X. THE GREAT GENERAL 185 XI. ON ACTIVE SERVICE 202 XII. GUARDING THE BY-WAYS 222 XIII. CIUDAD RODRIGO 240 XIV. ONE OF THE FORLORN HOPE 263 XV. ROUND ABOUT BADAJOZ 281 XVI. THE BATTLE OF SALAMANCA 302 XVII. A CLUE AT LAST 321 XVIII. THE CONSPIRATORS' DEN 337 XIX. TOM THINKS FURIOUSLY 354 XX. A BRILLIANT CAPTURE 371 Illustrations Page TOM IS SUMMONED BY WELLINGTON _Frontispiece_ 300 "CRASH! WENT THE BROADSIDE" 72 THE PEASANTS BREAK IN THE CHURCH DOORS 112 "GRIPPING ONE OF THE LADDERS DRAGGED IT ASIDE WITH ALL HIS FORCE" 169 "TO HIS AMAZEMENT THE MAN CLUTCHED HIM BY THE HAND" 225 TOM ESCAPES FROM CIUDAD RODRIGO 258 A CLEVER DISGUISE 324 THE FAT MAN THREATENS TOM 345 WITH WELLINGTON IN SPAIN CHAPTER I Septimus John Clifford & Son No cooler spot could be imagined on the hottest midsummer day than the picturesque forecourt of the premises occupied by Septimus John Clifford & Son, wine merchants, importers and exporters. Behind the forecourt, crowding the latter closely towards the edge of the River Thames, some few hundred yards below the point where the stream swept and swirled through the arches of the bridge, stretched an irregular block of buildings, that portion farthest from the court presenting a somewhat severe frontage to the river, its many floors, its narrow windows, and its winches and hoists dangling outside serving to show that it was there that Septimus John Clifford & Son stored their goods from oversea. Huge doors leading by wide, shallow steps to the basement hinted that it was through these easy portals that the wines of France, of Spain, and of Portugal found access to the vast vaults stretching away behind the muddy bank of the river.