proceeded many minutes when the sounds of galloping were heard
coming along behind us.

"To the right, in the hollow," cried I. "Be still."

Scarcely had we moved off when several horsemen galloped up, and drawing
their reins to breathe their horses up the hill, we could hear their voices
as they conversed together.

In the few broken words we could catch, we guessed that the attack upon San
Benito was only a feint to induce Crawfurd to hold his position, while
the French, marching upon his flank and front, were to attack him with
overwhelming masses and crush him.

"You hear what's in store for us, O'Malley?" whispered Hampden. "I think we
could not possibly do better than hasten back with the intelligence."

"We must not forget what we came for, first," said I; and the next moment
we were following the horsemen, who from their helmets seemed to be
horse-artillery officers.

The pace our guides rode at showed us that they knew their ground. We
passed several sentries, muttering something at each time, and seeming as
if only anxious to keep up with our party.

"They've halted," said I. "Now to the left there; gently here, for we must
be in the midst of their lines. Ha! I knew we were right. See there!"

Before us, now, at a few hundred yards, we could perceive a number of men
engaged upon the field. Lights were moving from place to place rapidly,
while immediately in front a strong picket of cavalry were halted.

"By Jove! there's sharp work of it to-night," whispered Hampden. "They do
intend to surprise us to-morrow."

"Gently now, to the left," said I, as cautiously skirting the little hill,
I kept my eye firmly fixed upon the watch-fire.

The storm, which for some time had abated considerably, was now nearly
quelled, and the moon again peeped forth amidst masses of black and watery
clouds.

"What good fortune for us!" thought I, at this moment, as I surveyed the
plain before me.

"I say, O'Malley, what are those fellows at yonder, where the blue light is
burning?"

"Ah! the very people we want; these are the sappers. Now for it; that's our
ground. We'll soon come upon their track now."

We pressed rapidly forward, passing an infantry party as we went. The blue
light was scarcely a hundred yards off; we could even hear the shouting of
the officers to their men in the trenches, when suddenly my horse came down
upon his head, and rolling over, crushed me to the earth.

"Not hurt, my boy," cried I, in