by G. A. Henty
Chapter 16: Back With The Army.
Ryan remained four days in the flat occupied by Don AlonzoSantobel. Leon Gonzales had left, before daybreak, to regain thehouse where he was staying, with one of his friends, before thediscovery of the escape of a prisoner was made. The affair wascertain to cause great excitement, and there was no doubt thateveryone leaving the town would be strictly examined at the gatesand, not improbably, every house would be searched, and an orderissued that no one would be allowed to be out at night, after teno'clock, without a military pass. Three soldiers had been in turnassassinated, and one had deserted, a prisoner had been released;and there were evidently several persons concerned in the matter,and it would not improbably be guessed, by the authorities, thatthe actors in the plot were agents of the British officer incommand of the troops that had given them such trouble over thewhole province between Burgos and Salamanca.
Don Alonzo gave his manservant, on whose fidelity he could rely,permission to go into the country for ten days to visit hisrelations; and Ryan was installed in his place, and dressed in asuit of his clothes; but was not to open the door to visitors, theSpaniard himself doing so, and mentioning to those who called thathis servant had gone on his holiday. The French, indeed, instituteda strict search among the poorer quarters. But the men who hadaccompanied Don Leon were all dressed as villagers, who had comeinto the town from fear of being attacked by the guerillas andtheir allies and, as the people with whom they stayed all vouchedfor their story, and declared with truth that they were relatives,none of them were molested. For four days all persons passing outof the gates were examined but, at the end of that time, mattersresumed their ordinary course; and Don Leon and his followers allquitted the town soon after the market closed, carrying with themempty baskets, as if they were countrymen who had disposed of theproduce they had brought in.
Clothes of the same kind were procured for Ryan and, the day afterhis friends had left he, too, went through the gate, going out withseveral peasants who were returning home. One of Leon's followershad taken out his uniform in his basket; with a cloth thrown overit, on which were placed some articles of crockery which he hadapparently bought for his use at home. Ryan had been carefullyinstructed as to the road he should follow and, four miles out fromthe city, he turned down a by-path. He kept on for a mile and ahalf, and then came to a farmhouse, standing alone. As heapproached, Leon came out to meet him, and shook him warmly by thehand.
"I have been feeling very anxious about you," he said. "We gotthrough yesterday unquestioned, but the officer at the gate todaymight have been a more particular sort of fellow, and might havetaken it into his head to question any of those who came out. Theothers all went on at once, but we will keep quiet until nightfall.I left my horse here when I came in; which I could do safely, forthe farm belongs to me, and the farmer has been our tenant for thelast thirty years. There is a horse for you here, also.
"I have got the latest intelligence as to where the French arelying. They have a strong force at Tordesillas; but this won'tmatter to us, for I got a message from Moras, yesterday, sayingthat the hills are now all covered with snow, and that the wholeforce would march, today, for their old quarters in the valley nearMiranda. So we sha'n't have to cross the river to the north, butwill keep on this side and cross it at Miranda, or at some fordnear. The column that was operating round Zamora fell back behindthe Esla, a fortnight since; for four thousand of the Frenchreinforcements from the south had reached Zamora, and strongparties of their cavalry were scouting over the whole of thecountry round."
Ryan had already heard how the road between Valladolid and Burgoshad been interrupted, and several convoys cut off and captured. Hewas glad to find, however, that no serious fighting had taken placewhile he had been a prisoner.
After nightfall they started on their journey. They travelled sixtymiles that night. The farmer's son, a young fellow of twenty, whoknew the country thoroughly, accompanied them on horseback for thefirst twenty miles, to set them on their way. The road theyfollowed ran almost parallel to the Tormes, all the bridges overthat river being, as they learned, held by strong parties of Frenchtroops; posted there to prevent any bodies of the Spaniardscrossing it, and placing themselves between Salamanca and CiudadRodrigo.
When morning broke they were within five miles of the Douro, andentered the wood where they intended to pass the day, as they wereunaware whether any French troops were stationed along the river.Both were still dressed as countrymen, and Leon went in theafternoon to a little hamlet, half a mile from the wood. There helearned that 2000 French were encamped at a village, a mile fromthe bridge at Miranda. But one of the peasants, on Leon's tellinghim that he was a lieutenant of Moras, offered to guide them to aford, of whose existence he did not think the French were aware.
