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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/13817-0.txt b/13817-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..2a9081c --- /dev/null +++ b/13817-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,4556 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 13817 *** + +Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this + file which includes the original illustrations. + See 13817-h.htm or 13817-h.zip: + (https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/3/8/1/13817/13817-h/13817-h.htm) + or + (https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/3/8/1/13817/13817-h.zip) + + + + + +Herbert Strang's Historical Series + +WITH MARLBOROUGH TO MALPLAQUET + +A Story of the Reign of Queen Anne + +by + +HERBERT STRANG + +and + +RICHARD STEAD +Fellow of the Royal Historical Society + +With Four Illustrations in Colour and a Map + +LONDON + +1908 + + + + + + + +NOW READY IN THIS SERIES. + +WITH THE BLACK PRINCE: a Story of the Reign +of Edward III. By HERBERT STRANG and RICHARD STEAD. + +A MARINER OF ENGLAND: a Story of the Reign of +Queen Elizabeth. By the same authors. + +WITH MARLBOROUGH TO MALPLAQUET: a Story of +the Reign of Queen Anne. By the same authors. + +Other volumes to follow. + + + + +[Illustration: A mounted officer came galloping up. See Chapter X.] + + + + + +With Marlborough +to Malplaquet + + + + + +NOTE + + +The object of this series is to encourage a taste for history among +boys and girls up to thirteen or fourteen years of age. An attempt has +been made to bring home to the young reader the principal events and +movements of the periods covered by the several volumes. + +If in these little stories historical fact treads somewhat closely +upon the heels of fiction, the authors would plead the excellence of +their intentions and the limitations of their space. + + + + +CONTENTS + + +CHAPTER I + + A BOUT AT SINGLESTICK + +CHAPTER II + + THE ATTACK ON THE COLLIERY + +CHAPTER III + + THE FIRE AT BINFIELD TOWERS + +CHAPTER IV + + THE RESCUE + +CHAPTER V + + GEORGE RECONNOITRES + +CHAPTER VI + + THE ROCK OF GIBRALTAR + +CHAPTER VII + + BLENHEIM + +CHAPTER VIII + + COMRADES IN ARMS + +CHAPTER IX + + ANNUS MIRABILIS + +CHAPTER X + + "OUR OWN MEN, SIR!" + +CHAPTER XI + + THE HARDEST FIGHT OF THEM ALL + +CHAPTER XII + + CONCLUSION + +HISTORICAL SUMMARY + + + + +ILLUSTRATIONS + + +A MOUNTED OFFICER CAME GALLOPING UP + +"NOW!" CAME THE ORDER + +GEORGE FOUND HIMSELF ENGAGED IN A HAND TO HAND ENCOUNTER + +THE RESCUE OF MARLBOROUGH + +MAP OF WESTERN EUROPE IN THE TIME OF QUEEN ANNE + + + + +CHAPTER I + +A BOUT AT SINGLESTICK + + +"Get thee down, laddie, I tell thee." + +This injunction, given for the third time, and in a broad +north-country dialect, came from the guard of the York and Newcastle +coach, a strange new thing in England. A wonderful vehicle the York +and Newcastle coach, covering the eighty-six long miles between the +two towns in the space of two-and-thirty hours, and as yet an object +of delight, and almost of awe, to the rustics of the villages and +small towns on that portion of the Great North Road. + +It was the darkening of a stinging day in the latter part of December, +in the year 1701--it wanted but forty-eight hours to Christmas +Eve--when the coach pulled up at the principal inn of the then quiet +little country town of Darlington, a place which roused itself from +its general sleepiness only on market and fair days, or now, since the +mail-coach had begun to run, on the arrival or departure of the +marvellous conveyance, whose rattle over the cobble-stones drew every +inhabitant of the main street to the door. + +No reply coming from the boy on the roof, the guard went on, "Eh, but +the lad must be frozen stark," and swinging himself up to the top of +the coach, he seized the dilatory passenger by the arm, saying, "Now, +my hearty, come your ways down; we gang na further to-day. Ye are as +stiff as a frozen poker." + +"And no wonder," came a voice from below; "'tis not a day fit for man +or dog to be out a minute longer than necessary. Bring the bairn in, +Charley." The invitation came from a kindly and portly dame, the +hostess, who had come to the door to welcome such passengers as might +be disposed to put up for the night at the inn. + +"I don't think I can stir," the boy replied; "I'm about frozen." + +He spoke in low tones and as if but half awake. He was, in fact, just +dropping into a doze. + +"Here, mates, catch hold," the guard cried, and without more ado the +lad was lowered down to the little group of loafers who had come to +see the sight and to pick up any stray penny that might be available. +A minute later George Fairburn was rapidly thawing before the rousing +fire in the inn's best parlour, and was gulping down the cup of hot +mulled ale the good-natured landlady had put into his trembling hands. + +"I'm all right, ma'am, now, and I'll go. Thank you and good night, +ma'am." + +"Go, Fairburn?" cried another boy of about his own age, who sat +comfortably in the arm-chair by the cosy chimney corner. "Surely you +are not going to turn out again this bitter night?" + +"Indeed I am," was the somewhat ungracious reply; "my father is not a +rich man, and I'm not going to put him to needless expense." + +The other boy blushed, but the next moment his face resumed its usual +pallor. He was tall for his fourteen years, but evidently not +particularly strong. He had, in truth, somewhat of a bookish look, and +his rounded shoulders already told of much poring over a student's +tasks. Fairburn, on the other hand, though less tall, carried in his +face and form all the evidence of robust good health. + +"I've relatives somewhere in Darlington, Blackett," George explained, +in a rather pleasanter tone, as if ashamed of his former surly speech, +"and I'm going to hunt them up." + +"Look here, Fairburn," said the other, springing from his seat and +placing a patronizing hand on his companion's shoulder, "just make +yourself comfortable here with me for the night, and I'll settle the +bill for both of us in the morning." He spoke rather grandly, jingling +the coins in his pocket the while. + +"I can settle my own bills, thank you," answered Fairburn, a proud hot +flush overspreading his face. And, seizing his little bag, the lad +strode from the room and out of the inn, shivering as the chill +northeasterly breeze caught him in the now dark and almost deserted +street. + +"Confound the fellow with his purse-proud patronage!" he muttered as +he hurried along. + +"Bless me, why is he so touchy?" Blackett was asking himself at the +same moment. "We seem fated to quarrel, Fairburn's family and ours. +Whose is the pride now, I wonder! Fairburn thinks a deal of his +independence, as he calls it; I should call it simply pride, myself. +But I might have known that he wouldn't accept my offer after his +refusal of an inside place with me this morning, and after riding all +those miles from York to-day in the bitter cold. Heigh-ho, the quarrel +won't be of my seeking anyhow." + +These two lads were both sons of colliery owners, and both pupils of +the ancient school of St. Peter of York, the most notable foundation +north of the Humber. But there the likeness ended. Matthew Blackett's +father was a rich man and descended from generations of rich men. He +owned a large colliery and employed many men and not a few ships. He +was, moreover, a county magnate, and held his head high on Tyneside. +In politics he was a strong supporter of the Tory party, and had never +been easy under the rule of Dutch William. He was proud and somewhat +arrogant, yet not wanting his good points. George Fairburn, on the +other hand, was the son of a much smaller man, of one, in truth, who +had by his energy and thrift become the proprietor of a small pit, of +which he himself acted as manager. The elder Fairburn was of a sturdy +independent character, his independence, however, sometimes asserting +itself at the expense of his manners; that at least was the way Mr. +Blackett put it. Fairburn had been thrown much in his boyhood among +the Quakers, of which new sect there were several little groups in the +northern counties. He was a firm Whig, and as firm a hater of the +exiled James II. He had made some sacrifice to send his boy to a good +school, being a great believer in education, at a time when men of his +class were little disposed to set much store by book learning. + +After breakfast by candlelight next morning the passengers for the +coach assembled at the door of the inn. Blackett was already +comfortably seated among his many and ample rugs and wraps when George +Fairburn appeared, accompanied by a woman who made an odd figure in an +ancient cloak many sizes too big for her, covering her from head to +foot. It had, in fact, originally been a soldier's cloak, and had seen +much hard service in the continental campaigns under William III. The +good dame was very demonstrative in her affection, and kissed George +again and again on both cheeks, with good sounding smacks, ere she +would let him mount to the roof of the coach. Then she stood by the +window and talked volubly in a rich northern brogue till the vehicle +started, and even after, for George could see her gesticulations when +he was far out of earshot. + +"It is bitter cold, bairn," she had said for the third or fourth time, +"and I doubt thou wilt be more dead than alive when thy father sees +thee at Newcastle. But don't forget that pasty; 'tis good, for I made +it myself. And there's the sup of summat comforting in the little +bottle; don't forget that." + +"Good-bye, aunt, and thank you over and over again," George called +from the top of the coach. "Don't stay any longer in the freezing +cold. I'm all right." + +But the talkative and kindly old dame would not budge, and Blackett +could not help smiling quietly in his corner. "What a curious old +rustic!" he said to himself, "and she's the aunt, it appears." As for +George himself, he was thinking much the same thing. "A good soul," he +murmured to himself, "but, oh, so countrified!" + +Fairburn's limbs were pretty stiff by the time the grand old cathedral +and the castle of Durham standing proudly on their cliff above the +river came in sight. There was an unwonted stir in the streets of the +picturesque little city. My lord the bishop with a very great train +was coming for the Christmas high services. + +"Our bishop is a prince," explained the guard, who had had not a +little talk with George on the way. "There are squires and baronets +and lords in his train, and as for his servants and horses, why--" the +good fellow spread out his hands in his sheer inability to describe +the magnificence of the bishops of Durham. + +"Yes," Fairburn made answer, "and I've heard or read that when a new +bishop first comes to the see he is met at Croft bridge by all the big +men of the county, who do homage to him as if he were a king." + +The guard stared at a youngster, an outside and therefore a poor +passenger too, who appeared so well informed, and then applied himself +vigorously to his horn. + +The afternoon was fast waning when the coach brought to its passengers +the first glimpse of the blackened old fortress of Newcastle and the +lantern tower of St. Nicholas. Fairburn, almost as helpless as on the +previous afternoon, was speedily lifted down from his lofty perch by +the strong arms of his father. + +"Ah, my dear lad," the elder cried as he hugged George to his breast, +"the mother has a store of good things ready for her bairn and for +Christmas. And here is old Dapper ready to jog back with us and to his +own Christmas Eve supper. How do you do, sir?" + +These last words were addressed to a gentleman who had just driven up +in a well-appointed family equipage. + +"I hope I see young Mr. Blackett well," Fairburn continued. + +"Ah! 'tis you, Mr. Fairburn," said the great man condescendingly. +"This is your boy? Looks a trifle cold, don't you think? 'Tis bitter +weather for travelling outside." + +And with the curtest possible nod to the father, and no recognition +whatever of the son, Mr. Blackett linked his arm in Matthew's and +strode away to his carriage. + +George flushed, his father looked annoyed; then his face cleared. + +"Come, lad," he said, "let us get along home." + +Thursday, Christmas Day, and the Friday following passed quietly but +happily in the little Fairburn family. The father was in excellent +spirits, and he had much to tell his son of the prosperity that was at +last coming. Orders were being booked faster than the modest staff of +the colliery could execute them. Best of all, Fairburn had secured +several important contracts with London merchants; this, too, against +the competition of the great Blackett pit. + +"The truth is," the elder explained, "Mr. Blackett is too big a man, +and too easy-going to attend to his business as he should. But I +suppose he's rich enough and can afford to be a trifle slack." + +"Whereas my dad has energy and to spare," George put in with a smile, +"and by that energy is taking the business out of the hands of the +bigger man. The Blacketts won't be exactly pleased with us, eh?" + +"They are not. And, more, I hear the Blackett pit is working only +short time; it is more than likely that several of the men will have +to be discharged soon, and then will come more soreness." + +"We can't help that, dad," the boy commented, "it's a sort of war, +this business competition, it seems to me, and all is fair in love and +war, as the saying goes." + +"True, my lad; yet I'm a peaceable man, and would fain enter into no +quarrels." + +On the Saturday afternoon a neighbour brought word up to the house +that there was some sort of a squabble going on down at the river +side. + +"Better run along and see what is the matter, George," said the +mother. "Father's gone to the town and won't be back till supper +time." + +So the boy pulled on his cap, twisted a big scarf about his neck, and +made off to the Tyne, nearly a mile away. + +He found a tremendous hubbub on the wharf, men pulling and struggling +and cursing and fighting in vigorous fashion. What might be the right +or the wrong of the quarrel, George did not know, and he had not time +to inquire before he too was mixed up in the fray. The first thing +that met his eye, in truth, was one of the crew of the Fairburn +collier brig lying helpless on his back and at the mercy of a fellow +who was showing him no favour, but was pounding away at the upturned +face with one of his fists, whilst with the other hand he held a firm +grip of his prostrate foeman. + +"Let him get up, coward!" the lad shouted as he rushed to the spot. +"Let him get up, I tell you, and fight it out fair and square." + +The fellow was by no means disposed to give up the advantage he had +obtained, however, and redoubled the vigour of his blows. + +He was a strong thickset collier, not an easy man to tackle; but +without more ado George flung himself at the bully, and toppled him +over, the side of his head coming into violent collision with the +rough planks of the landing-stage. + +"Up with you, Jack!" George cried, and, seizing the hand of the +prostrate sailor, he jerked him to his feet. Jack, however, was of +little more use when he had been helped up, and staggered about in a +dazed and aimless sort of way. He was, in truth, almost blind, his +eyes scarce visible at all, so severe had been his punishment, while +his face streamed with blood. + +Meanwhile his antagonist had jumped to his feet, his face black with +coaldust and distorted with fury. + +"Two on ye!" he yelled with an oath, "then I must fend for myself," +and he seized a broken broom handle that was lying near. + +"A game of singlestick is it?" George replied gleefully, as he made a +successful grab at another stick a couple of yards away. It was the +handle of a shovel; there were several broken tools lying about the +quay. + +"Come on," said the boy, brandishing his short but heavy weapon, "this +is quite in my line, I can tell you!" + +It was a curious sight as the two rushed upon