"To be sure! What do you suppose we could get from Spain?"
"Thousands of mules and plenty of horses."
"It is worth thinking of, although the distance is great," replied the
quartermaster-general. "I will speak to Lord Raglan at once on the
subject. By-the-way, I think you know Spanish?"
"Yes," said McKay, "fairly well."
"Then you had better get ready to start. If any one goes, I will send
you."
This was tantamount to an order. General Airey's advice was certain to
be taken by Lord Raglan.
Next morning McKay started for Gibraltar, specially accredited to the
Governor of the fortress, and with full powers to buy and forward
baggage-animals as expeditiously as possible.
CHAPTER XXI.
AGAIN ON THE ROCK.
McKay travelled as far as Constantinople in one of the man-of-war
despatch-boats used for the postal service. There he changed into a
transport homeward bound, and proceeded on his voyage without delay.
But half-an-hour at Constantinople was enough to gain tidings of the
_Arcadia_ and her passengers.
The yacht, he learnt, had left only a week or two before. It had
lingered a couple of months at the Golden Horn, during which time
General Wilders lay between life and death.
Mortification at last set in, and then all hope was gone. The general
died, and was buried at Scutari, after which Mrs.
Pages:
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
222
223
224
225
226
227
228
229
230
231
232
233