 CHAPTER XIII. When Captain Nelson and Terrence went out, just as the morning was breaking, they found the two troopers waiting in the street. Each held a spare horse. The one was that upon which Terrence had ridden from Coimbra. The other was a fine English horse. What horse is this? Terrence asked. It is a present to you from Sir John Kredick, Captain Nelson said. He told me last night that the troopers have been ordered to ask for it when they took your horse this morning, and that his men were ordered to hand it over to them. He wished me to tell you that he had pleasure in presenting the horse to you as a mark of great satisfaction at the manner in which you had mastered the military details of Sir John Moore's expedition and the clearness with which you had explained them. I am indeed greatly obliged to the general. It is most kind of him, Terrence said. Would you please express my thanks to him in a proper way, Captain Nelson? They rode to the treasury where they found the Portuguese escort with the mules waiting them. The officer in charge of the treasury was already there and admitted the two officers. I have packed them in ammunition boxes, he said. I received instructions from Mr. Villiers to do so. It is evident that your words had some effect, Mr. O'Connor, Captain Nelson said, aside to Terrence. I suppose that when he thought it over he came to the conclusion that, after all, your suggestions were prudent ones and that it would add to the chance of the money reaching Romana were he to adopt it. I am glad that he did so, for had the money been placed on the ordinary chests and then brought to the barracks to be packed in ammunition cases, the Portuguese troopers would all have been sure of the nature of the contents, whereas now, whatever they may suspect, they cannot be sure about it because there is a large amount of ammunition stored in the same building. Some of the guards stationed in the treasury carried the chests out and assisted the mule tours to last them in their places. I cannot thank you too warmly, Captain Nelson, for the kindness that you have shown me, Terrence said. Not at all, that officer replied. I simply carried out the general's orders, and the duty has been a very pleasant one. No, I don't think I would mount that horse if I were you, he went on his Terrence's walk towards his acquisition. I would have him led as far as Coembra, well, you ride the horse you borrowed there, then he will be fresh for the further journey. That would be the best way no doubt, though our stages must all be comparatively short ones, only to our having mules with us. I should not press them if I were you, I don't suppose that it will make much difference whether Romana gets the money a few days sooner or later. None whatever I should say, Terrence laughed as he mounted his horse. Still, I do think that he will be able to gather a mob of peasants, of course being almost without arms, they will be of no use whatever for fighting. But they still may harass souls and communications, cut off stragglers, and compel him to move slowly and cautiously. Terrence now saluted the Portuguese officer, who said as he returned the salute, my name, senor, is Juan Herrara. And mine is Terrence O'Connor, senor. Our journey will be a somewhat long one together, and I hope that we shall meet with no adventures or accidents, by the way. I hope not, senor. My instructions are simple. I am to place myself under your orders, and to convey eight cases of ammunition to the northern frontier, and to follow the routes that you may point out. I was ordered also to pick the men who were to form the escort. I have done so, and I think I can answer that they can be lied upon to do their duty under all circumstances. Terrence now turned, and with a hearty farewell to Captain Nelson, rode on by the side of Lieutenant Herrara, the two British troopers followed them. The four mules with their two mule-tears kept close behind, and the twelve Portuguese troopers brought up the rear. It has a strong escort for four mules carrying ammunition, the Portuguese officer said with a smile. It may seem so, Terrence laughed, but you see the country, especially north of the Dorot, is greatly disturbed. Very much so, and I think that the precaution not has been taken is a very wise one. I have been informed what is really in the cases. Where I go in by myself with a sergeant and twelve men, I should say that to put the money in ammunition cases was not only absolutely useless, but dangerous. The disproportion between the force and the value of the ammunition would be so great that it would attract attention at once. But as you are with us, it is more likely to pass without observation. You are an officer of the staff of the English General. You have your own two order leads, and you are carrying dispatches. It is considered necessary that you should have an escort of our people. The cases in that event would seem to be of little importance, but to be simply traveling with us to have the advantage of the protection of our escort. You are quite right, Senior Herrara, and it would have been vastly better had the money been stolen sacks filled up with grain. Then they could follow a short distance behind us, and it was seen that they were simply carrying forage for our use on the road. That would have been much better, Senior. You might have done it at Torres Viedres. The money is in bags, each containing $200. There will be no trouble in transferring them to sacks filled with plenty of forage. Two of your soldiers have behind them a bundle or two of faggots, a basket of fowls, and other matters. These can be piled on top of the sacks, so that the fact that the principal loan was forage would hardly be noticed. You might mention to the mule-tears that I thought that it would be a considerable saving of weight if we use sacks instead of those heavy cases, and that the ammunition would travel just as well in the one as the other. We must arrange so that the mule-tears do not suspect anything. As a rule, Herala said, they are very trustworthy. They are scarcely a case known in which they have stolen goods and trusted to them, however valuable, but it would be easy to place a few packets of ammunition in the mouth of each sack, and call them in to cord them up firmly. The sight of the ammunition would go far to lessen any suspicions they might have. They reached Torres Viedres that night. Karen spoke to the officer in command there, and was furnished with the sacks he required, and enough forage to fill them. The boxes were put into a room in the barracks, and here Terence, with his two orderlies, opened the cases and transferred the bags of money to the center of the sacks. Two or three dozen packets of ammunition were obtained and a few put into the mouths of the sacks. These were left open and the room locked up, two of the Portuguese soldiers being left on guard before it. Terence and Lieutenant Herala were invited to dine at mess and had quarters assigned to them, and Terence, after dinner, again but much more briefly than before, gave the officers at the station a sketch of the retreat and battle. The next morning the mule-tears were called in to fasten up the sacks. At the suggestion of the officer in command, a tent was also taken. You may want it badly before you are done, he said. If I were you, I should always have it pitched, except when you are in a village, where you can have the sacks in its beds, and so keep them under your eye, and if, as you tell me, you were given out that they contained ammunition, it would seem but a natural step, as you were so able to keep it dry. The mules looked more heavily laden than upon the preceding day, but they were carrying no heavier burden. For the weight of the tent, its poles, the basket of fouls, Terence's valise, and other articles were considerably less than those of the eight heavy cases that had been left behind. The two officers now rode at the head of the detachment, and two only of the Portuguese soldiers kept in rear of the mules, which now followed at a distance of thirty or forty yards behind them. They stopped that night of Roliza and the next day at Lira. This was a long march, and a short one the next day brought them to Pumball, and the following afternoon they arrived at Coimbra. Here they spent another pleasant evening with the regiment stationed in the town. By the way, O'Connor, one of the officers said after the dinner was over and the cigars lighted, I suppose you don't happen to have any relations at Oporto. Why do happen to have some, Terence answered in some surprise. Why do you ask? Well, that is singular, the officer said. I will tell you how it happened. I was with the party that escorted the French prisoners down to Oporto. Just as we had got into town, it was before the roll began, and being early in the morning, there were very few people about. A head appeared out of window on the second floor of a big convent standing on the left side of the road. I remember the name was carved over the door. It was the convent of Santa Maria. I happened to catch sight of the nun, and she had once dropped a little letter which fell close to me. I picked it up and stuck it into my glove, and thought no more about it for a time. For the mob soon began to gather and yell and threaten the prisoners, and my hands were too full till we had got them safely on board a ship to think any more of the matter. When I took off my glove the letter fell out. It was simply addressed to an English officer. I, an English girl, and detained here, a prisoner, principally because my Spanish relations with deceased my property. I have been made a nun by force, though my father was a Protestant, and taught me his religion. I pray you to endeavour to attain my freedom. I am made most miserable here, and unkept in solitary confinement. I have nothing to eat but bread and water, because I will not sign a renunciation of my property. The bishop of Oporto has himself threatened me, and it is useless to appeal to him. Nothing but an English army being stationed here can save me, have pity upon me, and aid me. It was signed Mary O'Connor. Of course, no British troops have been there since, but if we are sent there, I have made up my mind to bring the matter before the general and ask him to interfere on the poor girl's behalf, though I know that it would be an awkward matter. For if there is one thing that the Portuguese are more touchy about than another, it is any interference in religious matters, and the bishop, who is a most intolerant rascal, would be the last man who would give way on such a subject. I have not the least doubt in the world, but that it is a cousin of mine, Terence said. Her father went on to join a firm of wine merchants in Oporto. I know that he married a very rich Portuguese heiress, and that they had one daughter. My father told me that he gathered from his cousin's letters that he and his wife did not get on very well together. He died two years ago, and it is quite possible that the mother, who may perhaps want to marry again, had shut up the girl in a convent to get rid of her altogether, and to make her sign a document renouncing her right to the property in favor of herself, or possibly, as the bishop seems to have met her in the affair, partly of the church. I quite see that nothing can be done now, but if we do occupy Oporto some day, which is likely enough, I will speak to the general, and if he says that it is a matter that he cannot entertain, I will see what I can do to get her out. It is awkward work, O'Connor, fooling with a nunnery either here or in Spain. Portuguese are not so bigoted as a Spaniers across the frontier, but there is not much difference, and if anyone is caught meddling with a nunnery, they would tear him to pieces, especially in Oporto, where men who are even suspected of hostility to the bishop are murdered every day. I don't want to run the risk of being torn to pieces, certainly, but after what you have told me of her letter, I will not let my little cousin be imprisoned all her life in a nunnery, and robbed of her property without making some strong effort to save her. I will give you the letter presently, O'Connor. I have it in a pocketbook at my quarters. By the by, how old is your cousin? About my own age or a little younger. The subject of the conversation was then changed, and half an hour later the officer left the room in return with the letter. At any rate, he said, if