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towards the house they saw their aunt coming out to meet them.

Tom ran forward and throwing his arms round her neck kissed her

heartily, and before she could recover from her surprise, Peter was

alongside. "Please, aunt, you must kiss me," he said, "for I want my

arms for my crutches." His aunt leaned forward and kissed him, and

then wiped the tears from her eyes.

"I am glad to see you back, my dear nephews," she said. "We did not

understand each other very well before, but we shan't make any more

mistakes. This is your black servant, I suppose," she said, as Sam

came along, with a trunk in each hand. "Dear! dear! what a dreadfully

ugly man."

"How do you do, Sam?" Rhoda said, when he came up. "We have heard so

much of you, and how kindly you nursed my brothers."

"Sam quite well, tank you, little missy," Sam said, grinning all over

his face and showing his white teeth.

Miss Scudamore shrank towards Tom as Sam passed on, "Dear me, what

sharp-looking teeth he has, Tom. They don't eat curious things, these

black men, do they?"

"What sort of curious things, aunt?"

"Well, my dear, I know that these outlandish people do eat strange

things, and I have heard the Chinese eat dogs and cats. Now, if he has

a fancy for cats, I daresay I could buy him some in the village, only

he will have to cook them himself, I could never ask Hannah to cook

cats; but please ask him not to touch Minnie."

Peter had to stop in his walk and grasp his crutches tightly, not

to burst into a scream of laughter, while Tom answered with great

gravity, "My dear aunt, do not alarm yourself, I will answer for the

safety of Minnie as far as Sam is concerned."

When they reached the house, Miss Scudamore said--

"I think you young people will enjoy yourselves more if you go and sit

under the shade of the elm there, you will have a deal to say to each

other, and had better be alone." They were all glad at the suggestion,

as they were longing to be alone together.

Sam, by Miss Scudamore's directions, carried out a great easy chair,

of which Peter took possession. Rhoda sat on the grass at his feet,

and Tom threw himself down at full length. They were all too happy

to speak much for a time, and could only look fondly at each other.

"You have grown a great deal, Rhoda, but I do not think that you are

altered a bit otherwise."

"You are neither of you altered so much as I expected," Rhoda said. "I

had made up my mind that you would be changed a great deal. It sounds

so grand--Captains, indeed! I expected to have curtsey to you and

treat you with great respect; instead of that you look regular boys,

both of you. Of course you are big, and Peter looks very tall; how

tall are you, Peter?"

"Just over six feet," Peter said.

"Yes," Rhoda said, "you are tall enough, and Tom is broad enough for

men, but somehow you look regular boys still."

"This is very disrespectful Rhoda, to two Captains in His Majesty's

service."

"It seems ridiculous, doesn't it," Rhoda said.

"It does," Tom said heartily, and the three went off into a shout of

laughter.

"It isn't really ridiculous you know," Rhoda said, when they had

recovered their gravity. "To think of all the dangers you have gone

through. Aunt was as proud as could be when she saw your names over

and over again in despatches, and I have been like a little peacock.

Your doings have been the talk of every one round here, and I am sure

that if they had known you had been coming, the village would have put

up a triumphal arch, and presented you with an address."

"Thank goodness, they did not know it then," Tom said, "for it would

have been a deal worse to stand than the fire of a French battery.

Well, Rhoda, and now as to yourself; so you have really been always

very happy with aunt?"

"Very happy," Rhoda said; "she is most kind and indulgent, and so that

I attend to her little fancies, I can do just as I like. I have had

lessons regularly from the rector's eldest daughter, who has been

educated for a governess; and in every respect, aunt is all that is

kind. Fancy her being afraid of Sam eating Minnie."

After chatting for upwards of an hour, they went into the house, and

the rest of the day was spent in talking over all that had happened

since they left. Sam was in the kitchen where he made himself very

much at home, and although Hannah and the cook were at first rather

awed by his size, his black face and rolling eyes, they were soon

pacified by his good humor and readiness to make himself useful, and

were wonderfully interested by his long stories about what "Massas"

had done in the war.

Miss Scudamore, who was a little uneasy as to how things would go on

in the kitchen, made some excuse for going in once or twice in the

course of the evening. She found things going on much better that she

had expected, indeed so much better, that after Rhoda had gone up to

bed, where Peter had two hours before betaken himself, she said to Tom

as he was lighting his candle, "One minute, nephew; I could not speak

before Rhoda, but I wanted to say something to you about your negro.

I have heard that all soldiers are very much given to make love, and

we know from Shakespeare, that Othello, who was black too, you will

remember, nephew, made love to Desdemona, which shows that color does

not make so much difference as one would think. Now I do hope your

man will not make love to Hannah, I don't think she would like it,

my dear, and yet you know she might; one never knows what women will

do; they are always making fools of themselves," she added angrily,

thinking at the moment how a young girl she had trained up as a cook

had, after being with her three years, left a few weeks before to

marry the village blacksmith, "and I should be sorry to lose Hannah.

She has been with us more than twenty years. If he must fall in love

with one, my dear, let it be the cook."

Tom had a great command of his countenance, but he had great

difficulty in steadying his muscles. After a moment or two he said,

"I will give Sam a hint, aunt, if it becomes necessary, but I do not

think you need fear. I do not fancy Sam is matrimonially inclined at

present, and he wouldn't leave us even to marry Desdemona herself.

Good night, aunt."

So saying, Tom went upstairs, where he repeated to Peter, who was

still awake, his conversation with his aunt, and the two went into

shouts of laughter over the idea of Sam making love to the prim

Hannah.

The next six months passed over quietly and happily. The boys

were made a great deal of by the whole county, and Miss Scudamore

was greatly gratified at the name and credit they had gained for

themselves. She no longer worried about them, but as Rhoda declared,

quite spoiled them, and as Sam made no attempt to win the love of

the faithful Hannah, there was no cloud to mar the pleasure of the

holiday.

