full -extent. As he did so, a folded paper fell to the floor. Jack was up in -an instant. - -"I want that," he said, fatigue, hunger, disappointment forgotten at -once. He stepped forward, but the landlord put his foot on the paper. - -"No, no, Senor," he said quickly. "He was my prisoner; I killed him; -all his things are mine." - -"But don't you see," said Jack, now hardly able to control his -excitement; "don't you see, the man was a despatch-rider! That explains -his rich uniform. Perhaps he was one of Napoleon's own aides-de-camp, -and the fate of all Spain may lie in that simple paper. You must give -it to me, landlord; I must take it to my general." - -Jack was too much agitated at the moment to perceive that his urgent -manner was likely to defeat his ends. The probability that the paper -had value had aroused the cupidity of the landlord, who stooped -cautiously, picked up the despatch, and thrust it into his pocket. - -"It is mine--mine," he said gloatingly. The man's attitude served to -quiet Jack's nerves. - -"Very well," he said. "Keep it. I wouldn't be in your shoes for -something. Your servants have seen the despatch. Look, there's a crowd -of peasants gaping at the door there. You can't keep it quiet, even if -anything happens to me; and when General Stewart finds out what a -patriot you are, he'll send you to the Marquis of La Romana, and then--" - -Jack shrugged expressively. The servants cast uneasy glances at their -master, who at first frowned at them, then himself looked uncomfortable. - -"What does the Senor offer for it?" he said at length with a covetous -leer. - -"You sell your patriotism, eh? Well, I'll give you five dollars." - -The landlord shook his head. - -"I have lost many dollars of late through the war. It is worth more -than five dollars." - -"Well, I won't stick at a few dollars. Say ten." - -"No, no. The Marquis of La Romana would give more than ten." - -"I won't haggle with you," cried Jack. "I make you a last offer. If -you accept it, you are so much to the good; if you refuse it, you not -only won't get a maravedi, but you'll come pretty badly off when the -authorities hear of it. I'll give you twenty dollars, and not a peseta -more." - -The landlord looked at him enquiringly, as though questioning whether he -might not squeeze a few more dollars from the young officer. Jack eyed -him firmly. - -"That's final," he said. "Twenty dollars, or nothing, plus your -country's curse." - -"A paltry sum!" said the innkeeper. "In cash?" he asked cunningly. - -"In cash. I have the money here." - -"Let me see it." - -Chafing at the man's suspicion, Jack unbuckled his belt, and counted out -from the pockets on the inside twenty small golden dollars of the old -coinage of Spain. The landlord's eye gleamed. He took out the despatch -from his pocket, and held it doubtingly in his hand. - -"Give me ten dollars first," he said. - -Angrier than ever, but outwardly calm, Jack handed over ten of the -coins. The man bit each one between his teeth, and dropped them into -his pouch. - -"Take it, Senor," he said. - -It was the most exciting moment Jack remembered in his life when he took -the folded paper in his hand, and paid the balance of the price. He -turned it over; there was no writing on it; the flap was fastened with a -great red seal; what if it was no despatch after all? Instantly he -broke the seal, and, unfolding the stiff paper, read at the top: - - -"To the Marshal Duke of Dalmatia, commanding the Second Army Corps at -Saldana, the Vice-Constable Major-General". - - -His eyes swam, and he felt a rush of blood to his cheeks. The landlord -was droning on to his servants, and Jack remembered afterwards, with -infinite amusement, that, at this tense moment, he had heard as in a -dream the land-lord directing his servant to put out one of the candles; -one was enough: "'Tis a waste of good pork fat, and we have no pigs left -in Spain--bar the French." - -He read on by the light of one guttering dip, running his eye rapidly -down the closely-written page. Moment by moment his joy increased. The -despatch was written from Chamartin by Marshal Berthier, Prince of -Neufchatel, and Jack saw that it contained Napoleon's plan of campaign, -and gave information of the position of his armies which would be beyond -price to Moore. Having read it hastily, he went through it again with -more care, fixing the details in his mind in case by any mishap he -should lose it before reaching head-quarters. What he read was as -follows:-- - - -"I read to the Emperor your letter of the 4th of December, which was -brought by one of your officers. His Majesty approves of all you have -done. The brigades of Generals Debelle and Franceschi are under your -orders, and you can manoeuvre them as you think proper. The Emperor is -of opinion that with the division of Merle and the division of Mouton, -together with the four regiments of cavalry, nothing can resist you. - -"What are you to do? Take possession of Leon, drive back the enemy into -Galicia, make yourself master of Benavente and Zamora. You can have no -English in your front, for some of their regiments came to the Escurial -and Salamanca, and everything shows that they are in full retreat. Our -advance-guard is this day at Talavera de la Reyna, upon the road to -Badajos, which it will reach soon. It will be clear to you that this -movement must compel the English to hasten immediately to Lisbon, if -they have not gone there already. The moment you are sure that the -English have retreated (of which there is every presumption), move -forward with rapidity. There are no Spaniards who can resist your two -divisions. Order shoes and greatcoats to be made at Leon, Santander, -and Palencia. His Majesty grants every demand for improving your -equipment. You may also require mules for your artillery, and horses to -remount your cavalry; but let it all be done according to the regular -forms of administration. - -"It is possible that as soon as the dragoons of General Millet arrive in -Spain, the Emperor will send them on to you. But his cannot happen for -a fortnight. At the distance at which you are you must be guided by -what you think best, and look upon all I write as only general -instructions. His Majesty conceives that you will take measures to -reduce the country between the Douro, Galicia, and the Asturias, always -most carefully guarding Santander. The 5th Corps, commanded by the -Marshal Duke of Treviso, has been ordered to advance on Saragossa; the -8th Corps, under the Duke of Abrantes, whose 1st Division arrived at -Vittoria on the 12th, will probably receive orders to concentrate at -Burgos. Gunboats and armoured vessels of any kind have orders to sail -for Santander. Load them with confiscated English merchandise, cotton, -wool, artillery, and send all to France. - -"Five divisions of Castanos' best troops have been routed with even less -difficulty than you found in beating the Estremaduran army at Burgos. -The wreck of Castanos' army is being pursued by Marshal Bessieres, who -has cut them off the road to Estremadura, and is pursuing them towards -Valencia, several marches beyond the Tagus. The Emperor's headquarters -are at Chamartin, a little country seat a league and a half from Madrid. -His Majesty enjoys an excellent state of health. - -"The city of Madrid is quite tranquil. The shops are all open, the -public amusements are resumed, and there is not the least appearance of -our first proposals having been emphasized by 4000 cannon balls. - -"THE PRINCE OF NEUFCHATEL, - "Major-General. - -"I will send you to-morrow a proclamation and some decrees of the -Emperor, in which you will recognize the style of him who was born to -command the world." - - -Every word was impressed on Jack's memory as though burnt in with fire. -He had been disappointed of catching a Frenchman! He almost laughed -aloud, for here, surely, was a find worth a king's ransom. - -"Landlord, I ride back to Rueda." His voice had the ring of authority. -"My own horse is tired. I will ride the Frenchman's horse. You will -keep mine here until it is sent for, and a fair price shall be paid you -for the other if mine is returned to me safe and sound. At once, if you -please!" - -It was not the Spaniard's way to move with alacrity, and it took fifteen -minutes to saddle the horse and bring it round from the stables. Then -Jack mounted, his whole body tingling with joy; and, the despatch -carefully buttoned up inside his tunic, he set off on the fine Arab gray -for Rueda. - -The horse was not too fresh, and went all too slowly for Jack's eager -haste. It was near midnight when he cantered into the open street of -Rueda, and dismounted at the door of the posada. There was a light in -this as in many other houses, and he guessed that here he would be most -likely to find General Stewart. The sound of his horse's hoofs had -drawn an orderly to the door. - -"Ah, Benson, catch hold of this nag, there's a good fellow! Is the -general up?" - -"Yes, you'll find him in the first room, sir." - -Jack waited to hear no more. He almost ran into the room, and found -himself in the presence of General Stewart and a few other officers. - -"Oh, it's you!" said Stewart, turning on his chair to face the intruder. -"Now, look here, Lumsden, this is all very well, but things may go too -far, you know. 'Twas a mere fool's trick to bolt off after a runaway -vedette when, for all you knew, a whole army-corps was within a mile of -us." - -"Sorry, sir," said Jack, "but I understood that you wished to secure the -whole party, and I went after the only one that had escaped.... There -are no Frenchmen on the road; in fact, to the best of my belief there's -only one Frenchman between here and Valladolid, and he's dead." - -"You got him after all, then?" said Stewart with a gleam of interest. - -"Unluckily no, sir; he got off. It was another fellow, and he carried -this despatch." - -The general took the paper without a word. He opened it, and began to -read. - -"Gad, what a find!" he exclaimed. "Look here, Seymour. 'Born to -command the world', begad!" - -The other officers got up and looked over his shoulder. Jack watched -their faces, and noticed how their expression changed from an ordinary -interest and amusement to an excitement rivalling his own. - -"By George, Lumsden," cried the general as he finished the document, -"you've found a treasure here!" - -"It cost me twenty dollars, sir." - -"Dirt cheap at twenty thousand! How did it happen?" - -Jack briefly told the story. - -"Boney was always too careless about his aides-de-camp," said Seymour. -"The idea of sending the poor chap off without an escort!" - -"Spare your pity!" laughed Stewart. "This must go off to the -commander-in-chief at once." He looked at Jack, and added dryly: "I -suppose you are too tired to take it yourself?" - -"If you'll give me a fresh horse I'll start at once, sir." - -"Very well, though you look dog-tired. Have you got a flask you can -give him, Seymour? That's right. There's a fellow half an hour ahead of -you, with a despatch reporting our capture here--and I've put you down -as missing, my boy. You're sure you can do it? It's a ride of nearly -twenty miles." - -"I'll go, sir," said Jack simply. "May I mention two things? I left my -horse at the posting inn at Valdestillos, and promised to send for it -and buy the Frenchman's gray. Will you look at it, sir, and offer a -price? And there was a little gipsy boy with a few Spaniards in the -watch-house here. The boy has been rather useful to me; will you order -him and the rest to be released and looked after a bit?" - -"Done to both. I'll buy the horse myself if he's fit; and as for the -boy and those Spanish louts, they were released long ago, and the gipsy -has kept the men in fits with his monkey antics. Now wait just a moment -while I scribble a note to Sir John, and then be off, and think yourself -a lucky young dog." - -When Jack, fortified with Captain Seymour's flask, went to the door to -mount his horse, he became for the first time thoroughly aware how tired -he was. He had been in the saddle almost without intermission for more -than twelve hours, and as he lifted his foot to the stirrup, he felt as -though his thigh was weighted with lead, and on the point of snapping. -But he would never have confessed his fatigue, much less have abnegated -his right to carry the important despatch to the commander-in-chief; so, -aching but cheerful, he cantered off into the night. - -He had a ride of eighteen or twenty miles before him, and it was now -past midnight. "Thank heaven!" he said to himself, "in three hours or -so I shall be between the sheets." Soon after he started, snow began to -fall in scattered flakes, giving cold and gentle dabs to his face. The -horse answered to his spur, and trotted rapidly along the solitary road, -which grew whiter and whiter as he proceeded, past the cabin where the -French outpost had been surprised, past the cross-road where the little -tussle of the afternoon had taken place, over the bridge, up the hill, -and thus on and on until he was within a couple of miles of the town of -Alaejos. - -At this point he overtook suddenly another horseman, whom the snow, -driving now thick and fast, had hidden from his sight, while the -carpeted road had deadened the sound of his own horse's hoofs. Guessing -at once that this must be the courier bearing General's Stewart's -earlier despatch, the recollection that he had been reported missing -made him chuckle. Throwing a word of salutation to the rider as he -passed him, he urged his horse to a gallop, soon came to the advanced -pickets of the British force, and in a few minutes arrived at the door -of the house in which Sir John Moore had fixed his quarters. The -general had not long arrived, and was still up, engaged in arranging -with a few of his staff the details of the next day's march. Jack was -ushered to his room at once. Staggering in, white from head to heel, he -drew Stewart's letter and the intercepted despatch from his breast -pocket, and, holding them out towards the general, he said: - -"A despatch, sir, from General Stewart." - -"Ah, indeed!" said Sir John, rising in his chair. "I hardly -expected--why, Colborne, the boy's done up! See to him." - -Jack's face had turned the colour of his snow-laden cloak, and he would -have fallen had not Major Colborne, Moore's secretary, hastily caught -him and placed him on a seat, asking one of the aides-de-camp present to -give him some cordial. Meanwhile Sir John had hurriedly run his eye -over Stewart's covering note, and was now eagerly perusing Berthier's -despatch. - -"Gad, we have him at last!" he exclaimed, as he came to the end. The -assembled officers looked expectant of an explanation, but at this -moment the courier whom Jack had passed on the road entered, bearing the -despatch announcing the capture of the French garrison at Rueda. - -"Another despatch!" exclaimed the general; "Stewart appears to have been -busy." - -Tearing it open, he said, with a jubilant note in his voice: - -"First blood, gentlemen! The campaign has opened at last. General -Stewart has captured fifty of Franceschi's chasseurs and seventy of -Lefebvre's infantry at Rueda, and--why, what's this? Lieutenant Lumsden -missing!" - -He looked across the room at Jack, who had now recovered, and was -sitting, half-asleep, with his back to the wall. - -"You're Mr. Lumsden, surely?" he said. - -"Yes, sir." - -"I thought I could not be mistaken. How is it you are reported missing -in the second despatch?" - -"I was missing when the courier left, sir. I overtook him on the road." - -"I see. You're dead beat, I'm afraid, but I should be glad to hear how -you came by this despatch of yours, if you can manage to keep awake for -a few minutes." - -Jack briefly gave an account of the circumstances. - -"You did very well, uncommonly well, Mr. Lumsden," said Sir John when he -had concluded. "Colborne, be good enough to send someone to see Mr. -Lumsden safely to the quarters of the 95th. Mr. Lumsden, you will hear -from me to-morrow." - -Jack rose stiffly and saluted; then, accompanied by one of the -aides-de-camp, he walked off to the quarters of his battalion. The -officers had all gone to bed. Learning from Jack the name of his -servant, the aide-de-camp roused the servants' quarters, and, just as -the church clock was striking three, Jack was put to bed in a cosy -little room on the ground floor of the house by his man Giles Ogbourne. - - -"What I want to know is, when are we agoing to have a slap at the -French? Here we've been tramping and camping for two months or more, -and nothing to show for it--not a shot fired. And you call that -sojering!" - -The words and the grunt that followed came on Jack's ears as it were out -of a mist, along with the pungent fumes of strong tobacco. He had just -awoke from a heavy sleep; the window of his room was open, and he could -see the deep-blue sky of a fine December day. - -"My friend Corporal Wilkes holding forth!" he said to himself with a -smile, and, turning on his back, he listened for more. - -"What are we here for?" went on the grumbler. "What's the good of -cleaning your rifle day after day when it's had no chance of getting -fouled? It's nothing but walking, walking, walking; 'ang me if we ain't -out on a bloomin' walking-match." - -"There's been a bit of a scrum somewhere for'ard, so I heard," put in -another voice. "P'raps things is waking up, corp'ril." - -"Shut up, Bates! What's the good o' that to us? It was those -long-legged dragoons, by all accounts. Why should they have it all? -Where does the 95th come in?--that's what I want to know. What's the -good o' pickin' out the Rifles from the whole army and then giving them -cavalry chaps the only job that's going? Besides, nothing'll come of -it. We shall only have a longer walk than ever, you see. A flick in -the ear to the French, so to say, and then we skedaddles!" - -"That ain't fair, corp'ril. Who says we're a-going to sheer off?" - -"Nobody _says_ we're going to sheer off, but anyone with half an eye -could see those blessed grub-carts over there cutting up the roads this -morning, and anyone with an ounce of gumption would know what that -means. That ain't the road to Valladolid! What I want to know is, do -the general mean to fight, or don't he? If he do, let's step off on -shanks his mare and get to business; if he don't--why, he's only -spoiling good sojers, that's all I've got to say." - -"Not so much noise, corp'ril," said Giles Ogbourne; "you'll wake Mr. -Lumsden." - -"Spoil his beauty sleep, eh? Where's he been, getting so dead tired -that he ain't up to take his rations? I don't hold with such late -hours. Not but what he's a good plucked 'un mostly, and I don't grudge -him the--" - -At this point Jack got out of bed, wincing as his aching muscles -reminded him of the previous day's hard work. - -"You there, Giles?" he said, putting his head out of the window. "Get -me some hot water, and then see about my breakfast while I dress." - -A guffaw broke from the soldiers below, and was instantly suppressed. - -"Yes, sir," said Giles, adding: "Beg pardon, sir, but it's not -breakfast, it's dinner." - -Jack laughed. - -"What! Have I been asleep so long? What's the time?" - -"Gone four, sir, and mess is at a quarter past." - -"Hurry up, then! There's just time." - -"Mr. Pomeroy's been twice to see if you was up, sir, but he wouldn't let -me disturb you. And he said I was on no account to say a word about--" - -He caught himself up, with a blush that gave his honest round face a -very boyish air. - -"About what?" - -"I wasn't to say, sir." - -"Oh well, cut off and fetch the water! Been fighting any Spaniards -lately, Wilkes?" - -"No such luck, sir. Spaniards or French, it's all one to me, and what I -want to know is--" - -Jack smiled and shut the window. - -When he entered the mess-room he found the officers of his regiment -already seated, Colonel Beckwith being at the head of the table. - -"Hullo!" exclaimed Smith, who was opposite the door. His exclamation -drew all eyes towards Jack, and as he passed down the table to take the -place made for him beside Pomeroy, the subalterns rapped knives and -glasses on the unstained deal, and gave a rousing welcome to the -wanderer. - -"Of all the lucky beggars!" said Pomeroy in Jack's ear, when the general -greetings had subsided. "And I can't even punch your head!" - -"You're welcome to try," retorted Jack, "but allow me to get some dinner -first. I've had nothing but pucheros and gaspachos for days past, and -there are heavy arrears to make up." - -"Well, I don't want to take advantage of you, though you have played me -rather a mean trick." - -"What do you mean?" - -"Wine with you, Mr. Lumsden," interjected Colonel Beckwith from the far -end of the table; "a good ride, begad!" - -"Thank you, sir! most happy," said Jack, with a look of mingled pleasure -and surprise. After the interchange of compliments, Jack, turning again -to Pomeroy, said quietly: "What's Sidney driving at? I've never been -honoured in this way since I first joined." - -"Oh, he's anxious!" returned Pomeroy carelessly. - -"Anxious! About what?" - -"About his job." - -"How? What?" - -"'Fraid he'll be superseded, you know." - -Jack was so much puzzled by the apparent inconsequence of the reply that -he failed to remark the wide grin of amusement which all the subalterns -within hearing were vainly endeavouring to dissemble. - -"He's trying to carry it off," added Pomeroy. - -"I say, Smith, what does this lunatic mean?" - -"What! Haven't you heard the rumour?" answered Smith. - -"'What great ones do the less will prattle of,'" quoted Shirley _sotto -voce_. - -"What rumour?" asked Jack, more mystified than ever. - -"Well, there may be nothing in it, but for my own part I think it's a -shame to promote a raw sub like you over the heads of men like Colonel -Beckwith and Captain O'Hare, to say nothing of Pomeroy." - -Jack, looking somewhat startled, appealed to Captain O'Hare, who was -bubbling with amusement. - -"Are they all mad, sir?" - -"'S mad's hatters!" replied O'Hare with a chuckle. "'Tis a shame to keep -ye in suspense. The fact is, my boy, as you'd have learnt if you'd only -kept dacent hours, you've been growing in your sleep. You're like the -mushroom that blooms in the dark. You went to bed a second lieutenant -and woke up a full-blown one. 'Tis most unusual, this promotion, and -bedad, 'tis Peter O'Hare himself that's glad, so he is, and so's all the -rest of us." - -"Except me," said Pomeroy in a tone of regret; "for as my superior -officer I can't punch his head." - -There was a laugh, under which Jack was glad to hide his pleasure and -embarrassment. - -"And the worst is," added Pomeroy, "that it's another bet won for the -Grampus." - -"By the way," asked Jack, "what's become of the Grampus?" - -"Oh!" said Smith, "he went off a week ago. Said he came out to be at -the front; bet me Baird would open the ball with Soult, and went to lend -a hand." - -"He'll be lucky if he isn't made mincemeat of by the French, or else by -Spanish bandits," said O'Hare. "These amachures would be safer at -home." - -At this moment an orderly entered and handed a note to Colonel Beckwith, -who, having read it, crumpled it up and rapped on the table. - -"Gentlemen, I may as well inform you, although of course it must go no -further to-night, that a change has been made in our route. We march -for Toro to-morrow." - -There was a dead silence, broken only by a half-audible growl from -Captain O'Hare. The shadow of a smile flickered across the colonel's -face as he noticed the glum looks of his officers. - -"This change, I may add, is due to some news lately received." Here he -glanced quizzingly at Jack. "It's not so bad as it looks, and you may -take my word for it that before the week's out we shall be in the thick -of it." - -"Thanks be!" said Captain O'Hare. - - - - - *CHAPTER XI* - - *Napoleon in Pursuit* - - -To the Douro--Pepito Turns Up--Four Noble Spaniards--At Sahagun--In -Suspense--News from La Romana--On the Trail--War with the Elements--Word -from O'Hare--A Cavalry Skirmish--A Break-down - - -Sir John Moore had instantly recognized the immense importance of the -despatch so opportunely discovered by Jack at Valdestillos. It informed -him of the exact positions of the various components of the Imperial -army; it assured him also that up to the present Napoleon's ignorance of -his enemy's whereabouts was profound. But Moore knew that after -Stewart's brilliant little affair at Rueda it was only a matter of days -before this ignorance would be dispelled, and then Napoleon would -without doubt launch every Frenchman within striking distance upon his -track. If, therefore, he pursued his original intention of moving on -Valladolid he would come into the direct line of the emperor's advance, -whereas, with his new information about Soult's position, it was just -possible that he would have time to strike a blow at that marshal before -the huge masses converging on Madrid could be wheeled round and hurried -over the passes of the Guadarrama in direct pursuit, or pushed forward -from Burgos upon his flank. That Napoleon would interrupt all other -operations to crush him he had no doubt, and if he was to strike at all -it must be at once. - -His own force numbered some 25,000 men, and he was assured from several -sources that he might hope for the co-operation of La Romana, who was -said to be at the head of a continually increasing army of Spaniards at -Leon. Thus reinforced, he would be more than a match for Soult, if -Soult, with some 16,000 men, were ill-advised enough to risk an action. -On the other hand, if Soult, probably the ablest of Napoleon's marshals, -resisted the temptation to close with Moore before the other French -armies came up, the British general would have, as he himself said, "to -run for it", with one army on his flank and three others at his heels. -The risks were great; the boldest general might well shrink from the -ordeal with which Sir John was now confronted. But Moore's courage and -promptitude increased with the magnitude of the peril; he fully counted -the cost, and, feeling bound in honour to take this one chance of saving -Spain, he quickly formed his resolution and set to work with energy to -carry it out. - -Within a few hours of receiving the intercepted despatch, Moore -countermanded the advance to Valladolid, and ordered his infantry to -cross the Douro at Zamora and Toro, throwing out cavalry as a screen for -both columns. When the news spread through the ranks that a rapid move -was to be made against Soult, their enthusiasm knew no bounds. The -dissatisfaction which all had felt, the murmurs which had not been -confined to the men, gave place to jubilation, and it was with laughter -and singing that the advance-guard marched out of Alaejos northward to -the Douro. - -Jack's regiment was brigaded with others to form the Reserve, and the -men had to curb their impatience for some hours before their turn to -march arrived. It was a bitterly cold day, that 15th of December, and, -having performed all their immediate duties, Jack and his fellow -subalterns were stamping up and down before their quarters, wrapped in -long cloaks, and doing their best to warm their blood. They had been so -busy since Jack's arrival that there had been no time to get from him a -full account of his recent adventures, but now, in their enforced -idleness, they kept up a fire of questions as to where he had been and -what he had seen, and how it was that he had had, as they put it, all -the luck. Jack found that the simplest means to escape the bombardment -was to give a consecutive account of the events at Rueda and -Valdestillos, to which his chums listened with interest, scarcely -remarking the modesty with which the narrator minimized his own share in -the bustling incidents. - -"That boy Pepito, you see," he said at one point in his narrative, "is -not quite the thorn in the flesh we all supposed he was going to be. In -fact, he has the strangest knack of turning up at odd moments when he -can be of use--" - -"A regular god in the machine!" said Shirley. - -"A familiar spirit, I'd call him," said Pomeroy. "I never had much -faith in witchcraft, but upon my word I shall soon begin to believe that -you're in league with the powers of darkness, and no wonder you have -such confounded luck!" - -"Talk of the--" cried Smith suddenly. "Look at that!" - -The subalterns, looking in the direction pointed out by Smith's -stretched forefinger, saw, at the other end of the street, a strange -cavalcade approaching. Between two stalwart troopers of the 18th Light -Dragoons rode a picturesque little figure on a gaily-caparisoned mule, -the rider cocking his head aloft with a consequential air that was -irresistibly comic. Behind tramped a crowd of foot-soldiers, and the -rear was brought up by a troop of dragoons. - -"By George!" cried Pomeroy, "it's Pepito himself, riding in like a -conqueror. - -"And the French prisoners of Rueda behind him," added Jack. "I'm glad -to see the boy. Giles, go and see where they halt, and bring the little -beggar to me." - -In a few minutes Giles returned, bringing not only Pepito but a group of -four rather dilapidated-looking Spaniards. - -"My friends of the Olmedo inn," thought Jack, recognizing them with a -chuckle. "Well, Pepito, so you've turned up again, eh?" - -"Si, Senor," answered the gipsy with his captivating smile. "And with -me the four noble Spaniards, Senor." - -"So I see. You seem in high feather. You'd better tell me what has -happened since I saw you last on the way to Medina." - -Pepito stood in the centre of the group of officers, while the four -stablemen hung on the outskirts, Giles keeping a watchful eye on them. -The boy, speaking in rapid Spanish, with an occasional Romany word when -he found his emotions too much for him, told how, after being provided -with clothes by Giles Ogbourne, he had started to track the Senor, in -spite of orders to the contrary. Being hungry, and having no money, he -had, on arriving at the farmhouse where Jack had met him, offered to -clip the farmer's mules, such clipping being the traditional occupation -of the gipsies in Spain. There he had seen Jack's plight, caught sight -of the pursuers, and instantly determined the course of action he -adopted. When overtaken by the panting stablemen, he had sent them off -on the wrong track; but they carried him along with them and threatened -him with a lingering death if he proved to have played them false. He -was cudgelling his wits for a plan of escape when, as luck would have -it, they fell suddenly in with a troop of French chasseurs, who captured -the whole party, chose to assume that they were spies, and bundled them -into the watch-house at Rueda to await punishment. - -"Ay, ay, that cell!" said Pepito. "It was dark and damp and foul, and -Senor knows how the Romany love the fresh air and the open sky. But -still, there were the Busne, the four noble Busne, Senor, and when I -felt sad I would laugh at them, and tell them what fools they were, who -the Senor really was, and how it was all their own fault if they were -shot. Oh, it was good, Senor!" The gipsy's black eyes twinkled at the -recollection. - -"I'm afraid you're a mischievous young scamp," said Jack. "You'd better -come along with me--that is, if you'll behave yourself." - -"Ta ra, ta ra! Viva!" cried Pepito, flinging his knife in the air and -catching it as it fell. "'The Romany chal to his horse did cry'"--and -singing his merry song he skipped up to Giles, and dug the stolid -Devonian in the ribs. - -Meanwhile, Jack beckoned to the Spaniards, and they slouched towards him -with shamefaced sullenness. Addressing the biggest of them, he said with -a smile: - -"Well, hombre, you will be wiser next time. It might have been awkward -for you. You'd better go home by way of Salamanca, or you might happen -to meet some more Frenchmen. Here, you may find this useful." - -He gave the man a few pesetas, and the four dejected fellows, muttering -their thanks, shambled away. - -Half an hour later the order came for the regiment to march, and soon -the men were swinging along on the way to Toro. It was a fine frosty -day, and the cold, though keen, was exhilarating. The road, which in -wet weather would have been a mere slough of mud, was now frozen hard, -and walking was easy and pleasant. Many women walked with the regiment; -others, with their children, were perched on the baggage- and -ammunition-wagons. There was joking and laughter; the prospect of soon -meeting the enemy whom they had been so long hoping to fight gave -brightness to the men's eyes and elasticity to their gait. Colonel -Beckwith rode up and down the column, throwing a word to this man and -that, encouraging the laggards and chaffing the boasters. A little snow -fell at times, causing the women to snuggle under their cloaks and the -men to growl about wet boots; but during this day's march, and the four -succeeding days', the high spirits of the regiment were well maintained, -and it was with surprisingly little loss by sick or stragglers that the -infantry arrived, on December 20th, at Mayorga, where a junction was -effected with the column under Sir David Baird. They moved forward -again the following morning, and their enthusiasm was raised to the -highest pitch by the news that Lord Paget, with the 10th and 15th -Hussars, had surprised a large body of French cavalry in Sahagun, -killing or capturing over 200 officers and men. - -When they arrived at this place in the evening, the main army found that -it had outstripped its supplies. Wagons were short, and neither food nor -clothing was to be had. It was therefore imperative that a -breathing-space should be allowed, that time should be given for -recruiting their strength and repairing their equipment. Eager as they -were to fight, they were not sorry when they learnt that at least a -day's rest was to be given them. - -But when the whole of December 22nd passed without the expected order to -advance, the men again began to chafe at the delay. Corporal Wilkes and -some of his cronies were sitting round their camp-fire on the evening of -that day discussing the situation. - -"What I want to know," said Wilkes in a tone suggesting that he would -rather have resented the information--"what I want to know is, why we -don't up and at them Frenchmen at once. What are we waiting for? True, -we ain't had much grub, and our toggery ain't exactly what the general -would specially admire on parade, but over yonder, where that Marshal -Salt, or whatever they call him, is, there's plenty of tommy and fine -clothes too, and if we could only make a move we'd very soon be able to -fill our insides and polish up our outsides. Here we are, three days -off Christmas, and where's the roast-beef and plum-pudding to come from? -We'll have to sing for it, by what I can see." - -"Sing for it!" interposed Bates with a grunt. "No, thank'ee; we've had -enough of the waits. Ha! ha!" - -There was a general guffaw at Bates's little witticism. - -"I don't see nothing to laugh at," growled Wilkes, resenting the -interruption. The others looked reproachfully at Bates, who relapsed -into abashed silence. - -It was not until the morning of the 23rd that the general of the -Reserve, Sir Edward Paget, a younger brother of Lord Paget, received -marching orders. On the evening of that day he was to move his division -forward from Grajal del Campo along the road to Carrion, join the main -body, and halt until head-quarters should arrive from Sahagun. At this -news the younger and less experienced men found it almost impossible to -keep still. - -"Lie down and rest, you silly fellows," said Jack to a group of men whom -he saw fidgeting about in sheer nervousness and anxiety. "Look at -Wilkes yonder; he knows what war is, and he's snoring away, getting a -good sleep before the march to-night. Here, Pepito, just come and show -these fellows some of your tricks, and keep them amused, or they'll be -dead-beat before they start." - -Pepito, who had followed Jack like a shadow ever since he had left -Alaejos, obediently went among the men, and soon had them laughing -merrily at his absurd antics and extraordinary gibberish. The bleak -winter day passed, and at four o'clock, under a gray and leaden sky, the -Reserve at last set out towards what they hoped was to be a brilliant -victory. The whole country was covered deep with snow. The men had -been ordered to refrain from talking or singing while on the march; and -thus, in cold and silence, the column trudged along in the gathering -night. - -After some hours' tramping a halt was called, and the men stood and -shivered and wondered. - -"What are we waiting for now?" growled Corporal Wilkes, shaking the snow -from his shako. - -"To let the guns come up, shouldn't wonder," returned his friend Bates. -"This blessed snow makes it slow work to bring 'em along." - -"I expect it's old Romana not up to the scratch," suggested Tom Plunket, -the best shot in the regiment. "Very likely he's lost his way, or -forgotten the date, or frizzing his moustache, or something, and that's -keeping our general waiting." - -"Humph!" growled Wilkes, "another case of to-morrer, to-morrer. Tell -you what, boys, these Dons will say 'manana' once too often. When the -last roll-call comes they'll say 'manana' as sure as fate, and then -where'll they be?--that's what I want to know." - -"Hush! what's that?" said Sergeant Jones, a little man known familiarly -as "The Weasel". - -A bugle-call was sounding. Every man started to his feet. Surely the -two hours' halt was over and the battle was at hand. But no; there was -no sound of movement among the troops, no cheer from the men near the -general's quarters. While the men stood in a tense attitude of -expectancy, Jack came up out of the darkness. - -"Men," he said quietly, "we are ordered back to Grajal. Fall in!" - -Not a word broke from them. Back to Grajal? But the French were not -there. Was the battle postponed again? No one appeared to know the -meaning of this new order. They collected their kits, strapped on their -heavy knapsacks, and trudged despondently back over the frozen roads. - -At six o'clock that evening a note had been brought to Sir John Moore -from the Marquis of La Romana. It read: - - -LEON, _Dec. 22_. - -SIR, - -The confidential person whom I had placed on the River Douro has written -to me on the 18th inst. that he is assured that the enemy's troops -posted at the Escurial are moving in this direction. - -He adds that if the person who gave him this intelligence should not -arrive the same day he would go himself to Villacastin, twelve leagues -from Madrid, to watch the two roads, the one of which leads to Zamora, -and the other to Segovia. - -I hasten to give this information to your Excellency that you may judge -what measures are requisite to be taken. - -LA ROMANA. - - -What Moore had expected and hoped for had come to pass. It was clear -that Napoleon had learnt the British position at last, and was hastening -from Madrid northward across the mountains with his whole army to crush -the little force. - -"We must cut and run for it," said Moore to his staff with a hard smile. -"And by Jove we'll give them a race!" - -When Moore suddenly, ten days before, altered his line of march from the -Valladolid to the Toro road, Napoleon had not had time to learn of the -affair at Rueda. He had made up his mind that the British were -retreating on Lisbon, and had already despatched Lefebvre and Lasalle in -pursuit by way of Badajos, preparing himself to back them up with an -overwhelming army of 40,000 men and 150 guns. The news of Stewart's -exploit at Rueda reached him on the 19th. It had the effect of an -electric shock. Where before had been activity, there was now feverish -energy. Couriers were sent on the instant to all parts of Spain, -ordering all the scattered units of his immense force to converge on -Valladolid, which he persisted in believing to be Moore's objective. -Mere skeleton corps were left to hold in check the shattered Spanish -armies. The rest followed Napoleon over the Guadarrama mountains, or -pushed along the Burgos road to join hands with Soult. - -On the 21st, the same day on which Moore marched for Sahagun, an immense -French army, comprising the flower of Napoleon's troops, left Madrid. -Marshal Ney, "le plus brave des braves", led the van, and he was lucky -in bringing his troops across the Guadarrama in comparatively fine -weather. But no sooner had he crossed than a terrific snow-storm burst -over the mountains. When Napoleon himself arrived from Madrid he found -the passes blocked with snow, guns, wagons, all kinds of impedimenta; -and the advance, on which so much depended, to all appearance -indefinitely delayed. - -[Illustration: Map of Spain and Portugal to illustrate Moore's Campaign] - -But opposition, even on the part of the elements, only roused the -emperor's indomitable energy. The gale was raging its fiercest, men and -horses were being hurled over precipices by the force of the wind. The -leading battalions had actually turned back and were making confusion -worse confounded, when Napoleon appeared. Addressing the soldiers, he -announced that he meant to overtake the British at all costs. He set -thousands of men to clear the drifts, others to beat down the snow into -a hard road, over which the artillery, harnessed with double teams, -crawled painfully northward. He ordered the members of each infantry -section to link arms and thus help each other along the perilous -mountain way. He dismounted the cavalry, and used their horses to haul -the guns. Then, gathering his staff about him, he bade them lock their -arms, and himself led the way, walking arm in arm with Lannes and Duroc. -Thus, in the teeth of wind, snow, and ice they pushed up the wild -mountain steeps. Half-way up, the marshals and generals, who wore -jack-boots, were too much exhausted to move another step. Nothing -daunted, Napoleon had himself hoisted on a gun, and sat there astride. -He called to his marshals to do the same; and thus, after four hours -battling with the elements, the grotesque cavalcade reached the convent -on the summit, where, with food and wine, the rigours of the march were -forgotten. - -It was in this spirit of fierce determination that the great emperor, -sparing himself as little as his troops, strained every nerve to -accomplish the end he had in view--the destruction of Moore's gallant -little army. If La Romana's confidential agents had been napping, Moore -might indeed have beaten Soult, but only to find himself enveloped by a -force triple his own in numbers, commanded by the most brilliant soldier -of the age. Fortunately, information had reached La Romana, and through -him Moore, in time. At the moment when Napoleon arrived at Villacastin, -only some three marches distant, Moore was countermanding the advance on -Sahagun. - -That moment marked the ebb of Napoleon's fortunes. Hitherto he had -pursued his wonderful career with scarcely a check; but the decision of -Moore on that December evening was the signal for the break-up of -Napoleon's power; it was the step that saved Europe. It diverted the -emperor from his immediate purpose of conquest, and engaged his huge -armies in a fruitless and exhausting chase; it gave Spain time to -bethink herself and rise as a nation. Her rising set an example to -Europe, by which Austria and Prussia slowly profited, and which led -Russia, three years later, to that spirited defiance which burnt Moscow -and brought destruction upon the finest army in the world. - -The British retreated in two columns, one, under General Baird, by the -northern road to Valencia, the other, under General Hope, by Mayorga -towards Benavente. General Paget's reserve division, including the two -light brigades under Generals Anstruther and Disney, and five cavalry -regiments, remained for twenty-four hours behind the main body. It was -on Christmas-day that Jack's regiment received orders to march. The men -were formed up in readiness for starting. Every face was gloomy, every -heart bitter with rage. It was only vaguely known in the ranks why the -advance had been so suddenly countermanded, and the general opinion was -that it was due to the cowardice and incompetence of the Spaniards. The -officers remarked this spirit of sullen discontent, and Captain O'Hare -determined to make a personal appeal. Calling his company to attention, -he stood in pouring rain and addressed them. - -"Now, my boys," he said cheerily, "we must put a good face on it. The -froggies are too many for us now, and the general don't want every -mother's son of you to be clapped into a French prison. We're off to -Astorga, and bedad, if Marshal Soult comes within reach of our heels, -we'll give him a good parting kick before Boney arrives. But remember, -we form part of the rear-guard; 'tis the post of honour because 'tis the -place of danger. If there is to be any fighting, 'twill fall to us, and -every man Jack of you must keep himself as fit as a fiddle, or he won't -be able to do what's wanted. I trust to you, my boys; and sure we'll -show that every Englishman, whether Scotch or Irish, is worth ten -Frenchmen yet. Shoulder arms! Left turn! Quick march!" - -"All very well," grumbled Charley Bates, as he swung along beside -Corporal Wilkes; "there's to be fighting at Astorga, he says. The -general means to march us to death first, and expects us to fight -after!" - -"You shut up, Bates," said the corporal sullenly. He was just as much -irritated as his friends, but, being disputatious by nature, he was -ready to contradict anyone. "I've fought under Johnny Moore before, and -he ain't one to run for nothing. And you and me, Charley Bates, has got -to show a good example to them young orficers--Mr. Lumsden an' the -rest,--didn't you hear Peter say so? So step out, my boy, and don't -argue." - -"Hear that, Pommy?" said Jack, who was nearer the corporal than that -worthy believed. - -"I heard it," growled Pomeroy, "and I hope you'll profit by Wilkes's -example." - -They needed all their strength of will to preserve their cheerfulness. -A thaw had set in, and the road, running between fields of soft rich -loam, was knee-deep in slushy clay. All that day they tramped heavily -through the rain. They halted at Mayorga for the night, and pushed on -next day to Valderas, their clothes like sponges, their limbs racked -with pain. At the halting-places they saw the first signs of failing -discipline. Some of the men in the regiments which had preceded them -had broken out and vented their rage on the houses of the Spaniards. -Food was scarce; means of carriage were lacking; and the men were so -incensed against the inhabitants of the villages through which they -passed that they seized food for themselves, and, the country being for -the most part treeless, tore down doors and sheds to provide wood for -their camp-fires. But this marauding spirit had been as yet confined to -a few regiments; the men of the light brigades were held well in hand by -their officers, and refrained from the ill conduct of their -less-disciplined comrades. - -As they marched on the 26th and 27th it became known that Lord Paget's -cavalry were having a warm time behind them. Soult had sent Lorge's -dragoons in pursuit of Baird's column, and the advance-guard of the -emperor's army at this time began to appear, until the five British -cavalry regiments were closely pressed by no fewer than thirteen French. -But Paget was a consummate cavalry leader; spreading his 2400 men as a -screen to the whole army, he showed ceaseless activity in fending off -the assaults of the French dragoons, beating them time after time, and -capturing many prisoners. Every effort of the French to break through -and attack the infantry was baffled and checked. So admirably, indeed, -did he handle his men, that Napoleon imagined they were twice as -numerous as they actually were. - -On the afternoon of the 27th, Jack was marching with his regiment, the -first battalion of the 95th, along the road from Valderas to Castro -Gonzalo, where the river Esla was to be crossed. Behind came the second -battalion, with other regiments, and the rear was brought up by Lord -Paget's cavalry. The pace had been forced for some hours, for the -French were continually pressing closer, and Sir John Moore was anxious -to get his whole army across the river without delay. He had given -orders that when the passage had been completed the bridge was to be -destroyed, and Jack and his fellow-subalterns were disappointed that -this task, and the chance of a brush with the enemy, would fall to the -second battalion and not the first. - -About half a mile before they reached the village of Castro Gonzalo -there was a momentary stoppage of the column, caused, as was learnt in a -few minutes, by the breaking down of the last of the baggage-wagons. -Jack's company happened to be the nearest to the scene of the accident, -and as they halted, Captain O'Hare came up and said: - -"Lumsden, I'll leave you with a squad of men to repair this confounded -cart. It's got our whole wardrobe in it, and we can't afford to lose -that. Choose your men, and don't be longer about it than you can help. -You'll probably have the job done before the second battalion come up, -but if not, there'll be the hussars behind to see you safe in." - - - - - *CHAPTER XII* - - *Corporal Wilkes on Guard* - - -Amateur Wheel-wrights--Wilkes Disappears--Dodging Dragoons--Night with a -Picket--A Roman Bridge--Benevente--Wilkes enters a Protest--One -MacWhirter - - -Jack was glad to have the chance of doing something that was not merely -trudging through slush. He selected four men to assist him with the -wagon--Wilkes, Bates, Tom Plunket, and his own man, Giles Ogbourne, who -had some experience of smith's work. An inspection of the vehicle -showed that the tyre of one of the wheels had broken, and with it one of -the spokes. It was evident that, unless the tyre were repaired, the -felloe would soon fall to pieces if the wagon were hauled farther over -the heavy road. The first thing to be done was to take off the wheel. -Luckily the Portuguese driver had a spanner in the cart, and with this -the axle-cap was screwed off and the pin knocked out. - -"Now, Wilkes," said Jack, "you and Bates will look after the cart while -the others come with me to find a smithy. The second battalion will be -up in a minute or two. If anyone asks, you can explain what has -happened." - -Jack started off with the other two men, who carried the heavy wheel -between them. Reaching the village of Castro Gonzalo, they went along -the streets in search of a smithy. Every house was deserted; the -inhabitants had fled in terror at the news that the French were -advancing. Nowhere was a smith's shop to be seen, nowhere a person of -whom to make enquiry. - -"There must be a smithy somewhere," said Jack, "even if the smith has -taken to his heels." - -"Maybe 'tis along the road to the left, sir," said Giles. "The smithy -sometimes lies a bit out of the village at home." - -"Perhaps. Let us try it." - -The three proceeded down the road towards Villapando, in the teeth of a -blinding storm of sleet. At a distance of nearly half a mile from the -village they came to a small stone house at the left of the road. - -"Here we are!" said Jack, noticing a horse-shoe nailed on the wall, and -some broken bits of iron by the doorway. "The door's open; the smith -seems to have bolted." - -He led the way in, and found himself in a dark smithy. The forge was -black and cold; evidently no fire had been lighted there for some time. - -"Now, Giles, kindle a fire. You'll find some wood and charcoal about, -no doubt. We must be quick about this, for we don't want to be left in -the lurch." - -It took some time to get a good fire alight. The wood was damp, and -Giles's tinder-box had not altogether escaped a wetting. But the fire -was ablaze at last, and then Jack set to work with the creaking bellows -to blow it to a heat sufficient to weld the broken ends of the tyre. -The third man, Plunket, held the iron in the glowing charcoal with the -smith's huge tongs, while Giles stood ready with the hammer to beat it -on the anvil. - -"I'm afeard it won't be big enough to go round the felly without a bit -more iron," said Giles; "and there don't seem to be a bit of the right -kind here." - -"Try it first. The whole tyre may expand enough with the heat." - -But when Giles had welded the broken ends, and tried to fit the tyre on -the wheel, he found that it was too short, as he had feared. - -"We can't give it up," said Jack. "Look round the place and see if you -can find a scrap of thin iron that will serve the purpose." - -After searching in the smithy and the surrounding yard for several -minutes, a strip of iron was discovered which Giles thought might weld -with the rest. The tyre had to be heated again and cut at the cleavage. -The small piece had to be beaten until it was of the same thickness as -the tyre, and only after a good deal of patient manipulation did Giles -succeed in forming a tyre of the required circumference. It was -finished, however, at last. It fitted on the scorching felloe, and -after cold water had been thrown on it from the blacksmith's tank, -filling the air with vapour and the characteristic smell of the smithy, -Giles declared that the wheel was good enough for another campaign. - -"That's right, then," said Jack. "Now we must get back to the cart. By -George! it has taken us a long time. It's past five o'clock, and getting -dark. Raining as hard as ever too!" - -They trudged up the road and through the village, expecting to meet the -rear-guard of the British infantry, or at any rate the cavalry. But -there was nobody to be seen. They hurried along out of the village -towards the spot where, in the gathering darkness, they saw the wagon -still standing in the middle of the road. - -"But where are the bullocks?" cried Jack, noticing that the shafts and -rope traces were empty. - -Hastening in advance of the men, burdened as they were with the heavy -wheel, he came to the cart. - -"Wilkes, where are you?" - -There was no answer; nor was there any sign of the men he had left on -guard. - -"This is awkward, my men," he said, as the two came up. "The wheel's -right, but those two fellows and the driver have gone off, and the -bullocks with them. We can't move the thing without animals." - -"The corp'ril wouldn't budge without he were sent, sir," said Plunket. - -"Maybe the French have come up in the dark and captured 'em, sir," added -Giles. - -"Nonsense! the French were not so close as all that. I don't fancy our -cavalry have gone by yet. You two fellows fix the wheel on. I am going -back to the village to find a team. I sha'n't be long." - -Jack went back to the village in the darkness, going in and out among -the houses and the gardens, expecting every moment to come upon some -traces of the men and animals. The night was silent, save for the steady -downpour of rain and the dull roar of the flooded river, he knew not how -far beyond. Presently he heard splashing footsteps, then two men rushed -towards him breathless--first Giles, then Plunket. - -"The French dragoons!" panted Giles. - -"Not our own men?" said Jack quickly. - -"No, sir. We heard hoofs, and ran up to the first house and waited; and -then two vedettes came up and stopped at the wagon, and we heard the -French lingo, sir." - -"Then we must make ourselves scarce. Have we time to reach the bridge?" - -But even as he spoke, the sound of galloping horses and rumbling wagons -came from the other end of the village. - -"We must cut, my men. Follow me!" cried Jack. - -Running at full speed along the Villapando road, he did not draw breath -until he reached the smithy where the tyre had been repaired. - -"We must wait here till we know what is happening," he said. - -As they stood by the dark forge, they heard the clash of steel and the -shouts of officers from the village. - -"Soult's men for a certainty," said Jack. "I wonder if our fellows are -across the bridge." - -Soon after came a clatter and rumble as of wagons driven furiously, and -then the thunder of horses' hoofs. Crack! That was a musket-shot. -Another, another, then a rapid succession of reports, muffled by -distance, struck their ears. - -"They're trying to drive our pickets in," said Jack. "Come, men, we must -try to find our own lines, or we shall stand a poor chance of escaping -with whole skins in the morning. All we can do is to cut across the -country over there; no one will hear us through this noise. Come -along!" - -Leaving the shelter of the smithy, he ran across the road into the field -opposite. Great clods of earth clave to his boots, and it was heavy -running; but, followed closely by the two men, he pounded on, listening -for shots on his right, and moving obliquely to the left to avoid the -skirmishers who, he guessed, had been thrown out by the French. As he -ran he found the ground rising in a gradual ascent. The firing still -continued in a desultory way, and Jack rejoiced that the night was so -murky that he and his men would not, as they ascended the slope, present -a mark to the enemy. They had run for nearly twenty minutes, and were -panting for breath, when they were suddenly brought to a stop by hearing -the click of a firelock directly in front of them, and, as they ducked -their heads, a shot rang out, followed by the cry: - -"Who goes there?" - -"A friend--an officer of the 95th!" shouted Jack in answer. - -There was a murmur of astonishment. In the darkness several forms were -heard rather than seen to advance, and in a few moments Jack and his men -were hauled over a rough, semicircular embankment, where they found -themselves among a picket of the 43rd. - -"Where the deuce do you come from?" asked the sergeant in charge, -letting go his hold of Jack's collar. - -"Look here, my man, I'm Lieutenant Lumsden of the 95th, and-- - -"Beg pardon, sir," said the sergeant hastily. "No offence. 'Twould -need cat's eyes to tell a dook from a dustman in a night like this." - -"What's going on, sergeant? I want to get to the bridge with my men. -Can you put us in the road?" - -"Heavens above, sir, you'd be shot in a winking. The bridge is half a -mile up-stream, and we're holding these heights while t'other half of -the brigade knocks a hole in it. We're the last picket this way, and -as, judging by the sound of it, the Frenchmen are dismounted and -a-trying to pass us, and we expect 'em here direckly minute, I'm afeard -you'll have to stay here till morning light, sir." - -"Oh, all right! I'll take a hand if there's any fighting. What has been -going on this afternoon, then?" - -"Troops all crossed, sir, except our half-brigade." - -"Are the cavalry over?" - -"Yes, sir. They came up rather late; and directly they and the guns was -got over, the general had a hole knocked in one of the arches--cut -completely through, sir--so that the rest of us will have to swim -across, I expect, if we get through the night. And we'll all be -drownded, sure as fate. Hark to the water a-rushing and raving behind -us!" - -His voice, indeed, was almost smothered by the roar of the swollen -river. Getting what shelter was possible, Jack and his men passed a -miserable night with the picket of the 43rd, and were glad when the -darkness cleared, and they saw once more the grim dawn of another wintry -day. - -It brought little comfort. The wind had risen to a furious gale, -beating sheets of snow and sleet in their faces. Jack and his men were -shivering with cold and ravenous with hunger, though the men of the 43rd -shared with them the scanty rations they had. During the whole of that -day, and far into the night, they had to hold their position, ever on -the alert to repel a flanking attack of the French cavalry, who several -times galloped close up to the bridge, always retiring more quickly than -they came before the volleys of the British infantry who lined the -heights. More than once Jack thought of making his way along the -embankment and rejoining his regiment, but the picket of the 43rd was -always outnumbered; it had lost several men, and he decided, every time -the opportunity of leaving occurred, that he would stay, thinking that, -after all, he could probably do more good in the fighting line than in -security on the other side of the bridge. - -At the bridge General Craufurd kept his men unremittingly at the task of -mining the arches. There had been no time to send an engineer forward -to make the necessary preparations; the men lacked the proper tools; and -the material of the bridge was so strong, and the construction of the -Roman engineers centuries before so solid, that the task of penetrating -the massive masonry was of unusual difficulty. - -Towards night the spasmodic attacks of the French ceased altogether, and -they withdrew out of range. After several more hours of cheerless -waiting, word was passed quietly along the entrenchments that the work -at the bridge was finished and that the troops were now to retire. The -wet and weary men needed no urging; in dead silence they crept along and -down the heights towards the end of the bridge, where General Craufurd, -commanding the rear-guard, was in person superintending the crossing. -The middle arch had been cut completely through, but the men had not to -swim for it, as the sergeant of the 43rd had anticipated, for planks had -been laid across the gap. Jack was among the last to cross, and as he -passed over the narrow, shaking strip of boarding, the impetuous and -roaring torrent dashed over it, threatening at every moment to carry -away planks and men together. But the last man safely reached the other -side, and Jack, as General Craufurd passed him, heard that fine soldier -mutter with a grim chuckle: - -"There! We've dished the fools!" - -A few minutes afterwards there was a terrific roar, that for the moment -drowned the fury of the torrent; then a blinding glare that flashed -along the gray masonry and shot through the falling rain; and then, with -a great crash, two arches and their supporting buttresses fell to the -bottom of the river, where they lie to this day. The mine so -laboriously excavated had exploded with complete success, and between -the French and the English raged the boiling torrent, which effectually -forbade present pursuit. Mocking cheers broke from the throats of the -tired, drenched soldiers; then they turned their backs on the river and -marched on, half-asleep, towards Benavente. Jack looked at his watch; -it was just midnight. - -When he awoke, at daylight next morning, some minutes passed before he -realized where he was. He had no recollection of going to bed; in fact, -on arriving in the town he had been so fatigued that he could have slept -in his wet clothes on the road. But his man had been anxiously on the -look-out, and it was to him that Jack owed his bed in the convent where -his fellow-officers had found lodgment. - -His dazed senses were fully recalled to him by the sound of Pepito's -voice humming one of his gipsy songs outside the door. - -"Pepito!" he called. - -The boy bounded lightly into the room with an eagerness that bespoke, as -clearly as words could have done, the affection he now bore towards the -young Englishman. - -"Find Giles for me, my boy," said Jack, "and tell him to get me -something to eat--something substantial--for I'm ravenous." - -When the boy returned, Jack had dressed. - -"Find him? That's right. So you got here safely yesterday! You've not -been up to any mischief, I hope?" - -"No, Senor," replied Pepito gravely. "But I can, now that you are -here." - -Jack smiled, and then sprang up as Giles entered with a dish that filled -the room with a very savoury odour. - -"What's this?" said Jack, sniffing. "Roast hare, by all that's -glorious! Giles, you're a wonder." - -"'Twas Pepito, sir," said Giles. "The young varmint went out before -'twas light this morning and snared the beast for your breakfast, sir. -I allow he makes himself useful sometimes." - -Pepito was grinning with pleasure, and Jack without ado devoted himself -to his meal. - -"By the way," he said presently, "have you seen anything of those two -fellows I left with the wagon?" - -A broad smile broke over Giles's ruddy face. - -"They was brought in yesterday, sir, under guard, and locked up in the -guard-room. They was mad, sir, both on 'em, but Corporal Wilkes the -worst. He made a few remarks, sir--" and here Giles gave vent to his -loud guffaw, and instantly straightened his face to its usual stolid -impassivity. - -"Are they still locked up?" asked Jack. - -"No, sir. Captain Stovin ordered 'em to be released when they'd had -about two hours of it." - -"Go and fetch them." - -In ten minutes Corporal Wilkes entered, followed by Bates, each man -wearing a look of sullen discontent. - -"Now, Wilkes, what have you got to say for yourself?" said Jack sternly. - -"Say, sir? I ain't got nothing to say, nor I didn't get a chance o' -saying nothing. It ain't common fairness, let alone justice, that it -ain't, begging your pardon, sir. It ain't for the likes o' me to -question what an orficer says, sir, to say nothing of an orficer like -Bobby--beg pardon, like General Craufurd. But," continued the corporal, -his eloquence increasing with his indignation, "but, Mr. Lumsden, sir, -what I want to know is, what call the general 'ad to miscall me a -straggler, to say nothing o' Bates, and send us in under guard of a -bloomin' corp'ril of the second battalion--why, we're the laughing-stock -o' the regiment." - -"There now," said Jack with due gravity, suspecting what must have -occurred, "I suppose there was some little mistake. Tell me all about -it." - -Wilkes proceeded to explain that a few minutes after Jack left with the -broken wheel a heavy shower of sleet had come on, and he and Bates had -taken shelter beneath the wagon. From this point of vantage they had -seen the passage of the greater part of the second battalion, which was -whipping in all stragglers from the various other regiments that had -gone by earlier in the day. In the rear of the battalion rode General -Craufurd with Colonel Wade and other officers, and Craufurd's eagle eye -had at once remarked the abandoned wagon. Riding up to it, he descried -the two figures crouching underneath, and sternly demanded what they -were doing there. - -"I was beginning to explain, sir," said Wilkes, "but before I could -crawl out into the open, 'Enough of that', says he. 'Come out of that, -you skulkers!' Me a skulker! And without sayin' another word he -marches us off to the bridge, where he hands us over to Corp'ril -MacWhirter, a feller I've the greatest dislike of. 'Here,' says the -general, 'see these two stragglers safe into Benawenty, and hand 'em -over to Colonel Beckwith with my compliments'. MacWhirter he sniffed, -and it was hard work to keep my hands off him, sir, for blest if he -didn't pass foolish and opperobious remarks all the way to Benawenty, -just a grunt here and there, like as if we was pigs, and his two -Riflemen like to bust 'emselves with laughing. Now, sir, what I--" - -At this point Captain O'Hare came into the room. Jack, who had had some -difficulty in keeping his countenance, said hurriedly: - -"Well, well, it was very unfortunate, but I'll see that it is put -right." - -As Wilkes turned away, Jack heard him mutter under his breath: - -"Yes, and I'll put it right with MacWhirter." - - - - - *CHAPTER XIII* - - *Don Miguel's Man* - - -Fine Feathers--A Fight by the River--Lax Discipline--Scenes at -Astorga--A Cry for Help--The One-eyed Man--At Bay--A Warm Corner--Wilkes -to the Rescue--Miguel Explains--Righteous Indignation--Wilkes's Supper - - -Captain O'Hare's eyes were twinkling as he watched the aggrieved exit of -the two soldiers, and when they had gone he joined in Jack's shout of -laughter. - -"Ah! 