we do go to Oporto, you will have more opportunity for getting the general to move than I should. Terence had handed over the horse which he had borrowed, with many thanks for its use, and received his own again, which was in good condition after his rest of seven or eight days. It was by no means a valuable animal, but he thought it is well to take it on with him in case any of the other horses should meet with an accident or break down during the journey through the mountains. Kulumbra was the last British station through which they would pass, and the real difficulties of the journey would now begin. Terence had, before starting, received a sum of money for the maintenance of himself and his escort upon the way, and he had done all in his power to see that the troopers were comfortable at their various halting places. The journey, as far as the duro, passed without any adventure. They encountered on the road several bands of peasants armed with pikes, clubs, hoses, and a few guns. These were, for the most part, ordanakas or levies, called out when a larger force than the regular troops and militia was required. They were on their way to join the forces assembling under the edicts, and beyond pausing to stare at the British officer with the two dragoons behind him in an escort of their own troops, they paid no attention to the party. They crossed the duro as St. Joa de Pascaria, and on stopping at a large village some 10 miles beyond, founded occupied by a rebel of some 2,000 men, absolutely useless for service in the field, but capable of offering an obstinate defense to the passage of a river, or of impeding an enemy's advance through a mountain defile. As they stopped before the principal in, a man, dressed in some attempt at a uniform, came out from the door. You are British officer, sir? he asked Terence, raising his broad hat courteously. I am an officer of the English general's staff, and am proceeding on a mission from him to the northern frontier to ascertain the best means of defense, and the route that the enemy are most likely to move by if they attempt to invade Portugal from that direction. The French general would highly venture to do that, the officer said disdainfully, when there will be fifty thousand Portuguese to bar his way. He may be an ignorance of the force that will gather to meet him, Terence said gravely and with difficulty restraining the smile at the confident tone of this leader of an armed mob. However, I have my orders to carry out. Do you not think, he said turning to Herada, that it will be better for us to go on to the next hamlet, if there is one within two or three miles? I feel there is little chance of attaining any accommodation for our men here. There is no need for that, the Portuguese colonel broke in. There is a large house at the end of the village, that it is at present vacant, the proprietor who was the disturber of the peas, and who belonged to the French faction with kin last week in the course of the disturbance created by him. I, as commissioner of the junta here, had the house closed up, but it is quite at your service. As the march had already been a long one, Terence thought it best to accept the offer. The colonel called a man who presently brought a key and accompanied them to the house in question. It showed signs at once of mob violence. The snow in the garden was trampled down, the windows broken, and one of the lower ones smashed in, as if an entry had been affected here. The door was riddled with bullet holes. Upon this being opened, the destruction within was seen to be complete, rooms being strewn with broken furniture and litter of all sorts. At any rate, there is plenty of firewood, the lieutenant said, as he ordered his men to clear out one of the rooms. There has been destiny work here. He went on as the man who brought the key left the place. Yes, I have no doubt the proprietor, whoever he was, has been thoroughly murdered, and is likely as not by the orders of that fellow we met, who says he is the commissioner of the junta. I should not be surprised if we have trouble with him before we are done. I should think, Herrara, that you had better send off a couple of men to get what they can in the way of provisions and a skin of wine. This is a cheerless looking place, and these broken windows are not much use for keeping out the cold. Bull, you had better see if you could find something among all this rubbish to hang up in front of the window, for in his present state it merely creates a draught. The orderly went out in return with two torn curtains. There has been some bad work going on here, sir, he said. There are pools of blood in three of the rooms upstairs, and it is evident that there has been a desperate struggle. One of the doors is broken in, and there are several shot holes through it. I am afraid there has been bad work. I suppose the man here was obnoxious to somebody, so they murdered him. However, it is not our business. Some of the horses were stabled in a large shed, the others in the lower rooms of the house. The soldiers and mule-tears taking possession of the large kitchen, where they soon had a huge fire burning. The windows on this side of the house were unbroken. The two orderly soon fastened up the curtains across the windows of the officer's room, and when the fire was lighted it had a more cheerful aspect. The burdens of the mules were brought into the room opposite, where there was a key in the door and barged across the windows. Presently the soldiers returned with some meat, a couple of fowls, bread, and some wine, together with a bunch of candles. The fowls were soon plucked, cut in two, and grilled over the fire, and in a quarter of an hour after the man's return the two officers sat down to supper. The meal was just finished when there was a knock at the outer door, and the soldier acting as sentry came in and said that Colonel Cortingo's desired to speak to them. I suppose that as the fellow we saw in town, Terence said, show him in. The supposition was a correct one, for the man entered, accompanied by two others. Terence had no doubt that this fellow was the author of the attack upon the house, and the murderer of the proprietor and others. He did not feel disposed to be exceptionally civil to him, but as he had a couple of thousand men under his command, and had certainly put the only available place in the village at their disposal, he rose as he entered. These two gentlemen, the Colonel began, form, with myself, the committee appointed by the junta of a portal, to organize the national resistance here, and in the surrounding neighborhood, to keep our eye upon persons suspected of being favorable to the enemy, and to rest and send them to a portal for trial. We are also enjoying to make close increase into the business of all persons who may pass through here. I have already told you, Terence, quietly, that I am an officer on the staff of the English General, and that I have a mission from him to see what are the best means of defending the northern passes, and I, and, I may add, to enter into such arrangements as I may think proper with the leaders of any bands who may be gathered for the purpose of defending them. As I am acting under the direct orders of the general, I in no way recognize the right of any local authority to interfere with me in any way. And I, Lieutenant Herala, have been ordered by the Colonel of my regiment to command the escort of Portuguese cavalry told off to accompany this British officer, and also feel myself free from any interference or examination by civilians. I am a colonel, Cortino said angrily, by whom appointed, if I may ask, by the junta of a portal. I was not aware that they possessed the right of granting high commissions, Herala said, although, of course, they can grant temporary rank to those who command irregular forces. This British officer has assured you as to the object of his journey, and unless that object had the approval of the military authorities at Lisbon, he would not have been furnished with an escort by them. I have only his word, and yours I said that, Cortino said insolently. I am acting under the orders of the supreme authority of this province. You are doing your duty, no doubt, the Lieutenant said, in making these inquiries. This officer has answered them, and I will answer any further questions if I can serve them to be reasonable. We wish in the first place, Cortino said, to examine any official passes that you may have received. To examine any official passes you may have received. Our official passes are our uniforms, Herala replied, hotly. Uniforms have been useful for purposes that disguise before now, Cortino's replied. I again ask you to show me your authority. Here is an authority, Terence Broken. Here is a dispatch from General Sir John Craddock to General Romana. Ah, ah, a Spaniard! A Spanish general of Marquis and Grandi of Spain who has been fighting the French, and who is now with a portion of his army preparing to defend the passes in the Portugal. Cortino's held out his hand for the paper, but Terence put it back again into the breast pocket of his uniform. No, sir, he said. The communication is for the Marquis of Romana, and for him only. No one else touches it so long as I am alive to defend it. The Colonel whispered to his two associates. We will let that pass for the peasant, he replied, and turning to Terence again said, in the next place we wish to know the nature of the contents of the sacks that are being carried by the mules and accompanying you. They contain ammunition and forage for our horses, Lieutenant Herala said. You can, if you choose, question the mule-tears who fastened up the sacks and had an opportunity to see in the ammunition. In the name of the junta I demand that ammunition, with an air of authority. It is monstrous that ammunition should be taken to Spaniards, who have already shown that they are incapable of using it with any effect, while here we have loyal men ready to die in our country's defence, but altogether unprovided with ammunition. For that, sir, you must apply to your junta, since they give you orders. Let them give you ammunition. There is enough in a portal to supply the whole population, had they arms, and you may be assured that I and my men will see that the convoy, entrusted to our charge, reaches its destination. I believe that there is not only ammunition, but money in those sacks, said Cortingos. It would be an act of treachery to allow it to pass, when, even if not taken to them directly, it might fall into the hands of the French. It is needed here. My men like shoes and clothes, and as you say the object of your mission is a sea to the defence of our frontier, any money you may have cannot be better applied than to satisfy the necessities of my soldiers. However, we do not wish to take steps that might appear unfriendly, and therefore, if you allow us to inspect the contents of those sacks, we will let you pass on if we find that they contain no money, confiscating only the ammunition for the use of the troops of the province. I refuse absolutely, Herrala said, to allow anything confided to my charge to be touched. That is your final decision, the man said with a sneer. Final and absolute! I also shall do my duty, and then, without another word, the Colonel with his two associates left the house. We shall have trouble with that fellow, Herrala said. So much the better, Terrence replied. We have evidence here that the scoundrel is a murderer. No doubt he had some private enmity against the owner of this establishment, and so denounced them to the junta, and then attacked the place, murdered him, and perhaps some of his servants, and sacked the house. They won't find it so easy a job as it was last time. All the windows are barred, and there are only three on this floor to defend. The shutters of two of them are uninjured, so it is only the one where they broke in before that they can attack, where a man at the windows upstairs will make it hot for them as they approach. But I should hardly think that the men he calls soldiers will venture to attack a party of regular troops. The lieutenant shrugged his shoulders. He would tell them some lies, probably assert that we are French agents in disguise taking money to the French army. Indeed, there is neither order nor discipline among these bands, and rouse to a pitch of fury they will murder their own leaders as readily as anyone else. The junta acts as if