Poor fellow! poor fellow!" he continued, very leisurely dismounting, and patting his steed on the neck, "I should have been glad to back you in our next battle, for you are a good and trustworthy charger, but I fear me you have done your last day's duty. Apsley, my good fellow, we must look out for fresher cattle, and have a gallop for our lives." There were many horses careering wildly about the field, one of which having approached them as they were talking, Reuben darted forward and seized it by the bridle, when, as he was leading it up to his companion, it was struck býja ball, and rolled over struggling at his feet. “It is no great loss," said Fludyer, "for the animal was already jaded; but if we could secure a couple of yonder drinking party we might still hold our enemies a lengthy chace.” He pointed to a small pool at a little distance, where several riderless troop-horses, parched by the heat of the weather, and regardless of the hubbub and destruction that surrounded them, were eagerly slaking their thirst. So intent were they while thus occupied, that two of the stoutest and freshest looking of the animals suffered their approachers to secure them, and in another minute Reuben and Fludyer were galloping from the fatal field, though their ears long rang with the roar of artillery, the whis tling of bullets, the tramp of steeds, the braying of trumpets, and the clashing and the clamour of the still infuriated combatants. CHAPTER VIII. "Sweet are the thoughts that savour of content; "THIS little bit of a scrape will be of great use to you," said Fludyer, who seemed to think that he had conferred an obligation on his young companion by having brought him into his present most perilous predicament. "You are quite right to begin betimes in learning how to play at hide and seek with the hangman, for it is a pastime in which we may all be frequently driven to participate, before we can succeed in the great object of emancipating our country. For myself, I have so often had a game at bo peep with Jack Ketch that I am hardened to the diversion, though I dare say may seem rather an unpleasant sport to beginners.".. "To me, at least," replied Reuben, "I must candidly confess that it possesses no attractions whatever. I like not my present state of jeopardy as an Englishman I am deeply, most painfully grieved for the failure of our enterprize, which will probably give stability and permanence to the existing tyranny, while my heart bleeds for the fate of our brave companions in arms who have fallen in battle, as well as for the survivors, who will doubtless feel the full vengeance of a merciless monarch.” "Psha! my young friend, you consider these trifles too seriously. Our cause is a good one, and it will but flourish the more certainly for this momentary check, as the river that is dammed up for a while does but spread the wider, and gather force for bursting over all mounds and impediments. Perhaps it is better for us all that we should have sustained this little rebuke, for those who have been killed are but so many insurgents sown in the earth, like seed, to yield us forty-fold in due season; and the tyranny that will slaughter the survivors will be only committing an unconscious suicide upon itself. We must look forward, Sir, forward. We are sure of the Prince of Orange for another attempt sooner or later, and I shall betake myself to his Court to urge him on, since every thing looks so prosperous in England. I have reason to believe that Lord Sunderland, one of the King's ministers, was at the bottom of Monmouth's enterprize, and will, of course, give his countenance and support to another; the Marquess of Halifax is friendly to us, though he is too timid a creature to declare himself; we are sure of the leading Whigs; I have three different cyphers for corresponding with them, and we must have a care that the next landing takes place nearer to the capital.” "Had we not better secure our escape from one unlucky enterprize, before we make arrange ́ments for another?" inquired Reuben; who could not so easily forget the present in the future as his sanguine companion. Certainly, certainly, and we will talk the |