'tis all very well for you to laugh at Corporal Wilkes; but faith, -my boy, we'll have to court-martial you for deserting his Majesty's -stores, to say nothing of my best pair of galligaskins. Begorra, let's -hope they won't fit the spalpeen of a Frenchman who gets them. The -whole mess is rejuced to one suit." - -Then, changing his tone, the captain proceeded to inform Jack of what -had happened since his arrival at Benavente. The inhabitants of the -town had received the British army with an attitude of sullen dislike -and even animosity. Relying for their rations on what could be obtained -during the march, the troops had come into the place tired and hungry, -to find the doors barred and food withheld. The shops were all closed, -the magistrates had taken flight, and although the British were prepared -to pay for supplies, neither bread nor wine was to be had. The men were -already embittered by the hardships of their long march, and -disappointed of their hopes of meeting the French in fair fight, and it -was small wonder that coldness where they might well have looked for -warmth, and aversion where they might have claimed active friendship, -provoked resentment and reprisal. They were received as enemies; they -could scarcely be expected to act as friends. - -"Indade, the whole army's going to the dogs," said Captain O'Hare -dejectedly; "all except the Gyards and the Reserve. Things are as bad -as they can be, and there's worse to come. The main body's looting, and -behaving worse than Pagans and Turks. They should be at Astorga by now, -and we're to follow them in an hour or so. The company's falling in, -and you'd better hurry up, or you run a risk of finding an escort like -our friend Wilkes. And bedad," he added, as the dull sound of firing -was heard in the direction of the river, "there's the music again." - -Jack had by this time finished his breakfast, and, hurrying out with the -captain, he found the 95th preparing to move off. - -"Hullo!" cried Smith, "you've turned up, then! What have you done with -the wagon?" - -"Where are my boots?" asked Pomeroy. - -"And my best frilled shirt, the one with the ruffles?" continued Smith. - -"And my new highlows, the ones with the silver buckles?" added Pomeroy. - -"They are coming after us," returned Jack. "If you care to wait they'll -probably be here in half an hour--and Colbert's dragoons inside them." - -As the regiment moved off, the firing behind them became more and more -distinct and continuous. Bodies of mounted troops could be seen on the -horizon; a smart cavalry action was apparently being fought, and the men -of the 95th were again jealous of what they considered the better luck -of the cavalry. But Jack's company, marching away at the quick step, -was soon beyond sight of the combatants, though for an hour afterwards -the boom of guns could be plainly heard. - -Lord Paget was fighting one of those brilliant little rear-guard actions -that stamped him in an age of great soldiers as one of the finest -cavalry leaders of his time. At Benavente he had to deal, not with the -ruck of Napoleon's cavalry, who, be it said to their credit, were never -wanting in dash, but with the flower of the emperor's troops, the famous -Cavalry of the Guard, led in person by Lefebvre-Desnouettes, his -favourite general, who had been until now the spoiled child of fortune. -When Lefebvre-Desnouettes discovered that the bridge across the Esla was -broken beyond possibility of immediate repair, he rode fuming up and -down the river, vainly seeking a practicable ford for the large body of -infantry that had now gathered on the banks. On the farther side was a -thin chain of British vedettes; beyond these, as far as the eye could -reach across the great plain, there was no sign of Sir John Moore's army -except a few belated camp-followers hurrying into Benavente. The French -general, chafing with impatience, at last flung prudence to the winds -and decided to follow up the pursuit with his cavalry alone, leaving the -infantry to follow as soon as the bridge could be patched up. Fording -the swollen river with 600 chasseurs of the Guard at a spot some -distance above the ruined arches, he drove back the vedettes in his -front and pushed rapidly across the plain in the direction of Benavente. -Meanwhile the news of the crossing had brought the British vedettes at -full gallop from their posts opposite the fords below and above the -bridge; and when a few score had collected they made a plucky charge at -the head of the French column, and in spite of their small numbers threw -it into disorder. The discomfited chasseurs, supported by the -succeeding squadrons, rallied and pursued the audacious little band; but -they were again broken by a second charge, led in person by General -Stewart, who had come up with a few reinforcements. The British -troopers broke clean through the first line, and although they narrowly -escaped being cut off by the main body, they hewed their way out again -and retired in good order towards Benavente. They were only two -hundred, the French were three times their number, and -Lefebvre-Desnouettes, irritated by these checks, incautiously pressed -them into the outskirts of the town. There Lord Paget, with the 10th -Hussars, lay grimly in waiting. Forming up his men under cover of some -buildings, he held them, straining at the leash, until the chasseurs -were well within striking distance, then he let them loose, and the -hussars, instantly joined by Stewart's pickets, rode at the enemy at a -headlong, irresistible gallop. The leading squadrons of chasseurs went -down like ninepins; the rest wheeled about, galloped back to the Esla, -and did not draw rein until they were safe on the French side of the -stream. Lefebvre-Desnouettes himself rode his horse at the river, but -the animal had received a wound and refused to face the water. While -still floundering at the brink, it was seized by an enterprising British -trooper; the general was captured with seventy of his men, and Napoleon -was left chafing at the first decisive check he had personally met with -in Spain. - -Meanwhile there was growing dissatisfaction in the ranks of the British -infantry, and even among the officers. It had been stated, with some -show of authority, that Moore intended to make a stand at Astorga, but -no one believed it; a similar statement had been made so many times -before, always to be falsified. Some of the more clear-headed among the -rank and file endeavoured to prove to their discontented comrades that -the retreat was inevitable; Moore was no coward, and only the knowledge -that he was overwhelmingly outmatched would have induced him to retire -without giving battle. He had nothing personally to gain by running -away; his military reputation was at stake, and he had further the duty -of showing that Britain honourably stood by her pledges to Spain. It -was a bitter disappointment to him, and nothing but a strong sense of -responsibility had actuated his decision to march to the sea. - -Unhappily a retreating army is always prone to get out of hand. Already -marauding had taken place at various stages of the march, and the sullen -incivility of the Spaniards provoked ill-tempered words and deeds on the -part of the British. The road was encumbered with stragglers, as well -as with numbers of women and children, who suffered from the inevitable -hardships of a march through wild country in mid-winter. The confusion -and disorder were only increased when the troops reached Astorga. There -they met the ragged Spanish regiments of the Marquis of La Romana, who, -in spite of Moore's repeated requests that he would retreat northwards -into the Asturias, had marched westward into Galicia, giving as his -reason that the only available pass into the former province was blocked -with snow. In retreating before Soult his rear-guard had been cut to -pieces by Franceschi's dragoons at the bridge of Mansilla, where there -had been every opportunity of making a stubborn resistance. They -arrived at Astorga in a state of panic, more like a crowd of peasants -driven from their homes than a regular army. They were half-naked, and -half-starved; many were suffering from a malignant fever, and they were -maddened by cold, disease, and want. Learning that large supplies of -food lay at Astorga, as well as stores of shoes, blankets, and muskets, -they prowled through the town, seizing whatever they could lay hands on, -setting an example which too many of the British soldiers showed -themselves ready to follow. - -When, on the evening of December 30th, Jack's company marched into -Astorga, they found disorder reigning everywhere within its ancient -turreted walls. Several houses were on fire, men were plundering on -every side, all kinds of objects were littering the streets. Three -divisions of Moore's army had already left the town on the way to -Villafranca, and the only British troops now quartered there were the -Reserve under General Paget and the two light brigades. These had kept -better discipline than most of the regiments which had preceded them, -and the signs of havoc provoked a great burst of indignation from the -rear companies of the 95th as they swung round into the great square. -Corporal Wilkes was especially voluble in denunciation of the bad -discipline among the Spaniards. He was expressing himself warmly to -Bates as they kept step together, when the sight of a tall Spanish -soldier in somewhat better trim than the tatterdemalion rank and file of -La Romana's forces added fuel to his wrath. The men were standing near -the lighted door of the Town Hall, where Jack's company was to be -quartered, and the Spaniard looked with a cynical smile at the Riflemen -defiling past. He had a villainous countenance, its forbidding aspect -enhanced by the fact that he had only one eye, which was gazing at the -men with a fixed, stony, unwinking stare. - -"What's that one-eyed villain of a Don doing there?" growled Wilkes, -staring into the solitary eye as he passed. "Why ain't he keeping his -men in order, instead of loafing about like a London whitewasher out o' -work?" - -Jack heard the remark, and turned to look at the one-eyed man; but a -scuffle between a man of the 28th and a squalid Spaniard drew off his -attention for a moment, and when the quarrel was ended by the -Englishman's fist, the man had disappeared. - -After the men had been safely got to quarters Jack was sitting in the -room he was to share with Pomeroy and Shirley when he was summoned to -the Casa Morena. He there found Colonel Beckwith vigorously haranguing a -Spanish officer, and was called on to act as interpreter. Beckwith was -insisting in no measured terms that the officer should make some attempt -to check the disorder among his men, and Jack did his best to soften the -colonel's language without depriving it of its authority. At the close -of the interview, about eight o'clock at night, he was returning to his -quarters when he fancied he heard a cry proceeding from a large house -that stood alone, and by its size seemed to belong to a person of some -importance. He stopped and listened; the cry was not repeated; he was -passing on, when out of the darkness a little boy ran up, seized his -hand, and began to pull him towards the house. - -"Senor! Senor!" he cried in a terrified wail, "my father--he is being -murdered. He is an old man; he cannot fight. Come, Senor, and save -him!" - -Jack had broken from the boy's clutch and was already making with long -strides to the front door. It was firmly barred and unyielding to his -pressure. - -"Not that way, not that way, Senor!" cried the boy, and seizing Jack's -hand again, he led him to the back, through a narrow enclosure, to a -flight of stone steps, at the head of which was a French window with one -of its halves open inwards, and a dim light shining through. Running -with the boy up the steps, Jack found himself in what was evidently the -sala of the house. It was in darkness, but a door at the far end giving -on to a corridor was open, and a dim light filtered into the room from a -lamp, consisting of a shallow bowl in which a wick was floating on oil. -Treading very warily, the two crossed the room to the corridor beyond; -at the end of the passage a brighter light was streaming from a -half-open door, and Jack, alert to catch the slightest sound, heard a -rasping voice say in Spanish: - -"Now, you old dotard, I will give you one minute by yonder clock. After -that the knife, and I will search for myself." - -Pushing the boy behind him, and signing to him to be quiet, Jack crept -cautiously to the door and peeped into the room. Tied to a chair, with -a rope cut from the bell-pull, was an old gentleman, very frail and -thin, with sparse gray hair and beard. On the table before him a long -knife, driven into the wood, rocked to and fro with diminishing -oscillation; an angular man in Spanish uniform, his back half-turned to -the door, occupied a chair within a couple of feet of the victim, and, -leaning forward, elbows upon his knees, gazed with a vengeful smile into -the old man's face. At the side of the room a large escritoire lay -open, its contents thrown pell-mell upon the floor. - -The old Spaniard, bound and helpless as he was, looked steadily with -unflinching gaze into the face of his enemy. - -"Do you think for a moment, wretch that you are," he said with quiet -scorn, his tone strangely contrasting with the fury of the other, "do -you think for a moment that you will cajole me with empty promises, or -scare me with insolent threats? I expect no mercy from you--you were -always a villain,--but I can at least baulk your greed. I am an old man, -do your worst; your knife has no terrors for me." - -The man, springing to his feet, snatched the knife from the table, and -lifted his hand to strike; but Jack had already sprung into the room. -The sound of Jack's step arrested the villain's movement; he half-turned -to meet the intruder, disclosing as he did so the distorted features of -a man with one eye. Even at that tense moment Jack connected him -vaguely in thought with some previous experience, but there was no pause -in his action. Before the man had time to wheel completely round, Jack -struck him a blow on the chin that felled him to the floor, where he lay -stunned and motionless. The boy threw himself on the fallen man with a -cry of triumph, snatched up the knife that had dropped from his grasp, -and with two quick strokes severed the cords that bound the old man. -Then in a paroxysm of fury he turned to drive the weapon into the -would-be assassin's heart. Jack stayed his hand, and at the same moment -heard the sound of trampling feet, and a familiar voice exclaiming: - -"This way, my men; we shall find the English bandit here." - -[Illustration: Jack makes an Opportune Appearance] - -"Miguel!" said Jack under his breath, remembering in a flash the -one-eyed servant he had seen following him in Salamanca. Turning -quickly to the old gentleman, who now stood in seeming uncertainty what -the new interruption might portend, he pointed to the prostrate man and -said: - -"It is this man's master." - -Then, as there was obviously no time to parley, he rushed to the door -and slammed it, intending to turn the key. The key was not in the lock. -Pressing his knee against the door, Jack looked round and saw the -missing key on the table. He called to the boy to bring it, but he was -too late. The door was pressed inwards in spite of Jack's exertions; -there was greater force on the other side. Feeling it opening inch by -inch Jack turned on his shoulder, set his back against the oak, and drew -his sword, preparing to give way suddenly and attack the enemy before -they could recover from their sudden inrush. But the boy, with a quick -wit that did him credit, had rushed into the corner of the room, where -there was a space of some two feet between the jamb and the wall, and -there, crouching on the floor, he jabbed with the knife through the -slowly widening aperture at the legs of the nearest figure. There was a -yell of pain; the pressure on the door instantly relaxed; and Jack, -putting forth all his strength, had almost succeeded in closing it when -a musket was thrust into the gap. Jack's muscles were strained to the -utmost. From the clamour in the corridor he knew that the enemy were -preparing for a concerted rush. He called to the old Spaniard to push -the table against the door, but before that could be done he felt -overpowering pressure on the other side. Hastily forming his -resolution, he sprang back suddenly; the door flew open, and three of La -Romana's ragged ruffians fell sprawling upon the floor. Others came -behind, and one of them, with his heavy flintlock, struck out of Jack's -hand the sword he had drawn, dropping his weapon immediately with a yell -as he felt the boy's knife in his leg. Jack saw that the old Spaniard -had taken down one of two rapiers that hung on the wall beneath the -portrait of an ancient caballero. Exerting all his strength, he dragged -the table round so that it stood obliquely across the room, cutting off -a triangular corner. Then he seized the second rapier, and stood side -by side with the Spaniard, behind the table, facing their foes just as -several of them were preparing to leap across it. - -Among them Jack now recognized Miguel Priego, his face lit up with -savage excitement, flourishing his sword and goading on his desperadoes. -The boy had crawled beneath the table, prepared to use his terrible -knife on all who came within reach. The one-eyed man had recovered from -the blow dealt him by Jack, and had snatched a musket from one of his -fellows. Fortunately none of the firearms were loaded, and the -Spaniards, mad with rage, grudged the delay necessary to charge their -cumbrous weapons. - -"I think, Miguel, you had better call off your followers," said Jack, in -a momentary lull that preceded the rush. - -There was no reply; in point of fact Jack scarcely expected one. Miguel -was at the moment out of sight behind a burly mountaineer, and Jack felt -rather by instinct than by any reasoned process of thought that the -Spaniard would scarcely let slip this opportunity of taking him at a -disadvantage. Behind the table Jack measured the forces opposed to him. -Six men were gathering themselves for the onslaught--lean, half-starved -wretches for the most part, but ugly customers in the bulk. A raw-boned -mountaineer, armed with a long musket and a rusty bayonet, was the most -formidable among the gang, and Jack marked him out for special attention -when the critical moment came. It was not long in coming. At the cry -from Miguel: "Down with the English dog!" the six made a simultaneous -rush, and if they had not impeded one another's movements they must have -made short work of the little garrison. The lanky Asturian lunged -viciously at Jack, who dodged the point by a hair's-breadth, narrowly -escaping, as he did so, the clubbed musket of another Spaniard on the -right. Before the mountaineer could recover, Jack's long rapier, -stretching far across the table, had ploughed a gash in his arm from -wrist to elbow, and at the same moment the second assailant, howling -with pain, had dropped his musket and fallen to the ground a victim to -the terrible knife of the little Spaniard, who had been forgotten by the -enemy in the excitement of the fight. - -The old man, however, had been less successful; one of his opponents had -felt the point of his rapier, but, attacked simultaneously by another, -his weapon had been dashed from his grasp, and he now stood defenceless -against the foe, who were beginning to push the table into the corner of -the room. Miguel, having left the brunt of the action to his allies, -now advanced resolutely to the attack; and Jack's rapier had crossed -with the long sword carried by his opponent, when through the open door -sounded the heavy tramp of feet; and a loud voice was heard shouting: -"What I want to know--" The sentence was never completed, for Corporal -Wilkes sprang into the room, cleaving a way through the maddened -Spaniards with his fist. Before they realized the meaning of this -unlooked-for interruption, the corporal flung himself on Miguel, caught -him by the collar, and hurled him upon two of his men, who fell under -him with a resounding thud. Immediately behind Wilkes, Bates and two -other men of the 95th had dashed in, and the rear of the unexpected -reinforcement was brought up by Pepito, who at once engaged in a tussle -with the Spanish boy, now upon his feet, for the possession of the -knife. - -Wilkes stood with clenched fists over Miguel, while his companions of -the 95th threw themselves on the other Spaniards and speedily disarmed -them. - -"You hound of a Don!" cried Wilkes, preparing to knock Miguel down if he -should attempt to rise; "what I want to--" - -"Wilkes, let him get up," said Jack quietly, coming round the table, the -rapier still in his hand. - -Miguel rose stiffly, his face expressing the purest amazement. - -"Verdaderamente!" he exclaimed. "If it is not my dear friend Jack! -There is some strange mistake. And I did not recognize you in your -uniform, Jackino! Last time I saw you, you remember, you were dressed -as one of ourselves. Truly, dress makes a world of difference, amigo -mio." - -His tone had all the oily suavity that Jack knew so well, and so -cordially detested. Wilkes was looking from one to the other with -concentrated interrogation in his eye, ready at a word from Jack to lay -the Spaniard low again. - -"Shut the door, Bates," said Jack, as he saw the one-eyed man slinking -in that direction. "That's your man, I think?" he added, addressing -Miguel. - -"My servant, who accompanied me from Saragossa," replied Miguel. "And I -am at a loss to understand--" - -"So am I," interrupted Jack. "I am at a loss to understand why a man in -your position should countenance violence, robbery, almost actual -murder." - -"Robbery! Murder! Really, my dear friend, these are strange words to -me. I was in the street, and one of these men--soldiers in the army of -the Marquis of La Romana--told me that an English ruffian--it was a -mistake, yes, but he said an English ruffian--had forced himself into -this house: for what purpose? It could only be, as you say, to rob or -murder. You know what sad excesses your troops, usually so excellently -disciplined, have been guilty of; and having but a short time ago heard -that your colonel--Beckwith, is that his name?--had sternly ordered his -men to refrain from acts of pillage, why, my dear friend, was it not -natural for me to come in and do what little I could to prevent such -admirable orders from being disobeyed? That explains--" - -"Oh!" said Jack. "And your man--was that his errand too?" - -"Perez? Oh no! He obtained my permission to visit his old master, the -faithful fellow. It was inconvenient, for we should now be on the road; -but could I--would you?--hesitate in such a case? I was touched by the -poor fellow's devotion." - -Perez' solitary eye gleamed with a baleful light singularly out of -keeping with the sentimental character thrust upon him by his master. -He wriggled venomously in Bates's grasp. The burly Rifleman checked his -contortions by impressing his knuckles into the nape of his neck. - -Jack turned to the old man, who had watched the scene in dignified -silence. - -"I think, Senor, you can throw some light on this man's devotion." - -The Spaniard, in a few quiet words, told Jack that the man had, in fact, -been his servant, but had been dismissed two years before for attempted -robbery. He had suddenly made his appearance that evening, taken his -old master unawares, and when he had bound him had broken open the -bureau containing, as he supposed, the valuables he coveted, and, -failing to find them, had demanded the secret of their hiding-place -under threat of assassination. - -"I owe my life," he concluded, "the little that remains of it, to my son -here, who providentially overheard from his bedroom above the threats of -this wretch, and to you, Senor, whose chivalrous intervention came at a -moment when I regarded my case as hopeless. I thank you!" - -"This, Senor," said Miguel, turning to the old man, "is to me a most -extraordinary, a most painful, discovery. The man was recommended to me -by Senor Alvarez, my father's partner"--Miguel's fluency in his present -predicament recalled to Jack's memory many of his youthful essays in -mendacity. "It only shows, Senor, how sadly one may be deceived by a -specious exterior." - -As he spoke he regarded his one-eyed follower with a look of mournful -disappointment. - -If Perez' exterior at this moment was any index to his quality, he was -scarcely a man in whom the most credulous would have placed confidence. -In Bates's iron grip his body was quiescent; but the malignant glitter -of his single eye told of raging fires within. - -"It will be my duty," continued Miguel with increasing sternness, "to -bring this wretch to justice. Men, seize him, and see that he does not -escape. He shall be dealt with by the marquis himself." - -The Spanish soldiers advanced to carry out Miguel's order, but Bates -merely tightened his grip and looked enquiringly at Jack for -instructions. Jack could not but admire Miguel's astuteness. He was -perfectly well aware that the man would be released as soon as he was -out of reach; but while loth to let him escape scot-free, he saw how -powerless he was in the face of Miguel's declaration. It was a matter -for the Spanish authorities, in which, except as a witness, he himself -had no concern; and it was nothing to the point that the Spanish -authorities were hiding in cellars, lofts, and even, as he had heard, in -pig-styes. He turned to the old man, and said: - -"I fear, Senor, that, as things are, we have no choice but to return -this man to the care of his present--master. Bates," he added in -English, "let him go." - -In apparent abstraction, Bates gave a farewell twist to the Spaniard's -neck-band, shot him among the knot of tattered soldiery in the doorway, -drew himself up, and saluted. With a ceremonious bow Miguel followed -his men from the room, several of them carrying with them painful -mementoes of the affray. Wilkes shadowed them to the end of the -corridor. Meanwhile the venerable Spaniard had taken a decanter and -several glasses from a press in the corner of the room. - -"You will permit me, Senor," he said to Jack, "my servant having -deserted me, to offer you and your worthy soldiers a little refreshment. -It is a poor expression of my gratitude to you and them, but it comes, -believe me, from a full heart." - -The men willingly tossed off their bumpers, and soon afterwards escorted -Jack to his quarters. He there learnt from them that while at supper -they had been summoned by Pepito, who announced in broken English, eked -out by gestures, that el Senor Lumsden was in urgent need of help. He -had apparently been shadowing Jack as usual, had seen him enter the -house, and a moment after heard Miguel hounding on his willing dupes to -kill the English bandit. - -"The little rascal is always putting me in his debt," said Jack to -himself as the squad saluted and marched off. "He is quite a guardian -angel." - - -No one but Jack had cause to regard Pepito in this gracious light. - -"What I want to know," asked Corporal Wilkes wrathfully, when he -returned to his billet "--what I want to know is, what's become of my -supper?" - -Only Pepito knew. - - - - - *CHAPTER XIV* - - *An Incident at Cacabellos* - - -Stragglers--Oblique Oration--The Massacre at Bembibre--Moore's Appeal--A -Shot in the Dark--A Souvenir - - -There was no rest for Jack or his friends that night. On returning to -his quarters he found that Colonel Beckwith had called the officers of -the regiment together, and was already addressing them with more than -usual seriousness. He told them that their hope of making a stand at -Astorga was fated to be disappointed. Sir John Moore had decided to -continue the retreat with all speed, either towards Vigo or towards -Corunna. - -"It is useless to pretend I am pleased," said the colonel. "None of us -are that. Some of the youngsters among us may think that things would -be ordered differently if they were in command. That's not our -business. The general is satisfied that his reasons are good, and all -we have to do is to obey orders. And that brings me to the point. A -retreating army is always apt to get out of hand, and a British army -perhaps more than any other. Take any man in the regiment and he'll ask -you why he should retreat, and what the dickens is the good of running -away from a Frenchman. We've seen already what disorder and -ruffianliness have disgraced some of the regiments. And I tell you, -gentlemen, I won't have that in the 95th. We shall from this time form a -part of the actual rear-guard. The second battalion leaves, with other -regiments, direct for Vigo to cover our left flank. The safety of the -whole army will therefore depend much on us. The French won't let us -off lightly. We shall often be in touch with them, and if there's any -want of steadiness they'll get through us, and then it's all up. I ask -you then, gentlemen, every one of you, to keep a tight hand on the men. -There must be no slackness, no relaxation of discipline. The honour of -the regiment is in your keeping, and, by heaven! I'll never lift my -head again if the 95th fails me." - -The colonel's vehement words sent a thrill through the group, and Jack -Lumsden was not the only officer among them who vowed inwardly not to -disappoint "old Sidney". Beckwith went on to prescribe their immediate -duties. He alluded to the confusion and disorder in which they had found -the town, in great part due to the unexpected presence of La Romana's -ragged regiments. The place had been crammed with stores, consisting of -shoes, blankets, tools, muskets, ammunition, from which many of the -preceding regiments had been partially re-equipped. But in the haste and -muddle the distribution had been mismanaged. Many of the stores had -been left behind, and the town was full of British and Spanish -stragglers eager to plunder where they could. The colonel instructed -his officers to see that pillaging was checked as much as possible. -What stores could not be removed were to be destroyed. - -During the night, therefore, Jack and his chums were busy in carrying -out the colonel's orders. It was found next day that there were not -sufficient draught animals to serve for the transport of all the -remaining stores, and the 95th were employed for many hours in burning -and blowing up valuable stuff to prevent it from falling into the hands -of the French. - -The regiments of the Reserve were to march in the evening for Cambarros, -a village some nine miles in the direction of Villafranca. Before they -started, Captain O'Hare paraded his company and repeated to them the -substance of what Colonel Beckwith had said to the officers. - -"I've heard a deal of grumbling at times," he said. "You don't want to -retreat. No more do I, but our chance'll come, please the pigs; and -then I know who'll be at the front--not the grumblers and skulkers, but -the men who know how to obey. Now, my boys, I trust ye. I don't want -the general to send for me by and by and say: 'O'Hare, ye've the most -blackguardly company in the whole army.' We'll do better than the best, -and sure I'll be proud of ye. And if there should be a man among ye -with a deal o' power over the company--a good soldier let us say, but -with a long tongue and a way of speaking that--well, a way of -speaking"--the captain studiously kept his eyes from Corporal Wilkes: -"if there's such a man, to him I'd say, with all my solemn seriousness: -Ye've a deal of persuasion; then use it for the glory o' the regiment; -and bedad, I believe he'd know what I meant." - -Corporal Wilkes, looking straight in front of him, had turned a -brick-red, and was unusually silent as the company marched off. To -Sergeant Jones, the little Welshman, toddling along by his side, he -remarked presently: - -"I hope you'll mind what Peter said, Sergeant. As for me, 'tis a good -thing for the glory o' the regiment that the second battalion's off -another way, for all my good resolutions would be turned into sour milk -by the long fiddle-face of Corp'ril MacWhirter." - -After their sleepless night, and hard work during the day, both officers -and men were glad to fling themselves down on rough beds of hay and -straw when they reached Cambarros at dusk. But they had hardly settled -to rest when some dragoons came riding in with news that the enemy were -advancing in force. The order was immediately given to get under arms, -and the march was continued through the night. - -The Reserve reached Bembibre, a dirty village of mud and slate, at -daybreak on January 1st, expecting now at least to enjoy the rest so -much desired. But again they were disappointed. On entering the -village they were at once ordered to pile arms and clear the place. It -presented the appearance of a town that had recently been stormed and -put to the sack. It happened to be a depot for the wine produced in the -neighbouring vineyards, and large quantities were stored in the vaults -and cellars of the houses. The inhabitants had shown themselves -unfriendly to the regiments of the main body of Moore's army, and had -provided food and drink for them only with the greatest reluctance. The -result was that the men of the least-disciplined regiments broke all -bounds, and set furiously to work to get for themselves what the -Spaniards had denied them. Doors were wrenched off, windows smashed, -property of all kinds destroyed; and the unfortunate discovery of so -large a stock of wine had the worst consequences. Those were the days -when hard drinking was the rule in all classes of society. It was -little to be expected, then, that rough soldiers, suffering the -hardships of exhausting marches on short rations, and feeling bitter -shame and humiliation at having to retreat continually before a despised -enemy, should prove able to withstand the temptation to excess. Ready -to fight like bull-dogs if the call came, they lost all sense of -responsibility at the sight of means to enjoyment, and set their -officers at defiance. - -The Reserve spent that day and part of the next in chasing the -stragglers from the houses and driving them along the streets towards -the mountains; but the task had been only partly accomplished when -cavalry pickets came in and reported that French dragoons were pushing -rapidly down the Manzanal pass in their rear. - -"We must leave the ruffians to their fate," cried General Paget -furiously, ordering the Reserve to march out towards Cacabellos. Not -until late in the day did the 95th learn from the last of the hussar -pickets what had happened when they left Bembibre. Lahoussaye's -dragoons had come galloping into the village, riding through the groups -of stragglers who flocked staggeringly along the road when they heard -the noise of the pursuing horse, and slashing at them as a schoolboy -does at thistles. The French made no distinction of age or sex. They -hewed their way indiscriminately through drunken redcoats, women, and -children. Even mothers who held up their babies, pleading for mercy on -them, were struck down as ruthlessly as soldiers with arms in their -hands. Few escaped. Those who did bore terrible signs, in sabre-cuts on -head and shoulders, of the revenge the French horse had wreaked for -their defeat at Benavente. - -The road from Bembibre led over the crests of the Galician hills, with -ravines and gorges and precipitous crags on both sides. Then it made a -rapid and crooked descent, ending in a valley through which dashed a -thundering river, white with foam, bearing huge stones and logs along -with it in its tempestuous rush from the Asturian mountains to the -ocean. Here the hill-slopes were covered with gaunt trees, which, -though now bare of foliage, threw a mysterious gloom over the narrow -road. Marching rapidly down this road against a beating storm of sleet, -and whipping up innumerable stragglers on the way, the 95th at length -arrived at Cacabellos. - -Here, just as they halted, Sir John Moore met them, having ridden back -with his staff the five or six miles from Villafranca, where the main -body had bivouacked. The regiments of the Reserve were at once formed up -in columns in the fields by the roadside. Sir John, his fine face lined -with care and sorrow, took up a position in their midst, and then, in -his clear penetrating voice, amid a silence broken only by the distant -thunder of the torrent, he spoke in stern biting phrases of the disorder -and want of discipline he had lately witnessed. With a pungent irony -that made many ears tingle, the commander-in-chief concluded his address -thus: - -"And if the enemy are now in possession of Bembibre, as I believe they -are, they have got a rare prize! They have taken or cut to pieces many -hundreds of drunken British cowards--for none but unprincipled cowards -would get drunk in presence, nay in the very sight, of the enemies of -their country; and sooner than survive the disgrace of such infamous -misconduct, I hope that the first cannon-ball fired by the enemy may -take me in the head." - -After a few words, addressed specially to the 28th, which had done -glorious service with him in Egypt, Sir John turned rein and rode back -to Villafranca. His words made a deep impression on both officers and -men. Previous appeals had not been in vain. The reserve regiments had -kept much better discipline and committed fewer excesses than the main -body, and the general's stern speech deepened the resolve of all good -soldiers to abstain from disorder, and merit Sir John's approbation. - -Alas! all were not animated by the same spirit. General Paget bade the -men encamp some distance away from the town, and gave orders that no one -was to enter the streets unless accompanied by a non-commissioned -officer, who was to be held responsible for the orderly return of those -committed to his charge. But no sooner had darkness fallen over the -camp than many of the soldiers, forgetting the reproof of Sir John -Moore, forgetting the subsequent appeals of the company officers, -escaped from their lines, and, entering the town, resumed the old work -of plundering. During the night many were arrested by the patrols, and -two men were seized in the act of committing a serious crime, of which -few had yet been guilty. They were maltreating and robbing a poor old -Spaniard, who, paralysed with fright, was piteously beseeching them to -take all that he had, but to do him no harm. - -"This means a drumhead court-martial!" said Captain O'Hare when the -matter was reported. "Keep the men in irons; Lumsden, take a note to -the general from me." - -Jack had delivered his note, and was returning to his quarters, when, as -he passed along a broad road shadowed by trees on one side and a high -wall on the other, he felt that someone was dogging him. He had heard -no pursuing footsteps; he was at a loss to account for his strange -uneasiness; but, obeying an impulse of which he was only half-conscious, -he turned suddenly round, moving as he did so a little towards the wall -on his right. At the same moment there was a report and a flash. A -bullet whizzed past him; he could feel the rush of air on his cheek, -there was a dull thud as the missile flattened itself on the stone wall. -Springing forward in the direction of the report, he could just discern -in the murk a tall figure scuttling for cover among the trees. - -The man had a dozen yards' start, but Jack, always a good sprinter, had -reduced the gap by half when his quarry disappeared into the trees. It -was a narrow belt of chestnuts about three or four deep, and, following -the sound of the footsteps in front, Jack dashed through, heedless of -obstacles. A moment's scramble among roots and brambles brought him to -the far side; his assailant had turned sharp to the right and was -scampering towards a high wall running parallel with the belt on the -opposite side of the road. With a fine spurt Jack reduced the gap to an -arm's-length; his outstretched hand was within a few inches of the man's -collar, when, to his utter amazement, the pursued disappeared into the -wall. Jack shot past an open door, and before he could check his -progress there was a violent bang and the sound of falling bolts. Jack -pushed against the door, then threw himself upon it with all his force; -it did not even creak. The wall was too high to clamber over; it was -too long to go round; he had perforce to relinquish the thought of -further pursuit. - -"Some poor demented Spaniard who has lost his all, perhaps," he thought, -and was about to resume his walk when he noticed a small triangle of -cloth projecting between the door and the jamb. The would-be assassin's -cloak had caught, and, but that the door was rather clumsily fitted, -would have prevented its being closed. Without any definite motive, Jack -drew his sword and cut off the strip, which he put into his pocket, -where it lay for many days forgotten. He said nothing about the -adventure to his fellow-officers, and it did not keep him awake for an -instant when, at a late hour that night, he threw himself, worn out, -upon his uncomfortable bed. - - - - - *CHAPTER XV* - - *The Great Retreat* - - -Reprieve--A Fight in prospect--Trapped--Napoleon leaves -Spain--Salvage--The Tragedy of War--In Motley--A Breathing Space--The -Slough of Despond--Motherless--Thalatta!--A Batman's Battle - - -The growing spirit of indiscipline and lawlessness among the Reserve -determined General Paget to make a signal example of the culprits. -Early on the following morning he marched all the five regiments under -his command towards the crown of a low hill overhanging Cacabellos, in -the direction of Bembibre. After sending pickets to the summit, to keep -the enemy under observation, he ordered the whole division to form a -hollow square, the men facing inwards. Some distance to the rear of -each regiment, the officers sat in drumhead court-martial. The men -caught in the act of plundering were brought before them, tried, and -sentenced, and then taken into the square, where, lashed to the -triangles, they received the punishment awarded. - -During this scene the general sat stern and impassive on his horse. At -one moment a cavalry vedette galloped up with news that the French were -in sight. "Very well," replied the general, and the punishment went on. -Soon another trooper appeared, to report that the enemy were rapidly -advancing. "Very well," said the general, without movement or further -word. - -So many were the offenders that the work of flogging continued for -several hours. At length came the turn of the two soldiers taken in the -act of assaulting and robbing the Spaniard. They were summarily tried, -and condemned to be hanged. At one corner of the square stood a tree -with accessible branches. The unhappy men were conveyed thither, with -halters round their necks. They were hoisted on the shoulders of two -strong Riflemen, and the ropes were fastened to the lower boughs. - -It was just twelve o'clock. One movement of the supporting men would -leave the criminals dangling in the air. The whole division awaited in -breathless stillness the dread signal for execution. General Paget -looked grimly down from his horse upon the wretched men, and in his set -face they saw no hope of mercy. At this tense moment a captain of -dragoons galloped through a gap opened for him in one side of the -square. Halting before the general, he excitedly reported that the -pickets on the hill were being driven in. - -"I am sorry for it, sir," said the general coldly; "and I should rather -have expected the information from a trooper than from you. Go back to -your fighting pickets, sir," he added sternly, "and animate your men to -a full discharge of their duties." - -The officer retired. General Paget was again silent. His lips -twitched, his eyes flamed. Then suddenly he burst out: "My God! is it -not lamentable to think, that when I might be preparing my troops to -receive the enemies of their country, I am preparing to hang two -robbers! But if at this moment the French horse should penetrate that -angle of the square, I will still execute these villains at this angle." - -Again he was silent, and now shots were heard from the direction of the -hill. The awed soldiers looked with consternation at their general's -face. How long was this suspense to continue? A brief pause; then, -swinging round in the saddle, Paget cried: - -"If I spare the lives of these two men, will you promise to reform?" - -A quiver passed along the ranks; the men held their breath; there came -not a murmur from their parted lips. - -"If I spare the lives of these men," again said the general, "will you -give me your word of honour as soldiers that you will reform?" - -Still the same awful silence reigned--and the ominous sound of firing -came nearer and nearer. - -"Say 'yes' for God's sake!" whispered an officer to the man next him. - -"Yes," murmured the man. His neighbours repeated the word in firmer -tones, and then, as though a match had been laid to a train of powder, -shouts of "Yes! yes!" rang along the faces of the square. - -"Cut the ropes!" cried the general. The prisoners were instantly -released, the triangles removed. The men cheered, and as the square was -reduced, and formed into columns, the British pickets came slowly over -the brow of the hill, steadily retreating before the advance-guard of -the enemy. Paget's orders were rapidly given. The men started at the -double towards the River Cua behind them. Three battalions crossed the -bridge and took up their position behind a line of vineyards and stone -walls parallel to the stream. A battery of horse-artillery, escorted by -the 28th, was placed so as to command the road in its ascent towards -Cacabellos from the bridge, and a squadron of the 15th Hussars, together -with half the 95th Rifles, was left on the Bembibre side of the river to -keep observation on the French. - -"At last, my boys!" said Captain O'Hare. The men of his company were -flushed with excitement. At last! The weary waiting of two months was -at an end; the enemy were upon them; and now every man tingled with the -joy of the fight to come, and greedily watched for the foe. The -officers, looking along their ranks, could not but be struck with the -wonderful change. Gone the blank despair, gone the sullen discontent, -gone the hang-dog look; every man's face was lit up, every man's eyes -flashed, every man stood erect with an air of high-hearted staunchness -that had not been seen for many a day. - -"There they are!" cried Pomeroy, whose keen eyes had descried Colbert's -hussars advancing cautiously over the hill-top. - -At this moment the bugle sounded for the last companies of the 95th to -retire across the bridge and occupy the defensive positions allotted to -them. The men marched with alacrity; it was certain there must be a -fight now. Jack's was the rearmost company but one. It had only reached -the middle of the bridge when the 15th Hussars came riding behind in hot -haste, and the infantry were in imminent danger of being trampled down. -The French were pressing on in such force that the hussars, wholly -outnumbered, had been hurriedly withdrawn. Unsupported, the 95th were -too weak to withstand a charge of cavalry; they must retire, and there -was no time to lose. - -"Hurry your stumps!" shouted a trooper as he passed Wilkes. - -"No hurry!" said the corporal coolly, looking over his shoulder. - -But behind them Colbert's hussars and chasseurs had swept down on to the -bridge and ridden into the rear-most company. Some of the latter were -cut down, half were captured, the rest succeeded in gaining the farther -bank, and joined their comrades behind the vineyard walls. - -"A close shave, mates!" said Wilkes. "But let 'em come on; we're -ready." - -General Colbert, a young and gallant officer, and reputed the handsomest -man in the French army, had reached the bridge, and saw that the slopes -on the other side were held by artillery and what appeared to be a small -infantry escort. All the regiments but the 28th were by this time -concealed from view. Burning to distinguish himself, and anxious to -emulate the successful charge of Franceschi's dragoons at Mansilla a few -days before, Colbert did not wait to reconnoitre the position and -discover the actual strength of his enemy, but ranged his leading -regiment four abreast, and led them straight for the bridge. Paget's -guns played briskly on the French horse until, with the dip in the road, -they sank below the line of fire; then the hidden infantry followed up -with steady volleys from the walls and hedges. But the French were -barely within range. The majority of the troopers escaped injury, -cleared the bridge, and dashed up the hill, to carry, as they thought, -all before them. Then the men of Paget's Reserve showed their mettle. -The 28th were drawn across the road; the 52nd and the 95th were out of -sight behind the vineyard walls; and the French horsemen fell into the -fatal trap. They suddenly found themselves in the midst of a hail of -bullets from left, and right, and front. For a brief moment they -struggled on; then Tom Plunket, leaping the wall and flinging himself -flat on the slope, fired two marvellous shots which killed Colbert and -his aide-de-camp in succession, whereupon the whole brigade wheeled -about and fled madly back to the bridge, leaving the road strewed with -their killed and wounded. - -Cheer after cheer broke from the ranks of the exultant British infantry. -Many of the men wished to leap the walls and pursue the baffled enemy, -and had to be pulled back like hounds straining at the leash. Not a man -had been lost since they left the bridge, and Paget's "Well done, -Riflemen!" was like wine to their hearts. - -But the fray was not yet over. Lahoussaye's dragoons swept down to the -river, avoided the fatal bridge, forded the stream at several points, -and tried to make their way over the rocky ground and through the -vineyards. Finding this impossible, they dismounted and advanced on foot -in skirmishing order, meeting with a spirited response from the 52nd and -95th, whom they first encountered. Then, as the afternoon wore on, -Merle's light regiments of the line came into sight, and in column -formation marched forward with loud cries to cross the bridge. For a -few moments the 52nd were in danger of being swept upon and overwhelmed, -but the six guns from the battery above opened a raking fire on the -massed columns of French, and drove them back pell-mell to the other -side. For an hour longer the French sharpshooters kept up a skirmish -with the 95th and 52nd; then, as darkness fell, they recognized the -hopelessness of their attack, gave up the contest, and hastened down the -slopes to the eastern bank of the Cua. - -"By George, this is a change of scene!" said Smith, standing with his -fellow-subalterns around a hastily lit fire. "Won't the Grampus be green -when he hears what he has missed? I wonder what the fellow is doing?" - -"Offering Napoleon long odds on something or other," said Jack with a -laugh. - -He had hardly spoken when the command came to form up in marching order. -Sir John Moore had ridden back from Villafranca on hearing Paget's -cannon, and was delighted to hear of his old friend's success. The -French having suffered so decisive a check, he saw that the Reserve -could be safely withdrawn under cover of night. The troops set out in -better spirits than they had known for many a day, tramping cheerily -over the snow-covered road with the comfortable assurance that at last -they had won the general's approbation and proved themselves men. Their -gaiety was doubled when they learnt from a wounded prisoner on the way -that Napoleon was no longer behind them. He had withdrawn part of his -army, leaving Soult and Ney to continue the pursuit. The thought that -they had baffled the great emperor was delightful to the British troops: -they never doubted that Napoleon had seen he was beaten by Johnny Moore, -and had run away in sheer petulance and chagrin. - -Four miles after leaving the scene of their brilliant rear-guard action, -the Reserve arrived at the outskirts of Villafranca. Long before, they -had noticed a red glow in the sky, which as they approached threw a rosy -light upon the banks of dazzling driven snow. As they drew still -nearer, the whole town seemed to be on fire. In every street great -heaps of stores and provisions were burning, and so thoroughly was the -work of destruction being carried out that guards had been placed even -round the doomed boxes of biscuit and salt meat. But the temptation was -irresistible to hungry soldiers; many men, as they passed, stuck their -bayonets or pikes into junks of salt pork that were actually on fire, -and bore them off in great glee. The men had been marching so steadily -that the officers for the most part winked at this rescue from the -flames, Jack remarking to Pomeroy that they'd all be precious glad to -get a slice or two of the meat by the time the march was ended. - -After leaving Villafranca they passed through the defile of Piedrafita -into still wilder country. Climbing Monte Cebrero and emerging on to -the barren plain of Lugo, the troops reached Herrerias shortly before -daybreak. They were suffering intensely from fatigue and cold, but their -halt for food and rest was of the shortest; as soon as day dawned they -had to set off again. Now that daylight illumined the scene, they saw -terrible signs of the misery and disorder into which the constant forced -marching had thrown the main body. The road was strewn with wreckage of -all kinds--horses were lying dead, wagons lay shattered and abandoned; -here was a rusty musket, there a broken sword; worn-out boots, -horse-shoes, pots, articles of apparel, dotted the white and rugged -causeway for miles. Worse than that, human bodies were mingled with -these evidences of woe. At one spot Jack saw a group of redcoats -stretched on the snow. Thinking they were stragglers asleep, he went to -rouse them. They made no response to voice or touch; in their sleep -they had been frozen to death. - -As the day wore on, other incidents added to the general misery. The -horses of Lord Paget's cavalry were constantly foundering through losing -their shoes on the stony road. When this happened, the dragoons -dismounted, and led their chargers till the poor beasts could go no -farther. Then, by Lord Paget's orders, they were shot, so that they -might not fall into the hands of the French. Many a rough trooper shed -tears as he raised his pistol to the head of the faithful animal whose -friend he was, and as the cracking of the pistols reverberated from the -rocks, the sounds sent a painful shudder through the ranks of the -trudging infantry. - -Hundreds of stragglers from the leading divisions loitered along the -road, causing an exasperating delay to the march of the disciplined -Reserve. Among the laggards were not merely the marauders and -ne'er-do-wells who had cast off all obedience, but veterans who were -overcome by the rigours of the winter cold and the heavy marching on -diminished rations. Every mile brought new horrors. Many sick and -wounded were being conveyed in baggage-wagons, which, as the beasts -failed, were abandoned, leaving their human occupants to perish in the -snow. Women and children panted along beside their husbands and fathers, -or rode in the few wagons that were left; but many dropped on the road -and died of cold and fatigue. Looking back from a spur of the mountain -chain, Jack saw the white road behind covered with dead and dying, a -black spot here, a red spot there, showing where a woman or a soldier -lay sleeping the last sleep. The groans of women, the wails of little -children, were torture to the ears of the more sympathetic. Sometimes a -soldier whose wife had given up the struggle, would fling himself down -beside her, and, cursing the general whose object he so grievously -misunderstood, remain to die. - -Long after dark the Reserve reached Nogales, where they remained for the -rest of the night. Before dawn, however, news came that the enemy were -pursuing close upon them, and as they marched out, the rear companies -became hotly engaged with French cavalry. The force hurried on, across -a many-spanned bridge, up a zigzag road, skirmishing all the way, and -halting at favourable points to tempt the enemy to attack. At one spot -the mountain rose up a sheer wall on the right of the road, and on the -left a deep precipice fell steeply to a valley. Here General Paget -ordered the men to face round. The position could not be gained by a -frontal assault, and the enemy, waiting for their heavy columns to come -up, sent voltigeurs and some squadrons of cavalry into the valley to -attempt a flank attack. But deep drifts of snow having hidden the -inequalities in the ground, men and horses tumbled head over heels as -they advanced, and, amid grim cheers from the British troops above, the -French withdrew discomfited. - -Fighting almost every yard of ground, the Reserve continued their -rigorous march towards Lugo. Near Constantino they were amazed to meet -a train of fifty bullock-carts crammed with stores and clothing for La -Romana's army. Someone had blundered. The Spaniards were dispersed far -and wide, and, but for its being intercepted by the British, the convoy -must inevitably have fallen into the hands of the French. Astounded at -this piece of Spanish folly, but rejoiced at the luck which had brought -clothes at such an opportune moment, the soldiers soon stripped the -wagons, many a man carrying off several pairs of trousers, and enough -shoes to last a lifetime. Thus, when they were halted for action at the -bridge of Constantino, they presented a remarkable appearance. Some wore -gray trousers, some blue, some white; they were new shod, but with no -regard for pairs. Corporal Wilkes, in his haste to replace his own -worn-out boots, had put a black shoe on his right foot and a white one -on his left. But there was no time to attend to niceties of costume, -for the enemy kept up an incessant fire all the afternoon, and it was -only at nightfall that the tired regiments could withdraw from the -eastern end of the bridge and resume their march. - -At dawn on January 6th they reached the main body, drawn up in battle -order three miles in front of Lugo. The brigade of Guards were in their -shirts and trousers, cooking their breakfast, having hung their tunics -and belts to the branches of trees. As Captain O'Hare's company passed -through them, one of the officers asked him if he had seen anything of -the French. - -"Bedad, now," exclaimed O'Hare, "you'd better take down your pipe-clayed -belts from those trees, my dear, and put them on, and eat your murphies, -if you've got any, as quick as you can, or by the powers those same -French will finish 'em before they're cold." - -The Guards laughed mockingly; they themselves had not fired a shot -during the whole retreat. But as the 95th marched on they heard Paget's -guns open on the advancing enemy behind, and, turning, they gave the -incredulous Guards a derisive cheer. - -No sooner had the Reserve reached Lugo than General Paget ordered the -men to clean their weapons and polish their accoutrements as thoroughly -as if they were going on parade in the barrack-ground at Colchester. -Corporal Wilkes had scarcely uttered a murmur for three days, but this -command was too much for him. - -"Discipline be hanged!" he growled. "We ain't out for a picnic, nor -goin' for a walk in the park, and what's polishin' paste to do with -lickin' the French?--that's what I want to know." - -But when he had recovered from the first feeling of hardship he -recognized that the general's motive was to maintain the excellent -discipline which had hitherto prevailed in his division; and Wilkes was -too good a soldier not to do his best, even with the polishing leather. - -For three days the army lay at Lugo--three days of incessant rain, which -turned to slush the snow on the hills, and proved more trying to the -spirits and tempers of the men than the frost had been. There were -large stores at Lugo, and Sir John Moore judged it wise, after the -exhausting forced marches of the past weeks, to allow the men a good -spell of rest and plentiful supplies of fresh food. His position was -very strong, and he hoped to tempt Soult to a fight, being assured that -the troops would pull themselves together and give a good account of the -enemy. But Soult was too wary to attack until he had overwhelming -numbers at his disposal. His own force had suffered almost as severely -as Moore's, and some of his divisions were still toiling on far in his -rear. After a few attempts to feel the British position he made no -further movement, and Moore waited and fretted in vain. He would not -risk an offensive movement himself. He had no hospitals, few wagons, no -reserve of food or ammunition; delay would weaken him and strengthen -Soult. There was no alternative but to continue the retreat. The route -to Vigo was definitively abandoned; orders were issued for the whole -army to slip out of its lines on the night of the 8th, leaving the -camp-fires burning so as to deceive the enemy, and to make for the -direct road to Corunna, to which harbour the transports had already been -commanded to sail round the coast. As soon as darkness fell all the -foundered horses were shot, and such provisions, stores, and ammunition -as were not required were destroyed. At half-past nine the first -companies moved off, and by midnight the whole position was evacuated. - -This was the beginning of the last stage of the army's demoralization. -The frost of the previous week had quite broken up; a pelting storm of -sleet and rain assailed the troops as they marched. In the inky -darkness many of the guides missed their way amid the labyrinth of -vineyards, orchards, and intersecting paths. Regiment after regiment -went hopelessly astray, and when General Paget's reserve division -reached the appointed spot on the Corunna road, it proved to be not in -the rear but actually in advance of the main body. In these -circumstances Paget moved his troops slowly, knowing that if the enemy -overtook the less trustworthy regiments behind him the whole force would -run the risk of being annihilated. - -Through the black and rainy night, then, the men marched, halting at -intervals. No man was allowed to leave the ranks; all were filled with -apprehension of what might befall. On the morning of next day the -belated divisions of the main body began to appear, and the Reserve -thankfully resumed its proper position of rear-guard. - -A terrible lack of discipline prevailed in all but a few of the -regiments of the main body. Drenched by the incessant rain, the men -sought shelter in cottages and outlying hovels whenever they were -halted, with the result that when the order for marching was given vast -numbers could not be found and had to be left behind. All day and all -night the Reserve was harassed by the necessity of beating up these -loiterers, until officers and men alike were almost overwhelmed with -despair. - -The experiences of that fearful 9th of January haunted the memories of -Jack and his friends for years afterwards. From cheerless dawn to -cheerless eve their eyes were shocked, their hearts were riven, by -misery almost passing belief. For mile after mile of that bleak -desolate country, a land of bluff and spur, torrent and ravine, men fell -down upon the road, groaning, weeping, dying of weariness and disease -aggravated by the bitterness of shame and despair. Mules and oxen lay as -they fell, and in the wagons they had drawn, husbandless women and -fatherless children wailed and moaned, a prey to hunger and exhaustion. -Many a time Jack stuffed his fingers into his ears to keep out the -intolerable sounds, until the very frequency of them made him almost -callous, and he tramped along with haggard face and the same sense of -dreary hopelessness. Smith was bent almost double with illness, Pomeroy -and Shirley were so utterly weary and dispirited that they dragged their -feet like old peasants racked with the ague of the fields. Even -Pepito's vivacity had vanished; for the greater part of every day he -rode on a gun-carriage, a silent image of depression. - -As the 95th halted for a brief spell at a hamlet, Corporal Wilkes, his -tanned, weather-beaten cheeks drawn and pinched, came up to his captain -and said: - -"Sir, Sergeant Jones's wife is dead." - -"God help the poor fellow!" said Captain O'Hare; "what'll he do now with -those two little children? How are they?" - -"Well, sir, and cosy; that good woman gave her life for them. The -sergeant's crazy, sir, and the wagon's come to grief that they were -riding in. I thought, sir--" - -"Well?" - -"I wouldn't like to leave 'em behind, sir, and the sergeant's as weak as -a rat and can hardly trail his pike. Couldn't I carry one, sir?" - -"Sure an' you can. Take turns with another man. And the other one--the -poor little colleen--" - -"Pomeroy and I will look after her," said Jack. "It'll give us -something to think about. We'll either carry her by turns or get some -of our best men to do it." - -And so it happened that for the rest of the retreat two little children, -a boy and a girl, rode along in the rain on the shoulders of -tender-hearted Riflemen, who talked to them and cheered them, so that -the small things, all unconscious of their irreparable loss, prattled -and laughed and felt exceedingly proud of their unusual altitude. - -It is the morning of January 10th; the regiments are climbing the face -of a range of hills, the last, they have been told, that intervene -between them and the harbour of Corunna. The rain has ceased, the sky -clears, and as the drenched and footsore warriors top the crest the sun -bursts through a lingering cloud and throws its low beams from behind -them. - -"The sea! the sea!" - -A great shout reverberates over the rugged hills. Below lies the little -town of Betanzos, and beyond it the blue white-crested waters of the -Atlantic. Corunna is only a few miles distant; the end of the long -agony is in sight; and the sudden coming of weather springlike in its -mildness after the severity of winter, fills all hearts with unutterable -gladness. Colonel Beckwith roars at his men with a gruffness which -nobody mistakes, and the fierce tension of General Paget's face is -relaxed for the first time for many days. - -"The finest retreat that was ever retreated," cries Captain O'Hare, who, -though he looks only the shadow of his former self, has suddenly -recovered his usual cheerfulness. "But what's afoot down yonder, -begorra?" - -All eyes follow his gaze downhill. They light on a curious spectacle. -In the distance the road is dark with French cavalry, their helmets and -accoutrements flashing in the unwonted sunlight. Between them and the -heights there marches a nondescript horde of stragglers, in all -uniforms, from all regiments. But they are no longer straggling. -Formed in a solid mass across the road, they are retiring by alternate -companies, one company remaining to face the French, another marching -along the road until they reach a position whence they can cover the -first's subsequent retreat. Time after time Franceschi's horsemen -charge; but every charge is beaten back by the rolling fire of the -British, who fight and retire, retire and fight, with equal steadiness. - -"Bedad, now, that's fine!" cries Captain O'Hare enthusiastically. -"That's the greatness of the British Arrmy! Three cheers for the -fighting stragglers, my boys!" - -Cheer upon cheer roll down towards the baulked and angry French. Stage -by stage the army of stragglers retire up the slope until they are safe -within the protecting lines of the Reserve. There the curious incident -is explained. Dr. Dacres of the 28th had entrusted his instruments and -baggage to the care of a batman, who had loaded his mule's panniers so -heavily that the animal had fallen far behind the regiment. During the -night the man slept in a cottage by the roadside, and, rising before -dawn, was astounded to find that the French were almost within -arm's-length. Shouting to the numerous stragglers in the vicinity, the -batman, relishing a little brief authority, got them into some sort of -order and began to fight a rear-guard action on his own account. A -sergeant of the 43rd, seeing what was in the wind, hurried up and -assumed command of the growing companies. It was by the skilful handling -of this man, William Newman by name, that the impromptu rear-guard had -held their own against the enemy's cavalry and been brought safely out -of danger. - -The army remained for a whole day at Betanzos. On the 11th they marched -out towards Corunna, the Reserve being hotly engaged with the enemy's -cavalry, and disputing the last ten miles yard by yard, under the -approving eye of Sir John Moore himself. Two bridges were blown up. On -the 13th Franceschi's dragoons discovered a ford, and Sir John, seeing -that his main body was now secure, ordered the Reserve to fall back on -Corunna. The regiments had hardly left their bivouac when shots from -the French artillery came with a crash on to the roofs of the houses -they had occupied near the bridge. - -It was with this thundering adieu reverberating in their ears that the -gallant 95th, along with their equally gallant comrades in arms, marched -into their new quarters at Eiris, above Corunna, and attained, after -much travail, their long-desired haven. - - - - - *CHAPTER XVI* - - *The Battle of Corunna* - - -The Eve of Battle--Moore's Position--Wilkes is Himself Again--The First -Shot--Advance 95th!--Hand to Hand--Wilkes in Action--A Message to -Moore--The Commander-in-Chief--A Hero's Death--"Alone with his Glory" - - -The great retreat was ended. Sir John Moore's army, after its terrible -forced marches over 250 miles of wild country in the worst of weather, -had reached the sea. Five thousand men were left behind in sick, dead, -wounded, stragglers, and prisoners--a small proportion considering the -awful experiences they had come through. The honours of the retreat -belonged to Sir Edward Paget and his regiments of the Reserve, who had -fought dogged and successful rear-guard actions wherever opportunity -offered, and had come through the whole campaign with little loss. - -But the crowning achievement of the retreat was yet to be accomplished. -Sir John's purpose had been to embark his army at Corunna on the -transports he expected to find awaiting him there, and to sail at once -for home. If this had been effected the history of the British army -would have lacked one of its most glorious pages. When Moore arrived at -Corunna, the expected vessels were still beating about under stress of -weather in the Atlantic. The embarkation was perforce delayed. -Meanwhile the French were straining every nerve to catch their enemy; it -was more than likely that Soult would arrive in sufficient force to -compel Moore to fight, and the long-wished-for opportunity of a great -battle with the French would come at last. - -Corunna was packed with military stores. In readiness for anything that -might befall, Moore gave his men new muskets and rifles to replace the -rusty weapons they had brought with them across the hills. He blew up a -large amount of superfluous ammunition, and then sat down in security to -await the arrival of the belated transports. - -When, on the evening of the 13th, the Reserve fell back upon the main -army at Corunna, there was still no sign of the ships. The British army -was in position on a range of heights a short distance to the south of -the city, and Paget's hard-wrought troops were ordered to occupy the -little village of Oza, in the rear of the British line. There they -formed, for the first time since the retreat began, the real Reserve of -the army. - -During the next two days Jack had more than one opportunity of visiting -Corunna, where the Spaniards were making vigorous preparations for -defence. For he was selected as usual by the general to arrange with -the native contractors for the supply of provisions to the division. In -his journeys to and fro he supplemented the company mess with small -luxuries to which it had long been a stranger. - -"I could almost forgive you your good luck, Jack," said Pomeroy at -breakfast on the 15th. "But you should have been in the commissariat; -you are wasted as a fighting-man. Eggs, butter, cream, and coffee--why, -the 52nd across the way are as green as our coats with envy." - -"If we stay here much longer we shall be back again on the old rations," -replied Jack. "We shall soon eat up the native produce; only our own -regulation hard-tack will be left." - -"How are they getting on down at the harbour?" enquired Shirley. - -"Slowly, as far as I could see. They don't seem to have done much since -the transports arrived yesterday. It is ticklish work embarking the -guns. But they expect to be ready to-morrow; and I hear that the -Reserve are to be the first to embark." - -"I don't like that," remarked Smith indignantly; "after we have borne -the brunt of the retreat, they might at least have let us see it through -to the end." - -"Oh! as for that, we may take it as a compliment," said Jack with a -smile. "It's a reward of good conduct. Our baggage is to be sent down -to-night, we are to follow to-morrow at mid-day, and by the time the -other divisions are ready we shall be snug and comfortable." - -"It seems to me," said Pomeroy, pointing out of the window of the cura's -house in which they were quartered, "that by this time to-morrow some of -us will be a little too snug." - -Jack and the rest, after a hasty glance at the heights to which Pomeroy -was pointing, could not help feeling that the prospect of an unmolested -embarkation was indeed becoming remote. They were now black with the -masses of Soult's infantry. - -Soult's progress during the previous two days had been very slow. He -found the British strongly posted; and his experiences during the -pursuit were calculated to inspire him with a wholesome caution when -tackling, not as during the past fortnight an isolated rear-guard, but -the whole of Moore's army in battle array. There were three ranges of -hills, on any of which an army defending Corunna might be assured of a -strong position. But two of these ranges were of too great an extent to -be held by Moore's little force of 15,000 men, and the British general -had been obliged to content himself with occupying the innermost of the -three, extending over about a mile and a half of country to the south of -the city. It would have been an entirely admirable position had it not -been commanded at the right extremity by a hill of considerably greater -height, and within easy cannon-shot, while beyond this exposed flank was -a stretch of open country extending to the gates of Corunna, and -offering the enemy a good opportunity of turning the whole position. -But Moore had no choice; he knew the risk he ran, and relied on the -valour and steadiness of his men, who, now that their troubles were -over, had become cheerful, confident, and well-behaved British soldiers. -And with the instinct of a great general he ultimately turned his very -weakness into a source of strength. - -Throughout the day French troops continued to stream westward along the -hills, and when night fell Soult had driven in the British outposts and -was in full occupation of the whole line of heights. There were sounds -of incessant activity during the night, and at dawn on the following -morning the British found that the enemy had dragged guns up the steep -rocky eminence dominating their right wing. - -For several hours after daybreak, on that 16th of January, the two -armies stood fronting one another. Moore had sent all his cavalry, and -most of his guns, on board the transports, retaining only the infantry -to fight Soult if he attempted to interfere with the embarkation. -Hope's division, consisting of Hill's and Leith's brigades, occupied the -extreme left of the British line, its flank resting on the river. Next -came Baird's division, comprising Manningham's and Bentinck's brigades, -the latter facing the little village of Elvina that lay at the bottom of -the slope held by the British, but almost under the frowning heights -occupied by the French batteries. On the Corunna side of the British -position, and protected by the crest of the hills, Catlin Crawford's -brigade lay in support of Hope's division, while Warde's two fine -battalions of Guards were posted a little farther to the right, ready to -reinforce Baird. - -Almost out of sight of the French, in front of the village of Oza, lay -Paget's Reserve, ready to be hurled upon any force attempting a turning -movement against Baird. It was so well concealed by the formation of the -ground that the French were not likely to discover its presence until -their movement was well developed. Some distance in Paget's rear -General Fraser's division occupied a low eminence outside Corunna, ready -either to support Paget or to hold in check the large body of French -horse that was found to be threatening the right rear of the British -position. - -Dinner-time came, and there was still no forward movement among the -enemy. Moore concluded that Soult had made up his mind not to risk an -attack, and consequently made preparations for completing his -embarkation. The reserve division, with orders to embark as soon as the -mid-day meal was over, grumbled while they ate their plentiful rations, -even those from whom no murmur of complaint had been heard during the -lean days of the retreat. Corporal Wilkes, whose courage and -cheerfulness during the black fortnight had more than once earned him a -word of praise from his officers, now made no attempt to disguise his -feelings. - -"I call it a shame," he remarked, gazing moodily up the valley to the -dark masses on the heights, "that we should scuttle away without even -the chance of a slap at 'em. Of course they'll come on as soon as they -see our backs, and of course there'll be another fight. Of course there -will. But where shall we be?--shut up with rats and cockroaches and -shellbacks, and wishing we was at the bottom o' the sea. We've been -doin' the worst of the work--there ain't no arguin' as to that--why -couldn't they let us see it out?--that's what I want to know." - -[Illustration: The Battle of Corunna] - -At this moment the order is given to march; the men shoulder their -rifles and sullenly tramp down the valley in the direction of the -harbour. For weeks they have been straining all their energies to reach -the coast; now, when a few minutes' march will place them beyond the -reach of their enemies, and ensure complete immunity from the -insufferable horrors that have dogged their footsteps during the -retreat, their bearing is that of savage resentment. - -Suddenly the dull boom of artillery is heard far up the valley; the -division, as if at the word of command, comes to an instant halt, and -the men's faces clear as if by magic. Surely this must mean a fight -after all; they are to have their long-wished-for chance of coming to -grips with the enemy. While they are thus waiting, anxious expectancy -on every face, an aide-de-camp from the commander-in-chief dashes up at -full speed. - -"There is a general movement, sir," he says, addressing General Paget, -"all along the enemy's line. An engagement appears to be imminent. The -commander-in-chief desires that you will return to the position you have -just left." - -Never a general's voice rang out more thrillingly than when Paget gave -the order to countermarch. Never was an order received with more joy by -officers and men. In a few minutes the Reserve had regained its old -position around the little village of Oza. There the eager troops -awaited, with what patience they might, the lurid moment that was to -compensate them for all their past sufferings and humiliations. This -moment was some time in coming, but it came at last. - -The brunt of the attack fell, as Moore had expected, upon Baird's -division. The guns from the opposite heights, completely outranging the -British artillery, played upon Baird's front, and from the -vantage-ground of the rocky eminence on his flank raked it from right to -left. Under cover of this artillery fire a great French column, preceded -by a swarm of skirmishers, swept down the hill, drove in the British -pickets, cleared the village of Elvina of a company of the 50th, and -advanced up the slope held by Bentinck's brigade. A portion of the -column at the same time detached itself from the main body and moved -round the right of the British position with the object of taking it in -flank. Moore instantly seized the opportunity. Hurling the 42nd and -50th regiments of Bentinck's brigade at the French front attack, and -driving home the charge with the help of Warde's two battalions of -Guards, he swung round the 4th Regiment on Bentinck's right to meet the -flanking column, and ordered up Paget from behind the hill to take this -force in its turn in flank. - -The hour has struck at last! With a cheer the 95th, who are in the van -of the Reserve, dash forward in extended order across the valley, where -they come into immediate contact with Lahoussaye's dragoons, who have -been pushed forward on the French left to assist the turning movement. - -The country, however, was far better suited for infantry than cavalry -tactics; low walls and ditches broke up the formation of the horsemen -and prevented them from charging with effect, while giving excellent -cover to the Riflemen. The Frenchmen made a good fight, and there were -several fierce combats between knots of Riflemen and small isolated -bodies of horse; but the 95th pressed steadily forward, sweeping the -enemy before them until the dragoons were driven back upon the slopes of -San Cristobal, a low hill on the extreme left of Soult's position. -There Lahoussaye dismounted his men and made a desperate effort to hold -the Riflemen at bay, while the infantry that had hoped to turn -Bentinck's flank were fighting a losing battle with the other regiments -of the Reserve. It was here that many who had come unscathed through the -perils of the retreat fell under the withering fire of the troopers. A -dismantled farmhouse, with some ruined out-buildings, stood facing -Corunna some distance up the slope. Encircling it was a low stone wall; -other stone walls, taking the place of the hedges in an English -landscape, radiated from it, dividing the surrounding fields, and the -ground on all sides was cut up by ditches and ravines. It was an ideal -position for defensive tactics, and Lahoussaye's men, sheltered behind -the walls, made an obstinate stand against the advancing Rifles. - -The task of clearing the farm fell to O'Hare's company. A rough -cart-track led to a gap in the wall that had once been the gateway, now -blocked up by the French with heavy wooden beams. - -"Now, Riflemen," cried Captain O'Hare, "you have your chance at last. -Remember Bembibre!" and with a cheer he led the company straight at the -gap. When the Rifles were within twenty yards of the walls they were -met with a murderous volley from the defenders, and there were many gaps -in the line before the wall was reached. Then began a fierce -hand-to-hand fight, in which every advantage was on the side of the -defenders. Again and again the Riflemen mounted the wall and swarmed up -the barricade, only to be thrust back by the sabres and clubbed carbines -of the troopers. Sergeant Jones, whom the loss of his wife had made a -dangerous foe for a Frenchman to meet, succeeded in forcing his way -across, accounting for two of the troopers in his passage, but the man -behind fell to the pistol of a French officer, and before the sergeant -could be supported he was surrounded by the enemy and sank under a dozen -wounds. Captain O'Hare, at the first assault, was stunned for a few -moments by a blow from a clubbed carbine, Pomeroy received a cut over -the brow from a sabre, and others lay either dead or badly wounded -within a few yards of the gateway. - -Jack, on the right extremity of the line, had attacked the wall some -fifty yards from the gateway, but the ground falling away steeply at -this point, the obstruction was even more difficult to scale than in the -centre. Three times he and Wilkes, although gallantly supported by their -men, were thrust back after laboriously climbing the steep bank that -carried the wall. He was about to make a fourth attempt when he -observed that a few yards to the right, near an angle in the wall, the -stones showed signs of approaching collapse. The bank had given way at -this point, several huge stones had already fallen out of the wall, -others were loose, and the mortar was crumbling. - -"Corporal Wilkes, order six men to load and fire at any head that -appears above the wall. The rest go at them again. Bates, and you, -Plunket, follow me." - -Jack led the way to the weak spot in the wall, and directing the men to -work as quietly as possible, began to remove the loose stones. As he -did so the surrounding blocks came away without difficulty, and in the -course of a couple of minutes a hole some two yards wide and about a -yard and a half high, extending half-way through the wall, was made just -above the bank. In the meanwhile Wilkes had led another assault up the -bank, and sounds of fierce fighting still farther to the left proved -that a renewed effort was being made to carry the barricade. A glance -to his left showed Jack that the other companies were busily engaged -with a large body of Lahoussaye's horse, who had taken advantage of some -open ground to remount and threaten the regiment's flank. - -Seizing a rifle dropped by one of his men, Jack ordered Bates and -Plunket to make a simultaneous attack with him on the spot where they -had broken half through the wall. Running up the bank, they put their -shoulders to the tottering masonry. The wall shook, then cracked, and -falling, fortunately for Jack and his men, inwards, left a gap a couple -of yards wide. There was a cloud of dust, through which Jack, followed -by Bates and Plunket, dashed with a rousing cheer. The three men were -at once surrounded by twice their number of dragoons; but with their -rifles they kept the Frenchmen at bay, while Wilkes and the others, -profiting by the temporary diversion, scaled the wall. "Come on, my -boys!" shouted Wilkes. "What I"--crack on a Frenchman's head--"want to -know"--a second crack, and the big fellow burst through the French -troopers, followed by several men of Jack's company. Thus reinforced, -Jack led a vigorous charge; nothing could withstand it. The French -troopers broke, and made a dash for their horses, tethered in the rear -of the ruined farm, but in their flight they impeded one another's -movements, and only a few got away. - -Meanwhile Smith, who in O'Hare's temporary absence was in command of the -company, formed up his men on the far side of the farm, and continued -the forward movement that had been for the moment arrested. Within a -few yards of the farm they were overtaken by General Paget, who galloped -up and said: - -"Well done, Number One Company!" Then, after a careful examination of -the ground in front, and of the retreating enemy, he turned to Captain -O'Hare, who had recovered from his blow and came up eagerly. "I think, -sir, we hold them safe in this quarter. I shall be glad if you can -spare me one of your officers. I have a message for the -commander-in-chief." - -O'Hare, who, chafing at being knocked over, had remarked Jack's share in -carrying the farm wall, beckoned him forward. - -"Take one of the Frenchmen's horses yonder," continued General Paget, -when Jack came up and saluted, "and tell the commander-in-chief that the -enemy on this side are in full retreat. We shall continue to push them -through the valley, and ought shortly to threaten their great battery." - -He pointed, as he spoke, to the rugged slopes, now covered with a thick -pall of smoke, on which Soult had massed his heaviest guns. A -continuous dull roar came from the battery, from which the French -gunners were pouring shot after shot at the British infantry. - -With a parting hint to Jack that the commander-in-chief would probably -be found with Baird's division, General Paget wheeled his horse round -and returned down the slope. In a few seconds Jack was in the saddle, -jumping walls and ditches, and floundering through ravines towards the -village of Elvina. The retreating French infantry, broken but not yet -dispersed, barred his direct progress. He ploughed across the valley, -finding terrible evidence of the bitterness of the struggle in the -scores of dead and wounded dotting the fields from which the tide of -battle had now ebbed, and spurred his horse to a hand-gallop up the -gentle acclivity beyond. When he reached the crest, the whole battle -was spread like a panorama before him. - -Far to the left General Hope's division was slowly pushing the French -back through the village of Palavea, from which they had driven the -British outposts at the beginning of the battle. In the centre a severe -struggle was being waged for the possession of Elvina, where Bentinck's -brigade, after hurling back the frontal attack and driving the enemy up -the opposite slopes, was now with difficulty holding its own doggedly -against superior numbers. On the right the French flanking columns were -being driven steadily through the valley by Paget's division, and -Franceschi's dragoons were already retiring behind the great battery, -where eleven guns at almost point-blank range were now tearing huge gaps -in Bentinck's slender columns. - -Jack had halted for a moment to get his bearings; he was beginning to -make his way down the slope towards Elvina when he caught sight of three -officers on his left, galloping towards him on the crest of the hill. -In the leading horseman, mounted on a cream-coloured charger with black -tail and mane, he instantly recognized Sir John Moore; the others were -officers of the staff. Jack had eyes only for the general as the -well-known figure swept up at headlong speed to within a few yards of -the spot where he had halted, then suddenly drew rein, throwing the -gallant charger upon its haunches, with quivering nostrils and heaving -flanks. Jack never forgot the picture of horse and rider at this -moment: the charger snorting with excitement, its eyes dilated, its ears -cocked forward, its hoofs ploughing deep furrows in the soft earth; the -rider, with eyes fixed searchingly upon the enemy, seeming to keep his -seat without conscious effort, his whole being concentrated in the -lightning glance with which he took in every detail of the fight. - -He was about to move away when Jack trotted up, saluted, and delivered -his message. Sir John seemed too much preoccupied to notice who his -informant was. After an instant's reflection he said: "Follow me, sir; -I shall probably have a message for General Paget in the course of a few -minutes." Then, setting spurs to his horse, he galloped down the hill -towards Elvina. - -As they approached the village the 50th Regiment, commanded by Major -Charles Napier, was making a desperate effort to retake the place. They -drove the enemy at the point of the bayonet through the village street -and beyond some stone walls on the outskirts; but there the French -rallied, and, being reinforced from the slopes above, again advanced, -capturing Major Napier, who was desperately wounded, and pressing hard -upon the 50th regiment and the Black Watch, both of which were running -short of ammunition. The 42nd, mistaking an order, began to retire. -Then the commander-in-chief rode up, and addressing them said: "Men of -the 42nd, you have still your bayonets. Remember Egypt! Remember -Scotland! Come on, my gallant countrymen!" - -With a cheer the Black Watch returned to the attack. Moore followed the -brilliant charge with kindling eyes. "Splendid fellows!" he exclaimed. -He was just turning to give Jack the promised message when a cannon-shot -from the battery above struck him to the ground. For one brief moment -it might almost have been thought that the hurt was a trivial one, for -the general, raising himself upon his right arm, continued to gaze -eagerly and with a look of noble pride upon the struggle beneath. It was -not until the success of his troops was assured that he sank back and -allowed himself to be removed from the field. Four soldiers carried him -tenderly in a blanket to the rear. No doctor was needed to tell the -grief-stricken bearers that the wound was mortal. The injured man knew -that there was no hope. They would have removed his sword; its hilt was -pressing against the wound. "It is as well as it is," he said. "I had -rather it should go out of the field with me." As they carried him -towards Corunna he more than once bade them turn to learn how the fight -was going. They bore him to a house in the town; as he lay dying his -mind was filled with his country and the commanders who had served him -and England so well during the bitter days of the retreat. "I hope the -people of England will be satisfied. I hope my country will do me -justice." He spoke of Paget, asking to be remembered to him. "General -Paget, I mean; he is a fine fellow." He left messages for all his -friends, and in the midst of his agony mentioned for promotion several -officers whose gallantry in the field he had noticed. He bore his -dreadful sufferings without a murmur. Only when he dictated a last -message to his aged mother did he show signs of breaking down. And -thus, nobly as he had lived, when night had stilled the sounds of war -and the stars blinked over the awful field, the great soldier passed -away. - -Jack had accompanied the bearers to the little room whither the general -was carried, and remained for some time doing such small services as -Moore's aides-de-camp required of him. When it was seen beyond all -doubt that death was very near, he was sent back to the battle-field -with the sad news. During his absence the fight had been raging with -undiminished fury. The enemy were retiring; the British were pressing -forward on all sides; and but for the lamentable event that had just -occurred it is possible that Soult's army would have been utterly -destroyed, for his ammunition was failing, and behind him his retreat -was barred by an impetuous torrent, spanned by only one narrow bridge. -It was not to be. Sir David Baird, who would naturally have succeeded to -Moore's command, had himself been wounded. Sir John Hope, to whom the -command now fell, ordered the advance to be checked as the shades of -evening were falling. His decision was doubtless wise. He was not in a -position to follow up a successful action, for the cavalry and guns were -all on board ship. The advantage already gained secured the immediate -object for which the battle had been fought--the safe embarkation of the -army. - -When Jack, sad at heart, regained his regiment, below the great French -battery, he brought no message from the commander-in-chief. What the -message would have been he could only guess. But he felt that had Moore -lived, the 95th would have had stern work to do upon the rugged hills -above. Sadly the army retired into its lines at Corunna; and as the -last shot from the French guns boomed across the valley, and the -watch-fires of the British pickets broke into flame on the heights, the -body of the noble Moore was laid to rest in the citadel, simply, -peacefully, without pomp, amid a reverent silence. - - - - - *CHAPTER XVII* - - *In the Guadalquivir* - - -In the Dumps--Messages--A Fellow Passenger--A Match--Marcamiento--The -Despatch Disappears--A Quick Recovery--Pepito Expostulates--Perez -Plunges--Returned with Thanks--Mr. Frere--An Opportunity--A -Volunteer--Pepito's Present--Before the Gale - - -The sadness which overshadowed the whole army was partly alleviated by -the bustle of embarkation. The battle had been won; the object of the -great retreat had been achieved. There was nothing to be gained by -postponing the return of the victorious but battered army to England. -Delay would have enabled reinforcements to reach Soult, which might -place him in a position to renew his attack with better hope of success; -while the state of the British army was such that it was impossible to -follow up their success by a pursuit of the French. Sir John Hope, -therefore, upon whom the command had fallen through Moore's death, gave -orders that the embarkation of the troops should be hastened, and within -twenty-four hours the men were aboard the transports, ready to set sail -for home. - -Jack was resting in the afternoon with the officers of his company. -Illness and fatigue had worn them all to shadows. Pomeroy was wounded, -Smith was so haggard as to be hardly recognizable, while Shirley's -spirits had forsaken him, and his chums were too much depressed even to -object to the melancholy dirges which he quoted, on the homoeopathic -principle, for his own solace. Jack alone retained something of his old -cheerfulness, and he was doing his best to hearten his companions, -before their turn came to embark, when a messenger entered, saying that -Sir John Hope desired to see Mr. Lumsden at once. He hurried off, and -returned half an hour later with even greater cheerfulness in his eyes -and gait. - -"What do you think, you fellows?" he cried. "I am not going to sail -with you after all!" - -"Thank heaven!" said Pomeroy, with his head bandaged. - -Jack smiled at his old chum's petulance. - -"I'm not so thankful, Pommy," he said. "But for one thing I'd much -rather go home with you. As it is--" - -"Well, what's your one thing?" said Smith, as he paused. - -"I'll tell you some day. I don't want to leave Spain just now, that's -all." - -"What are you going to do, then?" asked Pomeroy. - -"Hope is sending me with a despatch to Seville, to Mr. Frere, our -minister there. I'm to put myself at his orders. The general thinks -that people at home will be so mad at this retreat that they'll howl for -leaving Spain to its fate; so it's very probable that I shall not be -long behind you. And you'll be as fit as fiddles when I see you again." - -"My own mother wouldn't know me now," said Smith. "You always have had -all the luck. Ten chances to one you'll be promoted again, while we, -what with our wretched condition and that awful Bay of Biscay, shall -either be thrown to the fishes on the way home or drop into our graves -as soon as we get there." - -"'Call for the robin redbreast and the wren,'" quoted Shirley dolefully. - -"Now, Shirley, cheer up!" said Jack. "Don't give all the fellows the -blues." - -"Faith, no," said the voice of Captain O'Hare, who had heard the last -words as he entered. "I'm so weak myself I could hardly kill a fly, but -I'm captain o' this company, and I won't have my men driven into the -dumps. There's that Wilkes, now. I left him outside, smoking some -unmentionable stuff with his mates, singing 'Down among the dead men', -in a voice that would scare an undertaker. 