each other, so unequal +did the antagonists seem. Bill, the collier, was tall as well as +strongly built, and in the very prime of life; while George, though a +sturdy lad for his age, was many inches shorter, and appeared at first +sight an absurdly inadequate foeman. + +In a moment the sticks were clattering merrily together, the lad +hesitating not a whit, for he felt sure that he was at least a match +for the other. George Fairburn had ever been an adept at all school +games, and had spent many a leisure hour at singlestick. In vain did +Bill endeavour to bring down his stick with furious whack upon the +youngster's scalp; his blow was unfailingly parried. It was soon +evident to the man that the boy was playing with him, and when twice +or thrice he received a rap on his shoulder, his arm, his knuckles +even, his fury got quite beyond his control, and he struck out blindly +and viciously, forcing the lad backwards towards the edge of the +wharf. + +But Fairburn was not to be taken in that style. Slipping agilely out +of the way, he planted another blow, this time on his opponent's head. +In a trice Bill threw down his cudgel and, raising his heavy boot, +endeavoured to administer a vicious kick. It was time to take to more +effective tactics, and while the man's leg was poised in the air, +George put in a thwack that made his skull resound, and threw him +quite off his already unstable balance. Bill fell to the ground and +lay there stunned, a roar of laughter hailing the exploit, with shouts +of, "Thrashed by a lad; that's a grand come off for Bill Hutchinson!" + +George now had time to look about him. He found that the enemy, +whoever they might be, had been beaten off, and the crew of the +Fairburn brig was in possession of the landing-stage. + +"What is it all about, Jack?" he inquired of the man to whose rescue +he had come. + +"Why," returned Jack, "they are some of Blackett's men. They tried to +shove us from our berth here, after we had made fast, and bring in +their big schooner over there. Some of 'em are vexed, 'cos 'tis said +there'll be no work for 'em soon. Your father's taking a lot of +Blackett's trade, you see." + +"Did they begin, Jack, or did you?" + +"Begin? Why, it was a kind of mixed-up job, I reckon. We'd both had a +drop of Christmas ale, you see--a drop extra, I mean--and--why, there +it was." + +"Well, you'll be sailing for London in a day or two," said George. +"See that you keep out of the way of Blackett's men, or you'll find +yourself in the lock-up and lose your place." + +Then he walked away. + +Mr. Fairburn was annoyed when he heard of the incident. + +"I don't like it, George," he said. "There's no reason why there +should be bad blood between Blackett's men and mine; but if they are +going to make disturbances like this I shall have to take serious +steps, and the coolness between Blackett and me will become an open +enmity. 'As much as lieth in _you_,' says the Apostle, 'live peaceably +with all men;' but there's a limit, and if Mr. Blackett can't keep his +men in order, it will come to a fight between us." + +The brig started in a couple of days for London, in fulfilment of an +important contract that had for years fallen to Mr. Blackett, but now +had been placed in the hands of his humbler but more energetic rival. +Its departure was hailed by the shouts and threats of a gang of pitmen +from the Blackett colliery, but nothing like another fight occurred, +thanks to the vigilance of Fairburn the elder. + + + + +CHAPTER II + +THE ATTACK ON THE COLLIERY + + +Not often has Europe been in a greater state of unrest than it was at +the time this story opens. James II, the exiled King of England, had +lately died in his French home, and his son, afterwards famous as the +Old Pretender, had been acknowledged as the new English king by Louis +XIV of France, to the joy of the many Jacobites England still +contained, but to the dismay of the majority of Englishmen. There was +likely to be dire trouble also respecting the vacant throne of Spain. +There had been originally three candidates for the throne of the +weakling Charles, not long dead--Philip of Anjou, whose claims had the +powerful support of his grandfather, the ambitious Louis; Charles, the +second son of the Emperor Leopold of Austria; and Joseph, the +Electoral Prince of Bavaria. But the last mentioned had died, leaving +the contest to Philip and Charles, the French and Austrian claimants. +The rest of Europe was naturally in alarm when the already +too-powerful Louis actually placed his grandson on the Spanish throne. +Practically the step amounted on the part of France to an annexation +of the once predominant kingdom of Spain with all its appanages. And +when the Grand Monarque, as his flatterers called him, proceeded +further to garrison the strongholds of the Netherlands, then a Spanish +province, with his own troops, it was clear that Louis considered +himself King both of France and Spain. As for the Protestants of +Europe, their very existence seemed to be threatened by the designs of +the French sovereign. + +Who was there, then, to withstand the ambitious and arrogant Louis? +There was but one great and effective opponent, William of Orange, +King of England. He had spent his life in thwarting the ambitious +policy of the French monarch, and so long as William lived Louis was +sure of a vigorous and powerful antagonist. And William was preparing, +in both his English and his Dutch dominions, for yet another conflict. +War was indeed imminent; the sole question being when it would +actually break out, and who would be ruler over England when it did. +For William III was in feeble health; his death might occur any day, +and his crown pass to his sister-in-law Anne. Such was the condition +of affairs at the time George Fairburn left St. Peter's School at +York. + +January brought many new orders for the Fairburn pit, and the owner +had work for more men. So greatly was his business increasing, that +the proprietor of the little colliery came to a decision that seemed +likely to affect his son's whole future life. + +"What would you like to be, my lad?" he one day inquired abruptly. + +"A soldier, dad," was the prompt reply, the boy regarding his father +in some wonderment, nevertheless. + +"A soldier, says the lad!" Fairburn exclaimed, no less surprised by +the answer than George had been by the question. "It is the most +detestable of all trades, that of soldiering, and about the most +empty-stomached. Don't talk of such a thing, my good lad." + +In vain George entered into a defence of the military profession, +referring to the many great soldiers with whom his school readings in +the histories of Greece and Rome and England had made him more or less +acquainted. Fairburn was not to be charmed, and with a deep sigh the +boy gave up the contest. He was still more upset when his father +proceeded to tell him that he would not return to St. Peter's, but +would remain at home to assist in the business till a place could be +secured for him in some great London house. + +It was not a task he cared about; anybody could have done it, he +thought, as he entered the weights on little tickets. But George had a +large fund of common sense and a deep respect for his father. He did +not grumble or sulk, but resolved that as he had to do the work he +would do it thoroughly. + +Half an hour later he started and flushed to see Mr. Blackett and +Matthew, both well mounted, and followed by a groom in livery, come +riding by. He trusted they would not notice him at his dusty and +disagreeable task. Alas! the field path they were pursuing led close +past the spot, and George observed the look of surprise on their faces +when they saw him. The father gave no sign of recognition; Matthew +looked uncomfortable and nodded in a shamefaced kind of way. George +flushed, and for a moment felt a bitter anger surge within him; then +he called himself a dolt for caring a straw what they thought of him. +It was a little hard, however, to think that Matthew Blackett would be +going back to his beloved school and studies, while he, also a +Peterite, was engaged in such a humdrum task as weighing coal at the +pit mouth. + +His father's energy at this time was prodigious. Fairburn was afoot +early and late. In spite of the cold and stormy weather of winter he +made two or three trips to London in his collier brig, always to +report on his return a notable addition to his trade. Once, too, on +his homeward voyage, he had had himself put ashore a little north of +Spurn, and had trudged the five and twenty miles to Hull, the rising +port on the east coast. Then, after appointing an agent and starting +what seemed likely to grow into a big business, he had tramped the +hundred and twenty miles or more that separated him from Newcastle and +his home, cutting a quaint figure on the road, with his old-fashioned +hat and cloak, and his much-twisted and knotty oak stick. The result +of all this energy was that when he was in a joking mood he would say, +"We shall have to see about buying another pit, mother--Blackett's, +perhaps, as I hear they have little going on there at present." + +And indeed the Blackett colliery did at that time seem to be under a +cloud. Trade fell off, and almost every week hands were discharged. +Fairburn was secretly a little afraid of mischief from these +out-of-works, especially when he himself was absent from home. + +Towards the end of February England was startled by the news that King +William had been thrown from his favourite steed Sorrel, at Hampton +Court, and was lying in a precarious state, his collar-bone broken. A +week or two later came the tidings of William's death, and of the +proclamation of the Princess Anne as Queen. + +The news had an extraordinary effect on Mr. Blackett. Ordering his +coach, he drove in haste to his colliery, hoisted a big flag there, +proclaimed a holiday on full pay, and sent for a copious supply of +ale. His son Matthew, who had not gone back to school at York, amused +himself and the men by firing unnumbered salvoes from a couple of +small cannon he possessed. + +"Now that Billy the Dutchman is out of the way," Squire Blackett cried +exultingly, "Whiggery will soon be dead, and England will be ruled by +its rightful sovereign, who will be assisted by lords and gentlemen of +sound policy." + +A huge banner was hoisted, and the Squire and his son headed a +procession to the neighbouring villages. The jubilant colliery owner +and his merry men took care to pass the Fairburn pit, with frantic +cheerings and hallooings. + +"What does it all mean?" George, who was in charge in the absence of +his father, inquired of the old overlooker of the colliery. + +"It means beer, George," the ancient replied, "beer and froth, and +nothing else." + +"Nothing else! I hope that is a true word, Saunders, that's all. I +mislike the looks of some of those fellows." + +"Why, to judge from all the whispers we hear," the overlooker +commented, "we are like enough to get our backs well hazelled before +long." + +George gave a word of caution to the pitmen when they left work that +afternoon. + +"There are sure to be insults," he said, "but take no notice, and keep +out of harm's way." + +But the fates were against George and his pit that day. Hardly had the +little gang of Fairburn colliers turned the corner of the lane when +they were met by an excited mob carrying a huge sheet on which was +rudely printed in big characters, "Down with all Whigs!" + +"An insult to the gaffer, that's as plain as the nose on a man's +face," cried one of the Fairburn fellows, and without more ado, he +dashed forward and made a grab at the offending canvas. He was +forestalled, however, a man of the opposing party deftly tripping him +up and sending him sprawling into the mud. Before the unlucky pitman +could rise the whole mob had surged over him, amidst shrieks of +laughter. + +On this the Fairburn men threw all George's cautions to the winds, and +charged the mob. Instantly a hot fight was going on around the big +banner. Even old Saunders, the overlooker, caught one of the +opposition gang by the collar, crying, "Ye loons, what for are ye +coming our way again? Ye ha' been once to-day, wi' your jibes and +jeers; isn't that enough?" + +"Jibes and jeers, old lad! Eh, there'll happen be mair than that afore +bedtime." + +Meanwhile there was rough work around the banner. In spite of the +efforts of the bearers and their friends to protect the canvas, one of +the Fairburn men had got a grip of it, and in a second the thing had +been torn from its supporting poles, amid mingled cheers and +execrations. The canvas itself was pulled hither and thither by the +opposing gangs, each striving to retain possession of it. Bit by bit +the banner was torn to pieces, the men fighting savagely for even the +smallest shred of it, each man pocketing his piece as a trophy, till +at length there was nothing of the thing left visible. + +Cries of, "On to the pit wi' ye, lads!" were by this time plentiful, +and with a dash the now much augmented mob surged in that direction. +Under old Saunders the Fairburn men disputed every yard of the way, +but they were entirely outnumbered, and were slowly but surely forced +back upon the works they had so recently left. All had happened in the +course of a very few minutes. + +George, on his way to his home, some half mile away, had made scarce +half the distance when his ears were assailed by the noise of conflict +somewhere behind him. He stopped and listened, the yells growing +louder and fiercer every instant. Then he darted back towards the pit, +reaching the spot just in time to see his men make a dash for the +shelter of the sheds around the mouth, followed by a howling, +threatening mob. + +In a moment the youngster sprang through the entrance of the largest +of the sheds, and closed the door, shooting home the two thick rough +bars of wood that did duty for bolts, amid shouts from his men of "The +young gaffer! We'll all stick to him!" And in spite of his youth, +George was at once installed as captain of the little Fairburn band. +He had always been highly popular with the men of the colliery; they +liked his entire freedom from vain show and swagger, and his +pleasant-spoken manner. + +"What have we in the way of weapons, lads?" he asked, taking a hasty +glance round the dimly-lit shed. Darkness was coming on apace even +outside; within the shed the men had to grope their way about. + +There was very little that would serve, except a number of pickaxes, a +few shovels, and two or three hayforks belonging to the stables. These +were served out, and then one man found the master's gun, with a +powder-flask and a handful of sparrow shot. + +"Better let me have that," said George, quietly relieving the man of +the weapon, the old overlooker approving with a "Aye, that's right; +you'll keep a cooler head than Tom there." + +The mob outside surged down on the door in force, and with loud yells. +The door stood the shock, and the major part of the attackers in a +trice turned their attention to the smaller buildings dotted here and +there about the pit's mouth. One by one these sheds were pulled to +pieces, to the ever-increasing delight of the mob. George and his men +were powerless to stop the destruction. + +"We must not venture out," the boy said, "unless the scoundrels turn +their attention to the windlasses and the gear." + +So his men had to grind their teeth in rage and look on helplessly. + +As was expected, the rioters presently came back to the big shed, one +of them, evidently the leader, advancing with a felling-axe. + +"Keep back, rascal!" shouted George. "Keep from the door, or I'll put +a few peppercorns into your hide." + +From a chink in the door George recognized him as the very man he had +so unceremoniously knocked from his perch and so merrily battered in +the bout of singlestick that day on the landing-stage. + +The fellow answered with a curse and lifted his axe to stave in the +door. Before the weapon could descend a report rang out in the +twilight, and with a scream the attacker