had
rendered him valuable assistance in the fight, sailed out with us
on to the ship track, and put us on board a transport bound for
Lisbon."

"Well, you are more heart and soul in it than I am," the general
laughed. "I should not have been able to deny myself a short run in
England."

"I was anxious to get back to my regiment, sir, as I was afraid
that, if I did not return before the next campaign opened, some
other officer might be appointed to its command."

"You need not trouble yourself on that score, in future, Colonel
O'Connor," Lord Wellington said. "If you have the bad luck to be
captured again, I shall know that your absence will be temporary
and, if it became necessary to appoint anyone else to your command,
it would only be until your return."

On leaving the commander-in-chief's quarters, the adjutant general
asked Terence when he thought of rejoining his regiment.

"I am going to start at once, sir. I ordered my horse to be saddled
and in readiness, at ten o'clock."

"You must not think of doing so," the adjutant said. "The road is
very bad, and not at all fit to be traversed on a dark night like
this. Besides, you would really gain nothing by it. If you leave at
daybreak, you will overtake your regiment before it has marched
many miles."

Chapter 14: Effecting A Diversion.

At twelve o'clock the next day Terence rode up to his regiment,
just as it had halted for two hours' rest. As soon as he was
recognized the men leapt to their feet, cheering vociferously, and
gathered round him; while, a minute or two later, Herrara, Ryan and
the two majors ran up to greet him.

[Illustration: The men leapt to their feet, cheering vociferously.]

"I have been expecting you for the last month," Ryan exclaimed,
"though how you were to get through the French lines was more than
I could imagine. Still, I made sure you would do it, somehow."

"You gave me credit for more sharpness than I possess, Dick. I felt
sure it could not be done, and so I had to go right down to Cadiz,
and back to Lisbon by ship. It was a very much easier affair than
ours was, and I met with no adventures and no difficulties on the
way.

"Well, Herrara, I heard at headquarters that the regiment is going
on well, and they fought stoutly at Banos. Your loss was not heavy,
I hope?"

"We had fifty-three killed, and a hundred more or less seriously
wounded. More than half of them have rejoined. The vacancies have
been filled up,