'Faith,' says I, 'it's -delighted ye ought to be, seeing ye're a sergeant before your time.' -'Sir,' says he, 'I'm only promoted cos poor Sergeant Jones is down among -the dead men, and what I want to know is, whether it ain't my dooty to -have the nat'ral feelings of a man and a brother.' But what's this I -hear, Lumsden?--we leave you behind, eh?" - -"Yes, though I hope you'll soon be out again. Surely our government -won't throw up the sponge!" - -"Bedad, not if they ask my advice. No Englishman, let alone an -Irishman, ever turned his back for good on a Frenchman yet; and as the -war secretary's an Irishman, why, I prophesy we'll be wid ye in six -months, my boy." - -"Oh! but I'll be home long before then. There's one thing I'd like to -stay in Spain for, but I see little chance of doing anything in it till -the war's over, and then it'll be too late, so no doubt Mr. Frere will -send me home at once." - -"Ah! And your one thing?" - -"A precious secret," interposed Pomeroy. "Lumsden's a mystery-man ever -since he picked up that brat Pepito, who's the owner of the evil eye if -ever gipsy was. Some cock-and-bull story of a hidden treasure, or a -beautiful heiress, or something of that kind, if the truth was known; -but Jack's as mum as a mile-stone." - -A bugle sounded outside the house. - -"That's our call, my boys," said the captain. "Come now, out and get -the men into order, and march 'em off with as much decency as their rags -admit. God bless ye, my boy! please the powers we'll have you back in -the mess yet." - -"'Fare thee well, but not for ever!'" said Shirley, giving Jack a hearty -grip. - -"Good luck, old chap!" added Smith. "Give my love to the heiress Pepito -finds for you, and if you should happen to come across the Grampus, take -my advice--don't gamble." - -Pomeroy shook hands silently. - -"You'll give my love to the old people, Pommy?" said Jack. "I haven't -had time to write to them since we left Salamanca. You can give them -all the news." - -Then they went among the men. Sergeant Wilkes looked astonished as he -filed past and saw that Jack was not among his company, and Jack felt -sure that he "wanted to know" more emphatically than ever, especially -when, on turning suddenly, he found that Pepito was making farewell -grimaces at all his friends in the regiment. - -"Now, Pepito," said Jack sternly, "if you're to come with me, you must -learn to behave yourself. Cut away and get my things ready; our ship -leaves at nine to-night." - -Jack's departure, however, had to be deferred until the following -morning, the wind being unfavourable. Early on the 18th of January, -then, he went on board a bergantin of some 300 tons, carrying his -despatch for Mr. Frere in a waterproof bag, and followed by Pepito -bearing the few articles he had been able to save out of his -well-stocked kit of a few months before. Sir John Hope, when taking -leave of him, had asked him to put in, if possible, at Vigo, and report -to General Craufurd, if he were still there, the recent happenings at -Corunna. - -His errand fortunately fitted in with the instructions of the master of -the brig. Jack had to spend the night at Vigo, where he learned that -Craufurd had embarked his brigade some days before, and had already -sailed for home. Next morning he was standing on deck, watching the last -bales of a miscellaneous cargo as they were lowered into the hold, when, -looking along the quay, he saw hurrying towards him two figures which he -recognized with no little astonishment. The one was a tall Spaniard in -military uniform; the other, still taller, was covered with a ragged -brown cloak, and staggered along under the weight of a large valise. -Perceiving Jack's eyes fixed on him, the foremost figure waved his hand -with easy condescension, and smiled, and when he was still several yards -away, began to speak: - -"Ah, amigo mio, you look surprised! As for me, I am both surprised and -delighted. I had not hoped for the pleasure of an old comrade's company -on this voyage. We will talk over old times, Jackino, and help each -other to face the perils of the sea." - -"You anticipate a storm, then?" said Jack, with a meaning look. - -"Not anticipate, my friend; but one must be prepared. And there is one -peril that, storm or no storm, every traveller has to endure." - -"That is?" - -"Mareamiento, amigo mio! The motion of a ship produces an unpleasant -perturbation of the internal organs, resulting in--" - -Jack laughed. - -"That's your peril! Well, it's one that everyone has to face for -himself. If I were you, when you feel the perturbation beginning, I -should lie on my back." - -"But then I should have to turn over," said Miguel seriously. "However, -you do not ask why I am prepared to endure this disagreeable accident of -travel; you show no curiosity, my dear friend." - -"About other people's business--no. But I see that your man appears -none the worse for the punishment which, no doubt, the Marquis of La -Romana awarded him for his outrage at Astorga--you remember?--the -occasion when you were so much shocked at the man's heartless -treachery." - -"I remember well, dear friend. Perez was the victim of a sudden -temptation, poor fellow. You see, he has only one eye. He is not all -there. Oh, he was punished! He was made to take off his uniform--it -had gold lace, you remember?--and to dress as a servant, and that, to a -man of Perez' illustrious connections and personal pride, was a great, -an overpowering humiliation. He felt the disgrace so keenly that he -assured me he could not live unless I took him back into my service. -What could I do? I could not be responsible for the miserable wretch's -self-destruction. I did what every man of heart would have done, and-- -But we are moving, my friend; the ship is oscillating like a child's -cradle; the wind catches the sails. Yes, the voyage has begun. I think -I will--ah!--descend." - -As Miguel, leaning on the arm of his follower, disappeared down the -companion-way, Jack noticed a large rent in the man's cloak, into which -another material, by no means a good match, had been clumsily darned. -He started, and drew out of his pocket a jagged remnant of cloth, the -sole memento of his narrow escape at Cacabellos. In general appearance -it closely resembled the material worn by the Spaniard; but as both were -brown, and Spanish cloaks were usually of this colour, it would not be -easy, without close examination, to establish their identity. - -"It may be merely a coincidence," thought Jack, "but it's queer, anyway. -I have no doubt he owes me a grudge; I hit him rather hard. And Miguel, -who doesn't love me either, would not be above reminding him of it." - -With a careless resolve to be on his guard, Jack dismissed the matter -for the moment. For two days he saw nothing more of Miguel. The wind -was fresh, and while Jack revelled in the rapid progress, and felt -himself braced by the keen salt air, Miguel, his man, and Pepito all -passed through various stages of misery and despair. Pepito was the -first to recover, and from him Jack learnt that Miguel had intended to -attempt the journey southwards overland, but that, having accidentally -caught sight of Jack in Vigo, he had made enquiries, and determined to -risk the sea-passage in his company. This information Pepito had picked -up from one of the seamen, who had been accosted and questioned by Perez -before they left the harbour. - -"Two villains, Senor!" said Pepito, as he concluded his story. "They do -not love the Senor," he added, significantly fingering the small knife -that protruded from his sash. The action, like the weapon itself, was -two-edged. It was a warning to Jack and a menace to the two Spaniards, -who had just crawled for the first time from below, and, unwashed and -unshorn, presented anything but a formidable appearance. Nevertheless, -whenever he moved, Jack felt that Perez was watching him. He never -succeeded in catching him in the act; he felt rather than saw the glare -of the man's forlorn eye. - -Miguel volunteered the information that he was carrying despatches from -La Romana to the Supreme Junta at Seville, and asked Jack what errand -had brought him southwards. Jack, however, evaded the question, -enquiring into the present circumstances of La Romana's rabble, and its -prospects of escaping destruction. The Spaniard was evidently annoyed -at Jack's want of communicativeness. He gave the shortest answers to his -questions, and then, with a malicious gleam in his eyes, turned the -conversation into another channel. - -"And when my errand at Seville is accomplished," he said in his blandest -tones, "I shall make my best speed to Saragossa, where I shall find my -pearl, my rose, querida mia, the lovely Juanita. Pity, Jackino, I -cannot invite you to my wedding. It would give you so much pleasure to -see the two friends of your childhood united in the holy bonds of -wedlock; and when--" - -But Jack had moved away; he walked forward and watched the prow cutting -its white furrow, thinking of the old days when Juanita and he had both -detested Miguel Priego, and wondering how the girl could have been -persuaded to plight her troth to such a man. - -The skipper told him that he hoped to make the mouth of the Guadalquivir -on the evening of the fourth day after leaving Vigo. He proposed to -anchor there for the night, and sail up to Seville next day. Jack was -so eager to reach his destination and deliver his despatch that he -half-resolved to have himself put ashore at San Lucar, and finish the -journey overland. With this intention, when one evening the lights of -San Lucar were sighted, he went to his cabin for his despatch-bag, -telling Pepito to carry his few belongings on deck. Lifting the bag, he -was struck by the appearance of fine scratches on the hasp of the lock. -He held it close to the flame of his lamp to examine it more thoroughly, -and found in a moment that the lock had been forced and the despatch -abstracted. - -"Pepito," he said quickly to the boy, "do you know anything about this?" - -"Nothing, Senor." - -"The truth?" - -"Fear makes lies, Senor; I know no fear." - -"We shall not go ashore to-night. Have you seen anyone in my cabin?" - -"No, Senor." - -"Very well. Say nothing about this." - -Jack sat down to reflect. Neither captain nor crew could have any -interest in stealing a despatch. The bag had contained nothing else. -Miguel and his man were the only other passengers beside himself and -Pepito. What would it profit either of them to tamper with the bag? The -possession of the despatch would be of real advantage to neither of -them; its loss would be merely an annoyance to himself. Anyhow, the -despatch was gone; it remained to be discovered whether it had been -taken by Miguel or Perez. - -Pepito had been watching Jack's face. He seemed to divine what his -master was thinking, for he came up to him and said quickly: - -"Senor, I know the Busne. The paper is gone, and I will find out -where." - -Jack looked back at him for a moment without speaking, then he nodded, -and Pepito hastened away with the light footstep of a cat. - -Two hours afterwards he returned, with a grin of glee upon his elfin -face, and a paper in his right hand. - -"Senor's paper," he said. Then, bringing his left hand from behind his -back, he produced a second paper, saying: - -"The Busno's paper too. Both were together in the Busno's bag, beneath -the Busno's pillow." - -Jack frowned. He looked at the address on the second paper; it ran: -"The Marquis of La Romana to their excellencies the Supreme Junta at -Seville." - -"You must take this back, Pepito," he said. - -"No, no," said the boy, his eyes gleaming. "The Busno and the one-eyed -man are asleep; I should wake them if I took the paper back. The Busno -took Senor's paper. Very well, I, Pepito, take the Busno's; and I will -tear it in pieces, and throw it into the sea." - -"No," replied Jack. "You are a clever boy, but you must learn to do -things in my way, not your own. I will give back the paper myself." - -Pepito shrugged, as though expressing his inability to understand an -Englishman's mad way of doing things. An idea had come to Jack; he would -not restore the despatch at present, but would wait until the morning. -Placing them both inside his tunic, and buttoning it up, he lay down and -settled himself to sleep. - -Soon after daylight Jack heard angry, excited voices in Miguel's cabin. -It was evident that the master had discovered his loss, and that the man -was bearing the first brunt of his vexation. Gradually the voices -dropped to a whisper, then there was silence, and Jack detected a soft -footfall in the passage. The catch of the little cabin-door was slowly -raised; Jack coughed gently, the catch dropped noiselessly, and the -visitor disappeared without a sound. - -At breakfast Miguel, evidently preoccupied and ill at ease, made no -reference to the subject. As Jack had anticipated, he was not sure -enough of his ground to report his loss to the captain. But his look -became more and more anxious, even agitated, as the vessel worked its -way in long reaches up the river. Perez, lounging against the bulwarks, -was keenly watching Pepito, in whose somewhat provocative bearing he -seemed to find cause for suspicion. The gipsy was even more monkey-like -than usual, swarming up and down the yards, flitting around and above -his scowling enemy with a disconcerting assumption that Perez was -non-existent. - -Suddenly, while Jack was watching the play of sunlight on the mountain -ranges in the east, he heard a cry, followed instantly by a splash on -the port side. He sprang across the deck, noticing as he did so the -half-recumbent form of Perez lolling unconcernedly at the spot he had -occupied for the past hour. There was nothing to be seen in the -sluggish river below, and for a moment Jack was inclined to think that -his ears had deceived him; but even as the thought passed through his -mind he caught sight of a small dark object rising above the surface -some yards in the wake of the vessel. With a loud cry "Man overboard!" -he threw off his cloak, sprang on the bulwark, and dived into the river. -The water was icy cold, but fortunately in these lower reaches the -current ran slowly, and when he came to the surface, with the rapidity -of a practised swimmer, he saw the small black head much nearer than he -had expected. In another second the reason was clear; the owner of the -head was swimming towards him with slow leisurely strokes, and Jack -began to regret his precipitancy. - -"The Senor will get wet," cried Pepito as he approached. His tone was -that of aggrieved expostulation. "He will spoil his fine clothes. Ay -de mi! Why will the Senor be so rash? And he has only one uniform. -Now he will have to travel as a Busno. Ay de mi!" - -Jack had now turned, and was swimming hard against the current. He -heard Pepito remonstrating in his wake, but although he treasured the -remembrance afterwards, he was in no mood at the time to be amused with -his follower's untimely zeal. His heavy boots and water-logged clothes, -to say nothing of the numbing cold of the water, made swimming anything -but an agreeable exercise, and he was heartily glad when he clambered -into a boat that had been promptly lowered from the ship. Pepito -followed him a few seconds later, looking not unlike a water rat as he -emerged dripping from the river, in which he seemed perfectly at home. -In the boat the boy showed him, with an expressive grin, a piece of rope -about five feet long. He had dragged it with him out of the river. -"What are you doing with that?" enquired Jack sharply. - -"It belongs to the ship," was the reply. "Pepito is not a thief; he -must give it back." - -"How came you to fall in?" - -"I was swinging on the rope." - -"And it got untied?" - -"No; it was cut." - -Jack started and looked closely at the end of the rope, which Pepito -handed to him with a chuckle of enjoyment. It had evidently been severed -with a knife. - -"Perez?" enquired Jack. - -"Yes, Senor," said Pepito. - -They had by this time come under the ship's quarter, and a rope-ladder -was let down for their benefit. - -"Stay where you are for a moment," said Jack to the bos'un; "I am -sending another passenger." - -As he clambered over the bulwarks Miguel met him with assumed -solicitude. - -"You English are such sea-dogs, there is no keeping you out of the -water. I trust, my friend, you will not suffer a chill. At this time -of the year--" - -He was warming to his theme when Jack stepped quietly through the little -knot of seamen gathered on the deck, and went straight towards Perez, -who was still lolling against the bulwarks, with a gleam of malicious -enjoyment in his solitary eye. Before the man was aware of what was -coming, Jack had seized him by the waistband, and, using the bulwark as -a fulcrum, had tilted him over into the river. - -Then Jack went below and changed his dripping garments for the Spanish -dress which he carried with him in case of emergency. He noticed as he -did so that in his absence his effects had been thoroughly ransacked. - -When he came on deck he found that Perez, by no means a favourite with -the sailors, had been hauled out with extreme deliberation, after -swallowing some quarts of the turbid waters of the Guadalquivir. He -glared at Jack with concentrated malignity, but was physically incapable -of reprisal, even if his morale had not been impaired by the knowledge -that he had only got his deserts. - -The captain listened gravely to Jack's explanation, and examined the -severed rope with a judicial air. Jack did not consider it necessary to -make any reference to the incident of the despatches. - -"I suppose," said the captain, "that the Senor will wish to lodge an -information? A friend of mine is well acquainted with a man of law in -the Calle del Amor de Dios, a very able man--he has one case of assault -that has lasted thirteen years." - -"Thank you!" said Jack with a smile; "but as I only propose to stay in -Seville for a few days, I fear I shall have to forgo your friend's -friend's assistance." - -The captain looked disappointed. - -At length the vessel passed the Torre del Oro, a crenelated octagonal -tower near the landing-stage. The brig was moored, Miguel and his man, -who had been below since the incident, came on deck at the last moment, -and ostentatiously ignoring Jack's presence, stepped across the gangway -on to the quay. As Miguel passed him, however, Jack quietly touched him -on the shoulder. - -"Allow me, Don Miguel," he said, "to hand you this packet. It was -found--you can perhaps guess where--with some property of mine. I have -no occasion for the one; you will perhaps permit me to retain the -other?" - -A dull flush mounted to Miguel's cheeks. He took the despatch without a -word, gave Jack a glance in which humiliation, chagrin, and undisguised -hatred were strangely mingled, and prepared to move off. - -"A word," continued Jack, "before we part. Your Polyphemus is doubtless -a very devoted servant, but if we meet again, and I find him still at -your elbow, you will pardon me if I betray a little suspicion." - -Jack turned abruptly away, leaving Miguel for once at a loss for an -adequate answer. By the time he had recovered himself, Jack, followed -by Pepito, was half-way across the quay. - - -Jack had never been in Seville before. He was struck by the forest of -masts from ships lining the river bank, by the whitewashed houses built -in Moorish fashion, with barricaded windows, and the narrow, busy, -cobbled streets. It was a fine clear day, and for almost the first time -since he landed, four months before, at Mondego Bay, he felt the dry -warmth of a southern climate. He found his way with Pepito along the -river bank, past the bull ring, to a comfortable inn in the Plaza Nueva, -and having there made himself as presentable as his worn and faded -garments allowed, he set off for the Alcazar, where he had learnt that -the British minister was then in conference with the Junta. - -He had some curiosity to meet Mr. Hookham Frere. It had been common talk -in the army that Sir John Moore had received a number of almost insolent -epistles from the minister, who had gone quite beyond his province in -dictating the course of action which he thought the commander-in-chief -should follow. Mr. Frere, indeed, was not cut out for the delicate work -of an ambassador, and he was perhaps as little surprised as anybody -when, two months later, he was recalled by the dissatisfied Government -at home. He was no doubt worried by the mingled vacillation, -braggadocio, and incompetence of the Spanish authorities with whom he -had to deal, and in truth their behaviour was such as would have tried -the temper of a more patient and self-assured man than Mr. Frere. - -He received Jack in a private room, and read the despatch in silence, -save when the news of Sir John Moore's death provoked an exclamation. -He folded the paper and laid it down on the table before him. - -"Poor fellow!" he said. "He always said he hoped to die after a great -victory. You knew him, sir?" - -"Yes, sir," said Jack. "I had the honour to serve under him through the -campaign, and he was very kind to me." - -"Ah! I am afraid our relations were a little clouded of late. I acted -for the best. I did some things I now regret; they were due partly to -my lack of trustworthy information. And now, though we have won a -victory, we have had to leave the country. The army might perhaps have -sailed to Lisbon instead of returning home." - -"I beg pardon, sir, but if you saw the horrible state of our men you -would be the last to say that. They're worn out with illness and hard -work, eaten with vermin, and have nothing but rags to cover themselves -with. I came off better than most, and you see what a condition my -uniform is in." - -"Terrible!--I had hoped so much from this expedition. The Spaniards have -indeed been given a breathing-space, but they will make little of it. -And they are so untrustworthy, so untrustworthy, Mr. Lumsden. At this -time, of course, it is of the utmost importance that the real state of -things should be known to all the Spanish generals in all parts of the -country; but I cannot depend on the Junta here telling the truth. There -is General Palafox, for instance, in Saragossa, a young man for whose -talents I have the highest admiration; he is, as you may perhaps know, -besieged by the French, and the Junta has encouraged him with the news -that great battles are being won for Spain, and that armies will shortly -march to his relief. All humbug, humbug! Buoyed up by false hopes, he -will resist to the bitter end, and the poor people of Saragossa may -endure all the nameless horrors of a protracted siege only to find -themselves disappointed and deceived. And then they will blame us, -accuse us of deserting them in their extremity. It would be difficult -now for any messenger to reach him; but in any case I cannot depend on -the Junta's telling him the truth. I am weary of it all." - -Jack had listened to this speech with growing eagerness. It suggested a -means by which he might fulfil what had been his dearest wish ever since -he met Miguel in Salamanca--to see Juanita Alvarez, and learn for -himself that she had really of her own free-will consented to trust her -life and happiness to Miguel Priego. Until now it had seemed idle to -hope for such an opportunity, but why should he not offer his services -to Mr. Frere and volunteer to convey to Palafox a true account of the -progress of events elsewhere? And Palafox!--he had a private reason for -seeing him. "Palafox the man, Palafox the name!"--the phrase in Don -Fernan's letter had never left his memory. At odd moments, when free -from his duties, he had found himself conning the words over and over -again; and lately he had begun to wonder whether the mysterious message -were not connected in some way with Juanita--whether there were not some -strange link binding Palafox and Juanita and himself together. His -regiment had gone home; he was now under the orders of the British -minister; he had been in dangerous places and circumstances of peril -before; why not combine the public service with his private ends, and -start for Saragossa? His mind was made up. - -"Let me convey a message to General Palafox," he said. - -"You! It is preposterous. You would go to your death. How could you, -an Englishman, and an English officer, hope to penetrate the French -lines? You would be caught and shot." - -And then Jack gave the minister a brief account of himself, his early -years in Spain, his recent work for Sir John Moore done in the guise of -a Spaniard. - -"And so you see, sir," he concluded, "you could hardly find anyone, not -actually a Spaniard, with better chances of success than I have. I have -been in Saragossa before, and I have some command of Spanish--and I am -not afraid, sir." - -Mr. Frere was evidently taken with the suggestion. He had listened with -growing interest to Jack's modest story, and smiled at his account of -his conversation with the boastful commissary and his subsequent -adventure with the Spanish stablemen. - -"And this gipsy boy of yours--would you propose to take him with you?" - -"Yes, sir; my chums regard him as my familiar spirit, and I myself have -begun to cherish a sort of belief that I sha'n't come to much harm if he -is near at hand." - -"Well, Mr. Lumsden, I am much interested in your story; I think, if I -may say so, that you have shown great capacity and resourcefulness, and -fully justified poor Sir John's confidence, and I confess, after seeing -and hearing you, that I have every hope of your succeeding in this, -perhaps the most difficult, certainly the most hazardous, of all your -enterprises. And now, as that is settled, we must lose no time. When -will you be ready to start?" - -"When the first ship sails, sir." - -"You will go by ship, then?" - -"It will perhaps be quicker, and safer on the whole." - -"What about French frigates?" - -"I must take my chance of them. Luckily I kept the Spanish dress given -me by Don Pedro de Gracioso; Pepito has it in my bundle. I shall, of -course, go as a Spaniard." - -"I wish I had your youthful confidence!" Mr. Frere sighed. "Very well; -find out when the boat sails northward, and I will have my despatch for -General Palafox ready at any time." - -"You will answer for me to the military authorities, sir?" - -"Certainly. You may assume that you have six months' leave; and for my -part, I do not suppose that your regiment will require your services any -more in Spain." - -At the conclusion of the interview Jack stepped into the street with a -light-heartedness he had not known for many a day. The winter, with all -its fatigues and disappointments, was passing away; he felt a strange -assurance that with the coming spring the tide of his affairs would turn -towards achievement and happiness; and he returned to his inn with a -buoyancy and eagerness in his gait that caused many a head to turn and -many a face to smile. - -With Pepito he hastened at once to the quay by the Torre del Oro, only -to learn that no vessel would sail for the northern ports for some days. -"We can't wait for that," he said to himself, and immediately sought out -the owner of a large fishing-smack he saw in the offing. After some -bargaining he arranged to hire the craft with its crew, to sail, wind -and weather being favourable, next morning. - -On the way back to their inn he set a seal to the hold he had -unwittingly obtained on the gipsy's affections. Coming to a -clockmaker's, he stopped, looked in at the window, then entered, and -soon returned carrying a huge silver watch, which he handed with its -chain to Pepito. - -"There, youngster," he said, "that's a little reward for the services -you have done me. Take care you don't lose it." - -The boy beamed his delight, and pranced along the street in unfeigned -ecstasy. - -The sun shone brightly next morning, and the wind blew fresh. -Accompanied by Pepito, Jack, in his Spanish dress, went down to the -quay, where, however, he found that the master of the smack was not -disposed to sail. He foretold a strong gale from the south-west, and -wished to postpone his departure till the next day; but Jack was so -eager to arrive at Saragossa that he would brook no delay. After an -hour's arguing and coaxing, and the promise of double pay, he induced -the mariner to attempt the voyage, and at nine o'clock the smack cast -off and sailed slowly down the river. The wind increased in force as -she approached the mouth. On reaching the open sea she encountered the -full force of the blast, and, swinging round, scudded before the wind at -a speed that promised a fast passage. - - - - - *CHAPTER XVIII* - - *A Squire of Dames* - - -In the Casa Ximenez--Cut Off--Ways and Means--A Race with Time--The -Bridge Perilous--Into the Abyss--A Deserted House--Through the -Streets--Adios--Senor - - -Near the convent of San Agustin, at the south-eastern end of Saragossa, -there stood, in the year 1809, an old, large, gloomy house known as the -Casa Ximenez. It was not in the best part of the city, but it had an -air of high respectability, and in truth had been for many years the -town residence of a prosperous burgher family, whose name stood for all -that was solid and dignified in civic and commercial life. - -On February 1st in the aforesaid year the spacious rooms of the mansion -were empty--all but one. In the gilded sala on the first floor, a -chamber large enough to contain fifty or sixty persons as well as its -massive antique furniture, sat two ladies, one old, the other in the -heyday of youth. Though it was early morning, the room would have been -in pitch darkness but for two candles which, set in the cups of a silver -candelabra on the table, threw a glimmering illumination upon the -panelled walls. The sulphurous fumes of gunpowder hung heavily in the -air. The deep, square windows were shuttered on the outside; there was -no crack or aperture through which the light of day could enter save a -hole in one of the shutters, and that at this moment was blocked by a -long Spanish musket, behind which stood a middle-aged man in the sober -costume of an upper servant. - -Within the house all was silent, but from without, penetrating the thick -walls and the iron-clamped shutters, came dull, heavy, thunderous sounds -that shook the air, set the candle flames quivering, and caused the -elder of the two ladies to start and shudder and moan as if in pain. At -intervals the man at the window withdrew the musket, letting in for a -few moments a streak of daylight that lay white across the yellow -glimmer from the candles. With silent deliberation he charged his -weapon, passed it through the aperture with a downward slant, and pulled -the trigger, going through the same series of movements time after time -with clock-work regularity. - -The old lady watched him as if fascinated. She was small and thin; the -hair beneath her elaborate cap was white. With the long bony fingers of -one hand she clasped her mantilla closely about her shrunken frame; the -other was held in the strong, warm hands of the younger lady, who sat on -the floor by the elder's chair and spoke to her alternately in soothing -and in urgent tones. - -"You really must come, Auntie," she was saying. "It is not safe here. -Hark! there is another gun! They will break in before long, and -then--oh! come, come now; you can walk if you only try." - -The old lady, still with her eyes fixed on the servant, shook her head -and clutched her mantilla convulsively. - -"Does he kill--every time?" she said in a thin quavering voice. - -"How can we tell? And if he does kill, it only makes our position -worse, for they will find out where the shots come from, and they will -burst in, and you--we--oh! Auntie, it is our only chance. See, I will -support you; if you lean on my arm you will walk quite well, and I will -never leave you. Come!" - -"I will not go," said her companion. "I will not, will not. The French -may kill me, I have not long to live; but you, Juanita, you can escape. -Francisco will shoot and kill until the very end; he and I will remain -in the old house, in the old house--" - -"They are coming nearer, Senorita," said Francisco, his respectful tone -as quiet and unperturbed as though he were announcing a visitor. - -"You hear that? You must come, Auntie. I will not leave you here!" - -Springing suddenly to her feet, she stooped, threw her arms around her -aunt's body, and lifted her from her chair. - -"Francisco," she said, turning to the servant, "go on firing. If I do -not return, come after me in ten minutes." - -Then, straightening her back, she went to the open door, bearing easily -the wasted form of her aunt, who did not resist, but moaned and muttered -in helpless impotence. Out into the corridor, down the broad staircase, -the strong girl carried the feeble woman. She reached the patio; then, -instead of turning towards the great iron-studded gate at the front of -the house, she made her way to the smaller but still strong gate at the -back. In the open patio the sounds of musket shots were tenfold louder -than they had been in the house above; they were mingled with the shouts -of men afar off, the sudden shocks of explosions, and the crackle of -flames. A pungent smell of smoke filled the air. The girl hastened her -steps towards the rear of the house, where the noises came less -distinctly to the ear. Arriving at the gate, she set her burden down -gently upon a bench, quickly drew the bolts, and, promising to return in -a few moments, slipped out, closing the gate behind her. - -She found herself in a narrow irregular street. On the other side was a -row of smaller houses, the upper stories of which projected over the -roadway. At each end the street opened to wider thoroughfares, and the -Casa Ximenez was nearer the northern extremity. Juanita gave a quick -glance each way. The house at the end of the street on her left was in -flames. Nobody was to be seen, but she heard fierce shouts, apparently -in all directions, growing ever louder. She paused but for an instant, -then ran across the street to a door opposite and hammered with her -fists upon the wood. She waited; there was no answer, no sound of -movement within. She knocked again with greater force, bruising her -knuckles until they bled. Still no response. She stepped back a pace -and looked up at the windows; all were shuttered. She struck the door -with repeated blows, and cried to any who might be within to open it. A -shout to her left caused her to start and look round with apprehension -in her eyes. A French soldier, armed with a pike, had just turned the -corner, and behind him were others, some armed with muskets. At sight -of them the girl turned to run back to the gate of the Casa Ximenez. -Glancing in the other direction, she saw a figure hastening from the -nearer end of the street--a figure in the long cloak and low hat of a -Spaniard. He caught sight of the French and stopped short. - -"Senor," she cried, "help us for the love of God! My poor aunt!" - -"What is it, Senorita?" he said, running towards her. "What can I do for -you?" - -She pushed open the gate and sprang through the narrow entrance. The -stranger followed her, slammed the gate behind him, and shot the two -stout bolts into their sockets. - -"My aunt," said the girl, "is an invalid; I was trying to save her. The -French are at the front; what are we to do?" - -She spoke with decision, in rapid tones that conveyed no impression of -fear, but rather of courage and determination. The young Senor looked -at the huddled, helpless figure of the old lady on the bench. - -"Senora," he said quickly to her, "we leave you for a little. Take me -into the house, Senorita." - -As she led the way the youth threw quick glances to right and left, -taking his bearings. - -"Is anyone in the house?" he asked. - -"Francisco; all the other servants have fled." - -"Where is he?" - -"In the sala." - -"Take me to him." - -Afterwards he remembered the peremptoriness of his speech; at the moment -neither noticed it. - -Entering the room, he saw the servant loading and firing as -imperturbably as before his mistress departed. - -"That's right; go on firing," said the stranger. "Now upstairs, -Senorita." - -She led him to the top of the house. The windows at the back overlooked -the tiled roofs of the lower houses opposite, slightly above the level -of the parapet. The street below was filling with French soldiers, who -were battering and firing at the doors, without for the moment doing -much damage. From the barricaded and loopholed windows on the other -side shots flashed at intervals; the houses were evidently defended in -some force, and the throng below were taken aback by the deadly -cross-fires from above. The stranger measured with his eye the distance -across the street from house to house. - -"Have you any boards, tables, anything, about fifteen feet long?" he -asked. - -"I do not know. Francisco will know." - -They ran downstairs. - -"Can you bring the Senora up?" asked the youth. - -"Yes, I carried her down." - -"Please do." - -Juanita hastened to the patio below; Jack went into the sala. - -"Stop firing now, hombre," he said to the servant. "There is one chance -of escape, from window to roof. Are there any planks?" - -Francisco put down his musket, and glanced keenly at the speaker, with a -touch of surprise at his urgent manner. - -"None, Senor, but the boards of the floor." - -"No time to tear those up." - -He glanced round the room. He saw that the heavy curtains were enclosed -at the top within an ornamental wooden framework, square-cut, massive, -and ugly. - -"Steps? A ladder?" he said. - -"In the press at the head of the stairs, Senor." - -"Quick! bring them here; and a hammer." - -In a few moments Jack was standing on a short ladder, hammering the -planks of the framework apart. Extending over both windows and the wall -between, they were about sixteen feet in length. A few hard blows -wrenched the fastenings, and two planks an inch thick lay on the floor. -Side by side they measured three feet across. - -"Now, ropes, cords!" cried Jack. - -A long, stout bell-pull hanging from the ceiling caught his eye. -Tearing it down, by the time Francisco returned with a length of rope -Jack had lashed the planks together at one end. Soon the other ends -were bound as firmly together. - -"Help me upstairs with it." - -They reached the topmost room, whither the girl had already carried her -feeble, whimpering aunt. The extemporized bridge was long enough to -rest on the ledge of the opposite parapet, with a foot each way to -spare. But it could not be thrown across without a support at the other -end; its weight would more than counterbalance any pressure that could -be exerted on the end in the room. - -"Another rope!" cried Jack. - -He had noticed a strong staple in the attic roof above the window. -Francisco came back in two minutes with a long rope. Jack lashed it -round the end of the planks, sprang on the window-sill, and pulled the -rope through the staple. - -"Now let it out steadily as I push the bridge across." - -Juanita stood with shining eyes, watching the young stranger as he -pushed the planks across the street, while Francisco stolidly paid out -the rope. The bridge rested on the parapet. - -"Hold this end firmly against the sill," said Jack to Francisco. - -Juanita held her breath as the young fellow mounted a chair, stepped out -of the window, and walked cautiously to the middle of the bending -bridge. In a moment he was back again in the room. - -"It will bear," he cried. "I go first with the Senora." - -He lifted the old lady carefully; she was too much dazed to have any -consciousness of what was before her, and lay inert in Jack's arms, -moaning "Ay de mi! Ay de mi!" incessantly. - -"Wait till I return," he said to Juanita, who stood, her cheeks flushed -with excitement and hope, within the room. - -Step by step he slowly bore the old lady across the creaking, swaying -planks, till he reached the other side; then he laid her gently down -behind the parapet at the foot of the gable. Then he sped back. - -"Now it is your turn, Senorita," he said, preparing to lift the girl. - -"I can go alone," she said without hesitation. "I can," she repeated -resolutely as Jack sought to detain her. - -Springing lightly on to the planks, she paused for an instant, caught -her skirt in one hand, bit her lips, and then ran across as lightly as a -hare, Jack watching her with a tense feeling of anxiety mingled with -admiration. He gave a gasp of relief. - -"Now, hombre," he said, turning to the old servant, who had held the -planks steady without uttering a word. - -"Not so, Senor," he said; "I go last." - -"Nonsense! I am responsible for this. Get on at once." - -There were loud shouts from below. - -"I am old, Senor. The Frenchmen in the street have seen us now; they -will shoot; it matters little if I die." - -"No more. You must go. The ladies require you." - -From the parapet opposite Juanita was looking at them. Her cheeks were -very pale. - -"Come, Francisco," she said in a tone of authority that brooked no -denial. - -The man hesitated no longer. He mounted the bridge, and walked with -slow, firm step towards his mistress. An upward shower of shots pelted -all around him. One struck him in the leg; he stumbled, nearly -wrenching the planks from Jack's grasp, and Juanita uttered a cry as the -poor man fell headlong into the street. - -[Illustration: Francisco Falls from the Plank] - -Jack saw that there was no time to be lost. A few dexterous shots from -below might destroy the bridge. He must run the gauntlet. He mounted at -his end. At the same moment Juanita, with great presence of mind, -seized the other end, and held it firmly against the parapet. Three -bounds, amid flying shots, and Jack reached the parapet in safety. -Then, catching up the planks, he hurled them down upon the crowd. - -"You are not hurt, Senorita?" he said. - -"Poor Francisco!" was her reply. There was a tremor in her voice, not -from fear, as her next words showed. "I am ready, Senor; tell me what -we are to do now." - -There was a trap-door a yard away, opening inwards. Jack tried this with -his foot; it was bolted, but the bolt rattled, and could evidently be -forced with little exertion. Without hesitating he sprang heavily on to -the wood; it gave and fell in with a crash. Jack's body had almost -disappeared into the opening, when as he fell he caught the ledge with -both hands, and though the sudden stoppage gave his muscles a severe -wrench, he managed to maintain his grip, and hung on with legs dangling. - -"Senorita," he said, "come and look down and tell me what the drop is. -I cannot see, myself." - -Juanita went down on hands and knees, and peered into the darkness. For -a moment her eyes could discern nothing; then, as they became accustomed -to the obscurity, she said that the trap-door opened into an attic room, -and that the floor was not far below. Jack instantly let go, and -dropped. The distance was but ten feet. Regaining an erect posture, he -found, after a little groping, a short ladder in a corner of the attic. -He placed this in the opening, and went up into the light again. It was -the work of only a few minutes to carry the old lady down the ladder. -Juanita followed, and instantly busied herself with her half-fainting -aunt. - -"Wait here, Senorita," said Jack, "while I go down into the house and -see if the way is open for escape." - -The attic door was not locked. Jack went out, down the stairs, through -the house from top to bottom, and found every room empty, every window -barricaded, and the outer doors locked. Unlike the occupants of the -other houses on this side of the street, the inhabitants of this had -clearly not stayed to defend it. The front door was bolted on the -inside; at the door of a yard at the back the bolts were drawn, showing -that escape had been made that way. Jack pulled at the door; the lock -held firmly; it was impossible to force it; the only means of exit was -over the wall. Hastening upstairs again, he explained the position to -Juanita, who looked at him with the same quiet self-possession. - -"Do you know any house in the centre of the city, Senorita," asked Jack, -"where you can take refuge? Your own house is now, without doubt, in the -hands of the French." - -"Yes, Senor, we have friends in the Calle del Coso with whom we can -stay." - -"Then, if you will allow me I will escort you thither. I do not know the -town very well, but I know the Calle del Coso." - -"Yes, we will go. But how can we take my aunt, Senor?" asked the girl. -"Helpless as she was half an hour ago, she is prostrate now. You could -not carry her all the way." - -"I think I know of a plan. The first thing is to take her downstairs, -and I am strong enough for that." - -In a few minutes all three were at the yard door. Jack returned to the -attic for the ladder, and having placed that against the wall, he -carefully carried the old lady to the top, where he sat with her until -Juanita had also mounted, drawn up the ladder, and let it down on the -other side. They were now in a narrow lane, in which nobody was to be -seen, though they knew by the shouts and the gunshots that fighting was -going on at no great distance. Leaving the old lady in Juanita's -charge, Jack went back into the house, and soon returned with a large -chair and two short props he had found in the patio. Placing the old -lady in the chair, he passed the props through the legs on each side. - -"If you will hold them at the back, Senorita," he said, "I will take -them in front, and then we shall be able to carry the Senora between -us." - -Thus burdened, they walked slowly down the lane, turned to the right, -and found themselves in a street filled with soldiers and citizens, -among whom were many women and priests. Almost all, even the priests, -were armed, and many were hastening in the direction of the Augustine -convent, where the French, after a desperate struggle, had just -succeeded in forcing an entrance to the town. Barricades had been -erected at various parts of the street. No one showed any surprise at -the sight of an old lady carried on a chair. Strange incidents of the -siege were happening every day. Every hour some new family was obliged -to quit its dwelling and seek safety in flight. Unnoticed and -unmolested, Jack and his companions in a few minutes reached the house -in the Calle del Coso to which Juanita had referred. They were admitted -immediately to the patio. There Juanita found her friends eating a meal -the frugality of which spoke only too plainly of the straits to which -the city was now reduced. The exhausted condition of the old lady -demanded instant attention, and while the group of friends gathered -about her solicitously, Jack took a hurried farewell of her niece. - -"Now that you are in safety, Senorita, I can leave you and go to fulfil -an errand I have. I trust the Senora will soon recover from her -weakness and terror, and that you will not suffer from the strain of -this frightful morning." - -"Senor, you have the heart-felt thanks of my aunt and myself. But for -your timely help--I dare not think of it. And poor Francisco! To think -of him dead, killed by those horrible French! ... We can never thank you -enough." - -Jack was conscious of some constraint in the young lady's manner, which -he ascribed to the reaction from her excitement and the peril recently -gone through. - -"I am only too glad that I happened to be passing at that moment, -Senorita," he said. "And now, farewell!" - -He bowed. The young lady looked at him with a curiously scrutinizing -expression in her eyes; then, returning his bow with somewhat more -formality, Jack thought, than the occasion required, she said: - -"Adios--Senor!" - - - - - *CHAPTER XIX* - - *Palafox the Man* - - -Night on the Ebro--Across the Boom--Heroines of the Siege--The -Captain-General--An Interview--A Missing Letter--War to the Knife--An -Interruption--Santiago Sass--First Impressions - - -So exciting an incident immediately on his entrance into Saragossa had -engrossed Jack's attention so thoroughly as to drive from his mind the -matter which, until he turned the corner of the Casa Ximenez, had been -giving him much concern. Where was Pepito? That mischievous but useful -elf had been the life and soul of the sailors during their rapid voyage -from Seville to the mouth of the Ebro. When they disembarked at Tortosa -he had managed with great cleverness the hiring of horses on which to -continue the journey overland, and had ridden with Jack across country -until they reached the village of Mediana, some fifteen miles from -Saragossa. There Jack learnt that Saragossa was closely invested on all -sides by the French, and in particular that the Monte Torrero, an -eminence on the south-west of the city, was in the hands of the enemy, -who had made it the base of most vigorous and sustained operations. - -It was clearly impossible to penetrate the French lines and enter the -city on foot or horseback; the only other means was the river. Jack -made anxious enquiry as to the chances of finding the waterway open. He -learnt that in the early days of the siege several boats had eluded the -vigilance of the French and come down the river, and that, only a -fortnight before, Francisco Palafox, the brother of the captain-general -in command, had escaped under cover of night and was now at large, -endeavouring to raise a relief force. But the peasants of Mediana knew -of no case of a boat going up-stream and passing the French batteries -since Colonel Doyle had sent a number of new muskets into the city the -day before the strict investment began. Further, in addition to a -bridge of boats near the confluence of the tributary Huerba with the -main stream, a boom had been thrown across the river a few hundred yards -below this point, and it seemed most unlikely that now, in the seventh -week of the siege, the French sentries would have so far relaxed their -watchfulness as to allow the boom to be crossed or broken. - -This was bad news, and Jack, for the moment, felt baffled. He -discovered, however, that at this time of year Saragossa and the -neighbouring district were covered at early morning with a thick mist -from the river and the low-lying banks, and he felt that if he could -take advantage of this fact he might slip into the city despite all the -enemy's vigilance. At any rate he determined to make the attempt. A -bargain was soon struck at a riverside village for the loan of a boat. -The oars were carefully muffled, and after dark, on the night of January -31st, Jack started with high hope on the last stage of his long journey. - -All went well. It was a pitch-dark night, and the strain of rowing a -heavy craft against the stream necessitated frequent pulls-in to the -bank for rest. But steady progress was made mile by mile, until, about -five o'clock in the morning, sounds ahead indicated that the boat was -drawing very near to the French encampments. - -Every stroke of the oars was now made with infinite precaution, and the -boat crawled along at a snail's pace. Pepito, in the bow, leant over to -watch for the boom which blocked the waterway, and many times dipped his -hands into the icy-cold water so that touch might not fail where sight -was impossible. The air was raw and chilly, and Jack was delighted to -learn, from his sensations in throat and eyes, that the mist of which -his informant had spoken was an actuality. - -It was drawing towards dawn. The darkness was yielding to a faint -luminance that was not yet light, when suddenly, a few moments after -Pepito had withdrawn his numbed hand from the water, the boat was pulled -up with a jolt, and a harsh prolonged creak testified that its nose had -come at last into contact with the boom--a heavy chain drawn across the -river from bank to bank. Instantly there was a cry from the bank on -their right: "Qui va la?" At that same moment, without the least -hesitation, Pepito slipped noiselessly over the side of the boat into -the water, caught the chain with one hand, and endeavoured to pull it -down, whispering to his master to row over. But his puny strength was, -of course, unavailing, and he crept back shivering into the bows. Jack, -however, had at once divined the only possible solution of the problem. -So heavy a chain must undoubtedly sag towards the middle of the stream. -Was the middle to his right hand or his left? He pulled the boat -sideways against the obstruction, and told Pepito to slip overboard and -walk along the chain while he himself gently paddled. At a guess he -moved to the right, and was soon gratified by Pepito's whispered -announcement that the chain seemed to be sinking. When the water -reached the boy's middle, Jack gently brought the boat's head to the -stream, and with two vigorous strokes drove the unwieldy vessel across -the boom. The boat's bottom scraped the massive links as it crossed; -Pepito clambered in rather too hastily and slipped; the sounds caught -the ears of the sentry on the bank, and another cry of "Qui va la?" -penetrated the mist, followed by a shot. More voices were heard; more -shots; and then from a point behind came the sound of a boat being run -down the bank. Jack now plied his oars with might and main; cries, -followed by shots, rang out from the other bank, and then, ahead and -approaching him, he heard the straining of oars against rowlocks. There -was no time for hesitation. Pulling hard on the left oar he headed for -the bank, taking his chance, and in a few seconds grounded with a shock. -In an instant he was out of the boat, and, followed closely by Pepito, -started at a quick walk through the clinging fog in what he guessed must -be the direction of the city. - -They had not walked fifty yards when a terrific explosion rent the air, -deafening their ears and almost knocking them backward. Immediately -afterwards the thunder of heavy artillery broke out to their right, and -the mist beyond them was fitfully illuminated by lurid flashes. Brought -to a momentary stop, Jack again went forward, with eyes and ears -painfully strained, every fantastic eddy of the mist presenting itself -as a possible enemy. Suddenly he looked round to see that Pepito was -with him. The boy was gone! Retracing his steps, he peered through the -gloom, calling the gipsy's name softly. There was no answer, no sign of -him. Five minutes were spent in fruitless search; then, within a few -yards of him, Jack heard the tramp of men marching rapidly in file. -With a mixed feeling of annoyance and anxiety he turned and made off in -the opposite direction, crossed the district known as the Tanneries, and -after wandering about for nearly an hour, dodging footsteps, and seeing -with concern the mist clearing, arrived at the turning of the Casa -Ximenez just in time to assist the young lady then so urgently needing -assistance. - -Still anxious about the safety of the gipsy boy, Jack felt, after -leaving the house in the Coso, that he could do nothing at the moment, -and his first duty was to present his despatch to General Palafox. The -sounds of combat hurtled in the air; behind him clouds of smoke and -flame bore witness to the success of the French bombardment. The street -was full of men, women, citizens, soldiers, priests, hastening from -point to point, all armed, all with fury and grim determination printed -on their worn features. Stopping a boy who was hauling along a barrow -filled with powder, Jack asked him where General Palafox could be found. - -"In the Palace of the Inquisition, by the Portillo Gate," replied the -boy in surprise, scarcely stopping to answer the question, and hurrying -on again with his fatal load. Before he had gone fifty yards a bomb fell -into the barrow, and, unknown to Jack, this little defender of Saragossa -was blown into eternity. - -Jack hastened along the street, climbing the barricades, shuddering as -he saw the unburied corpses of the slain lying before every church door, -wincing in spite of himself as the thunders of the cannonade resounded -in his rear, and admiring the courage of the black-robed noble ladies, -who went about the streets swiftly but quietly, some carrying aid to the -wounded, others almost staggering beneath the weight of great bags of -powder and ammunition tied to their waists. He hurried along the Coso, -crossed the Calle del Hospital, pursued his way to the Portillo Gate, -and at length, passing through a long covered approach, reached the -Palace of the Inquisition--the Castle of Aljafferia, at the extreme -north of the city, outside the walls. At the gate of the castle many -people were going in and coming out. Jack joined the ingoing stream, -and found himself within the stately halls of the old palace of the -kings of Aragon, crowded with soldiers and people of all classes. -Learning with some difficulty that the captain-general was in one of the -smaller salons, he at length reached the room, and stood in presence of -the man whom for months past he had been more than eager to see. - -Jose Palafox was barely thirty years of age, a tall man with dark -complexion, heavy brown moustache and whiskers, and kindling -eyes--kindling now, alas! with the flame of disease as well as of -patriotic ardour. He was seated at a table on which papers were -outspread. Every now and then his frame was racked with coughing. At -his right hand stood a grim-visaged priest, Don Basilio Bogiero, his -chaplain, whose fiery zeal in the defence of the city was equal to his -own. Around were others of the notable men of the place, whom Jack came -to know before many days had passed--the parish priest Santiago Sass, -the burly peasants known to the whole populace as Uncle George and Uncle -Marin, who had already proved their valour at the first siege of -Saragossa, six months before. Making his way through the throng, he came -to the table, and, bowing to the general, presented him with the -despatch he had run such risks to deliver. - -"From the British minister, Senor?" said Palafox in surprise, looking -keenly at Jack. - -He broke the seal, and showed the handwriting to Don Basilio, who nodded -in answer to his mute enquiry. The general then rapidly cast his eyes -over the despatch; Jack, watching him, saw his features twitch as he -read. Collecting himself, he folded it up and placed it in his pocket. - -"My brothers," he said aloud, "this is good news." - -A shout interrupted him. - -"Good news! good news!" rang from lip to lip. Santiago Sass crossed -himself and cried: "Praise to our Lady of the Pillar!" Don Basilio -watched everything with his fierce eyes. - -"Yes, my brothers, good news!" continued Palafox. "The great English -general, Sir Moore, has smitten the hosts of the accursed French; an -army three times his own he has smitten and scattered to the winds of -heaven. The traitor, the regicide, Bonaparte, has fled to France, and -our brethren in all parts of Spain are massing to march to our -assistance. Praise to the noble English! Praise to our noble allies! -Praise to the great and noble Moore!" - -"Praise to Our Lady of the Pillar!" shouted Santiago Sass. - -The room rang with exultant cries, some in praise of Moore and the -English, others in adoring gratitude towards the patron saint of the -city. The fervour of religious enthusiasm was all the intenser because -of the general belief that the extraordinary failure of the first siege, -six months before, had been due to the miraculous interposition of Our -Lady. - -While the exultation was at its height, Palafox whispered a few words in -the ear of Don Basilio, rose from his chair, and beckoned Jack to follow -him into a small inner room. There, having shut the door, he asked: - -"Do you know the contents of the British minister's despatch, Senor?" - -"Not in precise terms, Senor Capitan, but I know the facts. I was -myself with Sir John Moore's army. I--" - -"Pardon me, Senor. You see what I am compelled to do? The patriotic -ardour of the Saragossans is so furious that I dare not as yet let them -know all the truth. And, indeed, I do not yet give up hope. Though Mr. -Frere tells me that I can no longer expect assistance from without, I do -not know--I do not know. My brother is raising levies to the south; -others are gathering forces. In any case, our brave countrymen will -form guerrilla bands, and we shall give the accursed French no respite -until they are all driven back across the mountains. And--but tell me; -I do not understand why I have received so long and full a despatch from -Mr. Frere and none from our own Junta. I should have expected that the -Marquis del Villel would have given you a despatch that would have been -of equal importance with the British minister's." - -"That is easily explained, Senor Capitan. I carry Mr. Frere's despatch -because I am myself an Englishman. My name is Lumsden--Lieutenant -Lumsden of the Rifles." Jack watched the general's face for a sign of -recognition of the name. - -"Indeed! you amaze me. You speak our tongue so--Lumsden! I remember; I -had almost forgotten it; a friend of my old friend Don Fernan -Alvarez--is it not so? Alas! Don Fernan could not survive the -humiliation of his unhappy country. Are you the Senor Lumsden who was -Don Fernan's friend?" - -"My father was his partner, Senor," replied Jack. - -"Yes, and I had a letter for you, addressed to you by Don Fernan, and -left in my charge ere he died. As I understood, it was a duplicate of a -letter sent to Mr. Lumsden in London--your father, no doubt, Senor--and -Don Fernan asked me to retain it until I heard either from your father -or yourself, and if I heard from neither within six months, I was to -send it to an address in London that he gave me." - -Palafox was here overtaken by a fit of coughing, which shook his -fever-worn frame. When the coughing ceased, and the general lay back -panting, Jack said quietly: - -"And the letter, Senor?" - -"That is what troubles me, Senor. I regret to tell you--" - -He was seized again with coughing; Jack waited anxiously for the -paroxysm to cease. - -"I regret to tell you the letter is gone." - -"Gone!" echoed Jack blankly. - -"Gone, Senor." - -"But how--why--can it have been lost, mislaid?" - -"It was locked in my cabinet. A fortnight ago my cabinet was rifled, -and a box of papers was taken away, among them the letter addressed to -your father." - -"But still I do not understand, Senor. Why should anyone wish to steal -a letter addressed to an unknown Englishman?" - -"No one wished that, I suspect," said Palafox with a faint smile. "The -box in which the letter was placed was exactly similar to another box -containing papers of public importance, including plans for the defence -of the city. That, as I surmise, was the box which the thief wished to -secure. Luckily for Spain, unluckily for you, he stole the wrong box, -and apart from your letter obtained nothing of any great importance." - -"I am glad of that," said Jack instantly. "Of course I am disappointed -and vexed about the letter, but a private loss like that does not matter -half so much as the loss of your plans would have done; it's no good -crying over spilt milk, as we say, and I must put up with it." - -"It is good of you to take the matter with such noble resignation," said -the courtly Spaniard. "Believe me, I regret the circumstance -exceedingly. I can only hope that the French spy who stole the box--he -must have been a French spy; we have no afrancesados in Saragossa--I can -only hope that there was nothing in the letter that will seriously -affect your fortunes, and after all, it was a duplicate, and the -original is probably safe with your father in London. And now tell me, -Senor, how you succeeded in the daring and marvellous feat of entering -our sorely invested city." - -Jack gave a brief account of his adventures, to which Palafox listened -with an air of the keenest interest. - -"It will be more difficult to get out than in," he said at the -conclusion of the story. "And yet to remain in the city will be to -court death or disease. It cuts me to the heart to think of the -thousands who are dying here week by week, not for want of food--we have -provisions of a sort in plenty--but for want of air and space. We had -too large a population, Senor, when the siege began. I should have sent -away the townsfolk; I see it now. And yet no, for the townsfolk are our -most ardent and staunch defenders; even when the courage of the soldiers -flags, the brave citizens cry "Guerra al cuchillo",[#] and "Hasta la -ultima tapia",[#] and when fell disease overtakes them in the fetid -cellars where they now mostly live, still with pious resignation they -cry: "Lo que ha de ser no puede faltar".[#] Such is their spirit, -Senor, and hoping against hope I maintain my defences, and, if God -wills, shall yet win the day." - - -[#] "War to the knife." - -[#] "To the last wall." - -[#] "That which is to be cannot fail." - - -During this speech Palafox had worked himself up into a frenzy that -brought on another fit of coughing; and Jack, observing his unnaturally -bright eyes, could not but wonder whether the labours and -responsibilities of the defence were not affecting his mind. In a -moment Jack said quietly: - -"My position need not give you concern at present, Senor Capitan. I -must stay in Saragossa for at any rate a day, for I have to make -enquiries after my old friend Don Fernan's family. His daughter, -Senor--is she well?" - -"I believe so; I hope so. It is long since I saw her. I wished her to -leave the city before the siege, but, like a true maiden of Spain, she -preferred to remain and do what she could to help the noble Countess of -Bureta and the thrice noble Maria Agustin, our heroic maid of Saragossa, -in serving the soldiers and tending the sick and wounded. The Senorita -is under the guardianship of her aunt, the Dona Teresa, and if you will -seek the Padre Consolacion, he will give you all particulars of their -welfare; he undertook to watch over their interests at my special -request. If you stay with us for a time, then, Senor, you will want a -residence. There is little choice; we are at the mercy of the French -guns; no house is safe, but--" - -"I have been thinking, Senor," interposed Jack, as the general paused: -"Will you accept me as a volunteer? I have some months' leave. I not -only have personal interests in your city, but I feel that the struggle -in which you are engaged is one that I can throw myself into with a -whole heart. The cause of Spain is the cause of England, and if I can -do anything--" - -"Senor, I thank you; I welcome you with eagerness. You are an officer; -your experience with Sir Moore's army will be of value to me. Many of -my best officers are dead; many more have no experience. If you please, -I will assign you a definite command on our defences; will you come to -me to-morrow at this hour?" - -Jack was on the point of replying when loud vociferations came through -the door from the large room. "Palafox! Where is Palafox? The -captain-general! Come! Help! Tio Jorge! Palafox!" The cries grew -louder and louder; heavy fists, muskets, pikes battered on the door; Don -Basilio's powerful voice was heard endeavouring to quell the tumult. -Gathering himself together, and bravely repressing the signs of weakness -he had previously shown, Palafox walked to the door, opened it, and -stood in the doorway. - -"What is it, my children?" he said. - -The noise was hushed; the crowd turned as one man and seemed to be -looking for someone. Then a passage opened up among them, and a huge -brawny figure, with capless, dishevelled head, torn clothes, and face -and hands black with the smoke of battle, elbowed his way through till -he came to the general. - -"Viva Arcos! Viva el valiente Arcos!" cried several in the throng. - -"Silencio!" in the stern, authoritative tone of Don Basilio. - -"Senor Capitan," said the big man, "the French are making towards the -Coso! The Casa Ximenez block is in their hands. They are burning, -butchering; they are beating down our men at the barricades! I come for -the reserve, Senor; for Tio Jorge and Tio Marin, and all their men! At -once, Senor; send them at once; for if time is lost, the accursed foe -will swarm into the centre of the town, and all is lost." - -Before Palafox could say a word, the priest Santiago Sass seized a -musket, and, raising his piercing voice, cried: - -"Follow me! follow me! In the name of God and Our Lady of the Pillar! -To the convent of San Agustin! Tio Jorge, Tio Marin, Jorge Arcos, -follow me!" - -He rushed out into the corridor, and the mob, in a frenzy of enthusiasm, -poured pell-mell after him, carrying their heroes with them. The room -was left almost empty. Don Basilio turned to Palafox and said quietly: - -"They will recover any ground that is lost. Spare yourself, my son -Jose." - -"But the madness of Santiago leading them to the convent! The walls -were breached by the explosion this morning, and the French must now be -in full possession of it." - -"If the Augustine convent is where the explosion took place," cried Jack -eagerly, "that is near where I came in this morning. I found out by -accident something of the position there, Senor. I think I could help. -Have I your leave?" - -Palafox looked kindly into the boy's shining eyes. - -"Yes," he said, "go, and bring me word of what befalls." - -[Illustration: Second Siege of Saragossa] - -Jack sprang instantly towards the door. As he passed out, Don Basilio -turned with an enquiring look towards Palafox. - -"An English youth, Padre," said the general, in answer to his mute -question. - -"A leader of men," said the priest, and sat down to write a -proclamation. - - - - - *CHAPTER XX* - - *A Day with Tio Jorge* - - -A Barricade--Battering-Rams--A Lull--A Way In--On the Stairs--The Day's -Work--A Triumph--Pepito's Watch - - -At the end of the covered way leading to the Portillo Gate Jack found -Tio Jorge giving instructions to a group of armed citizens, who went off -one by one on various errands. Seizing a favourable opportunity, Jack -went up to the big Spaniard, and in a few rapid words acquainted him -with his own position and intentions. Jorge scanned him for a moment -with quick, penetrating glance, then said: - -"Senor will want a musket. There is a stand of arms at the corner -yonder." - -In two minutes Jack, armed with a musket of British make--one of those -opportunely thrown into the town by Colonel Doyle the day before the -siege opened,--was hastening along by the side of Tio Jorge into the -city. On entering the streets, the Spaniard summoned to join him small -bodies of citizens who were gathered at certain points to act as -reinforcements and reserves. Soon he was at the head of a considerable -troop, all of the artisan class, for in these days of stress every -able-bodied man in the city was transformed into a fighter. - -As they ran, their ears were deafened by a loud explosion on the right. -The air was darkened with dust; broken slates and stones came hurtling -down upon their heads; but the eager citizens pressed on with an -indifference that showed how much accustomed they were to such -incidents. - -"A block of houses blown up between here and the Santa Engracia -convent," said Tio Jorge in answer to a question of Jack's. "But that -is not our business. The French will hold the ruins, but they'll get no -farther. Our men will beat them back. 