nor
of the citadel called upon him and told him that he was at liberty to go
where he would within the walls, and that any wishes he might express
he would do his best to comply with. Jack at once availed himself of his
liberty by going out into the courtyard and thence on to the walls of
the citadel. It was a strongly fortified and gloomy building, which has
now ceased to exist. It covered a considerable portion of ground, and
had at one time been a royal residence; the walls were strong and high,
and sentries were placed on them at short intervals.

Jack saw at once there was little possibility of escape thence, and
decided that he might as well abandon any idea of evasion for the
present, and would trust to luck in escaping from his escort on the road
to the frontier, or, if no opportunity then presented itself, from his
prison in France. A week after his arrival he was surprised by being
told that an officer wished to see him, and a minute later Major Ferre
entered the apartment.

"I only arrived an hour ago," he said, "and learned that you were
prisoner here. Who would have thought when we parted last, and you
gave me my liberty, that on my arrival here I should find that you had
already been a week a prisoner? Horses' legs move faster than men's, you
see."

"It is the fortune of war," Jack said, smiling. "I am glad to see that
you got out of Arragon safely."

"It was thanks to your seeing that we were provided with ammunition,"
the major said. "The peasants swarmed round us hotly more than once, and
it was the fact that we had our arms and were ready to use them, quite
as much as my assurances that we were prisoners on parole, and had
promised not to serve in Spain until exchanged, that kept them from
making an attack upon us; as it was we nearly came to blows several
times. I marched that day till the men were ready to drop, and camped at
a distance from a road in a lonely place. I dared not scatter my men
in a village. The next day we kept steadily on and crossed the frontier
into Castile, pretty well worn out, just at nightfall. I had to give my
men two days' halt before we could go further, and we have since come by
easy stages, which accounts for your being here so long before us. And
now, is there anything that I can do for you? If there is, command my
service to the utmost. I shall see the duke this afternoon, and shall
tell him that I and my party are indebted to you for our lives. It is
well for me t