d Skeff.

"Let us settle this at once; we 'll take each of us one of the carriage
lamps and fire at the word three. One--two--three! Stop, I say."

"No, sir; I shall hold myself at your orders, time and place fitting,
but I 'll neither shoot nor be shot at like a brigand."

"I have travelled with many men, but in my long and varied experience,
I never saw a fellow so full of objections. You oppose everything. Now I
mean to go asleep; have you anything against _that_, and what is it?"

"Nothing,--nothing whatever!" muttered Skeff, who for the first time
heard words of comfort from his companion's lips.

Poor Skeff! is it too much to say that, if you had ever imagined the
possibility of such a fellow-traveller, you would have thought twice
ere you went on this errand of friendship? Perhaps it might be unfair
to allege so much; but unquestionably, if his ardor were not damped, his
devotion to his friend was considerably disturbed by thoughts of himself
and his own safety.

Where could this monster have come from? What land could have given
him birth? What life had he led? How could a fellow of such insolent
pretensions have escaped being flayed alive ere he reached the age he
looked to be?

Last of all, was it in malice and out of malevolence that Filangieri had
given him this man as his guide, well knowing what their companionship
must end in? This last suspicion, reassuring so far, as it suggested
dreams of personal importance, rallied him a little, and at last he fell
asleep.

The hours of the night rolled over thus; and just as the dawn was
breaking the _caleche_ rattled into the ruinous old piazza of Nocera.
Early as it was, the market-place was full of people, amongst whom were
many soldiers, with or without arms, but, evidently, under no restraint
of discipline, and, to all seeming, doubtful and uncertain what to do.

Aroused from his sleep by the sudden stoppage of the carriage, M'Caskey
rubbed his eyes and looked out. "What is all this?" cried he. "Who are
these fellows I see here in uniform? What are they?"

"Part of Cardarelli's brigade, your Excellency," said a cafe-keeper who
had come to the carriage to induce the travellers to alight. "General
Cardarelli has surrendered Soveria to Garibaldi, and his men have
dispersed."

"And is there no officer in command here to order these fellows into
arrest?" cried M'Caskey, as he sprang out of the carriage into the midst
of them. "Fall in!" shouted he, in a