scenes to be enacted, in which one was destined to bear a part, ere we should meet again. And now I see a figure wrapped in a horseman's cloak, and adorned by a gold-braided forage-cap, listlessly wearing through the moonlit hours of the "middle watch," on the deck of Government Transport, No. 9-a capacious old tub, which is stiffly and steadily working her way to windward over the long rolling swell of the Bay of Biscay-close-hauled is she on her course, for the breeze is steady from the southwest, and glorious is that boundless waste of waters, athwart whose hill and dale the flickering reflection of the moon seems to fling a glittering pathway, even to the far horizon, while myriads of fairies appear to be dancing their way along that road of gold. The old Transport makes tolerable way, as she bends industriously to her larboard tack, and the cavalry officer on watch, with one hand ever and anon removing a glowing cigar from his mouth, while the other grasps a friendly stay to aid a landsman's balance, who is he but the unacknowledged lover of bonny Mary Bolton, bound for the field of honor and promotion, the land of medal, clasp, and decoration the blood-stained Peninsula ? We had marched from York the very morning after the ball I have mentioned; the brown horse promoted to second charger, had arrived in the nick of time, and after the usual jollities and humors of a march through England, we were now fairly embarked, and already half way to a land where a far different service from any we had yet seen awaited our corps. I was keeping "the middle watch," as was then the custom of the service, even for "sogers," when on board ship; and, moreover, I was thinking of Mary Bolton, when my reveries were interrupted by the second mate of the Transport, a smart sailor-like young fellow, of some five or six-and-twenty, who was not unwilling to relieve the tedium of his watch by my agreeable society, and one of my still more acceptable cigars. I answered in the affirmative, and making a guess, from a slight north-country accent on my friend's tongue, though scarcely perceptible-for sailors, like soldiers, soon catch a tone and idiom peculiar to themselves—I inquired, " Do you know any thing of Yorkshire?" "Well, sir, I'm Yorkshire myself," was the reply; "born and bred at Newnham Dale; till ten years of age. Maybe you know Newnham Dale, sir, and 'Squire Bolton-a kind, good gentleman is 'Squire Boltonand the young ladies, too, God bless 'em, I owe 'em more nor ever I shall pay, and father likewise; but I ask your pardon, sir; perhaps you never see 'Squire Bolton?" I longed to shake hands with the honest fellow, if it was only for knowing the Miss Boltons, and assured him, with my heart on my lips, that I was on intimate terms with the good 'squire and his whole family; and having once got him on the subject, he never stopped till he had told me the whole particulars of his birth, parentage, and education; and what interested me a good deal more, he described to me diverse circumstances connected with his own family, and the kind-hearted generosity of "Miss Mary," which entirely cleared up the mystery of the sale of her brown horse, and the secresy in which that affair was involved. It appeared, from what the mate told me in his honest Yorkshire dialect,-for as he talked of home he got more and more provincial in his accent,-that his father had become seriously involved, in his small way, during the past summer, that in consequence of a rascally cousin, (then in America, of course,) he had become liable for an amount, that all he could realize in the world, without selling the necessary stock from his little farm, would be insufficient to liquidate; that the 'squire, having already returned him a half-year's rent, to assist him in making head against his difficulties, the old man's honest pride would not allow him to ask for any further assistance from that source; that his children had gathered round him, and offered all their savings, as in duty bound; that he, the sailor, had been home at the time, and "did what he could," as he modestly expressed the immediate production of three years' wages, his all; but that, do what they would, and struggle as they might, there was still fifty pounds wanting to set Farmer Bradley straight with | adventures inseparable from such a cam the world, and to enable him to fight his way on, "not afeard," as he called it, "to look e'er a man in the face;" that this fifty pounds was not forthcoming, and the old farmer's distress was at its height, when, one evening, a letter arrived from the lawyer at York, who had managed poor Bradley's difficulties, stating that he had received a fifty-pound note to Farmer Bradley's account, which, with the money then in hand, would liquidate all claims against him, and set him square with the world; that they had no clew to discover who might be the donor of so acceptable a gift, and that it was only on the very morning my informant, the second son, Tom, departed to join his ship, that he was told by her old nurse, it was Miss Mary who had furnished the money, but that it was not to be mentioned, on any account, as she did not wish it known to any one; and, "poor dear," as the old nurse added, "she sold her horse, that, I've heard her say, she loved like a Christian, to be hunted to death by one of them soger-officers, God forgive 'em," to obtain the necessary sum, "and," logically added Tom Bradley, "if there's angels in heaven, that Miss Mary, she's a born angel on earth; and if she's not, I'm-" something or another, which had very little to do with the class of beings the