第 23 页

had proved of such service to them and left them on the bank; then

fastening their peasants' suits upon two bundles of rushes to keep

them dry, entered the little river, and were soon upon the opposite

shore. They knew, from what they had heard in the afternoon, that

Craufurd had fallen back upon Almeida, a fortified town, and that it

was probable he would at once cross the Coa, as resistance to the

force now approaching him seemed nothing short of madness.

No good, indeed, could be gained by a fight in such a position, with a

deep river in the rear, crossed by only a narrow bridge, and commanded

by both banks, and Wellington's orders had been imperative "that, upon

no account whatever was Craufurd to fight beyond the Coa."

Craufurd, however, a rash and obstinate, although a skilful general,

was determined upon having a brush with the enemy before he fell back.

He anticipated, no doubt, that only an advanced guard of the enemy

would come up at first, and his intention was to inflict a severe

check upon them with the magnificent little division under his

command, and then fall back triumphantly across the Coa. Massena,

however, was well aware of the fighting powers of the light division,

and was preparing to hurl suddenly upon him a force more than

sufficient to crush it.

The Scudamores had but little fear of meeting with any large body of

the enemy, as the main French advance was direct from Ciudad Rodrigo;

their cavalry would, however, be scattered all over the country, and

were they to fall into the hands of any of these parties they would

have been shot instantly, upon suspicion of endeavoring to convey news

of the French movements to Craufurd.

The point where they crossed the river was between Villar and Naves

Frias, and, after an hour's walking, they struck the little rivulet

called Duas Casas. This they crossed at once, as they knew that by

following its southern bank until they saw some high ground to their

left they would find themselves near Almeida, which they hoped to

reach before the English retreated.

All night they tramped through the fields of stubble, where the corn

had been long since cut for the use of Craufurd's cavalry, but walking

at night through an unknown country is slow work, and when day began

to break they entered a small wood just beyond the point where the

Turones, as the southern arm of the Duas Casas is called, branches off

from the main stream. Several times in the course of the day bodies

of the enemy's cavalry came near their place of concealment, and the

Scudamores congratulated themselves that they had not given way to

their impatience, and tried to push on across the twenty miles that

alone separated them from their friends.

At nightfall the wind rose, and a heavy rain began to fall. They had

no stars by which to steer their course, and were, therefore, forced

to follow the bank of the Turones, although they knew that it would

lead them some distance to the north of Almeida. It was slow work,

indeed, for they had to grope their way along in the storm, following

every turn and bend of the river, which formed their only guide. After

several hours' toil they came into a road running north and south.

This they knew was the road leading from Guarda to Almeida, and it

gave them a clue as to the distance they had come. Still following the

river, they continued their course until they approached San Pedro,

whence they knew that a road ran directly to the British position

in front of Almeida, that is if the British still maintained their

position there.

As they approached the village, they heard a deep, hollow sound,

and stopping to listen, and laying their ears to the ground, could

distinguish the rumble of heavy carriages.

"The French are advancing in force, Peter; we are just in time;

they are going to attack us in the morning at daybreak. We know the

direction now; let us turn to the left, and try to get on in advance

of them. They probably will not push on much farther until there

is light enough to permit them to form order of battle; they are

evidently, by the sound, going to the left, rather than straight on."

The Scudamores now hurried on, and presently the rumbling of the

artillery died away, and they ventured to push to their left, and to

get on the road, which they found deserted. Half an hour's run, for

they knew that every minute was of importance, and they heard the

welcome challenge, "Who comes there?" "Two British officers," they

answered, and in a few minutes they were taken to the officer in

charge of the picket, and having once convinced him of their identity,

were heartily greeted and welcomed.

"The French are advancing in great force to attack," Tom said; "please

forward us instantly to the general."

The matter was too important for an instant's delay, and a sergeant

was at once told off to accompany them.

The first faint blush of daylight was in the east when they arrived

at the cottage which served as General Craufurd's quarters, and, upon

their speaking to the sentinel at the door, a window was thrown open,

and a deep voice demanded "What is it?"

"We have just arrived through the French lines," Tom said, "the enemy

are at hand in force."

The casement closed, and an instant afterwards the general came out.

"Who are you?"

"We belong to the Norfolk Rangers, general, and have been detached on

service in the interior; we have only just made our way back."

"How am I to know your story is true?" the general asked sharply.

"You may, perhaps, remember, sir, we landed from the 'Latona,' and you

kindly lent us horses to accompany you."

"Aha! I remember," the general said. "Well, your news?"

"The French have crossed the Turones in force, sir; at least they have

a good many guns with them."

"Which way were they going?"

"As far as we could judge by the sound, sir, they were taking up a

position between Villa Formosa and Fort Conception."

"Good," the general said shortly; then turning to three or four of his

staff who had followed him from the cottage, "Get the troops under

arms at once. Come in here, gentlemen."

The Scudamores entered, and as they came into the light of a candle

which stood on the table the general smiled grimly.

"It is lucky you were able to recall yourselves to my memory, for

I should have needed some strong evidence to persuade me you were

British officers had I seen you before you spoke. You are wet to the

skin; there is a brandy bottle, and you will find some bread and cold

fowl in that cupboard."

Five minutes later the boys followed General Craufurd from his hut.

Short as was the time which had elapsed since their arrival, the

troops were already under arms, for three months of incessant alarm

and watchfulness had enabled this splendid division to act as one man,

and to fall in at any hour of the day or night in an incredibly short

time. Ten minutes later and the ramble of the baggage wagons was

heard along the road towards the bridge. The morning was clearing

fast, the clouds lifted, and the daylight seemed to break with unusual

suddenness.

