It certainly seemed to me, after I had been there a day or two, that a rescue was simply impossible; though I knew that Colonel O'Connor would do his best to get me out, as soon as he learned that I was captured." "I gave you credit for better sense, Dick, than to ride right into the hands of the French," Terence said, as he and Ryan rode on together at the head of the column.
"I think you would have done it yourself, Terence.

The night was dark, and I could not see ten yards ahead of me.

If they had been on the march, of course, I should have heard them; but by bad luck they had halted just across the road I was following.

It was very fortunate that you put all the numbers wrong in your despatches, and I can tell you it was a mighty comfort to me to know that you had done so; for I should have been half mad at the thought that they had got at your real strength, which would have entirely defeated the object of our expedition.

As it was, I had the satisfaction of knowing that the capture of the despatches would do more good than harm.
"Did the man who followed me get through ?" "Yes, he kept his eyes open, Dicky," Terence said.