way towards the town of Axminster. He was
watching us with deep interest. Our men were spreading out into line
upon this common. The horse was ranging on, bobbing about, far ahead.
The foot were looking about eagerly as they got out of the ranks in
which they had marched; but they could see no trace of any enemy.
I caught sight of the Duke four hundred yards away, a little figure
sitting alone on his horse, in front of half a dozen others. They were
all scanning the country, all the way round. Presently I called out that
I saw the enemy. Half a dozen cavalry were riding up a combe far off.
But they were our own men, not the militia. They were some of our scouts
riding off as "feelers" to spy out Albemarle's position. All the time
that we were up there on the hill, the little old man portered about
among the men, now listening to what they had to say, now asking the
soldiers to look at his pretty puppets. When the returning scouts
brought word that no troops were near us, so that we were free to march
back again, he was still there, packing up his puppets in tarred canvas,
as though about to march off to the next market-town. We marched past
him, as he sat in the heather. I passed quite close to him, staring at
him hard, for to tell the truth he was on my mind. I was suspicious of
him. He took off his hat to me, with a smile; but he did not speak. Then
my troops swung round, down the hill, leaving him alone there, watching
the men pass.

Other things put him out of my mind during the afternoon. I was kept
busy writing orders to scouts; for we were sending out scouts in every
direction, partly to protect us from surprise, partly to direct new
recruits to our headquarters. Mr. Blick, who knew the ground dictated
the letters, helped by Mr. Fletcher, who studied a big map with great
attention; I was writing all that afternoon. Lyme grew noisier during
the day, as the recruits became more drunk. Many steady men turned away
from us when they saw our disorder. I myself had been brought up to
abhor drunkenness. I found the state of drunken uproar very terrible. I
feared that such an army would never achieve any great deed. I thought
that such sin would be punished. Our soldiers were not behaving like
knights sworn to a good cause; but like boors at a fair. That day we
lost our only good officer, Mr. Fletcher.

I have spoken of this gentleman. He was in command of the horse under
Lord Grey. He was a much better soldier than my L