sprang from the ground, and +then fell to rubbing his legs vigorously. + +"One on 'em peppered," remarked old Saunders grimly. + +The crowd outside fell back in haste, and a burly fellow at that +instant appearing on the scene with a small cask of ale on his +shoulder, a diversion was caused. The fight was transferred to the +circle round the ale barrel, the already half-crazy fellows struggling +desperately to get at the liquor. + +"By Jupiter!" cried George, seeing his opportunity in a moment, "now +is our chance! Let them get fully occupied and we have them. Let them +once return and they will be madder and more reckless than ever." + +And seizing every man his weapon, the little party in the shed +prepared to sally forth, old Saunders whispering to his next +neighbour, "The lad is a game 'un, if ever I saw one." + +Just as George was preparing to draw the bolts he caught sight of +young Blackett. His old schoolfellow was haranguing the men, +gesticulating violently, and pointing excitedly towards the large +shed. Matthew had in reality just heard of the fray, and had at once +run up to do what he could to stop it. But George Fairburn did not +know this. "The knave!" he exclaimed, beside himself with anger, "he's +the very ringleader of the party! He's kept himself till now in the +background. But he shall pay for his pains!" + +Flinging back the bars, George dashed forth upon the ale-drinking +group his little band following at his heels. With a shout they +swooped down upon the foe, and in an instant a score of heads were +broken, the luckless owners flung in all directions around the cask. +One of the prostrate ones held the spigot in his hand, and the +remainder of the liquor bubbled itself merrily to the ground. + +So utterly unprepared were the fellows for the onset, and so mauled +were they in the very first rush, that a general alarm was raised. In +the darkening they imagined themselves surrounded by a strong +reinforcement of the Fairburn party, and at once there was a wild +stampede from the premises. Men and hobbledehoys stumbled off in hot +haste, pursued by the victorious handful under George. + +Not that George himself gave any heed to all this. At the very first +he had dashed to the spot where Matthew Blackett was excitedly +shouting to the rioters. + +"Coward!" cried Fairburn, "to set on your scoundrelly fellows--" + +"Set on the fellows!" Matthew began in amazement, but he got no +farther. + +"Up with your fists!" cried George, "and we will see which is the +better man!" + +There was no time for explanations, though young Blackett opened his +mouth to speak. He had in truth but time to throw up his hands to ward +off George's vigorous blow, and the next moment the fight was in full +swing. Matthew was no coward, and once in for warm work, he played his +part manfully. At it the two boys went, each hitting hard, and both +coming in for a considerable share of pummelling. For a time none +heeded them, every man having enough to do in other quarters. But at +length they were surrounded by a small group of the Fairburn men who +had now driven off the enemy and remained masters of the field. + +Once or twice, when the two stopped a moment to recover breath, +Matthew opened his mouth again to make an explanation, but as often +his pride held him back, and he said nothing. So the fight went on. + +How long this fierce duel might have lasted it is hard to say. But +just as the boys were almost at the end of their strength there was an +effective interruption. It was time, for both combatants were heavily +punished. They had not been so ill-matched as one might at first sight +have suspected. George was the stronger and harder fellow, but Matthew +had the advantage in the matter of height, and more particularly in +length of arm, which enabled him to get in a blow when his opponent's +fell short; though the less robust of the two he had as much pluck as +pride, and would have fought on to the last gasp. + +The sound of clattering hoofs was heard, and, from opposite quarters, +two horsemen dashed up. They were Mr. Blackett and the elder Fairburn. + + + + +CHAPTER III + +THE FIRE AT BINFIELD TOWERS + + +The fight stopped even more suddenly than it had begun, and the two +combatants stood away from each other, with hanging heads but with +fists still clenched. + +Fairburn took a glance around on the destruction, a thing he was able +to do by the glare from some burning wreckage which had now got well +into a blaze. Then his eyes wandered down to the two boys with their +bruised and bleeding countenances, and finally up into Mr. Blackett's +face. + +"So this is the kind of thing your Tory and your Jacobite is capable +of!" he remarked with stinging scorn to his richer rival. + +"Don't you think, Mr. Fairburn," answered the Squire with dignified +calmness, restraining himself marvellously well, "don't you think that +instead of vilifying a cause as far above your comprehension as the +majority of its advocates are above you in breeding, in education, in +station, it would be more sensible to give me your help in attending +to these poor misguided fellows lying wounded on all sides?" + +Fairburn winced; his rival had certainly the advantage in the +controversy, and none knew it better than the two boys. George did not +fail to observe the little flush of satisfaction that for an instant +lit up his antagonist's countenance, and, like his father, he too +winced. + +However, not another needless word was said, while the two men and +their sons, with the help of some of the Fairburn colliers who were +still on the spot, gave attention to the wounded and extinguished the +burning rubbish. Then the Blacketts, father and son, raising their +hats to the Fairburns, took their departure. + +It may well be supposed that this series of unhappy incidents did not +tend to narrow the breach between the two colliery owners and their +people. Fairburn, unlike his old self, was greatly incensed, and +talked much of prosecutions and so forth. But nothing came of it, the +man's sound native sense presently leading him to adopt George's +opinion. Said the boy, "Where would be the good, father? Their side +got most of the broken heads anyhow, and that's enough for us." It was +a youngster's view of the case, but it had its merits. + +So Fairburn grumbled and rebuilt his few wrecked sheds, his grumblings +dying out as the work proceeded. George's own thoughts were bitter +enough, however, so far as Matthew Blackett was concerned. He could +not get it out of his head that the young squire, as the folks around +styled Matthew, was at the bottom of the riot and indeed secretly its +ringleader. + +A month or two passed away, and spring came. One day the elder +Fairburn, on his return from London in his collier, made a great +announcement. + +"I've got you a grand place, my lad," he said. "It is in the office of +Mr. Allan, one of the finest shipping-merchants in London. 'Tis a very +great favour, and will be the making of you, if you prove to be the +lad I take you to be. You are now fifteen, and it is time you went +from home to try your fortune; in fact, you'll be all the better away +from here--for certain reasons I need not go into. You are a lucky +lad, George,--I wish I had had half your chance when I was in my +teens." + +The son knew very well from his father's tone and manner that it was +useless to argue the matter with him. To London he would have to go, +and he prepared to face the unwelcome prospect like a man. + +Yet, to add to his chagrin and disappointment, there came to him just +at that time the news that young Blackett was proposing to enter the +army as soon as he was old enough. The Squire was anxious that his son +should have a commission, and as he was wealthy, and his party was now +decidedly winning in the political race, there would not only be no +difficulties in Matthew's way, but a fine prospect of advancement for +the youth. + +"Who would have thought that that lanky weakling would choose a +soldier's trade!" George Fairburn said to himself. "I had quite +expected him to go to Oxford and become either a barrister or a +bishop. He's a lucky fellow! And I--I am--well, never mind; it's silly +to go on in this way. I don't like Blackett, but I am bound to confess +he's got good fighting stuff in him." + +When William III was on his deathbed he is reported to have said, "I +see another scene, and could wish to live a little longer." His keen +political foresight was soon confirmed. It was in March, 1702, he +died; in the May of the same year war was proclaimed, the combination +of powers known as the Grand Alliance on the one side, Louis XIV, the +Grand Monarque, on the other. The nations belonging to the Grand +Alliance were at first England, Holland, and the Empire; at later +dates Sweden, Denmark, and most of the States of Germany came in, a +strong league. But it was needed. Louis was the most powerful +sovereign in Europe, and France the richest nation. To its resources +were added those of Spain and her dependencies; for the most part, at +any rate, for there were portions even of Spain which would have +preferred the Archduke Charles to Philip of France, and it was the +cause of Charles that England and the other members of the Alliance +were espousing. Thus began the war known in history as the War of the +Spanish Succession, which for several years gave work to some of the +most remarkable generals in European story. + +Of these great soldiers, John Churchill, Duke of Marlborough, or +rather, as he was at the outbreak of the war, the Earl of Marlborough, +was at once the most gifted with military genius and the most +successful. He was now fifty-two years of age, and one of the leading +men at the Court of Queen Anne. He had seen a fair amount of military +service, and had earned the praise of William III, a judge of the +first order in such matters. But the England of that day could not be +blamed if it failed to foresee the brilliancy of fame with which its +general would ere long surround himself. + +[Illustration: Map Of Western Europe In The Time Of Queen Anne. The +shading represents the dominions of Louis XIV.] + +He was known as a brave and an able officer, not much more, except +that he was known also to be a great miser. His wife, Sarah Jennings, +now the Countess of Marlborough, was in high favour with the new +Queen; indeed, she was at that time the most influential subject in +the kingdom. + +To Marlborough, then, was given the command of the combined English +and Dutch forces. + +It needs no telling that the declaration of war, a war in which the +greater part of Europe would most likely be involved, caused no small +consternation among those whose business was with the sea and with +shipping. Fairburn's business necessitated that his single brig should +be constantly running to and from London, and it was early rumoured +that French cruisers and privateers were prowling about the North Sea +and the Channel. A schooner of considerable size, belonging to Squire +Blackett, had, indeed, been chased, off the Norfolk coast, and had +escaped only by the fact that it was lightly laden--it was returning +in ballast to the Tyne--and by its superior sailing qualities. Such +things brought home to every collier the realities of the situation. +George's mother grew alarmed. + +"Who knows," said the good woman, "whether the same Frenchman may not +still be on the watch, and seize the _Ouseburn Lassie_ and her cargo; +and, worse than all, my dear boy on board of her?" + +Her husband was not without his fears either, but George laughed at +the notion of capture by a French vessel. + +"I'll go and have a talk with old Abbott, the skipper," he said, "and +see what he thinks about it." + +"Well, George, my lad," the old salt said when the boy questioned him +on the point, "it's like this. It's not impossible we may get a +Frenchy down on us. But we shan't strike our colours if there's the +least chance of doing anything by a bit of fighting. The master's a +man of peace, but between you and me"--the old fellow sank his voice +to a whisper--"I've got stowed away, unbeknown to him, four tidy +little guns; real beauties they are, if small. You shall help me to +use 'em on the Mounseers, if they won't leave us alone." + +To a lad of George Fairburn's stamp such a prospect was glorious. +"I'm quite ready to go, mother," he announced, "on the brig's very next +trip." Mother and father made no reply, but the former turned away to +hide her tears. The lad must go and begin his new life. For a few days +all was bustle and preparation, George in the seventh heaven of +delight. The long voyage in a grimy and uncomfortable collier had no +terrors for him; he was too much accustomed to coal dust for that. And +was there not a chance that before the Thames was reached he might see +a brush with a Frenchman? + +The last evening at home for him came, and he took a stroll to get a +final look at the familiar surroundings. It was now the very heart of +summer, the weather glorious: could any boy be sad at such a time, +even though there was before him the parting from home, from an +indulgent and much-loved mother, from a just and honourable as well as +affectionate father? George whistled and sang as he wandered across +the fields, careless whither his footsteps led him. + +As fate would have it, he was proceeding generally in the direction of +Mr. Blackett's great house, Binfield Towers, a mansion almost entirely +hidden by thick woods from the public gaze. George knew these woods +well, with their acres of bluebells and their breadths of primroses in +the Spring, and their wealth of dogroses in June. He turned into the +footpath that crossed the plantations, and presently found himself +gazing at the mansion a hundred yards away. The place was almost new, +the style that was known in later days as Queen Anne's. But George +knew nothing of architectural styles, and was idly counting the +multitude of windows when he was startled by a cracked old voice +calling to him from the other side of the fence that separated the +wood from the grassplots in front of the house. + +"For God's sake, come along and help, my good lad," cried an old man +in livery, beckoning him frantically. + +"What's the matter?" George asked quickly. + +"The house is on fire," was the reply, "and there's nobody at home but +the women folk, except old Reuben, and he's just about as much use as +me, and that's none at all, I reckon." + +"Where's Mr. Blackett?" the lad asked as he cleared the fence at a +bound, and stood by the old man's side on the lawn. + +"Gone off to a party, and young Master Matthew with him. Run and do +what you can, for Heaven's sake, and I'll follow." + +George bounded across the grass like a hare, and bolted into the house +without ceremony, for he now perceived smoke issuing from several of +the front windows. In the hall he found old Reuben, the aged butler, +whom Mr. Blackett still provided with a home, doing what he could to +stay the progress of the flames, by throwing upon the burning +staircase little pailfuls of water brought by the maid servants. But, +in truth most of the women were screaming, and those who were not were +fainting. + +"I'm almost moidered with it all," the old fellow cried helplessly, to +which the superannuated gardener, who now came wheezing in, added, +"Aye, we're both on us moidered." + +George glanced at the futile old couple, then cast his eye upwards, to +the various stretches of the grand staircase which could be seen from +the well below. Almost every length of the banisters was blazing, and +the cracked and broken skylight above caused a fierce upward draught. + +"It's at the top the water should be poured down," George cried, +taking in the situation in an instant. "I'll see if I can get up." And +in spite of the shouts of the old fellows, and the redoubled shrieks +of the maids, the lad skipped up two or three of the flights that +zigzagged up the staircase well. + +At the second floor, however, he was almost overwhelmed by a great +mass of smoke mingled with flame that shot suddenly out