'Tis more dangerous towards San -Agustin. The French have gained more there in this one day than in -weeks on the Santa Engracia side. Hombres," he cried to the men with -him, "hasten, hasten! The French are over the barricades, and we must -drive them out at all costs." - -They ran on. Even in the rush and excitement Jack was struck by the -scenes of horror in the streets. At one point two corpses swung slowly -on gibbets erected by the door of a church. Tio Jorge pointed to one of -them, a look of grim exultation on his face. - -"He was my school-fellow," he said, "and my friend; but I hanged him. -So perish all who falter and counsel surrender!" - -Wounded men were being carried to the hospitals by women; some were -limping or crawling with shattered limbs and ghastly faces. Women and -children ran hither and thither, some carrying goods from houses -threatened by the enemy, others food and ammunition for the fighters. -Though many of them bore only too manifest signs of sickness and -privation, they all seemed animated by the same spirit of fierce -determination, and a gleam lit up their worn features whenever Tio -Jorge, as he passed, threw them a word of encouragement. - -All the way along the Coso the sounds of firing in the eastern quarter -of the city came more and more distinctly on the ear. Dense clouds of -smoke rolled towards them, and Jack heard the crackle of flames, still -invisible. A messenger with blackened face came towards Tio Jorge, and -announced that the French had captured three blocks of buildings beyond -the Casa Ximenez, and were slowly but surely gaining ground. The -Spaniard, bellowing out fierce maledictions on the enemy, hastened his -stride, and in a few minutes reached a street leading to the university. -Here the Spaniards had entrenched themselves behind a barricade, where -they endeavoured to find cover from the musket-shots fired from houses -on both sides of the streets. The French, borrowing the tactics of the -besieged, had occupied these houses, and were shooting from windows and -loopholes bored in the walls. - -The lean figure of the frenzied Santiago Sass was conspicuous among the -defenders of the barricade. Disdaining all artifice, he stood erect, a -mark for every bullet, yet unhurt, uttering derisive shouts, and -mingling his battle-cry with quotations from the Psalms. Seeing Tio -Jorge approach at the head of his men, the priest hailed him with loud -acclaim. - -"Twice," he cried, "twice, Tio Jorge, have we already beaten back the -men of Belial. The hand of the Lord is heavy upon them!" - -"And shall be heavier!" cried Tio Jorge. "We must over the barricade, -hombres." - -Instantly Santiago Sass mounted the entrenchment, and was first on the -other side, his long cassock flying loose as he led the charge, musket -in hand. Tio Jorge and Jack were but a yard behind him, and with a -great shout the Spaniards swarmed over and dashed furiously at the -French advancing to the attack. Nothing could withstand their rush. -The French gave way, but instead of retreating down the street they -disappeared into the houses on either side, bolted the doors behind -them, and went to swell the numbers of those who already occupied posts -of vantage within. In vain the frenzied Spaniards beat on the doors -with their clubbed muskets; the massive panels were unyielding, and a -rain of bullets fell from above, thinning the Spanish ranks moment by -moment. - -"Poles, bring poles!" shouted Tio Jorge. - -Instantly men ran off, some of them only to drop on the way. The -survivors returned by and by with poles and beams, with which as -battering-rams they drove at the fast-closed doors. They were shot down -almost to a man; but the places of those that fell were at once taken. -A door here and there was burst in, and the heroic Spaniards sprang into -the gardens and patios, only to be killed or wounded before ever they -came to close quarters with the French. - -From the first Tio Jorge had selected as the special object of his -attack a large house on the right of the barricade. It was evidently -held by a considerable force of the enemy. But all assaults upon its -thick door had proved ineffectual. Even when a heavy beam was brought -up as a battering-ram it could not be used with effect, for the door was -at such an angle to the barricade that it could only be struck obliquely -unless the bearers of the beam advanced for several yards into the open, -where so many of their comrades had already been struck down. Tio Jorge -ordered his men to make an attempt to drive in the door from the angle -of the barricade. Before the beam could be thrown across, one of the -men carrying it was shot. The rest persevered, hauled it over, and made -for the door. A sheet of flame burst from the windows above; six of the -men were hit. The weight of the beam being now unequally distributed, -the other men were dragged down, or tripped over the bodies of the -slain. - -Jack had accompanied them. Feeling a sharp pain in his left arm, and -seeing that nothing could be done at the moment, he ran back to the -barricade, narrowly escaping being hit by flying bullets. Behind the -barricade he found Tio Jorge with a few others, the only survivors of -the band which had come up with such ardour and enthusiasm. The leader -was furious, railing at fate and at the failure of the men to back up -their comrades, and shouting for more men to come to his assistance. -Meanwhile, as Jack stood by endeavouring to bind up what proved to be a -slight flesh wound, a lady came from the corner of the street, bearing -food and wine. Seeing what Jack was about, she placed her baskets on -the ground, calling upon the men to help themselves, and then with quick -deft hands completed the bandaging which Jack had clumsily begun. - -"You look tired," she said. "Take some food, Senor." - -Jack was only too glad to eat and drink. It was the first food that had -passed his lips since he left the boat. Tio Jorge, too, ate like a -famished man. - -"Gracias, Contessa," he said in a softer voice than was usual with him. - -When all had eaten and drunk, the lady picked up her baskets and moved -away without hurry towards another part of the city. - -"Who is she, hombre?" asked Jack. - -"The noble Contessa de Bureta, Senor; a delicate, frail lady, as you -see, but as fearless as--as I myself." - -There was a breathing-space, during which the men rested, awaiting -reinforcements, and rejoiced that the French were contenting themselves -with their work from the houses, and made no further attempt at present -to storm the barricade. Jack took stock of the situation. The house on -the right could not be taken by assault; it was occupied in too great -force by skilled marksmen. To ram the door by a direct blow was -impossible, as experience had proved; the fire from the houses was so -deadly that no bearers could live through it. While Jack was pondering, -the little band had been reinforced by other citizens, and Tio Jorge was -on the point of ordering another attack. But he had uttered only a few -words of vehement encouragement when Jack interposed. - -"Give me ten men, and I think in a few minutes we could drive the French -from yonder house without great loss." - -Tio Jorge looked doubtingly at Jack's eager face. They were crouching -behind the barricade, and there was a temporary lull in the firing. - -"How will you do that?" asked the Spaniard. - -"Attack them from above." - -"Impossible! impossible! If you got to the roofs you could not get into -the houses, for the trap-doors are all towards the street. You would be -seen from the houses on the opposite side, and shot down at once." - -"Still, I think it is possible. I have a plan." - -"Well, then, go, Senor, in the name of Our Lady of the Pillar, and I -will remain here and fire on the French to cover your movements." - -Accompanied by ten men hastily selected by Tio Jorge, Jack made his way -to the rear, and came to a house which had not yet fallen into the hands -of the French. Gaining admittance, he led his men upstairs to the attic -floor, clambered out by the trap-door, and, before the enemy had caught -sight of him, succeeded in crawling over the sloping roof to the -opposite side. Two or three men had followed him safely. Then the move -was seen, and bullets began to patter on the roof, so that the other men -had to follow Jack at great risk. All but one managed to crawl over and -join him without hurt, and the nine stood with him on the farther side -of the roof, sheltered by the low parapet from any shots that might come -from that direction. - -Then he led them quickly on to the roof of the adjoining house, which -was occupied by the French. Immediately over an attic window he -cautiously started to loosen the tiles, the Spaniards eagerly following -his example as they perceived his intentions. After the first two or -three tiles had been gently prised out, the rest came away easily. Half -the men were employed in lifting the tiles, while the others took them -from their hands, and laid them quietly in heaps at the foot of the -parapet. Under the tiles were the joists, and as these were not -connected by matchboard, it was an easier matter than Jack had expected -to break an opening into the room below. It was empty. Such little -noise as had been made on the roof had evidently been drowned by the -continuous firing in the houses and streets. Jack handed his musket to -the man next him, and, catching hold of one of the joists, swung lightly -down into the room. The man handed him his musket, then followed him, -to be followed in turn by all his comrades. In little more than ten -minutes after their arrival on the roof the ten stood together in the -attic. - -"Now, hombres," said Jack, "we have to clear them out room by room." - -Followed by the Spaniards, he dashed from the attic down the stairs into -the first room on the floor below. At the window were three men, so -intent on firing at the barricade that they were not aware of their -danger until the invaders were upon them. When they turned and saw -their enemies they had no thought of surrender. In this bitter war -surrender to a Spaniard was only another name for death. But before -they could bring their muskets to the shoulder the Spaniards were at -their throats. They fell. Instantly the victors rushed to another -room. In a few minutes all the occupants of that floor were disposed -off. - -By this time the rest of the garrison had taken the alarm. Many of the -French had left their posts, and were crowding downstairs in a panic, -believing that a large force of Spaniards had gained a lodgment in the -house. Tio Jorge below inferred from the slackening of the enemy's fire -that the bold attempt had been successful. Without losing an instant he -ordered some of his men to make another onslaught with the beam on the -door, and sent others round to the back of the house, where a narrow -lane was at present clear of the French, to intercept any who should -endeavour to escape there. Panic had now seized the French in the -house. Fearing to be taken in front and rear, most rushed downstairs -towards the back entrance, a few obstinately refusing to stir, and -calling on their comrades to stand firm. But Jack and his men poured in -pursuit, shouting, to keep up the illusion of their being a numerous -body. Below, the door at last fell in with a crash before the strokes -of the ram. Tio Jorge burst in, and found only a small knot of French -between himself and Jack's men. The execution was swift and sure. Of -all the French who had used that house as their fortress only those -escaped who, fleeing out by the back door, cut their way through the -Spaniards sent by Tio Jorge to intercept them. - -This brilliant success, won by citizens without the help of the -soldiery, wrought the spirits of the people to a high pitch of -exultation. Santiago Sass, who had escaped in all his wild -peregrinations without a scratch, rejoined Tio Jorge's band, and rolled -out sonorous sentences in jubilant frenzy. But the Spaniards were not -satisfied with the first triumph of the day. There were other blocks of -houses in possession of the French. After a brief respite, during which -reinforcements of soldiers and citizens came up in considerable numbers, -the defenders set to work systematically to dislodge the French from the -positions so hardly won. The housetop device was put in practice -wherever access could be obtained. For hours the struggle continued, -and Jack, who worked as hard as any man, was struck with admiration of -the untiring enthusiasm of the Spaniards. Fighting from barricade to -barricade, and from house to house, they retook position after position, -until, as early dusk fell, the French had been cleared out of all the -houses and forced back to their impregnable position in the Santa Monica -and San Agustin convents. - -The din of combat died down. Jack had arrived at the Casa Ximenez, the -scene of his adventure in the morning. Entering the house, he found many -signs of its temporary occupation by the French, but the fighting had -been so intense and so persistent that they had had no time to -perpetrate the wanton mischief and destruction which usually marked -their progress. Jack went through the house to make sure that none of -the French were left, and, entering one of the rooms, he guessed by the -character of its furniture and appointments that it belonged to the -young lady whom he had assisted earlier in the day. The French had been -so much occupied in the lower rooms that they had left this room -untouched. There were a few trinkets on the dressing-table. Jack put -these into his pocket, knowing that the Senorita would be glad to -receive anything of value that could be rescued. Then, descending into -the patio, he found that Tio Jorge had already told off a company of his -men to occupy the house during the night, in preparation for the renewed -attack which was undoubtedly to be expected in the morning. - -"Come, Senor," shouted the big fellow, "we will now go to the -captain-general and tell him what we have done for Saragossa this day. -And your part, por Dios! is one that no Saragossan will forget. Come!" - -They left the house. The sounds of bombardment and musketry had ceased; -parties of the citizens were moving about collecting the dead and -wounded; women and children were emerging for a breath of air from the -close cellars in which they had sheltered during the day. As Tio Jorge -and Jack passed into the street, they became aware, from the attitude of -a group of soldiers and citizens all looking in one direction, that -something unusual was attracting their attention. Looking up the -street, towards the same end at which he had entered it nearly twelve -hours before, Jack saw, by the light of the torches carried by -search-parties, a small figure advancing--the figure of a boy, with a -Frenchman's kepi many sizes too large for him almost obliterating his -head, a Frenchman's sword dangling from his belt, its point trailing a -yard behind him along the cobbles, and a Frenchman's musket weighing -down his shoulder. The boy was staggering along under his burdens, yet -contrived to maintain an air of jauntiness and assurance that held the -Spaniards spell-bound with surprise and curiosity. - -"The imp again!" ejaculated Jack with a smile. - -The boy caught sight of him, and, endeavouring to hasten his step, -tripped over his sword and fell headlong, rising a moment after without -musket or kepi, and revealing the swarthy face and unkempt hair of -Pepito. - -"Here I am, Senor," he said with his enigmatical smile. "Not lost, -Senor." - -"So I see. And what have you been doing? What do you mean by giving me -the slip like that, and making me think the French had got you?" - -Pepito looked aggrieved. He took out of his vest the silver watch Jack -had given him at Seville, and held it dangling by its chain. - -"Senor's gift; should it get wet? Never. I got into the water; not the -watch. No, I put it on one of the thwarts. We got out of the boat. -Senor went so fast that I forgot the watch. It was Senor's fault. I -went back for it, Senor; I got it; then when I came away--ha! I hear the -march of men. I stop; I hide; all day long from my deep hole I see the -French shoot with their big guns across the river. I wait; I think, -what if Senor is dead? I wish I had come with him, and let the watch -get wet. Then, wonder of wonders! the Busne drive the French back. -They go by my hole; one falls; then all is quiet, and I steal out and -get these things from the dead man, and I come in and have Senor as well -as the watch." - -Jack could hardly find fault with the boy for wishing to preserve his -own gift. Explaining to Tio Jorge that Pepito was a servant of his, he -turned to resume his interrupted journey northward, and bade Pepito -follow him closely. - - - - - *CHAPTER XXI* - - *Night on the Ramparts* - - -The Cafe Arcos--The Story of the Siege--Perfervour--An Oath--The Casa -Alvarez--The Missing Sentry--Through the Lines--Miguel Enters -Saragossa--Don Casimir is Astonished--Moonshine - - -On arriving with Tio Jorge at the Aljafferia Castle, Jack found that -Palafox had already received from Santiago Sass news of the excellent -work done in the south-eastern quarter of the city. But Tio Jorge -insisted on telling the story again, and dwelt with enthusiasm on the -part the English Senor had played--his idea to scale the roofs, and his -intrepidity in fighting by the barricades. The big Spaniard loved a -hard fighter, and Jack could have found no surer way to his confidence -and respect. - -"Excellent! excellent!" cried Palafox; "you came to us most opportunely, -Senor. And let me tell you, the good opinion of our brave Tio Jorge is -itself the highest praise. Would to God that our success had been as -certain at other points! Unhappily, the French have exploded mines in -the neighbourhood of Santa Engracia, and the most heroic efforts of our -men have failed to dislodge them from the ground they have gained. -Unhappily, also, Don Hernando de Solas, my valiant lieutenant there, was -shot as he led his men for the tenth time to the assault, and I have no -one whom I can conveniently send to take his place." - -"Send the English Senor," cried Tio Jorge instantly. "He has shown what -he can do; he is an officer who has served with the great Sir Moore; he -is the very man for the post." - -Palafox looked for a moment doubtfully at Jack's youthful face. - -"You are young yourself, Don Jose," added Tio Jorge, divining his -general's reluctance. "Por Dios! was there ever before a -captain-general so young!" - -"It is an arduous post," said Palafox. "Just now it has to bear the -brunt of the French attack, I fear. But you have shown valour and -resource, Senor Lumsden; will you undertake the command of Don -Hernando's district?" - -"I will do my best, Senor, if you entrust it to me." - -He spoke quietly, but his pulse leapt at the thought of the work opening -before him. Accepting the general's offer with alacrity, he set off in -a few minutes with Tio Jorge, who had offered to introduce him to his -men, and procure for him a Spanish uniform to replace his soiled -garments. As they were hastening along the Coso, crowded with people -now that the day's fighting had ceased, Tio Jorge stopped at the door of -a big cafe. - -"You must be famished, Senor," he said. "You have had nothing but a -bite and a sup all day. Here is the cafe of my friend Jorge Arcos; let -us enter. When we have eaten and drunk it will be time to seek the -ramparts." - -Jack was nothing loth. In a few minutes he was seated amid a crowd of -ardent Saragossans, whose blackened features and soiled garments bespoke -the part they had played in the defence of their city. Jorge Arcos -himself, a robust and lusty Spaniard, attended to Jack's wants when he -had learnt from Tio Jorge that the young Senor was an English officer -who had done good work that day, and been entrusted by Palafox with the -Santa Engracia command. The big host, as well as the miscellaneous -company in the room, looked somewhat askance at the weird figure of -Pepito, who had closely followed his master. His garb showed him to be -one of the despised and outcast gitanos; but on Jack's explaining that -the boy had been of service to him, Arcos shrugged, and brought him some -food and diluted wine, which the hungry little fellow despatched with -gusto. - -As he ate, Jack fell into conversation with his host, and showed a -curiosity to learn something of the earlier history of the siege. The -mere suggestion was enough to set the man's tongue wagging. He -evidently loved the sound of his own voice, and he owed indeed much of -his popularity with the citizens to his rough-and-ready eloquence. - -"A remarkable siege, you say, Senor?" he said. "It is, in truth; never -was such a siege since the world began! And 'tis not the first time the -French pack of wolves has come to eat us. Last year, by the favour of -Our Lady of the Pillar, we escaped their greedy jaws; and now also again -they shall rue the day they came a-hunting. For six weeks we have -withstood them; 'tis six weeks since they began to throw their bombs and -balls into our midst. Aha! and on the second day after, they sent a man -to summon us to surrender. Surrender! Little they knew Don Jose -Palafox, little they knew the hearts of our people--of Tio Jorge here, -and Tio Marin, of the padres Don Basilio and Santiago Sass and -Consolacion; aye, and of our noble ladies and of our poor folks such as -I myself. Surrender! Why, our people well-nigh tore the French -messenger in pieces! We knew they were coming to invest us; did they -think we should open our gates or that our walls would fall flat as the -walls of Jericho? Por Dios!" - -He uttered a scornful guffaw, and shouts of approval broke from the -crowd. - -"No, no. We had warning; the people from the countryside came flocking -in--workers in olive groves and vineyards, potters from the villages, -swineherds and muleteers--and Don Jose gave them each his task, and with -our own people they toiled night and day to make our city strong. Men -and women and children, sixty thousand of us, we wrought upon the -ramparts. Some carried earth in baskets, others plied the spade, others -went into the outskirts with picks and axes, and levelled houses and -orchards until, for half a mile round, the country was as bare as my -table here, a level waste on which no enemy could find a wall or tree to -shelter him. Thus we strengthened our defences, building bastions and -raising mounds, till the whole city was encircled with strong ramparts -from the Ebro to the Huerba. - -"And all this time our people were gathering food--great stores of corn -and maize, oil and fish; and some were making powder and bullets, and -others were building barriers across the streets with timber and -sand-bags, so that if the accursed French did break through our walls we -could still fight from street to street, as you have seen to-day, -Senor." - -"Yes, but they are gaining ground; how can we hold out longer, Jorge -Arcos?" said a voice in the crowd. - -Arcos glared around and smote upon the table. - -"Where is that coward?" he cried passionately. "Where is he? For whom -does the gibbet stand in the Coso? Is it not there for cowards, and -weaklings, and traitors, and all who talk of surrender? Hold out -longer! We have only begun. The French have got in here and -there--well, what of that? Every house captured costs them a day; and -every day brings our triumph nearer. Have we not ample food? Is there a -wretch in Saragossa who complains of hunger? Set him before me; let me -see his face; he shall prove his words here in my presence, or--" He -made a significant gesture, and continued: "No, we are not hungry; we -can hold out for months; and meanwhile friends are hastening to our -succour. North and south, east and west, armies are collecting. The -French shall be hemmed round like pigs for the butcher; the February -rains shall descend and flood their trenches; and by the grace of Our -Lady of the Pillar we shall be able once again to foil the plans of the -Corsican dog, and the men of Aragon will set such an example to the men -of Andalusia and Castile, of Leon and Estremadura, of Catalonia and -Navarre, that no Frenchman shall be left alive between the mountains and -the sea." - -Loud vivas rang through the room as Arcos brought his oration to a -close. It was no surprise to Jack to hear such a speech from the lips -of an ordinary cafe-keeper--every Spaniard is an orator,--but he by no -means shared the speaker's assurance. The influx of so many people from -the country must have swelled the population far beyond its normal -limit. Overcrowding involved disease; the encroachments of the French -must constantly narrow the habitable region; in the exposed parts only -the vaults and cellars would be safe from bombardment; and while the -operations of war claimed their full tale of victims, Jack feared that -pestilence would carry off still more. But he said not a word of his -apprehensions, and soon afterwards, bidding his host and the company a -cordial adieu, he left with Tio Jorge and Pepito. - -They passed the Franciscan convent beyond the Coso, cut through narrow -tortuous side streets, each barricaded and guarded, passed the Capuchin -nunnery, and came at length to the district of Santa Engracia, in which -a few days before the French had gained a lodgment by sapping and mining -and direct assault. As they passed along a street from which the French -had been driven at the point of the bayonet, but which was now a mere -heap of charred and smoking ruins, Jack saw a young lady standing before -the smouldering embers of one of the houses. By her side was a little -boy. The lady, who could not have been more than twenty-five years of -age, was pale and haggard, and gazed upon the ruins of her home like a -very statue of sorrow. As Tio Jorge and Jack came up to her, they heard -her talking to the boy in low fierce tones. - -"It is the Dona Mercedes Ortega," said Tio Jorge half to himself. "What -is the matter, Senora?" he asked. - -She turned and threw back her mantilla. Jack had never seen a face in -which utter woe and desolation was so piteously imprinted. Her eyelids -were swollen with weeping; her eyes blazed out of dark sunken rims; her -lips were quivering. - -"That was my home," she said in an agony of grief that Jack never -forgot. "My husband lies there, and my father. My brothers died on the -ramparts; my little girl died of fever in my arms. Only Juanino is -left, only Juanino, he and I; we are alone--alone--alone!" - -Jack turned away; there was a mist before his eyes. Then suddenly the -woman's tone changed from grief to rage. Her next words seemed to bite -into Jack's soul. - -"Stay, Senor!" she cried; "stay, Tio Jorge! I call you to witness what -I teach my Juanino. Yes, I teach him; he will never forget; it is for a -mother to teach her son his duty. He shall be a scourge to all the -accursed race. He shall kill, kill, kill, knowing no rest till he join -his father--his father whom the French have killed!" - -The boy looked up in her face with eyes of terror. - -"Put your hands together," she continued, "and swear that henceforth, in -war or peace, at home or abroad, in the street or in the field, you will -kill every Frenchman you may meet, kill without mercy or ruth, and thus -avenge me and all your house. Swear, Juanino!" - -Jack shuddered as he heard the little fellow, whose age was perhaps -seven years, repeat the terrible oath his frantic mother demanded of -him. At that moment the horrors of war were brought home to Jack's mind -more forcibly than ever before; nothing in the terrible retreat to -Corunna had been so terrible as the picture of the young widow's -desolate grief and passionate longing for vengeance. - -He passed on, with Tio Jorge and Pepito, into a small plaza out of which -several narrow streets radiated. The place was familiar to him, and a -few steps farther on he recognized the Casa Alvarez, and remembered, -what he had forgotten till now, that the house of his old friend stood -almost within a stone's-throw of the Santa Engracia convent. - -"This was the head-quarters of Don Hernando," said Tio Jorge. "You had -better make it yours also, Senor." - -"Yes. But let us go on to the ramparts now. I want to see the -position, and the men. Do you know, by the by, what has become of the -family of Don Fernan Alvarez? The old Senor himself is dead." - -"I cannot tell you, Senor. He was a good man, was Don Fernan. He had -one daughter; was it not so? But they were far above a poor man like -me, and I know nothing about the Senorita." - -Jack felt a curious pleasure in knowing that the Casa Alvarez was in his -own district, and would actually be his head-quarters. Hastening down -the street towards the walls, he enquired whether the ramparts were -manned in force at night in anticipation of attack during the hours of -darkness. Tio Jorge informed him that the French had not risked a night -attack in force since the beginning of the siege. They continued their -mining operations, but they had found it so difficult to make headway -above-ground, even in the daylight, that actual assaults and fighting -seldom or never occurred between dark and dawn. The ramparts were -therefore guarded by a sufficient number of sentries, but not occupied -in force, the defenders being only too glad to recruit their overtaxed -energies with sleep. When Jack arrived at the wall he found sentries -posted at intervals of a few yards. He learnt from Tio Jorge that his -command extended from the Santa Engracia convent some fifty yards to the -north, where it adjoined the Porta Quemada district under the charge of -a personal friend of Palafox, Don Casimir Ulloa. It happened that Don -Casimir was making a round of his sentries before leaving for the night, -and to him Jack was introduced by Tio Jorge at the point where their -commands met. Tio Jorge then took his leave, promising to call at the -Casa Alvarez on the way back, and see that a room was arranged for the -Senor's occupation. - -"Is all quiet to-night, Senor?" asked Jack, after the first compliments -had passed. - -"Yes; nothing has happened since the French blew up a house by the Santa -Engracia convent just before dark. But one thing puzzles me, Senor. Do -you know this part of the city?" - -"I was here once before, but that was six years ago, and I was too much -a child then to remember it well now." - -"But you will know that beyond the wall here, which has been greatly -strengthened and thickened, the ground slopes steeply down to the River -Huerba. You can see it; the water shines in the moonlight. On the -other side of the ravine, at the top, are the French trenches." - -"I see. What puzzles you, Senor?" - -"I am coming to it. Every night for ten days past I have been at this -spot at this hour, and every night I have either seen or heard a French -sentry exactly opposite. To-night, however, there is a difference. At -dusk we saw the Frenchman tramping up and down behind the trench, just -out of range of your good English muskets, Senor; we heard the guard -changed; but a few minutes ago, when I looked, I found that the sentry -had disappeared. Perhaps my eyes are at fault. Will you look, Senor?" - -Jack looked across the ravine. A pale half-moon was shining, as yet -somewhat low in the sky, and the ravine and river-bed were gloomed by -black shadows. The line of the entrenchments showed rugged against the -background, in which watch-fires here and there marked the night bivouac -of the French. From the far distance came faint and fitful noises; the -gurgling wash of the river against its embankments made the only sound -in the vicinity. Jack ran his eyes along the edge of the entrenchment -for a hundred yards in each direction. Certainly no sentinel was in -sight. - -"Perhaps he is resting," he remarked. "There is no need for him to -tramp up and down in sight all the time." - -"True, Senor, but why to-night? Why on this night should we miss what -we have seen without exception for many nights past?" - -"It is certainly strange. I shouldn't think it implied any particular -danger of an attack; should you?" - -At this moment Pepito touched him on the arm. - -"Something crawling, Senor!" he said. - -He pointed across the river towards a spot in deep shadow half-way down -the opposite slope. Jack looked in that direction, but failed to -perceive any moving object. - -"You are mistaken, Pepito," he said. - -The gipsy was stretched now at full length on the wall, peering, with -his hands arching his eyes, into the darkness. - -"A man crawling!" he whispered. "See!" - -Jack and Don Casimir followed the boy's example, and, keeping the -moonlight from their eyes, at length discerned a dark figure crawling -slowly down the steep. A moment later, all three caught sight of a -second figure following at a short interval the first. - -"They are coming within range," whispered Don Casimir. "I will order my -men to shoot." - -"Stay!" said Jack quickly. "Let us wait. Pass the word along the -sentries not to shoot if they see two men approaching. Two men will not -overpower us and capture the city, Senor; there is something puzzling, -as you say, in all this. We must find out what it means." - -The men had now reached the foot of the opposite slope. On the ramparts -several pairs of eyes were watching them eagerly. At the brink of the -river they halted for a moment, then stepped into the water. Jack -looked questioningly at Don Casimir. - -"Yes," said the latter, "the Huerba is fordable here." - -Two figures were wading through the water. They gained the nearer bank; -they climbed up. When on dry land again they no longer crawled, but -clambered as rapidly as might be up the steep ascent to the wall. Jack -felt growing interest and excitement as they came up foot by foot, with -no attempt at concealment. They were within four yards of the wall. - -"Quien vive?" asked Don Casimir in clear low tones. - -"Silencio!" said the first of the two figures, holding up a warning -hand. "I am a friend; help me up." - -The wall was some fourteen feet in height, and there was no apparent -means of assisting the man below. - -"If two of your men let down their muskets, I can catch hold of them," -said the man in a whisper. - -The hint was acted on. Don Casimir beckoned up two of his men, who laid -themselves flat on the wall, lowering their muskets until the man below -was able to grasp a barrel in each hand. Then they gradually drew up -the weapons hand over hand, and the man with them. Don Casimir, with -drawn sword, kept a sharp look-out to assure himself that the new-comers -were alone, and that this strange incident was not part of a French plot -to rush the wall. - -In half a minute the spokesman was standing beside the little group. - -"Do I see Don Casimir?" he said, looking keenly at the Spaniard, who had -given a start of recognition as his features came into view above the -parapet. - -"Yes, Senor," replied Don Casimir with a bow. "This is a strange -meeting." - -"Strange indeed! Ah, what an hour it has been! I thought we should -never have got through. Turn where we would, the French seemed to have -sentries everywhere." - -"Except yonder, Don Miguel," said Jack quietly, coming a little more -distinctly into view. - -Miguel made a quick turn at the sound of his voice, and with a scarcely -perceptible pause said: - -"Ah! my dear young friend, who would have thought of seeing you here? -What a pleasant meeting! Yes, as you say, except yonder. But, as it -happens, the sentry yonder is now keeping guard in another world." He -tapped the hilt of his sword significantly. "We were not in the mood to -brook delay, and he was--well, one Frenchman the less." - -"All the same, they have replaced him pretty soon," remarked Jack dryly, -"unless that is his ghost." - -He pointed, as he spoke, to the form of a sentry leaning on his musket -at the spot that had been described to him by Don Casimir as the -customary post. - -"It is strange," replied Miguel musingly; "one might have expected a -commotion--when they found the body. But, yes--no doubt they hush these -things up. It would reflect on their discipline." - -Don Casimir, who had been looking from one to the other in some -astonishment, here interposed. - -"But--do I understand, Don Miguel, that you have come through the French -lines?" - -"Why, certainly, my friend; how else should I be here? We are from -Seville, from the Supreme Junta, with despatches. We have ridden -post-haste four hundred and fifty miles in six days, as my friend here -must know, and by a miracle have succeeded in eluding the wolves yonder. -But that reminds me--I should lose no time in delivering my despatches -to the captain-general. I suppose he is still in the Aljafferia? How -goes it in Saragossa? I fear you have been hard pressed." - -"Yes, indeed," replied Don Casimir. "But the pack of wolves outside is -being thinned. Every yard costs a man." - -"Ah! I shall have much to hear," said Miguel, with a meaning look at -Jack; "and on my side I have not a little to tell. Adios, Senores!" - -With a low bow he turned away, followed by his companion, whom Jack had -at once recognized, when he gained the summit of the wall, as the -one-eyed servitor of evil memory. There was no look of recognition in -the man's fixed stare as he left the group a few paces behind his -master. Jack, however, was amused to note the attitude of Pepito, who -stood fingering his little knife with an air of tragedy worthy of Mr. -Kean himself. - -"It was a daring feat," said Don Casimir, looking into the moonlit -distance as if gauging the difficulties that must have beset any attempt -to approach Saragossa from that side. "Indeed, except yourself, I -believe no one has got in for at least three weeks past. But we have -always known Don Miguel as a match for any Frenchman. He gave many -proofs of astuteness during the first siege. He is not easy to beat -when readiness and resourcefulness are needed. It is strange," he added -after an interval, during which his eye rested on the figure of the -French sentry, "very strange. I could have sworn it is the same -man--the man I missed an hour ago. But, of course, it cannot be." - -"The moonlight may be deceptive," suggested Jack; but as he left the -spot to return to his quarters he looked thoughtful. - - - - - *CHAPTER XXII* - - *Juanita* - - -The Brave Antonio--A Survey--Towards the Coso--A Deed of Daring--The -Senorita Receives--Old Friends--Mig Prig--Don Fernan--An Ambush--Jose -Pinzon--The Call of Duty - - -Next morning, as soon as it was light, Jack started for a round of his -district. The Casa Alvarez was a large square house, standing in the -middle of a small plaza of its own. Exactly opposite its front, which -faced towards Santa Engracia, there were two smaller houses, known as -the Casas Vega and Tobar, the backs of which were separated from each -other by a narrow lane leading towards the convent. Each of these -houses was the last of a block of contiguous buildings, and they were, -in fact, the only houses in their blocks which were still intact, the -rest being more or less in ruins. The front of the Casa Tobar looked -into a street running parallel with the lane and entering the Plaza -Alvarez on the side nearest the ramparts. On the other side of the -street ran a row of houses parallel to the Casa Tobar block. These also -were mainly in ruins. The house exactly opposite the Casa Tobar was -known as the Casa Vallejo, and this, while at present unharmed, was the -immediate object of the French attack. Thus in the vicinity of the Casa -Alvarez there were three parallel blocks of buildings along which the -French were working simultaneously. Two of the blocks were terminated -by the Plaza Alvarez, and the last house in each was in a line with the -Casa Vallejo. The Casa Vallejo terrace was separated by a lane from the -ramparts, for the defence of which Jack was not responsible. - -[Illustration: Plan of the Plaza Alvarez District] - -The features of the locality were pointed out to him by a young Spanish -lawyer, Don Cristobal Somiedo, who had taken a voluntary part in the -struggle, and had acted as lieutenant to Jack's predecessor, Don -Hernando de Solas. It was he, toe, who introduced Jack to his little -corps. It consisted of about 380 men, of whom no more than 250 could be -regarded as really fit for duty, and even of these, as they paraded -before him, many looked as though they should be in hospital wards. The -majority of them were regulars, but nearly 100 were guerrilleros driven -into the city, before the actual investment began, by the advance of the -French. Among the rest were once well-to-do shopkeepers, whose -businesses had been ruined, and whose houses and shops had in many cases -been destroyed by the French bombs or mines. They were fighting side by -side with artisans from the lower quarters of the city, and peasants -from the country-side, all distinctions of class and occupation being -forgotten in the common peril. Regulars and irregulars all bore marks -of the toils and dangers of their strenuous life--some in their tattered -garments, others in ghastly wounds, others in their haggard cheeks and -fever-lit eyes. But only one spirit animated them all: the -determination to spend their last energies in the defence of the city. - -Passing down their ranks, Jack was struck by one face that seemed -familiar to him, and he stopped before the man, endeavouring to recall -the circumstances in which he had seen him. - -"Buenos dias, Senor," said the man, a stout thick-set fellow wearing a -heavy skin cloak. He smiled somewhat sheepishly as he saluted his new -commandant. - -The tone of voice brought back to Jack's memory the roadside encounter -with a man on the way to Medina, and the subsequent meeting in the inn. - -"The brave Antonio, is it not?" he said with a smile. - -"Si, Senor," replied the man. - -"I am glad to see you engaged in such excellent work." - -Passing on, Jack was introduced by Don Cristobal to Pablo Quintanar, the -chief of the guerrilleros, and learnt that the man, though subordinate -to the commander of the district, expected a certain amount of -consideration as head of an independent party of peasant-warriors. Jack -was not taken with the man's appearance. He had a sinister look and -shifty eyes, and replied in curt ungenial tones to the few words -addressed to him. - -"Antonio, the man you spoke to just now," added Don Cristobal, "is -second in command of the guerrilleros, and a much better man, in my -opinion, than the chief. You appear to know him, Senor?" - -"I met him once," was Jack's brief reply. - -Having made acquaintance with his corps, and finding that the French had -not yet commenced their morning movements, Jack proceeded to complete -his survey of the position. Beyond the River Huerba he could now -clearly see the long rows of French trenches, the parallels cut here and -there by a series of zigzags constructed with incredible labour to -secure the besiegers' approach to the walls. The French had actually -made good their position on the near side of the river, immediately -beneath the wall, towards Santa Engracia, but they had hitherto forborne -to press their advantage, the height of the bank rendering it difficult -for them to storm the ramparts in that quarter, and at the same time -preventing them from blowing them up by mines. - -It was clear that no French attack was to be expected from the Porta -Quemada side of his district, for in order to reach him the enemy would -have to push their way through some hundreds of yards of streets held by -Don Casimir, who had proved himself a very capable leader. But on the -Santa Engracia side he was exposed to what was plainly the enemy's -principal attack. Their aim was obviously to reach the Coso, and to -connect the wedge they were driving into the city in this quarter with -the wedge already inserted at San Agustin. - -They had made considerable progress since the capture of the Santa -Engracia convent four days before. They treated each block of houses as -a miniature fortress. There was no attempt to carry it by storm until -the defences had been attacked by sap and mine. As soon as a house was -blown up they rushed in and occupied the ruins, where they entrenched -themselves with bales of wool, gabions, and sacks of earth, and began to -drive mines under the next block. - -Anxious to see for himself something of their method, Jack entered a -house next to one recently blown up, and, ascending to the top story, -peeped through a loop-hole pierced in the party wall. The roof of the -next house had fallen in. Some charred beams were still smouldering. -Here and there a tongue of flame licked the debris, and as the breeze -blew in fitful gusts, dense clouds of smoke rose into the air. - -"They don't do their work very thoroughly," said Jack to Don Cristobal. -"The shell of the house is still standing. A good explosion would have -shattered the whole place." - -"They have changed their ways, Senor," replied the lieutenant. "At -first they used big charges and completely destroyed the houses; but -they found that when the ruins cooled, and they occupied the space, they -had no shelter from our fire. Now they use smaller charges and throw -down only the wall next to them, leaving the other walls and the roof -uninjured. The roof next door was not brought down by the explosion, -but by our own men setting fire to the shell." - -"A counter-stroke, eh? Obviously two can play at their game. Well, it -will be at least a couple of days, I should think, before the ruins are -cool enough for the French to occupy the ground. Probably they are busy -running a mine towards us." - -A loud explosion at this moment shocked the air. Looking out of the -window, across the barricaded streets, Jack saw a column of smoke -pouring from a house to his left, at the corner of another block of -buildings not in his quarter. - -"One house nearer the Coso," he said. "Well, Don Cristobal, we must do -what we can to check their progress in our direction. Our men are no -doubt counter-mining." - -"Not very successfully, I am afraid. We have no trained sappers and -miners; only a scratch battalion formed from the workmen employed on the -great canal of Aragon, a mile to the south, and they haven't been -accustomed to work underground." - -"We must give them some practice, then," said Jack as they left the -house together. - -Returning to the Casa Alvarez, which he had fixed on as his permanent -head-quarters, Jack learnt that there had as yet been no sign of a -French attack upon his district. The houses and barricades were well -manned by the Spaniards. It was clear that their vigorous opposition -had deterred the French from attempting an assault in force until they -had made further progress with their mines. In pursuance of an idea -that had occurred to him, Jack sent for the foreman of the canal -labourers and took him at once into a small cabinet, where they remained -closeted for more than two hours. At the end of that time the workman, -carrying a sheet of paper, left the house, collected a gang of the -labourers, and brought them, armed with various implements, into the -Casa Alvarez, where he descended with them into the cellars. - -Meanwhile Jack, leaving Don Cristobal in command, made his way to the -Aljafferia Castle to see Palafox. His interview with the general was -brief. He reported that he had taken over command of his district, -rapidly surveyed it, and inspected his men. He mentioned what he had -learnt of the recent operations of the French, and was informed by -Palafox that he might regard himself as having a free hand in preparing -measures of defence, though he would be expected to make a daily report -to head-quarters. The business of the interview being concluded, -Palafox said: - -"You will be interested to hear that last night Don Miguel Priego--he is -connected, I believe, with your father's house--got through the French -lines by a stroke of matchless daring, bringing me despatches from the -Supreme Junta. Their view of my country's prospects is brighter than -Mr. Frere's; and Don Miguel tells me that, from information he gained -during his wonderful journey across Spain, we may expect the siege to be -raised within a week." - -"I am glad to hear it, Senor Capitan," said Jack gravely. Then, -abruptly changing the subject, he continued: "Can you tell me where I -should be likely to find Padre Consolacion?" - -"At the Franciscan convent, no doubt; you will pass it on the way back -to your district. The padre is doing grand work." - -Jack thanked the general and took his leave. He was anxious to find -Padre Consolacion and discover from him the whereabouts of Juanita -Alvarez. As he walked along the Coso towards the Franciscan convent he -came to the house where he had left the young Senorita whose -acquaintance he had made on his first entrance to the town, and -remembering the trinkets of hers he had in his pocket, he decided to -call and leave them with her, and at the same time enquire after her -welfare and the health of the fragile old lady whom they had rescued. -Rapping at the door, he was in a minute confronted by a pleasant-looking -old duenna, who, on learning the object of his call, at once asked him -in. - -"The Senorita said that if you called you were to be shown up, Senor. -Follow me." - -There was nothing unusual in this; in Spain a message is always -delivered in person, be the messenger high or low. Jack followed the -old woman into a vast salon, darkened by the closing of the shutters -except at a small window at the back. - -"The Senora is ill; the Senorita receives," said his guide, and went -out, closing the door. - -In a chair sat the old lady, looking vacantly around the room, mumbling -her lips and fingering the ends of her lace mantilla. She paid no -attention to the visitor, but the younger lady rose and came forward a -few steps, then stood in an attitude of mingled enquiry and expectancy. - -"You will pardon me, Senorita; I could not help calling to enquire--I am -not sure of your name--" - -"I don't think we mentioned it, Senor. And that reminds me of my own -neglect--my unpardonable neglect. I should certainly have asked the name -of our--deliverer." - -At this word Jack looked uncomfortable. His fluency in Spanish seemed -for the moment to have utterly deserted him. - -"Oh," he exclaimed at a rush, "my name is Lumsden--Jack Lumsden." - -"Ah! an English name, is it not? Then you are not a Spaniard. And yet -you speak--just like one of ourselves." - -Jack's reply was half-apologetic. - -"Oh, well, I had a good deal of practice as a child. I used to live in -Spain." - -"And now?" - -"Now--I'm in the army--the English army--lieutenant in the 95th -regiment." - -"Lieutenant?--May I congratulate you?" - -"Congratulate me!" repeated Jack in some surprise. - -"Yes; is it not permitted? Among us it is quite the custom to -congratulate a friend on his promotion." - -"Certainly, Senorita--" began Jack, wondering still more; but before he -could collect himself the girl continued, with a twinkle of amusement in -her eyes: - -"Surely it is only the other day that you were an ensign. Can you have -forgotten that too? You were not always so forgetful. I fear--" - -"True, Senorita, I was a kind of ensign, though in the 95th we've no -colours to carry. But--" - -"I fear," she continued, after a scarcely perceptible pause, "--yes, -that you are--well, not quite so nice as you used to be." - -Her eyes were dancing with merriment, and in a flash Jack recalled the -time, six years ago, when a little maid with just such eyes had been his -occasional playmate in Barcelona. True, there was little other -resemblance; she had been an elf-like girl, with tangled hair, thin -cheeks, and the shy manner of a child unused to the society of children. -Before him now stood a tall girl with a dignity and self-possession -beyond her years, her rounded cheeks and bright eyes showing that the -trials of the siege had as yet touched her but lightly. - -"Juanita!" exclaimed Jack, almost below his breath. "Well, of all the -extraordinary--of all the stupid--" - -Juanita laughed outright--the old rippling laugh that Jack now -remembered well. - -"I hope, Senor Lumsden, you are not referring to me," she said. - -"You must think me an ass," he replied, half-amused, half-nettled. -"But," he added, seeing a loophole, "it isn't my fault. It's you who -have changed, not I. And I came to Saragossa on purpose to see you. To -think it was you all the time!" - -"Indeed we thank you. I don't know what we should have done without -you," said Juanita more seriously. "We could never have got away. Don't -think me ungrateful; I knew you at once; but it was all so terrible, and -I saw you didn't know me. And then, when all was over, I ought to have -explained, but I--well--" - -"Didn't," said Jack with a smile. "I see you haven't changed so much -after all. The same Juanita, mischievous as ever." - -"I'm afraid not, Jack. I'm years older than I was a few months ago. We -were happy then; now everything is different." - -The tears stood in her eyes. - -"Yes," said Jack, "I had heard; that is why I came to see you." - -They were silent; then Juanita, with a brave effort to smile, said: - -"Now, Jack, tell me all about yourself." - -In a few words Jack gave an account of what had happened to him since -his arrival in Spain, Juanita listening with an interest and excitement -that every now and then found expression in eager questions. - -"But now," said Jack in conclusion, "it's your turn. I have many things -to ask. Do you know, I met an old friend not long ago, who told me -something about you." - -"Oh! Who was that, and what was it?" - -"Well, I called him an old friend--for your sake. It was Miguel -Priego." - -"Him!" Her shrug was expressive. "Why do you say for my sake?" - -"Well, considering what he told me--" - -"What did he say? Don't be mysterious." - -"He said--that you were about to be married." - -"Married! Good gracious! To whom?" - -"To him!" - -"To Mig Prig?" - -Her scornful laugh was wholly convincing, and Jack could not help -joining heartily in her merriment when he heard once again his boyish -nickname for their common tyrant. - -"That's all right, then," he said. - -"But surely you didn't believe it?" added Juanita, with a touch of -indignation. - -"Well, time works strange changes, you know." - -"Possibly," said Juanita, appreciating the retort; "but not so strange -as that. Marry _him_!" - -Her gesture was imperial in its disdain. - -"Another of Miguel's lies!" said Jack. "But," he added thoughtfully, -"there was usually a motive behind them. What can it be this time? He -gave me so many details; said it had all been arranged between your -father and Don Esteban; he was to have the business; and all the rest of -it." - -"Ridiculous! My father would have been the very last to think of such a -thing. He distrusted him--with good cause." - -And then she proceeded to give Jack a narrative from which, as the tale -was unfolded, he gained more than an inkling of Don Miguel's designs. - -More than two years before, when Napoleon formed his alliance with -Spain, Don Fernan Alvarez, a shrewd observer of events, had suspected -that the ostensible object of despoiling Portugal was only a ruse by -which the emperor intended to make himself master of the whole -peninsula. Foreseeing a period of confusion and anarchy, the old -merchant resolved to take time by the forelock and set his house in -order. He went to Barcelona, the headquarters of the business, and -proceeded to realize his stock as far as possible, with the intention of -converting it into bullion or valuables which could be laid aside as a -provision for his own declining years and his daughter's future. On -going into the accounts of the firm he found that Don Esteban Priego's -books showed large deficiencies, threatening to more than cover his -interest, not a great one, in the business. When the matter was brought -to light, Don Esteban was much distressed. He had been for some time in -failing health, and had left the management of his branch almost -entirely in the hands of his son Miguel, who, however, when brought to -book by his father's partner, indignantly protested against the implied -charge of dishonesty, and declared that if there was anything wrong he -at any rate was absolutely clean-handed. There was no time to -investigate the matter fully. After a stormy interview Don Fernan left -the office in charge of a trusted clerk, and, taking with him the large -sum of money he had realized, together with the unsatisfactory books, -set out for Saragossa a few days before Barcelona was seized by the -French. - -Owing to the disturbed state of the country he thought it wise to travel -with an escort of some score of well-armed men, half of them his own -retainers, half alguazils. From some undefined motive of prudence he -kept his departure secret until the last moment. But, despite this -precaution, the party was ambushed at dusk, at a lonely spot on the -hills within two marches of Saragossa, by a horde of brigands. The -escort made a stout resistance, but being taken entirely at a -disadvantage by superior numbers they were overpowered. Don Fernan -himself was severely wounded in the first moment of attack; several of -his men were killed or disabled; and the rest, seeing their case -hopeless, made their escape. - -The brigands were about to kill the wounded, on the principle that dead -men tell no tales, when a body of French horsemen rode down the hill at -a gallop. One startled glance, and the bandits hurriedly decamped. At -that time the French were posing as disinterested friends of Spain. The -cavaliers showed every attention to the wounded men, assisted Don Fernan -into Saragossa, and with a self-restraint that was remarkable in the -light of the subsequent behaviour of their countrymen, handed over to -him his books and boxes untouched. This was a double relief to the -merchant, for, if what he learnt on the way from his old body-servant -Jose was true, he had not only saved the treasure for his daughter, but -preserved it from the hands of the one man whom he had recently had so -much reason to mistrust. Jose had been stunned during the fight by a -blow from a clubbed musket. On recovering consciousness he was amazed -to recognize, among the assailants, no other than Don Miguel Priego. He -could not be sure. At that moment the French appeared and the brigands -fled. But he felt that he could hardly have been mistaken. - -"That was where Miguel got his scar," said Jack to himself at this point -of the story. - -A few months after Don Fernan's return to Saragossa the French began the -first siege of the city. He contributed largely to the funds raised for -the defence, and though scarcely able to walk played a not -inconsiderable part in the actual work behind the walls. But such -unwonted exertions tried his already enfeebled health. He had never -thoroughly recovered from his wound. The troubles of the siege were too -great a strain for a man of his age. And though his strength revived a -little when the French were so signally beaten, he was again ailing when -the news of the fatal day of Tudela broke his last hold on life. The -Saragossans gave him honoured burial. - -His last days were troubled by anxiety about his daughter and only -child. He knew that if his property became subject to the lingering -processes of the Spanish courts, very little of it would be left for -Juanita. He had no near relatives or friends on whose integrity and -business capacity he could thoroughly rely. Mr. Lumsden, his English -partner, would, as a heretic, probably be unable to act as executor of a -will, and in any case would be seriously handicapped in any legal -proceedings. He therefore made no will, but solemnly entrusted his -servant with the task of carrying out his wishes. Jose was forty years -of age, wholly illiterate, but devoted to his old master, and even more -to Juanita. He enjoyed Don Fernan's entire confidence, and was fully -informed of his master's affairs. A sum of money had already been -invested in England that would produce an income of about L400 a year; -of this Mr. Lumsden was trustee. The remainder of his property -consisted of a country house and estate near Morata, some miles west of -Saragossa; the family plate and heirlooms; and the money realized by the -sale of his disposable stock in Barcelona. The movable property was all -given into Jose Pinzon's charge, to be handed over to Juanita when the -country should have settled down again. - -"That won't be yet, I'm afraid," remarked Jack, "but no doubt Jose has -it safe enough. By the way, where is he?" - -"I wish I knew," said Juanita anxiously. "Nothing has been heard of him -since the great sortie of Captain Mariano Galindo about ten days ago. -He volunteered among the brave two hundred, and was one of the first to -spike the French guns. But he never came back." - -"Poor fellow!" said Jack. "I'm very sorry. We used to be great chums. -There aren't many like him. You will miss him sadly." - -"Yes, indeed; and I wouldn't mind about the property if only he were -safe." - -"But surely his disappearance doesn't affect the property?" - -"Well, you see, nobody else knows where it is. Father didn't tell me. -He thought there would be less risk of harm if I knew nothing about it." - -"But he would be sure to provide against Jose's death. Ah!" he -exclaimed, as a sudden light dawned, "that explains it. I had a letter -from him in Salamanca, telling me about another letter left with General -Palafox. No doubt everything was explained in that." - -"Was explained! What do you mean?" - -"The letter has disappeared--was stolen, mistaken for plans of the city. -But there's still a chance left. A third letter was sent to my father. -We must hope it was a duplicate of the lost one." - -"Oh dear!" sighed Juanita, "to think that so many people should be -troubled with poor little me!" - -"We seem to have rather muddled things among us," said Jack. "But I see -now what Mig Prig is aiming at. Have you heard that he is back in -Saragossa?" - -"Miguel back!" exclaimed Juanita; in her tone there was a hint of -uneasiness. "Oh, I do hope I shall not meet him! But I won't think of -him." - -"He's not worth it.--I was almost forgetting. I have brought some of -your trinkets from the Casa Ximenez. Will you--" - -"Hark!" exclaimed Juanita, holding up her hand. There was a loud crash -as of falling masonry. - -"They are bombarding again," said Jack, rising. "I must hasten to my -post. Good-bye, Juanita!" - -"You will come and see us again when you have time?" - -They both looked sympathetically at the huddled figure of Dona Teresa, -who had fallen asleep in her chair. - -"Poor Auntie!" said Juanita. Then, as Jack turned towards the door, she -folded her mantilla about her head and dropped a low curtsy, saying -demurely: "Adios, Senor!" - - - - - *CHAPTER XXIII* - - *The Fight in the Ruins* - - -Mines and Countermines--In the Cellars--Burrowing--Y Mines--An -Underground Enemy--The Foe Within--Planning a Surprise--At Dawn--Across -the Barricades--In the Enemy's Works--A Bird's-eye View--Through the -Wall--Sword versus Bayonet--Shut Out--A Mob Leader--Too much Zeal--Not -Proven - - -Jack walked downstairs abstractedly, and was only brought to himself by -the sudden realization that he had almost collided with a person -entering at the door. Looking up with a murmured apology, he saw that -the visitor was a burly priest, in long cassock and broad sombrero which -roofed a round jovial face. The priest was equally apologetic, and eyed -Jack curiously, stopping in the doorway and turning round to gaze after -his retreating figure. Outside, Jack found Pepito perched on a stone -post. He sprang to the ground when he saw his master. - -"Well, imp," said Jack, "sticking to me as usual, eh?" - -"Si, Senor. Senor knows the fat padre?" - -"No. Do you?" - -"A friend of the Busno Don Miguel," replied the boy. - -"Indeed! How do you know that?" - -"I saw them talking at the door of the great big house over there." - -He pointed to the Franciscan convent on the other side of the road. -Jack looked thoughtful; he wondered whether this was the Padre -Consolacion of whom he had heard, and was half-minded to turn back and -make his acquaintance. That he had been seen in consultation with Miguel -was somewhat disturbing. But, on second thoughts, he decided that he -had already been long enough away from his command at Santa Engracia, -and he hastened his steps in that direction, anxious to see how things -had been progressing there in his absence. - -When he left the Casa Alvarez, two hours before, he had given -instructions for the commencement of operations by which he hoped to -beat the French at their own game. From what he had learnt from Don -Cristobal he saw that the mistake up to the present had been the waiting -for the explosion of the French mines, the result being that the enemy -gained positions from which it usually proved impossible to dislodge -them. The only means of keeping them effectually in check was to -practise countermining, not in the hand-to-mouth manner in which it had -hitherto been attempted, but systematically, with a longer outlook, with -a regard to ultimate developments rather than to the immediate repelling -of attack. During his interview with the foreman that morning he had -explained his ideas, and learnt that, so far as the man's limited -experience went, there was no practical obstacle to their -accomplishment. - -The French, as he had seen, had been for some days past working steadily -through the three parallel blocks of buildings that ran from the Santa -Engracia direction towards the Plaza Alvarez. They had made equal -progress in all three blocks. The limit of destruction was marked by -the Casas Vega, Tobar, and Vallejo, the first two being at the end of -their blocks immediately facing the Casa Alvarez, separated from each -other by a narrow lane, while the last was separated from the Casa Tobar -by the street running into the plaza. These three houses were still -standing, but it was obvious that they would form the next points of -attack, and it was highly probable that even now the enemy had begun to -cut galleries towards them. - -Jack had made up his mind to anticipate the attack. Before leaving in -the morning he had learnt from the foreman, whose name was Pulgar, that -the work of mining underground could usually be heard from a distance of -about forty feet. From this he calculated that, if the French began to -work from their side immediately after their last attack, there would be -time for his own men to drive a short gallery beneath the wall of each -of the three houses before there was any risk of their operations being -heard by the enemy. He had therefore left instructions for a hole to be -cut beneath the farther party-wall of each house, where it adjoined the -house last demolished. He told Pulgar to see that the digging was done -as quietly as possible, and to be on the alert to catch the slightest -sound of the approach of the French miners in the opposite direction. - -"Well, how are things getting on?" he asked of Don Cristobal, on -arriving at his post after his interview with Juanita. - -"Excellently," was the reply. "Pulgar has kept the men at work without -relaxation." - -"In shifts, I suppose?" - -"Only one man can work at each tunnel, so he gave each man half an hour; -then his place was taken by another. Here is Pulgar himself." - -"You are doing capitally, I hear, hombre," said Jack. "How far have the -men got?" - -"The tunnels are nearly three feet long by this time, Senor. It takes -about an hour to cut away a foot." - -"Any sound of the French?" - -"None, Senor." - -"Very well. Another four feet will finish these. But we mustn't stop -at that. We can't hope to keep the enemy back altogether by one -explosion at those walls. It would delay them, certainly, and do -considerable damage; but we'll have to prepare to give them much more -trouble farther back." - -"I had thought of that, Senor." - -"Well, I think we'll go and have a look at the cellars. Come along. -Bring your measure with you; we shall require that, and a candle." - -Descending to the cellars of the Casa Alvarez, Jack found that they ran -along the walls on the west and north sides of the building, at a -distance of ten feet below the surface of the ground. They formed a -series of arched rooms leading one from the other, with small openings -for ventilation giving on the patio. - -"Dark musty places these!" said Jack. "Judging by the appearance of -them, they haven't been used for a century. There's not even a bottle -of wine to be seen, let alone a rat. Ah! I spoke too soon; sh-h-h!" - -A rat had just scurried along the wall into its hole in the corner. - -"I have been thinking over things," resumed Jack, "and I shall be glad -of your opinion of the plan I have partly formed. Our object, of -course, must be to hold the French in check as long as possible; but if -they succeed in occupying the two houses opposite, and the Casa Vallejo, -we shall be very hard put to it to defend the plaza and this house. -They outnumber us. It is quite likely that, in spite of all we can do, -they will eventually succeed in obtaining a lodgment in these three -houses or their ruins. I propose, therefore, to plan our defence on the -assumption that they will do so. This house in which we now stand will -be our fort, and we should arrange so that we can do the enemy as much -damage as possible from this spot." - -"That is reasonable, Senor," said Don Cristobal. - -"Well, the greatest damage we can do will be done by mines like their -own--either to destroy their mines before they have time to explode -them, or to drive the enemy back when they have exploded their mines and -seized the houses. To do that effectually we require to drive at least -two galleries from these cellars under each house. But the Casa Vallejo -is too far away. We haven't men enough, and it would take too long, to -cut a gallery from here right across the plaza and street and under that -house. The Casas Vega and Tobar are much nearer, and I see nothing to -prevent us from cutting the galleries under them." - -"In addition to the short tunnels already being cut under the -party-walls?" asked Don Cristobal. - -"Oh yes! You see my aim? The short tunnels are to delay their attack -on those houses; the longer tunnels I propose are to check their advance -on this house when they have captured the others." - -"But why two long galleries, Senor?" asked Pulgar. - -"Because, after we have fired one, the French will come on in greater -strength again, thinking we have done our worst, and the explosion of -the second will have a shattering effect on them in every way." - -"An excellent idea, Senor!" said Don Cristobal, "but our men are not too -strong, and it would cost immense labour to drive two galleries. It is -forty feet across the plaza between this and the houses opposite; you -must allow for several feet of tunnel in each house if you want to spare -the walls facing us--" - -"Eight feet at least," interrupted Jack. "I don't want to destroy the -houses entirely." - -"Well, that makes ninety-six feet of tunnelling for each house, and all -the earth to be carried back as it is dug out. You will work your men -to death, Senor." - -Jack considered. For the moment he envied some friends of his who had -commissions in the Engineers. "They would have mugged up all this sort -of thing in their books," he said to himself. How could he achieve his -purpose without running the risk Don Cristobal had pointed out? He -stood for a time unconsciously tapping the stone floor with his foot as -he thought over the problem. - -"I have it!" he exclaimed suddenly. "It's a case of letter Y--you see? -Drive one gallery half-way; then two branching out from it like the arms -of a capital Y. It won't save time, but it will save labour, and we -can't afford to knock the men up." - -"That is it, Senor," said Pulgar, rubbing his hands. - -"Then I will get you to arrange with the men so that they take turn and -turn about. And by the way, two short tunnels must be cut between the -Casa Vallejo and the house next it on this side--the Casa Hontanon, is -it not? Those houses are not so capable of defence as this is, but we -must do what we can to beat the enemy there also." - -Pulgar at once set off to arrange with the workmen, while Jack proceeded -to organize the garrisoning of the houses. Except for a few shells -thrown over the ramparts nothing had been done by the French since the -explosion of the previous evening. The barricades in the streets and -lane were held by men of the Valencia regiment; Jack selected other men -from the same regiment, and some of the best of the guerrilleros, and -thus formed three companies of twenty men each to garrison the three -casas, Vega, Tobar, and Vallejo. Fifty men were held in reserve in the -Casa Alvarez. - -As the day wore on, Jack found that the tunnelling proceeded more -rapidly than he had expected. Working on a more definite plan than -hitherto, the men saw that their chances of seriously checking the -French advance were much greater, and dug and carried with a dogged -perseverance that gave Jack a new respect for the Spanish character. By -the evening the short holes under the party-walls nearest the French -were ready for the charges. Thinking it advisable to see for himself -what had been done, Jack crawled through one of the tunnels with a -lighted candle, feeling the oppression of the dank confined air. He saw -by the dim light that the sides and roof were roughly shored up with -timber, and that, as he had wished, there was a slight slope upwards, so -that the head of the tunnel was only about four feet from the surface. -At the end he listened for the sound of the French miners, who, he -guessed, were approaching, but hearing nothing concluded that they were -not as yet so far advanced with their work. - -Returning to the rear end of the tunnel, he arranged for a heavy charge -of powder to be placed in position with the fuses. When this had been -done it was time to "tamp" the tunnels--fill them up again with earth to -a distance greater than the depth of the mines below the surface. This -was necessary, or when the explosion took place it would exhaust its -force along the open tunnel instead of in the upward direction intended. -But Jack decided not to do any tamping until he was sure that the French -had driven their galleries so close to his own that the explosion of his -own mines would destroy the enemy's. If he found that the French -tunnels were to the right or left of his own, so far away that his -explosion would not greatly affect them, he would have to await the -French explosion and then use his own mines to repel the attack on the -buildings that would instantly follow. - -Late at night Antonio the guerrillero, who had been one of the most -enthusiastic of the workers, reported that at the farther end of the -short tunnel into the Casa Vega he had heard the faint sound of picks. -Jack instantly crawled into the tunnel to listen for himself. -Undoubtedly the man was right. Giving