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lost one of your officers, I see; promoted to another ship, eh?"

"Lost an officer!" Captain Merivale said in surprise. "No, not that I

have heard of. What makes you think so?"

"I thought so by the cheering the ship's crew gave that boat that left

the ship just before I came up. There was only a naval lieutenant in

her, and I supposed that he had just got his ship, and I thought by

the heartiness of the cheering what a good fellow he must be."

"But it was not the lieutenant the men were cheering," Captain

Merivale said with a smile.

"No!" General Craufurd said, surprised. "Why, there was no one else

in the boat. I looked attentively as I passed. There was only a

lieutenant, a midshipman who was steering, the men rowing, and two

little marine buglers, who had their handkerchiefs up to their faces.

So you see I took a very minute survey."

"You did indeed," Captain Merivale said, laughing. "Well, it was just

these little buglers that the crew of the ship were cheering."

General Craufurd looked up incredulously. "You're joking, Merivale.

The crew of His Majesty's frigate 'Latona' cheer two buglers of

marines! No, no, that won't do."

"It is a fact, though, Craufurd, unlikely as it seems, except that the

buglers belong to the Norfolk Rangers, and not to the Marines."

"The Rangers! They are in Hill's division. What is it all about? There

must be something very strange about it."

"There is indeed," Captain Merivale said, "very strange." And he then

related the whole story to his visitor.

"They are trumps indeed," the general said when the narrative was

ended, "and I am very glad that I happened to hear it. I will speak to

Hill about it, and will keep my eye upon them. Be assured they shall

have their epaulets as soon as possible--that is, if their conduct is

at all equal to their pluck. It is the least we can do when, as you

say, they have refused midshipmen's berths to stick to us. And now I

must be off."

The boat landed General Craufurd at the same landing-place at which

Tom and Peter had disembarked half an hour before. Lieutenant

Armstrong had spoken a few words to the officer who was superintending

the landing of stores and horses, and he, being far too busy to stop

to talk, briefly said that the boys could go up to join their regiment

with a convoy of stores which would start that night.

After saying good-bye to their friend the lieutenant, the boys sat

down upon some bales, and were watching with much amusement and

interest the busy scene before them. As General Craufurd passed they

rose and saluted.

"You are the boys from the 'Latona,' are you not?"

"Yes, sir," the boys answered in surprise.

"Can you ride?"

"Yes, sir."

"Follow me, then."

Much surprised, the boys followed the general until he made his way

through the confusion to a group of newly landed horses. Near them

were a couple of mounted Hussars, who, at the sight of the general,

rode forward with his charger. He made a sign to them to wait a

moment, and walked up to the men who were holding the newly landed

horses.

"Which of you have got charge of two horses?"

Several of the men answered at once.

"Which of you are servants of officers on my staff?"

Three of those who had answered before replied now.

"Very well; just put saddles on to two of them. These lads will ride

them; they are going out with me at once; they will hand them over to

your masters."

In another five minutes Tom and Peter, to their surprise and

delight, were clattering along through the streets of Lisbon upon

two first-rate horses in company with the two Hussars, while, twenty

lengths ahead, trotted General Craufurd with two officers who had been

down to Lisbon upon duty similar to his own. Once outside the town,

the general put his horse into a gallop, and his followers of course

did the same. Once or twice General Craufurd glanced back to see how

the boys rode, for a doubt had crossed his mind as to whether he had

been wise in putting them upon such valuable horses, but when he saw

that they were evidently accustomed to the work, he paid no further

attention to them.

The officers riding beside him, however, looked back several times.

"What luck we have, to be sure, Tom," Peter said, "and I can't

understand this a bit. How could the general know that we came from

the 'Latona'; as he evidently did, and by the way these officers have

looked back twice, I can't help thinking that he is talking about us."

Tom was as puzzled as Peter, but they soon forgot the subject, and

engaged in an animated conversation with the Hussars as to the

situation and position of the army, and the supposed strength and

locality of the French, concerning which they were, of course, in

complete ignorance. An hour and a half's sharp riding took them to

Torres Vedras, a small town which afterwards became celebrated for

the tremendous lines which Wellington erected there. The troops were

encamped in its vicinity, the general having his quarters at the house

of the Alcalde, or Mayor.

"Your regiment is a mile and a half distant, lads," General Craufurd

said as they drew up at his quarters; "you will have difficulty in

finding it this evening. Sergeant, take these lads round to the house

where my orderlies are quartered, and give them some supper. They can

join their regiment in the morning. I have heard of you, lads, from

Captain Merivale, and shall mention your conduct to General Hill, and

be assured I will keep my eye upon you."

The boys were soon asleep upon a heap of straw, and at six next

morning were upon the road, having already had some coffee and bread

for breakfast. They had no difficulty in finding their way, for

orderlies were already galloping about, and the bugle calls came sharp

upon their ears. The division was to march at seven. The Rangers

happened to be the first in advance, so that they passed through the

other regiments to arrive at theirs.

The tents were down when they arrived, and packed in readiness for the

bullock carts which stood by. The boys paused a little distance off,

and looked on with delight at the busy scene. At a note on the bugle

the tents and other baggage were stowed in the carts, and then the men

hitched on their knapsacks, unpiled arms, and began to fall into rank.

No one noticed the boys as they passed between the groups and

approached the band, who were mustering by the colors, which were as

usual placed in front of the guard tent.

"There's Sambo," Tom said; "I am glad they got him safe on board."

The negro was the first to perceive the boys as they came close up

to him. As he saw them he gave a sudden start, his eyes opened wider

and wider until the whites showed all round, his teeth chattered, the

shiny black of his face turned to a sort of dirty gray, and he threw

up his hands with a loud cry, "oh, golly, here's dose boys' spirits!"

