ouse, whereas if we succeed in dispersing them, no small portion of
them will at once scatter to their homes, and the rest will take care
not to come near this neighbourhood again."

At twelve o'clock MacIntosh sent a man to say that the road down was
clear, and that three hundred and twenty dead bodies had been thrown
over. At three o'clock in the morning the horses, round whose hoofs
pieces of sacking had been tied, were led across the fosse. One of
MacIntosh's sergeants was put in charge of the ten men who were to
remain at the intrenchment, the castle being left entirely in the hands
of the women and boys. The mounted tenants were eighty in number, all
carrying long spears and swords. The torches had long since burnt out,
and each man leading his horse went noiselessly down the road, MacIntosh
with the footmen leading the way. They halted at the bottom of the
road. There was no sound from the spot where the insurgents were lying
a couple of hundred yards down the valley, fatigued by a very long march
on the previous day, and the exertion of dragging the cannon, for only
a few of these were horsed. Presently the day began to break, but not
until it became light enough to see perfectly, did Hector give the order
to mount, and leaping into the saddle prepared to lead them.

The mounted men had been divided into four bands of twenty each. Paolo
and the three troopers each took the command of a party. Hector's
orders were: "Keep together until the peasants are in full flight, then
separate in pursuit. The movement must be put down or the whole province
will be ruined, therefore give no quarter, and pursue until your horses
are tired, then return here. Now, MacIntosh, do you advance straight
upon the guns; it is probable that they are all loaded, therefore carry
them with a rush. The moment we see you engaged we will charge."

The horsemen were in single line, extending from side to side of the
valley. Hector kept his eye upon MacIntosh's party. They were close
to the guns before any of the sleepers awoke. Then there was a sudden
shout, and numbers of the men rushed to the cannon. MacIntosh was there
as soon as they were, and pouring in a volley rushed upon the guns. At
the same moment Hector gave the word to charge, and with levelled spears
the horsemen rode down into the midst of the crowd. Appalled by this
sudden attack, which was wholly unexpected, the resistance was but
slight. Many of the peasants at once threw awa