Some hours passed, and he was on the point of dropping off to sleep again, when he heard a whistle repeated once or twice, followed by the sharp bark of a dog.

It was but a short distance away, and, leaping to his feet, he saw a peasant standing at a distance of two or three hundred yards.
Walter hurried towards him at a speed of which, a few minutes before, he would have thought himself incapable.

The man continued whistling, at short intervals, and did not notice Walter till he was within twenty yards distant; then he turned sharply round.
"Who are you ?" he asked, clubbing a heavy stick which he held in his hand, and standing on the defensive.
The dress and appearance of the man assured Walter that he was a Catholic, and therefore a friend, and he replied at once: "I belong to one of the Irish troops of horse.

The Enniskilleners surprised a party of us, yesterday, and wounded me, as you see.
Fortunately, I escaped in the night, or they would have finished me this morning.

I have been out all night in the rain, and am weak from loss of blood and hunger.