the province were altogether independent, and numbers of men of position have been butchered on the pretense of their being adherents of the French. When their sole crime was that they disapprove of the doings of the bishop and his tools, you will see that the night will not pass off without something happening. Of course, I shall be sorry to have to order the men to fire. In the first place, it would render it very difficult for us to resume our journey, and in the second, if we succeed in getting out alive, they will send a line account of the affair to Lisbon, and there will be all sorts of trouble. Still, of course, if they attack the house, we shall defend ourselves. Two officers then made a tour of the house and carefully examined the means of defense. The broken shutters were replaced in their position in the window, and were backed with a pile of the fragments of furniture. The horses were all brought in from the shed outside. The soldiers were warned that the mob in the place were likely to attack them, and four of them were placed as sentries at the upper windows, and, by the looks of the men when the lieutenant made the communication to them, Terrence saw that they could be relied upon. I have no doubt that we shall be able to defend the place successfully, Terrence said to the two British strippers, but if the worst comes to the worst, we will all mount inside the house, throw open the door behind, and then go right at them, but I hope that we shall avoid a fight, for if we have one, it will be very difficult for us to make our way to the north, or to get back across the duro. In an hour, one of the sentries at the upper window brought news that a large number of men were approaching. Terrence once gave some orders that he and the lieutenant had agreed upon to the two soldiers, and four of the Portuguese strippers, and then went up with the lieutenant to the window over the door. He threw it open just as the crowd of men poured into the garden in front. What is it, he asked, what do you want? At a man entrance to this house in the name of the junta of a portal, a voice which he recognized as that of Cortingo's replied, if that is refused, I shall denounce you as traitors of Portugal, and your blood will be on your own heads. We respect the orders of the junta, her honor replied, and are ready to open the door as you deem out, but I must first be assured that it is really the committee appointed by the junta that demanded. Several of the men had torches and these were brought forward, and they saw the man and his two associates standing in front. Good, I will open the door, the lieutenant said, and he and Terrence went down. The bars were removed and the door thrown open. The two officers walked a few paces outside and then halted, followed closely by their armed followers, the three men approached, confident in the strength of their following. Enter, gentlemen, Terrence said. I protest against this invasion by force, but I cannot oppose it. The three men entered the door, the two officers standing aside and allowing them to pass. The instant the three Portuguese had entered, Terrence and the lieutenant threw themselves suddenly upon those following them. Two or three rolled over with the suddenness of the assault, and the rest recoiled a step or two. Before they could recover themselves, Herrara and Terrence dashed through the door, which was slammed to and barred by the two English troopers. Meanwhile, the three men had been seized by the Portuguese troopers, their coats torn off them, and their hands tied behind their backs, and then they were hurried upstairs. Yells of fury filled the air outside, shots were fired at the windows, and men began to beat the door and shutters with bludgeons and hatchets. Suddenly a light appeared from the window above, and courtingals and his two friends were seen standing there. By the side of each stood a trooper, holding a rope with a noose around the prisoner's necks. For a moment there was a silence of stupification outside, followed by a yell of fury from the mob. Herrara went through the window and shouted, My friends! Again there was a moment of silence as each wanted to hear what he said. My friends! At the first shot that is fired, or the first blow that is struck at the doors of this house, these three men will be hung out of the window. They have deceived you grossly. I am an officer of the National Army. These troopers are men of the 2nd Portuguese Dragoons. We have been appointed by the military authorities of Lisbon to escort this British officer, who is on the staff of the British General, and whose commission is to make arrangements with the Spanish General Romana to harass the rear of the French and attack their convoys should they attempt to enter the northern passes. These three scoundrels have deceived you, in order, as I hoped, to obtain some money that they believed thus to be escorting. As loyal Portuguese, I warn you against attempting to aid the fellows in a deed which would bring disgrace upon the national name, and would result in the British General refusing to assist in the defence of your country. You are brave men, but you see these three cowards are trembling like children. We advise you to appoint fresh officers among yourselves, and to remain faithful to your duty, which is to march in order to the defence of the defiles. These three fellows we shall take with us. And we'll see that they do not further deceive you. Already they have done harm enough by goading you to theft, and to murder a man whose only fault was that he was more patriotic than they are. Be assured that in no case would you be able to carry this house. It is defended by sixteen well-armed men, and hundreds of you would throw your lies away in the attempt. Therefore I advise you to go back to your quarters, and in the morning assemble and choose your officers. The crowd stood irresolute. Tell them the go you cur! Harata said to Cortingos, standing back from the window and giving him a kick that almost sent him on his face. Tell them to disperse at once, if you don't want to be dangling from the end of this rope. Cortingos stepped forward, and an equivering voice told the men to disperse to their quarters. We have made a mistake, he said. I am now convinced that these officers are what they appear to be. I beseech you, do not cause trouble and disperse at once, quietly. Hoots the derision and scorn rows from the peasants. I have a good mind to fire a shot before I go! One of the peasants shouted, just for the pleasure of seeing three such cowards hung. Another yellow disgusts an anger of a rose, and then the crowd melted away. Keep these three fellows at the window, remove the rows from their necks, and take your place behind them. You will be relieved every hour. If they move, bayonet them at once. We shall die of cold, well the men whimpered. That would be a more honorable death than you are likely to meet, Terrence had scornfully. I fancy, if I don't hang you, those men in the village will do so if they can lay their hands on you. How about the sentries, sir? The corporal of the escort asked Herrera as they went downstairs. They can all be removed except the one keeping guard over these men. He used to be relieved every hour, and one inside the door. He can be relieved every two hours. The night passed quietly. Just as they were preparing to start next morning, the soldier on guard over the prisoner shouted, There is a crowd of men coming! Get your arms ready, Herrera said to the escort. I don't think there will be any occasion to use them. Terrence went to the door. Bull, do you and McWitty keep close behind? But whatever happens, don't use your weapons, unless I order you to do so. The crowd stopped at the gate, two of them only coming forward. We are ready to fight, sir, one of them said, addressing Terrence. But we have no officers, none of us know anything about drill. We will follow you, if you will command us, and you will find that we won't turn our backs to the enemy. We know that English officers will fight. Wait a minute or two, Terrence said after a moment's hesitation. I will then give you my answer. Herrera had followed him out and heard the offer. I don't know what to do, Herrera, Terrence said as he entered the house. My instructions are to join Romana and to remain with him for a time, sending word to Lisbon as to the state of things, and aiding him in any way in my power. Here are between two and three thousand stout, healthy fellows, evidently disposed to fight. If they were armed, I would not hesitate a moment, but I don't suppose that there are a hundred muskets among them, and certainly Romana has none to give them. Still, in the defiles we might give a good deal of trouble to the French by rolling souls down, breaking up bridges, and that sort of thing. It would be good fun, Herrera laughed. As for myself, he said, I have orders to return as soon as I have seen the treasure safely in Romana's camp. If it hadn't been for that, I should have liked nothing better, though there would not have been much chance for cavalry work in these defiles. I will talk to them again, Terrence said. It's not often that one gets the chance of an independent command. It is just a sort of work I should like. He went out again. I should like to command a number of brave fellows, he said, but the question is about arms. There have been any quantities sent out by England for your use, but instead of being served out, the Hunters keep them all hidden up in magazines, even now when the French are going to evade your country. They still keep them locked up, and send you out with only pikes and stays to fight against a well-armed army. It is nothing short of murder. Down with the Hunters! cried half a dozen of the men standing near enough to hear what was said. I don't say down with the Hunters, Terrence replied, but I do say take arms if you can get them. Are there any magazines near here? There is one at Castro, ten miles away, the man said. I know that there are wagon loads of arms there. Well, my friends, the matter stands thus. I, as a British officer, cannot lead you to break open magazines. But I say this, if you choose to go in a body to Castro and do it yourselves, and arm yourselves with all the muskets that you can find there, and bring with you a good store of ammunition and cards that you could take with you from here, and then come to me at a spot where I will halt tonight five or six miles beyond Castro. I will take command of you. But mind, if I command, I command. I must have absolute obedience. It is only by obeying my orders without question that you can hope to do any good. The first man who disobeys me, I shall shoot on the spot, and if others are disposed to support him, I shall leave you at once. I will consult the others, the man said. Many of us, I know, will be glad to fight under an English officer, and agree to obey you implicitly. Very well, I will give you a quarter of an hour to decide. Before that time had elapsed, a dozen men came to the door with the principal's spokesman. We have made up our minds, senor. We will follow you, and we will arm ourselves of Castro. It is a sin that the arms should be lying there idle with so many hands ready to use them. Now my first order is that you wait until I have been gone an hour. Then, that you form up a military order for a breast, the man with guns in front, the others after them. You must go as soldiers, not as a mob. You must march into Castro peacefully and quietly. Now the man must struggle from the ranks. You must go to the authorities and demand the arms and ammunition. If they refuse to give them to you, march, always in regular order, to the magazines, and burst it open. Then distribute the muskets and a hundred rounds of ammunition to each man having one. Take the rest of the stores and carts, and then march away along the road north until you come to the place where we are halted. Observe the most perfect order in Castro. If any man plunders or meddles in any way with the inhabitants and is reported to me, I shall know how to punish him. From the moment that you leave this place, remember that you are soldiers of Portugal, and you must behave so as to be an honor to it, as well as a defense. Now let us all shout VIVA PORTUGAL! A great shout followed the words, and then Terence went indoors, and five minutes later started with his convoy, telling the three prisoners that they could go where they