regret, that I must subject his person to a search; and hence arose
the circumstance which has called for what I fear you will consider
a somewhat tedious explanation. I found upon Mr. Sheeny's person
three sovereigns in English money (which I have to this day), and
singularly enough a copy of the New Monthly Magazine, containing a
portion of my adventures. It was a toss-up whether I should let
the poor young man be shot or no, but this little circumstance
saved his life. The gratified vanity of authorship induced me to
accept his portmanteau and valuables, and to allow the poor wretch
to go free. I put the Magazine in my coat-pocket, and left him and
the podesta.

The men, to my surprise, had quitted the building, and it was full
time for me to follow; for I found our sallying party, after
committing dreadful ravages in Oraa's lines, were in full retreat
upon the fort, hotly pressed by a superior force of the enemy. I
am pretty well known and respected by the men of both parties in
Spain (indeed I served for some months on the Queen's side before I
came over to Don Carlos); and, as it is my maxim never to give
quarter, I never expect to receive it when taken myself. On
issuing from the podesta with Sheeny's portmanteau and my sword in
my hand, I was a little disgusted and annoyed to see our own men in
a pretty good column retreating at double-quick, and about four
hundred yards beyond me, up the hill leading to the fort; while on
my left hand, and at only a hundred yards, a troop of the Queenite
lancers were clattering along the road.

I had got into the very middle of the road before I made this
discovery, so that the fellows had a full sight of me, and whizz!
came a bullet by my left whisker before I could say Jack Robinson.