by G. A. Henty
CHAPTER VIII.
A PAUSE IN OPERATIONS.
Talavera was fought in July, 1809, and for four months longer SirArthur Wellesley kept his troops on the Spanish frontier, where hispresence served as a check against any invasion, even by a veryformidable army, of Portugal. After the utter bad faith and cowardiceshown by the Spanish, the great commander was determined never againto trust in their promises, or to undertake any movement dependentfor success upon their co-operation. The Junta then declared thatthe Spaniards would alone and unaided sweep the French beyond thePyrenees, and a Spanish army of 45,000 infantry, 7000 cavalry, and 60guns advanced in November against Madrid. It was met by a French armyof 24,000 infantry, 5000 cavalry, and 50 guns. The battle began ateleven in the morning, and by three the French, with a loss of only1700 killed and wounded, had utterly routed the Spanish, with a lossof 5000 killed and wounded, 45 guns, and 26,000 prisoners! After thissignal and disgraceful defeat, Lord Wellington--for he had now beenraised to the peerage--felt that nothing whatever could be done atpresent in Spain, and so fell back into Portugal, where for manymonths he occupied himself in preparing to meet the storm which would,he knew, fall ere long upon that country. The Portuguese authoritieswere as incapable, as untrustworthy, and as intractable as were thoseof Spain; but here, happily, Lord Wellington had more power. Englandwas paying large subsidies towards keeping up the Portuguese army,which was commanded by Lord Beresford, having under him many Britishofficers. The Portuguese troops were hardy, obedient, and far braverthan the Spaniards; but difficulties often arose in keeping the armytogether, because the Portuguese Government, although England waspaying the principal expenses of the army, yet starved their soldiers,and often kept them for months without pay. It was only by thestrongest remonstrances, and by the oft-repeated threat that he wouldembark the British troops, and abandon Portugal altogether, unlessthese and other abuses were done away with, that Lord Wellingtonsucceeded in reducing this incapable and insolent Government toreason.
Reinforcements arrived but slowly from England, for a considerableportion of the available troops of England were frittered away inholding Cadiz and in an expedition to Sicily. In these two places some25,000 English troops were wasted--a force, which, had it been addedto Wellington's army, would have enabled him to take the field againstthe French, instead of being forced to remain in Portugal for upwardsof a year without discharging a single shot against the enemy. Tom andPeter Scudamore, however, were not destined to remain inactive allthese weary months. One day in November, just before the army fellback from the Spanish frontier, General Hill was dining at mess withthe regiment; for, rough as was the accommodation, the officers hadsucceeded in establishing a general mess. The conversation turned uponthe difficulty of discovering what force the various French generalshad at their disposal, the reports received by the Commander-in-Chiefbeing often ridiculously incorrect. There was also an immensedifficulty in communicating with the guerilla chiefs who, almostalways beaten when they came to blows with any considerable bodiesof the French, yet managed to harass them terribly by cutting offconvoys, falling upon small parties, and attacking outposts and bandsof foragers. Knowing every mountain pass and road, these men could,if they would, keep Lord Wellington informed of every considerablemovement of the enemy, and might in return receive instruction foracting, when required, in concert before the communication of anadvancing army, or might create a diversion by uniting their bands,and threatening some important post.
The next day the boys went to Colonel Tritton's quarters, and,referring to the conversation of the day before, said that they werewilling to carry any messages that the general might require sent, andto obtain any information wanted.
"Nonsense, boys, you would be hung as spies before you had been gone aweek."
"I don't think so, sir," Tom said; "we have had very little to doduring the six months we have been out here except to learn thelanguage of the country, and I think now we could pass very well asSpanish boys. Besides, who would suspect boys? We are quite ready tochance detection if we can be allowed to go."
"I don't like it, boys; you are too young. Well, if not too young," hesaid, in answer to a movement of Tom's to speak, "we all like you toowell to run the risk of hearing you have been hung like a couple ofyoung puppies."