orders that men should take turns -to watch all through the night at the tunnel head, he went to bed after -midnight, tired out with the day's exertions. - -Before he fell asleep his mind ran over the strange events with which -the last two days had been crowded. In particular he reflected on the -story he had heard from Juanita, and could not help wondering at the -extraordinary mischances which had befallen her affairs. The letter -confided to Palafox must have contained instructions in regard to the -property which old Don Fernan had preserved somewhere for his daughter, -and had been written as a precaution in case anything happened to his -trusted servant Jose. Some perverse fate seemed to have decreed that -Jose should die and the letter be lost simultaneously. And then his -thoughts turned to Miguel. His story about the projected marriage was -clearly a sheer fabrication; but it showed what his intentions were. He -meant to take advantage of Juanita's orphaned condition to coax or -cajole her into a marriage, and thereby to secure the property which he -knew must be hers. It seemed improbable that he could have learnt where -her father had stored his wealth; it might be that he supposed Juanita -knew. His sudden nocturnal appearance in Saragossa, with a story of -overpowering a sentry, was in itself very suspicious. Could he be -playing a double game? At any rate Jack felt that he must be on his -guard, on behalf of Juanita as well as himself; that Miguel would not -hesitate to injure him he had now little doubt. - -These thoughts, however, were banished by the important work of the next -day. At dawn he learnt that hour by hour during the night the approach -of the French had been more distinctly heard. All that morning he paid -frequent visits to the Vega tunnel, and about eleven o'clock he felt -sure, from the direction and the proximity of the sounds, that the -French miners had arrived at a point in a line with the head of his -gallery. The mining continued; it would take them between six and seven -hours to reach the wall. Leaving Don Cristobal in charge, with -instructions to keep as vigilant a look-out as ever, Jack went to see -how the Y-shaped mines from the cellars of the Casa Alvarez were -progressing, and then made a general round of the district. Several -times during the day he had heard the sound of explosions in other parts -of the city, but had been too busy to enquire about what was happening. -He learnt now, however, that a block of houses twenty yards nearer the -Coso, in the direction of the Franciscan convent, had been carried by -the French, by which means they had extended their attacking front by -nearly three times that distance. He heard also that trenches had been -opened against the Jesus Convent, in the suburb of San Lazaro, across -the river. It was evident that the enemy were at last arranging for a -determined attack in that quarter, where they had done little since the -early days of the siege. The possession of San Lazaro would enable them -to harass the whole north side of the city, the only portion that -hitherto had been immune, and where, consequently, the greater part of -the stores was collected and the mass of the fever-stricken inhabitants -huddled together. - -About six o'clock he was recalled to the Casa Vega by the news that the -French gallery had reached the wall and the tunnelling had ceased. It -would take them some four hours, Jack conjectured, to tamp their mine; -when that was done they would no doubt retire from the tunnel, and it -would then be safe for the Spaniards to tamp their mine in turn. If -they started to do so earlier, the sound would betray them. At ten -o'clock all sounds from the French end had ceased; then Jack, after -allowing a short interval, set his men to perform the tamping. Working -without relaxation, they completed the task by two in the morning. -Within four or five hours the French would explode their mine beneath -the wall. - -The first thing Jack did on being awakened by Pepito half an hour before -dawn was to enquire whether any sounds of the French progress had been -heard in the Casas Tobar and Vallejo. In the former he learned the -mining had been heard for several hours; in the latter there had been no -sounds at all. Satisfied that immediate work would only be required in -the Casa Vega, he proceeded to get his men into order. - -His plan, carefully thought out on the previous day, was to withdraw his -garrison from the Casa Vega, leaving only one man to fire the mine; -otherwise a large number would be uselessly sacrificed. The inrush of -the French after the explosion of their mine was to be the signal for -the firing of his own, and that in turn the signal for a sortie of the -whole of his available force. By this means he hoped to drive the -French back to such a distance that he could discover and blow up the -galleries they were driving into the Casa Tobar, and probably into the -Casa Vallejo also. - -It still wanted some minutes of dawn when his motley force was drawn up -in the plaza behind the walls of Vega and Tobar. It numbered only 350 -men in all--some haggard burghers of the city, some rugged guerrilleros -from the country districts, a few regulars from General Fiballer's -Valencian regiment, a few of Palafox's grenadiers. All bore signs of -the stress and toil of the past few weeks; but all were animated by one -spirit of indomitable resolution. Fifty of the best marksmen were at -once picked out to garrison Tobar and Vallejo and harass the French with -musketry-fire from the windows. Eighty good men were drafted as a -reserve. This left 220, of whom 120 were told off to make the main -sortie over the barricade in the street between Tobar and Vallejo, while -30 were appointed to guard the shorter barricade across the lane between -Tobar and Vega. The remaining 70 were ordered to march to the upper -side of the Casa Vega and make a demonstration at the barricade erected -in the street there. - -Jack had resolved to lead the principal sortie in person, and he devoted -special attention to the organization of his band. Ten of the men were -ordered to carry bags of powder to blow up the French galleries into -Tobar and Vallejo, if the sortie party were able to push home their -charge. Another ten were given short ladders and mats to assist the -rest across the barricade, which was of timber, some twelve feet in -height, and studded at the top with sharp nails. It had been -constructed so hastily, and with so little idea of the possibility of a -sortie, that it formed almost as formidable an obstacle to the Spaniards -as to the French. - -The sortie party beyond the Casa Vega was entrusted to Don Cristobal, -the reserve to Pablo Quintanar, the chief of the guerrilleros. This man -was very much dissatisfied with the post allotted him; he grumbled and -protested that he deserved a more prominent part in the operations, but -Jack had a vague distrust of the fellow, and somewhat curtly refused to -alter his arrangements. - -All was now ready. In the chill foggy dawn the men waited at their -several posts for the expected explosion. Sounds floated across the -river from the French lines: the blare of bugles, the rat-tat of drums, -occasionally the loud call of bustling officers. Jack began to wonder -whether the French would wait until their galleries into Tobar and -Vallejo were ready, and then spring the three mines simultaneously. But -the anxious period of waiting was at length ended. About an hour after -daybreak there was a dull roar; the whole district seemed to tremble; -there was the crash of falling stones and timber, a cloud of smoke and -dust from the Casa Vega, and with a shout the French rushed into the -ruined building beyond, to make good their position there. - -Then came a terrible interval of suspense, even more trying to the -nerves of the Spaniards than the long wait for the French explosion. -When would they hear the answering explosion? Had the gallant fellow -who had offered to fire the train perished before his work was done? -Jack wondered, waited anxiously. Second after second slipped by; he -could hear the ticking of the watch in his vest pocket. At last when, -unable to endure the uncertainty longer, he was about to rush into the -casa himself, a deafening noise like a thunderclap close at hand checked -him. The French mine, acting immediately upon the wall and at a -considerable depth below-ground, had spent most of its force on the wall -itself. But Jack's mine, having only a few feet of earth above it, and -being heavily charged, exerted its destructive effect in all directions. -It blew to fragments the ruins of the house adjoining the Casa Vega, -brought down what remained of its roof, shattered the remnants of the -walls on either side, and filled the air for a hundred yards around with -dust and debris, a few of Jack's men, even in the plaza behind, being -injured by objects that were shot clean over the houses. Jack, from his -position, could not see the extent of the damage; but the fact that the -explosion had actually occurred left him in no doubt that the French in -the ruined house beyond the Casa Vega must have been annihilated, and in -the ruins, where they had but slight protection, they must have suffered -heavy loss. - -But he hardly waited to estimate the effect of his successful coup. -Immediately after the explosion he gave his men the order to advance; -they dashed from cover and began to swarm over the barricades. At the -last moment Jack sent a man with orders to barricade as far as possible -the newly-made breach in the Vega wall. Then, with Antonio at his side, -he led the charge. The dust was still falling in clouds as they came to -the Tobar barricade. So sudden was the unexpected event, and so swiftly -did the Spaniards move, that their manoeuvre was not discovered by the -French until the greater number had crossed and, headed by Jack and -Antonio, charged down the street. But within fifty paces a shot rang out -from beyond the ruined house on their left; it was followed immediately -by a scattered fire, and amid yells of rage and pain many of Jack's men -fell. The French were firing from the half-dismantled houses they had -rushed a few days before, which, being somewhat remote from the scene of -the explosion, and sheltered by the ruins of the house adjoining the -Casa Tobar, had not suffered like the rest of the French position. -Nothing daunted by their losses, the Spaniards pressed on with shouts of -"Nuestra Senora del Pillar! A la cuchillo!" Don Cristobal meanwhile -had swept round the upper barricade. The ruins beyond the houses lately -burnt were carried with a rush. Drums were heard beating not far away; -there were loud shouts in French and the hurried tramp of feet. It was -clear that the enemy, not anticipating danger at this point, had drawn -away their troops in the direction of the Franciscan convent; they had -expected that under cover of the explosion the Casa Vega would be -captured, as a score of houses in the same quarter had been rushed -before, by a handful of disciplined men. No plans had been made to meet -so unexpected a movement of retaliation; for a moment the battle was to -the Spaniards. - -But Jack knew well that he durst not attempt to push his attack far. He -had given orders to Antonio, who had led a small body to the assault of -a house to the left, where the street bent inwards from the ramparts, to -blow up the head of the gallery into the Casa Vallejo, then to retire -towards that house, recross the barricade, and take up a position behind -it. To cover these movements, Jack directed a party of his men to keep -up a hot fire on the house at the bend of the street, from which some -French marksmen had swept the front of the attacking force. Within a -few minutes he heard a sharp report. At the same time Antonio's men -came streaming back towards Vallejo and over the barricade. One of the -French galleries was evidently accounted for. - -Meanwhile Jack's own position had been hotly assailed in front. The -ruined houses on the right of the street were now full of Frenchmen, who -charged again and again across the debris up to the party-wall, only to -be driven back by the men stationed there, under such cover as the -irregular remnants of the broken walls afforded. There was no time to -barricade the gap; it was only a question of time before the French must -break through in overwhelming numbers. Don Cristobal had occupied the -ruins adjoining the Casa Vega, but he was now ordered back across his -barricade, from which he could protect the flank of Jack's force when it -became necessary to withdraw it. - -At this juncture Jack felt the necessity of obtaining a view of the -whole position. He looked round for some point of observation. Through -a large rent in one of the walls to his right he perceived the remains -of a staircase to the second story. Was there time to clamber up it -before the French burst in? "I'll chance it," he said to himself. -Ordering his men to stand firm, he ran across the narrow lane, through -the wall, and began to ascend the staircase. It was a rickety -structure; its top had been blown away; it remained upright only by -favour of one or two stout joists which had been so firmly embedded in -the stone as to withstand the shock of the explosion when the party-wall -was cracked. Up he went. The stairs creaked under him; at every step -it seemed that the whole structure would fall with him. But at length -he reached a spot whence, through a hole in what had been once the wall, -he could see for a considerable distance over the quarter occupied by -the French. To his left he saw the dreary waste of ruins through which, -by patient mining and sudden rushes, the French had made their painful -way from the convent of Santa Engracia, which stood a woful spectacle of -destruction some hundreds of yards distant. - -Eastward he traced their progress through a series of dismantled -buildings, up to within a short distance of the Franciscan convent. -Farther to the right they had made yet deeper inroads into the city, and -were now almost within arm's-length of the Coso. Jack thought, with a -sudden pang, of the danger Juanita would soon be in, and decided that at -the earliest opportunity he must persuade her to change her quarters and -retire northwards, loth as he was to see her in that fever-haunted spot. - -Suddenly his eye was caught by a compact body of French, about 500 in -number, advancing at the quick step across the wide open space outside -the Santa Engracia convent. They had evidently been hurried from the -entrenchments beyond the walls. At the same time, glancing to the -right, he saw another body of men issuing from some buildings near the -Coso. Clearly no time was to be lost. Outnumbered already, he had only -held his own up to the present by having the advantage of the defensive -position. But the position was not strong. If the French occupied the -adjoining ruins in force there was scarcely an inch of cover for his -men. He must, therefore, at once blow up the head of the French gallery -leading below the Casa Tobar, which he had been unable to do hitherto -for fear of destroying his own men, and then withdraw his troops to -their original position. In face of the large French reinforcements -coming up, it would be as much as he could do to hold his own even -there. Springing down the staircase, three steps at a time, one of them -breaking through and falling with a crash behind him, he hastened back -to his men. He called up a little musketeer belonging to the Murcian -tiradores--one of the few survivors of that regiment-- - -"Hombre, run back to the Casa Alvarez; tell Pablo Quintanar to leave a -gap in the Vega wall wide enough to allow the passage of men in single -file. Understand, in single file." - -"Si, Senor," said the man, and bounded off. - -Now Jack prepared with all possible speed to evacuate his advanced -position. He was delayed by the necessity of removing his wounded; for -all this time the French had been firing into the houses, and, though -their aim was bad, several shots took effect owing to the Spaniards' -almost reckless exposure of themselves. Before he actually gave the -order to evacuate, the French, unaware of the reinforcements hastening -to their support, gathered themselves together for another charge. They -came gallantly almost to the very muzzles of the Spanish muskets; then -they recoiled before a terrible volley, and fell back in confusion. -Seizing the moment, Jack ordered his men to retire towards the Casa -Vega. - -[Illustration: Jack has a Narrow Escape] - -"Leave the gap in the wall open for me," he said to one of the regulars; -"I shall not be long behind you." - -Then, catching up a burning rope, he hastened to the end of the French -gallery, where his men had laid a train of gunpowder connecting with a -heavy charge. He had just time to set light to the train before a group -of three or four French soldiers dashed towards him through the ruins. -His perilous task was done; he turned to follow his men, the enemy, not -waiting to fire, close behind him. As he was crossing the lane dividing -the Casas Vega and Tobar there was a loud explosion; the gallery had -blown up, and with it the head of the French column immediately behind -his pursuers. Only two men were now on his track. He glanced over his -shoulder, and judged that there was time to reach the gap in the wall -before he could be overtaken. At this moment his foot slipped on a loose -heap of fallen masonry; he fell headlong, and before he could recover -himself, the foremost pursuer was upon him. Wriggling over instantly on -his side, he drew his pistol, and managed to snap it at the man when the -point of his bayonet was within a foot of him. The ball hit the man -full on the forehead, and he dropped like a log. - -Springing to his feet, Jack drew his sword in the nick of time to meet -the attack of the second pursuer. It was sword against bayonet, and if -the latter had been in the hands of a British soldier, Jack, in spite of -his skill as a swordsman, might have stood a poor chance. But the -bayonet, as wielded by a Continental soldier, was not the same -formidable weapon, and it happened that his attacker was a Pole--one of -Colonel Chlopiski's Vistula regiment, which, as Jack had already learnt, -had proved the most troublesome of all the French troops since the -capture of Santa Engracia. Jack had more than once shown himself to be -a swordsman of exceptional resource, and at this critical moment the old -French emigre who had been his fencing master in London, if he could -have seen the duel, would have beamed with satisfaction. After a few -passes Jack gave the Pole an opportunity to lunge; he eagerly seized it; -his thrust was lightly parried, and the next moment Jack was in beneath -his guard. - -As he hurried away, even in that breathless moment Jack could not help -feeling some pity for his two gallant foemen who would see the Vistula -no more. It was in the hope of freeing their country from the bondage -of Russia that the Poles had allied themselves with Napoleon. They were -now purchasing their own freedom by assisting to enslave others. - -Hastening across the ruins adjoining the Casa Vega, Jack saw terrible -signs of the havoc wrought by his mine. The attacking French force had -been a large one. It had perished to a man. But there was no time for -anything but escape from the horde of French now rapidly approaching -him. Scrambling over charred beams, shattered brickwork, fragments of -household furniture, and the dead bodies of the fallen enemy, he drew -near to the spot where the explosion of the French mine had blown a -large hole in the party-wall. It was here that Jack expected to find -the gap through which his men had preceded him into safety. But there -was no gap. The hole was completely closed up, and the obstruction was -too strong to be won through, too high to clamber over. Nonplussed for -the moment, Jack turned to look for another means of escape, aware, as -he did so, of loud voices in altercation on the other side of the -barricade. - -Bullets were now pattering on the brickwork, and the sound of scrambling -feet in the adjoining ruins showed that he had been seen by the French, -and that they were making towards him. There was not an instant to -lose. To his left, as he faced the French quarter, the ruins were open -and exposed to fire from several directions; escape was impossible that -way. But on his right there still stood the remnant of what had been a -lath-and-plaster wall between two rooms. He caught at this chance of -even temporary concealment. Bending low, he dodged along behind its -precarious shelter till he came to a ruined window within a few feet of -the barricade defended by Don Cristobal. The rattle of musketry could -now be heard on all hands. Jack felt sure that his appearance at the -window would be the signal for a hail of bullets from the opposite side -of the street, at the angle nearer the Coso where the French had -obtained a lodgment. But it was now or never, and he was just wrenching -away a broken iron bar, to squeeze his way through, when his ears were -assailed by unexpected shouts from the street. To his amazement, he saw -Don Cristobal's men come swarming over the barricade and rushing along -the street towards the French. But it was not Don Cristobal who led -them; the leader was a tall figure who rushed forward, sword in hand, -with long robe tucked up, and bare arms, from which the sleeves had been -flung back over the shoulders. He was shouting in frenzied tones. Jack -recognized Latin phrases mingled with Spanish. It was the patriot -priest, Santiago Sass. - -Wondering what had happened, Jack jumped into the street, safe now, for -the French were occupied with the rush of the headlong Spaniards. There -they were, cutting their way through a large body of French troops, -heedless of the pelting bullets from the surrounding houses, yelling, -slashing, and, alas! many of them falling. - -"What imbecile folly!" exclaimed Jack in his anger. The rash charge was -useless, hopeless. All that he could do was to cover the inevitable -retreat. Clambering over the barricade, Jack ran towards the Casa -Alvarez, overtaking on the way Don Cristobal, who had hastened thither -on the same errand as himself. - -"Men of the reserve," cried Jack, "follow me!" - -Pablo Quintanar, their leader, was, strangely, not with them. They -dashed after Jack and Don Cristobal, and reached the barricade just in -time. The Spaniards, all that were left of them, were streaming over -it, broken and disheartened, pursued by bullets from the French. Last of -them all came Santiago Sass, splashed with blood from head to foot, -blood streaming from a wound on his brow. - -"In te, Domine, speravi!" he cried breathlessly as he staggered over the -barricade. - -Catching him by the arm, Jack dragged the exhausted priest out of harm's -way, and then, ordering his men to hold the barricade, enquired of Don -Cristobal what was the meaning of the recent extraordinary movement. He -learnt that Santiago Sass, who was ever where danger was thickest, had -been passing the quarter, and, attracted by the noise of the explosions, -had hastened, full of burning zeal, to the nearest barricade. There, -finding Don Cristobal's force, as he thought, culpably inactive, and -hearing musketry on all sides, he had jumped to the conclusion that the -Spaniards were skulking, and, refusing to listen to Don Cristobal's -explanation, had poured out upon them a torrent of invective and -exhortation, called on them to follow him, and led them furiously over -the barricade. Such was his influence that not a man refused to obey -his call. - -Meanwhile the hot fire maintained by the reserve had driven the French -back. But they showed some disposition to come on in greater strength -and attempt the capture of the barricade. Santiago Sass, furious at the -failure of his ill-timed sortie, and still more with Jack for forcibly -removing him from the scene, began to vent his wrath upon him. - -"Do not stay me!" he cried. "Cursed be any that flinches! Dominus vir -pugnator! Let us haste--" - -"Senor Padre," interrupted Jack quietly, "you led a most gallant charge, -but look--it has cost me some twenty good men." - -He pointed to the corpse-strewn street. The priest looked, and was -evidently impressed. Gathering his skirts about him he sped away -towards the Coso in search of more forlorn hopes to lead, the sound of -his wild and whirling words being scarcely drowned by the noise of the -battle. - -For the rest of that day French and Spaniards continued to occupy their -respective positions. The former made no attempt at organized attack; -they clearly dreaded the discovery of more mines. The Spaniards were -not strong enough to expel the enemy altogether. Thus, when nightfall -again put an end to the fighting, the situation was essentially the same -as it had been in the morning. - -Reckoning up the results, Jack was able to congratulate himself on -having accomplished all that he had hoped to do. The two French -galleries towards the Casas Tobar and Vallejo were destroyed; the French -had suffered very heavy loss in men. The explosion of their mine in the -Casa Vega had not furthered their advance, and their work for three days -past was rendered null. But their failure, Jack knew, would only nerve -them to redoubled energy; he must be prepared for an even more strenuous -attack on his position. All that he could do was to ensure that if the -houses must be captured it should be with a maximum of delay and loss to -the French. - -As he went the round of his district, before proceeding to convey his -nightly report to Palafox, Pablo Quintanar, the guerrilla leader, came -up and made a complaint against his subordinate Antonio. He had been -attacked, he said, and nearly murdered by Antonio for refusing to reopen -the barricade thrown across the gap in the wall of the Casa Vega. - -"Did you not receive my order?" demanded Jack. - -"Your order was to hold the barricade, Senor." - -"But you opened a gap to let in my men. I sent the order by one of the -Murcian tiradores." - -"Yes, indeed, and the men came through one by one, and when the last was -through I closed the barricade." - -"And shut me out!" - -Jack looked sharply at the man, but as usual was unable to catch his -eye. - -"I waited for the Senor," he protested, "five, ten, twenty minutes; but -he did not come. What was I to think but that he was dead? If I had -known--" - -"You would have acted otherwise. Well, as you did make so unfortunate -a--mistake, perhaps the less you say about Antonio's attempt to mend it -the better. Buenas noches, hombre!" - -Jack turned on his heel, and, wondering what conceivable motive Pablo -Quintanar could have for doing him a hurt, set off for the Castle -Aljafferia. - - - - - *CHAPTER XXIV* - - *"A bon Chat, bon Rat"* - - -Under a Cloud--The Door--Padre Consolacion--A Daughter of Spain--The -House in the Lane--An Unexpected Visitor--A Gambit--In the Shadow--The -Worm Turns--A Blue Paper--The Simple Way - - -As he made his way through the throng of people filling the corridors -and halls of the palace, Jack could not but observe that the looks he -met were rather of suspicion than friendliness. He was known by sight -to many of the habitues of the castle. Tio Jorge had never tired of -praising his exploits and acclaiming him as a staunch friend of Spain; -and yet many now scowled on him, whispered to each other as he passed; -one or two even fingered their knives. - -Surprised at this change of attitude, he was still more surprised to -find it reflected in the bearing of Palafox and Don Basilio and other -members of the Junta who were present when he made his report. Palafox -listened to him coldly, spoke a few words of the faintest praise, and -dismissed him without a sign of real approval or encouragement. - -Tio Jorge met him as he was re-entering the town by the Porta Portillo, -and Jack felt a sense of relief when he saw that the big peasant's -greeting was cordial as ever. After an exchange of news Tio Jorge, who -had scanned his face anxiously, said bluntly: - -"I am a plain man, Senor. You will answer me a plain question." - -"Certainly, anything in reason," said Jack in surprise. - -"They're saying--I could not believe it--but they are all saying that -you wish to surrender; at least, that you do not think we can hold out. -Now, whatever we may think, we do not talk of these things; it is not -good for the people to hear such things. If any man says them, he does -not live to say them twice. Tell me plainly, Senor, have you spoken of -surrender?" - -"My good friend," said Jack with a smile, "when you yourself hear an -Englishman talk of surrender, then you may believe it; till then--" - -"Then it is false?" asked Tio Jorge. - -"Absolutely." - -"I knew it. And that proves," added Tio Jorge after a moment, "what I -thought from the first: you have an enemy in Saragossa, Senor." - -And then he explained. The despatch brought by Don Miguel Priego had -been in several points so different from, so much less discouraging -than, that previously brought by Jack, that the Saragossans' first flush -of enthusiasm for the English had soon disappeared. The undoubted -retreat of Sir John Moore, and the subsequent departure of his army from -the shores of Spain, were twisted to mean a desertion of the Spanish -cause. There was at first no personal feeling against Jack, though his -country was regarded with bitterness, but it had lately been rumoured, -on the authority of Don Miguel's servant, that he had been overheard, in -the Cafe Arcos, expressing a despondent view of the chances of holding -the city, and hinting that it would be wise to make terms with the -French. Only the energetic and successful work Jack had been doing in -the Santa Engracia district, and the strong support of Tio Jorge -himself, had given pause to those who wished to treat him as all who -counselled surrender were treated--to gibbet him in the Coso. - -Jack recognized at once that Don Miguel's malignity was not to be -ignored. The bare suspicion of disloyalty had been sufficient to bring -a full tale of victims to the gallows, and the fact that he was an -Englishman would not preserve him if the feelings of the populace were -once thoroughly roused. Fortunately Tio Jorge was his friend; and Tio -Jorge was a host in himself. Jack had seen no more of Miguel or his man -since their remarkable apparition on the ramparts. He resolved to keep -a good look-out; though, after all, it was wily, underhand machinations -rather than open violence he had to fear from them. - -He had determined to see Juanita and advise her to remove immediately to -a safer part of the city. He therefore took leave of Tio Jorge at the -door of the house in the Coso where she was staying. The same old -duenna admitted him. - -"The Senora is very ill," she said. "The Senorita receives. There is a -visitor with her now." - -"I will wait, then." - -"Not so, Senor. The Senorita gave orders that the Senor was always to -be shown up if he called." - -Entering the sala, he saw a tall cloaked figure between him and Juanita. - -"Ah!" said Juanita, coming forward eagerly with outstretched hand; "how -do you do, Jack? You are just in time to show Don Miguel to the door." - -"With pleasure," said Jack, returning at once to the door and holding it -wide open. - -Miguel had faced round, and stood swinging his hat in the middle of the -room. A fierce scowl darkened his face as he looked from one to the -other. Juanita reseated herself, turned her back on him, and resumed -some needle-work for the wounded on which she had been engaged. Jack -stood in an attitude of polite expectancy at the door. - -"I protest--" began Don Miguel; but Jack cut him short. Speaking in a -quiet, even tone, he said: - -"You have taken leave, Don Miguel?" - -The Spaniard stood for a moment irresolute; then, flinging on his hat, -he strode across the room, made no response to Jack's bow, and -disappeared. The moment the door was shut Juanita sprang up, ran -towards Jack, and took him by both hands. - -"Oh, Jack, Jack," she said, "you don't know how glad I am to see you!" - -"Has that hound been bullying you?" - -"Bullying! He dare not. I am not a child! But listen, amigo mio; he -came to ask me to marry him. He did! He had the audacity! You should -have seen him--heard him--his nasty oily voice; oh, he seemed to be -quite sure that he had only to ask! 'And you think of marriage at this -fearful time!' I said. And he wanted me to believe that he was thinking -only of my safety. When the town falls, he said, I shall want a -protector. 'And you, one of Palafox's hussars, how can you protect me?' -And then he smiled, and spoke in dark hints of some special power he -will have, and I grew angry, and asked whether he meant to turn -afrancesado, and then--and then you came, Jack, and I wondered what he -would do; and--and he went, and I couldn't help remembering the time -when you and I were so terribly afraid of him, and--oh, Jack, it was -magnificent--it was indeed!" - -Juanita laughed, and Jack himself smiled at the recollection of Miguel's -undignified exit. - -"But, Juanita," he said, "I came to warn you." - -"Against him?" - -"No; against the danger you run in staying here. The French are coming -nearer every hour; almost at any moment they may reach the Coso. They -are driving their mines steadily towards the centre of the city. You -must find a place--I can't call it a home--elsewhere." - -"But, Jack, that is arranged already. Padre Consolacion is going to -take us to a house near the Porta Portillo to-morrow. What do you -think?--the padre came to see me only a minute or two after you left the -other day." - -"Was that the Padre Consolacion? I saw a benevolent-looking priest -enter as I went out." - -"Yes. And, only think, he wanted me to marry Miguel!" - -"The padre?" - -Juanita nodded. - -"Of course I told him it was impossible--quite impossible. He sat down -and crossed his white plump hands on his hat and began to talk. Miguel -must have won him with his plausible manner. I love the padre, but I -couldn't listen to him; could I, Jack? He asked me why I was so opposed -to what he thought was an excellent match, and one that my father had so -much desired; and then I told him that it was all lies, lies; my father -had never wished anything of the sort. And the poor old dear was -puzzled, and kept tapping his thumbs together and looked at me so -sorrowfully, and then he was called away to attend to a dying officer. -And--Jack, tell me, will this siege ever end? Can we hold out any -longer? Are there big armies mustering to relieve us, as they all say?" - -She bent forward with clasped hands. Jack hesitated for a moment. - -"Juanita," he said, "I won't disguise my real belief. I don't believe in -the big armies. Saragossa will fall--unless one of two things happens." - -"And they?" - -"Unless General Palafox sends out a large sortie and defeats the French, -or unless their ammunition gives out. Neither is probable." - -"Then what will become of us? How long will General Palafox resist? -Cannot someone plead with him? Think of the thousands who have died, -and the thousands who are dying--the poor women and children in their -horrible cellars! Oh, Jack, what a terrible thing war is! Does -Napoleon know, can he know, of all the horrors he has brought upon us? -Has he any heart at all? Jack, my poor aunt is dying, I fear. I can do -nothing. Every morning when I go out to carry food and water to the -brave soldiers--" - -"You do that, Juanita?" - -"Why, yes; every girl in Saragossa does that or something else to help; -and every morning I go fearing that I shall never again see Tia Teresa -alive. And if she dies, I shall be quite alone in the world. Father -gone, Jose gone-- Ah! but I have you, Jack, and the good padre, and if -the worst comes you will look after me, won't you?--take me to England, -perhaps--I used to like your mother,--and Napoleon will never conquer -England, will he, Jack?" - -"Not he," said Jack with a laugh. He saw that the events of the past -few days had wrought her nerves to a high pitch of excitement, and -tactfully turned the conversation into a quieter channel. He asked for -the name of the house to which she was going on the morrow, assured her -that, when the inevitable capitulation came, the French would allow -generous terms to such brave defenders, and at length took his leave, -promising to visit her whenever he could snatch an opportunity. - -"And will you be able to save the old house?" she asked, as he was going -out at the door. - -"I shall do my best, for the sake of old times, be sure of that." - -"I know you will. Vaya usted con Dios, Jack!" - -Before he reached the foot of the stairs, Jack saw, in the dim light of -the small hanging lamp, a portly figure ascending. He crossed to the -other side and waited to allow the visitor to pass. - -"Buenas noches, Senor!" said Padre Consolacion, sweeping off his large -shovel hat; then he stopped as he recognized the same youth whom he had -seen earlier in the week. - -"Padre mio," cried Juanita from the top, "come along; I want to speak to -you." - -"Buenas noches, Padre!" said Jack; and the priest, after a moment's -hesitation, went up slowly. - - -Hard by the Casa Alvarez a narrow tortuous lane of mean houses, dirty in -appearance and evil in repute, ran almost due east from the ramparts. -It was not a district in which, before the siege, any person worth -robbing would choose to be abroad after nightfall. But when, towards -dusk on this fifth of February, a well-dressed man passed rapidly down -the street and disappeared into one of the least reputable of the -houses, the few denizens who observed him did so without a thought of -their knives, almost without a sense of curiosity. To such a height of -abnegation had the public danger brought the professional lawbreakers of -Saragossa. - -It was a house of three stories, and the stranger, threading his way -gingerly through the gloomy entrance and up the narrow stairway, -gathered from the evidence of all his senses that every story was fully -occupied. In hardly another street in this part of Saragossa could a -house have been found where its whole population was not herded in -cellars below-ground. But here the lane was so narrow, and so closely -surrounded by buildings, that the inhabitants were in no danger from the -French bombardment, and lived in a security which few of their -fellow-citizens enjoyed. - -As the visitor passed room after room on his upward way, the sounds of -coarse laughter, the oaths of men, the shrill expostulation of women, -and the querulous cry of children came to him through closed or -half-closed doors, and he drew his cloak around him with an instinctive -movement of disgust. Treading almost noiselessly he reached the attic -floor, where the doors of three rooms opened on to a narrow landing. -Although evidently a stranger to the house he showed little hesitation. -With infinite caution he tiptoed across the landing to the farthermost -door, and put his eye to a crack in the panel, through which a narrow -beam of light fell on the dirt-encrusted wall behind him. - -The room into which he looked was in keeping with the rest of the house. -The fitful light of a tallow candle showed a man bending over a crazy -table, two truckle-beds ranged at right angles to each other in the far -corner, and a few articles of clothing hanging from hooks on the wall. -The man was intently studying a blue paper spread out on the table, -spelling out the words with difficulty, and repeating them under his -breath with a growl of impatience that accentuated the unpleasing effect -of a countenance by nature unprepossessing. - -For some minutes the man beyond the door, drawing shallow breath, -watched him closely as he struggled with the intricacies of the -document. There was apparently a passage in it that completely baffled -him. He turned the paper this way and that, examined it even upside -down, but without success, and at last, in a burst of anger, dashed it -down on to the table with an audible oath. - -The visitor took this as his cue for entry, and tapped gently at the -door. - -"Adelante!" was the answer, after a distinct pause. - -He turned the handle and went in. The man had faced round towards the -door, and the dim light of the candle disclosed the narrow features, low -receding forehead, thin lips, and shifty eyes of Pablo Quintanar. The -blue paper had disappeared. - -There was a momentary silence. The host was evidently waiting for his -visitor to introduce himself. - -"Buenas noches, hombre!" said the stranger suavely, with a conciliatory -bow. "I trust I don't come at an unseasonable hour." - -The guerrillero scanned him from head to foot with a quick suspicious -glance. - -"That depends, Senor, upon your business, who you are, and what you want -with me." - -"As to who I am, hombre--may I take a chair? thank you!--my name is -Miguel Priego. As to my business, that is not so simply stated; we must -improve our acquaintance first." - -The man started at the mention of his visitor's name; and the latter -duly noted the fact. But as the guerrillero merely stood in an attitude -of expectancy, Don Miguel, loosening his cloak and placing his hat on -the table, continued: - -"I have been, my friend, as you may perhaps have heard, four days in -Saragossa. During these four days I have been searching for you." - -The man's hand went like a flash to his knife, and Miguel, quickening -his measured tones, hastened to add: - -"No, my friend, not in that way, or, as you can imagine, I should not -have come alone. I have been searching for you because I think we are -both of one mind regarding, let us say, the policy of our brave -commandant General Palafox." - -"Say what you have to say, and have done with it. I don't understand -your fine phrases." - -Don Miguel smiled indulgently. It was clear to him that his host fully -grasped his meaning. - -"Well, to put the matter quite plainly, you--that is, you and I--regard -all this," waving his hand in the direction of a cannon-shot from the -ramparts, "as useless waste of life--sheer obstinacy; a noble -enthusiasm, but misguided. Is it not so? Now, acting upon our -convictions we--that is, you--have already done our little best to bring -this distressing conflict to an end. We--that is, you--have -endeavoured--unsuccessfully endeavoured--to relieve our commandant of -certain plans which, if placed in proper hands might--I say might--" - -At this point the guerrillero, who had been standing facing his visitor, -sank into a chair, his face blanched, his mouth twitching. On the blank -wall before him his imagination was casting the grim shadow of a gibbet. - -Don Miguel smiled faintly, and waved his hand reassuringly. - -"There is no need, my friend, for emotion. If we were not of the same -mind you might, of course, have some ground for uneasiness; but -fortunately we understand one another. Is it not so?" - -"Si, Senor," the man replied, recovering himself with an effort. "Si, -Senor, we understand one another." - -"That is well. Now we can proceed. You can understand that our good -friends out yonder, who also wish to end this terrible siege, are -grieved by your ill-success. They are saying hard things about you. -They even went the length of giving me your name, which, if I were less -discreet, might well have been awkward for you. I don't disguise that -if they capture Saragossa while you are still in their debt--one -thousand pesetas, is it not?--they may treat you somewhat harshly. But, -fortunately, you have a chance of retrieving yourself." - -Don Miguel paused. His host had now to some extent recovered his -composure. - -"And what is that?" he asked sullenly. - -"I happen to know, hombre, where our noble commandant has placed the -papers you failed to find. If you can deliver those papers to me I will -see that our friends outside do not forget you." - -The man smiled cunningly. - -"Thank you, Senor! If I run the risk it would suit me better to claim -the reward myself." - -"As you please, my friend. But remember that without my assistance you -can do nothing. A few more days will end the siege, and then--" He -smiled, then added reflectively: "They say it is an easy death." - -Pablo Quintanar winced. He felt himself in the toils, and had some -difficulty in resisting the impulse to throw himself upon his visitor -and end the interview with a knife-thrust. But he felt that Don Miguel, -with all his languid urbanity, was fully on his guard, and choking down -his animosity he replied: - -"What does the Senor wish me to do?" - -Don Miguel's voice throughout the interview had been carefully modulated -to defeat any eavesdropping. He now rose quietly, and, rapidly opening -the door, peered out on to the landing. There was no one in view. He -stretched himself over the balustrade and saw, on the flight below, what -appeared to be a tall figure lurking in the shadow. He seemed -satisfied. Quietly re-entering the room, he closed the door. - -Then began a long colloquy between the two men, Miguel giving precise -directions as to the whereabouts of a certain box, and the means whereby -it could be secured. - -"I think, my friend, there is nothing more to say," he remarked in -conclusion. "The matter now rests with you." - -"One moment, Senor," said Quintanar, motioning him to be seated. He had -listened deferentially to what Miguel had been saying, and had -obediently fallen in with every proposition; but there was now a -vindictive look in his eyes that caused Miguel a strange uneasiness. - -"Certainly," he replied, "but I have little time to spare." - -"I will not detain you long--not longer, Senor, than you wish, though I -think that when you have heard what I have to say, you may not be in -such a hurry. The point is this. If--mind, I say 'if'--I knew the -whereabouts of a letter in which your name is mentioned in connection -with a little affair on the Barcelona road--you remember?--a couple of -years ago?--if, I say, I had such a letter, that is, if I knew where -such a letter was to be found, would it be worth anything to you, Don -Miguel?" - -Pablo Quintanar grinned maliciously. He had been the victim for the -past half-hour; it was now his turn. Miguel had done his best to -dissemble his start of surprise and anxiety; but the man's searching -gaze was upon him, and though he replied with a show of confidence he -felt that it was not convincing. - -"My name has no doubt been mentioned in a good many letters, my friend; -but I am quite indifferent whether I am well or ill spoken of. Hard -words break no bones." - -"That may be, Senor, but they sometimes break reputations, and you are -dancing on a thin rope. But if I tell you that this letter also has a -message about a sum of money hidden by the writer, how does that alter -the case?" - -"I can tell you better if you inform me what the message is, and what -the name of the writer is." - -"Well, I can tell you the name of the writer; it is the late Senor -Alvarez." - -"Ah! I heard that a letter had been lost--that, then, was what you -found instead of the plan. Do you know, my friend, that this places you -in a very awkward position? You will do well to hand the letter over to -me. The slightest whisper of suspicion--" - -The man glared viciously at the speaker, then snapped out: - -"You may be quite sure that as you are the only man who knows anything -about it, I shall take care that you swing on the same gallows." - -Don Miguel shifted his feet uneasily. - -"You need not fear, my friend; I am not the man to betray you. I merely -thought it would be safer for you if this letter were in my possession." - -"Oh, no doubt! but, Senor," added Quintanar with a harsh laugh, "I -couldn't allow you to take the risk--especially as the letter is of no -value to you. I need not detain you, Senor." - -Miguel considered a moment, tapping the floor lightly with his foot. - -"What do you want for the paper?" - -"Well, Senor, I am not unreasonable. Let us say one thousand pesetas -down and a quarter of the treasure when you find it." - -Miguel laughed softly. - -"Thank you, my friend! Before I pay a thousand pesetas I should like to -know what I am paying it for." - -Quintanar, hesitating for a moment, slowly drew out a blue paper from -beneath his jacket, and said: - -"What do you think of this? - - -'I am convinced that Miguel Priego was at the bottom of this dastardly -outrage. Unfortunately, we have no proof at present that would satisfy -a judge, but if any of the men who assisted him can be found and induced -to give evidence it is still possible that he may be brought to book.' - - -What do you think of that, Don Miguel? Ah! I thought I should interest -you." - -Miguel forced a smile, and, waving his hand airily, said: - -"If that is all the letter contains I would not offer a maravedi for -it." - -"Oh, there is more, a good deal more! I need not read it all, but -listen to this: - - -"The sum saved from Miguel's brigands, together with a large amount in -jewels and bullion, I have thought it best to secrete until more settled -times. You will find appended to this letter instructions which, taken -together with a communication I have made to your son Jack, will enable -you or him, or such other person as you may be so good as to depute, to -find them in the event of anything happening to my servant Jose Pinzon, -who is fully acquainted with all my dispositions." - - -Don Miguel, greed written in every lineament, leaned forward on his -chair, listening eagerly. - -"Well," he said impatiently, as the man concluded, "what are the -instructions?" - -"Those, Senor, I cannot read. They are in some strange tongue; but no -doubt you, having education, will be able to make them out. That is to -say, if you make it worth my while to hand you the letter. You know my -price." - -Carefully refolding the letter, Quintanar replaced it in a pocket inside -his jacket. In doing so he took his eyes for a moment off Miguel, whom -he had been watching with the utmost vigilance, to assure himself that -the document was safely stowed away. - -The other, his face aflame with rage and cupidity, instantly seized the -opportunity. Drawing his feet quietly beneath him, he sprang from his -chair and bore the guerrillero to the ground. But the man, although -taken unawares, recovered himself with surprising agility. Before Miguel -had time to draw his knife he had clutched him by the throat, and with a -dexterous turn had reversed their positions, Miguel now being on the -ground, Quintanar above him, his long knife uplifted to strike. - - - - - *CHAPTER XXV* - - *Pepito finds a Clue* - - -Morning Light--Bombarded--An Afrancesado--From the Roofs--In the Casa -Vallejo--A Fight at Daybreak--Anticipated--The Jesus Convent--New -Barricades--Repulsed--Borrowing a Gun--Round-Shot and Grape--Out of -Action--Odds and Evens - - -Jack was awakened next morning by the sounds of altercation outside the -small room on the ground floor of the Casa Alvarez that he had reserved -for himself. - -"You shall not!" he heard Pepito cry in his shrill voice. "The Senor -sleeps; you--shall--not--" - -Then his voice was stifled by the noise of scuffling. A heavy thud shook -the door, as though some massive body had been driven against it. -Springing from his bed, on which he had lain down in all his clothes -save his boots, Jack went to the door, opened it, and saw Antonio, the -guerrillero, raining blow after blow on the small form of Pepito, who -had twisted himself about one of the big man's legs and held on grimly, -though he must have suffered not a little. - -"Come, come!" said Jack; "what is it, Antonio? Pepito, let him go!" - -Pepito sprang away instantly. - -"The Busno wanted to wake the Senor," he piped, with a fierce look at -Antonio. - -"You waked me between you. Well, Antonio?" - -"Senor, I was on night duty; I was to be relieved at two o'clock, so it -was arranged by Don Cristobal; the chief was to relieve me. He did not -come. I waited, one hour, two hours; he did not come. The Senor knows -I would not leave my post. At five came Don Cristobal on his round of -the posts. I told him; he put a man in my place and I went home tired -as a dog, and there, in the top room I share with the chief, there, -Senor, I saw him, Pablo Quintanar, on the floor, still, dead, and blood -all round him." - -Jack looked sharply at the man. There was every sign of amazement and -agitation in his face, but Jack remembered that he had quarrelled with -his chief on the previous day, and could not but suspect there had been -a repetition of the dispute when the men met in their lodging, and that, -possibly by accident, it was Antonio's knife that had done the fatal -work. Antonio appeared to guess what was passing in his captain's mind. - -"I swear I did not do it, Senor. I knew nothing of it till I saw him -there on the floor. We quarrelled; yes, the Senor knows that, but I -keep my knife for the French; I would not--" - -"Take me to the place," interrupted Jack coldly. Staying only to pull on -his boots, he accompanied the man to the dirty lane and into the dingy -house from which Miguel had stealthily issued some six hours before. -Pepito was at his heels as he climbed the filthy staircase; the gipsy -sniffed and snorted at the foul odours his nostrils encountered, and put -his hand on his knife as he passed each doorway. - -They entered the attic. The gray light of a dull morning coming through -a narrow skylight barely illuminated the sordid room. On the floor, -stretched on his face, with arms extended towards the door, lay the -figure of the guerrillero. This was no death in fair fight, face to -face with his enemy; but the base, stealthy thrust of an assassin. - -"That is how I found him, Senor," said Antonio. - -"Yes; it is the Spanish way." - -He had noticed that the dead man's hand clasped a knife. Stooping, he -removed it from his grasp; the steel was bright and clear, as though it -had never been used for any but innocent purposes. Jack, as he held the -weapon, reflected. The man had drawn his knife. It must have been for -attack or for self-defence against an enemy in front of him; therefore -the blow from behind that killed him must have been dealt by a second -person. Antonio was scarcely likely to have brought another man into -his personal quarrel; Jack was inclined to believe that he was -guiltless, as he said. He looked around the room; there were few signs -of a scuffle. It was useless to institute an enquiry among the other -people in the house, and the sound of musketry and cannon-shots without -already called him to his duties. - -"Bury the poor wretch," he said, "and then come to me." - -"The Senor believes I did not do it?" - -"Yes, yes; we have no time for enquiries. There is work for us who are -left alive." - -He hurried away. There had been something sinister about the -guerrillero, something that Jack could not fathom; perhaps it was -resentment at a stranger being brought in and placed above him; but Jack -could not help feeling a passing pity for the Spaniard who had met his -death by the hands presumably of one of his own countrymen, instead of -in heroic combat with the enemy. - -He returned to his post. The situation as it had been left on the -previous evening had now been complicated. The cannon-shots he had heard -in the attic had been fired from two pieces mounted by the French at the -angle of the street. An epaulement of sand-bags and gabions had been -thrown across between the ruined blocks, and from that point of vantage -the French gunners were pointing their cannon so that their shots fell -plump upon the walls of the Casas Vega and Tobar. These, it was clear, -would before long be a heap of ruins. Jack sent men to the end of his -subterranean galleries to listen whether mining operations had been -resumed by the French. When they returned, reporting that no sound -could be heard, he concluded that the signal failure of their last mines -had been enough for the enemy, and that in future they would probably -trust entirely to cannonade, followed by attacks in force. He could not -reply to their artillery; all that lay in his power was to hold his men -in readiness to repel a charge, and to fire his long Y-shaped mines when -the French attack was being pressed home. - -Some two hours later he was consulting with Don Cristobal on the -possibilities of capturing the French guns in a night attack, when -Pepito came up, looking even more than usually mysterious. He stood -before Jack with his hands behind him, waiting until his master, now -deeply engrossed in conversation, should notice him. - -"I should dearly like to make the attempt," Jack was saying, "but your -arguments are, I am afraid, conclusive. We can't afford to lose any of -our men unless we can be sure of success, and after their recent -warnings I don't think we shall catch the French napping. We must give -up the idea, I suppose, but you will see that our men keep a keen watch -on the epaulement, Senor-- Well, what is it, Pepito?" - -Pepito came forward carelessly. - -"I found these, Senor," he said, handing two papers to Jack, who took -them carelessly. Without unfolding them, he asked: - -"Where did you get these?" - -"In the tall house, Senor." - -"Which tall house?" - -"Where the Senor went just now." - -"Where the man was murdered?" - -"Si, Senor. The big Antonio took him away. I was there. In a minute, -two men came in. 'Now we get a bed,' they say. They pull the dirty -quilt off the bed. One man carries it; the other pulls off the -mattress. There, on the boards, I see two papers. I snatch them, and -say: 'I take these to the Senor Capitan'. The man laughs; and here they -are, Senor." - -Jack unfolded the papers and glanced at them curiously. Suddenly he -started, and keenly scrutinized one of them. - -"It is explained now, Senor," he said to Don Cristobal, at the same time -laying the papers before him. "Quintanar was a spy." - -"An afrancesado!" ejaculated the Spaniard. - -"Unhappily. One of the papers, you see, is a pass through the French -lines; the other a rough plan of our defences. See, the miserable -fellow had begun to dot in our mines under the houses opposite. Someone -must have discovered his treachery, and killed him without remorse." - -"So perish all traitors!" said Don Cristobal. - -At this moment a man rushed in with the news that a small breach had -been made in the wall of the Casa Tobar. - -"We must do something to check them," said Jack, rising. "A few good -marksmen on the top of this house might pick off their gunners; let us -go and see." - -They went up the staircase towards the roof, Pepito, left alone, put his -hand into his pocket, and drew out a small silver buckle, such as -Spanish burghers and officers wore on their shoes. - -"Senor has the papers," he muttered. "Ca! I have the buckle. The -buckle is better than the papers." - -He swung it round his forefinger, humming under his breath, and was -still toying with it when Jack came downstairs again. Then he hurriedly -thrust it into his pocket, and stood unconcernedly as though waiting for -orders. - -A moment's glance had shown Jack that his plan of placing marksmen on -the roof would be useless. The Casas Vega and Tobar, though much lower -than the Casa Alvarez, were not low enough to allow an effective fire -over them. But what could not be done from the Casa Alvarez might be -done from the lower roofs nearer the guns. Jack lost no time in making -his way to the flat roof of the Casa Tobar. Carefully crawling along -and peeping over, he saw that the angle of depression was just sharp -enough to allow a good marksman to take aim at the gunners' heads. It -would be dangerous work, for the French would instantly perceive the -source of the shots, and would bring a concentrated fire to bear in -return. There was no parapet to the roof, but a parapet could perhaps -be extemporized with sand-bags, between which the Spaniards' muskets -might be placed. - -Returning to the ground, Jack explained what he had in his mind, and -Antonio at once volunteered to make the attempt. With some of his men -he climbed to the roof, where they pushed sand-bags along until they -came to the edge. Then one of the men tried a shot. He missed. But -Antonio took more deliberate aim, through the interstice between two -sand-bags, and hit one of the French gunners in the arm. - -Three Frenchmen had been hit before the enemy discovered whence came -these disconcerting shots. Then bullets began to patter on the walls -and roof. But the Spaniards were too well protected by their -extemporized parapet to be in much fear, and continued their firing -without suffering serious loss. Before the day was out the French found -it the part of discretion to withdraw their gunners, and for the time -being the cannon were useless. - -Jack was not surprised next morning to learn that the French mining work -had been renewed. This time the sounds were heard in the Casa Vallejo. -The French had evidently seen that their only chance of carrying the -position was by reverting to the slow burrowing which had been -successful in earlier days. Jack went himself to the attacked house. -The sounds through the wall were very faint, but there could be no doubt -that the enemy were engaged in repairing the gallery destroyed in the -sortie, though they were as yet thirty or forty feet away. It was -probable that they had resumed, or would soon resume, operations in the -Casas Vega and Tobar also, and dispositions must be made to meet them. - -It was Jack's practice every morning to call the roll of the men under -his charge. Every day the force dwindled, and the physical weakness of -the survivors had patently increased. Wishing to spare them as much as -possible, he had been indisposed to set them to the arduous work of -mining until he felt sure that he was seriously threatened. The fact -that the French had resumed their tunnelling showed that there was now -no time to be lost, and the morning was but little advanced when men -were busily engaged in clearing out the galleries, in Vega and Tobar, -that had been tamped and fired, so that they might be recharged. But -while the sounds of mining grew clearer in front of Vallejo, hours -passed without the Spaniards detecting any signs of activity towards the -other two houses. Leaving men to keep watch there, and report if any -change took place, Jack returned to Vallejo, where it seemed evident -that the only present danger was to be apprehended. - -He stood with Don Cristobal near the end of the short gallery beneath -Vallejo and the ruined house beyond. About eleven o'clock he was struck -by a difference in the sounds, which up to the present had been fitfully -interrupted. - -"Listen, Senor!" he said to Don Cristobal. "I fancy the French are -making several tunnels this time. Don't you think so? There is no -break in the sound now, as there would be if they were driving only one -or two; and yet there is a slight difference in the quality of the sound -at successive moments. Do you hear? There; that was a deeper sound -than the one before it." - -"You are right, Senor," returned the Spaniard. "We can do little on our -side, I fear." - -"No. You see what a piece of arrant folly that rush of Santiago Sass -was. Several of our best miners were killed; and what with the -necessity of defending the barricades, and maintaining constant -garrisons in the houses, we simply can't hope to match the French -underground. All we can do is to wait till the right moment comes, and -then explode our little mine first. If we let the French anticipate us, -the explosion of several mines at once will blow ours up or make it -useless, and all our work will be thrown away." - -"How many galleries do you think the enemy are cutting?" - -"If we listen carefully we can tell." - -They were silent, and after about a quarter of an hour Jack declared -that he had counted four separate operations. He sent for one of the -more experienced miners, and asked him to count independently. The man -confirmed his opinion, adding that he thought there would be no danger -of explosions from the French side for a day or two. - -The rest of that day passed quietly. But early next morning the -necessity of maintaining adequate guards at the exposed points of his -position was brought home to Jack. During the night a large number of -French had been silently posted in the ruined house at the end of the -lane to the north of the Casa Vega. Issuing from these ruins, almost as -soon as day dawned, they rushed towards the barricade, bearing fascines -and scaling-ladders. But Don Cristobal, who was in command at this -point, proved equal to the occasion. He sent off a messenger to Jack in -the Casa Alvarez as soon as he saw signs of the French movement, and -with the thirty resolute men of his command he held the enemy off, -showing much coolness in awaiting their onset and ordering his men to -fire at the right moment. When Jack came up at the head of a -considerable reinforcement, the French were decisively driven off, -leaving more than a score of dead behind them. They retired in -confusion, some going into the ruins from which the attack had been -made, others retreating down the street until they found protection from -the Spaniards' musketry at the sharp bend in the roadway. - -Hastening then to the Casa Vallejo, Jack found that the sounds of miners -at work had been steadily growing more distinct. It was clearly time to -prepare his own mine. The gallery extended some six feet beneath the -floor of the ruined house adjoining. A heavy charge was laid in it; -then the mine was tamped as quickly as possible. All was now in -readiness. Through that day Jack scarcely left the place for a moment. -It was of the utmost importance that the time for exploding the mine -should be well chosen. He dared not run the risk of allowing the French -to drive the heads of their tunnels past his own, for indeed they might -not pass it, but come clean upon it, in which case they would either -explode it themselves, or more probably withdraw the charge. His object -was to allow them to approach as near as seemed safe, and then to fire -the train. After an anxious day he retired to rest, convinced that a -sharp conflict could no longer be much delayed. - -At ten o'clock next morning, the 8th of February, he judged that the -French miners could only be a few feet distant. Withdrawing all his men -from the Casa Vallejo to the Casa Hontanon, next door, he waited tensely -for a few minutes, then himself fired the train. There was a thunderous -explosion, the walls of the room in which he was seemed to rock, then -came the crash of falling beams, followed by a death-like silence. The -mine had done its terrible work effectually; for the rest of the day -there was no further sound of the French. - -Meanwhile, on the other side of the Ebro the French were gradually -preparing for a grand assault. The part of the city along the river -bank had been hitherto little damaged, for it was protected by the -transpontine suburb of San Lazaro, and to some extent by a few gun-boats -moored near the bridge. The key to the position was the Jesus Convent, -a building of bricks, with a ditch on the French side of it. The French -batteries had made large breaches in its masonry, but in order to carry -it by storm it was first necessary for the enemy to trench their way -towards it by slow degrees, every step having to be taken under fire -from the walls. Their work was delayed for a time by a sudden rise of -the river inundating their trenches and driving them back for several -hundred yards--a flood hailed with joy by the defenders, who regarded it -as another miraculous interposition on the part of Our Lady of the -Pillar. - -Their condition was becoming pitiful in the extreme. All fresh meat and -vegetables were exhausted; they had nothing now to subsist on but fish -and salt meat. The few chickens that could be got each sold for a sum -equivalent to an English pound. The French had seized all the -water-mills along the banks of the river, so that the corn, of which the -Spaniards yet possessed large stores, could not be ground, and they were -forced to make a rough unwholesome bread of grain merely crushed or -bruised. Fever, bred in the damp vaults in which most of the people -lived, was carrying off hundreds every day; yet the emaciated survivors -scarcely murmured, and the faintest suggestion of surrender was still -sufficient to carry a man to the gibbet. Cheered by their brave -untiring priests, they hoped against hope that relief would come. - -But the floods subsided, and there was no sign of the long-expected -succour. On the morning of February 8th, twenty-two French guns opened -fire on the convent. Within a few hours the outer walls were battered -down; then Marshal Lannes in person ordered the place to be carried by -assault. Five hundred men instantly sprang from the trenches. The -Spaniards in the convent, mingled regulars and monks, made what -resistance they could, but they were unnerved by the preceding -cannonade, and before the furious rush of the French grenadiers they -fled and left the convent to its fate. Within the walls the French -found hundreds of wounded and sick, and in the courtyard there were some -two hundred corpses, men, women, and children, piled up awaiting burial. -Even the French were sick at heart when they saw on these pale cold -faces the terrible signs of fasting and disease. They themselves had -suffered in their trenches. Among them too men fell fast; and even in -their ranks there were heard murmurs against the long waiting of this -cruel siege. - -But though they had gained possession of the convent, their capture of -the whole suburb was to be delayed for yet a few days. News was brought -in to the French marshal, from his outlying positions, that a Spanish -army was marching towards the city. The captain-general's brother, -Francisco Palafox, had succeeded in raising a small force of 4000 men, -and was now but twenty miles away. The attack could not be pressed in -this quarter until the exact strength of the new enemy was ascertained. -Marshal Lannes himself, therefore, drew off with 12,000 men, and once -more the hopes of the dwindling garrison within the walls flickered up -into the semblance of a flame. - -Meanwhile Jack, in his little district, had become convinced that the -defence could not be maintained for many more days. But he was -determined to hold his own to the very end. After his explosion beyond -the Casa Vallejo there had been a prolonged silence on the French side, -but in the evening renewed sounds of mining in two quarters showed that -though two of the four French galleries had been injured, the other two -were still workable. It was only a matter of hours before the wall must -fall. All that Jack could do was to ensure that the house should be held -as long as possible after the explosion of the French mines, and that -this should cause his men the minimum of loss. During the night of the -8th he built a fresh barricade between Vallejo and Tobar, some yards in -the rear of the first one, leaving a means of ingress into the -threatened house. On the roof of Tobar he stationed men, just before -dawn, to give notice of any French movements in the ruins at the farther -end of the block. Meanwhile the garrison of Vallejo were withdrawn -behind the barricade, with orders to rush in and reoccupy the house as -soon as the explosion had taken place. - -At seven o'clock on the morning of the 9th a deep rumbling noise, as of -a miniature earthquake, shook the quarter. Volumes of pungent smoke -rolled along the lanes, and the crashing sounds proclaimed that the -party-wall of Vallejo had fallen in. - -"Into the house!" shouted Jack. - -The men burst into the building. Taking advantage of the cover afforded -by heaps of shattered masonry, woodwork, and furniture, they stood firm -to meet the attack of the French, who, as soon as the dust and smoke -began to clear, charged furiously up to the ruined wall. Their front -ranks were mowed down by the withering fire of the Spaniards, but the -gaps were instantly filled, and the undaunted enemy pressed on again. -The volumes of smoke and the heaped wreckage of the house made it -difficult sometimes for the combatants to see one another. For the -moment the advantage was with the Spaniards. Nothing could dislodge -them from behind their barricades of brickwork, furniture, even piles of -books. But the French were swarming in at the other end of the block of -buildings, and some, mounting on heaps of debris, were able to fire over -the heads of the men in front of them into the Spanish position. Jack -saw that with the fall of the party-wall of Vallejo the remains of the -roof and front wall of the house beyond had also come down. Profiting -by this circumstance, he sent a number of men on to the roof of Tobar, -whence they were able to enfilade the French marksmen. They were -assisted by a strong fire from the front barricade, where Antonio, now -the leader of the guerrilleros, was doing yeoman service. Finding that -after repeated charges no impression had been made on the Spanish -defences, the French drew back disheartened, and, unwilling to face the -risk of meeting again such heavy losses, made no further serious attempt -during the morning to carry the position. The action degenerated into a -fitful exchange of musket-shots, whenever a Frenchman or a Spaniard -incautiously exposed himself. - -"Well done, hombres!" said Jack, who had gone from point to point -cheering them on, reinforcing weak spots, narrowly escaping the enemy's -bullets as he moved at times across the line of fire. He had been quick -to mark instances of special bravery or skill, and the few words of -praise he spoke nerved the ardent Spaniards to still more strenuous -exertions. - -In the afternoon, as he was resting in the Casa Alvarez, news was -brought that the French had been seen clearing away parts of the debris -in the ruins at the farther end of the Vallejo block. - -"What does that mean?" he exclaimed, starting up. "They will only expose -themselves to direct fire from the roofs and the barricade." - -Hastening with Don Cristobal to the roof of the Casa Tobar, he sought -for an explanation of the new movement. Suddenly it occurred to him: the -French were about to bring the gun, which had been driven away from the -angle of the street, to a position whence it would bear upon Vallejo, -and the work they were doing was for the purpose of clearing away -anything that might intercept its fire. - -"We can't hold Vallejo against a bombardment," he remarked. "Stay! -Perhaps Don Casimir would lend us a gun from his ramparts. Things have -been pretty quiet with him lately. Antonio, run off with twenty men and -ask Don Casimir to let you have an eight-pounder, with grape and -round-shot. If we can get a gun to bear, Senor, the work the French are -doing will assist us as much as themselves." - -"Can we mount the gun?" asked Don Cristobal, descending with Jack. - -"We can but try. 'Where there's a will there's a way', as we say in -England." - -Twenty minutes later Antonio returned with his men, hauling the -eight-pounder briskly along towards the barricade. It was easily taken -into the patio of the Casa Vallejo, but to move it thence into a -position facing the French would necessitate the breaking of the wall of -one of the ground-floor rooms. - -It was approaching nightfall when, from his post of observation on the -roof of Tobar, Jack saw that the French had completed their work. He -could just perceive the muzzle of their gun, carefully blinded with -beams, protruding from a sort of screen in the ruins of the second house -from Vallejo. He was confident that they would not begin their -bombardment until the following morning, and he hoped to use the hours -of darkness to place his own gun. Before darkness fell, with Don -Cristobal's help he took, from several points, careful observations of -the position of the French gun, and on the stone floor of the room -opening on to the patio in Vallejo he drew chalk lines indicating what -appeared to be a suitable position for his eight-pounder. - -As soon as it was dark he set two men to break a way with picks through -the wall of the patio, at a spot where there was a window. The work was -carried out with the aid of dark lanterns, large pieces of cloth being -hung over every gap to conceal any glimmer of light from the French. The -gun was then hauled through the hole and laid by the chalk lines; it was -screened with bags of earth, and then, after it had been loaded with -ball, a horse-blanket was hung over the muzzle, which alone was in sight -of the enemy. - -"Now we can get some sleep, Senor," said Jack. "We've had a hard day's -work. I confess I'm longing for the morning, to see whether we can once -more get in first. You have arranged the sentries for the night?" - -"Yes. Nothing has been neglected." - -"A special guard for the gun?" - -"Antonio and two of his guerrilleros will take turns through the night." - -"We haven't any better men. I can hardly keep my eyes open. Come -along." - -There was but a faint glimmer of light beyond the Ebro when Jack again -took his place beside the gun. - -"I'm not a gunner," he remarked to Don Cristobal, "but I fancy I can -manage to lay and fire it myself; it's point-blank range, you see; I can -hardly miss. Now, hombres," he said, turning to the eight men with him, -"everything depends on our shooting first, so keep as mum as door-mats." - -Waiting till the increasing light showed him clearly the muzzle of the -enemy's gun, he carefully pointed his own piece. He aimed at a beam -covering the gun at a point which, as nearly as he could judge, -corresponded with the trunnion. Don Cristobal watched him anxiously as -he lit the match. What would be the result of the shot? One moment of -suspense, then Jack applied the match; there was a flash and a roar, -followed immediately by the crashing of timber. - -It was impossible to see the effect of the shot through the cloud of -smoke that hung between the buildings; but, whatever it was, Jack knew -that it would awake the enemy to feverish activity. Running his piece -in, he had it rapidly sponged and then reloaded with grape. While this -was being done, he sent orders to the garrison to open fire on the -French position, to which there would certainly be a rush. As soon as -the smoke cleared he saw that the French gun had also been run in. -Before it could be loaded, however, Jack applied his second match; his -canister of grape searched every square foot of the area around the -French gun, and the men serving it were annihilated. Before another -complement of gunners could be brought up, Jack had his piece cleaned -and charged again, this time with round-shot. He saw now that the first -shot had broken and splintered the beam; the third shivered it to -fragments. A great cheer arose from the garrison when they saw the -damage already done. A second charge of grape, together with sharp -musketry-fire from every point occupied by the Spaniards, scattered the -French reinforcements who were now attempting frantically to withdraw -the gun out of range. Again Jack loaded with shot, and a fierce shout of -exultation broke from the Spaniards on the roof-tops as they saw the -enemy's gun completely dismounted, and the remnant of the French fly in -all haste to the rear. - -This spirited defence had the effect of keeping the French quiet in that -quarter for the rest of the day. Jack maintained his vigilance -unrelaxed, but there was no movement from the enemy's direction either -above or below ground. - -"Another day saved!" said Jack to Don Casimir, who, having heard of what -had happened, had come to congratulate him on his successful -manipulation of the gun. - -"Yes, one more day. But how long can we still hold out?" replied Don -Casimir. "Surely, Senor Lumsden, you are not among the credulous people -who think that we shall save the city?" - -"Since you ask me plainly, Don Casimir, I am not. But what does that -matter? We have to hold our quarters, and I confess that I sha'n't be -satisfied unless I can say, when the end comes, that here at all events -we are still unbeaten.