pressing
necessity could induce me to do it."

Jack at once led his partner to a seat and set out on the search for
Graham and the colonel of dragoons. He was some time finding them both,
and it was already past one when the three issued together from the
palace where the fete was held, and hurried off, the two young officers
to Peterborough's quarters, the colonel to his barracks.

The earl was already in his chamber. He had slipped away unobserved from
the ball, and had climbed the wall of the garden, to avoid being noticed
passing out of the entrance. His great wig and court uniform were thrown
aside, and he was putting on the plain uniform which he used on service
when his aides de camp entered.

"Get rid of that finery and gold lace," he said as they entered. "You
have to do a forty mile ride before morning. I have received glorious
news. One of my partners told me that she had, just as she was starting
for the ball, received a message from a cousin saying that a vessel had
come into port from Genoa with sixteen brass twenty-four pounder
guns, and a quantity of ammunition and stores, to enable Las Torres to
commence the siege. The stores were landed yesterday, and carts were
collected from the country round in readiness for a start at daybreak
this morning. As these things will be even more useful to us than to
the Spaniards, I mean to have them now. Be as quick as you can. I have
already ordered your horses to be brought round with mine."

In five minutes they were in the saddle and rode quickly to the cavalry
barracks. The streets were still full of people; but the earl in his
simple uniform passed unnoticed through them. The dragoons were already
mounted when they reached the barracks.

"We will go out at the back gate, colonel," the earl said. "Take the
most quiet streets by the way, and make for the west gate. Break your
troop up into four parties, and let them go by different routes, so that
any they meet will suppose they are merely small bodies going out to
relieve the outposts. If it was suspected that I was with you, and that
an expedition was on foot, the Spaniards would hear it in an hour. Loyal
as the population are here, there must be many adherents of Philip among
them, and Las Torres no doubt has his spies as well as we have."

The earl's orders were carried out, and half an hour later the four
parties again assembled at a short distance outside the city gates.
Peterborough placed himself at