liked. CHAPTER XIV An Independent Command As they left the village, the Portuguese lieutenant burst into a sudden fit of laughter. What is it, lieutenant? Terence asked. I am laughing at the way in which you, who, as you tell me, have only been six months in the army, without hesitation, organized what is really arising against the authorities, you having already taken representatives of the junta prisoners. Yes, but you must remember that they took upon themselves to endeavor to forcibly possess themselves of the treasure in my charge. That is true enough. Still, you did capture them. You treated them with considerable personal indignity, imprisoned them, and threatened their lives. Then you incite, say, twenty-five hundred ordinacas to break open magazines. No, no, lieutenant, I did not incite them. You will remember they expressed a desire to march under my command to fight against the French. I simply pointed out to them that they had no arms, and asked if they could get any, and hearing that there were plenty lying useless a few miles away suggested that those arms would do more good in their hands than stowed away in magazines. Upon their agreeing with me on this head, I advised them to proceed in a quiet and orderly way, and to have no rioting or disturbance of any sort. I said that if they, after arming themselves, came to me and still wished to follow me, I would undertake to command them. You see, everything depends upon the manner in which the thing is put. But you must remember, senor, that the junta would naturally view the matter in a light in which their representatives would place it before them. I think it unlikely, Terrence replied, that they will have any opportunity of doing so. I took care that they were removed from the window before I met the deputies of the men. They will consequently be unaware of the arrangements made, and will perhaps go out as soon as we have left and try to persuade the men to follow and attack us. As it was possible that they might take this course, I took the precautions sending out one of the mule-tears, with instructions to mention casually to the men that I was leaving the three fellows behind me, and that it might be as well for them to confine them under a guard so as to prevent their going to a porto at present and making mischief. I agree with you, senor, that they are certainly not likely to make any report as to the proceedings here. I fancy not. In fact, I should not be at all surprised if, at the present moment, they are hanging from the windows of the house of the man they caused to be murdered. They will most richly deserve their fate, and it may save us some trouble. No doubt the junta will hear some day that the ordenagas here rose, killed the three members of their committee, obtained arms at Castro, and marched into the mountains. The junta will care nothing whatever for the killing of his three agents, plenty of men of the same kind be found to do their work. That the mule-tears afterwards fell in with the British officer and placed themselves under his command would not concern the junta one way or the other, and they will certainly be a great deal more useful in that way than they would be in remaining unarmed here. They may even, when the French once get emotion, come to regard the affair altogether as satisfactory. If all the new levies were to act in exactly the same way, Portugal would be very materially benefited. But how are you going to defeat them? That is a rather serious question. I suppose they will have to be fed in the same way as other irregular bands. However, I shall consider myself fully justified in devoting a fifth of the money I am carrying to that purpose. I attain from Villiers 5,000 pounds to enable Romana to support the levies he is raising. Those levies will be for the most part unarmed, and therefore practically useless. And as these Portuguese will be at any rate fairly armed, and are likely to be of very much greater service than a horde of Galatian peasants, a portion at least of the money can be very much more usefully employed in feeding them than were it all given to Romana. I have no doubt whatever that when I explain the circumstances to General Craddock, he will entirely approve of my appropriating a small portion of the money that Villiers has chosen to throw away on Romana. When you return, I shall get you to carry a report from me to the General stating what I have done. I have no doubt he will warmly approve of it. On approaching Kestrel, they made a detour to avoid the town. There may be more representatives of the junta there, Terence said, and we may have even more trouble with them than we had with the last. I don't want any more bother, especially as I have much greater interest in the money now than I had before. I have not a shadow of belief in those bands of Portuguese peasants, but I do think that with the aid of my two troopers, I shall be able to lick these fellows into some sort of shape, and to annoy Solt if I cannot stop him. I hope they will find a good supply of powder besides the Muskinson ammunition at Kestrel. We shall want it blowing up bridges and work of that sort. I wish I could go with you, Herrada said. I really don't see why you should not. I would take the blame on my own shoulders. One of your troopers could carry my report to the General, and I will say that under the circumstances I have taken upon myself to retain you with me in order to assist me in drilling and organizing this band, conceiving that your services with me will be very much more useful than with your regiment. You see, you were placed under my orders so that no blame can fall upon you for obeying them, and at any rate you certainly will be doing vastly better services to the country than if you were stationed at Lisbon, with no prospect of an advance for a long time to come. Still, of course, I will not retain you against your will. I should like it of all things, Herrada said, but do you really think that the General would approve? I have not the least doubt that he would, and at any rate, if he did not, he would only blame me and not you. Your help would certainly be invaluable to me, and so would that of your men. They are all picked soldiers, and if we divided the force up into twelve companies, they would very soon teach them as much drill as is necessary for work like this. Each trooper will command one of the companies. My two orderlies would act as field officers. You would be colonel, and I should be political officer in command. Herrada burst into a fitted laughter. You are the strangest fellow I ever meant, sir. Here is a very serious business, and you take it as easily as if it were a game of play. However, it does seem to me that we might do some good service. At any rate, I am quite willing to obey your orders. It would be an adventure to talk of all one's life. That is right, Terence said, and there will be some credit to be gained too. Indeed, we can safely say that our band will be very much better organized than nineteen out of twenty of the irregular bands. The track they followed was a very bad one, and the point at which they regained the main road was eight miles north of Castro. There was a small village here, and they had once halted. Although they had traveled slowly, they knew that the man could not come along for some time, as they were not to start until an hour after them, and would be detained for some considerable time at Castro. It was indeed nearly three hours before a column marching in good order was seen coming along the road. That is a good sign, Terence said. They have obeyed orders strictly, whether they have got the arms I cannot tell yet. The men at the head of the column have certainly muskets, but as the armed men were to go in front, that is no proof. However, as the column approached, it could be seen that at any rate a very considerable number were armed. We had better form them up as they come, Herrara, if the head of the column stops, it will stop them all, and then there will be confusion. The road to the village was wide. When a hundred ranks had passed, they were halted, faced round, and marched forward, and so they continued until the village was filled with a dense mass of men, twenty deep. Terence observed with satisfaction that they had with them six bullet carts filled with ammunition cases, spare muskets, and powder barrels. The men who had first spoken to Terence had headed the column, and these had stopped by his side as the others marched in. You have succeeded, I see, he said. I hope that you were unable to accomplish it without violence. They were too much surprised to offer much resistance. Five fellows who said that they were the committee appointed by the junta, came to us and told us that unless we dispersed at once, we should be severely punished. We told them that we had come out of our homes at the orders of the junta, but that as the junta had not supplied us with arms, we had come for them, as we were not going to fight the French with nothing but sticks. They then threatened us again, and we told them that if they handed us from defending the country, we should hang them at once, and as they saw we meant it, they went quietly off to their homes. Then we broke down the door of the magazine. We found four thousand muskets there. Each man took one, and we left the remainder and enough ammunition for them, and had brought the rest here together with a hundred spare muskets. We have observed excellent order, and no one was hurt or alarmed. The only men who left the ranks were scored and went round to the baker's shops by my orders, and bought a ball of bread and a place. We found a bag with a thousand dollars at the quarters of courting-goes. What became of him and his two associates? They had the impudence to come out and harangue us when you had gone, but we tied them out to the branch of a tree, so there is an end to them. And a very fitting end, too, Terence said. What have you done with the money? The bag is in the cot, senor. You had better appoint four of your number as treasurers. I would rather not touch it. You must be as careful as you can, and spend it only on the barest necessities of life. We shall have few opportunities of buying things in the mountains, but when we do come upon them, they must be paid for. Of course, we shall go no further tonight. How many men have you? About two thousand five hundred, senor. They must be towed off into twelve companies. That will be two hundred ten to each company. I shall appoint one of these soldiers to each company to drill and command it. I propose that each company shall elect its other officers. Lieutenant Harada, under my orders, command the regiment. The two English soldiers with me will each take command of six companies. The first thing to be done is to tell off the men into companies. This we will at once do. After that they can be marched just outside the village, and each company will then fall out and elect its officers. When that is done, the men will be quartered in the village. I have set apart one room in each house for the inhabitants, and the men must pack as tightly as they can into the others. And, of course, the sheds and stables must also be utilized. With the assistance of the troopers, the work of dividing the force up into companies was accomplished in an hour. Harada then called his men to him. You will each take the command of a company, he said, and drill them and teach them the use of their arms. This force is now under the command of this British officer. Acting under his orders, I take the command of the force under him. So long as we are out, you will each act as captains of your companies, and your British comrades will act as field officers, each taking the command of six companies. We are going to hinder the advance of the French, and to cut their communications with Spain. It will be a glorious and most honorable duty, and rely most implicitly on your doing your best to make the men under your command fit to meet the enemy. Captain Juan Sanchez, you will take the first company, and so he allotted each to his command. The soldiers saluted gravely, but with an air of delight. You will, in the first place, march your men to various spots around the village. They will then fall out and select six officers each. You will see that each man knows the number of his company so that they can fall in without hesitation as soon as the order is given. While you are away, we shall examine the