of the long +corridor running right and left. Blinded, choked, scorched, George +staggered back, tripped, and with a clatter fell down the six or eight +steps he had mounted of that flight, and lay for a moment on the broad +carpeted landing half-dazed. But speedily recovering himself, he +perceived that the portion of the stairs from which he had just fallen +was now blazing fiercely. + +"It is useless!" he cried to himself, as he turned to descend to the +servants below. + +Then, before he had made two steps agonizing shrieks rang out from +somewhere above, and he stopped dead, almost appalled. + +"Miss Mary and Mrs. Maynard!" he heard the old men shout from below, +and the cries of the women servants grew frantic, as the little band +gazed terror-stricken upwards. George, too, cast his eyes aloft, and +there, to his utter dismay, were dimly seen through the smoke a couple +of female forms peeping from the topmost corridor. + +He knew well enough by sight Mr. Blackett's little daughter of eleven +and her governess, a stately old lady, said to be an impoverished +relative of the Squire himself. The little pony chaise in which the +two were wont to drive about the neighbourhood was, indeed, familiar +to every soul in the district. + +"We had forgotten them, we had forgotten them!" came a voice just +below him, and there stood old Reuben, who had pulled himself up the +steps a little way. "They are lost!" the aged servant moaned. "Oh +dear, oh dear!" And the poor old fellow blundered down the steps +again, weeping like a child. + +"Is there any other staircase up to the top of the house?" the boy +called after him. + +"Only that in the servants' wing," was the reply, "and that is gone +already. God help us all!" + +"Any long ladders about? And the stablemen, where are they all?" + +"Coachman with the Squire, the grooms gone off to the town for an hour +or two." Reuben shook his head sorrowfully. + +George waited no longer. With a bound he darted up the stairs again, +and in a moment had reached the spot where the fire was fiercest. +Without hesitation he dashed on, watching his chance after a big gust +of smoke and flame had surged across the well. Through the fire he +rushed, protecting his face with his arms, and stumbling blindly on. +The worst was soon passed, and the next instant he had gained the top +of the staircase. + +"Save her--_her_!" Mrs. Maynard cried piteously, "leave _me_, and see +to _her_, for mercy's sake!" + +George caught the girl in his arms and prepared to make a dash down +the staircase. But he drew back in dismay. A big piece of the burning +banister below them fell with a crash and a shower of sparks to the +bottom of the well. + +"It is impossible!" he cried. "Let us see what can be done from one of +the windows." And the three ran to the end of the corridor farthest +away from the fire. Into a room George dashed, and threw up the +window. It was Mary's playroom, and it was in this place that she and +her governess had been till now too much frightened by the flames and +smoke to make a dash for safety. + +Alas! there was no way of escape. The height from the ground was too +great; to leap meant certain death. George gazed frantically down and +around, to see if any help was arriving. Not a soul was to be seen. +Smoke was pouring from almost every window. The ladies were speechless +with alarm when they saw the look of despair on the boy's face. + +"Don't leave us!" Mary pleaded piteously. + +"No, no!" cried George. "We'll find a way yet." But cheerfully as he +spoke, in his heart he almost despaired. + +It was but a few seconds the three had been in the playroom, but when +they looked out into the corridor again, to their horror they found it +blazing, the flames leaping towards them with astonishing bounds, +carried along by the evening breeze that had sprung up. The sight +seemed to drive Mrs. Maynard demented. With a shriek she darted away, +sped along the burning passage, and before the boy and girl could +realize the situation, she had dashed down the blazing staircase. The +sound of a crash and a fearful scream reached their ears, telling +their own tale. The girl clung to George, her head sank, and she +fainted. + +Desperate now, the lad placed her on the floor, and, thrusting his +head from the window, perceived that he could clamber up the two or +three feet of rain spout that ran close by, and gain a position on the +roof just overhead. If he could gain that, he thought he might run to +a further wing of the building that seemed at present untouched by the +fire. But the girl, what of her? He cast his eyes about and descried +two or three skipping ropes in a corner. Hastily he tied them end to +end, fastened a portion round Mary's waist, his movements hastened by +the burst of flame that just then shot into the room. Then clambering +desperately to the roof, the rope in his teeth, he got a footing on +the parapet, and began to haul up the fainting girl. + +Hand over hand he hauled up the cord and its burden. The child was +dangling between earth and sky when suddenly a great shout came from +below. George glanced down, and there, running with up-turned +horror-stricken face, was Matthew Blackett. Help at last! But had it +come too late? + + + + +CHAPTER IV + +THE RESCUE + + +Matthew stopped short, unable to move a yard further, his eyes fixed +upon the slight form hanging so dangerously high above him. It was +truly an awful moment for both the lads, a moment never afterwards to +be forgotten by either of them. The time of suspense was but seconds; +it seemed years. But George, his knees firmly pressed against the low +parapet wall that ran along the top in front of the house, had no +difficulty in supporting the weight, and not too much in actually +hauling up his living burden. Another moment and he had seized one arm +with a strong grip; the next he had pulled the child to him on the +roof. + +"Safe! thank God!" he murmured, almost breathless with his exertions +and still more with his agitation. + +Safe! As if to mock him a great tongue of flame shot from the window +from which rescuer and rescued had but now emerged, and a cry of +despair rose from Matthew below. + +"Run for the library!" Blackett shouted, a thought suddenly striking +him. "Run, run!" And the boy pointed to a sort of wing, an addition to +the mansion recently made by the Squire, and devoted to his books and +the extensive and valuable collection of antiquities and curiosities +of which he was very proud. This building was connected with the body +of the house by only one small arched door, on the ground-floor. + +George understood, and cautiously but rapidly edging his way along the +broad leaden gutter behind the parapet, he drew the girl, by this time +conscious once more, but dazed with fright, to the outlying portion of +the roof, which was as yet untouched by the flames. He peered over for +Matthew, but could see nothing of him. + +For the moment the two were in no danger. But the flames were already +licking the portion of the library immediately adjoining the house +proper; soon the whole wing must be ablaze. The boy gazed wildly +around, to see if there was any means, however risky or even +desperate, by which escape might be made. He saw nothing but the +slender branches of a magnificent yew that grew in the retired garden +behind and close to the library. These boughs overtopped even the tall +building, and some of them overhung the roof a little. But the nearest +of them was ten feet above the heads of the two, and hopelessly out of +reach. Would that some great gust of wind would drive those branches +within clutching distance! + +This tantalizing thought had hardly taken possession of George's mind +when his attention was attracted by shouts from below. Peering down he +was astonished to see Matthew rapidly climbing the yew. The same +thought had struck him also! Up the climber swarmed, higher and +higher. Then he began without hesitation to crawl along some of the +topmost branches that overhung the library roof. Outwards he crept, +embracing tightly half a dozen of the long thin boughs; they seemed +but little more than twigs. + +"You'll be dashed to pieces!" Mary cried; "go back, go back!" + +"Haven't you a rope anywhere?" George asked eagerly. + +"Every rope and ladder locked up in the stable yard," was the +breathless reply, "and the men away. This is our only chance. Catch +hold." + +As Matthew spoke, the end of the long swaying branches, swinging ever +lower, came down to the roof, and a good yard or more of the greenery +was within George's grasp. Matthew lay at full length on his +collection of boughs in order that his weight might keep the ends +down. It was a precarious position truly, but Matthew was very light, +and had absolutely no fear for himself. + +"Lash her well to three or four of the strongest of the boughs," he +said hurriedly; "give the rope half a dozen good turns about her waist +and the boughs. They are yew and very tough. Quick!" + +Hardly knowing what he was doing, George obeyed. He was a bit of a +sailor, and in a couple of minutes he had bound the child to the +branches in a way to satisfy even Matthew, who still lay amongst the +foliage, some three yards away. + +"Now cling for your life to the rest of the branches you've got, +Fairburn, till I go down to the long thick arm there below. Can you +hold?" + +"Yes!" cried the other cheerfully, light beginning to dawn upon him. +"I can hold on; you go down." + +Matthew moved down, and the branches, relieved of their burden, began +to exert a considerable upward pull. But the weight of the boy and the +girl held down the ends, and they awaited Matthew's call. It soon +came, though the interval of waiting seemed an age. + +"Now then!" came the shout, and George could see his quondam enemy +firmly seated on a stout branch that had been cut shorter, its foliage +having interfered with the light of one of the windows of the library. +Matthew was sitting astride, his legs firmly gripping the branch. "Now +drop yourselves over," he went on. "You'll fall right on the top of +me, and I'll grab you. Throw one arm round Mary's waist, and then +seize the branches with both hands and stick tight." + +"I'll stick like a leech," George replied, "but it's a fearful drop." + +"There's no other way, none! See! the blaze has caught the library +roof behind you! It will be upon you in another minute. Drop over, for +pity's sake!" + +George set his teeth, placed one arm round the child's slender form, +gripped hard a handful of the pliant boughs, and dropped over the +parapet, Mary closing her eyes in her mortal fright. With a huge swing +the branches bent, and in an instant the two were swaying a good +fifteen feet below, George almost jerked from his hold. The boughs +creaked but did not snap. + +"Thank heaven!" cried Matthew, "I have you!" And reaching up, he got a +grip of George's foot and dragged down the swinging pair. + +"Grab the branch with your legs, Fairburn! and I'll cut Mary clear." + +No sooner said than done. By the aid of a good clasp-knife Matthew +severed the cords and secured his little sister, her weight, however, +as it came upon him, almost knocking him from his perch. But he held +desperately, and in another moment had Mary on the branch beside him. +Then George, throwing his legs apart, suddenly loosed his hold of the +branches and dropped also astride of the bough, which he grasped tight +with both hands. He swung round and hung from the branch head +downwards. But the next minute he had righted himself, and was ready +to help with Mary. + +The rescue was complete. To guide the child along the branch, towards +the middle of the tree, and then to lower her from limb to limb of the +old yew was mere play to the two boys. The three dropped the last four +or five feet to earth just as a man rushed forward with a great cry, +to clasp in his arms the fainting girl. + +"God is merciful!" he ejaculated. It was Squire Blackett, who had +arrived just in time to see his beloved child saved from an awful +fate. + +For a few moments father and children clung to each other. When at +length they looked round to express their gratitude to the plucky +rescuer, he was nowhere to be seen. Seeing a great crowd of the +Blackett pitmen arrive with a run, George had felt that he could be of +no more use, and slipping into the wood had made for home. He wanted +no thanks, and moreover the brig was to sail at four in the morning, +at which time the tide would serve. + +"He's gone--George has gone!" cried Matthew. + +"We can never repay him," murmured Mr. Blackett. "We must go on to see +him at the earliest moment in the morning." + +When Mr. Blackett, with Matthew and the rescued Mary, drove early next +day to the Fairburns' house, it was only to learn that George had +sailed for London some hours before. There was no help for it, and all +they could do was to overwhelm the father and mother with words of +gratitude and praise. They informed the Fairburns that by the +exertions of the men the library and its contents had been saved; the +rest of the mansion was left a wreck. Mrs. Maynard had been drawn from +the mass of burning rubbish at the foot of the staircase, and was now +lying between life and death. + +George had had a bad quarter of an hour at the parting from his +parents, but by the time the vessel felt the swell of the open sea he +was full of spirits again. The sea voyage, even in a dirty collier, +was a delight. Then there was London the wonderful at the end of it, +and he had long desired to see the great capital of which he had heard +and read so much. + +The London of Queen Anne's reign was not the huge overgrown London of +our own day. But it was a notable city, and to George Fairburn and his +contemporaries the grandest city in the world. The Great Fire had +taken place but twenty years before George was born, yet already the +city had risen from its ashes, with wider and nobler streets, and with +a multitude of handsome churches which Wren had built. The new and +magnificent St. Paul's, the great architect's proudest work, was +rapidly approaching completion. George's father had witnessed the +opening for worship of a portion of the cathedral five years before, +and soon the stupendous dome, which was beginning to tower high above +the city, would be finished. Sir Thomas Gresham's Exchange, the centre +of the business life of the city, had been replaced by another and not +less noble edifice. The great capital contained a population of well +over half a million souls, a number that seemed incredible to those +who knew only Bristol, and York, and Norwich, the English cities next +in size. The houses stretched continuously from the city boundary to +Westminster, and soon the two would be but one vast town. George had +heard much of London Bridge, with its shops and its incessant stream +of passengers and vehicles, and he hoped to visit the pleasant +villages of Kensington and Islington, and many another that lay within +a walk of great London. He hoped one day, too, to get a glimpse of +some of the clever wits, Mat Prior, Wycherley, Dick Steele, and +others, who haunted the coffee-houses of the capital, and of the +rising young writer, Mr. Addison, not to mention a greater than them +all, the incomparable Sir Isaac Newton. For George had ever been a +great reader, even while he loved a good game as well as any boy in +the land. + +It was many a long year, however, ere George Fairburn was destined to +see the mighty capital. Once fairly at sea, the skipper brought out +and mounted his four little guns, to the lad's huge joy. + +"You mean business, captain," he remarked with a merry laugh. + +"I do, if there comes along a Frenchy who won't leave us alone," the +old fellow replied, "leastways if she isn't too big a craft for us +altogether." + +The evening was coming in, the town of Yarmouth faintly visible +through the haze, when suddenly the crew of the _Ouseburn Lassie_ +became aware of a big vessel in the offing. + +"She's giving chase, by thunder!" cried the skipper, after he had +taken a long look through the glass; and