After taking a deep draught he felt greatly revived, and then made a thorough survey of his prison.  It evidently formed part of the house of a well-to-do man, for it was solidly built of stone, and the door was strong and well fitted.

The opening in the wall was out of his reach.  He could, at ordinary times, by standing on the upturned bucket, have reached it with a spring, and pulled himself up to it, but at present he was wholly incapable of such exertion.  He thought, however, that after a night’s rest he would be able to do it.

The door was so strong that he had no hope of escape in that direction.  As he might at any moment be disturbed, he returned to the straw on which he had at first been thrown, laid himself down, and in a very short time dropped off to sleep.

It was dark, before he was awoke by the turning of the key in the lock, and two men entered, one of them bearing a horn lantern.

“Where am I?” Walter asked, in a feeble tone, as they approached him.

“Never mind where you are,” one said roughly.  “Get up.”

Walter seemed to make an effort, and then fell back with a groan.

The man repeated his order, emphasizing it with a kick.  Walter again made an effort, and, as before, sank back.

“Here, catch hold of him,” the man said, impatiently, “it’s no use fooling here with him.”

The men took Walter under the arms and lifted him up, and half dragged, half carried him out of the stable and into the house adjoining.  He was taken into a room where four or five men were sitting.

“Now, young fellow,” one said sharply, “tell us what corps you belong to.”

Walter looked stupidly at his questioner, but made no answer.

“Answer my question,” the man said, levelling a pistol at him, “or I will blow out your brains at once.”

Still Walter stared at him stupidly, and made no reply, except to mutter, “Water.”

“It’s no use,” one of the other men said.  “He hasn’t got his right senses yet.  It’s no use shooting him now, after we have had the trouble of bringing him here.  In the morning, he will be able to answer you.”

“He had better,” the other said savagely, “or we will light a fire and roast him over it.  There, take him back to the stable, and give him a drink of water.  I don’t want him to slip through our fingers, after the trouble we have had with him.”

Walter was taken back, as before, to the stable, and one of the men brought him a mug of water, and held it to his lips.  He drank eagerly, and then the man placed the mug down beside him, the door was again closed and locked, and Walter was alone.  He rose at once to his feet, and felt that his sleep had greatly refreshed and strengthened him.

“I will have another sleep, before I try,” he said to himself.  “It will not be light till six, and it must be eight or nine o’clock now.  I must make up my mind, before I doze off, to wake in about three or four hours; but first, I must see what I can find, here.”