"You are very kind, colonel; but you know you promised to give us achance if you could, and having a chance of course means having extradanger; but I really don't think that there would be any great dangerin it."
"Well, boys," Colonel Tritton said, after a few moments' thought, "Ido not feel justified in refusing your application, and will mentionit to General Hill. There are very few officers in the army whospeak Spanish fluently, and you being boys would, as you say, avertsuspicion. But I tell you fairly that I hope General Hill will at oncerefuse to entertain the idea."
"Thank you, sir," the boys said. "Of course that is all we could askyou to do."
The next day, after parade was over, Colonel Tritton walked onto General Hill's quarters at a sort of half farm-house, halfcountry-seat, a short distance from the village, round which theRangers were encamped. As he came up to the house, General Hill cameout from his door talking to a Spanish officer, who had the day beforebrought some despatches from one of the Spanish generals to LordWellington.
Colonel Tritton joined them, and they stood talking together upon thestate of affairs in Spain, and of the advance of the Spanish army onMadrid, which was then just taking place. As they did so two veryragged, unkempt Spanish boys, shoeless and wretched-looking, limpedup, and began to beg. General Hill shook his head, and the Spaniardimpatiently motioned them away.
"Por Dios," one whined; "give us something; we are starving. TheFrench have burnt down our houses, and killed our fathers andmothers--we are starving. 'Por l'amor de Dios!'"
"What's the poor little beggar say?" General Hill asked the Spaniard.
"The usual story--house burnt, father and mother killed, starving. Idare say it's all a lie."
"Where did you live?" he asked in Spanish.
"In the village of Oros, near Valencia."
"And how did you come here?"
"The French burnt the village because the guerillas had killed a partyof theirs in it, and they killed all the people, and then carried offthe mules and horses, and took us to drive some of them. That was fourmonths ago. We had to drive till the other day at Tamanes, when ourmen beat the French; our mules were taken, and, as they did not wantus as drivers we had nothing to do but to come on in hopes that thekind English would give us food."
The Spanish officer translated what the boy said, and General Hillremarked, "Yes, that was a brilliant affair of the Duke del Pasque's.Here," he called to an orderly, "give these boys some bread. I willsee what can be done for them afterwards. I am afraid nothing. Poorlittle wretches! their story is a very common one."
The boys received the bread with a great show of thankfulness, and,sitting down by the roadside, began to munch it with great appetite.The Spanish officer now mounted his horse and rode off, while GeneralHill and Colonel Tritton remained standing where he had left them.Colonel Tritton then told General Hill of the Scudamores' request tobe allowed to penetrate into Spain as spies or with dispatches.
"The young pickles!" General Hill laughed. "What will they be wantingto do next? Pooh, pooh! it would be out of the question."
"I believe they do really speak Spanish exceedingly well." ColonelTritton said. "They generally act as interpreters for us, and none ofthe officers speak Spanish with anything like the same fluency."
"As far as the language goes, they might get on, perhaps," GeneralHill said; "but they look as thorough English boys as you could see.They would be detected at once."
"Yes," Colonel Tritton said, "they are both thorough English boys; Ishould know them anywhere. What a contrast to the miserable, limping,hang-dog lads there! Poor little chaps! Why, upon my word, I believethe fellows are laughing."
General Hill looked sharply at them, and, as
he looked from one to theother, he said sarcastically, "Poor little chaps indeed! You said thatvery naturally, Tritton. It really does you credit as an actor."
Colonel Tritton looked at the general with an expression of blankastonishment.
"What," said the general, "were you really taken in too"
"Taken in?" repeated Colonel Tritton vaguely.
"Don't you see, Tritton, those poor little chaps you are pitying soare those two young scamps we were talking about."
Colonel Tritton stared in astonishment at the boys, and then, as herecognized them, he joined the general in a shout of laughter, whilethe two boys stood up and saluted with an attempt at gravity which wasonly partially successful, so amused were they at the astonishment oftheir colonel, as well as pleased at the success of their disguise.