--Do look at that odd little gipsy boy of mine. -He is a strange child. When the fighting is going on he is never to be -found; he hasn't any courage of that sort; but he always turns up when -it is over, and looks as proud as though he had fought with the best. -What has the brat got now?" - -Pepito approached jauntily, twirling a small silver buckle round on his -finger. - -"Well, what is the mischief now?" asked Jack with a smile. - -"That is for Senor to say," replied Pepito gravely. - -"You found that buckle, I suppose. Well, it looks a very good silver -buckle; what is there to explain?" - -"I found it in the tall house. It was under the dead man. I saw it -when they took him away." - -"Yes. What then?" - -Pepito put his hand into his pocket and produced a second buckle, the -exact fellow of the first. - -"Now I have two," he said. - -"So I see. One isn't much use without the other. I suppose you will -want them sewn on your shoes now. You found that too, eh?" - -"No, I cut it off. Senor thinks they are the buckles a poor Busno would -wear?" - -"Well, no; they are a little unusual for a guerrillero, certainly. But -he may have been a bandit first." - -"No, no. They were not his. Senor, listen as I tell. I find in the -room one buckle; I think I know it. I put it in my pocket. I go out at -once into the streets to look. What do I see? I see a man walk; one -shoe has a buckle, the other shoe has not. I open my eyes wide; I say -to myself: 'Ho! ho! That is what I thought!' But I was not sure. I -wait. A time comes. I see the one-buckle Senor go into the Cafe Arcos. -I follow; big Jorge Arcos knows me now. I keep much in the dark; Senor -One-buckle must not see me. But I see him; I see his foot; I am under -the table. I put buckle one next to buckle two; they are brothers. I -take my knife and cut off buckle two. It is Senor No-buckle now! Senor -knows?" - -Jack had been impressed, not so much by the gipsy's story as by the -solemnity of his manner of telling it. - -"You have something more to tell me. What is it?" - -"Senor One-buckle, Senor No-buckle--who is it? One-buckle, I find it -under the dead man in the tall house; two-buckle, I cut it from the shoe -of--of the master of Senor One-eye." - -"Senor Priego?" - -"Si, Senor!" - - - - - *CHAPTER XXVI* - - *Wanted: Don Miguel Priego* - - -Circumstantial Evidence--A Council of War--Miguel's Despatch--A -Statement of Facts--The Inevitable Inference--Shambles--In the -Belfry--Without Guile--The People's Curse - - -Jack had had so many evidences of Pepito's sagacity that he could not -doubt the accuracy of the boy's report. The shoe buckles almost -certainly belonged to Don Miguel. From this one seed of fact sprang a -whole sheaf of problems. Miguel had been in the room when the -guerrillero was murdered; he may not have dealt the blow himself, but -certainly he was there. Then why was he there? Had he learnt that the -man was an afrancesado and gone personally to serve him as every good -Spaniard would wish to serve a traitor? That was improbable, for the -murder had been committed in secret, no report had been made of it, and -Miguel was not the man to let slip the chance of adding to his -popularity by ridding the city of a domestic foe. No, he had not gone -to the house as an enemy; could he have gone to it as a friend? What -bond of union could there be between Don Miguel Priego, in civil life a -well-to-do merchant and now also major in Palafox's hussars, and a poor -obscure peasant who had no standing whatever as a citizen or a soldier? - -Suddenly the idea came to him: could Miguel have visited the man because -he was an afrancesado? The suggestion was like the letting out of a -flood. Jack recalled the suspicious entry of Miguel and his man into -Saragossa; the strange tale about an overpowered sentry; the curious -reappearance of a sentinel in the French trenches almost immediately -afterwards. Had Miguel got in, not in spite of the French, but with -their connivance? His rapid journey across country from Seville: how -could that be accounted for unless he had been helped through the -districts in French occupation, and provided with relays of post-horses -at every stage? The inevitable conclusion was that Miguel was himself -an afrancesado, and had come into the city on some traitorous errand. -Knowing that the guerrillero was of the same kidney, he had visited him -for some purpose of his own. A quarrel had arisen; during the struggle -one of his buckles had been wrenched off, and it lay unnoticed on the -floor. It was improbable that Miguel himself had dealt Quintanar the -fatal blow; but, remembering Perez, the one-eyed man, Jack was in little -doubt where to look for the assassin. - -There was only one thing wanted to complete his assurance of Miguel's -treachery. Miguel had certainly brought to Palafox a despatch from the -Supreme Junta at Seville. If he were a true Spaniard, and had really -gained admittance to the city by a hazardous feat of arms, the despatch -must have been intact when Palafox received it. On the other hand, if -Miguel was a spy, in the pay of the French, it was little likely that -they would have allowed a despatch to pass through their lines without -mastering its contents. In that case they must have found means to open -and read it, without leaving anything to arouse suspicion in the mind of -Palafox when he received it. How was that possible? Palafox would -certainly have remarked any sign of tampering with the seal; the -despatch could not have been opened without tampering with the seal, and -that-- Stay! Jack vaguely remembered having read somewhere that a seal -could be removed by dexterously slipping a thin hot blade between it and -the paper. Had that been done with Miguel's despatch? The question had -no sooner formed itself in Jack's mind than conviction flashed upon him; -he felt absolutely sure that the man he had always so much disliked on -personal grounds was a renegade and a traitor. - -Next morning he rose from his bed unrefreshed, but with a plan of action -formed. He made his dispositions for the continued defence of his -district with keenness and care. Then, somewhat after one o'clock, he -left the work in charge of Don Cristobal, and made his way by narrow -lanes towards the other end of the city. The streets were almost -entirely deserted now; only a few brave women and ministering priests -went about fearlessly on errands of mercy. All the men were engaged on -the ramparts or in the houses, striving with dogged energy to hinder the -creeping advance of the French. He had crossed the part of the city -most in danger from bombardment or mines when he met Tio Jorge, whom he -had not seen for a few days. - -"Tio," he said, "can you come with me? I am going to see the general, -and I should like you to be with me." - -"Assuredly, Senor. And in truth, I think it well you should have a -friend with you, for the murmurs against you are growing stronger. It -is whispered that an afrancesado was lately slain in your quarter, and -men are saying that he was not the only one there. They are puzzled, -for if you are an afrancesado, as some think, why are you fighting the -French so desperately every day? I only tell you what they think and -say, Senor; it is well I am your friend." - -Jack set his lips; he traced this to Miguel's inveterate malice. -Hurrying along with the big peasant, he arrived at the Aljafferia -Castle, and was admitted after some delay to Palafox's room. The -general had now taken to his bed; the fever had gained a terrible hold -upon him, and but for his indomitable spirit he would probably ere this -have died. He was surrounded by a group of his advisers, among them Don -Basilio, Santiago Sass, Padre Consolacion, and General San March, who, -having failed to hold the Monte Torrero against the French in the early -days of the siege, had since been under a cloud. The priests scowled at -Jack as he approached; the lean Santiago Sass and the rotund Padre -Consolacion looked at him with equal distrust. - -"Come, Tio Jorge," said General San March, "you are in time to support -me. I have been asking the captain-general to allow me to lead a sortie -across the Ebro, now that the French are weakened there by the -withdrawal of so many men." - -"Useless, useless!" cried Palafox from his bed. - -"Useless, Senores!" echoed Tio Jorge. "What men have we now for -sorties? Three weeks ago, yes; but now--most of our men can hardly -stagger under the weight of their muskets. The time for sorties is -past; but let us hope the French are withdrawn from San Lazaro by news -of our brothers coming to aid us--" - -"And we will never give in, never give in!" cried Santiago Sass. "No, -not even though traitors within our walls give the gates to the enemy." - -Tio Jorge was on the point of resenting, on Jack's behalf, the glare -with which the priest accompanied these words; but Jack laid his hand on -the man's arm, and, advancing to the bedside, spoke to the worn figure -lying there. - -"You remember, Senor, the despatch that was brought to you from the -Supreme Junta, little more than a week ago, by one of your officers who -made his way by night through the French lines?" - -"I remember it." - -"You have that despatch still?" - -"I have. Why do you ask?" - -"Pardon me, Senor, you will see in a few moments. You observed nothing -unusual about the seal?" - -"Nothing." - -"It was the usual seal of the Junta," put in Don Basilio. "I have the -despatch." - -"Will you allow me to look at it?" - -The chaplain hesitated; he appeared to be about to ask a question, but -Tio Jorge interposed. - -"The despatch, Senor Padre! The Senor has a reason; I know it not, but -he fought with me by the Casa Ximenez, and what he says, por Dios! there -is sense in it." - -"Produce the despatch, Padre," said Palafox. - -Don Basilio went to a cabinet, and after a little search found the -despatch and handed it to Jack. The seal was broken across the middle. -Jack examined the edges carefully, lifting the wax slightly with his -thumb nail. He looked up. - -"It is as I thought," he said. "Will Don Basilio look?" - -The priest took the paper and looked at it with an air of puzzlement and -surprise. - -"I see red wax and paper," he said coldly. "What of that?" - -"Do you not see, Senor Padre, a slight browning of the paper beneath, as -though it had been scorched?" - -The chaplain scrutinized the seal again. The other priests watched him -in silence; Palafox kept his burning eyes fixed on Jack; and Tio Jorge -stood with his lips parted as though wondering what deep mystery was -concerned here. - -"I do see a faint coloration," said Don Basilio at length; "a light -tinge at the edge of the wax, becoming a little darker beneath the seal. -What then?" - -"This, Senor. The paper, I suggest, was scorched by the passage of a -hot keen blade beneath the seal." - -There was a painful silence. Then Tio Jorge cried, "Por Dios! that -explains everything. It is all clear. The man that brought it is a -villain, an afrancesado, Senores! And 'tis he who has sought to harm -the brave English Senor here! Death to all traitors! Death to Don -Miguel Priego!" - -"Stay, stay!" said Padre Consolacion, his round face wearing a look of -concern. "This is a terrible charge to bring against a reputable -citizen of Saragossa." - -"One of my own hussars," murmured Palafox. - -"He was my pupil," continued the padre. "I have known him since he was -an infant. I knew his father, an estimable man; he cannot be a traitor. -If the despatch was opened, it must have been without his knowledge. Of -that I am sure." - -"The evidence is not sufficient--not sufficient," said Palafox. "You -must be mistaken, Senor Lumsden." - -"I am sorry, Senores," returned Jack; "but will you bear with me while I -put certain facts before you? You remember how strangely Don Miguel -made his entrance into the city some days ago? He had overcome a -sentinel, he and his man, and came by night across the Huerba, scaling -our ramparts by the aid of muskets held out to him by two of Don -Casimir's men. I was present, Senores, at the time. I had just gone to -take over the command with which the Senor Capitan-general honoured me, -and was walking along the ramparts with Don Casimir Ulloa, who told me -how amazed he was to see no sentinel in the French trenches, where for -many nights before a sentinel had never failed to be. Even as he spoke -we saw two figures creep down the slope and approach the walls. They, as -you know, were Don Miguel Priego and his man. They forded the river, -clambered up the slope on our side, and were assisted over our ramparts, -and we heard from Don Miguel's lips the story he told the general -afterwards." - -"It was a bold feat," interjected Padre Consolacion. "Don Miguel was -ever a man of daring." - -"But, Senores," continued Jack, "no sooner was Don Miguel safely within -our walls than, in the French lines opposite, a sentinel suddenly -reappeared. Had the Frenchman, slain by Don Miguel, come to life again? -Why had Don Casimir heard no sound? Would the discovery of their dead -sentinel have been regarded by the French as an ordinary accident, of no -more account than the finding of a dead rat? And now we find that the -despatch brought by Don Miguel had been opened. Is it not natural to -conclude that it was opened by the French, and that the temporary -absence of the sentinel was part of an arrangement between them and Don -Miguel to give colour to his story?" - -"Surmise! All baseless surmise!" said Padre Consolacion. - -"One thing more," went on Jack quietly. "The other night a man was -murdered in my quarter of the city. He was assassinated in his room at -the top of a lofty house. In that room was found this pass through the -French lines, and this drawing of our defences." - -Everyone started as Jack produced the papers. - -"Besides these, there was found this shoe-buckle, that had been torn off -in the man's scuffle with his assailant. Two days afterwards the -fellow-buckle was brought to me, and Don Miguel Priego was seen in the -streets with shoes which had both lost their buckles. It was this that -convinced me. Had Don Miguel reason to dispute with an afrancesado -unless--" - -"Enough!" cried Santiago Sass. "It is clear he is a proved villain! To -the gallows with him! Where is he? With my own hand will I hang him in -the midst of the Coso! To the gallows! To the gallows!" - -And, gathering his cassock about him, the priest rushed madly from the -room. Almost before the door was closed behind him a tremendous -explosion set the whole building vibrating, and caused Palafox almost to -jump from his bed. - -"My convent!" cried Padre Consolacion. "It is my convent at last! Tio -Jorge, come; they will have need of us." - -"And of me!" cried Palafox, springing up. - -"Stay, Jose," said Don Basilio, "you are not fit to go out." - -"Do not stay me, Padre," answered Palafox, clasping his cloak, and with -trembling fingers buckling on his sword. "I must go; I must share the -dangers of my people." - -The chaplain made no further protest, and soon Palafox, accompanied by -San March, Tio Jorge, and Jack, was hastening towards the scene of one -of the most awful catastrophes that ever befell a beleaguered city. The -French, undetected by the defenders, had driven a mine beneath the great -Franciscan convent, and charged it with 3000 pounds of powder. The -convent was at the moment full of fighting-men; the cellars were -occupied by many families of citizens; and one part of the building was -crammed with 400 workpeople, men and women, who were there engaged in -making clothes for the soldiers. All these perished when the mine was -fired; and when Palafox arrived on the scene, the whole district for -many yards around was strewn not merely with broken masonry, but with -mutilated human remains. - -All thought of Don Miguel's treason was for the moment banished by the -hideous spectacle. Yet, awful as the damage was, the Spaniards had not -awaited the arrival of their leaders before attempting reprisals. A -wide opening had been made by the explosion, in the wall near the porch; -the pavement of the church of San Francisco had been torn up; altars, -pulpits, columns, arches, lay in shattered fragments; but Spaniards had -rushed in from the streets, and, barricading themselves behind the -ruins, were showering bullets upon the incoming French. Some had -climbed into the galleries; others had mounted by a narrow spiral -staircase into the belfry, which had strangely withstood the shock; and -from these elevated positions they poured murderous volleys upon the -invaders. As the rays of sunlight streamed through the broken -stained-glass windows, they fell upon groups of furious combatants, -imparting varied tints to the clouds of smoke and dust that rolled -through the shattered nave, and glinting on the bayonets of the French -infantry as they pressed desperately forward. The Spaniards fought with -the fury of despair. Inspirited by the presence of their idolized -general, by the heroic efforts of Tio Jorge, and the fiery exhortations -of Padre Consolacion and Santiago Sass, who had soon appeared on the -scene, they defended every nook and corner with obstinate tenacity, and -when night put an end to the terrible conflict, had succeeded, at a huge -cost, in driving the French from a portion of the building. - -Jack had climbed into the belfry along with a body of peasants under the -command of a French emigre, the Comte de Fleury. He was almost overcome -by the sickening sight. All around, the roofs of the neighbouring -houses were covered with dismembered limbs; the gutters, through which -for eight centuries nothing but rain had streamed, now ran red with -blood, that poured into the street as if from the mouths of the dragons, -vultures, and winged monsters that decorated the Gothic walls. He could -not help exclaiming at the folly of maintaining a resistance against -such heavy odds. It was terrible enough that soldiers, whose duty -brought them face to face with sudden death, should fall by hundreds to -the French arms; but innocent and helpless citizens, young boys and -girls, were all included in this late carnage, and Jack shuddered at the -dire results of what he could now only regard as sheer obstinacy and -blind rage. - -Creeping down when the din was over, and French and Spaniards alike were -resting from the fray, he found that Palafox, in a complete state of -collapse, was being carried back to his bed. Along with Tio Jorge, Jack -accompanied the sad group. The halls of the Aljafferia Castle were -thronged with some of the more substantial merchants who were yet left -alive. They had come to plead with the general to ask for terms from -the French. But at the first suggestion there arose such an outcry from -the peasants and the poorer citizens, incited by their priests, that the -merchants were in danger of being torn limb from limb. No voice was -louder than that of Santiago Sass in demanding that the defence should -be still continued. The French who had withdrawn from the eastern -suburbs had not yet reappeared, and the priest vehemently declared that -the catastrophe at the Franciscan convent was the turning-point of the -siege, and that from that moment the hand of Our Lady of the Pillar -would work wonders on behalf of her city. Backed up by him, the people -clamoured for a proclamation to be issued, enjoining still more -strenuous resistance, and not till this had been drawn up by Don -Basilio, and Palafox had affixed his tremulous signature, did the crowd -disperse. - -Jack remained for some time in the castle. He wished he was older and -more experienced. He then might have pointed out to some of the -bitterest of the Junta what fearful hardship they were bringing on the -city by their insensate resistance. But he saw that they were in no -temper to listen to expostulations from anyone, and he dared not speak -his thoughts even to his friend Tio Jorge. He was about to return to his -own district when he saw Padre Consolacion enter with a brisker step -than was usual with him. The priest came straight towards him. - -"Senor, Senor," he said, with a mingled look of regret and indignation, -"he that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor endureth a reproach against -his neighbour, he shall never be moved. I knew it could not be true; I -knew the boy I taught at my knee could not be a traitor; I knew--" - -"Senor Padre," interrupted Jack, "you don't mean to say you have told -him?" - -"Indeed, and what more natural? Is it right to condemn unheard? Should -I not ask of the man himself what--" - -"Come to the general!" shouted Tio Jorge, catching the priest by the -arm. "Come to the general! He must know of what you have done." - -They made their way to Palafox's room, where none but Don Basilio -remained with him. - -"Don Jose needs sleep," said the chaplain, meeting them at the door. -"What do you want with him?" - -"Caramba, Padre!" cried Tio Jorge, "he must know whether the man be a -traitor or not. Listen to Padre Consolacion!" - -The priest seemed amazed at the fuss Tio Jorge was making. - -"I went, Senores, to find Don Miguel Priego, to ask him, on his honour, -whether there was a word of truth in the English Senor's story. He was -indignant, as I knew he would be. He demanded to know why he, a loyal -son of Spain, should be suspected on such flimsy grounds. He scoffed -when I spoke of the scorched paper, and--" - -"You told him that, Padre?" said Palafox, raising himself on his elbow. - -"I did, of course, and he flew into a passion, and said that with -morning light he would come and meet his accuser and give him the lie to -his face." - -"Send for him now; bring him here instantly. Shall there be treason in -our midst? Tio Jorge, do you go and command Don Miguel Priego instantly -to my presence." - -It was an hour before Tio Jorge returned. - -"Proof! Proof of treason!" he cried furiously. "He is gone; he and his -man. See what your meddling did, Senor Padre! No sooner was your back -turned than the accursed afrancesado fled." - -"Fled!" echoed the priest in consternation. - -"'Meet his accuser--give him the lie to his face', you said," exclaimed -Tio Jorge with bitter mockery, "'with morning light'! He is gone, and -even now, I doubt not, is making merry with the French who have hired -him. A curse light on him! May he die by a traitor's hand, even as he -is a traitor!" - -"Write, Don Basilio," said Palafox, "write a proclamation! Proclaim -Miguel Priego to all men a traitor, and call upon all true men to seize -upon him and bring him before us to suffer the penalty of his crime. My -unhappy country! Let me die, let me die!" - -He turned his face to the wall. The stern chaplain wrote a -proclamation; within an hour printed copies were distributed throughout -the town, and the name of Miguel Priego, hitherto lauded to the skies, -was now hissed with venomous hate by every loyal citizen of Saragossa. - - - - - *CHAPTER XXVII* - - *The Eleventh Hour* - - -Tantaene Irae?--Taking thought--Pepito's Charge--Horrors of the -Siege--Beyond the River--A Ring of Steel--Unconquered Still--Patriots -All - - -With morning light the French completed their capture of the Franciscan -convent. By a series of desperate charges they cleared the vast ruins -of the Spaniards who had held their position during the night, the brave -Comte de Fleury and his men were bayoneted on the narrow stairway of the -bell-tower, and with one final rush the French pursued the fleeing -remnant of the defenders to the very edge of the Coso. - -Not long afterwards the French outposts beyond the Aljafferia Castle -were surprised to see a strange and motley procession issue from the -Portillo Gate. A mob of peasants--for the most part women and -children--ragged, famished, fever-stricken, almost mad, rushed pell-mell -towards the French lines, preferring to die by the hands of the enemy -rather than endure longer the terrors of the beleaguered city. Reaching -the outposts, they begged to be allowed to pass through towards their -village homes; this being refused, they implored the French to kill -them, not to drive them back. But the marshal would not forgo this -opportunity of teaching the obstinate defenders a lesson. He ordered -the poor creatures to be fed, and then sent back to the city, hoping -thereby to impress the Spaniards both with his humanity and with the -abundance of his stores. - -When news of this incident was brought to Jack, he read it at once as a -sign that the inevitable end could not now be long delayed. Heroic as -the defence had been, the strain upon poor human nature was too heavy to -be borne, and though the priests and the mob-leaders were still -vehemently opposed to surrender, it was clear that only surrender would -save the city from the most horrible of fates. Not even the most -violent fanatic would have the heart to prolong the struggle for more -than a few days. - -Things being still quiet in his own quarter, Jack determined to see -Juanita, and advise her upon her course when the city fell. He left Don -Cristobal in charge, and made his tortuous way around the captured part -of the town towards the northern end of the city. Pepito accompanied -him. - -Juanita was looking pale and worn. Her aunt was seriously ill, and the -girl had spent sleepless nights in watching her. - -"Oh, Jack, Jack," she cried, "surely the end must come now! It is -wicked of our Junta to hold out longer. The people are dying like flies. -Two were carried out of this very house yesterday. Are we all to die?" - -"General Palafox must capitulate soon," said Jack, "and that is what I -wanted to see you about. Have you thought of what you will do when the -capitulation takes place?" - -"Why, you will be with me; you will look after my poor aunt and me." - -"No, I shall be a prisoner." - -"A prisoner! Oh, but you must escape! It will be easy to escape in the -confusion. What shall we do if you are a prisoner, Jack?" - -"I can't run away. I have to defend my quarter till the last. And -then--well, it's the fortune of war--the French will make sure of all -the officers, you may depend on that. But about yourself, Juanita; you -won't be in any danger--except from Miguel." - -"Why from Miguel? Won't he be a prisoner too?" - -Jack laughed grimly. - -"Miguel has taken care of that. Last night he disappeared from -Saragossa--just in time to escape being gibbeted as an afrancesado, a -traitor, and a spy." - -Juanita's eyes blazed, her cheeks flamed with the hot Spanish blood. - -"Kill him! Kill him, Jack!" she cried. "He was a traitor to my father; -he is a traitor to Spain! Oh, if I were a man!" - -Jack was amazed at the girl's fury. - -"I don't think I'd like to soil my hands with him," he said quietly. -"Besides, he will keep out of my way. But don't you see, Juanita, that -he will come in with the French, and then--I'm afraid he might bother -you, you know." - -Juanita drew herself up with a proud air. - -"I could borrow a knife!" she said. "A Spanish girl is not afraid to -die." - -"Don't talk like that. What need is there for you to die? I shall have -to give you orders, as I give my men. Senorita Juanita Alvarez, you are -to make your way, after the capitulation, to some place of safety, where -I will find you-- - -"You, a prisoner?" - -"Oh, I don't mean to remain a prisoner! I shall say good-bye to my -captors at the earliest possible moment, and then find you, and we will -steal our way to the coast, and find a ship and sail for England. -Mother will be glad to see you." - -"I have always wanted to see England," said Juanita musingly. "But what -about my property--that all this mystery is about?" - -"We don't know where it is; but, you remember, a duplicate letter was -sent to father in London, and we can find out all about it there. And -then, when the war is over, no doubt father will come back with you and -put everything straight. And then--" - -"Well, Senor?" said Juanita archly. - -"Oh, then I suppose you'll marry a Don--of some sort--" - -"How dare you, Senor Lumsden!" she cried with flashing eyes. - -Jack looked astonished at her sudden anger. - -"But never mind that," he went on. "The question is, is there anywhere -that you can go to when the city falls?" - -"Ay de mi! Our old country house near Morata was shut up months ago; -only one old man remains in charge. The garden must now be a waste. But -I have friends at Calatayud, some miles farther away, and I could stay -with them. It is quite sixty miles distant. Could I get there safely?" - -"I think so. After the siege many peasants will be returning to their -homes. I will enquire if any are going in that direction, and will let -you know if I find some respectable people with whom you might travel. -Your old duenna would, of course, go with you. And then I thought of -lending you a special friend of my own, who has done me many a good -turn; he is outside now--a young gipsy boy who-- - -"Pepito! Oh, he and I are good friends!" - -"You know him, then?" - -"Of course I do. He comes to see me every day, and talks about you all -the time. Strange to say, he thinks a great deal of you, Jack." - -"Poor little chap! I owe him a good deal. Well, he shall go with you, -and you will make your way to Calatayud, and I will come to you there -in--let me see, under a week. I shall have had enough of the Frenchmen -in a week." - -"But suppose you can't escape, Jack?" - -"Never fear," said Jack with a smile. "That is all arranged, then?" - -"Yes, I suppose so," replied Juanita doubtfully. "You will be sure to -find me, Jack?" - -"Unless you hide away--like your treasure." - -Returning to his quarter he found that the French had still made no -further attempt upon it. The situation indeed, remained unchanged for -several days. They were so fully occupied in pushing the advantage they -had gained in the direction of the Coso that they could afford to leave -Jack's little block of buildings for the present. They continued to -occupy the ruins facing the Casa Vallejo, and Jack discovered, by -observations made from the roofs of the Casas Tobar and Alvarez, that a -considerable body of troops was held ready in Santa Engracia to -reinforce any point that should be threatened by the Spaniards. - -Though his own position was thus left unmolested, every few hours -brought news of the steady progress the enemy were making elsewhere. -One after another the blocks of buildings adjacent to the Franciscan -convent fell into their hands. Jack saw that, even if he could hold his -own in front, the French were gradually creeping around his flank, and -that in the course of a few days he would be attacked from the east as -well as the north. On February 12th Don Casimir sent for the gun he had -lent. An urgent message had come from Palafox asking for all artillery -that could be spared. It was needed for the defence of the Coso. The -French had established two batteries among the ruins of the convent, one -of which raked the Coso, while the other commanded the street leading to -the bridge across the river. Jack had already withdrawn Don Casimir's -gun from the direct view of the French, and he trusted that its total -disappearance from his defences would remain for some time undiscovered. - -But although he was not seriously pressed, he was alarmed to see how his -small force had dwindled and was still dwindling in numbers. A few fell -by the musket-shots of the French; far more dropped out through -sickness, and of these almost none recovered. A form of typhus fever -had broken out in the city, attacking especially the guerrilleros from -the country and wounded soldiers who had no fixed homes. The Countess -Bureta was dead; many of the other ladies who had nobly done their best -in nursing the sick and wounded had perished; the stock of medicines was -exhausted. Many invalids lay untended on the stone pavements of the -courtyards, with nothing but a little straw for their beds. In the -intervals of fighting the worn survivors were to be seen sitting on -stone benches, shivering in spite of their cloaks, their hands scarcely -able to hold their weapons. So weak were they that the slightest wound -proved fatal. Jack was sick at heart as he saw his ranks depleted day -by day through the loss of some stalwart guerrillero or seasoned tirador -who had succumbed to an enemy more terrible than the French. - -Once or twice he thought of finding relief in leading a desperate sortie -on the enemy's entrenchments. But consideration showed him the futility -of any such move. He might inflict some loss on the French, but even if -he drove them from their advanced position, he could not hope to retain -the ground he might thus win. His efforts must be confined to defensive -work; he must hold his own, as he had hitherto succeeded in doing. He -had now been for a fortnight in command of the Casa Alvarez district, -and during that period the French had not made any real progress. -Indeed, they had lost very heavily in men, and had suffered so many -disasters from the Spanish mines that they appeared for the present to -have suspended all mining operations in Jack's quarter. - -As the days passed by without any serious demonstration against his -position, Jack inferred that the French, like the Spaniards, were -suffering from the long-continued strain. The force under Marshal -Lannes' command was evidently not sufficient to maintain a simultaneous -attack on all the points at which they had effected an entrance into the -city. On the 13th the corps sent out to drive away the army collected -by Francisco Palafox returned to the siege; their mere appearance had -been sufficient to scatter the relieving army of which the Saragossans -had expected so much. It was at once apparent that the interrupted -attack on the San Lazaro suburb was to be actively pressed. The French -entrenchments were pushed closer to the river; heavy siege-guns were -brought into position, and epaulements were constructed across all the -roads by which the Spaniards holding the suburb could escape. - -On February 18th a vigorous bombardment was commenced. No fewer than -fifty-two guns opened fire at daybreak, the main point of attack being -the San Lazaro convent, which commanded the bridge across the Ebro, the -sole link between the city and the suburb. The effect of the -bombardment was stupendous. Roofs crashed in beneath the bursting -bombs, the crackle of flames was mingled with the clang of alarm-bells -from every belfry, the whole city shook as with an earthquake. The -Spanish batteries responded vigorously. The Spaniards fought for every -inch of ground in the streets, but they were steadily beaten back. A -breach was made in the convent wall; the French rushed in, massacring -the monks who dauntlessly opposed them, cutting down without mercy -crowds of men, women, and children who had sought a refuge in the church -itself. The yells of the combatants were mingled with the screams of -the wounded and dying, and not till every one of the occupants of the -convent was slain did the hideous clamour cease. - -Retreat to the city was now cut off, and scattered bands of Spaniards -wandered frantically about, seeking a means of escape and finding none. -Three hundred, led by a bold fellow named Fernando Gonzalez, succeeded -in running the gauntlet of the French fusillade and forcing their way -across the bridge into Saragossa. Many who sought to escape by the -river were drowned, and 3000 who tried to make their way along the bank -towards the country were headed off by a regiment of French cavalry and -compelled to lay down their arms. Palafox himself, though so ill that -he could scarcely stand, came at the head of his troops to the succour -of the suburb, but his efforts were vain. The French remained masters -of the position, and were now able to place their guns so as to command -the northern part of the city, which hitherto had been almost untouched. - -While this terrible struggle had been in progress, the Spaniards had -suffered a serious disaster elsewhere. At three in the afternoon three -huge mines, charged with more than two tons of powder, were exploded -beneath the University, which was carried with a rush. With it fell -several buildings in its neighbourhood, and in the evening the French -penetrated to the Coso, where they gained several houses, among them one -which had repulsed no fewer than ten previous assaults. The Spaniards -lost ground also near the Trinity convent, and the district known as the -Tanneries began to suffer severely from the new French works thrown up -in the captured suburb of San Lazaro. - -That night Jack held a serious consultation with Don Cristobal and -several of his more trusty men. The successes won by the French in -other parts of the town would no doubt encourage them to make a renewed -attack on the only quarter along its outer rim which had yet withstood -them. - -"I am not going to give it up without a tussle," said Jack resolutely. -"If they bring artillery to bear, our barricades must fall; but we still -have the houses opposite. The Y mines in Tobar and Vega will do -enormous damage if the French get in there. I rather suspect they will -fight shy of the houses and try to rush in from the streets. All that -we can do with our little force is to man the windows and roofs of the -houses and delay them as long as possible." - -It was a pathetic sight to see the unquenched eagerness of the haggard -crowd. Not one faltered; all were as resolute as though it were the -first day of the siege. Jack arranged with them for their respective -posts on the morrow, and waited anxiously for daylight. - - -About twelve o'clock on February 20th Tio Jorge and Jorge Arcos were -staying their hunger in the latter's cafe with a mess of boiled rice and -half-baked corn-meal. Their begrimed, black-bearded faces wore a look -of savage gloom. No one was with them. Outside, in the Coso, not a -living person was to be seen. - -"By all the saints, I vow I will not surrender!" Tio Jorge was saying. - -"Nor I!" replied his friend. "Nor would the general himself, but that -he is ill. Had he been well, no one could have persuaded him to beg for -terms from the French dog. When I heard it last night I could not -believe the news. For two months we have fought; shall we yield now? I -for one will not yield; I will die rather!" - -"And we could have told the general it would be of no use. We have -killed too many of the accursed French for them to let us march away. I -could have laughed when Senor Casseillas came back after his journey to -the French camp, and said that we must lay down our arms without -conditions. And the general is dying! God have his soul! He has given -the command to San March. Ay, 'twas San March who lost the Monte -Torrero--curse him! But the Junta!--the saints be praised our brave -padres are members of the Junta, and will not let the others yield. -Traitors, por Dios! I myself will shoot any man, high or low, who -counsels surrender. But Don Basilio, and Padre Consolacion, and Padre -Santiago Sass--ah, they will never yield! The priests of Spain are men, -mi amigo!" - -"Yes; they will fight and--" - -A shattering explosion from the other side of the Coso interrupted him. - -"Where is that?" cried Tio Jorge, starting up. Running to the door he -saw, beyond the Franciscan convent, a cascade of dust and stones -darkening the air. "'Tis towards the Casa Alvarez," he cried, "where -the English Senor still holds out. The dogs are attacking there. Come, -Jorge Arcos, we can do nothing elsewhere; come, and let us help the -brave Englishman!" - -Together they left the cafe. The crash of the explosion had drawn -others to the street, and as the two leaders hurried along, past the -barricades, up narrow by-ways, pursuing a roundabout course towards the -Huerba, they were joined by ones and twos and threes, who came in answer -to their hail. At the corner of a lane near the Seminary thirty men who -had escaped with Fernando Gonzalez from San Lazaro swelled their -numbers. - -"To the Casa Alvarez!" shouted Tio Jorge. - -A second explosion made him hasten still more eagerly. - -"To the Casa Alvarez!" he repeated. "War to the knife!" - - - - - *CHAPTER XXVIII* - - *The Last Fight in Saragossa* - - -The Last Muster--The Fougasse--A Forlorn Hope--Spiking the Guns--A Race -with Death--A Sally--Solicitude--Jorge Arcos Volunteers--To the Bitter -End--A Bolt from the Blue--The Last Sacrifice--The Courage of -Despair--Truce - - -At the Casa Alvarez a stern fight was in progress. On the preceding day -what Jack had foreseen had at length come to pass: the French had once -more brought guns to bear on his position. Warned by their previous -experience, they blinded their batteries in such a way that their -gunners were protected from the muskets of the Spaniards on the roofs. -They cleared a space at the end of the ruined block of which the Casa -Vallejo formed a part, and there placed two guns; another was mounted at -the end of the street between that house and the Casa Tobar; a fourth at -the end of the street in which the Vega barricade was erected. It was -clear to Jack that he could not hope to prevent the enemy from gaining a -footing in the houses; all that he could do for the present was to await -developments, and act as the need of the moment dictated. - -But, to be prepared for emergencies, he rapidly constructed, beneath the -floor of the Casa Vallejo, a fougasse--a shallow mine in the form of a -truncated cone, with its axis inclined towards the point of attack. -Over this he piled some tons of brickwork and stones which, in the -explosion, would be hurled many yards to the front and flanks. With -this, and the as yet unexploded Y-shaped mines beneath the Casas Tobar -and Vega, he hoped to destroy the French who would rush the houses when -the bombardment ceased, and thus to enable his men to retake the -positions they must lose. - -He had only 200 men now with him, and many of these were on their last -legs. But when the rumour spread through the quarter that the French -were preparing to make a serious attack, some fifty poor wretches, -scarcely able to crawl, staggered from their squalid lodgings, and -begged to be allowed to take part in the defence. They were a pitiful -sight, gaunt and haggard, with ague-stricken limbs and fever-lit eyes. -They were incapable of hand-to-hand fighting; many of them were too weak -even to lift their muskets to their shoulders; but they could fire -muskets rested on window-sills and through loopholes, and Jack, gladly -as he would have spared them, was too hard-pressed to reject any aid, -however slight. A score of women came forward, offering to load muskets -for the men, and thus save time. Among them Jack recognized the lady he -had seen as he came with Tio Jorge to take over his command. He -remembered her attitude of frenzied grief; he recalled the fierce -command she had laid upon her little boy. The child was no longer with -her; the little fellow had died of fever a few days before. The poor -creature had now lost father, brothers, husband, and son, and had come -with the wild fury of a mad woman to wreak vengeance on the enemy. - -About ten o'clock in the morning the French opened fire with all their -guns upon the Casa Vallejo and the barricades. Jack made what reply he -could from the roofs and windows, but the batteries were so well -screened that the fire of his men was almost wholly ineffectual. Great -gaps were soon made in the wall of the house and in the barricades, and -seeing that the attempt to hold the latter in the face of the -bombardment would entail a useless loss of life, Jack withdrew his men -behind the Casas Vega and Tobar, and held them in readiness to rush into -the houses when his mines had exploded. After two hours' bombardment -the four guns ceased fire. Immediately afterwards three parties of -French dashed forward in headlong charge. The Spaniards, who, on the -cessation of the bombardment, had sped back to their posts, met the -enemy with dauntless front. The Frenchmen in the streets fell rapidly -under a hot fire from the roof and windows of the Casa Tobar and from -the advanced barricades, but, seeing the hopelessness of continued -resistance to the overwhelming numbers opposed to him, Jack withdrew his -forces again, and sent word to the men stationed at the mines to light -their matches in readiness for firing the trains. With exultant shouts -the enemy, for the most part Poles and voltigeurs, swarmed into the -houses. Jack gave the word first at Vallejo. The fougasse exploded with -a terrific crash. It was this explosion which had interrupted Tio -Jorge's conversation in the cafe. But though not a Frenchman was left -alive in the house, the places of the dead were instantly filled by -their furious comrades, who were only kept from rushing across the -street towards the Casa Alvarez by the concentrated fire of the -Spaniards there posted. - -A few minutes later the French in Tobar and Vega met with a like fate. -Jack had exploded in each case one of the arms of his Y-shaped mines, -and for the time both houses were cleared of the enemy. - -But Jack had long since seen that, unless he could deal them a harder -blow than any he had recently been able to strike, he must inevitably be -swamped by superior numbers. Even though the explosions should slay a -hundred of the French to every ten of his own men, the former could be -continually replaced, while a loss to him was irreparable. He could -hold the enemy in check for the moment, but a time must come when his -gallant little force must be overwhelmed and annihilated--unless he -could effect some diversion. - -His greatest danger came from these formidable batteries, to which he -could make no effective reply. Under cover of their fire the French -could at any time repeat the rush across the street by which they had -carried Tobar. Was there no way by which the guns could be silenced? - -During the two hours' bombardment Jack had spent many anxious minutes in -thinking out this problem. What were the chances? The explosion of the -fougasse, followed by that of the Y mines, would not only deal immense -destruction, but would also, he hoped, have a tremendous moral effect. -Could he not make a rush for the guns while the French were demoralized -and at sixes and sevens? Would there be time to spike them? Ought he to -diminish his little force even by the minimum number of men necessary to -perform the feat? He now had no more than 180 men all told. The -French, he computed, had numbered nearly 700 at the beginning of the -day. Could he, with, say, 50 men, hope to penetrate their ranks and -return in safety? - -"It must be tried," he said to himself, and from that moment bent all -his energies to ensure the success of his daring scheme. Before firing -the Y mines he collected his whole disposable force, and, amid a -breathless silence, addressed them. - -"Hombres," he said, "there is one thing for us to do. The French guns -must be spiked. I will lead the way. I want fifty men to follow me. -It will be dangerous, perhaps fatal work. Who will volunteer, for -Saragossa and Spain?" - -Every man held out his hand. Jack felt proud of the unswerving -patriotism and courage of his troops. The trouble was, not to accept, -but to refuse their offers. He quickly selected fifty of the strongest. -Ten of these he sent to find long nails and hammers, and they soon -returned, bearing tools of all sizes and shapes. The rest were armed -with muskets and bayonets. Jack gave as many as he could pistols in -addition. - -"Now, hombres," he said, "when the mines explode, the French in the -houses will be destroyed, and those behind them dismayed. We must seize -that very moment to rush into the Casa Vega. I shall go first. You -must follow close upon me as rapidly as you can. I intend to make for -the guns. We shall spike them. We shall then rush back through the -ruins and the houses beyond the Casa Vallejo and take the French there -in the rear. Don Cristobal will still defend his barricade. Antonio -here will hold the rest of you in readiness to sweep upon the French in -Vallejo and the street. If I am overcome, and you cannot hold the -second barricades, retreat to the Casa Alvarez and fight to the death." - -The Spaniards were eager to start, and almost too impatient to wait for -the explosion. When that occurred, the larger debris hurled into the -air had scarcely reached the ground before Jack, followed by his devoted -fifty, dashed through the dust that was swirling in vast eddies from the -ruins. Entering the Casa Vega by a low side doorway, almost suffocated -by the pungent fumes and the clouds of dust, they scrambled through the -ruins, springing over stones and beams, broken furniture, burning -draperies, every man taking his own course and trying to avoid impeding -his comrades. A few seconds brought them to what had been the -party-wall of the house. Bearing to the left, Jack dashed into the -charred ruins of the adjoining house, through the midst of a few -Frenchmen who, injured but not killed by the explosion, were crawling -painfully away. A glance to the right!--he saw that the next clearing -was still held by the force supporting those who had rushed the houses; -but they were in no sort of order, having scattered to seek shelter from -the beams and stones that had descended upon them as from the crater of -a volcano. A glance in front!--across the narrow street, in the wrecked -house nearest the gun, Jack saw in an instant that he had a more -formidable foe to reckon with. The French there, some 150 in number, -had not been affected materially by the explosion; but it had taken them -by surprise, and for the moment they were at a loss what they should do. -Before they could realize what was happening, a band of fifty fierce -yelling Spaniards, led by a young officer with sword in one hand and -pistol in the other, was among them. A score fell at the first onset; -the rest scattered to right and left of the Spaniards, and by the time -they had collected their wits, and perceived how small was the party -engaged in this desperate sortie, Jack and the first of his men were -already engaged with the gunners. The onslaught was so sudden, and Jack -was so intent on the work in hand, that he was scarcely conscious of -what happened until afterwards. One of the gunners, in the urgency of -the moment, picked up a linstock and raised it as a kind of club. Jack -sprang straight at him, toppled him over by the mere force of his -impact, and came upon another gunner, whose smoking musket showed that -he had just fired. Him Jack cut down; the others meanwhile fell to the -bayonets of the Spaniards. The gun was reached. Jack sped past, while -a burly Catalan, with two strokes of his huge mallet, drove a nail into -the vent. Then the whole party, diminished by half a dozen who had -fallen, swept on across the street towards the spot where stood the two -guns that commanded the Casa Vallejo. - -[Illustration: Jack Leads a Forlorn Hope] - -The few seconds occupied by the tussle about the first gun had given the -gunners at the other two time to form up. At the same time the French -behind Jack had recovered from their surprise and were swarming upon his -track. Would he have time to complete his work? A few bullets pattered -on the jagged remnants of walls still standing; but the French were too -much afraid of hitting their own men to fire volleys, and those who did -shoot were too flustered to take good aim. Amid a din of shouting, Jack -dashed into the ruins on the far side of the street. Some two-score men -were there drawn up ready to receive him. Fortunately they were on the -French side of the epaulement that had been thrown across the ruins. -Had they occupied the other side they could have held their assailants -at bay long enough for the reserves to come up from the direction of -Santa Engracia and take them in the rear. - -In a moment the two bands met. The French were outnumbered, but for a -few seconds they held their own around the guns. Then the Spaniards -closed about them, and with their backs to the epaulement the valiant -gunners fell, to the last man. - -The first gun was quickly spiked. At the other a gallant pair of -Frenchmen caused a momentary delay by their desperate defence. But they -were in turn overpowered, and fell covered with wounds. A nail was -driven home, and the hazardous exploit was complete. - -But the peril was only just beginning. The sortie had been so sudden -and impetuous that even if the French had been thrice as numerous the -chances were on the side of the assailants. But they had now had time -to rally. Sixty yards of ruins lay between the breathless Spaniards and -the Casa Vallejo, which was strongly held by the French. Jack hoped -that the diversion from the Casa Alvarez would keep these sufficiently -employed; it was a race between him and the French who were now coming -up from the rear of their position. For an instant he thought of -retaining a few of his men and attempting to check the pursuit while the -remainder ran on and stormed the French in Vallejo. But he saw in a -flash that this exposed him to the danger of being headed off by the -enemy, who would make greater speed along the comparatively clear street -than he could make through the ruins. Without a moment's hesitation he -bade his men run for their lives. That he was right was proved at once. -Stalwart Poles and little voltigeurs were swarming along the roadway; -Jack could see them through the gaps in the ruined walls, and hear them -as they dashed along out of sight parallel with his own men. Would they -outrun him? Would they succeed in joining hands with their countrymen -in Vallejo, and meet him in such force that his own gallant band, now -diminished by half, would fall a helpless prey to them? - -There broke out at this instant, ahead of him, a pandemonium of cries, -which seemed too great to proceed even from the mingled horde of French -and Spanish in Vallejo. The foremost of his men were now at grips there -with the enemy. He dashed into the house, and found a desperate combat -in progress there, but was surprised to see no Frenchmen upon his flank. -He had expected to find those who had rushed along the road now pouring -into the house through the gap in the walls. But the French in the -house were engaged on two sides; on one side by Jack's own party, on the -other by the second sortie-party, under Antonio's command. That was not -all. Amid the din Jack heard the stentorian voice of Jorge Arcos -shouting words of encouragement to his men and of obloquy to the French; -immediately afterwards the bellow of Tio Jorge echoed through the ruins. -Jack understood now what had so suddenly checked the French in the -street. How the great mob-leaders had come upon the scene he knew not; -it was sufficient that they had come in the nick of time. They had -evidently manned the nearest barricade, and, battered as that had been, -it was good enough yet to afford a strong defence. With a sense of -relief Jack threw himself into the midst of the fray; in a few moments -the French in Vallejo were accounted for. Emerging into the street, -Jack saw his bulky friend chasing the French back towards the spiked -gun. The sudden sally over the barricade, when they least expected it, -and when their ranks were in the disorder of pursuit, had been too much -for the enemy. They gave way before Tio Jorge's impetuous rush; then, -as Jack, with a feeling of elation that once more the enemy were foiled, -arrived at the barricade, he heard Jorge Arcos shout to his men to -retire, and they came pelting back, followed by a few wild shots from -the discomfited French. - -"Viva la Espana! Viva Saragossa! Viva el Senor Ingles! Viva Tio -Jorge!" - -The air rang with the jubilant shouts of the Spaniards, panting, -dishevelled, many of them utterly exhausted. A strange calm succeeded -the turmoil. Scarcely a live Frenchman was now to be seen; the ground -was strewn with dead, and with wounded whom Jack did not dare to remove. -He knew that the lull could only be temporary; the French would -undoubtedly send for reinforcements. After their successive checks they -would not be content until they could bring absolutely crushing force to -bear upon the obstinate defenders. The crisis was still to come, and -Jack, after warmly congratulating Tio Jorge and Jorge Arcos, as well as -Antonio, on the brilliant success they had done so much to bring about, -returned to the Casa Alvarez to concert means of meeting the most -formidable attack of all. - -Before he reached the house he saw a girl flying towards him, her -mantilla streaming behind. - -"Oh, Jack, Jack," she cried, "I thought you would be killed!" - -"Juanita!" he exclaimed. "But you should not be here. It is no place -for you. You ought not to have run into danger. Come back with me at -once." - -"I came to help. I will help! Tia Teresa died last night; I have no -one now. I can do something. And you--you are hurt! Oh, Jack, you are -covered with blood! Come, come, at once, let me do something for you." - -"I didn't know it," said Jack simply. He brushed his hand across his -brow; it was smeared with blood. Looking at his coat he saw blood -trickling through a rent in the sleeve. "It's nothing," he said. "I -don't feel a scratch. If you must help, Juanita--and it is brave of -you,--why, there are many others who need attention more than I." - -"You first, Jack. Come at once; I insist! How can you lead your men if -you are blinded with blood? Jack, you are doing grandly; it is -splendid!" - -"You are right, Senorita," put in Tio Jorge, who had come up with them. -"All the men say the English Senor is a hero, and, por Dios! the French -will never get the better of him." - -By this time they had reached the house, where Juanita insisted on -bathing and binding up Jack's wounds before she attended to any of the -others. Jorge Arcos had been slightly wounded in the dash across the -barricade, and afterwards Jack remembered, with a strange glow, the -roughly-expressed gratitude of the savage innkeeper as Juanita tenderly -assisted him. - -While she went about on her errand of mercy, Jack consulted with his -lieutenants. The new-comers recognized him unhesitatingly as their -leader, and declared that they would remain with him and support him to -the utmost of their power. None doubted that the next fight would be -the most terrible of all; it was only a question how long an interval -would elapse before it came. The Spaniards had lost some forty men -since the morning; they were all on the verge of collapse; only Don -Cristobal's men, who had been unmolested at the Vega barricade, were for -the moment fit for active work. - -To ascertain the movements of the French, Jack went with Tio Jorge and -Jorge Arcos to the roof of the Casa Hontanon, that adjoined the empty -shell of Vallejo. From that coign of vantage they could overlook the -whole district. After a time they saw in the distance a compact body of -some 200 men approaching through the ruins from the direction of the -Franciscan convent. With great difficulty they were dragging a gun over -the heaps of obstacles. It must have been taken from one of the -batteries now mounted near the Coso. Slowly they approached; nearly an -hour elapsed between their first appearance and the placing of the gun -at the end of the street facing the Tobar barricade, on the same spot -whence the spiked gun had been withdrawn. - -As soon as the gun was fairly in position, a renewal of the bombardment -of the barricade was commenced, and the sound of heavy shots showed that -an attack was being simultaneously made on the Vega barricade. - -"We can't hold Vallejo any longer," said Jack. "We shall be cut off -from support." - -"Not so, Senor," said Arcos at once. "I will hold it with twenty men. -If the French capture it, our flank will be at their mercy." - -"But if the French attack in force you cannot escape." - -"Caramba, Senor! What does that matter? A man must die, and I vow I'd -rather die fighting for Saragossa than of fever in the cellars--or of -rage in a French prison." - -"You are a true son of Spain, hombre," exclaimed Jack, and the gleam in -Arcos's eyes showed that he wished for no higher praise. "The -barricades, now--it is useless to attempt to repair them?" - -"Si, Senor," replied Tio Jorge, "but we can fill up the breaches with -sacks and baskets of earth, if we push them out from the sides of the -street." - -"Very well. Will you see that that is done?" - -Tio Jorge instantly departed on his errand. Arcos had already gone to -select his twenty men for the perilous post in the ruins of Vallejo. - -At half-past three in the afternoon the French cannonade suddenly -ceased. Jack had placed his men in position, but as he saw that nearly -a thousand men were being launched against scarcely more than two -hundred, he felt that even the desperate valour of his patriotic troops -could not prevail against such odds. But it never occurred to him, or -to a single member of his gallant force, that there was any alternative -to the one simple course--to hold on to the end. Palafox had entrusted -him with the defence of that quarter; he would defend it to the last -gasp, and he knew that no British officer in the same situation would -have come to any other conclusion. - -The attack had begun. In the two streets the French were rushing ten -abreast at the barricades. In the ruins approaching Vega and Vallejo -their formation was necessarily broken, but they swept forward with a -dash and a courage which Jack, remembering their former failures, could -not but regard as magnificent. The front ranks seemed to melt away -under the fire of the defenders, who, well disciplined by their long -experience, fired calmly and with deadly accuracy, wasting no powder, -and watching the French advance in seeming unconcern. But though the -enemy fell by scores, there was no halting now. They swarmed up to and -through the breached barricades, and ran a race with death towards the -grim skeletons of the shattered houses. For a few seconds there was a -tense silence; the majority of the defenders had discharged their pieces -and were either reloading or preparing to repel with the bayonet. Then -the opposing forces met; there was a sudden babel of noise, steel -clashing against steel, pistols cracking, men shouting fiercely in their -several tongues, and some crying out in the agony of death. The street -was narrow; for a time the French could make but little impression on -the unbroken front opposed to them, but Jack, from his post on the roof -of Hontanon, saw that it was now a question of the most desperate close -fighting. As soon as the head of the attacking column was lost to view -beneath him, he hurried down to take his part in the tremendous -struggle. - -It was as he had feared. As soon as the French swarmed over the Vallejo -barricade, the Casa Vallejo and its garrison became completely isolated. -At the moment of his arrival a furious fight was proceeding at the inner -barricade. The French charge, led by a gigantic Polish officer, had -driven the Spaniards behind their last defence and threatened to -dislodge them from that. Jack at once summoned twenty men from the -reserve stationed at the Casa Alvarez, and with them threw himself into -the breach, where, amid fragments of beams, displaced sacks and baskets -of earth, and the debris of part of the wall of Vallejo thrown down by -the explosion of the fougasse, a stern hand-to-hand fight was being -waged. It was almost impossible, in the turmoil and rush, to -distinguish friends from foes, but in the centre of the human whirlpool -the huge form of the Polish officer was conspicuous. He was wielding a -large bar of iron, which he had picked up among the ruins, and even at -that moment Jack marvelled at the man's immense strength. Disdaining -the blows aimed at him by men who looked mere pigmies beside him, he was -step by step forcing a way through the barricade towards the open space -fronting the Casa Alvarez. Jack, with his reinforcements, had arrived -not a moment too soon. As he pushed through towards the spot where the -deadly iron, wielded with as much ease as though it had been a malacca -cane, rose and fell with fatal regularity, the onward rush of the French -was stayed for a moment. Another second would have brought the two -leaders together; but Jack was not yet to cross weapons with the Pole. -At the very instant when they came within striking distance there was a -terrible crash; Pole and Englishman started instinctively. A huge mass -of masonry had fallen from Vallejo upon the outer barricade, into the -midst of the crowded ranks of the Frenchmen, of whom a score at least -were buried beneath the ruins. Even above the clash of weapons, the -shouts of the combatants, and the groans of the wounded, a shrill -mocking voice could be heard exulting in the deadly effect of the -avalanche, and raining frantic curses upon the French. In the moment of -surprise the enemy gave way. Glancing up, Jack saw the figure of the -madwoman, the demented Dona Mercedes Ortega, giddily poised upon a -jagged corner of masonry that threatened every instant to follow the -rest into the street below. The poor creature had seen from the Casa -Alvarez that the outer wall of Vallejo had been so breached that a push -would precipitate it into the street upon the barricade. Escaping from -Juanita's detaining hand, as Jack afterwards learnt, she had crept from -the roof of the Casa Hontanon on to the wall of Vallejo; had leapt from -point to point of the uneven summit, reached the corner overlooking the -street, and with the strength of frenzy had pushed the masonry down, -working more havoc among the enemy than had been wrought by many an -elaborately-prepared mine. - -While she stood on her precarious eminence, wildly gesticulating in her -insane triumph, there was the report of a musket from down the street. -She swayed for a brief moment upon the crumbling wall, uttered one -heart-rending shriek of "Juanino!" and fell lifeless upon the ruins -below. - -The interruption was but momentary. At the instant when the hapless -Dona Mercedes fell, Jorge Arcos, desperately wounded, struggled from the -ruins of Vallejo, followed by half a dozen of his men, all showing -terrible signs of the struggle they had made to hold the position. While -a portion of Jack's force continued their gallant attempt to repel the -French from the barricade, the rest swarmed into the house, only to be -driven out again with heavy loss by the enemy, who, backed by a large -force in the ruins, had now an overwhelming superiority in numbers. In -the street the gigantic Pole, swept away from before Jack, returned to -the attack at the head of a compact band of his compatriots, and the -Spaniards, still fighting furiously, were driven back inch by inch -through the gap in the barricade, their retirement being hastened by -shots from the walls of the Casa Tobar, which, together with its -neighbour, the ruined Casa Vega, had fallen into French hands. Save for -the Casa Alvarez and the surrounding streets, the whole of the quarter -towards Santa Engracia had now been captured, and Jack, extricating -himself from the melee, saw that it was time to play his last card. - -"Senor," said Antonio, running up at this moment, "Don Cristobal sends -me to say that he still holds his barricade, but that he will not be -able to do so for more than a few minutes longer." - -"You are the man I want, Antonio," replied Jack. "Run to the Casa -Alvarez, send every man of the reserve to me, and go into the cellars -and fire the last of our mines. Don't wait; do it at once." - -Antonio, who was almost unrecognizable from his wounds, at once returned -to the house. Immediately afterwards the remnant of the reserve dashed -out, and threw themselves into the fray with a vigour which for a moment -checked the enemy's advance. A few seconds later there came the -deafening crash which Jack expected. Huge fragments of the walls of the -houses were projected into the street, injuring a few of the Spaniards -who were still tenaciously defending the extremities of the inner -Vallejo barricade, but working fearful havoc among the French between -the two barricades and in the street beyond. Volumes of blinding smoke -poured from the shattered houses, into which, at Jack's order, Antonio -rushed with a party of men. He himself, calling on the rest of his -troops to follow him, sprang through the barricade, leading an impetuous -charge against the distraught enemy. Even as he did so he heard the -strident voice of Santiago Sass behind him, urging on the men, and -shouting Latin words of denunciation and triumph. Dismayed by their -repeated failures, appalled at the apparent inexhaustibility of the -defenders' resources, the French were now giving way like sheep, in -spite of all the exertions, example, and admonition of their officers. -The big Pole, carried away in the rush towards the outer barricade, -there turned and lifted his iron bar to deliver a crushing blow at Jack, -who was just behind him. The fraction of a second occupied by his -wheeling round cost him his life. Before the blow could fall, Jack -closed with him and ran him through the body. - -Meanwhile the French in Vallejo, some of whom had been hurt by portions -of the flying masonry, had caught the infection of panic, evacuated the -position, and fled helter-skelter across the ruins. Jack saw the danger -of allowing his men to become widely scattered in pursuit. Stopping at -the outer barricade, he ordered his men to withdraw, in spite of the -frenzied imprecations of Santiago Sass, who would have thrown himself -single-handed against a host. The Spaniards retired slowly; they were -clearly indisposed to relinquish the pursuit, though all were well-nigh -spent, and some, indeed, when the excitement had subsided, dropped their -weapons and fell beside them on the ground. At length the whole of the -force was withdrawn behind the inner barricade. - -Jack stood there panting, wondering how long respite he would have -before the French came on again, when he heard his name called from -behind, and, turning, saw Juanita running towards him. - -"Go back!" he cried; "for God's sake, go back, Juanita! This is no -place for you." - -"A white flag, Jack! a white flag!" - -"What do you mean?" - -"A man is coming round the corner of the street with a white flag. I -saw him from a window." - -"What! Another regiment coming to attack us!" - -"No, it is not a regiment. It is one man carrying a small white flag, -and another, an officer, walking by his side. Oh, it must be a flag of -truce, Jack! See, there he is, turning the corner of the street." - -It was as she said. Above the epaulement protecting the French gun at -the end of the street a white flag was held aloft. A moment afterwards -the Frenchman bearing it stepped into the street, and, accompanied by an -officer, began to approach Jack's position, picking his way among the -debris and the bodies of the slain. - -"I must go to meet him," said Jack. "Have you anything to match his -flag, Juanita? I've nothing fit to be seen." - -Juanita handed him her handkerchief. Tying this to a musket, Jack gave -his extemporized flag to one of his men, and walked down the street to -meet the Frenchman. - - - - - *CHAPTER XXIX* - - *French Leave* - - -Overtures--Capitulation--Prisoners of War--Colonel de Ferrusat--In -Tudela--Personally Conducted--Adding Insult to Injury--Quos ego--Before -a Fall--Out of Bondage - - -Meeting midway down the street, the officers courteously saluted each -other. - -"I come with a flag of truce, Senor," said the Frenchman in very bad -Spanish. - -"I understand French, monsieur," replied Jack with a slight smile, which -the other returned. The Frenchman continued, speaking now in French: - -"Marshal Lannes has given the order to cease fire, and has sent an -aide-de-camp into the town to discuss terms of capitulation." - -It was impossible not to feel an unutterable sense of relief. But Jack -gave no sign of it to the Frenchman. - -"Can you give me any particulars?" he said. - -"Yes, monsieur, certainly. Last night General Palafox sent his -aide-de-camp to ask our marshal for a three days' truce, and asking -impossible terms. These, of course, were refused, and the fighting was -resumed. But your people seem now to be more amenable to reason, and, -to tell you the truth, monsieur, I have great hopes that this very -afternoon the end of this most lamentable siege will come. It is, of -course, impossible and useless for your people to continue the -struggle." - -"That, monsieur, is a matter for our general to determine." - -"Allons, allons, monsieur! You have made a brave defence, but you are -being driven in at all points, and it can only be a matter of a few -hours before we capture your whole city." - -"I can only speak for myself, monsieur," said Jack quietly; "but it is -now nearly three weeks since I had the honour to be appointed to this -quarter. I am now, monsieur, where I was then." - -The French officer smiled, and bowing, half-ceremoniously, -half-humorously, said: - -"Pardon my oversight. Permit me, monsieur, to offer my congratulations -to a so gallant foe." - -After an exchange of courtesies, Jack returned to his men, who had -watched the scene with mingled excitement and distrust. - -"Hombres," he said, "a truce is proclaimed. There will be no more -fighting for the present." - -"Thank God!" exclaimed Juanita. "That means that we shall capitulate at -last." - -"Capitulate!" cried Santiago Sass. "Never, hombres! To the Aljafferia -palace with me! Never will we surrender--never! never!" - -But none followed him save Tio Jorge. No sooner had he gone than a -tremendous explosion occurred near the University. Some French engineer -officers, who had not heard of the cessation of hostilities, exploded a -mine, and the jet of stones ascended to such a height that it was -visible to the whole town. Crowds of people rushed towards the -Aljafferia palace, crying for vengeance on the treacherous French, and -demanding that the French envoy, at that moment in consultation with the -Junta, should be instantly put to death. He was only saved from being -torn in pieces, by the intervention of some Spanish officers with drawn -swords, and by a message from the French marshal expressing regret for -the unfortunate accident. Marshal Lannes' message to the Junta was -peremptory. He allowed two hours for deputies to be sent him with full -powers to arrange a capitulation. The news was brought to Jack by Tio -Jorge, whose weather-beaten face was expressive of the deepest -dejection. - -The interval was spent in anxious suspense. Juanita went from one to -another of Jack's wounded men, doing all that was possible to ease their -sufferings. It was her tender ministry that soothed the last moments of -big Jorge Arcos, who was past recovery, and who died breathing words of -thankfulness. - -Later in the evening Jack learnt the result of the negotiations. The -Spanish deputies had again tried to extort impossible terms from Marshal -Lannes, but his most effective reply was to unroll before them a plan of -his mines, from which they saw that the centre of the city was in -imminent danger of being blown to atoms. After this the discussion was -short. Jack had to inform his gallant but exhausted men that the -garrison was to march out next morning and deliver up their arms. All -who would not take the oath of allegiance to King Joseph were to be sent -as prisoners to France. He pointed out that the terms were on the whole -lenient. The French knew how to respect a brave enemy. And he did not -fail to impress upon the men that, so far as they personally were -concerned, they could always remember that nowhere else throughout the -city had the defence been more stoutly maintained or more successful. -This recollection would sweeten whatever was bitter in the surrender. - -When the men had accepted the inevitable, and the quarter had settled -down, Jack found time for a serious consultation with Juanita. Now that -her aunt was dead, there was nothing to fetter her movements. Jack had -found a number of respectable farming people who would return, after the -capitulation, to their homes in the direction of Calatayud, and had -arranged that Juanita should accompany them. He explained to Pepito -what was required of him--that he should go with the Senorita, and never -leave her except at her own command. Once more he assured Juanita that -within a week, by hook or by crook, he would rejoin her. Then, late at -night, he accompanied her back to her lodging, and took leave of her in -a spirit of unbounded hopefulness. - -Next