“Mrs. Conyers, I can only give you five minutes.  Take with you any jewels or valuables you prize most.  If they should arrive without your husband, they will be sure to sack and burn the house.”

Captain Davenant now hurried downstairs.  The wounded had already been collected.  There were but four so seriously wounded as to be unable to walk.  Six had been killed.  The wounded, including Walter, lay on blankets.  Men took each a corner, and at once started to the spot where the boats had been left.

Captain Davenant told four men to wait at the foot of the stairs, while he went up to the drawing room.  Mrs. Conyers and her daughter were already prepared.  Each had thrown a shawl over her head, and had in their hands the dressing cases containing Mrs. Conyers’s jewellery.

“Now, madam,” Captain Davenant said, “if you will point out your plate chest, I have four men below in readiness to carry it to the boat.  It is no use leaving that to be divided between the marauders.”

Mrs. Conyers pointed out two chests, in one of which deeds and other valuable documents were kept, and in the other the plate, of which Mrs. Conyers had a considerable quantity.  Two men seized each of them.

“Now, Mrs. Conyers, please accompany them as quick as you can to the river.  We will follow and cover the retreat.  I think we have a few minutes yet, before cavalry can arrive from the camp.”

When Captain Davenant and the rearguard reached the bank, they found that the boats had already returned, after taking over the wounded and a portion of the detachment.  The rest, with the two ladies and the female servants, at once took their places, and were taken across before any sound betokened the arrival of the enemy at the Hall.

“I sincerely hope, Mrs. Conyers,” Captain Davenant said, as they landed, “that Mr. Conyers may accompany the first body of troops who arrive, for if not, I fear they will set fire to the Hall.  They must have lost considerably over fifty men, and in their rage at finding no one on whom to wreak their vengeance, they will make no inquiry as to whom the house belongs.  Indeed, they will find no one there to ask.  The servants of the house had already fled, and I sent my boy’s servant, Larry, round to the stables to tell the men there to ride away with the horses.  They will accompany fifteen of my men, who mounted as many of the horses we captured, and are driving the rest to a ford some miles away.  They are a valuable capture, and altogether, as far as we are concerned, we have made a good night’s work of it.”

“But I do not understand now,” Mrs. Conyers said, “how it was that you came across just in time.  How did you know that we were in such trouble?  Because I am sure you would not have come across to attack the soldiers in our house, without some special reason?”