honest young mate referred to. The whole mystery was now cleared up; all my misgivings were at an end; whilst I had been puzzling my brain inventing clandestine reasons, and racking my heart, thinking hard thoughts against my ladyelove, she had been performing an act of charity and self-denial, in the truest sense of the word; and when I told Tom Bradley-as how could I help telling him?that I was the "soger-officer" who had obtained Miss Mary's favorite, what wonder that, for the rest of the voyage, we jointly and severally petted the brown charger as never animal was petted before, even at sea? and that from the very night on which I became acquainted with his history, I distinguished him from the other two horses I possessed, in honor of his former mistress, as well as for his own intrinsic qualities, by the well-remembered title of "Best-ofThree." paign, as the one on which I now entered. Mighty operations were being carried on by the master warriors of that day, and the great Duke was building, step by step, that pinnacle of glory which was eventually to be crowned by the closing triumph of Waterloo. In these operations, though but a unit in the mass, I bore my part. In common with the smallest drummer-boy in the army, I identified myself with its victories, as I shared its privations and its dangers; and we rather piqued ourselves on being in the thick of the latter. It was my pride to know, that even a subaltern of dragoons— even the charger that bore him-was part and parcel of that mighty whole, which was to shake the war-anointed Emperor on his throne, and to influence the destinies of the world. A cavalry officer, like a centaur, is nothing without his other half-his trusty charger. No fish out of water looks half so helpless as a dismounted dragoon. As the animal is so important a portion of the pair, I may be forgiven for devoting a few lines to the description of "Best-ofThree." Next to talking of themselves, men are apt to take the greatest delight in talking of their horses, and mine was indeed the most glorious of his kind. He was a rich dark-brown, rather low, but of extraordinary strength and symmetry of frame, with a beautiful little head, and small, pointed ears, which—when excited by the difficulty in front of him, whether fence or foe, a brook or a battery-turned inwards, till their quivering tips almost met. His back and loins were strength personified; he was thorough-bred, and as fast as the wind, with that instinctive love for all the display and trappings of war peculiar to the horse among animals, as to the weaker sex among the human race. In temper he was docile as high-couraged, “gentle and not fearful," with the faithful affection and almost the sagacity of a dog. He learnt his drill quicker than any charger that had ever before been placed under the tuition of our riding-master, and the colonel complimented me on his appearance, when we made our joint debut in the field. Poor old "Best-of It is not for me to dwell upon the series of Three!" All I have left of you, is that well-known hind foot, the only white about you, converted into the inkstand from which I now write. In truth, you were a gallant steed; and had your heart failed you in danger, or your limbs in difficulties, I had not been here now, to tell an old worn-out veteran's tale of a scurry for liberty and life. It was during the winter, celebrated for that wonderful and elaborate scheme of defence, so successfully carried out by the most skillful warrior of the age, and known to history by the title of "the lines of Torres Vedras," that my tour of duty placed me on the look-out, as officer commanding a cavalry picket, in the immediate vicinity of one of the enemy's outposts—a situation of tolerable responsibility for a young soldier, and one requiring no small amount of alertness and vigilance. My instructions were to reach a certain point, if possible unobserved, and there to establish the head-quarters, as it were, of the party I commanded-to place my vedettes in such a manner as to guard against surprise; whilst, by means of a somewhat detached line of sentries, I kept open my communications with the rear. To these orders were added the usual injunctions on all service of this description-to make myself as much as possible acquainted with the nature of the surrounding countrythe fords in a certain stream winding its way along my front-the bridges, if any, and whether practicable for artillery, &c., &c.; for all of which details the master-mind directing the whole of our operations appeared to have as provident a case as though its natural element were in the petty minutiæ of a subaltern's duty, whilst at the same time its comprehensive grasp was capable of wielding the power of an allied army. My first care, on arriving at my post, was to establish myself in such a manner as to guard against surprise. I made sure that no detached party of the enemy could occupy a position between mine and the stream to my front; whilst I took care that the country behind me should be well reconnoitred, so as to secure a retreat in the event of collision with a superior force, as well as for the first military purpose, of keeping open my communications. There was a wooded and picturesque slope to my front, on the further side of the stream I have already mentioned, and this I determined to examine thoroughly before proceeding with my survey of the surrounding country. Having brought my party to the spot we had fixed on for our bivouac and temporary head-quarters, I dismounted, and walked down to the stream, under whose friendly banks I contrived to keep myself