houses in a lot so many to each company. In the meantime, Terrence had been similarly instructing the two orderlies, although standing in detention, a broad grin of amusement stole over their faces as he went on. I did not expect this any more than you did, he said, but my orders were open once, and were to assist General Romana in hindering the advance of the French, and I think that I cannot do so better than by augmenting his forces by 2,500 well-armed men. I greatly rely upon you to assist me in the work. You will, as you see, each occupy the position as field officers, while the Portuguese troopers will each have the command of a company. In order to support your authority, I shall address you each as major, and you can consider that you hold that rank as long as we are out with this force. I have seen enough of you both to know that you will do your duty well. You will understand that this is going to be no child's play. It will be a dangerous service. I shall spare neither myself nor any under my command. There will be lots of fighting and opportunities for you to distinguish yourselves, and I hope that I shall be able to speak in high terms of you when I send in my report to General Craddock. We will do our best, sir. Andrew McWitty said. How are we to address you? I shall keep to Mr. O'Connor, and shall consider myself a political officer with supreme military authority. Your titles are simply for local purposes, and to give you authority among the Portuguese. We don't know enough of the lingo to get the words of command, sir, William Bull said. That will not matter. The Portuguese Dragoons would teach them as much drill as it is necessary for them to know. If you have to post them in a position, you could do that well enough by signs, but at the same time it is most desirable that you should both set to work in earnest and try to pick up a little of the language. You both know enough to make a start with, and if you ride every day with one or other of the captain's accompanies, and when they are drilling the men, stand by and listen to them. You will soon learn enough to give the men the necessary orders. As a rule, the two wings will act as separate regiments. Each of them is rather stronger than that of a line regiment at its full war strength, and it will be more convenient to treat them as separate regiments, and until we get to the frontier, march them a few miles apart. In this way, they can occupy different villages and attain better accommodation than if they were all together. They have money enough to buy bread and wine for some time. You and the captain's under you have better each form a sort of mess. You will of course draw rations of bread and wine, and I will provide you with money to buy a sheep occasionally or some fowls to keep you in meat. The two troopers walk gravely away, but as soon as they were at a little distance, they turn around the corner of a house and burst into a shadow laughter. How are you finding yourself today, Major McWitty? Just first wait, and how is yourself, Major Bull? And they again went off into another shadow laughter. This is a rum start, and no mistake, McWitty. Aye, but it is not an unpleasant one, I reckon. Mr. O'Connor knows what he is about, though he is little more than a laddie. The orderly, who brought our orders out to go with him, said that he had learned from one of the General's mess-waters that the General and the other officers were saying that the young officer had done something quite out of the way, and were paying him compliments on it, and the General had put him on his own staff in consequence, and was saying something about his having saved the wing of his regiment but being captured by the French. The man had not heard at all, but just crept as he went in and out of the room with wine, but he said it seemed something out of the way and mighty creditable. And now, what do you think of this affair, Ambul? There is one thing, and that is that there is like to be, as he said, plenty of fighting, for I should say that he is just a sort of fellow to give us a chance of it, and I do think that these Portuguese fellows really mean to fight. I think that myself, but there is no answer for these brown-skinned chaps. Still, maybe it is the fault of the officers as well as the men. It will be a rare game anyhow, McWhitty. At any rate, I will do my best to get the fellows into order. He is a fine young officer, and a thorough gentleman, and make no mistake. He goes about it all as if he had been accustomed to command two regiments all his life, and these Portuguese fellows seem to have taken to him wonderfully. At any rate, it will be a thing for us to talk about all our lies, how we were majors for a bit, and fought the French on our own account. Yes, if we get home to tell about it, McWhitty said cautiously, I didn't think we can reckon much on that. It is a desperate sort of a business, and he is all we're young to command. I would rather have a young officer than an old one, bullshit carelessly, and though he is Irish, I feel sure that he has got his head screwed on the right way. Look how well he managed last night. Why an old general could not have done better. If he hadn't caught those three fellows in a trap, I doubt whether we should have got out of the scrape. Sixteen or seventeen men against over two thousand is pretty long odds. We should have accounted for a lot of them, but they would have done for us in the end. You are right there, Bull. I thought we sailed that it was an awkward fix, and certainly he managed those Portuguese fellows well, and turned a lot around his little finger. Aye, aye, he knows what he is doing perfectly well, young as he is. Well, we best be off to look after our commands. Bull laughed. I suppose they will call mine the first regiment, as I have the right wing. While the men were away, Terrence and Harara, with the headman of the village, went round to all the houses and marked on pieces of paper the number of men who could manage to lie down on the floors and passages, with the number of the company, and fix them on the doors. They also made an arrangement with the proprietor of a neighboring vineyard to supply as much wine as was required, at the rate of a pint each man. When the men returned, four of men were told off from each company to fetch the rations of bread, and another four to carry the wine. They were accompanied by one of the newly elected sergeants to check the quantity, and see that all was done in order. To prevent confusion, the companies were kept drawn up until the rations had been distributed, then they were taken into their quarters, filling each room, attic, and cellar, barn, granary, and stable in a village. Then Terrence and Harara, in one room, and the troopers in another of the little inn, sat down to a meal Terrence had ordered as soon as they arrived. The next morning at daybreak they marched off, Terrence rode at their head, Harara at the rear of the regiment, and each captain at the head of his company. From time to time Terrence rode up and down the line and ordered the men to keep step. It is just as easy, he said to the captains, for men to do so as to walk along anyhow, and they will find that the sound of all the footballs together helps them to march steadily and lessens fatigue. Never mind about the slope of their muskets, we must not harass them about little things, else they will get sulky. It will all come gradually. Four marches of 20 miles each took them over the mountains in four days. The Portuguese marched well, and not a single man fell out from the ranks, while at the end of the day they were still fresh enough to allow of an hour's drill. Even in that short time there was a very appreciable difference in their appearance. They had already learned to keep their distances on the march, to slope their muskets more evenly on their shoulders, and to carry themselves with a more erect bearing. The first two drills had been devoted to teaching them how to load and aim, the other two the changes of formation, from column into line and back again. They would make fine soldiers, sir, both said on the fourth evening, after they have had six months drill. No doubt they would move more regularly, Terence greed, but in mountain warfare that makes a little difference. As soon as they have learned to shoot straight and to have confidence in themselves, they will do just as well holding a defile or the head of a bridge as if they had been drilled for months. We must get hold of some horns of some sort, and they must learn a few simple calls, such as the advance, retire, form square, and things of that sort. With such large companies the voice would never be heard in the day of battle. I hope that we shall get at least a week to practice scourishing over rough ground and to fall back in good order, taking advantage of every rock and shelter before we get under fire. Do you know anything about blowing up bridges? Not me, sir, that is engineer's business. It is a thing that troopers ought to know something about, too, Bol. For, if you were far in advance without an engineer near you, you might do good service by blowing up a bridge and checking the advance of an enemy. However, I daresay we shall soon find out how it is best done. Now, tomorrow morning we will have three hours of scourmishing work on these hillsides. By that time the other regiment will have come up, and then we will march together to join Romana. The Spanish general was much surprised at the arrival of the Terrans at the head of two well-armed regiments. His force had swelled considerably in point of numbers, for he had sent messengers all over the country to the priests, and these, having a horror of the French, had stirred out the peasants by threats of eternal perdition if they came back, while Romana issued proclamations threatening death to all who did not take up arms. Thus, he had some eight thousand men collected, of whom fully half were his own dispersed soldiers. He received Terrans with effusion. Have you brought me arms? Was this first question? No, sir. No transfer could be attained in Lisbon, and it was found impossible to dispatch any muskets to you. I have, however, four thousand pounds and dollars to hand over. At starting, I had five thousand, but these I have, in the exercise of my discretion, retained a thousand for the purchase of provisions and necessaries for these two Portuguese regiments, which are under my command, and with which I hope to do good service by cooperating with your force. Have you not found great difficulty invictuating your men? No, I have had no trouble on that score, the Marquis said. I found that the magazine and provisions had been collected for the use of General Morse's army on Montreux, three miles from here, and had been supporting my troops on the contents. The money will be most useful, however, directly when you move. Fully half of my men have guns, but the Galatian peasants are accustomed to the use of arms. I wish that it had been more, but four thousand pounds would be very welcome. Do you propose to join my force with your regiments? Not exactly to join them, General. My orders are to give you such assistance as I can, and I think that I can do more by cooperating with you independently. In the first place, I do not think that my Portuguese would like to be commanded by a Spanish general. In the second place, it would be extremely difficult to feed so large a body of troops in these mountains, and the smaller the number, the more easily can they move about. Besides, in these defiles, a large force of undisciplined men could not act efficiently, and in the case of a reverse, would fall rapidly into confusion. I propose to use my force as a sort of flying column cooperating with yours. Thus, if you attack the head of a column, I will fall on their flying career, will harass their line of communication, blow up bridges, and destroy roads, and so render their movements slow and difficult. By such means, I should certainly render you more efficient service than if my regiments were to form a part of your force. Perhaps that would be best, Romana said. Could you supply me with any ammunition? For though the peasants have guns, very few have more than a few rounds of ammunition, and even this is not made up into cartridges. That I can do, sir, I can give you twenty thousand rounds of ammunition and ten barrels of powder. I have no lead, but you may perhaps be able to obtain