Just at this moment there was a sound of tramping horses, and directlyafterwards an officer rode up, followed by four or five others, andat a short distance in the rear by an escort of orderlies. The boysneeded not the exclamation of General Hill, "Here is Wellington." Theyknew who the rider was, who checked his horse as he reached the gate,for they had often seen him as he rode through the camp. A slight man,very careful and neat in his dress, with an aquiline nose and piercingeyes. Peter was rising as he drew up his horse, when Tom said, "Don'tget up, Peter; go on with your bread. It would look absurd for usto salute now, and would draw attention to us," he went on, as LordWellington dismounted, threw the bridle off his horse to an orderly,and saying to General Hill, "I wanted to see you; come in." ColonelTritton went into the house, followed by the two officers. "We'llstop here till they come out again, Peter. Perhaps General Hill mayspeak to him about us. At any rate, we will keep up our disguise tillthey've gone. Let us play at odd and even." It was a game of whichSpanish boys are very fond, and they may be seen in any of the Spanishtowns sitting by the houses on door-steps in the sun playing. It washalf an hour before the general came out again. He was about to mounthis horse, when he glanced at the boys, who were sitting against thewall a few paces off, seemingly absorbed in their play, and paying noattention whatever to him. Suddenly he changed his mind, dropped hisrein, and walked up to them.
"What are you playing for?" he asked abruptly in Spanish.
"Reals, senor," Tom said looking up, but not moving.
"You are poor; how can you pay?" asked the general.
"Oh! we don't pay," Tom laughed. "We keep count. I owe him twelvethousand now. I will pay him when I get rich. He can wait." And heheld out his closed hand again for Peter to guess the number of stonesit contained.
"Come inside," Lord Wellington said abruptly, and, turning led the wayinto the house again, followed by General Hill, Colonel Tritton, andthe two boys.
"It is not often I change my mind," he said to General Hill; "but foronce I do so now. When you told me about these lads, I refused toemploy them on such dangerous service, even when you told me of thecourage and coolness which they exhibited on the voyage. Now I havetried them myself, I see that they will do. If they could keep uptheir disguise when I spoke to them suddenly, and answer withouthesitation or any excitement which could have shown that they werenot what they pretended to be, they can do so with a French general.I am no judge of the purity of their Spanish; but as you tell me theydeceived a Spanish officer just now, they will be able to pass withFrenchmen. Now, lads," he went on turning to them, "you have thoughtover, of course, the risks you are going to run, and are prepared, ifdetected, to be hung like dogs." The boys bowed.
"You will receive detailed instructions through Colonel Tritton,together with such despatches as I may wish sent. They will be writtenas small as possible. You will not go for a week; devote all your timeto studying the map. The largest size we have shall be sent to yourcolonel this afternoon. Of course you will be supplied with money, andfor anything you can think of likely to assist you, speak to ColonelTritton. You are beginning well, young sirs. If you like, you ought tomade a noise in the world. Now, Hill, I must be off."
And the general left the room with the officers, while the boys werestammering out their thanks.
"Where did you dress up, boys?" Colonel Tritton asked them after thegeneral had ridden off. "You did not come out from camp like this Ihope?"
"No, colonel; we changed in that little wood there."
"What have you colored your skins with?"
"We got some iodine from the doctor, sir, and mixed it with water tillit was just thick enough to tinge our skin. It will wash pretty welloff with plenty of scrubbing, but we mean to use walnut juice when westart; it lasts much longer, and is a better brown."
"I am not sure, boys, that you had not better leave your faces alone,they and your hands are so sunburnt that you would pass well enough,though you must dye your arms and legs. Fortunately, your hair ispretty dark, for you can't well carry dye. Think well over all thesethings, for your lives may depend on some trifle of this kind. I shallsee you at mess."
So saying, Colonel Tritton walked on, leaving the boys to follow attheir leisure. Just as they were about to turn off to make for thewoods they saw a soldier coming along the road.