He stepped back, heedless that the big drum was behind him, and the

next moment went back with a crash into it, and remained there with

his knees doubled up and his face looking out between them, too

frightened and horror-struck to make the least movement to extricate

himself.

For a moment no one noticed him, for at his cry they had all turned to

the boys, and stood as if petrified at seeing those whom they believed

had been drowned before their eyes a week before. The silence did

not last long, the boys bursting into a shout of laughter at Sam's

appearance.

"Spirits! Sam," Tom said; "not by a long way yet, man. How are you

all? Come, get out of that, Sam and shake hands." And as the band with

a shout crowded round them, the boys helped Sam, who was trembling all

over from the shock and fright, from the drum.

For a moment the boys were quite confused and bewildered, for as they

hauled Sam to his feet their comrades of the band pressed round them

cheering, every one trying to shake them by the hand.

The news spread like wildfire among the troops, and there was at once

a general rush to the spot. The boys were seized in an instant, and

each raised on the shoulders of two of the grenadiers, and as they

made their appearance above the heads of the crowd a tremendous cheer

broke from the whole regiment.

"What can be the matter?" was the general exclamation of the colonel

and officers, who were just finishing their breakfasts in a cottage

which stood close behind the spot where their tents had been pitched

in the rear of the regiment. "What can be the matter?"--and as the

cheering continued there was a general rush to the door. There they

stood astonished at seeing the whole of the men clustered in one spot,

shouting and waving their caps.

"What can be the matter?" the colonel said again; "the whole regiment

seems to have gone mad."

"We shall know in a minute," Captain Manley said; "they are coming in

this direction."

"Look at that fellow Sambo," exclaimed Carruthers; "he looks madder

than all the rest."

In spite of the intense surprise which all were feeling, there was a

general laugh, for the black was performing antics like one possessed;

his cap was gone, he jumped, he yelled, he waved his arms, with a

drumstick in each hand, wildly over his head, he twisted round and

round; he seemed really out of his mind. Suddenly he left the crowd,

and rushed on ahead at full speed towards the group of officers, still

leaping and yelling and waving his drumsticks.

The officers instinctively drew together as he approached, for they

thought that the gigantic negro was really out of his mind. He stopped

suddenly as he came up to them, and tried to fall into his usual

attitude of attention.

"Oh, Massa Colonel," he said in hoarse, sobbing tones, "only to

think, only to think. Scuse Sam, sar, but Sam feel he's going to bust

right up wid joy, massa. Dat no matter, but only to think. Bress de

Almighty, sar! only to think!"

None of the officers spoke for a minute in answer to these disjointed

exclamations. They were affected at the man's great emotion. His black

skin was still strangely pale, his eyes were distended, his lips

quivered, tears were rolling down his cheeks, and his huge frame was

shaken with sobs.

"Calm yourself, Sam--be calm, my man," the colonel said kindly. "Try

and tell us what has happened. What are the men so excited about? What

is the matter with them?"

"Oh, Massa Colonel," Sam said, "me try tell you all 'boat it. Only to

think, sar, dose boys cum back again; dose boys, sar, bress dem, dat

jumped into de water and got drowned just to save dis poor niggar,

sar. Dey cum back again; only tink ob dat!"

The officers looked at one another in surprise.

"I do believe he means the Scudamores! colonel," Captain Manley

exclaimed; "but no, it is impossible, no one could have lived five

minutes in that sea, and we know that they could not have been picked

up, for we were the last ship in the fleet."

"Yes, yes, sar, dat's dem, dey cum back sure enuff," Sam said.

Then Carruthers exclaimed, "I do believe it is so; there are a couple

of boys on the shoulders of the men in the middle of the crowd. Yes,

and, by Jove, it is the Scudamores. Hurrah! I am glad."

There was a general exclamation of pleasure from the whole group, for

the regret for the boys, who had, as was believed, perished in the

performance of such a gallant action, had been general and sincere,

and Captain Manley lifted his cap and said reverently, "Thank God,

these gallant lads are saved;" and those around, although some of them

were but little addicted to prayer, repeated the words and imitated

the action.

Carruthers would have stepped forward in his eagerness to greet his

former school-fellows, but Captain Manley laid his hand quietly on his

shoulder and said in a low tone, "Wait, Carruthers, let the colonel

welcome them."

And now the crowd came up to the cottage, those in front falling back

as they approached, so as to let the grenadiers come forward with

their burden. The boys were lowered to the ground, and stood at once

at attention; their faces were both flushed with excitement, and their

eyes swollen with tears, so much were they both moved by the welcome

which had greeted them.

There was a dead silence for a moment, and then Colonel Tritton said

in a loud, clear voice, which was heard all over the throng of men, "I

am glad, lads, to see you back again. I never expected to have seen

you again after we caught a glimpse of you as the sea washed you away.

You have seen how the men have welcomed you, and I can assure you

that the pleasure of the officers that two such gallant young fellows

should have been saved is no less than that of your comrades. A braver

act than that which you performed was never done. I shake hands with

you, and congratulate you in the name of the whole regiment." And,

suiting the action to the words, Colonel Tritton stepped forward and

shook the boys warmly by the hand, amidst a great cheer upon the part

of the whole regiment. Then he held up his hand for silence again.

"Bugler, sound the assembly; fall in, my lads, or we shall be late.

Come in here, boys; you can get something to eat, and tell us in a few

words how you were saved, for, even now that I see you it seems almost

impossible."

CHAPTER VII.

THE PASSAGE OF THE DUORO--TALAVERA.

Very severe was the drill and discipline, and not very abundant was

the food, and there was a general feeling of pleasure when, by the

general concentration of the army at Coimbra, it was evident that

active operations were about to commence. On the 5th of May 9000