young lieutenant's servant was standing at the door with a horse ready
saddled and bridled.

"I am very sorry to hear of your injury," he said to the young officer.

"Yes, it is a horrible nuisance," the other replied; "and just as we were
starting, too. There is an end of my campaigning for the present. I should
not have minded if it had been a French ball, but to be merely thrown from
a horse is disgusting."

"I am extremely obliged to you for the horse, Andrews, but I would rather
pay you for it; it is not fair that I should get it for nothing."

"Oh, that is all right! It would be a bother taking it down, and I should
not know what to do with it when I got to Lisbon; it would be a nuisance
altogether, and I am glad to get rid of it. The money is of no consequence
to me one way or the other. I wish you better luck with it than I have
had."

"At any rate here are five pounds for the saddle and bridle," and he put
the money down on the table by the bed.

"That is all right," the other said, without looking at it; "they are well
off my hands, too. I hope the authorities will send me straight on board
ship when I get to Lisbon; my servant will go down with me. If I am kept
there, he will of course stay with me until I sail; if not, he will rejoin
as soon as he has seen me on board. He is a good servant, and I can
recommend him to you; he is rather fond of the bottle, but that is his
only fault as far as I know. He is a countryman of yours, and you will be
able to make allowances for his failing," he added, with a laugh.