BEGINNING THE NIGHT ADVENTURE The colonel of engineers did not delay me long, and, eager to be away, I made my necessary questions as brief as possible.

Riding back through the encampment of troops, hampered more or less by the irregularity of the different commands, I had ample time in which to outline the night's adventure.

I comprehended fully the danger of the mission, and that the probability was strongly against success.

Reckless audacity, coupled with rare good fortune, might result in our return with the prisoner sought, but it was far more likely that we would be the ones captured, if we escaped with our lives.

Yet this knowledge caused no hesitancy on my part; I was trained to obedience, and deep down in my heart welcomed the opportunity.