called us near, and may I never live to
forget his words. They were enow to set on fire the courage of all true
soldiers. He bade us remember it was God's battle we were fighting, for
Queen and country and for our Faith. He bade us remember, too, we were
waging war against the tyranny of Spain, and exhorted us to care nought for
danger or death in serving the Queen, furthering our country's honour, and
helping a people so grievously in want of aid. He said, moreover, that his
eye was upon us, and none who fought bravely should lose their reward.

'I thank God I was one of the forty men, who, headed by our gallant leader,
jumped into the turbid waters of the ditch, swam across, and, scaling the
walls, opened the gate for the rest.

'The men we attacked were brave, and fought hard for victory; but they were
but just roused from slumber, it was too late to resist, and Sir Philip
had, by his marvellous wisdom in placing the troops, ensured our success.
It was a fearful scene of carnage. I only grieve that I did not get my
wound in fair fight, but by the back-handed blow of a Jesuit. Some of our
men set fire to the house where those emissaries of the devil congregate,
and Mistress Gifford here knows the rest, and she will relate it to you,
Master Gifford, in due time.'

'Ah, my son,' Master Gifford said, 'let us pray for the blessed time when
the nations shall beat their swords into ploughshares and their spears into
pruning-hooks, and learn war no more.'

'But it is a righteous war, sir, blessed by God. Sure, could you have heard
Sir Philip bid us remember this, you would not soon forget his words, his
voice, his gallant bearing. He is ever in the front rank of danger, nor
spares himself, as it is reported some other great ones are known to do.
And his brothers are not far behind him in valour. That slight stripling,
Mr Thomas Sidney, is a very David in the heat of the battle.'

'Let us try to dismiss the dread conflict from our minds,' Master Gifford
said, 'while we supplicate our Father in Heaven that He would look with
eyes of pity and forgiveness on the wounded and the dying, the bereaved
widows and the fatherless children.'

And then the good old man poured out his soul in prayer as he knelt by
Humphrey's side. His words seemed to have a composing effect on Humphrey;
and when Master Gifford left the room to go to the bedside of the other
sufferers in the adjoining chamber, Mary saw, to her great relief, that
Humph