"That's Sam, if I am not mistaken, Peter, we will have some fun withhim. We can trust him to say nothing in the regiment about meeting uslike this."
The two boys accordingly sat down by a low wall by the roadside, andas Sam came up talked away to each other in Spanish. He passed withoutpaying any attention to them. After he had gone a few yards, Tom saidin a deep, loud voice, "Sambo." The black halted suddenly, and turnedround. First he looked angrily at the boys, then he went to the sideof the road and looked over the wall. Then with a very perplexed airhe looked up and down the road.
"Who dat have impudence to call dis colored gentleman Sambo," he saidto himself. "Some fellow did, dat for sartin, not dose little Spanishtrash, dey not know Sam's name, some rascal in regiment; he's hidsomewhere. I pound him to squash when I find him."
Muttering thus he turned to proceed on his way, but before he had gonetwenty yards, he again heard a deep shout. "Here, you, Sambo."
The black jumped as if he was shot, "My golly," he exclaimed, and thenwalked back to the boys, who were talking together, shook his headand again looked over the wall. Then he stooped down to the boys, andshook his fist in their faces, "You little debils, you call Sambo, Ipound you to squash." The boys both leapt to their feet with an air ofintense surprise and alarm, and began to cry out in Spanish.
"No, can't be you," Sam said, "dis chile must be witched, no place formen to hide, sartin not dem boys. Stone wall can't call Sambo all byself, Sam's going out of mind. Oh! Lor, dis berry bad affair," and Samsat down by the roadside with a face of such perfect bewilderment anddismay that the boys could stand it no longer, but went off togetherinto a scream of laughter, which caused Sam to jump to his feet again."What you larf for, what you larf for, you little rascals, you playtrick, eh? you call Sambo, who taught you dat name?" and he seized thetwo boys and shook them furiously.
"Oh! Sam, Sam, you will kill us with laughing," Tom got out at last."Do leave go, man, or we shall choke," and as Sam, astonished, loosedhis hold, the boys sat down and laughed till their sides ached.
"Golly," exclaimed the negro, as he looked at them, "Dose boys again.What on earth you do, Massa Tom, Massa Peter, in dose ragged close,what you dress up like two beggars for? Lor! how you take in dischile, me tink you little Spanish trash, sure enuff." It was some timebefore the boys could compose themselves, and then Tom made Sam sitclose by his side.
"Look here, Sam, this isn't a joke, this is a serious business andbefore I tell you anything about it, you must promise to keep thesecret strictly, as it would do us a great deal of harm if it wasknown." Sam declared at once that if they tore him to pieces with wildhorses he would say nothing. Tom then explained the whole thing to himand Sam at once declared that he would go too.
"Quite impossible, Sam. You do not speak a word of Spanish andalthough at any of the seaport towns you could pass as a runawaysailor, there c
ould be no possible reason for your wandering about thecountry with two Spanish boys."
Sam thought for some time. "Now dat berry unlucky Massa Tom, dat Samplay big drum. Big drum fine music, but big drum not go well by self.If Sam had played fiddle, Sam could go, but Sam couldn't go nohow withbig drum."
"I should think not, Sam, with the name of the regiment painted on it.No, no, you must stay behind. There won't be any fighting now till thespring, and by that time we shall be back with the regiment."
"But what you do without Sam? who black Massa's boots? who brush hisclothes?"
Tom laughed. "These clothes would fall all to pieces, if they werebrushed much, Sam, and at present we have no boots to be blacked."
"Where you get dose clothes, Massa Tom," Sam asked, examining withgreat disgust the rags the boys had on.
"We bought some peasant's clothes about our size, and the first beggarboys we saw we offered to exchange. You should have seen their facesof astonishment. When we got the clothes we made them into a bundle,and took them to the bakehouse, and got the baker to put them intothe oven for a few hours to kill anything there might be in them.Now, Sam, it is time for us to be going. It will take us an hour'sscrubbing to get the color off us. Be sure you keep our secret."