At this point he overtook suddenly another horseman, whom the snow, driving now thick and fast, had hidden from his sight, while the carpeted road had deadened the sound of his own horse’s hoofs. Guessing at once that this must be the courier bearing General’s Stewart’s earlier despatch, the recollection that he had been reported missing made him chuckle. Throwing a word of salutation to the rider as he passed him, he urged his horse to a gallop, soon came to the advanced pickets of the British force, and in a few minutes arrived at the door of the house in which Sir John Moore had fixed his quarters. The general had not long arrived, and was still up, engaged in arranging with a few of his staff the details of the next day’s march. Jack was ushered to his room at once. Staggering in, white from head to heel, he drew Stewart’s letter and the intercepted despatch from his breast pocket, and, holding them out towards the general, he said: "A despatch, sir, from General Stewart." "Ah, indeed!" said Sir John, rising in his chair. "I hardly expected—why, Colborne, the boy’s done up! See to him." Jack’s face had turned the colour of his snow-laden cloak, and he would have fallen had not Major Colborne, Moore’s secretary, hastily caught him and placed him on a seat, asking one of the aides-de-camp present to give him some cordial. Meanwhile Sir John had hurriedly run his eye over Stewart’s covering note, and was now eagerly perusing Berthier’s despatch. "Gad, we have him at last!" he exclaimed, as he came to the end. The assembled officers looked expectant of an explanation, but at this moment the courier whom Jack had passed on the road entered, bearing the despatch announcing the capture of the French garrison at Rueda. "Another despatch!" exclaimed the general; "Stewart appears to have been busy." Tearing it open, he said, with a jubilant note in his voice: "First blood, gentlemen! The campaign has opened at last. General Stewart has captured fifty of Franceschi’s chasseurs and seventy of Lefebvre’s infantry at Rueda, and—why, what’s this? Lieutenant Lumsden missing!" He looked across the room at Jack, who had now recovered, and was sitting, half-asleep, with his back to the wall. "You’re Mr. Lumsden, surely?" he said. "Yes, sir." "I thought I could not be mistaken. How is it you are reported missing in the second despatch?" "I was missing when the courier left, sir. I overtook him on the road." "I see. You’re dead beat, I’m afraid, but I should be glad to hear how you came by this despatch of yours, if you can manage to keep awake for a few minutes." Jack briefly gave an account of the circumstances. "You did very well, uncommonly well, Mr. Lumsden," said Sir John when he had concluded. "Colborne, be good enough to send someone to see Mr. Lumsden safely to the quarters of the 95th. Mr. Lumsden, you will hear from me to-morrow."