"And I, Lieutenant Herrara, have been ordered by the colonel of my regiment to command the escort of Portuguese cavalry told off to accompany this British officer, and also feel myself free from any interference or examination by civilians." "I am a colonel!" Cortingos said, angrily. "By whom appointed, if I may ask?" "By the Junta of Oporto." "I was not aware that they possessed the right of granting high commissions," Herrara said, "although, of course, they can grant temporary rank to those who command irregular forces. This British officer has assured you as to the object of his journey, and unless that object has had the approval of the military authorities at Lisbon he would not have been furnished with an escort by them." "I have only his word and yours as to that," Cortingos said, insolently. "I am acting under the orders of the supreme authority of this province." "You are doing your duty, no doubt," the lieutenant said, "in making these inquiries. This officer has answered them, and I will answer any further questions if I consider them to be reasonable." "We wish, in the first place," Cortingos said, "to examine any official passes you may have received." "Our official passes are our uniforms," Herrara replied, haughtily. "Uniforms have been useful for purposes of disguise before now," Cortingos replied. "I again ask you to show me your authority." "Here is an authority," Terence broke in. "Here is a despatch from General Sir John Cradock to General Romana." "Ah, ah, a Spaniard." "A Spanish general, a marquis and grandee of Spain, who has been fighting the French, and who is now with a portion of his army preparing to defend the passes into Portugal." Cortingos held out his hand for the paper, but Terence put it back again into the breast-pocket of his uniform. "No, sir," he said; "this communication is for the Marquis of Romana, and for him only. No one else touches it so long as I am alive to defend it." The colonel whispered to his two associates. "We will let that pass for the present," he replied, and turning to Terence again, said, "In the next place we wish to know the nature of the contents of the sacks that are being carried by the mules that accompany you." "They contain ammunition, and forage for our horses," Lieutenant Herrara said. "You can, if you choose, question the muleteers, who fastened up the sacks and had an opportunity of seeing the ammunition." "In the name of the Junta I demand that ammunition!" Cortingos said, with an air of authority. "It is monstrous that ammunition should be taken to Spaniards, who have already shown that they are incapable of using it with any effect, while here we have loyal men ready to die in their country's defence, but altogether unprovided with ammunition."