I tried hard to remember, but could not; the past was a total blank.
"Well, well, never mind," exclaimed the man kindly. "Try to sleep; you will be better in the morning."
With the coming of dawn I saw that I was in the midst of a large camp. Thousands of soldiers wrapped in their ponchos lay motionless before smouldering fires. Presently there was a blowing of bugles, and the still figures stirred to life. Officers rode hither and thither issuing orders, the men ate their scanty rations, the cavalry groomed and fed their horses—there were all the sights and sounds connected with an army about to march.
Then the infantry formed in battalions, the horsemen mounted, bugles sounded in numerous places; there was a cracking of whips, the creaking of wheels, and all began to move slowly forward. Soon but a few men remained, and it seemed that I had been forgotten.
At length a man came to me. He was dressed in uniform, but his words and actions proved him to be a surgeon.
"Feel better?" he asked. "Can you eat something? I can only give you army food; but that will fill up the hollows. Now let me look at the damage. Faith, I compliment you on having a thick skull. A thinner one would have cracked like an egg-shell. Don't try to talk till you've had something to eat."
"Just one question," I said faintly. "Who are the soldiers just moved out?"
"Why, General Canterac's troops. I see you belong to the other side. But don't worry; we shan't hurt you."
"Then I am a prisoner?"
"That's always the way—one question leads to a dozen, Yes, I suppose you are a prisoner; but that's nothing very terrible," and he hurried off to procure food and drink for me.