ke it himself to Madrid.

The general glanced through the notebook.

"You have done your work very thoroughly, Captain Kennedy, and
have rendered me considerable service. Now, we will move forward
again. Please follow with my aides-de-camp."

These were two pleasant young men, who were glad of a talk with an
officer from the other side.

"How long have you been riding about here, if it is fair to put
the question?" one said.

As the notebook contained all the particulars of his journeys on
that side of the frontier, Desmond replied at once:

"Eight days, I think. I have been up the road to Portalegre, and
by that to Lavre; and if I had not, unfortunately, accidentally
heard of this road over the mountains, I should now be on my way
to Madrid; but luck has been against me."

"Promotion must be very rapid in your army," the other
aide-de-camp said, "or you would hardly be a captain already."

"I was fortunate enough to attract the notice of the King of
France, and the Duke of Berwick, on various occasions, and when
one has such a piece of good fortune as that, promotion is rapid."

"It is lucky for you that you fell into the hands of the Earl of
Galway, instead of into those of the Portuguese generals, who
would probably, in spite of your uniform, have made short work of
you."

"I did not know that the general was the Earl of Galway," Desmond
said. "Certainly, it was lucky that I fell into his hands. Indeed,
if I had not seen the English uniforms, I should have turned and
charged the squadron behind us; preferring very much to be killed
fighting, than to be hanged or shot like a dog."

In a few minutes they met the squadron of cavalry, who had, as the
general supposed, been sent out by the Governor of Elvas to meet
him. Half of these now took their place in front, and the
remainder, drawing aside to let the party pass, fell in behind.
Mike had, without orders, fallen in with the earl's escort; and
more than once Desmond heard his laugh, as he chatted with the
troopers. On arriving at Elvas, the general directed his
aides-de-camp to obtain a room, for Desmond, in the house in which
they were quartered; and as no one attended to him, Mike undertook
his usual duties as his servant.

The next morning, one of the aides-de-camp came in, and said:

"The general wishes to speak to you, Captain Kennedy."

On entering the general's apartment, the earl asked him to take a
seat.

"I could not see you yesterday ev