that. Yes, the peasants in fact have sent in a considerable amount. They have stripped the roofs of their churches. That will be a most welcome supply indeed, and I am heartily obliged to you. The gift of the ammunition had the effect of doing away with any discontent the Spaniard may have felt on finding that Terence was going to act independently of him. It had indeed already flashed across his mind that it might be unpleasant always to have a British officer with him, from whose opinion he might frequently differ, and who might endeavor to control his movements. He had hardly expected that, with so much on their hands, and the claims that would be made from a portal for assistance, they would have sent any money, and the sixteen thousand dollars were therefore most welcome while the ammunition would be invaluable to him. Terence had taken out his share of the money, and the card with the remainder for Romana was now at the door. The sacks were brought in. Romana called in four or five officers. The dollars were counted out, and a receipt given to Terence for them. I will send up the ammunition up in a half an hour, Marquis. I thank you greatly, senor. I will at once order a number of men to set to our casting bullets and preparing cartridge cases. In the meantime, please let me hear what are your general's plans for the defense of Portugal. Terence told him that he was unaware what were the intentions of the British general, but that, from what he had learned during the few hours that he was at Lisbon, he thought it improbable in the extreme that Sir John Craddock would be able to send any force to check the advance of the French upon a portal. In the first place, he said, he is absolutely without transport, and in the second, Victor has a large army, and now that Santa Gossa has fallen, there is nothing to prevent his marching direct upon Lisbon. La Piz is at Salamanca and can enter Portugal from the east. The whole country is in confusion. With the exception of a force gathering under Lord Beersford, there is no army whatever. Lisbon is almost at the mercy of the mob, who, supported by the government, march about with British muskets and pikes, killing all they suspect is being favorable to the French, and even attacking British soldiers and officers in the streets. With the general to march north, he would not get news of Victor's advance in time to get back to save Lisbon. Therefore, I fear that it is absolutely impossible for him to attend to check the French until they cross the duro, perhaps not until they cross the Montego. The levees of the northern province are ordered to assemble at Vila Real, and I believe, from what I gathered on the march, that some thousands of men are there. But I doubt very greatly whether they are in a state to offer any determined resistance to Salt. That is a bad look out, the general said gloomily. Still, we must hope for the best, as Spain will soon raise fresh armies and so occupy the attention of the enemy that Salt will have to fall back. I am in communication with General Silvia, who will advance to Chavez. He has four thousand men. He has written to me that the British ship had collected fifty thousand peasants at the portals. Where they will probably do more harm than good, Terence had scornfully. I would rather have half a regiment of British troops than the whole lot of them. It is not men that are wanted, it is discipline, and fifty thousand peasants will be even more unmanageable and useless than five thousand would be. By the way, general, I have now to inform you that General Craddock has done me the honor of placing me on his personal staff. I am glad to hear it, the march he said curiously. It will certainly increase your authority greatly. Terence, leaving Romana, marched his troops to within a mile of Monterey, choosing a spot where there was a wood which would afford some shelter to the troops and would give them a supply of firewood. At Monterey he would be able to purchase provisions, and he wished to keep them apart from Romana's men, whose undisciplined habits and general insubordination would counteract his efforts with his own men. The next ten days were spent in almost incessant drilling and in practicing shooting. Bread and wine were obtained from Monterey, and he purchased a large flock of sheep at a very low price. The peasants, in their fear of the French, being very anxious to turn their flocks and herds into money, which could be hid away securely until the tide of invasion had passed. Laborious and frugal in their habits, these peasants seldom touched meat, and the troops were highly gratified at the rations supplied to them, and worked hard and cheerfully at their drill. Among so many men, there were naturally a few who were inclined to be insubordinate. These were speedily weeded out. The offenders were promptly seized, flogged, and expelled from the force, their places being supplied from among the peasants, many of whom were desirous of enlisting. Terence sent these off, save a few he selected, to Silvira, as his own force was quite as large as could properly be handled. With improved food and incessant drill, the men rapidly developed into soldiers. Each carried a rough native blanket rolled up like a scarf over one shoulder. This was indeed the only point of regular equipment. They had no regular uniform, but they were all in their peasant dresses. There was no communication between them and Romana's forces. For the animosity between the two peoples amounted to hatred. The Portuguese would indeed have marched to attack them as willingly as they would have received the order to move against the French. During this week of waiting, Silvira with four thousand men arrived to Chavez, and a meeting took place between him and Romana. Both had plans equally wild and impracticable. Neither would give way, and as they were well aware that their forces would never act together, they decided to act independently against the French. At the end of eight days, the news came that Solt, having made all his preparations, had left their rents on his march southward. Terence had bought on a quantity of rough canvas, and the men, as they sat round the fires after their day's work was over, made haversacks in which they could carry rations for four or five days. As soon as the news was receded that Solt was advancing, Terence ordered fish and bread to supply them for that time, from the bakehouses of Monterey. A hundred rounds of ball cartridges were served round to each, a light cart containing eight barrels of powder, a bag with one thousand dollars, and a tent where it was the only vehicle taken. And the rest of the ammunition and powder was buried deep in the wood, and the bulk of the money privately hidden in another spot by Terence and Herrera. Twelve horns had been obtained. Several of the men were able to blow them, and these, attached one to each company, had learned a few calls. Terence and Herrera took their posts to the edge of the wood to watch the two regiments march past. I think they would do, Terence said. They have picked up marvelously since they have been here, and though I should not like to trust them in the plain, with Francessi's cavalry sweeping down upon them, I think that in mount work they can be trusted to make a stand. I think so, Herrera agreed. They have certainly improved wonderfully. Our peasants are very docile and easily led when they have confidence in their commander, and are not stirred up by agitators. But they are given to Southern Fury as is shown by their frightful disorders at Lisbon and El Porto. However, they certainly have confidence in you, and if they are successful in the first skirmish or two, they can be trusted to fight stoutly afterwards. CHAPTER XV. THE FIRST SKIRMISH Salt had spent a month in making his preparations for the invasion of Portugal. The time, however, had not been wasted by him. Vigo, Toy, and Gardena had all been occupied without opposition. Salvatira on the Minho had been taken possession of, and thus three rows were opened to him by which to cross low down on the river, namely at Gardena, Toy, and Salvatira. These rows afforded the shortest and easiest line to El Porto. Romana and Silvira had both been of opinion that he would march south from Orense, through Monterey, and up the valley of the Tomega, and their plans were all made with a view of opposing his advance in that direction. The night before Terence marched, he called upon Romana. It seems to me probable, Marquis, as it does to you, that the French will advance by this line, but it is possible that they may follow the north bank of the Minho and cross at Salvatira or Toy. By that route, they would have several rivers to cross, but no mountains or defiles. Were they to throw troops across there, they would meet with no opposition until they arrived at El Porto. It seems to me that my best plan would be to march west and endeavour to present such a passage being made. If I could do so, it would prevent your position being turned. There are no bridges marked on my map, and if I could secure the boats, we should at any rate, cause salt much difficulty and delay. No doubt there are some local levees there, and we should be able to watch a considerable extent to the river. Indeed, so far as I can see, they must cross, if they cross at all there, at one of the three towns on the north side, for it is only by the roads running through these that they could carry their artillery and baggage. I think that it will be an excellent plan, Romana said. For although I believe that they will come this way, I have been very uneasy at the thought that they might possibly cross lower down, and so turn our position altogether. But you will have to watch not only the three places through which the roads pass, but other parts of the river, for they may throw a few hundred men across the boats at any point, and these falling suddenly upon your parties on the bank might drag them away and enable the main body to cross without resistance. I will keep a sharper look out at the Ken Marquis. Marching north from Monterey, the troops marched through Villarille and Gingo, and then, turning west, crossed the river Lima. There, a small stream, and then followed the valley of that river for some distance. Turned off, they struck the minho opposite Salvatira, having crossed fifty miles in two days. Here, a considerable number of armed peasants and orniancas were gathered. They were delighted at the arrival of two well-armed regiments. And hearing from Herara, the Terrence's staff officer of the British General, and was sent by him to direct the defense of the river, they at once placed themselves under his orders. Terrence found, to his satisfaction, that on the approach of the French, most of the boats had been removed to the south side of the river and hauled up the bank. His first order was that anyone acquainted with the position of any boats on the other side of the river should at once inform him of it. It was not long before he heard a sound twenty or thirty that had been hidden by their owners on the other side, in order that they might have the means across him to escape the French's actions. At nightfall, several boats were launched and parties and men, directed by those who had given information, started to cross the river and bring those boats over. The minho was at this time in flood and was running with great rapidity, and Terrence felt confident that in his present state, none of the enemy's cavalry would attempt to cross it by swimming. He decided on placing the largest part of his fort's opposite toy as the principal road south passed through this town, and he would here be supported by the guns of the fortress of Valencia. He stationed his first battalion here with orders to line the river for six miles above and below the spot. Half of the second battalion he left under McWhitty, and with the other half determined to march down towards the mouth of the river. The next morning all the boats returned, bringing those for which they had been searching, and after closely questioning the guides, he felt assured that there could be so few remaining that the French would hardly attempt to cross the river in the face of the crowd of peasants, whom they could not but see lining the southern bank. As soon as the boats had returned, he marched to the three companies. When halfway between Valencia and Kamenha, he met a peasant who had crossed from the northern bank in a boat, had