The dark masses of the French became visible forming up before the

Turones, and Craufurd hurried forward his cavalry and guns to check

their advance.

"Hurry the infantry up, hurry them up," the general said urgently to

the officers by him. "Let them take post along the ridge, and then

fall back fighting towards the bridge. Major MacLeod," he said to an

officer of the 43d, "take these gentlemen with you; they are officers

of the Norfolk Rangers. They will join your regiment for the present.

When your regiment falls back, occupy that stone inclosure a little

way down the slope at the left of the road, and hold the enemy in

check while the troops file over the bridge."

The officer addressed looked with surprise at the boys, and signing to

them to follow, hurried off to his regiment, which was on the left of

the British line.

Next to them came a regiment of Portuguese riflemen, with a wing of

the 95th upon either flank, while the 52d formed the right of the

line.

Upon reaching the regiment, Major MacLeod briefly introduced the boys

to the colonel, who said, "As you have no arms, gentlemen, I think you

had better make for the bridge at once."

"Thank you, sir," Tom replied, "there will be some muskets disposable

before long, and directly they are so we will take our place in the

ranks."

They had now leisure to look round and examine their position, and a

glance was sufficient to show how great was the peril in which General

Craufurd's obstinacy had placed his little force. In front of them

were 24,000 French infantry, 5000 cavalry, and 30 pieces of artillery.

An overwhelming force indeed, and one which could scarcely have been

withstood by the 4000 British infantry, even under the most favorable

conditions of position. The position, however, was here wholly against

the British. They stood at the edge of a plateau, and behind them the

ground fell away in a steep hillside to the Coa, a mile distant, and

across the Coa there was but a single bridge.

The enemy was approaching fast. Ney's great brigade of cavalry swept

the British horse before them, and the infantry were following at a

run.

Resistance on the edge of the plateau was hopeless, and Craufurd

ordered the infantry to fall back at once. The 43d filed into the

inclosure, rapidly cut loopholes in the wall, and as the enemy

appeared on the crest above opened a tremendous fire, under cover of

which the cavalry and artillery trotted briskly and in good order down

the road to the bridge.

The Scudamores, having no duty, stood at the entrance to the inclosure

and watched the fight on their right. As the masses of French infantry

appeared on the edge of the plateau they made no pause, but opening

a heavy fire pressed forward on the retiring British troops, who

were falling back in open order, contesting every inch of ground. So

rapidly and hotly, however, did the French press after them that the

British were soon pushed back beyond the line of the inclosure, and as

the French followed closely, it was evident that the 43d would be cut

oft and surrounded.

Their colonel saw their danger, and called upon them to fall in and

retreat, but the entrance was so narrow that it was clear at a glance

that ere one company could pass through it the French would be upon

them, and the regiment caught like rats in a trap.

Officers and men alike saw the danger, and there was a pause of

consternation.

Peter was standing next to the colonel, and said suddenly as the idea

flashed across him, "The wall is not very strong, sir, if the men mass

against it and push together I think it will go."

The colonel caught at the idea. "Now, lads, steady, form against the

rear wall four deep, close together, shoulder to shoulder, as close

as you can pack; now get ready, one, two, three!" and at the word the

heavy mass of men swung themselves against the wall; it swayed with

the shock, and many stones were displaced; another effort and the

wall tottered and fell, and with a glad shout the 43d burst out, and

trotting on at the double soon joined the rifles and 95th.

The ground was rough and broken with rocks, vineyards and inclosures,

and the troops, fighting with admirable coolness and judgment, took

advantage of every obstacle and fell back calmly and in good order

before the overwhelming force opposed to them.

Fortunately the jealousies of the French generals, which throughout

the campaign contributed in no slight degree to the success of

the British, was now the cause of their safety, for Montbrun, who

commanded the French heavy cavalry, refused to obey Ney's order to

charge straight down to the bridge, in which case the whole English

infantry would have been cut off; the French hussars, however, being

on the British rear, charged among them whenever the ground permitted

them to do so.

Upon the British right the ground was more open than upon the left,

and the 52d was therefore obliged to fall back more quickly than the

rest of the line, and were the first to arrive at the bridge head,

which was still choked with artillery and cavalry. This was the most

dangerous moment, the rest of the infantry could not retreat until the

bridge was clear, and the French with exulting shouts pressed hard

upon them to drive them back upon the river.

Major MacLeod, seeing the urgent danger, rallied four companies of his

regiment upon the little hill on the right of the road, while Major

Rowan collected two companies on another to the left. Here they were

joined by many of the riflemen, and for a while the French advance was

checked.

The Scudamores had remained throughout close to Major MacLeod, and had

long since armed themselves with the muskets and pouches of fallen

men, and with 43d shakoes on their heads, were fighting among the

ranks.

The cloud of French skirmishers pressed hotly forward, and MacLeod,

seeing that the bridge was still blocked, resolved suddenly upon

a desperate measure. Taking off his cap, he pointed to the enemy,

and calling upon his men to follow him, rode boldly at them. Peter

Scudamore caught up a bugle which had fallen from a dead bugler by his

side, blew the charge, and the soldiers, cheering loudly, followed

MacLeod against the enemy.

Astounded at this sudden and unexpected attack, the French skirmishers

paused, and then fell back before the furious charge of the 43d, who

pressed after them with loud and continuous cheering. Looking back,

MacLeod saw that the bridge was now clear, and recalled the troops,

who fell back rapidly again before the French infantry had recovered

sufficiently from their surprise to press them.

The hussars were, however, again forward, and were galloping down the