on relieved his mind of the fear that I was
wounded, and told my story in the fewest words possible. Oh, the relief
of having a strong mind to lean upon once more! Not till then did I
know how utterly exhausted I was. Captain Blundel seemed quite at home
with the mountaineers, selected some to carry the body up the hill, sent
a couple to guard the door of Mr Englefield's hut, lest the tidings
should be carried to him hastily, and, lastly, to my great delight, took
measures to procure surgical help for him as quickly as possible.

"That is a blessing I dared not hope for," I exclaimed; "they told me
there was no surgeon to be found in Montenegro."

"And they told you right;" he answered, "but happily at this moment, it
is otherwise. The Prince-bishop, who was brought up, you know, in
Russia, has a clever medical man from Saint Petersburgh on a visit to
him just now; his highness is about to pass this way, on his march from
the Lake of Scutari back to Cetigna; he knows me well, and is besides
too kind-hearted not readily to lend us Dr Goloff's services for a
short time."

We walked slowly up the hill, Captain Blundel and myself keeping near
the party that bore poor John's body. The other mountaineers hurried
forward with such shouts of glee and exultation that I could not help
asking what it all meant. "It means," replied my companion, "that the
gallant fellows have made a successful raid over the Turkish border, and
surprised an underling of the Pasha of Scutari, laden with money and
jewels of his master's and his own. I was surveying near the spot where
he was captured. I never saw a fellow so terrified, and not without
reason, for they would have beheaded him there and then, had he not
declared himself a British subject and no Turk; they carried him to
their Prince, in whose custody he remains."

It flashed at once across my mind that this description agreed, in many
points, with that of Orlando Jones. I determined, without delay, to
hint these suspicions to Captain Blundel, and gave him, in the strictest
confidence, an outline of that villain's history. He listened gravely,
asked several questions much to the point, and ended by begging me to
trust the matter in his hands.

We were now at our journey's end, and I begged for some water, and
hastily washed my bloodstained hands and cloak, lest they should
frighten your uncle. Captain Blundel, meanwhile, saw the body laid in a
sheltered place, and appoint