guard of horse, a cannon's shot in the rear, to meet any attempt of the
Royal dragoons.

It was remarked on all sides that the army had improved in order and
discipline during the three days' halt, owing perchance to the example
of our own unceasing drill and soldierly bearing. In numbers it had
increased to nigh eight thousand, and the men were well fed and light
of heart. With sturdy close-locked ranks they splashed their way through
mud and puddle, with many a rough country joke and many a lusty stave
from song or hymn. Sir Gervas rode at the head of his musqueteers, whose
befloured tails hung limp and lank with the water dripping from
them. Lockarby's pikemen and my own company of scythesmen were mostly
labourers from the country, who were hardened against all weathers, and
plodded patiently along with the rain-drops glistening upon their ruddy
faces. In front were the Taunton foot; behind, the lumbering train of
baggage waggons, with the horse in the rear of them. So the long line
wound its way over the hills.

At the summit, where the road begins to dip down upon the other side, a
halt was called to enable the regiments to close up, and we looked back
at the fair town which many of us were never to see again. From the dark
walls and house roofs we could still mark the flapping and flutter of
white kerchiefs from those whom we left behind. Reuben sat his horse
beside me, with his spare shirt streaming in the wind and his great
pikemen all agrin behind him, though his thoughts and his eyes were
too far away to note them. As we gazed, a long thin quiver of sunshine
slipped out between two cloud banks and gilded the summit of the
Magdalene tower, with the Royal standard which still waved from it. The
incident was hailed as a happy augury, and a great shout spread from
rank to rank at the sight of it, with a waving of hats and a clattering
of weapons. Then the bugles blew a fanfare, the drums struck up a point
of war, Reuben thrust his shirt into his haversack, and on we marched
through mud and slush, with the dreary clouds bending low over us, and
buttressed by the no less dreary hills on either side. A seeker for
omens might have said that the heavens were weeping over our ill-fated
venture.

All day we trudged along roads which were quagmires, over our ankles
in mud, until in the evening we made our way to Bridgewater, where we
gained some recruits, and also some hundred pounds for our military
chest, for it was