CHAPTER XV.

CIUDAD RODRIGO AND BADAJOS.

It was in the beginning of December, 1811, that the Scudamores again

sailed up the Tagus to Lisbon, after an absence of just six months.

When they had passed the medical board, they were transferred from the

unattached list to the 52d Regiment, which was, fortunately for them,

also in Spain. No events of great importance had taken place during

their absence. Wellington, after the battles of Fuentes d'Onoro and

Albuera, had been compelled to fall back again to the frontier in the

face of greatly superior forces, and had maintained his old position

on the Coa till the approach of winter compelled the French to retire

into the interior, where they had their magazines and depots.

The Scudamores found that the 52d were encamped on the Agueda,

and they at once prepared to go up country to join them. Their

chargers--presents from their aunt on leaving--were fresh and

vigorous, and they purchased a strong country horse for Sambo, who,

thanks to some practice which he had had in England, was now able to

cut a respectable figure on horseback. A few hours were sufficient to

make their preparations, and at noon on the day after landing, they

mounted, and, followed by Sam, accompanied by a muleteer and two mules

carrying their baggage, they started from the hotel at which they had

put up.

As they rode down the main street they saw several mounted

officers approaching, and at once recognized in the leader the

commander-in-chief, who had just arrived from the front to pay one

of his flying visits, to endeavor to allay the jealousies in the

Portuguese Council, and to insist upon the food which the British

Government was actually paying for, being supplied to the starving

Portuguese soldiers. Drawing their horses aside, they saluted Lord

Wellington as he rode past. He glanced at them keenly, as was his

custom, and evidently recognized them as he returned the salute.

When he had passed, they turned their horses and continued their way.

They had not gone fifty yards, however, when an officer came up at

a gallop. Lord Wellington wished them to call at his quarters in an

hour's time.

There are few things more annoying than, after having got through all

the trouble of packing and getting fairly on the road, to be stopped;

but there was no help for it, and the boys rode back to their hotel

again, where, putting up their horses, they told Sam not to let the

muleteer leave, for they should probably be on the road again in an

hour.

At the appointed time they called at the head-quarters, and giving

their cards to two officers on duty, took their seats in the anteroom.

It now became evident to them that their chance of an early interview

was not great, and that they would in all probability be obliged to

pass another night in Madrid. Portuguese grandees passed in and out,

staff officers of rank entered and left, important business was being

transacted, and the chance of two Line captains having an interview

with the commander-in-chief appeared but slight. Two hours passed

wearily, and then an orderly sergeant came into the room and read out

from a slip of paper the names "Captain Thomas Scudamore; Captain

Peter Scudamore. This way, if you please," he added, as the boys rose

in answer to their names, and he led the way into a room where a

colonel on the staff was seated before a table covered with papers.

"Gentlemen," he said, "I have news which I think will be pleasant to

you both. Lord Wellington has not forgotten the services you rendered

in carrying his communications to the guerilla chiefs. Your reports

were clear and concise, and your knowledge of Spanish especially

valuable. Lord Beresford, too, has reported most favorably of your

conduct while with him. There happen to be two vacancies on his staff,

and he has desired me to fill them up with your names."

Although the Scudamores would in some respects rather have remained

with their regiment, yet they could not refuse an honor which was

generally coveted as being a post in which an active officer had

plenty of opportunities of distinguishing himself, and which was

certain to lead to speedy promotion. They accordingly expressed their

warm thanks for the honor which Lord Wellington had done them.

"Are you well mounted?" Colonel Somerset asked.

"We have one capital charger each," Tom said.

"You will want another," Colonel Somerset remarked. "There are a lot

of remounts landed to-day. Here is an order to Captain Halket, the

officer in charge. Choose any two you like. The amount can be stopped

from your pay. How about servants; you are entitled to two each?"

"We have one man of the Norfolk Rangers--a very faithful fellow, who

has returned with us from leave; if he could be transferred, he would

do for us both if we had a cavalry man each for our horses."

The colonel at once wrote an order for Sam's transfer from his

regiment on detached service, and also one to the officer commanding a

cavalry regiment stationed in Madrid, to supply them with two troopers

as orderlies.

"May I ask, sir, if we are likely to stay in Madrid long--as, if so,

we will look out for quarters?" Tom asked.

"No; the general returns to-morrow, or next day at latest, to Almeida,

and of course you will accompany him. Oh, by-the-by, Lord Wellington

will be glad if you will dine with him to-day--sharp six. By-the-way,

you will want to get staff uniform. There is the address of a Spanish

tailor, who has fitted out most of the men who have been appointed

here. He works fast, and will get most of the things you want ready

by to-morrow night. Don't get more things than are absolutely

necessary--merely undress suits. Excuse my asking how are you off for

money? I will give you an order on the paymaster if you like."

Tom replied that they had plenty of money, which indeed they had,

for their aunt had given them so handsome a present upon starting,

that they had tried to persuade her to be less generous, urging that

they really had no occasion for any money beyond their pay. She had

insisted, however, upon their accepting two checks, saying that one

never knew what was wanted, and it was always useful to have a sum to

fall back on in case of need.

Two days later the Scudamores, in their new staff uniforms, were,

with some six or eight other officers, riding in the suite of Lord

Wellington on the road to the Coa. The lads thought they had never

had a more pleasant time, the weather was fine and the temperature

delightful, their companions, all older somewhat than themselves, were

yet all young men in high health and spirits. The pace was good, for

Lord Wellington was a hard rider, and time was always precious with

him. At the halting-places the senior officers of the staff kept

together, while the aides-de-camp made up a mess of their own, always