It was seldom used, as it could only be forded in very dry seasons;but as the water now was, it would only be necessary to swim theirhorses a distance of a few yards. The two friends slept a greatpart of the day and, as the sun set, finished the provisions theyhad brought with them, and were ready to start when, two hourslater, their guide arrived from the village. His information provedcorrect. He led them straight to the ford, which they foundunguarded and, rewarding him handsomely for his trouble, swamacross and, an hour later, entered Miranda and put up at a smallinn.
They mounted early the next morning and, in the afternoon, after athree hours' ride across the mountains, came down into the valley;where their arrival excited much enthusiasm among the troops, thegarrison having been joined by Macwitty's column.
"I cannot say that I was not expecting to see you, Captain Ryan,"Macwitty said, as he shook hands heartily; "for I heard, from thecolonel, that Don Leon had started with a party to try and get youout of prison, and that he was sure he would accomplish it, if itwere at all possible. I am expecting him here in a day or two, withthe rest of the regiment; for I had a message two days ago fromhim, saying that it was too cold to remain on the hills any longer,and that he should start on the day after the messenger left. Ofcourse the messenger was mounted; but our men can march as far, ina day, as a man can ride, and are sure to lose no time. They wouldtake the Leon road for some distance, then strike off and cross theupper Esla at Maylorga, follow the road down, avoiding Benavente,cross the Tera at Vega, take the track across the mountains, andcome down into the valley from above. He said that he should onlybring such stores as they would be able to carry on the march, andthat he hoped to get here before the French were aware that he hadleft the mountains."
Late in the afternoon Leon's followers arrived. They had travelledat night, so as to avoid being questioned by the French cavalry,who were scattered all over the country. Ryan was glad to see themen who had risked so much for him, and very pleased to be able toexchange his peasant's clothes for his uniform. The next morning,he and Leon mounted and rode by the track by which Terence wouldarrive, and met him halfway between Vega and the camp. The greetingwas a hearty one, indeed and, as Ryan shook hands with Moras, hesaid:
"I cannot tell you, senor, how much I am indebted to Don Leon forthe splendid way in which he managed my rescue. Nothing could havebeen more admirably contrived, or better carried out. It certainlyseemed to me, after I had been there a day or two, that a rescuewas simply impossible; though I knew that Colonel O'Connor would dohis best to get me out, as soon as he learned that I was captured."
"I gave you credit for better sense, Dick, than to ride right intothe hands of the French," Terence said, as he and Ryan rode ontogether at the head of the column.
"I think you would have done it yourself, Terence. The night wasdark, and I could not see ten yards ahead of me. If they had beenon the march, of course, I should have heard them; but by bad luckthey had halted just across the road I was following. It was veryfortunate that you put all the numbers wrong in your despatches,and I can tell you it was a mighty comfort to me to know that youhad done so; for I should have been half mad at the thought thatthey had got at your real strength, which would have
entirelydefeated the object of our expedition. As it was, I had thesatisfaction of knowing that the capture of the despatches would domore good than harm.
"Did the man who followed me get through?"
"Yes, he kept his eyes open, Dicky," Terence said. "He returned tendays later, with a letter from the adjutant general, saying thatthe commander-in-chief was highly satisfied with my reports; andthat the forward movement of the French had ceased and, at severalpoints, their advanced troops had been called in. Spies had broughtnews that ten thousand men, under General Drouet, had marched forSalamanca; and that reports were current in the French camp that avery large force had crossed the frontier, at the northeasterncorner of Portugal, with the evident design of recovering the northof Leon, and of cutting the main line of communication with France.
"He added that he trusted that I should be able to still furtherharass the enemy, and cause him to send more reinforcements. Hesaid that, doubtless, I should be very shortly driven back intoPortugal again; but that he left the matter entirely to myjudgment, but pointed out that, if I could but maintain myself foranother fortnight, the winter would be at hand; when the passeswould be blocked with snow, and Marmont could no longer think ofinvading Portugal in force. As it is now more than a month sincethat letter was written, and certainly further reinforcements havearrived, I think the chief will be well satisfied with what we havedone. I have sent off two letters since then, fully reporting onthe work we have been at between Burgos and Valladolid; but whetherthey have reached him, I cannot tell."
