Captain Davenant had closely questioned two or three wounded men who fell into his hands.  These all declared that a young officer had been captured, in the previous fight, that he had been severely wounded, and carried away senseless, but that he had, in some extraordinary manner, managed to escape that night.  This story had greatly raised Captain Davenant’s hopes that Walter might yet be alive, a hope which he had not before allowed himself, for a moment, to indulge in; and as he neared Dundalk, he had readily granted leave for the impatient Larry to gallop on ahead, and discover if any news had been received of Walter.

Larry’s delight, at seeing his young master standing at the door of the tent, was extreme.  He gave a wild whoop, threw his cap high up into the air, and then, without a word of greeting, turned his horse’s head and galloped away again, at the top of his speed, to carry the good news to Captain Davenant.  Half an hour later, the column rode into camp, and Walter was clasped in his father’s arms.

That evening, Walter’s three companions were enrolled in the troop, and, hearing that there were vacancies for fifteen more, volunteered to return to the hills, and to bring back that number of men from the peasants hiding there.  This mission they carried out, and, by the end of the week, Captain Davenant’s troop was again made up to its full strength.

The unsuccessful result of the siege of Schomberg’s camp greatly damped Walter’s enthusiasm.  He had been engaged in two long and tedious blockades, and, with the exception of some skirmishes round Derry, had seen nothing whatever of fighting.  Neither operation had been attended by any decisive result.  Both had inflicted extreme misery and suffering upon the enemy, but in neither was the success aimed at attained.  At the same time, the novelty of the life, the companionship of his father and the other officers of the regiment, and, not least, the good humour and fun of his attendant, Larry, had made the time pass far more cheerfully to him than to the majority of those in the army.

As before, when the army arrived at Dublin, Captain Davenant’s troop was posted in and around Bray, the greater portion of it being permitted to reside in their own homes, until again wanted for active service.  Walter, on his return, was glad to find that his friend John Whitefoot had made his way home from Derry, and their pleasant intercourse was at once renewed.

Schomberg’s army, when moved to healthy quarters and bountifully supplied with all kinds of food and necessaries from England, speedily recovered their health and discipline, and, in a very short time, were again in condition to take the field.

Early in February, 1690, Brigadier Wolseley, with a detachment of Enniskilleners and English, marched against Cavan.  James had no longer an army with which he could oppose Schomberg’s enterprises.  While the latter had been recovering from the effects of his heavy losses, nothing had been done to put the Irish army in a condition to take the field again.  They lacked almost every necessary for a campaign.  No magazines had been formed to supply them, when they should again advance; and so short of forage were they, that it was considered impossible to make any move in force, until the grass should grow sufficiently to enable the horses to get into condition.