ing one of her
sweetest smiles.

"I drove the spurs into my horse's flanks, but holding him firmly on the
curb at the same moment, instead of dashing forward, he bounded madly in
the air.

"'What a pretty creature!' said she, as she turned towards the house; then
stopping carelessly, she looked round,--

"'Should you like this bouquet?'

"Before I could reply, she disengaged it from her belt, and threw it
towards me. The door closed behind her as she spoke. I galloped on to
overtake the staff, _et voila tout_. Now, Charley, read my fate for me, and
tell me what this portends."

"I confess I only see one thing certain in the whole."

"And that is?" said Power.

"That Master Fred Power is more irretrievably in love than any gentleman on
full pay I ever met with."

"By Jove, I half fear as much! Is that orderly waiting for you, Charley?
Who do you want my man?"

"Captain O'Malley, sir. General Crawfurd desires to see you at headquarters
immediately."

"Come, Charley, I'm going towards Fuentes. Take your cap; we'll walk down
together."

So saying, we cantered towards the village, where we separated,--Power to
join some Fourteenth men stationed there on duty, and I to the general's
quarters to receive my orders.

CHAPTER XXX.

THE CANTONMENT.

Soon after this the army broke up from Caja, and went into cantonments
along the Tagus, the headquarters being at Portalegre. We were here joined
by four regiments of infantry lately arrived from England, and the 12th
Light Dragoons. I shall not readily forget the first impression created
among our reinforcements by the habits of our life at this period.

[Illustration: A HUNTING TURN-OUT IN THE PENINSULA.]

Brimful of expectation, they had landed at Lisbon, their minds filled with
all the glorious expectancy of a brilliant campaign; sieges, storming, and
battle-fields floated before their excited imagination. Scarcely,
however, had they reached the camp, when these illusions were dissipated.
Breakfasts, dinners, private theatricals, pigeon matches, formed our daily
occupation. Lord Wellington's hounds threw off regularly twice a week;
and here might be seen every imaginable species of equipment, from the
artillery officer mounted on his heavy troop horse, to the infantry
subaltern on a Spanish jennet. Never was anything more ludicrous than our
turn-out. Every quadruped in the army was put into requisition. And even
those who rolled not from their saddles