thick grove
of cork-trees at a little distance.

"Who have you got there, Mike?" inquired Power.

"Devil a one o' me knows his name," replied he; "may be it's Bony himself."

"And how do you know he's there still?"

"How do I know, is it? Didn't I tie him last night?"

Curiosity to find out what Mickey could possibly allude to, induced Power
and myself to follow him down the slope to the clump of trees I have
mentioned. As we came near, the very distinct denunciations that issued
from the thicket proved pretty clearly the nature of the affair. It was
nothing less than a French officer of cavalry that Mike had unhorsed in the
_melee_, and wishing, probably, to preserve some testimony of his prowess,
had made prisoner, and tied fast to a cork-tree, the preceding evening.

"_Sacrebleu!_" said the poor Frenchman, as we approached, "_ce sont des
sauvages!_"

"Av it's making your sowl ye are," said Mike, "you're right; for may be
they won't let me keep you alive."

Mike's idea of a tame prisoner threw me into a fit of laughing, while Power
asked,--

"And what do you want to do with him, Mickey?"

"The sorra one o' me knows, for he spakes no dacent tongue. Thighum thu,"
said he, addressing the prisoner, with a poke in the ribs at the same
moment. "But sure, Master Charles, he might tache me French."

There was something so irresistibly ludicrous in his tone and look as
he said these words, that both Power and myself absolutely roared with
laughter. We began, however, to feel not a little ashamed of our position
in the business, and explained to the Frenchman that our worthy countryman
had but little experience in the usages of war, while we proceeded to
unbind him and liberate him from his miserable bondage.

"It's letting him loose, you are, Captain? Master Charles, take care.
Be-gorra, av you had as much trouble in catching him as I had, you'd think
twice about letting him out. Listen to me, now," here he placed his closed
fist within an inch of the poor prisoner's nose,--"listen to me! Av you say
peas, by the morreal, I'll not lave a whole bone in your skin."

With some difficulty we persuaded Mike that his conduct, so far from
leading to his promotion, might, if known in another quarter, procure him
an acquaintance with the provost-marshal; a fact which, it was plain to
perceive, gave him but a very poor impression of military gratitude.

"Oh, then, if they were in swarms fornent me, devil receave the prison