closely concealed, while with the aid of my glass I made good the whole of the opposite ridge. After a pretty accurate survey, I felt tolerably secure, and returning to our watch-fire, at which my men had already begun their simple cookery, I received the reports of my two serjeants, and tightening the girths of "Best-of-Three," whom I had fortunately brought with me on this arduous service, I rode quietly away by myself, to make what further discoveries I could as to the locality of the enemy, the disposition of the peasantry, and any other information I could gather, which might prove useful to myself, or my commanding officer. I rode carefully along, rounding the base of the opposite hill, and ever keeping a wary look-out on each side of me ; but no signs of human habitation, or of the presence of man, could I detect. Wild, rugged, and picturesque, the eye of the painter would have been enraptured at every turn of my path; but sketching was not my object, and I was beginning to calculate how far I must have come from my post, and to have sundry misgivings as to whether I had sufficiently attended to my orders, with regard to making myself acquainted with the stream, and its deep and dangerous fords, when my attention was suddenly arrested by a thin white line of smoke, only just visible against the brown copsewood which clothed the surface of a hill some two miles to my right. This, I conjectured, must come from some farmhouse, hut, or cottage, and here I thought my slight knowledge of the language of the country might be advantageously brought into play. Accordingly, I turned my horse's head in the direction of the line of vapor, and trotted briskly forward towards some distant inclosures, which I thought must surely lead me to what I now felt confident was a farm-house. These inclosures I found to consist of high and strong hedges, almost impervious in any place, even to the eye, and what we should have called in England bullfinches," of the severest description. As I rode through the gate into one of these fields, my thoughts insensibly wandered out a cigar-case, offered him a weed, which back to merry England, and the cheering he accepted with exalted politeness, and music of the hound-to the green pastures striking a light, proceeded to smoke, with of Yorkshire, and the quiet smile of Mary the air of a man who is perfectly satisfied Bolton, when my day-dreams were dispelied, with himself, and the position in which he and myself and horse most unequivocally is placed. Whether my sang-froid pleased startled, by the singing whistle of a ball them—and there is nothing a Frenchman adover our heads, and the sharp ringing report mires so much as that philegmatic quality, of a carbine, followed by the simultaneous in which he is himself so deficient-or appearance of three well-mounted French whether they were delighted with the courdragoons, belonging to the heaven-knows- age and agility displayed by my horse-or what regiment of hussars of the line, who whether their national chivalry of character emerged from a thicket in the corner of the induces them always to respect a prisoner as very field I was so unsuspiciously crossing, such, I know not; but I had no reason to and came thundering towards me "ventre complain of my treatment. I was allowed a terre,” and blaspheming in chorus that I to ride perfectly unconstrained between the was to render myself into their hands. I "vieux capitaine" commanding, and a rusé made up my mind in a moment. The gate old serjeant-major, who had survived the behind me led into a lane, out of which the Italian campaign, as he informed me. The fence I had remarked, though large, was captain conversed, freely and unreservedly, practicable, and wheeling "Best-of-Three" on every topic connected with the war, insuddenly round upon his haunches, I made cluding my own capture, which had been for this outlet at the very best speed I was arranged with great tact and secresy. master of about one stride for every two of the French hussars. Disregarding an uncertain shot from one of my new acquaintances, who pulled up to administer the compliment, I was coming rapidly down to the gateway, when, to my horror, a fourth hussar made his appearance through that very entrance, and slamming the gate (a new strong piece of timber as man could wish to see) behind him, came "sacré-ing" on in my very teeth, with such determination that I saw a collision was unavoidable. He was upon me like lightning; and I had just time to draw my sword, parry his thrust, and return it ineffectually, when I found we were within three strides of the now-closed gate. I collected Best-of-Three" for the effort, and high as it was, he jumped it like a bird. Nothing in the olden time, not even in the Alas! alas! only to land me in the lane, most chivalrous period of the middle ages, amidst the plaudits and bravoes of some could equal the exalted politeness with score or two of hussars, belonging to the which the adverse outposts in the Peninsula same regiment as my previous antagonists, carried on their hostilities. Instances of renow left planté in the field. There I was, ciprocal courtesy, such as invitations to dinright in the middle of them; and there was ner, interchange of provisions, and abstainnothing for it but to submit with a good ing from all useless annoyances, were of grace and a pleasant countenance. I rode daily occurrence. Sometimes the apparent up to the officer in command, a grizzled contradiction of enemies being on such terms veteran, all mustaches and chin-tuft, very was fiercely ludicrous. Witness the ghastly haggard, and very