The Duke of Marlborough issued the most stringent orders for the protection and fair treatment of the inhabitants, and so won such general goodwill among the populations, that when he advanced on Antwerp the local troops and citizens insisted on a surrender; and the French troops capitulated, on condition of being allowed to march out with the honours of war, and to be escorted safely to the French frontier.  Ostend was then besieged, and captured after a brave resistance; and then, after a desperate resistance, the important and very strong fortress of Menin was carried by assault, 1400 of the storming party, principally British, being slain at the breach.  Dindermande and Ath were next taken, and the allied army then went into winter quarters, after a campaign as successful, and far more important in its results, than that of Blenheim.

Chapter 17:  A Prisoner of War.

In the brilliant results which arose from the victory at Ramilies, Rupert Holliday had no share.  The 5th dragoons formed part of the cavalry force which, when the battle was over, pursued the broken French cavalry to the gates of Hochstad.

In the pursuit, along a road encumbered with deserted waggons, tumbrels, and guns, the pursuers after nightfall became almost as much broken up as the pursued.

Rupert’s horse towards the end of the pursuit went dead lame, and he dismounted in order to see if he could do anything to its hoof.  He found a sharp stone tightly jammed in the shoe, and was struggling to get this out when the troop again moved forward.  Not doubting that he would overtake them in a minute or two, and fearing that unless his horse was relieved of the stone it would become so lame that it would not be able to carry him back, Rupert hammered away at it with a large boulder from the road.  It was a longer job than he had anticipated, and five minutes elapsed before he succeeded in getting the stone out, and then, mounting his horse, he rode briskly forward.  Presently he came to a point where the road forked.  He drew rein and listened, and thought he heard the tramping of horse on the road that led to the left.  As he rode on the noise became louder, and in another five minutes he came up to the troop.

It was quite dark, and riding past the men, he made his way to the head of the column.

“I have had an awful bother in getting rid of that stone,” he said, as he rode up to the leader.  “I began to think that I should lose you altogether.  It is quite a chance I took this road.”

“An unfortunate chance, sir, for you.  A fortunate one for us,” the officer he addressed said in English, but with a strong accent, “since you are our prisoner,” and as he spoke he laid his hand on Rupert’s bridle.

Rupert gave an exclamation of horror at finding the mistake that he had made, but he saw at once that resistance would be useless.

“Je me rends, monsieur.  But what horrible luck.”