f of Sir Arthur Wellesley,
though at present detached on special service. The two battalions
that have marched up the hill are the Minho regiment of Portuguese,
under my command. We were posted on the Sierra and, being cut off
from rejoining the British by the advance of Marshal Soult's army,
were endeavouring to retire across the mountains into Portugal,
when you cut us off."

The officer translated the words to the general.

"Tell him," the latter said, "that if all the Portuguese fought as
well as those troops, there would have been no occasion for the
British to come here to aid them. I have never seen troops better
handled, or more steady. This cannot be the first time they have
been under fire."

Terence bowed, when the compliment was translated to him.

"They fought, General, in the campaign last year," he said, "and
the regiment takes its name from the fact that they prevented
Marshal Soult from crossing at the mouth of the Minho; but their
first encounter with your cavalry was near Orense."

"I remember it well," the general said, "for I was in command of
the cavalry that attacked you. Your men were not in uniform, then,
or I should have known them again. How did you come to be there?
For at that time, the British had not advanced beyond Cintra."

"I had been sent with a message to Romana and, happening to come
across this newly-raised levy, without officers or commander, I
took the command and, aided by two British troopers and a
Portuguese lieutenant, succeeded in getting them into shape; and
did my best to hold the pass to Braga."

"Peste!" the general exclaimed. "That was you again, was it? It was
the one piece of dash and determination shown by the Portuguese,
during our advance to Oporto, and cost us as many men as all the
rest of the fighting put together.

"And now, Colonel, we must be marching. Major Portalis, here, will
take charge of you."

In a few minutes the French cavalry and infantry were on their
march towards Plasencia, the Portuguese prisoners guarded on both
sides by cavalry marching with them; their captain being, like
Terence, placed in charge of an officer. The Portuguese marched
with head erect. They were prisoners, but they felt that they had
done well, and had sacrificed themselves to cover the retreat of
their comrades; and that, had it not been for the French infantry
coming up, they might have beaten off the attacks of their great
body of cavalry.

On their arrival at