"Macwitty has one despatch for you. He tells me it came nearly afortnight ago; but that he had, at that time, been compelled tofall back behind the Esla; and that, as the country beyond swarmedwith parties of the French cavalry, he thought that no messengercould get through, and that great harm might result were thedespatches to fall into the hands of the enemy."
"Well, I daresay it will keep, Dick, and that no harm will havebeen done by my not receiving it sooner.
"Now, tell me all about your escape. Were you lodged in our oldconvent?"
"I had no such luck, Terence. I was in the city prison, in thecentre of the town; and my window, instead of looking out into thestreet, was on the side of the courtyard. The window was stronglybarred, no civilians were allowed to enter the prison, and I thinkthat even you, who have a sort of genius for escapes, would havefound it, as I did, simply impossible to get away."
"No, the lookout was certainly bad; and you had none of theadvantages we had, at Bayonne, of being guarded by friendlysoldiers. If I had, at Salamanca, not been able to make friendswith a Spanish girl--
"Well, tell me all about it."
Ryan gave full details of the manner in which Don Gonzales hadcontrived his escape.
"That was well managed, indeed," Terence said. "Splendidly done.Leon is a trump. He ought to have been born an Irishman, and tohave been in our regiment. I don't know that I can give him higherpraise than that."
On their arrival in the valley, they found that another courier hadreturned, half an hour before. Both despatches expressed thecommander-in-chief's extreme satisfaction with the manner in whichTerence had carried out his instructions.
"The employment of your force in cutting the main road betweenValladolid and Valencia, and between the latter place and Burgos;while at the same time you maintained a hold on the country southof the Douro, thus blocking the roads from Salamanca both to Zamoraand Valladolid, was in the highest degree deserving of commendation.The garrisons of all the towns named were kept in a state of constantwatchfulness, and so great was the alarm produced that anotherdivision followed that of Drouet. This has paralyzed Marmont. As snowhas already begun to fall among the mountains, it is probable that hewill soon go into winter quarters. Your work, therefore, may beconsidered as done and, as your position in the mountains must soonbecome untenable, it would be well if you, at once, withdraw all yourforces into Portugal."
Moras also received a despatch signed by Lord Wellington himself,thanking him warmly for the services he had rendered.
"I may say, sir, that yours is the first case, since I have had thehonour to command the British force in the Peninsula, that I havereceived really valuable assistance from a body of irregulartroops; and that I am highly sensible of the zeal and ability whichyou have shown in cooperating with Colonel O'Connor, a servicewhich has been of extreme value to my army. I must also express myhigh gratification, not only with the conduct of the men under yourcommand when in action, but at the clemency shown to Frenchprisoners; a clemency, unfortunately, very rare during the presentwar. I shall not fail to express, to the central Spanishauthorities, my high appreciation of your services. I have givenorders to the officer commanding the detachment of British troopsat Miranda that, should you keep your force together near thefrontier, he will, as far as possible, comply with any request youmay make for supplies for their use."
Moras was highly gratified with this despatch.
"I shall," he said, "stay in this valley for the winter; but Ishall not keep more than a hundred, or a hundred and fifty men withme. The peasants will disperse to their homes. Those remaining withme will be the inhabitants of the towns; who could not safelyreturn, as they might be denounced by the Spanish spies, in Frenchpay, as having been out with me. We have plenty of supplies storedup here to last us through the winter."
Terence at once sent off a report of his return, and anacknowledgment of the receipt of the despatches from headquartersand, the next day, in obedience to his orders, marched with hisregiment across the frontier, and established himself in Miranda.
The answer came in five days. It was brief.
"On receipt of this Colonel O'Connor will march, with the regimentunder his command, to Pinhel; and there report himself to GeneralCrawford."
Terence had ridden over, the afternoon before, to the valley; wherehe found that but two hundred of the guerillas remained. Fifty ofthese were on the point of leaving, the rest would remain withMoras through the winter.
