eir quarters. I had not gone far when, from
a marauding party, I learned that my man Mike was in search of me through
the plain. A report of my death had reached him, and the poor fellow was
half distracted.

Longing anxiously to allay his fears on my account, which I well knew
might lead him into any act of folly or insanity, I pressed forward;
besides--shall I confess it?--amidst the manifold thoughts of sorrow and
affliction which weighed me down, I could not divest myself of the feeling
that so long as I wore my present absurd costume, I could be nothing but an
object of laughter and ridicule to all who met me.

I had not long to look for my worthy follower, for I soon beheld him
cantering about the plain. A loud shout brought him beside me; and
truly the poor fellow's delight was great and sincere. With a thousand
protestations of his satisfaction, and reiterated assurances of what he
would not have done to the French prisoners if anything had happened me, we
took our way together towards the camp.

CHAPTER XXXVII.

THE DESPATCH.

I was preparing to visit the town on the following morning, when my
attention was attracted by a dialogue which took place beneath my window.

"I say, my good friend," cried a mounted orderly to Mike, who was busily
employed in brushing a jacket,--"I say, are you Captain O'Malley's man?"

"The least taste in life o' that same," replied he, with a half-jocular
expression.

"Well, then," said the other, "take up these letters to your master. Be
alive, my fine fellow, for they are despatches, and I must have a written
return for them."

"Won't ye get off and take a drop of somethin' refreshing; the air is cowld
this morning."

"I can't stay, my good friend, but thank you all the same; so be alive,
will you?"

"Arrah, there's no hurry in life. Sure, it's an invitation to dinner to
Lord Wellington or a tea-party at Sir Denny's; sure, my master's bothered
with them every day o' th' week: that's the misfortune of being an
agreeable creature; and I'd be led into dissipation myself, if I wasn't
rear'd prudent."

"Well, come along, take these letters, for I must be off; my time is
short."

"That's more nor your nose is, honey," said Mike, evidently piqued at the
little effect his advances had produced upon the Englishman. "Give them
here," continued he, while he turned the various papers in every direction,
affecting to read their addresses.

"There's nothing for me here,