after your departure, so this
same Horsford with the Mayor and one or two other Tantivies, whose zeal
methinks outran their humanity, slipped the dogs upon your trail.'

'I remember you well,' I answered. 'You will find Colonel Decimus Saxon,
my former companion, in the camp. No doubt you will be shortly exchanged
for some prisoner of ours.'

'Much more likely to have my throat cut,' said he, with a smile. 'I
fear that Feversham in his present temper will scarce pause to make
prisoners, and Monmouth may be tempted to pay him back in his own
coin. Yet it is the fortune of war, and I should pay for my want of all
soldierly caution. Truth to tell, my mind was far from battles and ruses
at the moment, for it had wandered away to aqua-regia and its action
upon the metals, until your appearance brought me back to soldiership.'

'The horse are out of sight,' said Reuben, looking backwards, 'ours as
well as theirs. Yet I see a clump of men over yonder at the other side
of the Avon, and there on the hillside can you not see the gleam of
steel?'

'There are foot there,' I answered, puckering my eyes. 'It seems to me
that I can discern four or five regiments and as many colours of horse.
King Monmouth should know of this with all speed.'

'He does know of it,' said Reuben. 'Yonder he stands under the trees
with his council about him. See, one of them rides this way!'

A trooper had indeed detached himself from the group and galloped
towards us. 'If you are Captain Clarke, sir,' he said, with a salute,
'the King orders you to join his council.'

'Then I leave the Major in your keeping, Reuben,' I cried. 'See that
he hath what our means allow.' So saying I spurred my horse, and soon
joined the group who were gathered round the King. There were Grey,
Wade, Buyse, Ferguson, Saxon, Hollis, and a score more, all looking very
grave, and peering down the valley with their glasses. Monmouth himself
had dismounted, and was leaning against the trunk of a tree, with his
arms folded upon his breast, and a look of white despair upon his face.
Behind the tree a lackey paced up and down leading his glossy black
charger, who pranced and tossed his lordly mane, a very king among
horses.

'You see, friends,' said Monmouth, turning lack-lustre eyes from one
leader to another, 'Providence would seem to be against us. Some new
mishap is ever at our heels.'

'Not Providence, your Majesty, but our own negligence,' cried Saxon
boldly. 'Had we