all was excitement on board +the brig. Anxiously all hands watched the stranger, and at last the +shout went up, "She's a Frenchy!" + +"Aye, and a big 'un at that," somebody added. + +Hastily the preparations were made to receive her, though the captain +shook his head even as he gave his orders. + +"It's no go," he whispered to George. "We've got these four small +guns, but what's the good? We've nobody to man 'em; only a couple on +'em, leastways. And the Frenchman's a monster." + +"We'll show them a bit of fight all the same," George put in eagerly. +The old salt shook his head again. + +Quickly the big vessel overhauled the collier brig, and signals were +made to pull down her flag, whereupon the Englishman grunted. + +Within a minute a puff was seen, and a round shot whizzed close past +the _Ouseburn Lassie's_ bows. + +"Give them a reply!" George urged in great excitement. + +"Wait a bit, my lad," and the skipper bided his time. + +"Now!" came the order at length, and a couple of eight-pound balls +flew straight to the Frenchman. + +"Well hit!" shouted the Englishmen, as a shower of splinters was seen +to fly upwards from the enemy's deck. + +"It's enough to show 'em we've got mettle in us," growled the old +captain, "and that's all we can say." + +His words were justified, for the next moment there came another +flash, and with a crash the brig's mast went by the board. + +"Done for!" groaned the skipper. "We shall see the inside of a French +prison, I reckon." + +The enemy's long boat put out with a crew four times that of the brig. +Within a quarter of an hour the Englishmen had all been transferred to +the _Louis Treize_, and an officer and half a dozen men left in charge +of the prize. The Frenchman at once set a course for Dunkirk, and, +with a spanking breeze behind her, she made the port in fifteen hours. +The noon of the next day saw George Fairburn and his companions +clapped into a French prison. + +"A bonny come off," the old skipper grumbled, "but we shall ha' to +make the best on it." + +It will not be forgotten that the war just begun was, to put it +bluntly, a war to determine which of two indifferent princes, Philip +of France and Charles of Austria, should have the Spanish crown. Lord +Peterborough declared that it was not worth his country's while to +fight for such "a pair of louts." + +[Illustration: "Now!" came the order.] + +Into the war, however, England had thrown herself, under the direction +of Harley, the famous Tory minister now in power, at home, and with +Marlborough as commander-in-chief of both the English and the Dutch +forces abroad. The General's first aim was to take back from Louis XIV +all those fortresses in the Spanish Netherlands which had been seized +and garrisoned by the French troops as if the country were a French +possession. + +He started from Kaiserwörth, a town on the Rhine, which his troops had +captured from one of Louis's chief allies, the Elector of Cologne, +before Marlborough arrived to take command. Venloo was taken in +gallant style, and then the important city of Liége, on the Meuse. The +result of the campaign was that the French had been chased from the +Lower Rhine, and Holland, much to its relief, made far more safe from +attack. Returning to England, the victorious commander was given a +grand reception. And no wonder, for it was the first time for many a +year that the French had received a real check. + +While these things were going on in the Netherlands, another leader +under the Grand Alliance, Prince Louis of Baden, took Landau, on the +Rhine, from the French. In Italy, too, the allies triumphed, the +gallant Prince Eugene, presently to be the warm and life-long friend +of Marlborough, defeating the French brilliantly at Cremona, a +fortunate thing for the Empire, which was thus secured from a French +invasion through the Tyrol. + +To crown the successes of the Grand Alliance during the campaign of +1702, the first of the war, the brave sailor Sir George Rooke, +following the Spanish galleons and the French war vessels into the +harbour of Vigo, destroyed the greater number of them. It was a +repetition of Drake's famous expedition to "singe the King of Spain's +beard." + +All these things happened while George Fairburn and other English +prisoners ate their hearts out in captivity at Dunkirk. The lad chafed +under the surveillance to which he was subjected, and never passed a +day without turning over in his mind some scheme of escape. How it was +to be done, he did not see. But he waited for his chance, and +meanwhile, partly to avoid being suspected, and partly to while away +the hours he made friends with the soldiers on guard. He already knew +a little French, and with his natural quickness he soon made rapid +progress. At the end of a month he could get along capitally in the +language; at the end of three months he could speak the tongue +fluently; at the end of nine months--for thus did his term of +captivity drag itself out--he was, so far as the language was +concerned, almost a Frenchman. Thus the winter passed, and the spring +of 1703 came round, George Fairburn still an inmate of a French +prison, hopeless of escape, so far as he could see. + +But his chance came at last suddenly and unexpectedly. One morning he +was escorted to the Hôtel de Ville, to interpret for an officer +examining a batch of English prisoners who had been brought in from +the Netherlands border. The way to the town lay at no great distance +from the shore, and he observed how a boat lay close in on the low +sandy beach, no owner in sight. His heart leapt into his mouth, and he +had much ado to keep himself from betraying his thoughts by the flush +that mantled hotly on his cheek. + +One, two, three hundred paces the boat was left behind. Now or never! +Instantly the lad started off back to the spot, his feet flying across +the sand. + +A shout broke from the throats of his astonished guards, and a half +score of bullets whistled after the runaway. George ducked his head +and sped on unhurt. A second volley did little more harm than the +first, merely grazing the lobe of his right ear. The race was furious, +but the lusty English lad was far and away the superior of the heavy +Frenchmen. He gained the boat, the enemy still a hundred paces behind. +The painter was loosely wound round a large stone, and in a trice +George had leapt with it into the little craft. He had just time to +give a vigorous shove off before the pursuers came up, the foremost +dashing into the sea after him. + + + + +CHAPTER V + +GEORGE RECONNOITRES + + +Splash through the water rushed the French soldiers in full chase. +Already they were beginning to cheer, for the leading man had all but +grabbed the boat, and the prisoner was as good as retaken. George +looked down for something with which to strike, for he did not intend +to submit without a struggle, but there was no oar on board. There had +been a small boat-hook, but that he had left sticking in the sand when +he gave his lusty shove off. The pursuer, up to his neck in water, +seized the boat, and for a moment his chin rested on the side. But the +next instant the lad had kicked out with the clumsy wooden shoes he +wore, and the soldier fell back half stunned into the sea. The rest of +the fellows instantly raised their guns, but George did not wince; he +perceived what they in their wild scamper after him had not noticed, +that they had dragged their muskets through the water, and for the +time had rendered the weapons useless. The boy laughed in spite of his +predicament, as he hastily ran up the little sail. + +The breeze at once caught the canvas, and the bark moved briskly away. +But two of the soldiers, who had not entered the sea, hastily +reloading--they had not done so hitherto, after the recent +discharges--levelled their pieces at the retreating prisoner. George +flung himself to the bottom of the boat as he saw the move, and the +bullets whistled harmlessly overhead. Springing up again, he perceived +that he was now beyond range, and with a shout of joy he waved his cap +triumphantly. The whole escape had been planned and successfully +carried out in the space of five minutes. He was free! + +But his joy was presently tempered by the thought of what might +follow. That the men would endeavour to give chase he well knew; +indeed he could make out their forms running in search of another +boat. However, he had gained a start; that was something. As to +whither he was destined to be driven, or how he was to get food and +water, these things were for the present of less consequence than the +fact that he was free. + +Fortune favoured him, for within ten minutes a thickness came on, and +soon the boat was enveloped in fog. The chase was now rendered +impossible to the enemy. Hour after hour George kept his sail hoisted, +driving briskly he knew not whither. + +"I am bound," said he to himself, "to stumble upon either the English +or the Dutch coast, and in either case I shall be among friends." Thus +the lad comforted himself. + +The day wore on, and he was becoming ravenously hungry. He would have +given much for a basin of even the prison _soupe maigre_. The sky was +darkening and he began to feel drowsy; he resigned himself to a night +of hunger. All at once he heard shouts, and the hull of a big vessel +loomed up within a few yards of him. He was instantly wide awake. Was +the stranger French? Thank Heaven, no! She was Dutch built, and as her +flag showed, Dutch owned. Hurrah! + +His cheer attracted the attention of the crew, and much wondering the +sailors drew him up on deck. "A Frenchman," was the verdict in gruff +Dutch. George did not understand Dutch, but he instantly guessed their +meaning. + +"Not I," he cried, in English, and was delighted to be answered in the +same tongue by the skipper. + +George's account of his escape, translated by the captain, set the fat +Dutchmen a-rolling. And, after the lad had had the good square meal +the skipper ordered for him, he spent the evening in going over his +adventures again. The jolly-hearted English lad became an immediate +favourite with the sailors and the soldiers, for, as he soon learnt, +the ship was a Dutch transport carrying troops and stores for the war +in Spain. + +"Where are we, sir?" George inquired of the skipper next morning when +he came on deck, to find a clear sky, and land faintly seen on the +starboard bow. + +"Off the Isle of Wight, my lad," replied the Dutchman. + +"Can't you put me ashore, captain?" he pleaded. + +The master smiled and shook his head. + +"Impossible, boy; you must go with us to Spain. And here comes a +gentleman to speak with you." + +An officer in military uniform approached, and the boy touched his +cap. With the skipper as interpreter the major made George an offer of +service under him. + +"We want fellows of your sort," he said. "And there will be brave +doings in Spain, and plenty of good pay, and glory to be won. Besides, +you will be fighting under one of your own countrymen, most likely Sir +George Rooke himself. Say the word, my good lad." + +George's face flushed. + +"I have always wanted to be a soldier, sir," he stammered. + +"Of course you have, my lad. Then we may take it that the matter is +settled. Good luck go with you, my boy." + +Here then was George Fairburn, who ought to have been driving a quill +in the office of Mr. Allan, shipping merchant, of London, sailing to +join the allied forces in Spain, and to fight against the French. His +head swam with the thought of it. + +But what of George's friends at home all this long while? When +Fairburn learnt that his brig had not arrived in port, though she had +been spoken in Boston Deeps by another collier which was returning to +the Tyne, his heart misgave him. There had been a bad storm on the +coast; it seemed only too likely that the _Ouseburn Lassie_ had gone +down in it! When week after week passed without news it seemed more +and more likely that the vessel had foundered in the gale. News of +captures by French privateers usually filtered through sooner or +later; but for long there were no tidings of the _Ouseburn Lassie_. +The Blacketts did what they could to console the bereaved parents, but +father and mother would not be comforted. At length, months +afterwards, they learnt in a casual way that a collier had been +captured off Yarmouth by a French privateer, about the time the +_Ouseburn Lassie_ was making her trip; at least that was the +construction the Yarmouth salts who saw the affair from the shore put +upon the movements of the two vessels. So a ray of hope came to +Fairburn and his wife. + +"The lad will be somewhere in a French prison," the father said, "and +some day he will be set free and come home to us again." + +The spring of 1703 brought Matthew Blackett's seventeenth birthday, +and with it an ensign's commission in a well-reputed regiment of foot. +He already stood six feet one in his stockings, and mighty proud he +felt when his lanky figure was clothed in his gay uniform. + +"Perhaps I shall come across George in my wanderings," he said, when +he went to bid a very friendly adieu to the Fairburns. "Won't it be +jolly if we do meet!" And the parents were constrained to smile in +spite of their sadness. + +One of the commonest subjects of conversation in our days is the state +of "political parties," and every child of school age can tell you +which is "the party in power." Three hundred years ago such +expressions would not have been understood at all, in their modern +sense, and "government by party" was a thing as yet undreamed of. +Usually the strongest man of his time, whether sovereign or subject, +was the real ruler in England. Elizabeth, for instance, was the sole +mistress in her own realm, though even she was greatly helped by the +famous minister Burleigh. In later times a Strafford, a Laud, an +Oliver Cromwell, a Clarendon presided over the destinies of England. + +But in the second half of the seventeenth century there began that +division of politicians into two sides or parties which has continued +ever since. This division sprang, no doubt, from the civil wars +between King and Parliament, between Cavalier and Roundhead. By the +times of Queen Anne the terms Whig and Tory, replaced in our days for +the most part by Liberal and Conservative, had come into common use, +and no one who desires to understand the history of her reign can +wholly neglect the movements of these two opposing parties in +politics. For Marlborough--with his wife--may be said to be the last +powerful statesman who ruled England without the formal and +acknowledged help of party. Since then the "party in power" has +always, through its chief member, the Prime Minister, and his Cabinet, +been the actual ruler in the State. + +At the beginning of Anne's reign the Whigs were leading in matters of +state, but presently Rochester and Nottingham, the former a very +strong Tory, came into power. Later on, in 1703, the former was +replaced by a more moderate Tory, Harley, and in the following year +St. John succeeded Nottingham. The truth was, Marlborough, beginning +to see that he was more likely to receive support in his great wars +from the Whig side, was working gradually towards the placing of their +party in office, though he himself had all along been a Tory. Thus it +was that he tried to rule with a coalition, or a mixture of Whigs and +Tories. This was in the year 1705, a little after the time to which +this story has as yet been carried. But Marlborough and his Duchess +were still the real power in the land. + +We may rejoin George Fairburn, some three weeks after the day when he +had been picked up by the Dutch transport. With others he had been +landed in the Tagus, and at once drafted into one of the regiments +under the Earl of Galway, a Frenchman by birth, but now, having been +driven out of France by the persecutions he and the rest of the +Protestants had had to endure, a general in the English army. George +learned that Portugal had joined the Grand Alliance, in consequence of +the Methuen Treaty between her and England, by which