to direct the operations. Other officers
speedily came to help, rather ashamed to think that they had allowed
the youngster to set them a lead.

"It's nothing," cried Matthew, cheerfully, as he toiled with a will.
"Many's the time I've stood up to my waist in deadly-cold water
digging out an old dog otter."

The lad's good-humour and willingness were infectious, and in a
remarkably short space of time the track had been repaired. Then, with
many a joke at each other's expense, the men remounted and pursued
their journey, covered from head to foot with mire, but cheered by the
colonel's approving, "It will serve for all the rest of the horse, my
lads."

All this time the cavalry were wondering why Tallard took no steps to
stop their passage, and none was more surprised than Marlborough
himself. He did not at the time know that Tallard had left his centre
weak, by sending so many men into the village on the right. Still
less, of course, could the Duke know that Tallard was expecting a very
easy victory. Be that as it may, the Marshal made no move till
Marlborough had got a large part of his men across the stream and had
formed his first line.

When Blackett arrived on the scene with his regiment he found that a
force of Eugene's cavalry had taken the village of Oberglau, near the
spot. A minute later, almost before the colonel had drawn up his men,
there was a fierce shout, and there came thundering down upon the
village, with almost irresistible shock, a body of the enemy.

"Irishmen, by Jove!" cried a man by Matthew's side. "They'll fight
like demons!"

The attack, in truth, came from the Irish Brigade, a doughty body of
Irishmen, exiles from their country, in the service of Louis. Before
the Englishmen realized the situation the Irishmen had dashed clean
through the force occupying Oberglau, and had taken up a position
between the men and Eugene.

The confusion was extreme, and the allied troops could scarce be got
to face the resistless Irishmen at all. Things looked desperate. The
colonel of Blackett's regiment, seeing the state of things at
Oberglau, as he toured it, shouted, "Go and tell the Duke, Mr.
Blackett!" and away dashed Matthew once more to the General. He was a
pretty spectacle, but he did not give the matter a thought, and his
news prevented the Duke from paying much heed to the condition of the
messenger.

"Lead the way," came the sharp order, and Blackett thundered on in
front, the great co