“All that you say is true, Walter, and no one can regret it more than I do.  Still, I do think that you would be worse off under France than under England.  Louis would drain the island of its men to fill his army.  He uses you only as a cat’s paw in his struggle against England and Holland, and would not hesitate to turn you over to England again, did it at any time suit him to make peace on such terms; or to offer Ireland as an exchange for some piece of territory he coveted, beyond his frontier.”

“I know my father is very much of your opinion,” Walter said, “and that he has no confidence whatever in the King of France, and considers that French interference is responsible for the want of success which has attended us.  At any rate, there is scarcely one of us who does not hate the French, and certainly, if we had to choose between the two countries, we should choose England.”

When it became dark, a troop of cavalry mounted, and with Colonel L’Estrange and Walter in their midst, rode out of camp.  They went for several miles, and then Colonel L’Estrange said: 

“We are now well outside the limit where you will be likely to meet any of our scouting parties.  Two miles further along this road, you will come to the village of Mulroon.  It has, like all the others, suffered heavily, but there are two or three houses still standing, and when I rode through, it a few days since, I saw an old man standing at the door of one of them, so you will be likely to get information as to the best road to the town, and perhaps a guide.”

“Thank you very heartily, Colonel L’Estrange.  I know the village, for I rode through it only the day before I was captured, and if I can get no guide, I can make my own way round as soon as it is daylight.”

“You had better go on tonight, if you can, Walter.  Some party of rascally plunderers might arrive here, or Ginckle may, for aught I know, have sent out parties of dragoons.  At any rate, I would not stop here, but make your way on among the hills, even if you can only get a mile away, and have to sleep by the side of your horse.  No one can say he is safe under a roof within twenty miles of Ginckle’s army.”

There was a hearty leave taking between Colonel L’Estrange and Walter, and the latter then rode straight forward, while the troop faced about, and made their way back to camp.

On arriving at the village, Walter, as soon as he succeeded in convincing the inhabitants of a cottage, in which he saw a light, that he was an Irish officer, found no difficulty in obtaining a guide, a boy of fourteen volunteering at once to conduct him to the ford, ten miles above Limerick.  It was nearly twenty miles, by the byroads by which they travelled, and the morning was just breaking as they arrived there.

Colonel L’Estrange had insisted on providing Walter with funds, and he was therefore able to reward his guide, who went his way, rejoicing, while Walter crossed the river and rode for the cavalry camp, where he was received with delight by his father and friends, who had believed him to have been killed in the skirmish, for such was the report of the troopers who had managed to make their escape.