Portuguese wines +were to be admitted into English ports at a lower customs duty than +those of other countries. This step on the part of Portugal had +greatly enraged the French King, and he had poured his troops into +Spain. The Allies, therefore, were preparing to attack Spain from the +eastern and the western sides of the Peninsula at the same time. So +George and his comrades began their march eastward, while the gallant +admiral Sir George Rooke was attacking Barcelona on the opposite +coast. + +It was a new life for the English lad, and the heavy marches in a hot +climate tried him. But he was growing into a stout youth, and was not +afraid of a bit of hard work. + +"Besides," he would say to himself, when disposed to grumble, "am I +not a soldier? And isn't that what I've always wanted to be? And I +might have been chained up in a French prison still! A thousand times +better be here, even in this scorching place." + +If it seemed odd to the lad that the English soldiers were commanded +by a Frenchman, it was still stranger that the French forces they were +marching to meet were under an Englishman. Yet so it was; the +commander of Louis's army in Spain being the Duke of Berwick, a son of +James II and Arabella Churchill, Marlborough's sister. The two +generals were well matched, according to the opinion that prevailed +among the troops. + +Weeks passed, and as yet George Fairburn had seen no actual fighting. +He was all eager to get into action, and was not much comforted by the +declaration of the old sergeant under whom he marched. + +"Bide your time, my lad," the veteran would say, "you will get your +full share of fighting; enough to satisfy even a fire-eater such as I +can see you're going to be." + +One evening, to his intense delight, the lad was sent forward with a +skirmishing party, a report having come in that the enemy was +concealed somewhere in one of the wooded valleys of the neighbourhood. +After a cautious march of three or four miles, the little company, +commanded by a lieutenant of foot, dropped down into a dingle, at the +bottom of which ran a stream almost everywhere hidden by the thick +growth of trees. The men were startled, on turning a corner in the +break-neck path, to see below them the French flag flying from what +appeared to be an old mill. Scattered about were the roofs of a dozen +cottages, and at the doors could be perceived a number of soldiers +lolling at their ease. + +"The enemy, by Jove!" whispered George, who was leading in his usual +eager fashion, pointing out the flag and the hamlet to the lieutenant. +"Wouldn't it be a good joke to whip off their flag from that old mill, +sir!" + +The officer laughed at the notion; he was not much more than a boy +himself. + +"My lad," said he, "we must know how many the enemy are first." + +"I'll climb to the roof there, and from it I can see right down into +the village and command a view of everything in it." + +"Do you mean to say, youngster, that you would risk it?" the officer +asked in surprise. + +"Oh, wouldn't I, sir," the lad replied with flushed face. "Say the +word, sir, please." + +The lieutenant nodded, saying, "It's worth it. But be cautious." + +The soldiers looked on while the boy carried out his freak, for such +they judged his bit of reconnoitring to be. Cautiously George crept +towards the mill, the sloping roof of which came almost down to the +very hill side. Tying a wisp of long grass and weeds round each boot, +he crawled noiselessly up till within a foot or two of the ridge. He +paused a moment to gaze down the dingle. There, well seen from his +vantage point, a couple of miles away, ran a far larger valley, which +was filled with tents. "The enemy's main body!" he thought. He waved +his arm in the direction of the camp, but his comrades did not +understand the action, as they stood peering down upon the lad from +among the trees higher up the slope. + +Now flat on his face the boy ventured to peep over the roof ridge down +into the village street at no great distance below. Not an eye was +directed upwards, so far as he could see, the men laughing and +chattering gaily as they drank. Then the temptation seized him, and in +a moment he had lifted the flag from the old chimney in which the +staff was loosely set. "I'm in for it now!" he cried to himself, as he +slid like an avalanche down the roof, leapt to the ground, and made +off up the steep slope towards his comrades, the flag triumphantly in +his hand. + +He had reached a spot half way up when suddenly wild shouts were heard +from below, and at the same instant a bullet whistled close past his +ear. A little turn in the path had discovered his head to the enemy. + +"In for a penny, in for a pound," shouted the lieutenant, and the +Englishmen prepared to receive the French soldiers dashing up to the +attack. George stumbled on unhurt, but fell at his officer's feet, +utterly breathless. There he lay, unable to rise, while shots were +rapidly exchanged. For a minute's space it was hot work, but then the +French began to fall back, and with a shout the English handful +followed. Fairburn pulled himself together and stood on the edge of +the rock-shelf where he had fallen breathless. To his horror, he saw a +Frenchman on the shelf below, taking deliberate aim at the lieutenant. + +With a loud cry, the lad sprang down upon the enemy, regardless of the +steepness of the place, and in an instant the man was locked in his +arms, just as the musket report came. Down the two fell, bounding over +two or three shelves of rock, and then pitching headlong some twenty +or thirty feet into the thick brushwood below. + +"You have saved my life, my lad; you are an Englishman worth knowing," +were the next words the boy heard. + +They came buzzing into George's ears some ten minutes later, when, the +brush with the French over, the Englishmen were hastening back to +report to the General. + +"What happened when I fell, sir?" George asked with curiosity, as the +officer walked by the side of the litter. He was astounded to learn +that the Frenchman had been found still held in tight grip, his neck +broken. The enemy had been put to the rout and had fled, leaving their +flag behind them. Moreover, the French camp a couple of miles away had +been spied. + +"You have three ribs broken, Fairburn," the officer went on, "and +you've got about as many bruises as there are days in a year. But what +of that. By Jerusalem! I wish the honour had fallen to me!" + +"I don't mind the wounds a bit, sir," George answered, cheerfully, "so +long as I've been of some use." + +The next day no less a person than the great Earl of Galway himself +came to speak to the wounded lad. + +"I have heard from your lieutenant here the tale of your doings +yesterday," he said, with a smile. "You are a boy of pluck. You are +done for so far as the present campaign is concerned, and must be sent +back to hospital. But there's work cut out yet for a lad of your +mettle." + +George heard all this praise as if in a dream. He was never sure in +after years whether the Earl had really said so much. But Lieutenant +Fieldsend, who was destined to become his comrade on many a +hard-fought field, and his warm friend for life, was always prepared +to tell the full and correct story. + + + + +CHAPTER VI + +THE ROCK OF GIBRALTAR + + +"This is better than lying on one's back in hospital, sir, and better +than dodging about in a close-packed transport." + +The words came from George Fairburn, as with his officer, Lieutenant +Fieldsend, he stood surveying, from its northern vicinity, the +far-famed Rock of Gibraltar. It was the summer of 1704. His doings +since the day of his injuries in the dingle are soon recorded. After +months of sickness and a winter of inaction, his service under Lord +Galway had come to an end, much to his disgust at first. With others, +he had been sent on board a vessel and carried round the coast of +Spain to the neighbourhood of Barcelona, where Sir George Rooke was +operating. The new troops had arrived too late. The Admiral, +despairing of making any impression on the strongly-fortified +Barcelona, was about to sail for home. On the way the idea had come to +Sir George that the commanding fortress of Gibraltar would be worth +trying for. He had accordingly landed a number of troops on the narrow +isthmus of flat land that joins the rock and town of Gibraltar to the +mainland. + +"Yes, Fairburn," the lieutenant replied, with a laugh, "my Lord Galway +foretold that you had work cut out for you. Here it is, I fancy, and +plenty of it." + +It was a striking sight on which the two friends looked--for though +the one was but a private and the other a commissioned officer, yet by +this time Fieldsend and Fairburn had begun their life-long friendship. +Away in front of them towered the huge irregular mass called the Rock +of Gibraltar, or, more commonly, simply "the Rock," with the little +town clustered at its base and on its gentler slopes. To their right +was the indentation in the coast known as the Bay of Gibraltar, which +was protected by a long stone-built jetty, the Old Mole. From this +protection ran a stout sea defence called the Line Wall, with two or +three strong bastions. This wall ended at another projection, the New +Mole. But neither the Line Wall nor the New Mole was visible from the +spot where George and his superior stood. Filling all the narrow neck +of connecting ground were the allied forces just landed, five thousand +of them. Immediately in front stood the only outlet from the city on +its north side, the Land Point gate. + +"I wish they would settle the thing, and either let us get to work or +else re-embark for home," George said, as he sat in what shade he +could find to defend himself against the fierce blaze of the sun. + +"I am with you there, Fairburn," the lieutenant agreed, with a yawn. + +The speakers were alluding to the answer that was expected at any +moment from the garrison within. A formal demand had been made to the +Governor for the surrender of the fortress to the Archduke Charles, +"the rightful King of Spain." This was on the twenty-first of July, +1704. The demand had been made on the part of the Allies by the Prince +of Hesse-Darmstadt, who was present with three Dutch admirals and +several Dutch ships. The English admirals concerned in the siege were, +besides Sir George Rooke, the chief of them, Byng, Sir Cloudesley +Shovel, and Leake. Many famous ships were in the Bay or rode off the +Rock, including Rooke's own vessel, the _Royal Catherine_, and +Shovel's still more famous _Barfleur_. + +The day wore to its close, the guards were posted, and the men +prepared for rest. Then there came the long-expected answer from the +Marquis de Salinas, the Governor of the fortress. It was a stout and +dignified refusal. He and his men had sworn allegiance to King Philip, +the old fellow said, and in Philip's name he held the town and Rock of +Gibraltar, and would continue to hold them as long as he could. + +"That looks like business," cried George, gleefully, to a little group +of his comrades around, and the men smiled at the eager enthusiasm of +the lad. The orders were passed round that the attack should begin +with daybreak on the following morning, and the soldiers went to roost +at once, with easy minds. It was believed that the attack would be but +a harmless bit of child's-play, as it was more than suspected that the +defending force within the town was very small, though how +ridiculously small it really was none of the besiegers at the time +even guessed. + +"Turn out, mate," cried one of the soldiers, shaking George vigorously +by the shoulder, and the boy sprang up to find everybody astir. + +"How I do sleep in this hot country!" he yawned, to which the sergeant +replied with a laugh, "It'll be hotter still before long, my lad, +never fear." + +It was a long time before the first shot was fired, however, the +disposition of the troops and the guns not being complete. At length a +movement was made. The _Dorsetshire_, with Captain Whitaker in +command, was sent to capture a French privateer with twelve guns, +which lay at the Old Mole, and the boom of cannon rose in the air. + +Presently, from near the spot where Lieutenant Fieldsend and his +little company were posted, a shot was fired into the fortifications; +then another, and afterwards a third. Work had begun at last. + +A puff, a boom in the distance, and there came screaming through the +air a big round shot, striking the ground, ploughing it up, and +covering those near with dust and dirt. + +"Quite near enough, eh, sir?" George observed to his lieutenant, as +they shook the earth from their clothing. "And, by Jove, there's +another of them!" A second shot flew just overhead, to do its deadly +work on the unfortunate men who stood immediately behind. George +Fairburn's first task in the siege was to help to carry to the rear +two or three badly wounded men. On the ground lay a couple who needed +no surgeon. + +As yet only a few preliminary shots had been fired into the fortress, +but the defenders were evidently quite ready with their reply, and the +order for a general attack rang out. Within a few minutes the fight +was raging in terrible fashion. From land and sea alike the shot +poured into the town; sailor and soldier joining, and often standing +side by side. As George afterwards expressed it, "any man set his hand +to any job there was to do." Sailors were to be seen on land in many +places, while not a few soldiers helped with the firing on board the +ships. + +All that long morning, however, George Fairburn worked at the gun to +which he had been assigned. Black with smoke, powder, dust, +perspiration, the lad toiled among his companions. For an hour or two +none of the enemy's shots fell very near the spot. But at length, and +almost suddenly, the balls began to fly in too close proximity to be +pleasant. Shot after shot fell within a yard or two of the gun, and +not a few gallant fellows dropped to earth dead or wounded. + +"By Jupiter!" cried the lieutenant, who was assisting, "they have got +our measure at last! I wonder what it is that makes us so +conspicuous." + +Then, looking round, he beheld behind them, and not five yards +distant, a small clump of elder on which some man had tossed the +flaming red shirt he had thrown off in the broiling heat. + +"Ah!" Fieldsend ejaculated, "there's the offender." + +He sprang away and whipped the tell-tale garment from its bush. Just +as he seized it another shot came, striking the gun in front, entirely +disabling the weapon, and then bounding off. When the men, hastily +scattered by the mishap, looked for the lieutenant, he was observed +lying in front of the bush. + +"Dead!" one of the fellows cried. + +"No," answered George, whose keen eyes detected a movement of the +officer's arm, "but he soon will be, if he is left lying there!" +Another shot struck the bush, only just missing the body of the +prostrate man. In a moment George darted forward towards the place, in +spite of the loud warning shouts of his mates. + +He reached the spot, seized Fieldsend by the shoulders, and by main +force dragged him quickly a dozen yards to the right. It was a heavy +task, but the lad was as sturdy a fellow of his years as one might +have found in a week's march, and his efforts were rewarded with a +cheer from his comrades. + +While the shouts were still ringing, yet one more shot came, this time +striking the exact spot where the lieutenant had a moment before been +lying, and ploughing up the little elder bush by its roots. + +"As plucky a job as ever I see!" cried the sergeant, running up with +three or four others, and he slapped George on the back with a +heartiness that made the lad wince. + +The wounded man was hastily carried off the field. + +"More stunned than hurt," reported the surgeon, "a nasty tap on the +left shoulder; but he'll be all right in a day or so." + +Within half an hour George Fairburn found himself on board the +_Dorsetshire_, to assist in the operations against the New Mole. The +signal had come to Captain Whitaker