"Yes, it would be hard. However, I hope that the sea-voyage and English
air will set him up again."

Presently one of the officers who were in front turned and said: "The
general wishes you to ride back along the line, Mr. Trevor, and report
whether the intervals between the regiments are properly kept, and also as
to how the baggage-waggons are going on."

As Trevor turned to ride back the general cantered on, followed by the
three officers and the four troopers who served as orderlies. Two miles
ahead they came to a bridge across a torrent. The road, always a bad one,
had been completely cut up by the passage of the provision and ammunition
carts going to the front, and was now almost impassable.

"Will you please to ride back, Mr. O'Connor, and request the colonel of
the leading regiment to send on the pioneers and a company of men at the
double to clear the road and make it passable for the waggons."

The work was quickly done. While some men filled up the deep ruts, others
cut down shrubs and bushes growing by the river bank, tied them into
bundles, and put them across the narrow road, and threw earth and stones
upon them, and in half an hour from the order being given the bugle
sounded the advance. The head of the column had been halted just before it
reached the bridge, and the men fell out, many of them running down to the
stream to refill their water-bottles. As the bugle sounded they at once
fell in again, and the column got into motion. General Fane and his staff
remained at the bridge until the waggons had all crossed it.

"It is not much of a job," Fane said. "Of course the four regiments