h to join the army. We did the forty miles in fourteen
hours."

"Good marching," Colonel Corcoran said. "Then where did you halt?"

"About three miles farther off, at the foot of the hills. We saw a
lot of campfires to our right, and thought that we were in a line
with the army, but of course they were only those of Mackenzie's
division; but I sent off an orderly, an hour ago, to tell them to
fall back to the slopes facing those hills, where our left is to be
posted."

"You are a lucky fellow to have been away from us, Terence, for it
is downright starving we have been. The soldiers have only had a
mouthful of meat served out to them as rations, most days; and they
have got so thin that their clothes are hanging loose about them.
If it hadn't been for my man Doolan and two or three others, who
always manage, by hook or by crook, to get hold of anything there
is within two or three miles round, we should have been as badly
off as they are. Be jabers, I have had to take in my sword belt a
good two inches; and to think that, while our fellows are well-nigh
starving, these Spaniards we came to help, and who will do no
fighting themselves, had more food than they could eat, is enough
to enrage a saint.

"I wonder Sir Arthur puts up with it. I would have seized that
stuck-up old fool Cuesta, and popped him into the guard tent, and
kept him there until provisions were handed over for us."

"His whole army might come to rescue him, O'Grady."

"What if they had? I would have turned out a corporal's guard, and
sent the whole of them trotting off in no time. Did you hear what
took place two days ago?"

"Yes, I heard that they behaved shamefully, O'Grady; still, I think
a corporal's guard would hardly be sufficient to turn them, but I
do believe that a regiment might answer the purpose."

"I can tell you that there is nothing would please the troops more
than to attack the Spaniards. If this goes on many more days, our
men will be too weak to march; but I believe that, before they lie
down and give it up altogether, they will pitch into the Spaniards,
in spite of what we may try to do to prevent them," the Colonel
said. "Here we are in a country abounding with food, and we are
starving, while the Spaniards are feasting in plenty; and by Saint
Patrick's beard, Terence, it is mighty little we should do to
prevent our men from pitching into them. There is one thing, you
may be sure. We shall never cooperate with them in the