runks, and touched the banks with a hoary gray.
But alas! those banks were touched more deeply with a gory red, and
strewn with fallen trunks, more woeful than the wreck of trees; while
howling, cursing, yelling, and the loathsome reek of carnage, drowned
the scent of the new-mown hay, and the carol of the lark.

Then the cavalry of the King, with their horses at full speed, dashed
from either side upon the helpless mob of countrymen. A few pikes
feebly levelled met them; but they shot the pikemen, drew swords, and
helter-skelter leaped into the shattered and scattering mass. Right and
left they hacked and hewed; I could hear the snapping of scythes beneath
them, and see the flash of their sweeping swords. How it must end was
plain enough, even to one like myself, who had never beheld such a
battle before. But Winnie led me away to the left; and as I could
not help the people, neither stop the slaughter, but found the
cannon-bullets coming very rudely nigh me, I was only too glad to follow
her.

CHAPTER LXV

FALLING AMONG LAMBS

[Illustration: 604.jpg Illustrated Capital]

That faithful creature, whom I began to admire as if she were my own
(which is no little thing for a man to say of another man's horse),
stopped in front of a low black shed, such as we call a "linhay." And
here she uttered a little greeting, in a subdued and softened voice,
hoping to obtain an answer, such as her master was wont to give in a
cheery manner. Receiving no reply, she entered; and I (who could scarce
keep up with her, poor Kickums being weary) leaped from his back, and
followed. There I found her sniffing gently, but with great emotion, at
the body of Tom Faggus. A corpse poor Tom appeared to be, if ever
there was one in this world; and I turned away, and felt unable to keep
altogether from weeping. But the mare either could not understand, or
else would not believe it. She reached her long neck forth, and felt him
with her under lip, passing it over his skin as softly as a mother would
do to an infant; and then she looked up at me again; as much as to say,
"he is all right."

Upon this I took courage, and handled poor Tom, which being young I had
feared at first to do. He groaned very feebly, as I raised him up; and
there was the wound, a great savage one (whether from pike-thrust or
musket-ball), gaping and welling in his right side, from which a piece
seemed to be torn away. I bound it up with some of my linen, so far as I