to proceed against that place, and +the ship was headed for the spot. To the surprise of those on board, +they perceived two other ships in advance of them; they were the +_Yarmouth_, Captain Hicks, and the _Lennox_, Captain Jumper, a gallant +pair. Boats from the two vessels were perceived hastening to the +shore. The crews landed, and almost immediately their feet touched +ground a dense cloud was seen to fly up into the air, followed by a +deafening explosion. + +"A mine!" rose from a hundred throats, as the _Dorsetshire_ men +watched with straining eyes. It was true; two score gallant fellows +were afterwards found lying on the fatal ground. + +With a determined rush the _Dorsetshire_ men fell upon the defenders, +and George found himself engaged in a hand-to-hand encounter. It was +all over in a few minutes; the handful of Spaniards could not stand +against so powerful a force, and the New Mole was taken. Hot and +exited, the men were carried against Jumper's Bastion, a strong work a +little to the north of the New Mole, and that place, too, was rushed +in an incredibly short space of time, and with scarcely any loss worth +the naming. From this time George Fairburn kept no count of the long +series of exciting incidents that followed each other, the assault +having been carried to the Line Wall that stretched away northwards to +the Old Mole. + +The attack when at its height was a terrible affair. Sixteen English +ships under the immediate command of Byng, and six Dutch men-of-war +under Admiral Vanderdusen, faced the Line Wall, while three more +English vessels were off the New Mole. + +[Illustration: George found himself engaged in a hand-to-hand +encounter.] + +No place so meagrely manned with defenders as was Gibraltar could long +stand such an attack, and at length the two Moles, and the long Line +Wall between them, were in the hands of the Allies. Of all the +attacking party none showed more vigorous and fearless dash than a +certain lad of sturdy build, and Hicks himself perceived the fact. + +"Who is that boy in your company?" he enquired of the sergeant. + +"Name Fairburn, sir," was the reply; "all along he's been a hot +member," to which the captain said with a smile, as he turned away, +"He most certainly is." + +The next day was a saints' day, and it was strongly suspected, and at +length clearly perceived, that the Spanish sentinels had left their +posts and gone off to mass. It would have been easy to carry the place +at once, but the necessary storming had been done, and the allied +commanders were only waiting for the besieged to give the signal of +capitulation. The besiegers, soldiers and sailors, had nothing to do +but chat. + +Presently some of the sailors declared that it would be a prime joke +to climb the heights and plant their flag there. The notion was taken +up, and presently the temptation grew irresistible to certain of them, +and with merry chuckles the fellows prepared for the task, an +enterprise that was risky in the extreme. + +"I'm one of you!" cried George Fairburn, as he followed the handful of +sailors to the foot of the steep rock. + +"And I!" chimed in yet another voice, and, to George's astonishment, +Lieutenant Fieldsend ran up, his arm in a sling. + +"Better go back, sir," exclaimed the lad, gazing up at the towering +cliff in front of them. + +"Better both on ye go back, I reckon," growled one of the sailors; +"this ain't no job for a landsman." + +Nothing heeding this rebuff, the two soldiers followed up the steep +rock, George giving a hand at the worst spots to his friend and +superior. Up, up, the scaling party mounted, the business becoming +every moment more difficult and more full of danger. More than once +the gallant fellows-in front paused and declared that further progress +was impossible. + +"Oh, go on!" called out George, impatiently, on one of these +occasions, from below, where he was helping up the lieutenant, "or +else let me come," he added, grumblingly. + +The sailor lads needed no spur, however, and amid growing excitement +the summit of their bit of cliff was perceived not far away. In the +dash for the top the active lad passed his fellows in the race, +catching up the foremost man, who held the flag. Seizing the staff, +George Fairburn assisted in the actual planting of the colours. There, +fluttering at the very summit of the Rock, was the English flag, its +unfolding hailed with bursts of cheering, again and again repeated, +from the throngs far below. + +The deed was done, and from that day, the twenty-third of July, 1704, +according to the old reckoning, the third of August by the new style, +the British flag has floated from the Rock of Gibraltar. + +Desperate efforts were made by the garrison to haul down the flag, but +they all failed, and the Governor capitulated. The Prince of +Hesse-Darmstadt was for claiming the fortress, but this Rooke would +not have, and he promptly declared the Rock to be the possession of +his august mistress, Queen Anne. Those of the defenders who were +prepared to take the oath of allegiance to Charles III were permitted +to remain, the rest for the most part retired to St. Roque. + +The handful of harum-scarum fellows who had scaled the heights and +planted the flag before long found themselves facing the great Admiral +Sir George Rooke himself, on his quarter-deck, Lieutenant Fieldsend +and George Fairburn being of the party. The admiral said a few words +of commendation; few as they were, they were a full reward for all the +efforts the little band had made. Rooke kept the lieutenant behind for +a moment. + +"What do you propose to do now, Mr. Lieutenant?" he inquired, with +much kindly condescension; "our work is about finished, and we are +proceeding home." + +"By you leave, Sir George," the young man replied, with flushed face, +"I should like to join his Grace the Duke in the Netherlands, and so +would the lad Fairburn." + +"Good," said the Admiral, approvingly, "we will see what can be done +when we reach Portsmouth. I have heard something of the boy's doings. +He will go far, if he is fortunate." + +Accordingly, when, after a great fight with the French fleet under the +formidable Count of Toulouse, off Malaga, a doubtful affair, the +English ships reached home, the lieutenant and George at once offered +for service under the Duke, and were accepted. They sailed away again, +for the Netherlands, Fieldsend carrying in his pocket a few words of +recommendation from Sir George to the commander-in-chief himself. + +The year 1703 had been a sorry year for Marlborough. In the winter he +had lost his son, the Marquis of Blandford, a promising youth, a +Cambridge student. When the spring operations began, he had found +himself hampered at every turn by the jealousies and oppositions of +the Dutch rulers and their commanders. In despair, Marlborough had +marched up the Rhine and taken Bonn. Meanwhile the French were +striving to reach Vienna, there to attack the Emperor. Returning, the +Duke was all eager to attack the great port and stronghold of Antwerp, +the capture of which would be a heavy blow to Louis. He had, however, +to content himself with seizing Huy, Limburg, and Guilders, a success +more than counterbalanced by the defeat of the Emperor at Hochstädt, +by the French and Bavarians. Disheartened and disgusted, Marlborough +went home at the end of the summer, and it was only by the strong +persuasion of Lord Godolphin, now at the helm of state, that he +retained his command at all. As a set-off against all these +disappointments, there were two matters for rejoicing. The alliance +with Portugal has already been mentioned; now there came the accession +to the Allies of Savoy, for the Duke of Savoy had quarrelled with +Louis. + +With intense interest, Lieutenant Fieldsend and George Fairburn heard, +on landing in the Netherlands, of the great victory of Blenheim that +had just been gained by the Allies under Marlborough, against the +combined French and Bavarian forces, commanded by the famous generals +Tallard and Marsin, and the two young soldiers hoped to learn more of +the great fight when they reached the front. + +"What a bit of ill-luck not to have been there in time, sir!" George +exclaimed. + +The boy had, during his stay in hospital at Lisbon, communicated with +his parents at home, and, to his delight, had received their consent +to his following the profession of a soldier. "It is useless to stand +in the boy's way," the elder Fairburn had said, "though I could have +wished he had taken up almost any other trade." So the lad had no +hesitation in thus taking service in the army once more. + +When the two, in company with others, reached head quarters, +Lieutenant Fieldsend presented the letter he held from Sir George +Rooke, and was received with the utmost pleasantness by the great +Duke. + +"Humph, Mr. Fieldsend," Marlborough began, when he had glanced over +the contents of the short epistle. "You are a lucky young fellow to +have got Sir George's good word. But where is the lad he speaks +of--Fairburn, I see?" + +"Just outside, your Grace," was the reply, and at a nod the lieutenant +fetched George in. + +The Duke scanned the boy's ruddy face and took note of his sturdy +figure. + +"My lad," he began, "you have begun early. Do you know what request +Sir George makes in this note?" + +"No, sir--my Lord Duke," George stammered in reply, his knees almost +shaking under him. + +"He recommends you for a commission as ensign," the Duke said quietly, +the boy standing almost open-mouthed. "We will give you a short trial +first, for as yet we don't know you. No doubt we soon shall." And the +great man smiled. + +He rapped smartly on the table and an aide-de-camp entered the tent, +saluting. + +"Here, Mr. Blackett," Marlborough gave the order, "take this lad to +your captain, who will see that he is enrolled in your company." + +The next moment George Fairburn was shaking the other hard by the +hand, the astonishment on both sides too great to admit of a word +between them. + + + + +CHAPTER VII + +BLENHEIM + + +"Now I can thank you, my dear Fairburn! We shall never forget it!" +were the first words Blackett uttered, and he pressed George's hand +once more in his warm grip. + +"Forget what, Blackett?" the other asked in surprise, "and for what do +you thank me?" + +"Surely you have not forgotten it all, my dear fellow--Mary--the +fire--your splendid rescue!" + +"Ah!" cried George, "and you have been keeping that in mind all this +time?" + +"Not a doubt of that. As I have just said, and repeat, we can never +forget it. From that day you became the dearest friend of our family, +if you will let us call you so." + +"Let you! Heaven knows I am more than delighted to be so. We are no +longer silly schoolboys to fight for the merest trifle." + +The reconciliation between the old rivals was complete, and the two +boys chatted long together. + +"But you are in a cavalry regiment, I see," remarked George presently, +"and a lieutenant. I understood from my father's letter that you had +joined a line regiment with an ensign's commission." + +"So I did, my boy; but there are queer turns of fortune in war, and +one of them came to me--only a week or two since, it was." And the +lieutenant laughed pleasantly. + +"Tell me how it was," said George, eagerly. + +"It is like singing my own praises, Fairburn," the young officer went +on, "but here goes. I'll put it in a score of words. All last year I +went as Ensign Blackett, seeing bits of service here, there, and +everywhere--at Bonn, on the Rhine, then at Huy, and again at +Guelders--but there was no chance for me. But this summer, as we were +marching here, not a man of us except the Duke himself, with a notion +why we were coming this way at all, we stopped to storm the +Schellenberg, a hill overlooking the Danube near Donauwörth. We were +all dog tired--dead beat, in fact, for we had marched till we were +almost blind. However, as it was the Duke's, day, he set us at it." + +"Duke's day?" interrupted George, in surprise; "isn't every day the +Duke's day?" + +"It's a funny thing," went on Blackett, laughing, "but as a matter of +fact at that time the Duke was taking alternate days of command with +the Prince of Baden." + +"A queer go!" the listener interjected. + +"Well, to cut my tale short, we made two attacks on that hill, and +both times were driven back. Things began to look like a drawn game, +when up comes Louis, the Prince, you know, with a lot of his Germans, +and at it we went again. In the thick of it, my colonel suddenly +called out, 'Can you ride, Blackett?' 'Try me, sir,' I says. And he +gave me a note for the Duke, telling me that he had not another +officer left who could ride, all our fellows had been laid low or +dispersed. I galloped off like the wind, on a big hard-mouthed brute. +Just as I was nearing the spot where the Duke stood, a dozen Bavarians +suddenly blocked my path and levelled their muskets. I was on a bit of +a slope and above their heads, in a manner, so I kicked up my nag and +in an instant I flew over them, guns and all. It was a clean jump, and +not a shot hit me, by good luck. My horse managed to carry me on to +the Duke, and then fell dead. The poor beggar had caught what had been +intended for me. Well, now I've done. The Duke, who had seen it all, +had me transferred to a cavalry regiment, with the rank of lieutenant, +and here I am." + +"Yes, and here am I, a private, talking in this off-hand sort of way +to a commissioned officer." + +"That's all right, Fairburn," laughed Blackett, "we haven't entered +you yet. It'll be quite time enough to bother about that sort of thing +then. Officially we shall have to be master and man; actually we shall +be brothers." + +Thus the ancient rivals became comrades in arms, and members of the +same regiment, for George from that time was a cavalry man. His other +friend, Fieldsend, was attached to a line regiment again. + +Bit by bit Lieutenant Blackett, during the next days, contrived to +give his friend a full and vivid account of the great battle of +Blenheim, just won by the Allies. He was not a great hand at a tale, +whatever he might be on the field, and we may piece together his story +for him. His adventures and his doings in that memorable fight may +well delay our tale for a little space. + +That year Louis of France had determined to make a vigorous effort, or +rather a series of efforts, and sent various armies to oppose the +different members of the Grand Alliance. But his main plan was to +attack the Empire, making Bavaria, the Elector of which was his only +supporter in that part of the world, his advance post. For some time +Louis had been secretly encouraging Hungary in the rebellion she was +contemplating. He trusted, therefore, that the Emperor would find +himself attacked by his Hungarian subjects to rearward, while he was +engaged with the combined French and Bavarian forces in front. It was +a very fine scheme. + +But there was one man, and only one, who saw through it--Marlborough. +At once the Duke set off southwards, carrying with him also a force of +Dutchmen, deceiving their rulers by a ruse. He sent for the valiant +Prince Eugene to meet him, and the two famous generals saw each other +for the first time. Mutual admiration and friendship sprang up between +them, to last through the rest of their lives. Prince Louis of Baden +had given some trouble by wishing to share the command with +Marlborough. Him they at last got rid of by sending him to take the +important fortress of Ingolstadt, commanding the Danube. Marlborough's +magnificent march from the Netherlands to the upper Danube is one of +the finest things in military story. + +Marlborough and Prince Eugene met with the French and Bavarian forces +near the village of Blenheim, on the same river, and close to +Hochstädt, the scene of the defeat of the allied troops the year +before, and joyfully the leaders prepared to join battle. The +commanders on the side of the enemy were Marshal Marsin, the Prince of +Bavaria, and Marshal Tallard. The last of these had managed to slip +past Eugene some time before