On arrival at Pinhel after three days' marching, he reportedhimself to General Crawford. The general himself was absent but,from the head of his staff, he received an order on thequartermaster's department. Tents for his men were at once givenhim, and a spot pointed out for their encampment. Six regimentswere, he heard, in the immediate neighbourhood; and among them hefound, to his great joy, were the Mayo Fusiliers. As soon as thetents were erected, rations drawn, and a party despatched to obtainstraw for bedding from the quartermaster's department, Terence leftHerrara and the two majors to see that the troops were madecomfortable, and then rode over with Ryan to the camp of theFusiliers.
They were received with the heartiest welcome by the colonel andofficers; in whose ranks, however, there were several gaps, for theregiment had suffered heavily at Fuentes d'Onoro.
"So you have been taken prisoner again, Terence!" Captain O'Gradyexclaimed; "sure, it must be on purpose you did it. Anyone may gettaken prisoner once; but when it happens twice, it begins to lookas if he was fonder of French rations than of French guns."
"I didn't think of it in that light, O'Grady; but now you put itso, I will try and not get caught for the third time."
"We heard of your return, of course, and that you had gone straightwith your regiment to Miranda. We had a line from Dicky, the daybefore he started; and mighty unkind we have thought it that neitherof you have sent us a word since then, and you with nothing to do atall, at all; while we have been marching and countermarching, nowhere and now there, now backwards and now forwards, ever sinceFuentes d'Onoro, till one's legs were ready to drop off one."
"Give someone else a chance to put in a word, O'Grady," the colonelsaid. "Here we are, all dying to know how O'Connor slipped throughthe hands of the French again; and sorra a word can anyone get in,when your tongue is once loosened. If you are not quiet, I willtake him away with me to my own quarters; and just ask two or threemen, who know how to hold their tongue, to come up and listen tohis story."
"I will be
as silent as a mouse, colonel dear," O'Grady said,humbly; "though I would point out that O'Connor, being a colonellike yourself, and in no way under your orders, might take it intohis head to prefer to stop with us here, instead of going with you.
"Now, Terence, we are all waiting for your story. Why don't you goon?"
"Because, as you see, I am hard at work eating, just at present. Wehave marched twenty miles this morning, with nothing but a crust ofbread at starting; and the story will keep much better thanluncheon."
Terence did not hurry himself over his meal but, when he hadfinished, he gave them particulars of his escape from Salamanca,his journey down to Cadiz, and then round by Lisbon.
"I thought there would be a woman in it, Terence," O'Gradyexclaimed. "With a soft tongue, and a presentable sort of face, andimpudence enough for a whole regiment, it was aisy for you to putthe comhether on a poor Spanish girl, who had never had the goodluck to meet an officer of the Mayo Fusiliers before. Sure, I havealways said to meself that, if I was ever taken prisoner, it wouldnot be long before some good-looking girl would take a fancy to me,and get me out of the French clutches. Sure, if a young fellow likeyourself, without any special recommendations except a bigger shareof impudence than usual, could manage it; it would be aisy, indeed,for a man like meself, with all the advantages of having lost anarm in battle, to get round them."
There was a shout of laughter round the table, for O'Grady had, asusual, spoken with an air of earnest simplicity, as if thepropositions he was laying down were beyond question.
"You must have had a weary time at Miranda, since you came back,O'Connor," the colonel said, "with no one there but a wing of the65th."
"I don't suppose they were to be pitied, colonel," DoctorO'Flaherty laughed. "You may be sure that they kept Miranda lively,in some way or other. Trust them for getting into mischief of somesort."
"There is no saying what we might have done if we had, as yousuppose, been staying for the last two months at Miranda; but inpoint of fact that has not been the case. We have been across thefrontier, and have been having a pretty lively time of it--at leastI have, for Dick has spent a month of it inside a French prison."
"What!" the major exclaimed, "were you with that force that hasbeen puzzling us all, and has been keeping the French in such hotwater that, as we hear, Marmont was obliged to give up his idea ofinvading Portugal, and had to hurry off twenty thousand men, tosave Salamanca and Valladolid from being captured? Nobody has beenable to understand where the army sprung from, or how it wascomposed. The general idea was that a division from England musthave landed, at either Oporto or Vigo, or that it must have beenbrought round from Sicily; for none of our letters or papers said aword about any large force having sailed from England. Not a soulseemed to know anything about it. I know a man on Crawford's staff,and he assured me that none of them were in the secret.
