CHAPTER XIII

AN AWKWARD POSITION

When Captain Nelson and Terence went out, just as the morning was breaking, they found the two troopers waiting in the street. Each held a spare horse; the one was that upon which Terence had ridden from Coimbra, the other was a fine English horse.

"What horse is this?" Terence asked.

"It is a present to you from Sir John Cradock," Captain Nelson said. "He told me last night that the troopers had been ordered to ask for it when they took your horse this morning, and that his men were ordered to hand it over to them. He wished me to tell you that he had pleasure in presenting the horse to you as a mark of his great satisfaction at the manner in which you had mastered the military details of Sir John Moore's expedition, and the clearness with which you had explained them."

"I am indeed greatly obliged to the general; it is most kind of him," Terence said. "Will you please express my thanks to him in a proper way, Captain Nelson."

They rode to the Treasury, where they found the Portuguese escort, with the mules, waiting them. The officer in charge of the Treasury was already there, and admitted the two officers.

"I have packed the money in ammunition-boxes," he said. "I received instructions from Mr. Villiers to do so."

"It is evident that your words had some effect, Mr. O'Connor," Captain Nelson said aside to Terence. "I suppose that when he thought it over he came to the conclusion that, after all, your suggestions, were prudent ones, and that it would add to the chance of the money reaching Romana were he to adopt it."

Now, provide a numbered list of answers to these questions:

1. Who held a spare horse?
2. Where were they?
3. What time was it?
4. Had Terence ridden one?
5. from where?
6. Who else was with Terence
7. Which horse was the present?
8. From who?
9. to who?
10. Had the troopers been ordered?
11. What were they ordered to do?
12. What had Terence mastered?
13. Were they of an expedition?
14. Whose?
15. Did he explain them?
16. Was the money packed?
17. What was it packed in?
18. Who did he receive instructions from?
19. Where did they ride to?
20. Who was there?

Numbered answers:
1. two troopers
2. in the street
3. just as the morning was breaking
4. yes
5. Coimbra
6. Captain Nelson
7. a fine English horse
8. Sir John Cradock
9. Terence
10. yes
11. provide the English horse
12. military details
13. yes
14. Sir John Moore's
15. yes
16. yes
17. ammunition-boxes18. Mr. Villiers
19. the Treasury
20. the Portuguese escort and the officer in charge of the Treasury