“It is not half a mile,” the man said.  “You do look nearly done for.  Here, lean on me, I will help you along; and if you find your strength go, I will make a shift to carry you.”

“It is lucky I heard you whistle,” Walter said.

“It is, indeed,” the man replied, “for it is not likely anyone else would have come along today.  My dog went off after a rabbit, and I was whistling to him to come to me again.

“Ah!  Here he is.  He has got the rabbit, too.  Good dog!  Well done!”

He took the rabbit and dropped it into the pocket of his coat.  Seeing that Walter was too exhausted to talk, he asked no questions, and said nothing till he pointed to a low mound of earth, and said:  “Here we are.”

He went round by the side; and Walter perceived that there was a sharp dip in the ground, and that the hut was dug out in the face of the slope; so that, if it were approached either from behind or on either side, it would not be noticed, the roof being covered with sods, and closely matching the surrounding ground.

The man went to the low door, and opened it.

“Come in, sir,” he said; “you are quite welcome.”

The hut contained two other men, who looked up in surprise at the greeting.

“This is a young officer, in one of our horse regiments,” the man said.  “He has been in the hands of the Enniskilleners, and has got out from them alive—­which is more than most can say.  He has had a bad wound, has been wet through for hours, and is half starving.  Look sharp, lads, and get something hot, as soon as possible.

“Now, sir, if you will take off those wet things of yours, and wrap yourself in that rug, you will find yourself the better for it.  When a man is in health, a few hours wet will not do him any harm; but when he is weak from loss of blood, as you are, the cold seems to get into his bones.”

Fresh turfs were at once put on the smouldering fire, which one of the men, leaning down before it, proceeded to blow lustily; and, although much of the smoke made its way out through a hole in the roof, enough lingered to render it difficult for Walter to breathe, while his eyes watered with the sharp fumes.  A kettle had been placed on the fire, and in a very short time, a jar was produced from the corner of the hut, and a horn of strong spirits and water mixed.

“Here are some cold praties, sir.  It’s all we have got cooked by us now, but I can promise you a better meal, later on.”

Walter ate the potatoes, and drank the warm mixture.  The change from the cold damp air outside, to the warm atmosphere of the hut, aided the effects of the spirits; he was first conscious of a warm glow all over him, and then the voices of the men seemed to grow indistinct.

“You had better stretch yourself on that pile of rushes,” the man said, as Walter gave a start, being on the point of rolling over.  “Two or three hours’ sleep will make a man of you, and by that time dinner will be ready, and your clothes dry.”