"A French officer, who was brought in a prisoner a few days since,put their numbers down at twenty-five thousand, at least;including, he said, a large guerilla force. He said that Zamora hadbeen cut off for a long time, that the country had been ravaged,and posts captured almost at the gates of Salamanca; and thatcommunications had been interrupted, and large convoys capturedbetween Burgos and Valladolid; and that one column, five thousandstrong, had been very severely mauled, and forced to fall back.This confirmed the statements that we had before heard, from thepeasantry and the French deserters. Now there is a chance ofpenetrating the mystery, which has been a profound puzzle to ushere, and indeed to the whole army.
"The officer taken seemed to consider that the regular soldierswere Portuguese; but of course that was nonsense. Beresford'stroops were all with him down south and, as to any other Portuguesearmy, unless Wellington has got one together as secretly as he gotup the lines of Torres Vedras, the thing is absurd. Besides, whohad ever heard of Portuguese carrying on such operations as these,without having a lot of our men to stiffen them, and to set them agood example?"
Terence did not, at once, answer. Looking round the table he sawthat, in place of the expressions of amusement with which theprevious conversation had been listened to, there was now, on everyface, a deep and serious interest. He glanced at Ryan, who wasapparently absorbed in the occupation of watching the smoke curlingup from his cigar. At last he said:
"I fear, major, that I cannot answer your question. I may say thatI have had no specific orders to keep silence but, as it seems thatthe whole matter has been kept a profound secret, I do not thinkthat, unless it comes out in some other way, I should be justifiedin saying anything about it.
"I think that you will agree with me, Ryan."
Dick nodded.
"Yes, I agree with you that it would be best to say nothing aboutit, till we hear that the facts are known. What has been done once,may be done again."
"Quite so, Dick. I am glad that you agree with me.
"However, there can be no objection to your giving an account ofyour gallant charge into the middle of the French cavalry, and thestory of your imprisonment and escape.
"I am sure, colonel, that it will be a source of gratification toyou, to know that one of your officers dashed, single handed, rightinto the midst of a French squadron."
Ryan laughed.
"I am afraid the interest in the matter will be diminished,colonel, when I mention that the charge was executed at night, andthat I was ignorant of the vicinity of the French until I rode intothe middle of them."
There was again a general laugh.
"I was on my way with despatches for Lord Wellington," he went on,"when this unfortunate business happened."
"That was unfortunate, indeed, Ryan," the colonel said. "They didnot capture your despatches, I hope?"
"Indeed and they did, colonel. They had fast hold of me before Icould as much as draw my sword. They, however, gained very littleby them for, knowing that it was possible I might be captured, thedespatches had been so worded that they would deceive, rather thaninform, anyone into whose hands they might fall; though of course,I had instructions to explain the matter, when I delivered themsafely."
Then he proceeded to give a full account of his rescue from theprison of Salamanca. This was listened to with great interest.
"It was splendidly managed," the colonel said, when he had broughthis story to an end. "It was splendidly managed. Terence himselfcould not have done it better. Well, you are certainly wonderfullyhandy at getting into scrapes. Why, you have both been capturedtwice, and both times got away safely.
"When I gave you your commission, Terence, I thought that you andRyan would keep things alive; but I certainly did not anticipatethat you would be so successful, that way, as you have been."
"I have had very little to do with it, colonel," Ryan said.
"No, I know that at Athlone Terence was the ringleader of all themischief that went on. Still, you were a good second, Ryan; thatis, if that position does not really belong to O'Grady."
"Is it me, colonel?" O'Grady said, in extreme surprise, and lookinground the table with an air of earnest protest, "when I was alwayslecturing the boys?"
"I think, O'Grady, your manner of lecturing was akin to thewell-known cry:
"'Don't throw him into the pond, boys.'"
At this moment there was a sound of horses drawing up in front ofthe house.