escaped to search for the French. He reported that some days before, some 10,000 of the French had arrived in the neighborhood of the village, Camposancos, and that a division had been hard at work since their arrival, transporting some large fishing boats and heavy guns from the harbor of Gardena to Camposancos. The guns had been placed in the battery on a height, and the boats launched in a little river that ran into the minhole village. Taras learned that the work was now nearly completed, and the peasant had risked his life in coming across to give information. Taras at once sent off a mountain man to Valencia to request Harara to march down with the First Battalion and to send on to McWhitty to leave one company to assist the Oranancas to guard the river between Salvatira and Valencia, and to take post with the other two in front of the latter town. At nightfall, he was joined by Harara. After explaining the situation to him, Taras said, it will not be necessary to wash the river above Camposancos, for it will be impossible to row heavy fishing boats against this stream, so they must land somewhere between that place and the mouth of the river. Thus, we have only some eight miles to guard, and as we have 1,800 men besides the peasants, we ought to be able to do that thoroughly. I expect they will endeavor to make the passage tonight, and they will certainly cross, as nearly as they can, opposite the village. The battery is about a mile below it, and is no doubt intended to cover their landing. I shall post myself with two companies of the First Battalion there, and extend another company from that point up to Camposancos. You, with the other three companies and the three companies of the Second Battalion, will watch the river below. It is unlucky that there is no moon at present. I do not expect, however, that the attack will take place till morning. For, in the first place, the peasants said that although the guns hadn't been got up to the height, they had not yet been placed in position. And as we have noticed no movement there all day, nor seeing a French soldier anywhere near the river, they will only be beginning work now, and can hardly have finished it until well on in the night. Besides, when the first party who cross have attained a footing here, the boats will have to go backwards and forwards. No doubt the cavalry will be among the first to cross, and they will hardly get the horses on board in the dark. It is of vital importance to repel this attack, for, if the French got across, they would be at Viana tomorrow evening and on a portal three days later. I don't suppose that place will resist for a day, and if, as is probable, Victor moves up to the south, he and Solt may be in front of Lisbon in 10 days' time. You would better tell your captains this in order that they may understand how vital it is to prevent the passage. For what I hear from the peasants, the boats will not be able to carry more than three or four hundred men, and wherever they land we ought to be able to crush them before the boats can cross again and bring over reinforcements. Well, Bull, I think we are likely to have fighting tonight, Terence said as Harara marched off with his men. I hope so, sir. I don't think they will be able to cross in our face, and it will do the men a lot of good to win the first fight. If Romana's troops were worth anything, Solt would find himself in an awkward position. He has got his whole army jammed up in the corner here, and if he cannot cross there, there is nothing for him to do but to march along the river to Orense and then come down by the road through Monterey. There are several streams to cross as he marches out the bank. Romana is sure to have heard of his concentrating somewhere down near the mouth of the river, and I should think that by this time he will have crossed near Orense and will arrive in time to dispute the passage of these streams. He told me that the Galatian peasants have been so enraged by their cattle being carried off for the use of the French army that they will rise in insurrection the instant the French march, and if that is the case, they and Romana ought to be able to give Solt a lot of trouble before he reaches Orense. I don't think those fellows with Romana are likely to do much, sir. The French will just sweep them before them. I'm afraid so, bull. Still, if we can prevent the French from crossing here and compel them to follow the long road through Monterey, we shall have done good service. It will give Portugal another seven or eight days to prepare, and will send the enemy through a country where unsuspecting troops ought to be able to make a stand even against soldiers like the French. All through the night, Terence and his major patrolled the bank from the point facing Campos Sancos to a mile below that on which the French were placing their guns. Everything went on quietly. Centuries at intervals kept watch, and the men, wrapped in their blankets, lay down in parties of fifty at short intervals. The day is beginning to break, Terence said as he met bull coming back from the lower end of the line. I am not afraid now, for if we can but see them coming, we can gather two or three hundred men at any point they may be making for. Besides, our shooting would be very wild in the dark. That it would, sir, not one shot in fifty would hit the boats, let alone the men, and when the Portuguese saw the boats come on without pause in spite of their fire, they would be likely to lose heart and to get unsteady. We may as well stop here bull, it will be lightning out to sea across the river in another quarter of an hour, and if there are no boats coming then, I think it is pretty certain that they will not begin until tomorrow night. The peasant said that they have only got ten thousand trips there as yet, and we know that Salt has more than double that, and he may wait another day for them all to come up. Ten minutes later one of the centuries close to them shouted out that he could see boats. Terence ran up to them. Where are they my man? Terence gazed fixedly for a moment, and then said, I see them, they are heading straight across. Then he gave the order to the man who always accompanied him with a horn to blow the alarm. At the sound the troops sprang to their feet and some hundreds of peasants who were lying down the shortages behind ran up. The horn was evidently heard on the other side of the river, for immediately the guns of the battery opposite opened fire and their shot whizzed overhead. The boats plied their oars vigorously and the French soldiers cheered. They were but some three hundred yards away when first discovered. The Portuguese were coming rapidly up at the double. Terence shouted that not a shot was to be fired until he gave the order. He was obeyed by his old men, but the peasants at once began a wild fire at the boats. By the time these were within fifty yards of the shore Terence saw with satisfaction that fully a company had come up. The men stood firmly, although the balls from the French battery plowed at the ground around them. Wait until the first boat grounds! Terence shouted again. Another minute and the first fishing boat touched the shore. Then the horn sounded and the front line of the Portuguese poured a terrible volley into it. A few of the French soldiers only succeeded in gaining the land, and these were at once shot down. Then the troops opened a rolling fire upon the other boats. The French replied with their musketry, but their fire was feeble. They had expected to have affected a landing with but slight opposition, and the concentrated fire of the troops and the peasantry convinced them that even should they gain the shore they would be greatly outnumbered and would be shot down before they could gather in any regular formation. Many of the rowers who were Spanish peasants forced into the work had fallen. Most of their comrades left the oars and threw themselves into the bottom of the boats, and the craft drifted down the stream. Shouts of triumph rose from the Portuguese, who obeyed the signal to form fours and marched along parallel with the boats, forming line occasionally and firing heavy volleys. The French soldiers now seized the oars and rolled the craft into the middle of the river, and then slowly and painfully made their way to Camposancos, having lost more than half of the three hundred men who had left there. The French batteries ceased to fire and the dinner battle was succeeded by a dead silence. Once convinced that the French had abandoned the attempt to land, the Portuguese broke into loud shouts of triumph, which were only checked when Terrence ordered them to form up in close order. When they did so, he addressed a few words to them, complimenting them upon the steadiness that they had shown and upon their obeying his order to reserve their fire till the French were close at hand. I was convinced that you would behave well, he said, and in future I shall have no hesitation in meeting a body of French equal in numbers to yourselves. Messengers were once dispatched to order up all the troops that had been posted below, and in two hours the whole force, with the exception of the three companies, between them and Salvatira, were assembled. The question is Harara, Terrence said when he and his Colonel had exchanged congratulations on the repulse of the French. What will Salt do next? That is a question upon which everything depends. I don't think he will try again here. He has been eight days in preparing those boats to cross, and now that he knows that there is a very strong force here, that even if he got three or four times as many boats, he would scarcely be able to force a passage. My idea is that he will abandon the attack and march at once for a rinse. In that case, the question is, shall we wait until we have assured ourselves that he has gone and then follow and harass his rear, or should we march up the river and then cross to help Romana to bar his passage? I think the latter will be the best plan. You see, we should not be cutting his communication, we'll wait to march now, because when he has crossed the river Avia, he will have direct communication with Ney, and will of course draw all his supplies from the north, so I think that we had better lose no time in pushing up along the river. The troops were ordered to light fires and cook their breakfast. While this was going on, Terrence assembled the peasant bands, and told them that he thought the French would not make another attempt to cross, but that they must remain in a state of watchfulness until they received certain news from the other side that they had marched for a rinse. As soon as breakfast was over and the cooking pots packed in the cart, the two regiments started on their march. They were in high spirits and laughed and sang as they tramped along. They had lost but two killed by the French musketary fire, and there were about five so severely wounded as to be unable to take their places in the ranks. These Terrence ordered to be taken in a country cart to Ponte Lima, and he provided them with money for their support there until cured. The men, having been on foot all night, Terrence halted them after doing fifteen miles. On the following morning, soon after they had started, they saw a large body of French cavalry following the road by the river. These were Lausayes, who had been quartered at Salvatira. The river here was narrower than it had been below, and halting the troops and forming them in line, two or three volleys were fired across the river. These did some execution and caused much confusion in the French ranks. The horsemen, however, galloped rapidly up the river and were soon out of range. That settles the question Harara, the French are retracing their steps and bound for a rinse. Sold has not let the grass grow under his feet, and the cavalry are evidently sent on to clear out any bands of peasants that may be gathering at the rivers. Lausayes indeed, twice in the course of the day, broke up irregular bands and burned two villages. The infantry and artillery, after passing through Salvatira, moved by the main road. This, however, was found to be so bad that the artillery were, with ten of the sixteen light guns, and six howelsers, left behind a toy with a great ammunition and baggage train, together with nine hundred sick. A garrison of five hundred men were left in the fort. Orders were given that all stragglers were to be retained at