But a soldier ought not to dwell too long on such matters. His life is full of hardship and he must take his pleasure where he can. Though he may take time to reflect upon the cruelties that he sees, place him among his comrades and it is almost impossible for his spirits not to rise. Strange and Captain Whyte reached Flores de Avila at about nine o’clock and within five minutes they were greeting their friends cheerfully, listening to the latest gossip about Lord Wellington and making a great many inquiries about the previous day’s battle – another defeat for the French. One would scarcely suppose they had seen any thing to distress them within the last twelvemonth.

The Headquarters had been set up in a ruined church on a hillside above the village and there Lord Wellington, Fitzroy Somerset, Colonel De Lancey and Major Grant were waiting to meet them.

For all that he had won two battles in as many days Lord Wellington was not in the best of tempers. The French Army, famed throughout Europe for the rapidity of its marches, had got away from him and was now well on the way to Valladolid and safety. “It is a perfect mystery to me how they get on so fast,” he complained, “and I would give a great deal to catch up with them and destroy them. But this is the only army I have and if I wear it out I cannot get another.”

“We have heard from the Neapolitans with the guns,” Major Grant informed Strange and Captain Whyte. “They are asking a hundred dollars a piece for them. Six hundred dollars in all.”

“Which is too much,” said his lordship briefly. “Mr Strange, Captain Whyte, I hope you have good news for me?”

“Hardly, my lord,” said Strange. “The Neapolitans are in a wood. But as to where that wood might be I have not the least idea. I am not sure how to progress. I have exhausted everything I know.”

“Then you must quickly learn something else!”

For a moment Strange looked as if he was going to return his lordship an angry reply, but thinking better of it he sighed and inquired whether the seventeen dead Neapolitans were being kept safe.

“They have been put in the bell tower,” said Colonel De Lancey. “Sergeant Nash has charge of them. Whatever you want them for, I advise you to use them soon. I doubt they will last much longer in this heat.”

“They will last another night,” said Strange. “The nights are cold.” Then he turned and went out of the church.

Wellington’s Staff watched him go with some curiosity. “You know,” said Fitzroy Somerset, “I really cannot help wondering what he is going to do with seventeen corpses.”