off messengers going or returning
with despatches.

The service was one of no great danger, for parties of peasants were on
the watch, night and day; and, the instant any movement was observed,
they started off at full speed to warn all the inhabitants of the
surrounding villages to drive away their cattle, and carry off their
effects into the hills or into the heart of some neighbouring bog, where
the cavalry would not venture to penetrate.

One day when, with his little band, he was halting at a village, some ten
miles in rear of the camp, a peasant ran in.

"A party of their horse have just seized some carts laden with potatoes
at Kilcowan, and are driving them off. The boys are mustering to attack
them on their way back."

"It is too bad," Walter exclaimed. "Only three days ago, Ginckle issued
another proclamation guaranteeing that no provisions, or other goods,
should be taken by his soldiers without payment.

"To horse, lads! We will ride out and give the peasants a helping hand,
if they really mean to attack the enemy."

Kilcowan was two miles away and, having learned from the peasant that the
people intended to attack at a point where the road passed between two
hills, a mile and a half beyond the village, he galloped on at full
speed. He arrived, however, too late to take any part in the fight. The
peasants had rushed suddenly down the hillsides, armed with scythes and
pikes, upon the convoy as it passed below them. Several of the cavalry
had been killed, and the rest were riding off, when Walter with his
troopers dashed up. They continued the pursuit for a mile, cutting off a
few stragglers, less well mounted than the rest, and then returned to
Kilcowan, where the peasants had just arrived in triumph with the rescued
carts of potatoes.

"What are you going to do?" he asked, when the excitement of the welcome,
accorded by the women to the captors, had subsided a little. "You may
expect a strong body to be sent out, tomorrow, to punish you for this."

"It's the general's own proclamation, your honour. Didn't he say,
himself, that his soldiers were not to stale anything, and that they
would be severely punished if they did? And didn't he guarantee that we
should be paid for everything? He could not blame us for what we have
done, and he ought to hang the rest of those thieving villains, when they
get back to him."

"I wouldn't be too sure about it," Walter said. "He issued a good many
proclamations bef