Walter fell almost instantaneously off to sleep, and it was late in the afternoon before he woke. "I am afraid I must have slept a long time," he said, sitting up. "You have had a fine sleep, surely," one of the men replied; "and it's dinner and supper, all in one, that you will have." Walter found his uniform and underclothes neatly folded up by his side, and speedily dressed himself. "That sleep has done me a world of good," he said. "I feel quite myself again." "That's right, yer honour. When you've had your food, I will make a shift to dress that wound at the back of yer head. Be jabbers, it's a hard knock you have had, and a mighty lot of blood you must have lost! Yer clothes was just stiff with it; but I washed most of it out. "And now, lads, off with the pot!" A large pot was hanging over the fire, and, when the lid was taken off, a smell very pleasant to Walter's nostrils arose. Four flat pieces of wood served the purpose of plates, and, with a large spoon of the same material, the man who had brought Walter to the hut, and who appeared to be the leader of the party, ladled out portions of the contents. These consisted of rabbit and pieces of beef, boiled up with potatoes and onions. A large jug filled with water, and a bottle of spirits were placed in the centre, with the horn which Walter had before used beside it. "We are short of crockery," the man said with a laugh. "Here are some knives, but as for forks, we just have to do without them." Walter enjoyed his meal immensely. After it was finished, the wooden platters were removed, and the jug replenished. "Now, your honour, will you tell us how you got away from the Protestant rebels, and how was it they didn't make short work of you, when they caught you? It's a puzzle to us entirely, for the Enniskilleners spare neither man, woman, nor child." Walter related the whole circumstances of his capture, imprisonment, and escape. "You fooled them nicely," the man said, admiringly. "Sure your honour's the one to get out of a scrape--and you little more than a boy." "And what are you doing here?" Walter asked, in return. "This seems a wild place to live in."