war-like, and much re- message sent by a French officer of high sembling an old Scotch terrier, and handing rank to one of our most distinguished comhim my sword with a bow, I muttered some-manders of cavalry, begging him (with his thing about "Fortune de la guerre," pulled compliments!) to give orders that our dra It appears I had been seen by their sentries making for the line of white smoke, which arose from their own watch-fires. The three hussars whom I first saw had been sent to intercept me; and the shots fired at me were to serve the double purpose of warning their comrades in the lane, and wounding myself or charger, so as to make a certainty of my falling into their hands. The dragoon who had so unceremoniously slammed the gate in my face, thought by that means to ensure my capture, after an exciting chase round the field; and his comrades confessed themselves much surprised at the appearance of "ce beau cheval" and "monsieur le capitaine Anglais" dropping, as if from the clouds, in the midst of them. goons should have their sabres sharpened | men, his horses, and his Emperor! gave more keenly, as several of the wounded in the French hospitals suffered severely from the jagged end of the weapon with which, in hand-to-hand encounters, the British soldier dealt his crushing blow. Need I add the message was received and acted upon in the spirit in which it was sent! As for cooks, valuable as such officials are in a campaign, they were continually being sent back and exchanged, with the utmost readiness and good will. A cook, like a surgeon, was never obliged to hurry himself or discompose his chemical arrangements, as whether a prisoner or at large, whichever side gained the day, he was equally certain of consideration and good treatment. A singular coincidence as regarded these amicable hostilities came under the notice of some officers belonging to one of our hussar regiments, with whom I am well acquainted, and who will vouch for the facts as they are related in the following curious instance of the wild, retributive justice of war: My friends, a captain and subaltern, were on outpost duty, as usual, in the immediate vicinity of a French picket, and from the nature of the ground and the earlier arrival of the British force, were enabled to command the only spring at which water was attainable for many miles, in that parched and arid country. As they sat round their fire, a single French serjeant was seen making his way on foot, up the hill, towards them, and waving his hand with gestures evidently deprecating hostilities. He was allowed to approach, and asking for the officer in command, he presented “Monsieur le capitaine's" compliments, and begged that his men might be allowed to water their horses at the spring without molestation. This request was instantly and graciously acceded to; nor was there any dereliction of duty in so doing, as the post my friend occupied was merely one of observation, and his orders were, upon no account to annoy or hazard a rencounter with the enemy. No sooner had a courteous affirmative to his message been delivered to the French officer, than he mounted his horse, galloped up to the little camp of English cavalry, and threw himself in the midst of them. With all the volubility of his nation, he thanked them for their politeness in the name of himself, his them his address in Paris, swore eternal brotherhood, and remained to partake of their simple campaigning fare. Ere he left, after making himself most agreeable, and singing them "chansons" without end, in a most melodious voice, he again thanked them warmly for their kindness and hospitality, informing them that as he was under orders to retire upon the head-quarters of his corps the following day, he should leave some white bread, coffee, and brandy at his present post, for the use of his English friends; hoped they might some day meet without holding "le sabr-r-re à la main," and took quite an affectionate leave of his entertainers. Curiously enough, that very night, whilst my friends were discussing their visitor, and voting him energetically a right good fellow, they received orders to drive in the enemy's outpost at daybreak the following morning. Those who had passed the cup from lip to lip in jovial companionship but twelve hours ago, were now to be opposed hand-to-hand in mortal combat. The French out-post was brilliantly carried after a sharp and decisive skirmish, and my friends, on occupying the ground previously held by the enemy, found the French captain's body lying stark and stiff, actually within three paces of the small package of luxuries which, according to promise, had been left for the use of his entertainers of the previous evening. He was a capital swordsman, and more than one of our hussars had fallen to his deadly thrusts, when Serjeant Green, the smartest non-commissioned officer belonging to my friend's troop, shot him dead through the heart, without a rest, at fifteen paces, remarking first that the French officer appeared to be "troublesome," and secondly, that it was "pretty fair practice for a holster-pistol." Poor fellow! they dug his grave then and there, and with a soldier's tear and a soldier's prayer, they laid him in his lowly resting-place, and my friend, with a feeling of respect which did him honor, found time ere he pursued his march, to mark the spot of the gallant Frenchman's last bivouac, by cutting a white cross in the bark of a fine old tree, which overshadowed the scene of an enemy's death and a warrior's burial. Time slipped on, and the distinguished regiment to which my friend belonged had |