"It is the general and his staff," one of the ensigns said, as heglanced through the window.
The table had been cleared, but there was a sudden and instant rushto carry away bottles and glasses to hiding places. Newspapers werescattered along the table and, when the door opened half a minutelater and the general entered, followed by his staff, the officersof the Mayo Fusiliers presented an orderly and even studiousappearance. They all rose and saluted, as the general entered.
"I hope I am not disturbing you, gentlemen," General Crawford saidgravely, but with a sly look of amusement stealing across hisrugged face; "I am glad to see you all so well employed. There isno doubt that the Irish regiments are greatly
maligned. On two orthree occasions, when I have happened to call upon their officers,I have uniformly found them studying the contents of thenewspapers. Your cigars, too, must be of unusually good quality,for their odour seems mingled with a faint scent of--what shall Isay? It certainly reminds me of whisky though, as I see, that mustbe but fancy on my part. However, gentlemen, I have not come in toinspect your mess room, but to speak to Colonel O'Connor," and helooked inquiringly round.
Terence at once stepped forward, and again saluted. The general,whom Terence had not before met, looked him up and down, and thenheld out his hand.
"I have heard of you many times, Colonel O'Connor. General Hill hastalked to me frequently of you and, not long since, when I was atheadquarters, Lord Wellington himself spoke to me for some timeabout you, and from his staff I learned other particulars. That youwere young, I knew; but I was not prepared to find one who mightwell pass as a junior lieutenant, or even as an ensign. This wasthe regiment that you formerly belonged to; and as, on sendingacross to your corps, I learned that you were here, I thought it aswell to come myself to tell you, before your comrades and friends,that I have received from headquarters this morning a request fromthe adjutant general to tell you personally, when you arrived, theextreme satisfaction that the commander-in-chief feels at theservices that you have rendered.
"When I was at headquarters the other day, I was shown the reportsthat you have, during the last six weeks, sent in; and am thereforein a position to appreciate the work you have done. It is not toomuch to say that you have saved Portugal from invasion, haveparalyzed the movements of the French, and have given to thecommander-in-chief some months in which to make his preparationsfor taking the field in earnest, in the spring.
"Has Colonel O'Connor told you what he has been doing?" he saidsuddenly, turning to Colonel Corcoran.
"No, general. In answer to our questions he said that, as it seemedthe matter had been kept a secret, he did not feel justified insaying anything on the subject, until he received a distinctintimation that there was no further occasion for remainingsilent."
"You did well, sir," the general said, again turning to Terence,"and acted with the prudence and discretion that has, with muchdash and bravery, distinguished your conduct. As, however, thearmies have now gone into winter quarters; and as a general orderwill appear, today, speaking of your services, and I have beencommissioned purposely to convey to you Lord Wellington's approval,there is no occasion for further mystery on the subject.
"The force whose doings have paralyzed the French, broken up theircommunications, and compelled Marmont to detach twenty thousand mento assist at least an equal force in Salamanca, Zamora, Valladolid,and Valencia, has consisted solely of the men of Colonel O'Connor'sregiment; and about an equal number of guerillas, commanded by thepartisan Moras. I need not tell you that a supreme amount ofactivity, energy, and prudence, united, must have been employedthus to disarrange the plans of a French general, commanding anarmy of one hundred thousand men, by a band of two battalions ofPortuguese, and a couple of thousand undisciplined guerillas. It isa feat that I, myself, or any other general in the British army,might well be proud to have performed; and too much praise cannotbe bestowed upon Colonel O'Connor, and the three British officersacting under his command; of all whose services, together withthose of his Portuguese officers, he has most warmly spoken in hisreports.
"And now, colonel, I see that there are on your mess table somedark rings that may, possibly, have been caused by glasses. These,doubtless, are not very far away, and I have no doubt that, when Ihave left, you will very heartily drink the health of your formercomrade--I should say comrades, for I hear that Captain Ryan isamong you.
"Which is he?"
Ryan stepped forward.
"I congratulate you also, sir," he said. "Colonel O'Connor hasreported that you have rendered great services, since you wereattached to him as adjutant; and have introduced many changes whichhave added to the efficiency and discipline of the regiment. Mystaff, as well as myself, will be very pleased to make the personalacquaintance of Colonel O'Connor and yourself, and I shall be gladif you will both dine with me today--
"And if you, Colonel Corcoran, will accompany them.
