journey. As the train of thirty waggons--of which
ten contained provisions for use on the road--issued from the
gates, they were joined by the convalescents, four hundred in
number. All able to do so carried their arms, the muskets of the
remainder being placed on the provision waggons.

"Have you heard from the regiment, Bull?" Terence asked, after they
had talked over their time in hospital, and their comrades who had
fallen.

"No, sir. There is no one I should expect to write to me."

"I had a letter from Ryan, yesterday," Terence said. "He tells me
that they have had no fighting since we left. They form only one
battalion now, and he says the state of things in Madrid is
dreadful. The people are dying of hunger, and the British officers
have subscribed and started soup kitchens; and that he, with the
other Portuguese regiments, were to march the next day, with three
British divisions and the cavalry, to join General Clinton, who was
falling back before Clausel."

"'We all miss you horribly, Terence. Herrara does his best, but he
has not the influence over the men that you had. If we have to fall
back into Portugal again, which seems to me quite possible, for
little more than 20,000 men are fit to carry arms, I fancy that
there won't be a great many left round the colours by the spring.

"'Upon my word, I can hardly blame them, Terence. More than half of
those who originally joined have fallen and, no doubt, the poor
fellows think that they have done more than their share towards
defending their country.'"

By very short marches, the convoy made its way to the frontier. The
British convalescents remained at Guarda, the Portuguese marched
for Pinhel, and the carts with the wounded officers continued their
journey to Lisbon. The distance travelled had been over two hundred
and fifty miles and, including halts, they had taken five weeks to
perform it. Terence gained strength greatly during the journey, and
Bull had so far recovered that he was able to get out and walk,
sometimes, by the side of the waggon.

Garcia had been indefatigable in his efforts for their comfort.
Every day he formed an arbour over their waggon, with freshly-cut
boughs brought in by the soldiers of the regiment; and this kept
off the rays of the sun, and the flies. At the villages at which
they stopped, most of the wounded were accommodated in the houses;
but Terence and Bull preferred to sleep in the waggon, the hay
being always freshly