ons were made for a hasty move.

"Far sooner than I could wish, my boy," said the colonel, as he sat
beside his son after a busy day.

"But I feel quite strong again, father," pleaded Fred. "You are too
anxious about me."

"Too anxious, my boy? No, I think not. Well, you will have to try and
sit your horse again, even if you are a non-combatant."

"Which way shall we retreat?" asked Fred.

"Retreat? Who said anything about retreat?" cried a stern voice, and
General Hedley entered the room. "Oh, you, eh, boy?" he continued,
shaking one of his buff gauntlets at the convalescent. "Don't you let
Captain Miles hear you say that again. We may move to a different
position, but we will not talk of retreat yet."

Fred felt the colour burning once more in his pale cheeks, and the
general went on--

"Forrester, I want a chat with you. Come into my room. I have fresh
despatches."

The colonel followed his leader out of the little parlour which had been
devoted to the wounded lad by the general's command, he having insisted
upon its being retained when he joined them there, and tents had sprung
up in all directions upon the moor close to the inn.

Directly after, there was a hoarse cough heard outside, in company with
a heavy step.

"Hem! Master Fred, sir."

"You, Samson?"

"Yes, sir. Alone, sir?"

"Yes."

"May I speak to you!"

"Yes; go on."

Samson's head appeared at the window, upon the sill of which he leaned
his arms as he gazed in.

"Getting quite tidy again, arn't you, sir!" he said, in a hoarse
whisper.

"Yes, quite strong; and you?"

"Never better, sir; only wind feels a little short sometimes, and I gets
too hot too soon."

"You didn't come to tell me that, Samson."

"No, sir; I come to tell you there's news in the camp."

"What of?--a movement?"

"Yes, sir; that's it."

"Do you know where we're going next!"

"No, sir; do you?"

"No, Samson; and I should say that is the general's secret. We shall
know when we get there."

"Start to-morrow, don't we, sir?"

"Impossible to say. What do they say in the camp?"

"Weather-cockery."

"What?"

"Well, sir, it's just like a vane in a wind: now it's east, now it's
west, and when it ain't east or west, it's north or south. Everybody
says everybody else is wrong. But we are going somewhere directly;
that's for certain. And, I say, Master Fred."

"Yes?"

"How do you feel about mounting your horse again?"

"I long to, Sam