ey went into the house; leaving their prisoner outside, in the
hope that he would make some attempt to escape. In an instant Waters
threw his cloak upon a neighbouring olive bush, and mounted his cocked
hat on the top. Some empty flour sacks lay upon the ground, and a horse
laden with well-filled flour sacks stood at the door. Sir John
contrived to enter one of the empty sacks and throw himself across the
horse. When the soldiers came out of the house they fired their
carbines at the supposed prisoner, and galloped off at their utmost
speed.

A short time after the miller came out and mounted his steed; the
general contrived to rid himself of the encumbrance of the sack, and
sat up, riding behind the man, who, suddenly turning round, saw a
ghost, as he believed, for the flour that still remained in the sack
had completely whitened his fellow-traveller and given him a most
unearthly appearance. The frightened miller was "putrified," as Mrs.
Malaprop would say, at the sight, and a push from the white spectre
brought the unfortunate man to the ground, when away rode the gallant
quartermaster with his sacks of flour, which, at length bursting, made
a ludicrous spectacle of man and horse.

On reaching the English camp, where Lord Wellington was anxiously
deploring his fate, a sudden shout from the soldiers made his lordship
turn round, when a figure, resembling the statue in "Don Juan,"
galloped up to him. The duke, affectionately shaking him by the hand,
said--

"Waters, you never yet deceived me; and though you have come in a most
questionable shape, I must congratulate you and myself."

When this story was told at the clubs, one of those listeners, who
always want something more, called out, "Well, and what did Waters
say?" to which Alvanley replied--

"Oh, Waters made a very flowery speech, like a well-bred man."

THE BATTLE OF THE NIVELLE

We expected to remain quietly in our winter quarters at St. Jean de
Luz; but, to our surprise, early one morning, we were aroused from
sleep by the beating of the drum calling us to arms. We were soon in
marching order. It appeared that our outposts had been severely pushed
by the French, and we were called upon to support our companions in
arms.

The whole of the British army, as well as the division of the Guards,
had commenced a forward movement. Soult, seeing this, entirely changed
his tactics, and from that time, viz. the 9th of December, a series of
enga