that place. The march of the French was not unopposed. When they arrived at the river Morenta, they found eight hundred Spaniards had barricaded the bridges and repulsed the advanced parties of cavalry. On the seventeenth, at daybreak, the leading division attacked them fiercely, carried the bridge, and pursued them hotly, until, at a short distance from Ribadavia, the Spaniards rallied upon some ten thousand irregulars arrayed an order of battle in a strong position covering the town. The rest of the division and a brigade of cavalry came up, and directed by Solt himself, attacked the Spaniards, drove them through the town, and across the avia with great loss. Twenty priests were found among the slain. The next day, three or four thousand other irregulars from the valley of Avia were attacked and scattered. And on the eighteenth, the French cavalry, with three brigades of infantry, entered or rents. An hour earlier, Terrence had arrived on the other side of the river and had at once made preparations for blowing up the bridge. The men had been, but a short time at work, when numbers of the townsmen streamed across the bridge and reported that a great body of the French were entering the town. Terrence had a hasty consultation with Harara, and both agreed that they could not hope to hold the bridge long against the whole French army, especially as they had learned two hours before from a peasant who had ridden up that strong bodies of French troops had crossed the river by the fairies at Ribadavia and Barbante, and that they might shortly be attacked in flank. The powder barrels were therefore hastily repacked and the troops marched off towards the hills on their left. They were about halfway across the plain when a regiment of cavalry were seen riding in pursuit. The regiments were at once formed into squares within fifty yards of each other, and Terrence and Bull in the center of one square and Harara and McWhitty in the other extorted the men to stand steady, assuring them that there was nothing whatever to be feared from the cavalry if they did so. The French rode up towards the squares, but were met with heavy volleys, and after riding around them drew off having suffered considerable loss. Being greatly surprised at finding that instead of a mob of armed men, such as they had met at Avia, were met, they were encountered by soldiers possessing the steadiness of trained troops. The regiments resumed their march until far up the hill, where they proceeded to cut down trees and brushwood and to form an encampment, as their leader had decided to stay here and await events until Sol's intentions were clearly shown. There were two courses open to the French general. He might advance to Alaritz, and then march along the Lima. Be joined by his artillery and train from Toi, and then move direct upon a portal, or he might follow the valley of the Temeiga to Chavez, where he would have the choice of routes, and take either that over the Sierra de Cambra to Brega, or continue his course down the valley until he reached the duro. It was not until the 4th of March that the French again moved forward. In the meantime, Terence was forced to remain quiet, except that each day he marched his men farther among the hills and drilled them for some hours perseveringly. The Affair on the Minho and the repulse of the French cavalry had given them great confidence in themselves and their leader, and had shown them the value of steadiness and of maintaining order and discipline in the ranks. They therefore devoted themselves even more willingly and zealously than before to their military exercises, and that 10 days taken by Sol and preparing for the advance were well spent in accustoming the Portuguese to rapid movements among the mountains and to obtaining a fair knowledge of what would be required of them in mountain warfare. Two companies always remained in the camp, and these had several skirmishes with bodies of French marauders and small parties of cavalry making across the country to ascertain the position and strength of the Portuguese. The advance of the French was rapid, and on the 5th the cavalry and a portion of the infantry reached Vila Real, where, of the evening of the same day, two divisions of infantry arrived. That night, Terence with his men, having on the 4th marched along the hills parallel to the road, made a forced march across the road and took up a position on the spur of the mountains between Montageir and the river. Even yet it was doubtful which route Sol intended to follow, as the division at Vila Real might be intended only to prevent Romana and Silvira falling upon his flank. As he marched down the valley of the Lima, he had learned from Romana that he and Silvira had decided to fall back to Chavez, and that he agreed with Terence's opinion that he had better remain in the rear of the French and intercept their communications with the Rents. On the following morning, the French advanced in force to Monterey. Romana abandoned the position as the advance, drew off the Viren, and then retired along the road towards Sanabria. He thus left it open to himself either to follow the road to Chavez as agreed upon, or to retire into Spain to the mountains. Francesi's cavalry and a battalion of French infantry overtook between two and three thousand men forming the rear of Romana's column. The latter drew up in a great square. Francesi attacked the rear face with his infantry, passed with his cavalry round the sides of the square, and placed himself between it and the rest of the retiring column. He had with him four regiments of cavalry, and now hurled a regiment at each side of the square. Spaniards were once seized with dismay, broke their formation, and in a moment the French cavalry were upon them, cutting and trampling them down. Twelve hundred were killed and the rest made prisoners. As soon as Romana heard of the disaster that had befallen his rearguard, he broke his engagement with Silvira and led his force over the mountains into Spain, where the news of his defeat caused the Spanish insurgent bands to disperse rapidly to their homes, where they delivered up their guns and even the priests who had been the main promoters of the rising, seeing the failure of all their plans, advised them to maintain a peaceable attitude in future. Silvira was not more fortunate. For two thousand of his troops with some guns issuing from the mountains, just as Francesi returned from the annihilation of Romana's rearguard, the French cavalry charged and captured the Portuguese guns and drove Silvira down the valley. Sold pause two days in Monterey, the baggage and hospital train, and a great convoy of provisions being brought up for more rents under the guard of a whole division. This rendered it evident that he intended to cut himself off altogether from Spain and to subsist entirely upon the country. It was clear then that it was useless to attempt to fall upon his rear and by a long march through the mountains, Terence took his force down to Chavez. Here he found that Silvira, deserted by Romana and beaten by Francesi, had fallen back to a mountain immediately behind Chavez. Terence continued on his march until he joined him. He found a great tumult going on among his troops, always insubordinate, they were now in a state of mutiny. Many of the officers openly advocated that they should desist from a struggle in which success was altogether hopeless, and should go over and join the French. Troops, however, not only spurred the advice, but fell upon and killed several of those who offered it, and demanded from Silvira that he should lead them down to defend Chavez. This he refused to do, saying that the fortifications were old and useless, the guns weren't out, and that were they to shut themselves up there they would be surrounded and forced to surrender. This refusal excited the mutineers to the highest pitch, and when Terence arrived they were clamoring for his death. A small party of soldiers who remained faithful to him surrounded him, but they would speedily have been overpowered had it not been for the arrival of Terence's command. As soon as he understood what was happening he formed his men into a solid body, marched through the excited crowd, and formed up in hollow square around the general. The firm appearance of the forts and the fact that they possessed more arms than the whole of Silvira's army had its effect. The mutineers, however, to the number of 3,500 determined to carry out their intentions and at once marched away to Chavez. Silvira remained with but a few hundred men, as the two thousand routed by Francesce had not rejoined him. I owe you my life, senor," he said to Terence, for those mad fools would certainly have murdered me. It is not surprising, Terence said. A mob of men who were not soldiers cannot be expected to observe discipline, especially when insubordination and anarchy have been absolutely fomented by the authorities, crimes of all sorts perpetrated by their orders, and no efforts whatever made to punish ill doers. Your men seem to be disciplined and obedient, Silvira said. They ought to be so general, and I believe that I can rely upon them absolutely. If you had but officers and discipline, I am certain that your soldiers would be excellent, but as it is, with a few exceptions, your officers are worse than useless. They are pointed as a reward for their support of the junta. They are ignorant of their duties, and many of them favor the French. They regard their soldiers as raised, not for the defense of Portugal, but for the support of the junta. I have seen enough to know that the peasants are brave, hearty, and ready to fight. But what can they do when they are but half armed, and no attempt whatever is made to discipline them? Have you heard, since these troubles began, of a single man being shot for insubordination, or of a single officer being punished even for the grossest neglect of orders? It is nothing short of murder to put on mob of half armed peasants to stand against the French troops. All that is quite true, Silvira said heartily. However, I shall do my best, and shall, I doubt not, soon have another force collected, for now that the French have fairly entered Portugal and are marching towards the capital, every man will take a bombs. And you, senor, what do you mean to do? I shall harass the French as I see an opportunity, but shall not subject my man to certain disaster by joining any of the new levies. I know what my men could do, and what I can do with them, but if mixed up with thousands of raw peasants, they will be swept away by the latter and share in any misfortune that might befall them. What I have seen of your troops today, and what I saw of Romanas, is quite enough to show me that to lead peasants into the field is simply to bring misfortune and death upon them. Far better that each leader should collect two or three hundred men and teach them discipline and a little drill instead of taking a mob thousand strong out to battle. Those men that are marched down into Chavez will, you will see, offer no resistance and will simply be killed or made prisoners to a man. Now may I ask if you have any stores here, General? We have had great difficulty in buying food up in the mountains, and as it will be useless to you, and certainly cannot be carried off, I should be glad to fill the men's haversacks before we go farther. Certainly I had enough meat and bread for my whole force for a week, and you are welcome to take as much as you require. Which way do you propose marching? I am waiting to see which way the French go after leaving Chavez, whether they go down the valley or across the mountains to Braga. I shall endeavor to get ahead of them, and as my men are splendid marchers, I have no doubt that I shall succeed in doing so, even if the French have a few hours' start. If I can do nothing else, I can at least make their cavalry keep together instead of riding the small parties all over the country to sweep and food. Fires were soon lighted, some bullocks killed and cut up, and a hearty meal eaten. They had already made a very long march, and were ordered to lie down until nightfall. Silvia marched away with his men, and Terence and Herrera sat and watched the road, down which bodies of French troops could already be seen advancing from Monterey to Chavez. As they approached the town, gun after gun was fired. The advance guard halted and waited until the whole division had come up.