"Tomorrow I will inspect the Minho regiment, at eleven o'clock; andyou will then introduce to me your lieutenant colonel and your twomajors, who have all so well carried out your instructions."
So saying, he shook hands with the colonel, Terence, and Ryan and,with an acknowledgment of the salutes of the other officers, leftthe room with his staff.
"If a bullet does not cut short his career in some of his adventures,"he said to Colonel Corcoran, who had accompanied him, "O'Connor has anextraordinary future before him. His face is a singular mixture ofgood temper, energy, and resolute determination. There are manygallant young officers in the army, but it is seldom that recklessbravery and enterprise are joined, as in his case, with prudence and ahead to plan. He cannot be more than one-and-twenty, so there is nosaying what he may be, when he reaches forty. Trant is an excellentleader, but he has never accomplished a tithe of what has been done bythat lad."
The general having left the room, the officers crowded roundTerence. But few words were said, for they were still so surprised,at what they had heard, as to be incapable of doing more than shakehim warmly by the hand, and pat him on the shoulder. Ryan came infor a share in this demonstration.
The colonel returned at once, after having seen the general rideoff.
"Faith, Terence," he said, "if justice were done, they would makeme a general for putting you into the army. I have half a mind towrite to Lord Wellington, and put in a claim for promotion on thatground.
"What are you doing, O'Grady?" he broke off, as that officer walkedround and round Terence, scrutinizing him attentively, as if he hadbeen some unknown animal.
"I am trying to make sure, colonel, that this is really TerenceO'Connor, whom I have cuffed many a time when he was a bit of aspalpeen, with no respect for rank; as you yourself discovered,colonel, in the matter of that bird he fastened in the plume ofyour shako. He looks like him, and yet I have me doubts.
"Is it yerself, Terence O'Connor? Will you swear to it on thetestiments?"
"I think I can do that, O'Grady," Terence laughed. "You see, I havedone credit to your instructions."
"You have that. I always told you that I would make a man of you,and it is my instruction that has done it.
"How I wish, lad," he went on, with a sudden change of voice, "thatyour dear father had been here this day! Faith, he would have beena proud man. Ah! It was a cruel bullet that hit him, at Vimiera."
"Ay, you may well say that, O'Grady," the colonel agreed.
"Have you heard from him lately, Terence?"
"No, colonel. It's more than four months since I have had a letterfrom him. Of course, he always writes to me to headquarters but, asI only stopped there a few hours, on my way from Lisbon to join theregiment, I stupidly forgot to ask if there were any letters forme; and of course there has been no opportunity for them to beforwarded to me, since. However, they will know in a day or twothat I have arrived here, and will be sure to send them on, atonce."
"Now, let's hear all about it, O'Connor, for at present we haveheard nothing but vague rumours about the doings of this northernarmy of yours, beyond what the general has just said."
"But first, colonel, if you will permit me to say so," O'Grady putin, "I would propose that General Crawford's suggestion, as to thefirst thing to be done, should be carried out; and that the whiskykeg should be produced again.
"We have a good stock, Terence, enough to carry us nearly throughthe winter."
"Then it must be a good stock, indeed, O'Grady," Terence laughed."You see, the general was too sharp for us."
"That he was but, as a Scotchman, he has naturally a good nose forwhisky. He is a capital fellow. Hot tempered and obstinate as heundoubtedly is, he is as popular with his division as any generalout here. They know that, if there is a
ny fighting to be done, theyare sure to have their share and more and, except when roused, heis cheery and pleasant. He takes a great interest in his men'swelfare, and does all that he can to make them as comfortable aspossible; though, as they generally form the advanced guard of thearmy, they necessarily suffer more than the rest of us."
By this time the tumblers were brought out, from the cupboards intowhich they had been so hastily placed on the general's arrival.Half a dozen black bottles were produced, and some jugs of water,and Terence's health was drunk with all the honours. Three cheerswere added for Dicky Ryan, and then all sat down to listen toTerence's story.