morning the last scene of this great siege was enacted. At -daybreak all the posts around the city were occupied by the French. At -noon the French troops were drawn up in order of battle on the Aragon -road, holding lighted matches in readiness to prevent any attempt of the -Spaniards to break loose. Then the garrison marched out. Jack never -forgot the sad and touching spectacle. With Don Cristobal and other -officers he stood, under guard of a detachment of the 5th Leger -regiment, near the Portillo Gate, and witnessed the whole scene as the -mixed column, soldiers and peasants, defiled past. It was a motley -crowd. There were young and old, some in uniform, others in peasant -rags. Even the most ragged had tried to smarten up their appearance by -tying bright-coloured sashes round their waists. Their large round -hats, surmounted with feathers, and their brown ponchos flung over their -shoulders, made their very tatters picturesque. Their pale emaciated -features were scorched, and scarred with wounds. Many had long black -matted beards. All had been so much weakened by disease and privation -that they could scarcely stagger along under the weight of their -weapons. Some were smoking cigarillos, and affecting an air of proud -indifference to their fate; others took no pains to conceal their rage, -but ground their teeth and glared out of their gleaming haggard eyes at -the enemy they had withstood so long. Women and children were mingled -with them, and these wept bitterly, and, flinging themselves on their -knees before the effigy of Our Lady in the gate, prayed for solace in -their affliction. The whole population numbered but 15,000 souls; -nearly four times that number had perished during the two months of the -siege. - -The scene was closed by the warriors delivering up their arms and flags, -many of them then being unable to refrain from tears and violent cries -of rage and despair. Within the city the victorious French had now begun -to plunder the houses and churches of all the valuables left in them. -At the Aljafferia Castle, Palafox, ill as he was, had been brutally -treated by a French colonel, appointed temporary governor of Saragossa. -Jack learnt long afterwards that even before the brave captain-general -had recovered from his illness he was carried off to France, where -Napoleon, instead of treating him as a prisoner of war, with the -generosity due to a chivalrous foe, chose to regard him as a traitor, -and kept him for several years a captive in the gloomy keep of the -Chateau of Vincennes. - -Jack himself was more fortunate. Along with Don Cristobal and other -officers he fell at first into the more kindly hands of the captain who -had brought him the flag of truce. He remained in the French camp for -two days after the capitulation, and was able to assure himself that -Juanita had got safely away. Meanwhile the main body of the garrison -had already been put in motion for France. On the 23rd Jack's own turn -came. He took a friendly farewell of the French captain who had been -responsible for him, and who was in entire ignorance that he had an -Englishman, not a Spaniard, to deal with. His last sight of Saragossa -was made terrible by a scene he witnessed as he set out among a large -company of officers and men, defenceless prisoners. They passed a spot -where two Spaniards in priests' robes stood upright against a wall, -opposite a firing-party of French. As the volley rang out, Jack -recognized the victims of this act of cold-blooded murder; they were Don -Basilio Bogiero and Santiago Sass. - - -Monsieur le Colonel Hilaire Maxime Lucien de Ferussat, of the 121st -regiment of the line, felt pardonably annoyed when he found that his -corps, or what remained of it, had been selected, with another of -Morlot's regiments, to escort the Spanish prisoners to Bayonne. The -duty involved hard marching, and brought no glory, and Glory, as he was -never tired of declaiming at his mess-table, was the sole object for -which every true Frenchman should live and die. He had not -distinguished himself very greatly in the operations of the siege; -indeed it was whispered among his fellow-officers, who did not love him, -that his selection for the escort duty was by no means a mark of Marshal -Lannes' favour. He himself, however, seemed quite unconscious of -everything except that he had a grievance in being thus shunted for some -weeks off the highroad to fame, and, as was only to be expected, the -wretched prisoners in his charge bore the brunt of his displeasure. -They were physically incapable of prolonged marches, but that was -nothing to monsieur le colonel. He was determined to reach Bayonne as -soon as possible. He played the drover with the unfortunate Spaniards, -and many of them succumbed to fatigue and illness on the road. The men -of his escort, adopting his attitude, and themselves resenting the -rapidity of the march after all their hardships, were in no mood to -spare the wretches committed to their charge, and many a prod with the -butt-end of a musket, or the more lethal bayonet, quickened the steps of -laggards until they could endure no longer, but dropped and died. - -Mounted on a fine Andalusian charger, Colonel de Ferussat rode up and -down the line, roundly abusing the non-commissioned officers of his -party whenever he saw any tendency to straggling among the prisoners. - -"Peste!" he said to one sergeant, in charge of a herd of some 200 -miserable skeletons; "if you value your chevrons you will step out more -briskly. No more of this lagging, or, saprelotte! I'll reduce you." A -moment or two later he turned to the captain of a company: "How long, -monsieur le capitaine," he cried, "how long do you propose to spend in -herding these pigs of Spaniards? Your men are dawdling as if they were -sweethearting in the Bois." - -Such remarks caused a quickening all along the column until the lost -ground was made up. With such a commander it was not surprising that -the men took short measures to save themselves trouble. Many a prisoner -who found the pace too fast, and sank down with a groan, was spared -further suffering. One bullet was usually enough. - -Late in the afternoon of the second day after leaving Saragossa, Colonel -de Ferussat's column wound its way into Tudela, a place held in bitter -memory by those of the prisoners who had formed part of Castanos' army -on the fatal 23rd of November. The scared inhabitants sullenly -submitted to having the prisoners, with their guards, quartered upon -them. Every building of any pretensions was occupied; but the smaller -houses were left, for monsieur le colonel had a wholesome dread of -scattering his men too widely. - -Colonel de Ferussat took up his quarters in the Plaza de Toros. His -chagrin was somewhat mollified when he found that under the same roof -was lodged no less a personage than General Chabot, who was on his way -southward to rejoin his division, operating under General Gouvion de -Saint-Cyr in Catalonia. The colonel thought a good deal of generals, -for did he not expect to be a general himself some day? When, -therefore, on entering the house, he found General Chabot himself -lolling at ease, his coat thrown open and his jack-boots unlaced, he -saluted with an air of unction, and prepared to make himself amiable. - -"Bonsoir, monsieur le general!" he said, sweeping his plumed hat at a -radius of a yard. - -"Bonsoir, colonel!" responded the general. "En route for France, I -presume?" - -"Yes, monsieur le general, and with the most paltry set of prisoners a -French officer ever had. As scarecrows they'd disgrace any farmer's -field in La Beauce." - -"Ah! I had heard from some of your predecessors on the road about the -end of the siege. I wonder at such a rabble being able to hold out so -long." - -"Rabble indeed, monsieur le general. But there! what are Spaniards but -rabble! If you had only seen them three months ago, when the marshal -whipped them at this very spot!" - -"You were at the battle, colonel?" - -"Ma foi!" ejaculated the colonel, "I was indeed present on that amusing -day." - -"I shall be glad to hear something of the fight--if you can spare time, -colonel." - -"You honour me by the request. Would you care to ride over the field -with me? We have time before it is dark." - -"Certainly; I shall understand the details so much the more clearly if I -see the actual site." - -In a few minutes the two officers were riding side by side over the -battle-field, on which many grim tokens of the struggle lay scattered. -Striking into the road that led from the village in a south-westerly -direction, between olive groves and stone fences, they passed the hill -of Santa Quiteria, where the Spanish centre, under San March and -O'Neill, had been so cleverly outflanked by Maurice Mathieu, and arrived -at length at Cascante, the extreme left of the Spanish position, where -La Pena, with characteristic stupidity, had remained inactive throughout -the fight. Then, retracing their course, they turned to the left, and -rode past the spot where Colbert had held his cavalry until the pursuit -began. Leaving Tudela on their right, they came within sight of the -Cerro de Santa Barbara, where Roca had been so brilliantly outmanoeuvred -by General Morlot. - -General Chabot had been so eager to obtain a comprehensive view of the -whole scene of action that he had set a quick pace, which the colonel -found rather discommoding to his rotundity. But he bore it all without -a murmur, for he was deeply imbued with the importance of paying -becoming deference to the higher powers. He was, however, somewhat -blown and heated when he pulled up at a large house near the Ebro, -commanding an excellent view of the Cerro de Santa Barbara and the -country whence Morlot had delivered his attack. Round two sides of the -house ran a veranda, the roof being supported by light pillars resting -on a low balustrade. Beneath the veranda stood a group of Spanish -officers. They had just marched in, and were awaiting the preparation -of the interior of the building, which was being got ready for them. A -sentry with fixed bayonet was stationed at the corner of the veranda, -and a squad of some twenty men had piled arms in the open plaza beyond. -An equal number of Frenchmen were inside the house. - -"A capital horse of yours, colonel!" said the general admiringly, as -they reined up just outside the balustrade. "Mine is wheezing a little, -you observe, while yours is hardly breathed." - -"It is an excellent beast indeed," panted De Ferussat, with a gratified -smile. "I got it from a ridiculous old Spanish nobleman at Pamplona, -months ago--at a low figure, I assure you; hi! hi! But look, monsieur -le general, it was out there"--he pointed towards the Ebro--"that we -first came in touch with these cowardly curs of Spaniards." - -He made no attempt to moderate his voice. Every word was clearly -audible to the gaunt group in the veranda, and some of them looked with -a glare of impotent rage at the ill-mannered officer. As if to obtain a -clearer view of the field he edged his horse up to the balustrade, and -continued his narrative. - -"There were about 50,000 of them, but we had at least half that number, -so that there was not much doubt of the issue. The more Spaniards in -the field, monsieur le general, the more there are to run away. Hi! -hi!" - -He laughed, a harsh grating cackle of satisfaction that made several of -the Spaniards behind him turn livid with wrath. General Chabot, to whom -his remarks were ostensibly addressed, seemed ill at ease. Like most of -Napoleon's lieutenants, he was a rough-and-ready soldier, but he at any -rate had a genuine Frenchman's respect for a gallant foe, and he was -reluctant to connive, even tacitly, at De Ferussat's gross insult to -helpless prisoners. But, all unconscious of the contempt with which his -superior officer was beginning to regard him, the colonel continued: - -"Our division, you observe, was posted behind the Cerro de Santa Barbara -yonder. There were thousands of Spaniards on the summit. Behold how -steep the slope! Imagine their marvellous bravery! Ma foi, monsieur, -but courage is indeed magnificent at the top of a hill! Hi! hi! They -plumed themselves that we could not get at them. But mark, monsieur le -general, that was a mistake--oh! trifling, but a mistake all the same. -Why? There were French at the bottom. I was there, monsieur. To me -turns General Morlot, and says: 'De Ferussat, mon ami, your battalion -will take that hill.' A word--parbleu! and at a word the thing is done. -Do you see, monsieur le general, that narrow cleft on the hillside? -Voila! That is where we climbed up, I and my men." The general glanced -somewhat incredulously at the protuberant figure beside him. "It was -unguarded, and before the Spaniards knew what was happening, behold! we -are upon them. A few minutes, then pouf!--General Roca's division is -pouring past the spot where we are now standing, squeezing through the -streets of the city on to the Saragossa road. Farther to the left -yonder, General Lefebvre-Desnouettes--alas that he is now a -prisoner!--broke the enemy's centre with his cavalry; and presto! the -other Spanish generals were kissing the heels of Roca's braves, off to -Saragossa. Tredame! how these Spaniards can run when there is a French -bayonet behind them! It was laughable, truly a comedy, a farce. I -laugh always when I think of it. Hi! hi!" - -Colonel de Ferussat's recollections had once more overcome his gravity; -but the first strident notes of his cackle had barely had time to -lacerate the ears of the prisoners when there was a slight commotion -behind him. Even while his mouth was agape he felt a powerful grip upon -his collar, and in a twinkling he was turning a complete somersault from -the saddle to the balustrade, and thence to the floor of the veranda. -While he had been delivering himself of his double-edged reminiscences a -young Spanish officer, unobtrusively detaching himself from the group, -had moved quietly to within striking distance of the sentry on guard, -who was listening with open-mouthed appreciation. Disposing of him with -a single knock-down blow, the officer had leapt upon the balustrade and -hurled the fat colonel from his seat. - -As De Ferussat rebounded from the balustrade, his steed, naturally -nervous at this unusual experience, started aside, and the reins were -jerked from the Frenchman's grip. In an instant the young officer threw -himself into the vacant saddle, and as the horse, now thoroughly -alarmed, dashed madly forward, its new rider just succeeded in grasping -the reins short at the neck, and clung to his seat by the sheer muscular -grip of his knees. - -The whole incident had passed rapidly, but General Chabot, with the -readiness of an old campaigner, bent forward to clutch the near rein of -the maddened horse. His own horse swerving at the critical moment, he -missed his grip and himself almost overbalanced, and though he at once -spurred his charger into a gallop, endeavouring to unbutton the holsters -containing his pistols, the fugitive had gained at least twenty yards -before the pursuer's horse settled into its stride. - -Jack almost shouted with glee as he lay forward on his horse's neck and -got his feet into the stirrups, expecting every moment that a hail of -bullets would come flying after him. But, hearing the clatter of the -general's horse behind, he lifted himself and laughed, and began to hum -a song he remembered Shirley was fond of: - - "Oh, who will o'er the downs so free, - Oh, who will with me ride, - Oh, who will up and follow me--" - -The general was up and following him, but he cared nothing for that. -Not a shade of misgiving crossed his exultation. While the general -pursued him he was safe. The group of French soldiers in the square had -rushed to their arms, but were unable to fire, for General Chabot was -between them and the fugitive. Colonel de Ferussat, purple to the verge -of apoplexy, was spluttering with rage and pain, intensified by the -evident delight of the Spanish officers, who, forgetting that they were -in the man's power, were openly laughing at him. In the street, -meanwhile, soldiers and civilians alike cleared out of the way of the -dashing horsemen, not realizing at first what had happened. When they -did understand, Jack was beyond their reach. He could not stop to -choose his course. He urged his steed straight along the road, out at -the north gate of the town, into the country of vineyard and olive -grove, gaining on his pursuer, even steadying his horse somewhat when he -found that the beautiful and spirited animal had the heels of the -general's charger. Chabot must have recognized this, but with dogged -pertinacity he held on for nearly two miles, only desisting from the -chase when he found that his horse was failing. Then he discharged his -pistol; the shot flew wide. Jack turned on the saddle and swept off his -sombrero in ironical salutation; and as the Frenchman drew rein, Jack -jogged the heaving flanks of his steed with his spurless boots, and -cantered gaily off into the dusk. - - - - - *CHAPTER XXX* - - *The Whip Hand* - - -No Thoroughfare--A Mountain Inn--A Night with Guerrilleros--The Parting -Guest--A Little Dinner--Antonio in Command--A Night Surprise--On the -Latch--Mars and Bacchus--The Festive Board--Monsieur Taberne off Duty--A -Toast--The Score--Crowded Moments--A Fight in the Glade--Quietus - - -Nothing ever gave Jack more pleasure to remember than that ride from -Tudela. The scent of spring was in the air, birds were twittering ere -they tucked themselves up for the night, and under him was a beautiful -horse, whose easy swinging motion was a double joy after so many weeks -of hardship and confinement. - -"It is good to be alive," he thought, as he rode on, humming gaily. -"And now what am I to do?" - -He had only the vaguest idea of the country. He was riding north-west -from Tudela. The red glow of sunset was fading on his left hand. -Calatayud, where he hoped to find Juanita, was far to the south-west. -Now that he was quite clear of pursuit, his best plan, he thought, would -be to double on his track, and, while avoiding Tudela, and any other -place likely to hold a French garrison, to make his way back again -towards Saragossa, keeping somewhat west of the highway until he struck -the road between that city and Calatayud. - -"But it will not do to go too far west," he thought, "or I shall get -among the mountains, and then goodness knows when I'll find my way out -again." - -Cautiously enquiring his way at cottages along the road, he arrived in -about three hours at the outskirts of the township of Agreda. It was -necessary to pass through the place. He thought it more than likely -that the French would have a garrison there, for the mountain ranges -beyond were the haunt of several guerrilla bands which the enemy were -making spirited but ineffectual efforts to keep in check. He therefore -rode in, with one pistol cocked in his right hand, and the holster of -the other unbuttoned, in readiness for any emergency. - -The moon was rising, and Jack, as he passed through the principal -street, noticed that narrow lanes led out from it on both sides, -presumably towards the vineyards with which the surrounding valley was -covered. His horse trod silently on the roadway, owing to a thick bed -of last year's leaves placed upon it by the people, for the purpose of -making manure. There was no light in any of the houses; everybody -appeared to have retired to rest, and Jack was congratulating himself on -having reached the last house, when he came suddenly upon five mounted -French carabineers, with drawn swords, blocking the street. They had -apparently just come into the town from the other end, on a -reconnoitring expedition. They saw him at the same moment, and with a -shout dashed forward. With only his two pistols to rely on, Jack chose -the discreet part, and instantly wheeled his horse round to the right -into one of the lanes, in which there was no more than space for one -rider to pass. It was a steep ascent, and his horse, gallantly -breasting the hill, showed signs of fatigue natural after the long -distance already travelled. Something must be done to check the -pursuit, for if the Frenchmen had fresh horses they were bound to run -him down as soon as they drew out of the lane Springing from his horse -where the path opened into the vineyards, he fired at the leading man, -who was within a few yards of him, and then, with some compunction, -discharged his second pistol at the trooper's horse. It fell. There -was a cry, followed by confused shouts. Jack quietly remounted, and -threaded his way through the vineyards, bearing to the left until he -struck a road that appeared to lead in the direction he wished to go. He -looked cautiously about, in case his recent assailants had belonged to a -scattered party. Finding no trace of an enemy, he sped on his way. - -The road was rocky and uneven, winding among the hills, which showed -bare and ghostly in the increasing moonlight. After riding on for some -six or seven miles, wondering where he was going and how long his horse -would hold out, he was passing by the brink of a ravine overhung by a -dark wall of rock, when in a narrow cleft to the right he fancied he saw -a glimmer of artificial light. At once dismounting, he led his horse -towards it, carefully picking his way over the rough ground. At the end -of the narrow defile he came to a venta of rough-hewn stone, with large -casements, all of which were closed with wooden shutters. The light he -had seen proceeded from a round knot-hole in the shutter of one of the -rooms on the ground-floor. The hole was higher than his head. -Remounting, he drew his horse sideways to the house, and, stooping, put -his eye to the peep-hole. He saw a spacious room, part kitchen, part -dining-room, and part dormitory, to judge from the dirty mattresses -spread here and there on the floor. In the centre of the wall to the -right was an immense chimney-piece, where a pile of pine-logs were -crackling and blazing merrily. Over the fire two huge black kettles -were suspended, and in front a long iron spit, garnished with fowls and -goats'-flesh, was turned by a miserable-looking dog, which, perched -against the wall in a wooden barrel, must have suffered both from the -heat and from the tread-mill work it was forced to do. - -Opposite the fire, at a more comfortable distance, Jack saw a large -table, around which, seated on benches, crippled chairs, and upturned -casks, a score or more of men were beguiling the time, till supper -should be ready, by frequent applications to the wine-jug. A glance at -their dress was sufficient to inform Jack of their condition. They wore -short tight-fitting jackets, low-crowned black hats with the brim looped -up on one side, breeches fastened at the knee with coloured ribbons, and -long leather gaiters. From pegs on the wall hung long brown cloaks, and -in the corners lay heaps of sabres, pistols, and long carbines. - -"Guerrilleros, for a ducat!" said Jack to himself, "and a desperate set. -They have not even troubled to post a sentry. I'm afraid they'll have -to be my bed-fellows to-night, at any rate." - -Without hesitation he rapped smartly on the door with the butt of a -pistol. There was a sound of movement within, heavy steps approached -the door, and a gruff voice demanded: - -"Quien vive?" - -"Espana!" said Jack, giving the usual countersign, then by a happy -inspiration adding: "Amigo de Antonio el valiente guerrillero." - -With an exclamation of delight the man inside drew the bolts and threw -open the door. The light from a lamp streamed out, and Jack, bending -his head, asked whether he could be put up at the inn for the night. - -"Verdaderamente, Senor," replied the guerrillero, recognizing from -Jack's tone that he had a caballero to deal with. In a few minutes the -horse was stabled, and Jack was seated at the table, partaking of the -savoury stew poured bubbling from the chaldron, and answering the men's -eager questions about the end of the siege of Saragossa. They belonged -to the band of which Pablo Quintanar and Antonio had been the leaders, -and were burning with anxiety as to the fate of those sturdy -guerrilleros. Many a deep growl of rage and indignation burst from them -when they learnt of Quintanar's treason, many a sigh of satisfaction -when they heard of his fate; and when they knew that Antonio had come -safely through the siege, they were all confident that somehow or other -he would escape from the French, and hasten to rejoin them in their -mountain fastnesses. - -Jack in his turn asked for information, which the men were not very -ready to give. All that he learnt of their movements was that they had -recently left Soria and were going southward by easy stages, hoping to -meet members of their band escaping from Saragossa. He spent a -comfortless night in the dirty inn, and departed next morning early, -glad to have got off from such rough companions without the loss of his -horse, on which they had cast longing eyes. - -All that day he travelled by devious paths among the mountains, asking -his way of the few people he met, putting up at night in a ruined cabin, -and arriving late on the following evening in the neighbourhood of -Morata. Remembering that the Alvarez country house was near at hand, he -found on enquiry that it lay a few miles to the north, and was at -present in charge of one old man, who had been a gardener on the estate. -Suspecting that Morata itself might be garrisoned by the French, he -decided to turn off before reaching the town, and to seek shelter for -the night at the Alvarez villa. - -Spring had set in unusually early this year, and as Jack rode through -the lanes he rejoiced in the bright sunshine and the scent of lavender -and rosemary, violets and narcissus, that filled the warm air. He -reached the villa at dusk. It stood half-way up a hill, in a walled -garden, amid luxuriant foliage of laurels. On three sides the garden -wall was approached by the young growth of olive plantations. The house -itself was a long low building of white stone, mellowed by age and -weather. A broad oak balcony ran round, sheltering the ground-floor -rooms from the sun's rays; and amid its massive columns creeping plants, -already in full leaf, pushed their way towards the roof. As Jack rode -up, the odours of honeysuckle and clematis greeted his nostrils, and he -noted the small white stars of the jessamine glittering among their -narrow dark-green leaves. - -The caretaker, a bent old man, received Jack somewhat mistrustfully, but -thawed when he was assured of his friendship for the Alvarez family, and -volubly deplored the ruin which had fallen upon it. He conducted the -visitor over the house and round the immense garden, shaking his head at -the wildness of its untended state; all the rose-trees wanted trimming, -the fruit-trees pruning, and the strawberries, already ripe, were -rotting in their beds. He did what he could, but what was one gardener -for such an immense garden? He made up a bed for Jack in one of the -upper rooms, and promised to provide as good a breakfast as possible in -the morning. - -Shortly after six Jack was urgently aroused by the old man. - -"Senor, Senor," he said, "there are cavalry approaching up the hill. -They are French--I am sure they are; it is not safe to stay longer." - -Jack was up in a trice. Hurrying to the stable he quickly saddled his -horse, stuffed some bread into his pocket, and made off by a side gate -leading out of the garden just as the horsemen drew rein in front of the -house. Fortunately the wall hid him from too curious eyes as he led his -horse rapidly away. Gaining an olive plantation a quarter of a mile up -the hill, he decided to wait there for a while, in the hope of -discovering something about the horsemen whose advent had broken his -sleep. After about half an hour, peeping over a stone fence, he saw -them leave the casa, and strike off in a north-easterly direction among -the foot-hills. Only the tops of their helmets were visible as they -trotted past, a shoulder of the hillside hiding the rest of them from -view. He counted forty-two. As soon as they had disappeared he -returned on foot to the house, taking his chance of any Frenchman -remaining there. He found the old gardener in a frenzy of rage and -agitation. - -"The cursed Frenchmen!" he cried. "Gone--yes, they are all gone, but -they are coming back--this evening. They are foraging, and among them is -a dastardly Spaniard, an afrancesado, Senor. He asked me questions; he -wanted to know where Jose Pinzon, old Don Fernan's servant, is. As if I -would answer him, even it I knew!--a traitor, who knows the country and -is guiding the French to spoil his countrymen. He told them that the -casa would give them good lodging when their work is done, and ordered -me--yes, the dog of an afrancesado ordered me--to have ready a good -dinner for them--for him and three officers, and nearly forty men--by -the time they return. They come from Calatayud; would to God they'd -break their necks in the hills and never return alive!" - -Jack was sympathetic with the old man, but after all much less concerned -with his troubles than with the possibilities of a scheme that had -flashed upon him. The guerrilleros he had lately left were marching in -that direction from a point somewhat to the west of the line taken by -the French. There was little chance of their falling in with the -foraging-party, but it was at least possible that, if they could be -found, they might be able to arrange a little surprise for the French -when they returned. Were they still in the neighbourhood? Jack thought -it worth while to spend a few hours in discovering this, and decided to -return to the plantation where he had left his horse, and ride off. -Before going he asked the old Spaniard to leave unbolted a door he had -noticed at the back of the house; it was evidently little used, and now -almost hidden by tangled masses of creepers. - -"I may want to get in to-night," he said. - -His horse, refreshed by a good night's rest, covered the ground at a -rapid pace. Jack eagerly scanned the bare hills for signs whether of -friend or foe; it was always possible that the French had turned off in -his direction after visiting this or that farm or country house. But he -saw nothing for nearly two hours, when, having ridden, as he estimated, -some twenty miles, he suddenly heard a voice, from a rocky ridge at his -left hand, calling him to halt He reined up instantly, and shouted back -in Spanish: - -"Who are you? I am a friend." - -"Get off your horse and put down your pistol then." - -It was a peremptory order, which Jack at any other moment might have -resented; but there was no time to spare, and he decided immediately to -risk compliance. The speaker then emerged from behind his rock, and -stood revealed in the rough yet gaudy costume of a guerrillero. - -"Hombre, take me to your captain," said Jack, stepping towards him. "I -must speak with him instantly." - -The man pointed out a narrow path between the rocks, just wide enough to -admit a horse, and a few minutes later Jack was led into the presence of -his stalwart friend Antonio. Explanations were soon exchanged. -Antonio, having become an inoffensive civilian on the fall of Saragossa, -had had no difficulty in making his way to the mountains. Falling in -with a portion of his old band that had been raiding French convoys -along the Saragossa-Tudela road, he had, only a short time before Jack's -arrival, effected a junction with the smaller band whom Jack had met in -the inn. He was now the leader of a total force of over a hundred men, -among whom Jack recognized with pleasure several of his sturdiest -fighters during the siege. - -When Antonio had explained to the others who Jack was, their enthusiasm -knew no bounds. The Saragossa veterans had already told them what their -English leader had accomplished during the siege; how theirs had been -the only quarter in the city in which the French had made no progress -during the last three weeks. Antonio now waxed eloquent on the same -theme, and wound up by commanding his men to serve the Senor as they -would their own captain. - -If anything had been wanting to complete his welcome it would have been -supplied by the news he brought. Antonio no sooner heard that a French -foraging-party was in the neighbourhood than he decided to cut it off. -He was anxious to start immediately and ambush it on its way back to the -house, but Jack suggested a better plan. The country around the house, -being, though hilly, fairly open, presented little opportunity for a -successful ambuscade, and in the event of the guerrilla troop being -discovered, there would be great likelihood of the majority of the enemy -escaping. It would be better, Jack suggested, to surround the house at -night; not a Frenchman should then escape. Antonio at once agreed. He -said that he would leave the planning entirely to the Senor, which, Jack -thought, was as it should be; for Antonio, though a brave and dashing -leader of a storming-party, had little claim but that of bull-dog -courage to his position as captain. - -At four o'clock the band, well-mounted and eager, set out on their -march. The road followed led by a circuitous course to the foot of the -hill on which the Casa Alvarez stood. It was past seven when, as they -wheeled round to the left, they saw the twinkling lights of the house -more than a mile above them. - -"They are very bold," remarked Jack to Antonio. "There must be a -considerable force of French in Calatayud, perhaps at Morata also, or -these foragers would have made some attempt to conceal their movements." - -"Few or many, Senor," declared Antonio, "we'll capture these dogs and -hang them up in a string." - -"No, no; but we needn't talk about what we'll do with them till we have -them. I've been thinking out a plan of attack as we rode along. It -will be best to leave our horses some distance from the house. If one -of them began to neigh it would at once put the French on the alert. We -must attack on foot in any case. There is a hollow a little farther on -where we can leave the horses under guard." - -"Very well, Senor." - -"Now we don't want to lose any lives if we can help it, so I think it -will be best for us to get an idea of the enemy's arrangements. I know -the house, and I propose to go forward alone and see what I can find -out. The old gardener will have left the back-door unlocked on the -chance of my returning. If when I get there I see a good chance of your -succeeding in a rush over the walls up to the house, I'll give you a -signal--a shrill whistle, say; one of your men can cut me a reed." - -"No need, Senor; I have a whistle here." - -He produced a big steel whistle, which he handed to Jack. - -"That's well. If you don't hear anything from me in the course of an -hour after I leave you, you may conclude that I am captured. You had -better then rush the sentries, who will no doubt be posted at the front -gate. At the same time your men will scale the wall. One body should be -sent to cut off egress from the stables, and another to enter by the -back-door. I leave the rest to you." - -Half a mile farther on they came to the wooded hollow of which Jack had -spoken. The horses were left there as arranged, and the guerrilleros, -headed by Jack and Antonio, advanced cautiously up the hill to within -three hundred yards of the house. By the light of the rising moon two -sentinels could be seen standing at the front gate, between which and -the house lay fifty feet of flower-garden. Jack wondered whether -sentries had been placed on the other sides, but judged from the evident -carelessness of the French that that precaution had not improbably been -neglected. There was no cover for the attacking force beyond about two -hundred and fifty yards from the gates, but at both sides the -plantations would conceal them. The guerrilleros stole into the shade of -the trees; the main body remained at the corner of the wall ready to -attack in front; smaller parties worked round the sides, until the whole -enclosure was practically surrounded. - -Jack accompanied the party which had gone to the wall facing the rear of -the house. Under cover of the overhanging branches of a chestnut he -climbed over the wall, which was about eight feet high. No sentry was -posted at the back of the house. In a few minutes Jack had run up the -garden and come to the back-door. Already he had heard sounds of -merriment proceeding from the house. He placed his ear against the -door, listening for footsteps within. Hearing nothing in the vicinity, -he lifted the latch and slipped inside, finding himself in a large -square stone-floored room, which had evidently been used as a storehouse -for the gardener's tools. At the far side of the room was a door -leading, as he knew, to the corridor surrounding the patio. As he -cautiously opened this door his ears were saluted by a deafening babel -from a room on the right, opening on to the corridor. To judge by the -sounds, a large party of French troopers were there enjoying their -evening meal. Shouts of laughter were mingled with bursts of song and -the clatter of knives and crockery. The patio was pitch dark save where -a beam of light fell across it from a window of the room on the right, -and another from the kitchen on the opposite side. Hugging the rear -wall of the patio, Jack made his way cautiously across its tiled floor -to the window of the kitchen. A door opened into the kitchen from the -corridor, opposite to the middle one of the three arches in the -colonnade of the patio. Keeping well in the shadow, Jack saw several -Frenchmen leave the kitchen carrying dishes and flagons, and cross the -patio to the room whence the boisterous sounds were proceeding. He saw -also another man, a tall fellow, whom in the half-light he seemed to -recognize, carry a dish into a room at the farther end of the corridor, -and close the door behind him. While the door was open Jack heard a -burst of song from within. Evidently some of the Frenchmen were also -regaling themselves there. - -Peeping in at the kitchen window, he saw the gardener, now alone. He -tapped. The Spaniard looked startled for a moment. Then a light of -recollection came into his eyes. He made hurriedly for the door, and in -another moment was with Jack. - -"I've a hundred men outside," whispered the latter. "Where are the -officers?" - -"In the room at the end, Senor." - -At this moment the door of that very room opened again, and the tall -servant came out, and turned down the corridor at the farther end of the -patio. - -"He is going to the cellar under the stairs for wine," whispered the old -man. "Curse them! They are drinking my old master's store of -Valdepenas." - -The man had left the door open, and from within the room came the sound -of a mellow baritone voice trolling out a sentimental ditty: - - "J'ai fait un bouquet pour ma mie, - Un bouquet blanc; - J'ai mis mon coeur dedans, - Dedans mon bouquet blanc. - Comm' nous partions, v'la qu'elle cri-i-e: - 'Oh! reviens t'en.' - 'Marche!' dit mon lieutenant. - Je lui laiss' mon bouquet blanc. - J'ai mis mon coeur, j'ai mis mon coeur dedans, - Dedans mon bouquet blanc." - - -Shouts of applause followed the last words. Immediately afterwards the -tall servant returned with a huge flagon, re-entered the room, and shut -the door. - -"Hombre," said Jack in a whisper, "you must go into that room." - -"But, Senor, I'm afraid for my life. There's a big hound of a Frenchman -there whose very voice makes me shiver." - -"You must go in. I caught sight of a screen as that man entered just -now. All I want you to do is to go in and show yourself--ask if they -are fully supplied--and give me time to slip in behind you; then wait -outside the door till I call." - -The old man hesitated for a moment, then plucked up his courage and -walked along the corridor, Jack following. The Spaniard opened the door, -and was instantly ordered to go about his business. He moved back at -once, but meanwhile Jack had slipped inside the room, and found that in -an angle of the four-leaved screen he could conceal himself, not only -from the persons in the room, but from anyone passing through the door. -He quietly slit a hole in the screen with his penknife, and peeped -through. - -Around a ponderous old table of black oak, illuminated by a dozen wax -candles and covered with dishes and flagons and glasses, sat four men. -At the head, with his braided scarlet coat open from the neck, sat a -fat, red-faced, big-moustachioed officer, whom Jack recognized at once -as the blusterous commissary from whom he had coaxed such valuable -information at Olmedo. At the foot sat a French captain, who was -already half-drunk; on the other side was a young lieutenant, with pink -cheeks. With his back to the door there was a man in Spanish dress, who -at that moment beckoned forward the tall servant to fill the captain's -empty glass. As the man moved round the table, Jack caught the glitter -of Perez' one eye, and at the same instant recognized the seated -Spaniard as Miguel Priego himself. - -Listening, Jack was amused to find that Commissary Gustave Taberne had -lost nothing of his braggadocio. - -"Parbleu, Senor Don What-do-you-call-yourself, this is wine of the right -sort. Nothing in this world is so soul-satisfying as good Valdepenas -after a hard day's work. Mind you, I say 'after'. I'm not like Captain -Horace Marie Etienne d'Echaubroignes yonder, who'll drink in bed, on -horseback, or in a pig-stye--it's all one to him. No; the emperor would -call me a pig if I got drunk before my work was over. I can drink a -gallon without staggering, and have a bottle at my hand without touching -it; but when my duty is done--ah ca! then I can fill my skin in -comfort, and sing a song with any man." - -The long-named captain scowled at the reference to himself, bent forward -over the table, and stuttered: - -"Monsieur l'inten--l'intendant, do you mean that for a--a reflection?" - -"Not at all, not at all, monsieur le capitaine. It was a compliment--to -your versatility and your--h'm!--capacity." - -"Eh bien!" rejoined the captain, lifting his glass unsteadily, "if you -mean it that way--" - -The commissary winked at Miguel. - - "J'ai fait un bouquet pour ma mie, - Un bouquet blanc," - -he hummed. "Tiens! Songs like that suit a gay young bachelor like you -better than a man of my age, with a wife and family. Come, Senor Don -Something-or-other, sing us one of your Spanish songs--a serenade such -as your gallants sing by night under their lady's window. -Tol-lol-di-rol! Come now--sing up." - -"Really, monsieur, after hearing your excellent voice, I do not feel -able to enter into competition with you," said Miguel stiffly. - -"Ah bah! Allons! you are still in our debt. You did us a good service -to-day, in truth; but remember, we found your lady-love for you -yesterday. Ohe! her eyes, her cheeks, parbleu! I envy you the -lovely--how does she call herself--la belle Juanita? Tol-lol-di-rol! -Chantez, mon ami." - -"We Spaniards are not accustomed to discuss such matters in mixed -company," said Miguel, still more irritably. - -"We Spaniards! Par exemple! I'm not a Spaniard; nor are you, my -friend, to judge by your reception in the Spaniards' houses to-day." - -His tone was decidedly nettled, and the young lieutenant looked -uncomfortable, and seemed about to hazard a remark. The captain was -solemnly drinking. - -"Eh bien!" said the commissary, changing his tone. "There's no need for -us to quarrel. The lovely Juanita is to be your bride; that is settled. -We'll see what we can do with King Joseph to hasten matters. And so, -without more words, let us drink a health to her!" - -"Perez, another bottle," said Miguel. - -The one-eyed servant came across the room, and Jack slipped out of sight -between two leaves of the screen. The commissary sang on:-- - - "J'ai mis mon coeur dedans, - Dedans mon bouquet blanc. - Comm' nous pardons, v'la qu'elle crie: - 'Oh! reviens t'en.' - -Voila qu'il en revient!" (as Perez re-entered). - -"You can go and get your own supper," said Miguel when the cork was -drawn. - -Perez left the room. As soon as he had gone, Jack, relying on the -commissary being engrossed with the bottle, opened the door an inch, and -beckoned the old Spaniard in. - -"Now, Senor Don What's-your-name," said the commissary, "we Frenchmen -will drink a bumper to the fair Spaniard, the black-eyed beauty. -Messieurs, aux beaux yeux de la belle Ju--an--i--" - -He had lifted his brimming glass half-way to his lips, and turned with a -fat smile towards Miguel, when he paused, his hand stayed in mid-air, -and he broke off in the middle of Juanita's name. Advancing towards him -from behind the screen he saw a young Spaniard, with a drawn sword in -his right hand, and in his left a pistol, cocked and pointed. - -"You will excuse me, messieurs," said Jack quietly, "intruding upon you -thus unceremoniously--pray keep your seats," he added, as the lieutenant -pushed back his chair, and the fuddled captain half rose. "In fact, I -shall take it so ill if you move but a hair's breadth that I cannot -answer for my nerves!" - -For all its banter, Jack's tone had in it so much of deadly earnestness -that the officers sank limply back into their seats, the instinctive -movement towards sword and pistol arrested as if by a sudden palsy. -Miguel had remained on his chair without moving a muscle. With him the -French were four to one, for as a combatant the old man did not count; -but each of the four knew that the first among them to take up the gage -would fall instantly to Jack's pistol, and the knowledge dulled the edge -of their courage. - -"Hombre," continued Jack, addressing the old gardener, "bolt the door." - -The man was trembling in every limb, but hastened to obey the order. - -"That is right. Now, feel in my left-hand pocket. You will find a -whistle. You have it? Then open yonder window and blow three times." - -The man went to the window behind the commissary, opened one of its -leaves, and blew three shrill blasts. While this was going on, the four -sat helplessly in the same position in which Jack had surprised them. -The lieutenant's pink cheeks had paled; the commissary's rubicund -features had become like mottled soap; the captain was red with sottish -indignation; Miguel had never moved. Jack could only see his back. - -"With your permission, messieurs," Jack went on, "this good man will -make a little collection. Hombre, relieve that gentleman at the head of -the table of his sword and pistol. No, no; not this side of him. You -may get hurt if you come between us, and we cannot spare a good -Spaniard--can we, Don Miguel? Go round him. That's right. Now bring -the weapons and put them on the floor behind me. So. Now, go round in -the same way and get the next gentleman's arms." - -Before the man reached the lieutenant, a confused hubbub came into the -room from the front of the house through the open window--the clash of -steel, the report of firearms. Almost at the same moment loud sounds of -the same kind came from the direction of the patio. The old servant -hesitated, stood still, his fingers working nervously. - -"Go on, hombre," said Jack sternly, his pistol still pointed. - -While the uproar on both sides gathered strength, the Spaniard tottered -towards the lieutenant, and with shaking hands disengaged his sword and -pistol, which he placed alongside of the commissary's on the floor -behind Jack. He was just repeating the process of disarmament with the -captain when loud shouts were heard at the door, followed by heavy blows -from the butts of muskets. Apparently the French troopers had been -driven across the patio, and were seeking their officers in the inner -room. Jack did not move a muscle, but he devoutly hoped that the door -would stand the strain; otherwise the window was his only chance, though -in any case he could not desert the old man. - -The noise outside provided a strange contrast to the quietness within. -Almost silently the Spaniard had disarmed three of the four feasters. -It was now Miguel's turn. In advancing towards him the old man, alarmed -by the tremendous thunderings on the door behind him, and by a bullet -that crashed through one of the panels, incautiously stepped between -Miguel and Jack. In an instant, with an extraordinary muscular effort -for so slightly built a man--an effort nerved doubtless by the knowledge -of what his fate would be if he fell into the hands of his -countrymen,--Miguel seized the man by the middle, and, swinging him -round so as to make of him a screen between himself and Jack, dashed -towards a curtain of arras that apparently overhung a doorway on the -opposite side of the room. At the same moment a number of Spaniards, -headed by Antonio, came headlong through the open window. - -"Secure the Frenchmen!" shouted Jack, springing after Miguel. He could -not fire. When he reached the curtain he stumbled over the old -Spaniard, whom Miguel flung back at his pursuer as he dashed through the -door into the dark anteroom beyond. Jack recovered himself in an -instant, but Miguel had disappeared, and when Jack had followed him into -the darkness he heard him stumbling over furniture on the other side of -the room. Then began a desperate chase. As is common in Spanish -houses, room opened into room, and Jack pursued the traitor through door -after door, occasionally catching a fleeting glimpse of him by the -moonlight filtering through the windows of rooms on the outer wall, but -losing him again in the darkness before there was time to fire. At last -Miguel, gaining a slight lead, was able to open a window at the back of -the house, and sprang out into the garden, flinging the leaf of the -window back almost in Jack's face. Outside he fell sprawling on the -ground, but was up in an instant, and rushed madly down the path cutting -the garden in two. - -Jack leapt through the window after him, stumbled, recovered himself, -and was off after the fugitive. Tearing through the bushes that had -overspread the path, he flew along, saving his breath, setting his lips, -fiercely determined to bring the wretched man to book at last. Miguel -had reached the wall; with the agility of despair he sprang at it, and -was over. Jack was a better runner; he made as little difficulty of the -wall; pursuer and pursued were now in full career through the olive -plantation. Miguel's breath was failing; he knew that he could not -escape. Stopping suddenly in an open glade, he turned round, and a -bullet whistled past Jack's head as he closed with his quarry. The -headlong rush had spoiled Miguel's aim. - -Disdaining to use his pistol, Jack at once engaged Miguel with his -sword. The Spaniard stood fiercely at bay, panting with his exertions, -his face showing livid with fear in the pale moonlight. There were a -few rapid passes; then with a groan he dropped his sword, his forearm -gashed from wrist to elbow. - -"Hold!" he gasped. "I am at your mercy. Spare me!" - -Jack dropped the point of his sword. - -"What--are--you--going--to--do--with--me?" panted Miguel. - -"Do with you? There is only one thing for me to do: deliver you to your -fellow-countrymen. They shall judge you." - -"Not that, for the love of God!" was the agonized reply, whispered -rather than spoken. "You know what that means! Spare me that! Rather -finish what you have begun. For old time's sake you would not throw me -to those wolves. Ah! their fiendish tortures! See! have done with it; -strike here!" - -[Illustration: Miguel Escapes from the Garden] - -He tore open his shirt and bared his bosom to the sword. It was well -acted, but Jack was not for a moment deceived. Miguel, he knew, had not -the slightest expectation of being taken at his word. Yet the -alternative! When once the guerrilleros had him in their power there -would be no torture too horrible for the renegade and traitor. Jack -remembered with a shudder the tales he had heard--even those told him by -Miguel himself in Salamanca. Could he deliver the wretch, vile though -he was, to so awful a fate? Could he allow the traitor to go free? It -was a painful dilemma. - -So they stood while a man might count ten. - -There was a crackle in the undergrowth, the sound of a light footfall, -and, lifting his sword, Jack half-turned. As he did so a heavy form -struck against him. He felt a scorching pain between the shoulders, and -pitching heavily forward sank unconscious to the ground. The dilemma -had solved itself. - - - - - *CHAPTER XXXI* - - *Doctor Grampus and a French Cook* - - -An Amateur--Pantomime--At Cross Purposes--Miguel's -Pocket-book--Links--In Cipher--Potatoes--Monsieur Taberne on Duty--The -Compelling Onion - - -When Jack came to himself it seemed to him that he was in a shaded room -by an open window, for the air gently fanned his temples, and he saw a -wide stretch of blue sky. He turned his aching head. - -"Hullo!" said a voice in English. - -"Hullo!" murmured Jack in reply, automatically, not knowing what he -said. He looked with puzzlement at the speaker, a tall, stout young -fellow in guerrilla costume. - -"There, I wagered you wouldn't know me in this rig. Don't you remember -Dugdale, at Salamanca--Percy Dugdale, don't you know?" - -"The Grampus!" whispered Jack. - -"The very same. I might have bet you'd know Grampus better than my good -old respectable honoured ugly name. Here, drink this." - -He held a cup to Jack's lips. After drinking, Jack closed his eyes and -fell asleep. - -"Where am I?" he asked, waking an hour later. - -"Feel better? That's grand. Where are you? High up among the hills, -in a sort of cave, lying on a pile of blankets, with a splendid outlook -over--well, nowhere in particular." - -"In the hills!" repeated Jack feebly. "How did I get there? I can't -remember. Is anything wrong with me? I don't seem to be able to move. -I don't feel right." - -"There's gratitude! Why, you're as right as a trivet. You're really -doing splendidly! Now, you're not to talk. Doctor's orders." - -"Oh!" - -Jack was silent for a moment, and dozed away again. - -When he woke, Dugdale came towards him from the entrance of the cave. - -"What's the matter with me? How do you come here? I can't remember -anything." - -"I said you were not to talk. Doctor's orders." - -"Tell the doctor I want to see him." - -Dugdale chuckled. - -"Bet it'd be no go. Truth is, I'm the doctor. I've pulled you through, -and when I get home I'm going to demand a diploma from the doctors' -college or whatever it is gives a man a licence to be a sawbones." - -"I must know all about it. I can't remember. How long have I been -ill?" - -"Nearly three weeks. Now, if you'll promise not to get excited, I'll -tell you what happened. You know a man named Antonio?" - -"Yes, of course; he helped me in Saragossa." - -"Well, if he weren't a friend of yours I'd punch his head. He is the -leader of this band of ruffians that scooped me up, two months ago, when -I was riding over the hills to see the fun at Saragossa. Antonio wasn't -with them then. I couldn't understand a word they said. They couldn't -understand a word I said. I roared 'Inglese! Inglese!' till I was -sick. No good. They kept me with them and made me get into this -outrageous toggery, and with them I've been ever since, like a canary in -a cage." - -"But--" - -"You mustn't talk. Doctor's orders. Lucky for you I was here, or -they'd have sent you to kingdom come. With their nasty messes!--ugh!" - -"Where did you get your medicines, then?" - -"Silence! Don't believe in medicine. Bet Antonio three to one in -Frenchmen--only he couldn't understand--that I'd pull you through on -cold water; and I've done it,--thank God!" - -The sudden change to earnestness in Dugdale's tone was almost comic. - -"And you were pretty bad, I can tell you. Raved like one o'clock. All -about Pomeroy and Pepito, and some chap whose name rhymed with ass, and -Mig Prig--most about Mig Prig,--and you laughed and shouted 'Fire the -mine!' and 'Pommy, I'll punch your head,' and all sorts of funny -things." - -"But what made me ill?" - -"A villainous stab in the back. By gum! if I had the beast here I'd -trounce him, I bet I would. You and Antonio had captured a -foraging-party of French at a country-house down there; you tackled the -officers single-handed; dashed plucky of you, begad! and you sprang out -after a scoundrelly Spaniard who escaped, a fellow in French pay; and -afterwards you were found among the olives with a hole in your back and -your sword covered with blood." - -"I remember now," cried Jack. "I must get up. I must save Juanita." - -He tried to rise, but found that he had no power. - -"Juanita be hanged, whoever he may be. Lie still, and don't talk. I -haven't finished yet. Wish I'd been with you, but these confounded -brigands won't let me stir from head-quarters. I've had the most -disgusting luck. I came out to see the fun, and hanged if I've seen any -at all. Well, they found you with a hole in your back and brought you -here, and they were in a deuce of a way about you. They had a score or -more of French prisoners with them, including officers, one of them a -fat, red-faced fellow--" - -"I remember it all now. That's my friend the commissary." - -"Well, he's peeling onions at this moment. A little change for him, but -all in the same line of business. It was he told me what had happened; -lucky I can make out two French words out of ten. By Jove! what -bloodthirsty ruffians these Spaniards are! If it hadn't been for me all -the prisoners would have been garroted or roasted before slow fires, or -something. When I saw what was in the wind my blood boiled. I couldn't -stand that; no Englishman could; so I made 'em a speech. Lord! I never -knew I could rattle it off so; I must go into Parliament. Of course -they couldn't understand what I said, but I threw my arms about, and -pointed to my neck, and shook my head, and generally played the goat, as -I've seen 'em do at the hustings; and they made out what I meant, and so -the prisoners are here still,--except the captain, who died of -over-drinking." - -At this moment Antonio came quietly into the cave; he had been in and -out during Jack's periods of unconsciousness, and now showed every mark -of delight at his impending recovery. - -"The saints be praised, Senor!" he said. "We feared you would die. We -should have grieved." - -Jack was touched by his simple sincerity. - -"I am not gone yet," he said, smiling, "thanks, I understand, to my -friend Senor Dugdale here." - -"He is a clever doctor, Senor," said Antonio. - -"He tells me that you have the Frenchmen we captured at Morata." - -"Si, Senor, and another lot too." - -"Indeed! It is well that he managed to persuade you to do them no -harm." - -"What does the Senor mean?" - -"My friend Senor Dugdale tells me that you were going to torture the -prisoners, and he made a speech and--" - -"Oh, that!" exclaimed Antonio, with a wave of the hand. "We didn't -understand. We thought the Senor wanted us to cut all their throats; -but I knew you would not like that." - -Jack became almost hysterical with laughter at this explanation, and -Dugdale bundled Antonio out of the cave, and told Jack he must go to -sleep again. He allowed no more talk on that day, but the patient was -so much better next morning that he made no objection when Jack asked to -see the guerrillero again. - -"I want to hear what has happened," said Jack to him. "I am anxious." - -"I know, Senor; but there is no need. The day after we got back with -the prisoners, the gitano Pepito came and said the Senorita Juanita had -been captured by the French and was living with a colonel's lady in -Morata. I got my men together and we went down at once, and in the -night surprised the French, killed a great many, and captured the rest. -But the Senorita was not among them. We found the colonel's lady; she -told us that the Senorita had escaped." - -"Where is she?" asked Jack anxiously. - -"We do not know, Senor. The boy Pepito was frantic; he said you would -punish him for losing the lady, and he went away to find her. He has -never come back." - -"Did he say anything about Senor Priego--the man who was in Saragossa, -you remember?" - -"He said that Senor Priego was with the French who captured the -Senorita, but no more." - -"And you did not capture him at the house? It was he I was fighting in -the olive-grove." - -"Por Dios, Senor, if I had known that! When we found you lying on the -ground we let a few minutes slip. We thought you were dead, Senor. Then -we searched all around, but we could find no one. Was it the cursed -afrancesado that wounded you, Senor?" - -"No. It was someone who came behind my back; his servant, I have no -doubt. He has twice attempted my life." - -Antonio swore a hearty oath, and vowed a terrible vengeance should -either Priego or his servant fall into his hands. Jack was much -perturbed. He hoped that Juanita in escaping from the French had -escaped also from Miguel, but the latter had much to gain by not letting -her slip through his hands. - -"There is one thing, Senor, yet to be told," added Antonio. "In the -morning, when we were bringing away the prisoners, one of my men found -this at the back of the house, lying on the grass." - -He produced a leather pocket-book, which he handed to Jack. - -"I can't have this," said Dugdale, entering at this moment. "You're not -well enough yet to be bothered with business." - -"You will do me more good by letting me get to the bottom of things. My -hand's all wobbles. Take the pocket-book, old fellow, and tell me what -is in it." - -Dugdale opened the case, and, taking out a number of papers, unfolded -them one by one. - -"All in foreign lingos," he said ruefully. "Can't read one of them." - -"Let me see them," said Jack. - -Dugdale handed him one of the papers. It was a pass through the French -lines, signed by Marshal Lannes. At the first glance Jack understood. -The pocket-book must have been jerked from Miguel's pocket when he fell -on escaping from the house. Jack examined the papers eagerly. The -second was a note from the marshal's aide-de-camp Saint-Marc: "In -consideration of Monsieur Priego's services to the Government of His -Majesty King Joseph, his excellency will use his influence with the -commandant at Bayonne to facilitate the interview sought by Monsieur -Priego". The third was a memorandum evidently relating to private -business. The fourth was a long blue paper, on unfolding which Dugdale -cried: - -"By George, Lumsden, this is curious! Hanged if there isn't your name -here!" - -Jack took the paper with still more eagerness. He saw at once that it -was in the same handwriting as the letter he had received from Don -Fernan Alvarez at Salamanca. It was in Spanish, addressed to Mr. -Lumsden, and Jack had only to read a few words to be assured that this -was the very letter entrusted to the charge of General Palafox--the -letter whose disappearance had so much perplexed him. Before he had -read more than two or three lines, however, Antonio broke in: - -"Senor, I know that paper. I saw it often in the hands of Pablo -Quintanar in Saragossa. He used to take it out of his pocket every -night and read it, and always when he came to a certain place he -stopped, and frowned, and cursed. I am sure it is the same." - -In a flash the mystery of Quintanar's assassination was made plain to -Jack. Miguel must have discovered in some way that the letter was in -the possession of the guerrillero, and the wretched man had been slain -from behind by one-eyed Perez while Miguel tried to wrest the paper from -him. Jack was aghast at this additional proof of Miguel's villainy; his -heart misgave him as he thought of what might be Juanita's fate. - -He read the letter. It gave a clear narrative of the events of which -Juanita had told him--Don Fernan's making up of the accounts of the -business, the journey from Barcelona to Saragossa, the ambush on the -road, the suspected treachery of Miguel Priego. Then followed a -declaration of the old merchant's intentions in regard to his property. -In the last sentence he stated that the place where the treasure had -been concealed was known only to his servant Jose, but that the secret -was contained in a short postscript, which could only be read in the -light of a private communication made to Jack himself in Salamanca. - -Jack looked eagerly at the postscript. He uttered an exclamation of joy -as he realized that Miguel must have found the letter useless to him. -For the postscript consisted of a single line of sprawling uneven -capital letters, set close together, not divided into words, and -conveying to the uninitiated absolutely no meaning. - -"What do you make of that?" said Jack, handing the letter to Dugdale. - -"No good. Don't know a word of Spanish except pan, agua, cebolla, which -I hear every day, and a few--interjections, I think they call 'em in -grammar." - -"I don't mean the letter, I mean the postscript." - -"The postscript!" He held the paper at arm's-length, shut one eye, and -frowned. "H'm! Looks like a cat's swearing, or Welsh. Too bad even -for Spanish. Some infant set to practise his capitals, eh?" - -Jack smiled. - -"I'm as much in the dark as you are. Perhaps you wouldn't mind making a -copy of the letters, in case the original goes astray?" - -"Very well. Bet you I'll make a dozen mistakes. It dazzles my eyes. -You'd better call 'em out one by one." - -Accordingly Jack read the twenty-nine letters off separately, and -Dugdale, whose inaptitude with the pencil was clearly shown by the -frequency with which he licked his lips, made laborious strokes on a -sheet of paper taken from Miguel's note-book. - -"There," he said, when the task was finished. "Looks a deal prettier -than the original, don't it?" - -In big boyish capitals Jack saw the following puzzling sentence:-- - -S E O S F L S A E O A P E J E J P J J F J P J X P A P P F - - -"It's all right, Grampus," he said, after comparing it with the -original. "How long shall I be on my back here?" - -"Can't say. Why?" - -"Because I've something to do when we've discovered the cipher. You and -I must do that, and, by all appearance, it will take time." - -"No good asking me. Never answered a riddle in my life. Blinks of -Merton tried me just before I came down. Strolled into my room one -morning--Blinks always dawdles,--threw his leg over a chair, and piped -up: 'Grampus, my dear, would you like to answer a question?' 'Well?' -says I. 'Tell me,' says he: 'Why do birds in their little nests agree?' -'Bet you they don't always,' says I. He was put out; I could see it. -He don't like a chap to be serious, you know. Yet he's a good sort; so -to please him I said: 'Why do they, then?' 'Because if they didn't -they'd fall out,' says he, and strolled away quite happy. I call that -mighty clever, don't you?" - -Jack made a rapid recovery. The fresh air, the good simple food, the -unremitting care of Dugdale and Antonio, and perhaps, more than all, his -own strong determination, soon set him upon his feet. When he was first -allowed by the Grampus to leave the cave, he was much amused at the -sight of Commissary Taberne sitting on an upturned pail, peeling -potatoes, and singing as blithely as a bird: - - "Ma mie, - Ma douce amie, - Reponds a mes amours; - Fidele - A cette belle, - Je l'aimerai toujours. - - Si j'avais cent coeurs, - Ils ne seraient remplis que d'elle; - Si j'avais cent--" - - -"Bravo, monsieur, et bonjour!" said Jack, - -"Ha! Qui est-ce que j'ai l'honneur de voir?" - -The commissary sprang off his perch, catching at the bowl of potatoes -just in time to prevent a cataclysm. He presented a queer figure as he -stood there, in Spanish vest and pantaloons, with bare arms and legs, -for it was a hot day. Laying his hand on his portly middle, he made a -bow as low as he conveniently could. - -"I congratulate you, monsieur," he said. "I am pleased to see you once -more in health. Ah ca! but you have the courage, you English! It was -magnificent--to come into the room alone and face me, Gustave Taberne, -single-handed. Parbleu! you took me by surprise, or--Ah! and I -congratulate myself that it was not my sword that wounded so admirable a -warrior. Nom d'un tonnerre! that wretch, that scamp, that renegade, -that Don Miguel What's-his-name--if I could catch him! Gr-r-r-r!" - -"I hope you have been well treated, monsieur," said Jack politely. - -The commissary shrugged. - -"Me voici!" he said. "Here am I, a commissary-general of the emperor's, -accustomed to feed huge armies, the winner of innumerable victories that -others have the credit of,--and behold me, peeling potatoes for a herd -of unwashed, thieving, villainous, abomin--" - -"Stay, stay!" interrupted Jack. "I really cannot hear my friends -abused." - -"Pardon, monsieur. I for one moment forgot myself. I have feelings, I -am sentimental, I am upset; I see myself on the road to glory; then, -vlan! the vision dissolves; it is a mirage!" - -"The marquisate is a little farther off, you mean, monsieur?" - -"He quoi?" - -Monsieur Taberne looked puzzled. - -"Do you remember, monsieur," asked Jack, "a little inn at Olmedo, where -one day last November you made your first acquaintance with the puchero, -and honoured with your conversation a young Spaniard, about my own age, -who happened to be able to speak a little French?" - -"H'm! h'm! I have a slight recollection of the incident. I got a good -deal of information out of the young cockerel, if I'm not mistaken." - -Jack smiled. - -"You were looking forward then, monsieur, to being made a peer of -France, like Marshal Lefebvre, Duke of Dantzig. I am sorry that this -little check has happened in your career. You promised then, you -remember, to join me some day in drinking a bottle of Valdepenas--none -of your tarred vinegar of Toro, you know--when your duty was done. You -have one more potato to peel, monsieur. While you are doing that, no -doubt my good friend Antonio will produce a bottle of Valdepenas from -his store." - -During this speech the commissary had stared at Jack in amazement. - -"Par le sambleu!" he ejaculated, "it is the very same!" - -He dropped down on his tub, his mouth agape, and mechanically took up -his last potato, which he began to pare with the dexterity of long -practice. He was evidently casting back to that November day, and -racking his memory to recover the details of his conversation. Jack's -eyes twinkled. The commissary caught his look, and, flinging the -newly-peeled potato into the bowl, uttered a huge guffaw. - -"Zut!" he cried, "I see twice, monsieur, that you are a dangerous person -to meet. One needs to be of the greatest discretion. It is not only -your sword that is formidable. Tenez: voici le Valdepenas! I had hoped -you would have been my guest. N'importe; Valdepenas is Valdepenas. The -fortune of war is now to you; perhaps on another occasion--" - -"No, thank you," said Jack, laughing, "unless our two nations are at -peace. Let me say, monsieur, how glad I am that you take your little -mischance with so much philosophy. I am not in command here, of course, -but if there is anything I can do--" - -"Morbleu, monsieur, you can do me an infinite favour. The potatoes--they -are nothing; but the onions!--sapristi! when one weeps for sentiment, it -is noble, it is French; but when one weeps for onions, it is a -degradation. Bien sur! precisement ca! allez!" - - - - - *CHAPTER XXXII* - - *The Prisoner at Bayonne* - - -Running the Gauntlet--A Bait--Figments--Prophecy--Judas--At Large - - -"You will excuse a little delay, monsieur le colonel. The letter from -Monsieur le Marechal Lannes is somewhat--indeed I may say very--unusual. -We must assure ourselves that everything is en regle--a mere formality, -but in official business we live by rule and regulation. Monsieur will -understand." - -The lieutenant-general in command of the port of Bayonne leaned back in -his chair and smiled deprecatingly, at the same time eying his visitor -with no little keenness. The stranger was a Spanish officer in the -French service, and as such to be distrusted; and although his manner -lacked nothing in ease and assurance, there was something in his bearing -and expression that added to the Frenchman's instinctive suspicion. But -from motives of prudence he forbore to explain that he was detaining his -visitor until an aide-de-camp had ransacked the archives for an -undoubted autograph of Marshal Lannes with which the letter brought by -the Spaniard could be compared. For nearly half an hour the two chatted -on indifferent subjects, the Spaniard growing more and more impatient, -the Frenchman more and more apologetic. At last the aide-de-camp -entered, and handed a document to the general, which the latter keenly -scrutinized. - -"I am glad to say, monsieur," he said, rising, "that I find his -excellency's letter perfectly in order. I am delighted to make the -acquaintance of one who, as the marshal informs me, has done good -service to the emperor and to France, and, let us hope, to Spain. -Captain Broussier will see that you are granted the most complete -facilities for a private interview with the man Jose Pinzon. I -understand that he is at present delirious--fever, monsieur, carries off -too many of our prisoners,--but he has lucid intervals. For any service -I may be able to render you, command me." - -Captain Broussier led the way from the general's quarters near the Place -d'Armes, across the St. Esprit bridge that spanned the Adour, to the -grim citadel in which some hundreds of prisoners, Spanish, Portuguese, -and English, were immured. Passing under the massive archway, they -entered the great courtyard in which the unhappy captives were allowed -to take exercise; some were sitting, the picture of dejection; others -maintaining the semblance of cheerfulness; many endeavouring to add, by -basket-weaving and similar light occupations possible within prison -walls, to the wretched subsistence allowance doled out to French -prisoners of war. A group of Spaniards, looking up as the two officers -passed through the courtyard, caught sight of the afrancesado, and as -they did so their attitude underwent an instant and extraordinary -change. Listlessness gave place to the most intense interest; every man -showed, each in his own way, the most passionate hatred of the -new-comer. But for the presence of the two French sentries in the -courtyard, and half a dozen more in the guard-house beyond the gate, -they would have thrown themselves upon him as he passed. He caught the -look of murder in their eyes and paled visibly, shrinking as if for -protection closer to his companion, who noted the action and its cause, -and smiled questioningly. - -"Some men of--the opposite party--in Saragossa. Misguided, but -dangerous; they bear me no good-will." - -"If appearances go for anything, monsieur, those basket knives of theirs -would have some pretty work to do but for the bayonets of our men -yonder." - -The Spaniard winced. He was clearly relieved when they passed from the -courtyard into a long corridor leading to the room used as a hospital -for the prisoners. There were several occupants, many in the last stage -of disease, and the captain, having directed that a screen should be -placed round the bed of the patient whom the visitor had come to see, -left hastily. A visit to the hospital of the citadel was not without -its dangers, for prison fever was no respecter of persons. - -Upon a low truckle-bed in one corner of the room a man, shrunken to a -skeleton, lay stretched, apparently at the point of death. He was -conscious, for the light in his eyes was clear although dim, but so weak -was his breathing, so wasted his figure, that at any moment it seemed -the wan flame of life might flicker out. He turned his gaze slowly upon -the stranger as he approached; then there came into his eyes the same -look of inextinguishable hatred that had transfigured the wretched -prisoners in the courtyard. - -"Traidor!" - -It was a mere movement of the lips, from which no sound issued; but the -visitor, already unnerved, started as if stung; his face flushed, -bringing into relief the livid scar across his brow. Then, collecting -himself with an effort, he said, ignoring the unspoken insult: - -"It pains me, my good Jose, to find you thus--sick and a prisoner. I -have come a long way to see you, to bring you freedom--for the sake of -old times. Fortunately I am not too late. A few more days in this -place would have killed you; but we shall soon see what liberty and good -nursing will do, eh, my friend?" - -An eager light came into the sick man's eyes. In his feeble state he -was unable to grasp the full import of what his visitor was saying. He -was only capable of mastering one idea at a time. The word "liberty" -had sent a sudden flash of colour into his cheek. The mere prospect of -freedom, dim though it was, had banished for a brief moment his mortal -antipathy to the man beside him. The walls of his prison-house fell -asunder; he saw himself once again among his own people, the trusted -servant of a beloved mistress whom he had sworn to serve, and whom his -capture had left unprotected, exposed to all the dangers of a besieged -city. The other, watching him keenly, was quick to note the changed -expression of his face; and without giving the weakened intelligence -time for ordered thought, he continued in the same tone of kindly -interest: - -"But I must first give you news of the senorita. I know, my good Jose, -you care nothing for yourself. It is of her you think. I honour your -fidelity; it is because of that that I am here." - -"What of her? Tell me!" whispered the sick man. The voice was scarcely -audible, but the eyes showed an agony of doubt and apprehension; he had -wholly forgotten his distrust. He moved as if to raise himself; but he -was unable to lift his head from the pillow. - -"Make your mind easy; she is well, quite well. I left her with the wife -of the old porter. She is a worthy woman, and devoted to the senorita. -My influence with the government of King Joseph ensured the safety of -your mistress after the fall of the city. She sends you the kindest -messages. When you did not return from that brave sortie, she feared -you were dead, and she grieved. But I learnt that you were a prisoner, -and when I told her she clasped her hands and cried for joy, and bade me -come at once to find you. 'Tell my good Jose that I shall know no peace -until I am assured of his safety. I pray for him. He is much in my -thoughts.'" - -The sick man's eyes filled with tears. He would have lifted his hand to -dash them away, but his strength was unequal to the effort. The visitor -continued, his accent carefully modulated, gentle, persuasive: - -"But, alas! my good friend, she is poor, very poor. The house in -Saragossa is destroyed, burned during the siege. The house at Morata is -pillaged by brigands. There is no rent from the estate; the people are -all dispersed; and the good aunt is dead. The worthy porter and his -wife have scarcely enough to keep themselves. It is terrible, this war; -would that all good Spaniards thought with me that it is best to make -peace with the king!" - -The speaker bent forward, intently watching the effect of these words. -As he had expected, a look of keen distress crossed the prisoner's face. -Again he strove to rise, as if by raising himself he could shake off his -intolerable weakness. He was suffering acutely. The visitor was silent -for a while, giving the imagination of the sick man full play. Then he -continued: - -"I, alas! can do little to help. I am poor, my good Jose, miserably -poor. I have sacrificed all--you will know how. I would willingly -share my last crust with the senorita, but in this fatal war so many -things may happen. I begged her to take shelter in a convent, but she -would not; brave girl, she would stay to help her people! 'Jose,' she -said, 'could assist us if only he were free. He alone knows what my -poor father has done to provide for me. Go to him, Miguel; tell him of -our distress; he will find a means of helping us.'" - -"What would you wish me to do?" - -The visitor, bending low, caught the whispered words. The man's clear -eyes were upon him, and he checked the involuntary expression of -satisfaction that crossed his face. But, instantaneous though it was, -the sick man, strangely sensitive to shades of tone and manner, seemed -to be instinctively aware of it, and the other was clearly ill at ease -under his searching gaze. - -"Well, my good Jose," he said hesitatingly, "your illness places us in a -difficulty. I have here an order for your release" (he drew from his -pocket a blue paper which might or might not be what he described); "I -hoped that we should have been able to return to Spain together. You -could have then placed the senorita beyond the reach of want; for from -what she told me it is clear that your master left a large sum in your -charge. But, alas! you are not at present able to travel. The best plan -that I can think of is that you send the senorita instructions where she -can find her property--you can either write her a letter or give me the -message,--and I will see that you are released and nursed back to -health. You can return to Spain when you are fit to travel." - -The sick man feebly shook his head, whispering: - -"I must not tell--anything. I swore it." - -"Yes, you swore it, and you have kept your oath. But it was never Don -Fernan's wish that the senorita should be allowed to--to starve while -her fortune remained hidden. It is your duty to be guided by -circumstances--by common sense." - -The other winced, but still replied: "I cannot; I swore it. Not till -the war is over." - -Then, a ripple of impatience showing above his suave manner, the visitor -said hastily: - -"Certainly, but the war is over; the fall of Saragossa finished the war. -Joseph is again king in Madrid." - -"You are mistaken, Senor. If what you say is true, the war is only just -beginning." There was a light in the man's eyes, a fierce energy in his -whispered words, that seemed first to embarrass, then to anger his -visitor. - -"Well, my friend, if you will not listen to reason, if you prefer to -allow your mistress to starve, I can do nothing more. I will give her -your message." He rose from his seat. "And I shall at least have the -satisfaction of being able to add that such an ungrateful rascal is -dead; for in this hole you won't live another week, and you can't expect -me to do anything for your release." - -"Stay!" - -The afrancesado caught the word and halted expectantly as he was turning -away. With a supreme effort the sick man had raised himself on his -elbow, and, struggling hard for breath, gasped out: - -"Liar! Traitor! Spy! Do you think--I do not--do not see you--for what -you are? Go back--go back, accursed afrancesado, to those who -have--bought you. Out of my sight! The price of blood!--Judas!--the -doom of Judas--awaits you--the doom--of--Judas!" - -The afrancesado recoiled as at the stroke of a lash; then an ugly look -crossed his face, and his hand sought the hilt of his knife. But even -as it did so the man sank back half insensible, the gleam of fierce rage -faded from his face, and while Miguel was hesitating whether to stay or -go, the prisoner began to talk in a low but distinct voice, as repeating -a lesson he had learned by heart. - -"Yes, Senor, dear master, I swear it. I will watch over the senorita as -long as I have life; I swear it. None shall ever know except the senor -Ingles. In the garden--the old--" - -His voice was dying away again into a whisper; the afrancesado bent -eagerly over him to catch the feeble tones, and when he rose a look of -mingled greed and malignant triumph shone in his eyes. He waited for a -while longer, while the sick man continued to babble in the same strain, -his voice occasionally rising so that it could plainly be heard by the -sufferers in the neighbouring beds. Murmurs arose, and, helpless as -they were, their mutterings struck the heart of the afrancesado with a -cold chill of dread. Rising, and throwing one hurried backward glance -at the now silent figure on the bed, he hastened from the room, pursued -by the vengeful glance of all who were conscious enough to recognize -him. - -An hour later the sick man opened his eyes and looked around, as though -fearing to meet once more the traitor's malign glance. - -"What is that you were saying about a promise, and a garden, and a -senorita?" whispered the prisoner in the next bed. - -"Saying! When?" he asked with a note of mortal anguish. - -"Just now, when the vile afrancesado was with you. Have you forgotten?" - -The man waited a moment, expecting a reply. None came; the man had -fainted. - - -The afrancesado did not leave Bayonne that night as he intended. -Stricken with the prison fever, he took to his bed, and there lay for -several weeks, tended with unstinted care by his one-eyed servant. When -he recovered from his delirium he was eager to set out, as soon as his -strength permitted, on his return journey to Spain, and was amazed to -hear from the French commandant that he must consider himself a -prisoner. - -"Nonsense!" he said; "la prisoner! What have you against me?" - -"The prisoner you talked with in the sick ward, monsieur--" - -"Is he dead?" asked Miguel eagerly. - -"He may be, but his body has not been recovered. His health rapidly -mended from the day of your interview with him, and ten days ago he -escaped by swimming the Adour--a marvellous feat for a man in his -condition." - -"Escaped!" screamed Miguel, starting up. "I must go, I must go at once, -before it is too late!" - -"Then you did not arrange the escape, monsieur?" said the Frenchman, -surprised at the other's violence. - -"Arrange it! Am I a fool? Am I mad? Arrange the escape of my worst -enemy! I must go! He has gone to rob me; he will ruin me; I must go, -before it is too late!" - -His agitation was so sincere that, after a consultation among the French -officers, the afrancesado was permitted, a few days later, to depart -with his servant, and they rode southward out of Bayonne at a furious -pace, the stones clattering, the dust flying behind, and all who saw -them staring after them in amazement. - - - - - *CHAPTER XXXIII* - - *Palafox the Name* - - -Nonplussed--In the Convent--A Warning--The Key--Permutations and -Combinations--Light Ahead--Don Fernan's Message - - -One day the guerrilla camp in the mountains was thrown into some -excitement by the sudden reappearance of Pepito. All the guerrilleros -by this time knew something of the strange complications in which the -English senor was involved. They had been constantly on the look-out -for the gipsy boy whom he was so anxious to see; and when, on this sunny -morning, the boy was seen bounding up the hillside, they flocked to him -in a crowd, crying "Que hay de nuevo? Que hay de nuevo?" Pepito made -them no answer. He had already caught sight of his master sitting some -yards above him, and rushed forward with a piercing cry of delight. - -"Found, Senor!" he shouted. "Found!" - -Jack needed no telling who was found. - -"Where is she?" he asked. - -"Glad Senor is well, glad Senor is well!" shouted the little fellow. -"The Senorita will be glad too. Oh, she will! When I told the -Senorita--" - -"Where is she?" repeated Jack impatiently. - -"When I told the Senorita that Senor was ill, she jumped up; said she -must come; but the old Busna looked ugly; said no; and I come to fetch -Senor." - -"Pepito, tell me at once where she is." - -"Safe, at a convent near Carinena, Senor, all among the trees and -flowers. Senor can go, now he is well, and I know who will be pleased. -Yes, I know!" - -"You're a good boy, Pepito." He turned to Dugdale. "Grampus, when shall -I be fit to ride?" - -"Good heavens! Not for a long time. Look here, Lumsden, I'm not going -to have my cure spoilt and my career ruined by you going raiding before -you're fit. Don't laugh. I'm in dead earnest. I'm sick and tired of -playing the fool at Oxford. As soon as I get home I'm going to be a -doctor. New idea, you know; fresh air and cold water. The pater will -laugh himself into a fit when I tell him; but don't you see, if you back -me up, and I can show you as my first case--why, bet you the old boy -comes round and doubles my allowance, to encourage me. See?" - -"All right!" said Jack, laughing. "But you must finish my cure quickly, -for the instant I can manage it I'm going to ride over to Carinena." - -"What for? What is there special about Carinena?" - -"Well, I've a--a friend there I want specially to see." - -"H'm! A friend? Bet you my first year's fees it's a girl. Now look -here, Lumsden, don't be a fool. An Englishman oughtn't to marry till -he's thirty at least. I've got ten years yet, and it won't be too much. -It takes time to be able to face a girl without flinching, and for my -part I'd rather learn Greek verbs than--" - -"Oh, shut up!" exclaimed Jack. "Who said anything about marrying? -Juanita--" - -"Oho! Juanita! Sorry for you, my boy; no cure for that complaint. -Well, I'll take care of you, but it'll be a long time yet before you can -ride." - -Nearly a month passed away before Jack, after a few experiments, was -pronounced fit to undertake the ride to Carinena. The period of waiting -was diversified by one or two expeditions against French convoys, in -which Antonio achieved brilliant successes. Jack chafed at being -obliged to remain inactive, and to share in these raids merely in -imagination. He spent hour after hour in attempting to decipher the -postscript of Don Fernan's letter, always without success. Remembering -the enigmatical phrase in the letter he himself had received in -Salamanca, "Palafox the Man, Palafox the Name", he believed that the key -must be contained in that; but though he tried to fit it to the ciphered -message, and made considerable demands on Dugdale's patience, he drew no -nearer to solving the puzzle, and finally gave it up in disgust. - -At length the day arrived when, feeling well and strong, he set off on -his ride to the convent. Pepito had several times conveyed verbal -messages between him and Juanita, but nothing had been committed to -paper for fear lest it should fall into the hands of the French. Guided -by the boy, who rode before him, he reached the convent in the afternoon -of a beautiful April day, and was at once admitted to the presence of -Juanita, with whom he found the old duenna he had seen in Saragossa. - -Though Juanita greeted him with as much cordiality as ever, he was -conscious of a slight difference in her manner; there was not quite the -same frank comradeship she had shown in Saragossa. - -"I am very glad to see you looking so well, Jack," she said. "Will you -take a cup of chocolate?" - -"Thanks!" replied Jack briefly. He sipped it for a brief interval -without speaking, then said suddenly: "I say, Juanita, I am mighty glad -you escaped, you know. It was good of Padre Consolacion to help -you--after trying to persuade you to marry Miguel, too. Tell me about -it." - -Without her usual animation Juanita recounted how she had been captured -as she neared Morata by a party of troopers, among whom she had -recognized Perez, Miguel's one-eyed man. She had been treated kindly -enough by the wife of a colonel of chasseurs, who, however, irritated -her beyond endurance by constant reference to her approaching marriage. -Miguel himself had only seen her once. He had asked what had become of -her father's old servant Jose, and shown some annoyance when she refused -to answer. But she had had another and a more frequent visitor. After -the capitulation, Padre Consolacion had been surprised to find that, -though he had been as consistent an opponent as Don Basilio and Santiago -Sass, he had not met with the same fate at the hands of the French. He -could only conclude that he owed his security to the good offices of -Miguel, whom, however, he now held in utter abhorrence. Making his -escape from the city, he had gone into hiding at Morata, where he soon -learnt of what had befallen Juanita. It was not difficult for him, with -the assistance of the people of the house, to obtain secret interviews -with her. On the day before Miguel went with Commissary Taberne on the -foraging expedition, Juanita learnt from the colonel's wife that -pressure was to be brought to bear in high quarters for the purpose of -bringing about her marriage with Don Miguel. She sent a message by a -secret channel to Padre Consolacion, informing him of this alarming -news. On the next evening, almost at the moment when Jack was surprising -the commissary, she had slipped out of the house in the dress of one of -the Spanish maid-servants, fled to where the priest was awaiting her, -and by him was escorted to the convent, where she was joined in a few -days by the duenna, after the sudden swoop of Antonio had cleared the -place of French. - -"The padre is a trump," said Jack. "I confess I didn't like him in -Saragossa; but then, of course, he hadn't found Miguel out. I thought -he must be either stupid or something worse. I shall do him more -justice in future." - -He would not perhaps have been so cordial if he had known that it was to -Padre Consolacion he owed the strange alteration in Juanita's manner -which had puzzled him. When he left her in the convent, the padre's -last words had been: "Now, querida mia, though I have helped you to -escape a marriage with a traitor and a villain, remember I shall not -approve, I shall forbid, your marriage with a heretic. You will -understand me." - -All unconscious of this, Jack waxed eloquent in praise of the padre, and -went on: "Well now, I've something to tell you besides what you have -heard from Pepito. You remember that a letter left with General Palafox -for my father disappeared--a letter about your property?" - -"Yes. I hate the sound of the word 'property'." - -"I have the letter. It was--perhaps you guess--in the possession of -Miguel." - -He proceeded to tell the whole story. Juanita listened with growing -interest, and when it was concluded every trace of her stiffness had -passed away. - -"Ah, Jack!" she cried, "now we can get this wretched treasure that has -nearly cost your life--for but for it you would never have come to -Saragossa--and then--oh! do you think we can get away to England?" - -"I'm very sorry, Juanita. I was just going to tell you that I'm afraid -we can't get the treasure." - -"Why not? You said the letter was about it." - -"So it is. But, unfortunately, the secret of its whereabouts is locked -up in a postscript--a single line of capital letters, which I can't -read. It is in cipher." - -"Show it to me. You have it with you?" - -Jack took out the paper, and unfolded it before her. She read over the -postscript letter by letter: - -S E O S F L S A E O A P E J E J P J J F J P J X P A P P F - - -"Certainly a most curious-looking sentence," said Juanita. "And have -you no clue at all?" - -"None whatever. I thought I had. I made sure I had, but when I tried -to work it out in the cipher it proved useless." - -"What was it?" - -"Well, I had never told anyone. Your father said I was to burn the -letter as soon as I received it, and I did so; but now that things have -altogether changed, there can be no harm in telling you all about it. -In the letter I received at Salamanca, Don Fernan said that I was to -remember the phrase, 'Palafox the Man, Palafox the Name'. It occurred -to me, of course, that the clue to the cipher might be found in that -phrase; but, try it as I might, I couldn't make anything of it. You -see, the cipher message contains all the letters of the word Palafox, -but there are a number of J's and other letters that have nothing to do -with it." - -"And you gave it up!" exclaimed Juanita, with some scorn. "Just like a -boy!" - -"Really, Juanita--" began Jack, but she interrupted him. - -"Don't talk. Let me see if I've a little more perseverance. I count six -P's, three A'S, one L, three F's, two O's, and one X; that accounts for -PALAFOX. Why are there so many P's? Besides, there are four E'S, six -J's, and three S's. What can EJS stand for? EJS, ESJ, JES, JSE--I see -it! Take an O out of PALAFOX and you have JOSE. That is the name of our -old servant, and of the Captain-General too. Now, do you see, Senor Don -Juan?--the key to the cipher is JOSE PALAFOX." - -"What an ass I am!" said Jack. "It never struck me that Palafox's -Christian name might be included. But what then? The only ciphering I -ever did was in money sums, and weights and measures. How do you work -out the thing now?" - -"Why, it's clear that my father's message is made up of the words JOSE -PALAFOX, which have only nine different letters. It's not likely that -the message contains only nine letters; therefore one letter of the -cipher probably stands for several, and I shouldn't wonder if all the -letters of the alphabet were represented by those nine. Suppose we put -down the letters of the alphabet and the other letters underneath, and -see what can be made of it then." - -"We don't know what language it is in." - -"Probably Spanish, like the letter itself. Let us try." - -She wrote down the twenty-seven letters of the Spanish alphabet, and -under each the corresponding letter of the key words:-- - - a b c ch d e f g h i j l ll m n n o p q r s t u v x y z - J O S E P A L A F O X J O S E P A L A F O X J O S E P - - -"There you are, Jack. Now look. The first letter of the cipher, s, may -stand for either _c_ or _m_ or _x_; we can't tell which of the three -until we get a little further." - -"It's a pretty puzzle," said Jack. "The next letter is E; that may be -either _ch_ or _n_ or _y_, and if we put either of them after _c_, _m_, -or _x_, we sha'n't begin to make any Spanish word that I know of." - -"No," agreed Juanita, putting her pencil to her lips. "It looks as if -the sentence can't be Spanish." - -"Don Fernan wrote to me in English. Let us try that. I'll do it this -time." - -Jack wrote down the letters of the English alphabet, placing the -key-words below as before:-- - - a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z - J O S E P A L A F O X J O S E P A L A F O X J O S E - - -"S is either _c_, _n_, or _y_ this time, and E is either _d_, _o_, or -_a_. We can drop _d_ and _e_, because they can't follow any of the first -three; that leaves _co_, _no_, and _yo_. This is getting interesting, -Juanita." - -"Yes, I am getting quite excited. Now for the next letter, O. That can -stand for _b_, _j_, _m_, _u_, _x_. I'll write down all the -combinations, and see how they look." - -They were fifteen, as follows:-- - - cob nob yob - coj noj yoj - com nom yom - cou nou you - cox nox yox - - -"Some of these are too comical for anything," said Jack; "but we've one -complete word, _you_. Let us see what the next comes to. S again; -that's _c_, _n_, or _y_. Then F; that's _i_ or _t_. No English word -begins with _ct_, _nt_, or _yt_, so _t_ goes out. Now for L; that's _g_ -or _r_; and the combinations now are:-- - - cig nig yig - cir nir yir - -I say, your father wouldn't begin by addressing me as 'you nigger', -would he? The next letter is S; _c_, _n_, or _y_ again. Not a single -one of them helps to make a word. We are on the wrong track, Juanita." - -"Perhaps the first word is not _you_ at all." - -"Well, let's go back and see how many of the fifteen combinations of the -first three letters will fit on to the fourth. It's quite clear that -you can't make a word by putting c or y after any of them; there's only -n left, and all we can make is _coun_ and _noun_. Don Fernan wouldn't -go in for grammar, would he? If we drop _noun_ we've only coun, and -that looks most unlikely." - -"Be quick with the next letter, Jack. Why do you talk so much? I could -jump with excitement." - -"Don't be in a hurry; perhaps the whole thing will come to grief again. -The next letter is F; that stands for _i_ or _t_; _i_ won't do, but _t_ -will, and we get _count_; that's a word at any rate. I wonder what -we're to count. Now for L; that's _g_ or _r_; and S again; that's _c_, -_n_, or _y_. And unless I'm a Dutchman, that makes the word _country_." - -Juanita clapped her hands and laughed. - -"You _are_ getting clever!" she said. - -The irony escaped Jack, who was busy working out the next word. In a -few minutes he had made out _house_. - -"Country house!" exclaimed Juanita. "Oh, you are slow, Jack; do be -quick! What about the country house?" - -But the same process had to be gone through with every letter, and it -was quite half an hour before the whole message was deciphered. The -excitement of Juanita and himself increased with every fresh discovery, -and when the task was finished, and the simple English words were -written down, each gave a gasp of relief. The message consisted of but -six words:-- - -_Country house old well twelve feet_. - - -"I see it! I see it all!" exclaimed Juanita. "Oh, Jack, we shall get -it after all! I don't care for the treasure itself one bit really, not -one bit; but I could dance with joy at defeating that wretch Miguel, and -I should like to have some money to give to the poor people ruined in -Saragossa. You must go, Jack. The well is in the garden behind the -house, near the wall. It has not been used for many years; we got water -from a new well by the kitchen. Only to think that all is coming right -after all!" - -"Yes," said Jack; "Pepito and I will go to-morrow. How deep is the well, -Juanita?" - -"I don't know. It doesn't matter. Twelve feet means something. You -will find out what, Jack. And then--" - -"Then, Juanita, for England!" - - - - - *CHAPTER XXXIV* - - *Dead Men Tell no Tales* - - -The Old Well--A Voice--Visions--Infimis - - -"It is locked, Senor." - -Pepito had dismounted at the gate of the Casa Alvarez on the hillside. - -"Shout, Pepito," replied Jack from the saddle of his mule. "Perhaps the -old man will hear us from the house." - -The gipsy put his hands to his mouth, and called shrilly. There was no -answer, no sound save the hum of bees and the song of birds. - -"We must climb the wall, then," said Jack, springing to the ground. - -"See, Senor, a face in the bush!" cried Pepito, pointing through the -iron railings into the garden. - -Looking, Jack saw, framed in the foliage of a dense laurel, the face of -the old gardener. - -"Adelante, hombre!" he said. - -Instantly the face vanished. Jack called again; no voice answered, no -footstep was heard. The two riders tied their steeds to trees in the -plantation on the right, then scaled the wall and hastened towards the -house. - -Nearly two months had elapsed since Jack's night adventure. He was -struck by the alteration in the place. It had looked untidy, -ill-cared-for, then; it was now a wilderness. Flowers and shrubs bloomed -in unchecked luxuriance; hollyhocks drooped their heavy heads, sprays of -woodbine twined in and out among the laurels, unpruned vines crept over -the weedy paths, the sweltering air was sickly with mingled perfumes. -The house stood white and brown in the glowing sunlight; lush creepers -almost hid the door; the dry wood-work was blistered, the lattices -falling away; all was decay, silence, and desolation. - -It was high noon of a sultry summer day, yet Jack shivered. He rapped -at the door. There was no response save an echo. He walked round the -house; every window was shuttered, every door barred. He went on down -the garden at the back, following the directions given him by Juanita, -and Pepito crept along behind him, his big eyes wide with awe. A -vulture flew up in front, and clattered away on creaking wings. He -stepped from the path, and pushed his way through tangled shrubs and -matted undergrowth towards a broad chestnut in the angle of the wall. -Tendrils of convolvulus clung around his feet, the scent of thyme came -in gusts with the cloying odour of gardenias. Suddenly the rank -vegetation ceased, and before him, in a clear space, he saw the circular -covering of the old well. - -Frame and winch had been removed. A broken moss-grown bucket lay hard -by; near it was a long bar of wood. Around the well was a broad patch of -soft black earth. As Jack approached to remove the wooden cover from the -well-mouth, Pepito touched him on the arm. - -"Marks, Senor!" he said under his breath; "footsteps, and marks of a -mule's hoofs; fresh, Senor; made to-day." - -Jack started. A green lizard, sunning itself at the edge of the well, -disappeared in a flash. He saw the hoof-marks in the soil; his heart -sank with a sudden misgiving. The well-cover seemed to have been -clumsily replaced. - -"Help me lift it," said Jack. - -They removed the heavy cover. The well opened black before them. -Pepito peered over the edge; he saw nothing; there was neither rope nor -ladder. - -"How can we get down?" said Jack. - -Looking around, he saw what appeared to be the end of a ladder -projecting from beneath a bush. He dragged it out; a snake dropped from -it and vanished in the grass; it was a ladder some sixteen feet long. - -"It will not reach the bottom of the well," said Jack. His eye caught -the bar of wood. - -"Bring me that, Pepito." - -He laid it across the well-mouth; on its mossy side there was a dull -splash of red. The bar stretched across the opening. Lifting it again, -Jack gave it to Pepito, and, taking the ladder, lowered this into the -well till only the topmost rungs were above the brickwork. - -"Put the wood through," he said. - -Thus the ladder hung dangling on its support, fifteen feet into the -well. Pepito looked at his master enquiringly. - -"Yes, you are to climb down. Stay!" he added, as the boy prepared to -step down on to the swinging ladder. - -He took some papers from his pocket, twisted them into a loose mass, and -wound about them the end of a long vine tendril. Then he kindled them -from his tinder-box, and let the flaming mass down quickly into the -well. It burned until it was consumed. - -"There is air enough. Go down, Pepito." - -He steadied the ladder as the boy descended step by step. Jack counted -twelve rungs, then ordered the boy to stop. - -"Do you see anything, Pepito?" - -A few moments passed. The gipsy's eyes were adjusting themselves to the -gloom. - -"A hole, Senor, a big hole in the wall." - -"Can you get into it?" - -"No, Senor, it is on the other side, too far away." - -Bidding the boy ascend, Jack shifted the ladder across the bar. Pepito -went down again, and soon Jack heard his muffled voice exclaim that he -was in the hole. - -"Do you find anything there? Search thoroughly." - -A minute passed. Jack was crouched at the brink, holding the joists of -the ladder firmly with both hands. - -"There is nothing, Senor; all emptiness." - -"Come up again." - -He stepped out on to the brickwork, and Jack rose to his feet. - -"Dead! dead! dead!" said a quavering voice behind him. - -He turned with a nervous start. While he had been engaged at the well, -a figure had been slowly approaching from a thicket of laurel, -furtively, with hesitation, stopping for a moment, then taking another -unsteady step and stopping again. Jack recognized the old gardener, but -how altered! His limbs shook as with a palsy; his lips mumbled without -sound; his eyes were wild. - -"What is it, hombre?" said Jack quietly without moving. - -The old man stood as if listening. Then, raising his shaking right -hand, the long fingers working convulsively, he murmured: - -"I saw it! ... Dead!" - -Then he smiled, a thin wan smile, and tottering forward pointed -waveringly to the well. Jack recoiled. The old man's smile was more -awful than a sob of agony. - -"They came through the gate;" he pointed across the garden to the -farther wall. "There were two; I was hidden in the copse; I watched -them. I watched them. They brought a mule; it was a fine mule, with gay -trappings,--a fine mule..." The old man passed his hand across his -brow. "What was I saying? I have forgotten." - -"They brought a mule," said Jack. - -"Yes, they brought a mule. They led it across the garden, trampling -down the poor flowers--my flowers! I saw them! There were two. One -was in front--the cursed afrancesado; I knew him; yes, did I not serve -him at my master's table? the afrancesado! He was in front; behind him -a man, a long thin man, a one-eyed man, with the mule. They crushed the -flowers--my flowers ... what was I saying?" - -"They came across the garden," said Jack. - -"They came across the garden. They came here, here! where we are -standing. The man, the one-eyed man, fastened the mule to yonder tree; -then they stooped down and lifted the cover. It was heavy...I watched -them. They peered down into the well, into the deep well, but they could -see nothing. Then the tall man, the man with the one eye, went away; -the other, the afrancesado, the cursed afrancesado, waited, and while he -waited he cast pebbles into the well ... horrible! horrible!" He -covered his eyes with his hand, as if to shut out some dreadful thing. -"What was I saying?" - -"The tall man came back," said Jack. - -"The tall man came back; he brought a ladder; he fetched a beam, that -beam, and they let down the ladder into the well, the deep well ... I -watched them. 'Twelve steps,' said the afrancesado, the cursed -afrancesado, and the tall man, the man with the one eye, went down ... -Twelve steps! ... The other, the afrancesado, bent over; there was a -noise below; the afrancesado said 'Bien!'--I heard him. Then the man, -the long man, the man with the one eye, came up, slowly; there was a -box, a heavy box; the other took it, and the man, the one-eyed man, went -down, ... twelve steps ... He came up again; there was another box, a -small box. I knew it; it was the master's. Then he went down again, -... twelve steps, ... and the other, the afrancesado, the accursed -afrancesado, drew his knife, silently; it flashed in the sun; I watched -him..." The old man stared fixedly before him. "What was I saying?" he -whispered. - -"He drew his knife," said Jack. - -"He drew his knife," said the old man, still in a whisper. "The other, -the long man, the man with one eye, came slowly, slowly, up. He -stretched his left hand for the box, he raised the arm with the knife. -He was behind him. He leant forward; I saw him--him, and the long man, -the man with one eye--he drove it between his shoulders..." - -The old man made as if to brush a cobweb from before his eyes. - -"Horrible! horrible! ... down! down! down! ... What was I saying?" - - - - - *CHAPTER XXXV* - - *Doom* - - -Outcast--Spectres--Conscience--Tracked--Vanity--Scylla-- -Charybdis--Jose--Faithful unto Death - - -Within a few miles of Calatayud, a narrow path, little more than a -foot-track, leads down from the hills on to the highroad to Saragossa. -Just before joining the highway, the path winds between two low bluffs -that screen it from the sight of wayfarers below. Indeed, any muleteer -or arriero unacquainted with the country might almost pass unawares the -spot where road and hill-path meet, so completely is it hidden by the -ash-gray contours of the hills. - -About the time when Jack dismounted at the gate of the Casa Alvarez, a -man was making his way downward along this narrow track, urging a -heavily-laden mule with low cries to hasten its flagging pace. He was a -young man, in the costume of a muleteer; his cheeks were pale and -sunken, his eyes unnaturally bright. Every now and again he would throw -an anxious backward glance over his shoulder, not consciously, as if he -feared pursuit, but as though in obedience to some impulse of which he -was hardly aware. - -When he approached the point where the track joined the road he stepped -to the mule's head and brought the animal to a stand-still, looking from -left to right as if in doubt. After a moment's hesitation he tied the -mule to one of the rare saplings that grew at the side of the track, and -advanced warily towards the highway, pausing at short intervals, and -bending his head forward to listen. There was no sound save the silver -trill of a lark far above, and the soughing of a light breeze as it -lapped the edges of the hills. The man moved forward again, still more -cautiously; rounding a knoll, he came to the road, that stretched in -gentle undulations for several hundreds of yards in a straight line east -and west. No one was in sight. The man gave a sigh of relief, followed -by one of those quick uneasy backward glances that seemed to be habitual -with him. Rapidly scanning the road once more, he returned to the mule, -released the bridle from the tree, and slowly led the laden animal down -the path. - -He was within a dozen paces of the dusty highway when he halted -suddenly, dragging heavily upon the reins. His dusky, olive-hued -features paled, the hand that grasped the bridle trembled nervously; his -whole attitude was one of dire apprehension. For a moment he stood -intently listening, his eyes fixed in a wide stare; then, wheeling the -mule sharply round and prodding the weary beast desperately with the -knife he drew from his belt, he raced back along the track. For a full -quarter of a mile he continued his upward course; then he stopped, and -again turned his head towards the road in the attitude of listening. At -first he could hear nothing but the throbbing of his heart and the quick -breathing of the mule by his side; but gradually the clatter of many -hoofs on the hard road became more and more audible through the clear -air, though the horsemen were hidden from view by the obstructing hills. -They arrived at what he judged to be the place he had just left. He -heard "Halt!" in a rough stentorian tone. The voice was Spanish, and -its effect on the anxious listening man was as that of a galvanic shock. -With a smothered cry he dashed forward, dragging the unwilling mule, -which he goaded with alternate stabs of the knife and whispered words -half of menace half of entreaty. - -There was no halting now. For mile after mile they continued their -flight, until, when both mule and man were exhausted, they at length -stopped at the edge of a wild gorge high up in the mountains. There, -for the first time since he fled the voice, the man looked carefully -around. The place was evidently new to him. In his flight he had -diverged at the first opportunity from the track, along which he had -come, not then alone, earlier in the day. The new path was more -difficult than the old; it wound away from his obvious destination; it -led, indeed, almost due north into the heart of the mountain -country--the Sierra de Moncayo, the precipitous granite range where King -AEolus had his mythic throne. But the fugitive knew not, cared not, -whither he went, so long as it was away from the voice of his -countrymen. And he avoided, with the shrinking of dread, the track he -knew. - -One thing was remarkable during his late impetuous flight. He seemed to -have forgotten his strange trick of glancing backward over his shoulder. -Many times he turned half round to see if he was followed, but -consciously, less abjectly, for all his panic fear. - -When he had rested for a few minutes, he rose and carefully scanned the -surrounding country, debating with himself what course to follow. His -view was circumscribed by the irregular masses of bare rock and sparsely -wooded slopes that formed the horizon. But he appeared at last to have -made up his mind, for, pulling the mule slowly round on the narrow -track, he took a few steps as if to return in the direction from which -he had come. But his bearing was timid, uncertain, vacillating, and when -a mountain eagle swept from its eyry, and screamed just above his head, -he started as if struck, hauled his poor beast feverishly across the -track, and once more pressed in hot haste towards the north. - -For some time he marched on rapidly. Then the fatigue of travelling -over the steep uneven track again made itself felt; his pace slackened; -he moved along behind the mule as if mechanically, while mechanically he -still urged it forward with his knife. For minutes at a stretch he -seemed as in a dream, immersed in dark thought. Again he glanced -fearfully backward, not as though seeking a visible object of menace, -not at the frowning hills, but with eyes that attempted to pierce the -infinite for a something beyond. At moments he started from his waking -nightmare to a full consciousness of his position among these bleak -inhospitable hills. The phantoms dogging his thoughts then vanished, -giving place to real cares--physical pain, a sense of desolation. At -such times he searched anxiously for a path to the west, whereby making -a circuit he might reach his goal, avoiding the highroad, where he had -so narrowly escaped the hands of his countrymen the guerrilleros. But -the track wound on, swerving sometimes to right or left, yet leading -remorselessly northward, no by-path branching towards Calatayud. He -dared not turn back. The danger of the road, had he known it, was past; -but the awful risk of capture made him sick with fear. He plodded on, -sunk more and more in dark imaginings, until at last, when the red sun -was sinking below the distant purple peaks on his left, the mule -suddenly stopped, and, breathing heavily, dropped upon its knees. The -poor brute was spent. The man awoke with a start from his reverie. He -was on the edge of a deep gully; giant rocks hemmed him in on either -side; the path--there was no path! For the first time he realized that -the granite hills held him in their grip. - -He looked at the mule, that lay with lolling tongue and starting eyes. -The animal was famished. He had no food for it, none for himself; only -now was he conscious of his own gnawing hunger. He loosened the girths, -and, removing the heavy panniers from the mule's back, enabled it to -rise. There was nothing to tie it to. Sinking down on a flat rock, he -held the bridle and peered into the deepening gloom. He dared not move -forward; one careless step in this wild place might hurl them both into -an abyss. There he sat, and the darkness gathered, and the chill of -night wrapped him round. - -What were his thoughts as he waited and endured? Who shall say? Human -justice may falter, may be long upon the road; Eternal Justice is -instant, relentless, inevitable. The sense of doom was upon this man, -as he held sombre vigil with the cold accusing stars. - - -It was an unkempt, haggard, agued figure that rose stiffly and dizzily -from his hard couch as soon as the pale dawn came creeping through the -narrow gully among the hills. He could just see the mule standing -motionless a few yards away. He shuddered as his eye fell upon the -brass-clamped coffers at its feet. Then he moved as if to pass away, -leaving behind him both mule and treasure, the visible links that bound -him to the past. But after a few staggering steps he hesitated, set his -teeth in desperate resolve, and returning, painfully lifted the boxes on -to the panniers, the mule standing with drooped ears, and shivering in -the raw air. In the half-light he led the famished beast away from the -ravine, searching the rocky ground narrowly for marks of its track. -Here and there appeared a stone covered with gray lichen; at these the -mule halted and licked a scanty, bitter meal. At one point a silver -rivulet poured from a fissure and fell clattering upon the rocks far -down the steep. There Miguel dropped to his knees and drank with the -animal, then went on again. - -It was nearly two hours before he saw, on the far side of a deep ravine, -a foot-path winding about a wall of rock. Was it the path he had left? -He did not know. Only the guerrilleros he feared to meet could have -told him that but one other path led across these barren heights. -Leading the mule cautiously down one face of the ravine, he hauled it -with infinite difficulty up the other. The poor beast, faint with -hunger, had scarcely strength to crawl when at last it scrambled with -its burden on to the track. But for the constant goad it would have -fallen by the way. The path ran north and south; Miguel hesitated which -direction to take. Northward he would have to scale steeper heights, -but would increase his distance from the garden of his fear; southward, -he might reach Calatayud and safety with the French, but who knew what -danger might lie between? As the question beat this way and that in his -tortured brain, his eyes lit upon a long, thin, jagged rock in which, in -the gloom of the preceding evening, he had marked with a shudder a -grotesque resemblance to a human form he would have given worlds to -forget. Then he knew that he was upon the track from which he had -wandered; he would persevere in the attempt to find a cross-path to the -west. Surely there must be one that would lead, by however long a -circuit, to his goal? - -He turned wearily towards the north and instinctively glanced back -across the hills, now variously tinted by the ascending sun. As he did -so his eyes dilated, and for some moments he stood as if rooted to the -ground. In the clear distance two figures mounted on mules were coming -towards him. Even while he looked he saw one, the smaller of the two, -pointing in his direction. The other drew rein for an instant, then both -urged their mules to a trot. A bend in the path hid them from view, and -Miguel leapt round, knowing that he was in very truth a hunted man. For -nearly a day he had been pursued by the phantom of his crime. He had -run from the shadow of a sound, fled from the perils his own imagination -had created. Terror of he knew not what had left him all unstrung. But -now that vengeance dogged him in real bodily form his mind braced itself -to meet it. Only for a moment did his heart quail with misgiving; he -reeled slightly, and clutched at the mule's bridle for support; then, -recovering himself instantly, he struck the jaded beast, and with a -fierce cry drove it before him up the path. - -Suddenly the track bent eastward, it ceased to rise, he seemed to be on -the northern slope of the watershed up which he had toiled during the -previous day. He topped the crest. The path stretched downwards before -him; and, scattering the loose stones to right and left, Miguel raced on -with the mule until at a turn in the track a vast and brilliant panorama -opened before his yearning eyes. Below him, at the edge of the long -slope, stretched a rolling wooded country intersected by numerous -watercourses shining in the morning sun. Far away on the horizon a -silver streak wound and doubled on itself. It must be the river Ebro. -Could he but gain the rich champaign below, he hoped that, for a time at -least, he would be safe. In some copse or covert, vineyard or -olive-ground, even in the byways of some hamlet, he might find a -temporary refuge. But with the thought itself its utter hopelessness -was borne in upon him. His pursuers must be closing in fast, although -the windings of the track hid them from him when at intervals he turned -to see. Panting himself, he dragged his panting beast with reckless -haste, though in his inmost consciousness sure that the road was too -long, the time too short. One solitary hope remained to him. If he -left the mule with its retarding load, abandoned the prize for which he -had staked his all, he might perhaps even yet find some rocky defile, -some favouring grove, wherein to hide and baffle pursuit. But no, the -renunciation was too great for his blighted soul. For the treasure he -had schemed and sinned; he could not, dared not, let it go. - -Scrambling on down the mountain track, he spied at length, some hundreds -of feet below him, a narrow hillroad to which his headlong course must -lead him by and by. Its farther side bordered a ravine. The road -seemed near at hand, but as he continued his flight he found that the -downward track zigzagged on the face of the slope, so that sometimes two -or three of its coils lay immediately beneath him. There was no shorter -way. Approaching the end of the last of these windings, he was warned -by the clatter of dislodged stones that his pursuers were now hard upon -his heels. He threw a quick glance upward; there, two hundred feet -above him, the riders crossed his sight, following at headlong speed the -first winding of the track. Without pause he raced staggeringly along. - -All unknowing, he had himself been watched for some time from below. At -the edge of the hill-road, hidden from him by a jutting mass of rock, a -man was resting, seated on a boulder, eating a frugal meal from a wallet -hung at his neck. He was a gaunt, hollow-eyed man, with wasted cheeks; -thin, unkempt locks straggled from beneath his cap; his long tangled -beard was snowy white. His attitude was of one in pain. At first he -watched the impetuous muleteer dully, without attention; then he -started, paused in lifting a piece of bread, and stared long with -quickening breath. As the mule turned the last of the zigzags a sunbeam -flashed on the brass of one of the boxes. The seated man rose; his -eyes, opened to their fullest width, now fixed themselves with a glare -of the intensest hatred upon the fugitive approaching, until once more -he was hidden from sight. - -Then with the stealthy movement of a cat the worn, panting wayfarer -glided from the brink of the ravine to the opposite side of the road, -and crouched down under cover of the rocks that had hidden him from the -man above. Almost ceasing to breathe, he drew his knife, and waited. His -movements suggested that he expected the muleteer to emerge into the -road between himself and the animal. But not thus was the event ordered. -Rounding the last turn of the path, Miguel, to avoid a projecting rock, -had changed sides; thus when, after a few seconds, he reached the -junction of path and road, the mule was between him and the man who lay -there waiting, ready to strike. The anticipated moment was come. But -Miguel was snatched from human vengeance; for him was reserved another -fate. With an inarticulate cry of baffled rage the ambuscader sprang -forward as if to overtake the mule, but, under the impetus gained during -the last few yards of the hill-path, the beast was still moving quickly -in an oblique direction across the road. Miguel at one and the same -moment heard the cry and saw the flash of the knife. Till then he was -unaware of his enemy's presence, so absorbed was his attention with the -path ahead and the progress of the pursuers behind. At the cry he gave -a startled side-long glance at the wild menacing features glaring at him -across the mule's neck. In that dark look he read his doom. - -It fell more quickly than any of the four persons--the actors -themselves, the spectators above--could have thought possible. The two -riders on the steep hill-path had now come within full sight of the -scene passing on the road. As they gazed, holding their breath, they -saw the mule between the two men staggering across the road. Startled by -the sudden flash of the uplifted blade, the poor beast swerved towards -the ravine, driving Miguel, all unconscious, on to the brink. He had -already slipped towards the almost perpendicular descent before he -realized his peril; then he clutched wildly at the slackened bridle, -dragging the mule after him. It stumbled at the edge; burdened with its -treasure-laden panniers it could not recover its footing, and in a -moment man and beast, with one mingled scream of terror, disappeared -into the yawning gulf. - -The spectators above had halted, transfixed by the appalling tragedy. -Then they hastened downward impetuously. The older man had fallen -forward on the very edge of the ravine. Jack feared that he would -follow Miguel Priego to destruction. But when, reaching the road, he -threw himself from his mule and stooped to the prone figure, he found -that the man had fainted, overcome by his fierce passion and the -agitation of the last tense moments. Then for the first time Jack was -aware of the thunderous roar of a torrent, and looking into the ravine -he saw a white flood swirling over the rocks hundreds of feet below. - -"Pepito," he said in a strained voice, "clamber down carefully. See -what has become of Don Miguel--if anything can be done for him." - -While the boy was gone on his perilous errand Jack loosened the clothing -of the prostrate man, fetched water from a mountain-rill, and bathed his -head. He opened his eyes, but there was no speculation in them. They -wandered vacantly and closed again. Jack looked at him pityingly, and, -as he looked, felt vaguely that the worn features were familiar to him. -They reminded him of someone he had known as a child in Barcelona, a man -who had mended his toys for him, and carried him on his back when tired; -who had petted him and scolded him by turns, and whom he had alternately -plagued and domineered over. Was it Jose Pinzon? Jack could scarcely -believe it. The Jose he had known was a man touching his prime, strong, -stalwart, bright-eyed, raven-haired; the man lying before him was bent -and aged, wasted, hoary, decrepit. Yet the likeness to the old Jose was -remarkable. Was it possible that the faithful servant had not been -killed in Galindo's sortie, as Juanita had believed? - -It was three-quarters of an hour before Pepito returned from his descent -of the precipice. Nothing living could have survived so terrible a -fall; Miguel must instantaneously have gone to his account. Fragments -of the boxes, but for which the mule might have regained its footing, -lay scattered on the rocks, and out of the ruin Pepito had recovered but -one relic--one gold pendant,--which he handed to his master; all else -had been swept away by the torrent. Then he helped him lift the poor -wayfarer to the back of his mule, and together they bore him to a -muleteer's cabin in the hills. - -For three days the man lingered there, unconscious for the most part, -and in intervals of consciousness talking at random of people and things -that were quite strange to his hearers. Jack nursed him with every -care; but it was evident from the first that his days were numbered. On -the third evening, when the sun was near setting and the cicalas had -commenced their chant, the man opened his eyes wide and looked amazedly -about him. He made an effort to rise, but fell back upon the rough -blanket that formed his bed. He seemed to be listening. Jack, watching -him, saw for the first time a glimmer of intelligence in his eyes. -Through the open door came the sound of hoofs rapidly approaching. -There was a strange eagerness in the man's upward gaze. The sound -ceased; Pepito came into the hut, followed by a young lady and a priest -fetched in hot haste from Carinena. The former bent over the bed and -looked hard at the pallid face; the latter fell on his knees and began -to recite the prayers for the dying. - -"Jose! Jose!" whispered Juanita; "you know me, my dear friend?" - -"My mistress!" he murmured faintly. - -She clasped his hand; a look of glad content shone for a brief moment in -the sick man's eyes. There was a silence; then, as the light faded, -came the solemn voice of Padre Consolacion: - -"Domine, in manus tuas animam suam commendamus!" - - - - - *CHAPTER XXXVI* - - *Sergeant Wilkes wants to know* - - -Mr. Lumsden and Me--Me and Mr. Lumsden--A Lady in the Case--The Pleasure -of your Company--O'Hare and the Ladies--The Grampus takes Cover--The Eve -of Parting--The Age Limit--Poor Mr. Dugdale!--The Question - -"Want to know about the fight at Corunna, do you? Hanged if you ain't -always wanting to know something. Well, attention! dress by the right! -and stand easy while I endeavour to reconstruct the situation." - -The scene was the quay at Lisbon; the speaker was Sergeant Wilkes; the -audience was a knot of green-coated recruits who, to judge by their -docility, regarded the sergeant with admiration and awe. Since he had -won the three stripes Wilkes had lost nothing of his loquacity, and had, -indeed, cultivated a vocabulary of words long enough to match his new -importance. - -"Here you are, then; that there stands for the formidable French battery -at the summit of the eminence"--he placed a jack-knife on the wall -before him,--"this here stands for General Disney's brigade"--he put a -plug of black tobacco at a distance from the knife,--"this here stands -for the Reserve of that exemplary and notorious general Ted Paget"--he -ranged two pebbles to the right of the tobacco,--"and this here," taking -up one of the pebbles, "is Captain O'Hare's company. Look at him well, -'cos 'twas Captain O'Hare's company, and me in it, that won the battle -on that most fatal and obstrepolous day. We was a-going up the hill -towards that there battery, when blowed if we didn't get variegated with -a lot of French dragoons in among the farmyards. Then up comes Mr. -Lumsden, and says to me, 'Corp'ril Wilkes,' he says--I was only a -corp'ril then, you understand--'Corp'ril Wilkes,' he says, 'we've got to -shove down that there wall and drive the mounseers out. You an' me can -do it if we puts our backs into it,' says he. 'Right you are, sir,' says -I, 'we'll fustigate the mounseers and extipulate them to the last -individual.' Them were the words I used. Well--" - -"I say, sargint," said Corporal Bates, strolling across the road, -"that's a smart little craft a-spanking up the river there. Looks like -a despatch-boat, eh?" - -"Don't interjeculate," said Wilkes irritably. "You always must put your -spoke in. I was just telling the young 'uns how Mr. Lumsden and me won -the fight at Corunna; who cares for a despatch-boat?--which it ain't, -but only a common sloop." - -"Go on, sargint, if you please," said one of the men. - -"Well, as I was saying, Mr. Lumsden and me was just a-going to shove -down the wall what was intermediate between us and the mounseers when--" - -"Hold hard a bit, sargint," put in Bates; "ain't that there little chap -on the boat there rather like the gipsy brat what Mr. Lumsden took up -with?" - -"Corp'ril Bates, if you keep on interrupting your superior orficer I -shall rejuce you. Gipsy brats is neither here nor there; what the young -'uns want to know is how me and Mr. Lumsden licked the French at -Corunna." - -"That's him; that's Pepito!" cried Bates, heedless of Wilkes' increasing -irritation. "P'r'aps he'll be able to tell us what's become of his -master." - -Bates sheered off, and Wilkes resumed his much-interrupted narrative. -He was in the middle of a very vivid description of how Mr. Lumsden and -himself fought eight Frenchmen at the wall, when he became aware of a -commotion at some distance along the quay. Chagrined to find the -attention of his audience wandering, he stood up, exclaiming: - -"What are the rampaging Vamooses at now?--hang them!" - -But he saw, not Portuguese, but a number of men in the well-known green -of the 95th Rifles, marching up the street, cheering vigorously. Among -them, in the middle of the causeway, strode two young Spaniards, the one -slim and lissom, the other broad and bulky. Both walked buoyantly, and -seemed in high good-humour. Behind them, over their heads, could be seen -the antic figure of Pepito, perched on Bates's shoulders, and looking as -proud as a peacock. Wilkes stared at the procession as it approached, -wondering to see two Spaniards with the unprecedented escort of British -Riflemen. All at once he drew himself up, struck his feet together, -and, just as the head of the procession reached him, brought his hand to -his eyebrow in the stiff military salute. His face was a study in its -successive expressions of perplexity, vexation, and pleasure. - -The recruits were taken too much aback to be able to make their salute -before the procession had passed. - -"Who's that ragged Don you're saluting, sargint?" asked one of them. - -"Who's that, you dough-faced clod-hopping chaw-bacon, you!" cried -Wilkes, seizing the opportunity of venting his feelings. "Why, that's -Lieutenant Jack Lumsden, him what helped me to lick the mounseers at -Corunna. And I'll make it warm for Charley Bates," he muttered, -"stealing a march on me like that. Why didn't I perpetrate the -disguise? That's what I want to know." - -Meanwhile Jack and the Grampus had continued their progress until they -arrived at the head-quarters of the 95th. There, two or three -subalterns were seated at an open window, to catch a breath of air from -the sea, grateful on that hot June day. - -"Hullo!" said Pomeroy, catching sight of the procession, "what are the -rascals up to now?" - -"Some mischief, you may be sure," said Smith, looking over his shoulder. -"I shall be glad when we get marching orders to join Sir Arthur. The -men will get horribly loose if we're here long." - -"By George!" said Pomeroy, "they appear to have got two Spaniards among -them. Why--what--look here, Shirley, isn't that Lumsden's boy Pepito -grinning like a monkey on Bates's shoulder?" - -"Eh! What? Where?" said Smith, pushing his head out. "Jehoshaphat! -That fat Spaniard--ha! ha!--don't you see, you fellows?--ha! ha!--he's -the Grampus, bigger than ever. Gad! I shall die of this! The Grampus -in Spanish toggery!" - -"And the other fellow's Jack himself!" shouted Pomeroy excitedly. -"Hurray! hurray!" - -"'Sound the trumpets, beat the drums!'" quoted Shirley. "Hurray! Three -cheers for Lumsden! But what am I to do with my epitaph?" - -"What's all this pandemonium about?" cried a loud voice from the door of -the room. "I wish you gentlemen would behave less like a pack of -schoolb--" - -"Lumsden's back, sir," said Smith. "The men are escorting him up the -street." - -"Good gad!" ejaculated Colonel Beckwith. Then, without more ado, he -caught up Smith's cap from the table, stuck it on his head, and ran -downstairs buttoning up his jacket on the way. He reached the door just -in time to meet Jack before he entered. - -"'Pon my honour--how d'e do?--glad to see you, hang it! You're not -dead, then, after all?" - -"Not a bit, sir," said Jack, heartily returning his handgrip. "Come to -report myself, sir." - -"Good gad! What a--what a villainous brigand you look! But we'll soon -put that right. 'Pon my honour, I am deuced glad to see you." - -The colonel shook hands again, and for some minutes Jack's arm was going -up and down like a pump handle as he returned the greetings of his old -friends, who meanwhile volleyed questions at him with clamorous -excitement. - -"Uncommonly kind of you fellows," he panted, "but if you'll excuse me--" - -"Not a bit of it," cried Smith. "Excuse you, indeed!" - -"No, begad," said the colonel. "You'll come in and let us drink your -health--three times three. Come along." - -"Most happy, sir, if you'll just allow me five or six minutes. The fact -is, there's a lady on board, and--" - -"Good gad! A lady!" - -"And I came to get a coach to fetch her." - -"Of course. A lady! My barouche is at your service. Here, Ogbourne, -bring the barouche round in two minutes, for Mr. Lumsden.--Used to be -your man, I think; a useful fellow.--Hang me! I must go and find -Captain O'Hare." - -Not many minutes later the subalterns at the window were as much -surprised as interested to see the colonel's heavy rumbling chariot draw -up at a house almost exactly opposite. - -"I say, you fellows," cried Smith, "get out of sight. We don't want the -lady to think we're a lot of peeping Toms." - -"She's probably as old as your grandmother," said Pomeroy, "and long -past blushing. Still--" - -Consequently, when Juanita and her old duenna stepped out of the coach -and entered the opposite house, there were no spectators of the scene. -But when Jack returned to head-quarters he was instantly the mark of a -running fire of questions. His fellow-officers, from the colonel -downwards, were consumed with curiosity to know whether she was young or -old, tall or short, dark or fair; where he had found her; what was her -name. Shirley eagerly asked whether she was the famous Maid of -Saragossa; Pomeroy was boiling with impatience because the Grampus had -absolutely refused to give any information. - -"Gentlemen, gentlemen," cried Jack, "I can't attend to you all at once. -The lady is the Senorita Juanita Alvarez, daughter of my father's old -partner, on her way to England, and the friend with whom she is staying -has invited the officers of my company to dinner to-morrow, so that if -you care to go I'll introduce you en bloc." - -"Bedad now," said Captain O'Hare, "that's mighty perlite. I must -practise my best bow, and get my hair cut. 'Tis a powerful pity -pigtails are just gone out of fashion, for sure I always looked killing -in a pigtail. Ah well!" - -"Come, Mr. Lumsden," said the colonel, "the Senorita has driven you out -of our heads. What have you been doing with yourself? We learnt when -Mr. Frere came home that you had gone to Saragossa, and not a man of us -expected to see you again. Ogbourne, get some tumblers, and we'll do -the honours." - -It was late before the meeting broke up, and then not one of the company -was satisfied. Jack had given them, indeed, a full and interesting -account of the siege of Saragossa in general, but he appeared to be -woefully lacking in detailed information about his own part in it. He -was not so affectedly modest as to conceal the facts that Palafox had -entrusted him with the defence of a certain district, and that the -district was still in Spanish hands when the siege ended; but of the -weeks of ceaseless work, unresting vigilance and anxious thought which -had purchased his success he said never a word. Colonel Beckwith -watched him closely as he told his story, and at its conclusion made a -brief comment which gave him a thrill of pleasure. - -"Gentlemen," he said, rising, "I speak for you all when I say that we're -glad to have Lumsden back at the mess. There are big gaps in his story -which somebody has to fill; but we don't want 'em filled to know that -he's been an honour to the British army, and a credit to the Rifles. I -give you Mr. Lumsden!" - -When the cheers that followed the toast had died away, Jack on his side -was eager to learn what had brought his old friends back to the -Peninsula. Hearing that a new campaign was opening under Sir Arthur -Wellesley, his face clouded for a moment. - -"Sure an' ye've done enough for glory," said Captain O'Hare, noticing -the expression, "and there's never a doubt the colonel will let ye go -home to your sorrowing mother,--not to speak of escorting the colleen." - -Jack blushed. - -"Thank 'ee!" he said, "but I'm not going to run away from the regiment. -Have you got a uniform to spare?" - -"What, aren't ye in love then? Sure an' when I was your age I was -desp'rately in love with half a dozen at once--the milkmaid, and the -doctor's daughter, and the girl in the haberdasher's in Sackville -Street, and a lot more." - - "'I could not love thee, dear, so much, - Loved I not honour more,'" - -quoted Shirley lugubriously. - -"Honour, bedad! That's what I said to Patsy O'Dowd when she taxed me -with making eyes at Honour O'Grady, and she boxed my ears,--and Patsy -had a powerful heavy hand, begore. And if ye're not afraid of someone -cutting you out--Mr. Dugdale, for instance ... By the way, is he going -home too?" - -"Not a doubt of that, sir," said the Grampus himself. "Amateuring isn't -such fun as you'd think; why, I had to peel the onions till the -Frenchman came! I'm sick of it; and I'm going home to practise -doctoring on a new plan." - -"What's that about onions?" called Colonel Beckwith from the head of the -table. - -The Grampus proceeded to relate his capture by the guerrilleros, and to -expatiate on various little grievances incident to his state of bondage, -which the company appeared to find vastly entertaining. This want of -sympathy with his misadventures nettled even the good-natured Grampus, -who became more and more red and indignant, until at length he burst -out: - -"Well, at any rate I did some good, and that was no laughing matter. If -it hadn't been for me they'd have tortured some scores of poor devils of -Frenchmen that Lumsden bagged--so there!" - -"Story! story!" was shouted round the table. - -"You must get Lumsden to tell you that. He caught 'em; but 'twas a -speech I made saved 'em from being fried or boiled or something." - -"Now, Lumsden, fill up that gap," said the colonel. - -Seeing that there was no help for it, Jack gave a brief account of his -adventure with the commissary's party at Morata, awarding a due meed of -praise to Antonio the guerrilla captain. - -"He was a good sort," he added, "quite mild-mannered for a Spaniard. -None of them knew a word of English, and he complained that his men had -been roused to fury against the prisoners by the violent harangue of the -English senior. He could hardly hold them." - -"Oh, come now!" expostulated Dugdale. "I didn't know Spanish, but I -made myself clear enough." - -"Exactly," said Jack; "when you pointed to your throat and then to the -fire, the poor simple guerrilleros were only in doubt as to whether you -meant roasting or garrotting." - -A roar of laughter completed the Grampus's discomfiture. - -"Bet you--" he began in desperation; but finding himself unable to state -a wager that would meet the case, he buried his face in a tankard, from -which it took a considerable time to emerge. - -Next day it was a quiet and subdued group that crossed to the house -opposite. Captain O'Hare was unmistakeably nervous, Pomeroy -self-consciously gorgeous, and Shirley pale with sitting up late the -previous night over a Spanish grammar, conjugating the verb Amor in all -its moods and tenses. The Grampus took his revenge in chaffing them, -and they all grunted approval when Captain O'Hare exclaimed: - -"Bedad, if 'twas on Shannon's shore 'tis meself that would be at home, -but 'tis a mighty different thing meeting a Spanish lady on the banks of -the Taygus without a word of the lingo to turn a compliment." - -But they were agreeably surprised when, after being welcomed in broken -English by their portly and amiable Portuguese hostess, they were -greeted in the same tongue, spoken with the prettiest accent imaginable, -by a charming young senorita. Her beauty made an instant and visible -impression on Captain O'Hare's susceptible soul. - -The dinner was long remembered and talked of by the officers of O'Hare's -company. There was a numerous party, Spanish, Portuguese, and English. -Jack was unwillingly the hero of the evening, and the flattering -attentions paid him would have been still more embarrassing had he not -been so preoccupied in watching Juanita, who appeared to him in a quite -unaccustomed light. He had admired her courage during the dark days of -the siege; he had got an inkling even then of the essential brightness -of her temperament; but he was hardly prepared for her perfect ease and -self-possession, the vivacity of her conversation, and her social tact. -He felt an inexplicable sinking at the heart; Juanita seemed to be -farther away from him than at any time since he had first met her in -Saragossa. They had been frank comrades during the hazardous journey -across country to the coast, and the delightful voyage that had just -closed their adventures, and under stress of circumstances Jack had for -so long taken the lead that it was a sort of awakening to find that she -was now independent of his counsel and protection. Moreover, she was -going to England. He had intended to go with her, but the return of his -regiment had altered all that. Till this moment he had not realized -what a separation might really mean. He felt that they were at the -parting of the ways. - -It was from Juanita's lips that his brother officers heard the full -story of his work in Saragossa, and after. Simply, without -exaggeration, yet glowingly, she described how, with unfailing resource, -he had met and frustrated all the attacks of the French on his little -garrison and kept the flag flying to the last. Captain O'Hare followed -her story with unwavering interest. He was not the man to praise -lightly. Indeed, it was not the custom in that age of hard fighters to -scatter vain compliments; his subalterns were therefore the more deeply -impressed when, in a pause, he turned to Juanita and said in a tone -vibrant with earnestness: - -"By my faith, Senorita, yours is a story of which every soldier, British -or Spanish, may be proud. I honour your countrymen and countrywomen for -their glorious defence of Saragossa--there is nothing finer that I know -in all history. And we British officers are proud to think that one of -ours, one of the 95th, is among the heroes of the siege. We all try to -do our duty; few of us get the chance, like my friend Lumsden, of doing -so much more than our mere duty; and by my soul, if we do get the -chance, I only hope we'll make as good a use of it." - -Jack, who had spent a most uncomfortable half-hour, was greatly relieved -when the ladies withdrew. But his troubles were not over, for Captain -O'Hare, resuming the brogue which had disappeared during his late -outburst, said with a chuckle: - -"By Vanus and all the Graces, 'tis a lucky thing for you, you young -scamp, that Peter O'Hare is not fifteen years younger. 'Tis meself -would have tried a fall wid ye--ay, and come in at a canter. Indeed an' -I'm not sure 'tis too late even now. She was mighty civil to me at -dinner, indeed she was." - -The worthy captain laughed heartily, and turned to make himself -agreeable, in halting French, to a colonel of Portuguese artillery. - -"Hang it, Lumsden," said Pomeroy, "I call it a crying shame, that merely -because a man happens to patter a little Spanish he should not only be -shoved over the heads of better men than himself, but cut out more -presentable ones with the jolliest girl I've seen this end of the Bay." - -Jack smiled and held his peace. - -"I say, you fellows," said Shirley, "give me a rhyme for Saragossa, -someone. I've just knocked off a little gem of a thing--'Lines to -J----a A----z', but hang me if I can tag the last of 'em." - -"A good job too!" said Smith. "The whole company seems to be -moonstruck. 'Pon my word, I believe I'm the only one of you that can -keep his head." - -"Ah," said the Grampus with a capacious sigh, "'tisn't the head, it's -the heart!" There was a general laugh at his lugubrious accent; -whereupon, with a sudden return to everyday life, he cried: "And I'll -bet you, Harry George Wakelyn Smith, you're one of the first to find it -out." - -Smith snorted scornfully. He little imagined that long before the war -was over he would himself meet the lovely Spanish damsel in distress who -was to become Lady Smith of Aliwal and give her name to a certain little -town, the Saragossa of South Africa. - -Jack, who had taken his comrades' good-humoured banter with unfailing -cheerfulness, now slipped away to join the ladies in the sala. When he -entered the room, he noticed at once a deeper flush than usual on -Juanita's cheeks, and felt that something was amiss. It was some little -time before he could escape the renewed attentions of the circle. Then, -seating himself beside Juanita, he said anxiously: - -"Is anything wrong, Juanita?" - -"Wrong! No, of course not. Why should anything be wrong?" - -She turned her head away, and tapped her hand impatiently with her fan. -Jack, noting the flush on her cheek, felt uneasily that her manner -belied her words. - -"I don't know," he said. "I was afraid there was something. I wanted -to tell you, Juanita, that--that--well, things have changed, you know. -There is to be another campaign; I shall have to march with the -regiment. There's no help for it. I can't go back to England--not yet." - -"I knew; I was told it--by somebody else." - -There was that in her tone which made Jack wish that he had told her -earlier of what his unexpected meeting with his old comrades must -inevitably involve. He had shrunk from the explanation--he did not -quite know why. - -After a moment's silence she added slowly: "I am sorry for Mr. Dugdale; -he will have a lonely journey, I fear, and he's so very fond of -company." - -"Lonely! But you get on very well together." - -"Oh yes! I like Mr. Dugdale very much, but you see--I shall not be -there. I have made up my mind, quite decided, not to go after all. -England is a cold, foggy, horrid country, and I'm sure I shouldn't like -the English. I ought never to have come so far." She rose from her -seat. "I will go back to the dear Sisters at Carinena." - -As she moved towards the balcony at the far end of the room, Jack caught -the sparkle of tears in her eyes. He felt that he must be in fault; how -or why he could not tell, and he was too much perturbed at Juanita's -distress to think the matter out. He merely followed her. When they -reached the balcony they stood for a few moments silent in the twilight, -looking with unseeing eyes at the dim plaza below. There was a murmur -of voices from the dusk, at first vague and indistinct, the words -gradually stealing upon their consciousness with clearer and clearer -meaning. - -"There he was, poor little beggar, crying his eyes out. 'Ogbourne,' says -I, 'what's amiss with Pepito?' 'Oh!' says he, 'crying for the moon. He -wants to go with the Spanish senorita and stay with Mr. Lumsden at the -same time; which ain't possible.' 'Well,' says I, 'I ain't so sure o' -that. They do say he rescued her from old Boney himself and from a -rascally Don too--yes, and they say she's main fond of him, which is -only natural--considering.'" - -Even in the dusk Jack, stealing a look at Juanita, saw that she had -flushed hotly. As she half-turned to re-enter the room, he imprisoned -the little hand that lay on the balustrade. She did not draw it away. - -"But," continued the insistent voice, "what I want to know is, when's it -to be?--that's what I want to know." - - - - - *Glossary of Spanish Words* - - -_adelante_, forward! come in! -_adios_, adieu. -_afrancesado_, a Spaniard who had accepted the French domination. -_agua_, water. -_alcalde_, mayor, chief magistrate. -_alguazil_, constable, guard. -_amigo_, friend. -_arriero_, muleteer, carrier. -_ay de mi_, alas! woe is me! -_azucarillo_, a confection of paste, sugar, and rose-water. -_bergantin_, brig. -_bien_, well. -_bueno_, good: _buenos dias_, good-morning; _buenas noches_, - good-night; _buenas tardes_, good-afternoon. -_caballero_, rider, gentleman, cavalier. -_calle_, street. -_caramba_, an exclamation. -_casa_, house. -_cebolla_, onion. -_cerro_, hill. -_choriso_, spiced sausage. -_cigarillo_, a small cigar, whiff. -_con_, with. -_contessa_, countess. -_contrabandista_, smuggler. -_copa_, cup, goblet. -_coso_, wide thoroughfare. -_cuchillo_, knife. -_cura_, parish priest, parson. -_dia_, day: _buenos dias_, good-morning. -_Dios_, God: _Vaya usted con Dios_ (lit. go with God), good-bye. -_don_, a title, equivalent to esquire. -_dona_, a title, equivalent to madam. -_el_, la*, the. -_Espana_, Spain. -_fonda_, inn. -_garbanzo_, a species of bean. -_gaspacho_, a compound of vegetables and condiments. -_gitano_, gipsy. -_gracias_, thanks. -_guerrillero_, an irregular warrior, member of a guerrilla band. -_hidalgo_, nobleman. -_hombre_, man, a common mode of address to inferiors. -_javaneja_, an old-fashioned dance. -_junta_, council. -_manana_, to-morrow. -_Maragato, one of a race of mingled Gothic and Moorish - blood, inhabiting a district in N. W. Spain. -*maravedi_, the smallest Spanish coin. -_marchesa_, marchioness. -_mareamiento_, sea-sickness. -_mi_, _mio_, _mia_, my. -_muchas_, many. -_noche_, night: _buenas noches_, good-night. -_nuestra_, our. -_padre_, father. -_pan_, bread. -_patio_, courtyard, characteristic of the better Spanish houses. -_patron_, landlord. -_peseta_, silver coin worth about tenpence. -_plaza_, square, open space: _Plaza Mayor_, great square. -_par_, by. -_porta_, gate. -_posada_, tavern, inn. -_puchero_, a sort of hot-pot. -_que hay de nuevo?_ what news? -_querida_, darling. -_quien_, who: _quien vive?_ who goes there? -_regidor_, alderman. -_sala_, hall, drawing-room. -_san_, _santo_, _santa_, saint. -_senor_, sir, a title used in addressing equals or superiors. -_senora_, madam, lady. -_senorita_, miss, young lady. -_si_, yes. -_silencio_, hush! silence! -_tarde_, afternoon. -_tia_, aunt. -_tio_, uncle. -_tirador_, sharpshooter. -_usted_, you. -_valiente_, brave, valiant. -_vamos_, come along! -_vaya_, go: _vaya usted con Dios_ (lit. go with God), good-bye. -_venta_, small wayside inn. -_verdaderamente_, verily, indeed. -_viva_, hurrah! long live! -_vive_: _quien vive?_ who goes there? - - - - - - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK BOYS OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE *** - - - - -A Word from Project Gutenberg - - -We will update this book if we find any errors. - -This book can be found under: http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/44190 - -Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no one -owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation (and -you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without permission -and without paying copyright royalties. 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