and join his colleagues. + +The order of battle on the side of the Allies was this. The right was +commanded by Eugene, the left by Lord Cutts, a gallant officer, the +centre, a vast body of cavalry mainly, by Marlborough himself. Opposed +to Eugene were the Elector and Marsin, while Tallard faced the Duke, +but on the farther bank of the little brook Nebel, which empties +itself into the Danube just below. Tallard's centre was weak, as he +had crowded no fewer than seventeen battalions into the village of +Blenheim, on his extreme right and close to the bank of the great +river. + +"Now, gentlemen, to your posts." These words, quietly and pleasantly +spoken by Marlborough, began the great battle of Blenheim. It was +about midday, August 13, 1704. The Duke had been waiting till he heard +that Prince Eugene was ready, and he had occupied the interval in +breakfast and prayers. Every man of his division was provided with a +good meal. He himself had attended divine service and had received the +sacrament the evening before. + +Lieutenant Blackett found himself one of a body of 8,000 cavalry, +which were ordered to cross the Nebel so as to be within striking +distance of Tallard's troops drawn up beyond the brook. This work of +crossing was likely to be a long and tedious, not to say a difficult +bit of business, the intervening ground being very boggy. Matthew was +far towards the rear of this large body of horse, and it was evident +that it would be hours before his turn came to cross. In company with +hundreds of his comrades, he began to long for something more +exciting. + +The first division to get into serious action was that under the brave +Lord Cutts, to the left of the allied forces. Cutts went by the +nickname of Salamander, so indifferent was he to danger when under +fire. This gallant leader led his men to attack the village of +Blenheim. Twice the assault was made with the utmost vigour and +determination; twice Cutts was driven back. The village was not only +filled with an immense force of French, but was protected by a strong +palisade. + +A horseman was presently seen galloping towards the spot where the +Duke was posted, and his movements were watched with interest by +Blackett and others of the cavalry waiting their orders to cross. + +"Seems to me he is wounded," the lieutenant observed to a man near +him; to which the other replied, "Yes, he does seem wobbly, doesn't +he?" + +Hardly had the words been spoken when the advancing rider suddenly +fell from his horse, which kept on, however, dragging his master along +by the stirrup. Without a second's delay, Blackett threw his own beast +across the track of the runaway steed, caught his head, and pulled him +up. Then in a moment the youngster was down on the ground to the +assistance of the poor fellow who had fallen. + +"To the Duke!" the man cried, glancing at a note he held tightly +clutched in his hand. "Quick!" he moaned; "I'm shot through the back, +and done for!" + +"Poor fellow!" murmured the lieutenant, and he seized the letter, +sprang with a bound into his saddle, and was off like the wind, before +his companions had quite realized what it all meant. Thus for the +second time within a few days Matthew Blackett presented himself +before his commander in the part of unofficial aide-de-camp. The Duke +nodded as he recognized the lad, and, pencilling a few words of reply, +said, "To Lord Cutts; then back to your post." And as Blackett rode +off like the wind in a bee-line for Cutts's division, Marlborough +murmured, "A fearless fox-hunter, I'll be bound." The order, it was +afterwards found, was for Cutts to make no more attempts on Blenheim, +but to hold himself in readiness when his services should again be +requisitioned. + +Meanwhile, Prince Eugene was having a lively time of it on the right +wing. He began by leading a cavalry charge against the French and +Bavarians, who were under the command of Marsin and the Elector +respectively. In a few minutes he had forced back the front line and +had captured a battery of six guns. On he sped to confront the second +line, and the opposing forces met with a tremendous shock. For a +moment all was doubtful, but the enemy stood their ground stoutly. +Eugene could make no impression and had to fall back. By this time the +scattered front line of the French had rallied, and, in spite of the +Prince's desperate efforts, the battery was retaken. The danger to +that division of the allied forces soon became extreme. To save the +day, Eugene immediately galloped away in person, and returned +presently, bringing a body of Prussian infantry he had in reserve. The +help of these alone saved him from defeat. + +At last! Blackett and his comrades were ordered to advance, and moved +towards the Nebel. The ground was in a shockingly bad state. At its +best marshy and water-logged, it was now a sea of mire. The worst +spots had been bridged over, as it were, by the help of fascines, with +here and there pontoons. By this time, however, many of these had been +shifted from their places by the passage of so many thousands of +horse, and the road became worse and worse as the burn was neared. In +one place the men were compelled to come to a full stop, the ground +being simply impassable. + +"We cannot advance, gentlemen," cried the colonel commanding the +regiment, "till we have done some repairs. Now for willing hands!" + +Some of the officers glanced dubiously at the mud in which the horses +were standing knee-deep, and they did not budge. Not so Matthew +Blackett; with a bound he sprang to the ground, and waded through the +mire, half of his long legs submerged, his brethren endeavouring to +keep their countenances. + +"That's the right way!" sang out the colonel in high commendation, and +a little crowd of the men following the example of the young +lieutenant, the work of repairing the road was soon in rapid progress, +the colonel standing by to direct the operations. Other officers +speedily came to help, rather ashamed to think that they had allowed +the youngster to set them a lead. + +"It's nothing," cried Matthew, cheerfully, as he toiled with a will. +"Many's the time I've stood up to my waist in deadly-cold water +digging out an old dog otter." + +The lad's good-humour and willingness were infectious, and in a +remarkably short space of time the track had been repaired. Then, with +many a joke at each other's expense, the men remounted and pursued +their journey, covered from head to foot with mire, but cheered by the +colonel's approving, "It will serve for all the rest of the horse, my +lads." + +All this time the cavalry were wondering why Tallard took no steps to +stop their passage, and none was more surprised than Marlborough +himself. He did not at the time know that Tallard had left his centre +weak, by sending so many men into the village on the right. Still +less, of course, could the Duke know that Tallard was expecting a very +easy victory. Be that as it may, the Marshal made no move till +Marlborough had got a large part of his men across the stream and had +formed his first line. + +When Blackett arrived on the scene with his regiment he found that a +force of Eugene's cavalry had taken the village of Oberglau, near the +spot. A minute later, almost before the colonel had drawn up his men, +there was a fierce shout, and there came thundering down upon the +village, with almost irresistible shock, a body of the enemy. + +"Irishmen, by Jove!" cried a man by Matthew's side. "They'll fight +like demons!" + +The attack, in truth, came from the Irish Brigade, a doughty body of +Irishmen, exiles from their country, in the service of Louis. Before +the Englishmen realized the situation the Irishmen had dashed clean +through the force occupying Oberglau, and had taken up a position +between the men and Eugene. + +The confusion was extreme, and the allied troops could scarce be got +to face the resistless Irishmen at all. Things looked desperate. The +colonel of Blackett's regiment, seeing the state of things at +Oberglau, as he toured it, shouted, "Go and tell the Duke, Mr. +Blackett!" and away dashed Matthew once more to the General. He was a +pretty spectacle, but he did not give the matter a thought, and his +news prevented the Duke from paying much heed to the condition of the +messenger. + +"Lead the way," came the sharp order, and Blackett thundered on in +front, the great commander with a body of men hard after him, to find +the energetic and plucky colonel fallen badly wounded, and the +regiment in difficulties. With a swoop, the reinforcements fell upon +the Irishmen, and, almost for the first time, Matthew found himself +engaged in a hand-to-hand encounter. He did not know how long the +conflict lasted, but presently he found the enemy in full flight, his +comrades cheering lustily around him. Marlborough's promptitude had +saved the situation. + +"You fought like a very fiend, Blackett," remarked the major, +laughingly, a little later on, when for the moment operations had +ceased, to which Matthew replied simply, "Did I, sir? I don't remember +anything about it," whereat the major laughed again. + +It was five in the afternoon, and there was a lull on the field. Up to +the present neither side could be said to have gained any real +advantage over the other. All the allied cavalry had crossed the +stream, and the men wondered what would come next. + +They were not left long in doubt. The order came to mass the horse in +preparation for a grand charge. For a time the field was a scene of +rapid and puzzling movement, but order was quickly evolved out of the +seeming confusion. + +Then the trumpet rang out, and there bore down upon Tallard a +magnificent body of eight thousand cavalry. Bore _down_, we have +written; the course was slightly upwards, as a matter of fact, from +the stream. There was one check, and the Allies were stopped for a +moment. Then like a whirlwind the horse dashed forward, at a +tremendous speed. + +It was too much. The French fired one volley, then turned and fled. On +the Englishmen galloped, and in a few moments the enemy's line was cut +in two. In two different directions the French cavalry ran, and +Marlborough followed after that section which was making for Blenheim. +It was a wild stampede, and Matthew Blackett, as he dashed after the +retreating enemy, always considered it the most exciting episode in +his life. + +It did not last long. By great good fortune the lieutenant found +himself one of those surrounding Marshal Tallard. Amidst a wild burst +of applause the gallant Frenchman surrendered, and before he knew well +what he was doing, Blackett was leading Tallard's horse by the bridle. +The lad saw the Duke glance towards him as he dismounted to receive +the gallant leader and invite him into his carriage. + +The victory was practically won. There remained only the seventeen +battalions in the village of Blenheim, and these, hemmed in on the one +side, and bounded by the river on the other, gave little trouble. The +poor fellows, in fact, were unable to stir, and many a man of them +sprang into the river in his desperation, only to be hopelessly +carried away by the swift current, and drowned. + +It was a terrible scene of bloodshed, and it was an untold relief to +the Englishmen when their gallant foes in the village gave in. One +French regiment had actually burnt its colours to save them from being +taken. + +Thus ended the great fight of Blenheim, a fight in which the enemy had +lost no fewer than forty out of their sixty thousand men. The Allies +had had fifty thousand troops and had lost eleven thousand of them. +The wonderful renown of the French army had received a mighty blow. No +longer could Louis boast that his troops were invincible. + +To Marlborough the victory brought the royal manor of Woodstock and +the palace of Blenheim. To the humble Matthew Blackett it gave a place +near the great Duke's own person, as we have seen. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +COMRADES IN ARMS + + +It was always a puzzle to George Fairburn that the Duke had so +unexpectedly assigned him to a cavalry regiment, and his friend +Lieutenant Blackett could not help with the solution. + +"I suppose it was just an accident," Matthew said with a laugh; "he +saw a horse-soldier before him in the person of your servant here, and +so turned you over to me. I'm mighty delighted, anyhow, that we are +thrown together. We shall have a good time of it, I feel sure." + +"We shall, if there's plenty to do," George assented with a smile. + +There was plenty to do. At the very moment when the boy and Lieutenant +Fieldsend arrived, the Duke had given orders to prepare for another +long march, and within a couple of days George found himself one of a +large body of troops heading for the Rhine valley. A halt was called +before Landau, and the siege of this stronghold began. The affair +proved to be a slow business, the attacking force being very short of +military material. Days passed; the fortress stood firm, no apparent +impression being made at all. + +"I dare wager the Duke won't stand cooling at this job," remarked +Matthew to George and Fieldsend one evening. The latter with his +regiment was assisting in the siege, and he had already taken a great +liking for Matthew Blackett, a liking Matthew was not slow to +reciprocate. + +The prophecy was not far wrong. Almost before dawn the very next +morning Marlborough was marching, with twelve thousand men, largely +cavalry, towards the Queich valley, across a bit of country that for +badness could hardly be matched even in the wilds of Connemara. On man +and horse tramped, till the ancient city of Trèves was reached. The +Duke prepared for a siege, but he was saved the trouble. The garrison +was far too weak to hold the place, and the place fell into his hands +almost without a blow. George Fairburn grumbled at his luck, but was +cheered by Matthew's laughing reply, "Don't seek to rush things too +quickly, my dear lad; your time is coming." + +It was. After ordering the siege of Traerbach, Marlborough flew back +with a portion of his men to Landau, in his own breathless fashion, +and before many hours were over Fairburn was as keenly interested in +the siege as if he had never scampered all the way to Trèves and back +again. A week or two passed by, and still the place held out, though +it was plain the end was near. + +One day a sudden assault was planned on a weak spot in the defences, a +spot where some earlier damages had been ineffectively repaired. +George, with a troop of cavalry on foot, under the orders of +Lieutenant Blackett, suddenly started off at the double, spurred by +their officer's "Come along, lads! through or over!" With a roar of +delight the men, mostly young fellows, dashed toward the spot, +regardless of the whistling bullets that flew around. In a breach of +the defences, a place not more than four or five feet wide, stood a +huge Frenchman, whirling his sword over his head. The attackers pulled +up for a moment, all except George, who kept right on, till he was +close upon the big fellow with the sword. The Frenchman lunged out +fiercely at the lad, but the Englishman skipped out of the way like a +cat. Then before the man could use his weapon again George had charged +him head first, like a bull, his body bent double. With a shock his +head came into contact with the fellow's knees, and in a moment the +Frenchman had tumbled helplessly on his face. The rest of Blackett's +little band dashed over the prostrate enemy and into the fortress. The +stronghold was taken. + +"Send Cornet Fairburn to me, Mr. Blackett," said the colonel that same +evening, and much wondering the lieutenant obeyed. + +"Cornet Fairburn sounds well," he remarked to George. "Wonder if the +old colonel has made a mistake about it." + +There was no mistake at all. When George Fairburn returned from his +interview with his commanding officer, it was as Cornet, not as +Trooper Fairburn. It was by the Duke's own order, it appeared. That +night the three friends, all with commissions in their pockets now, +made merry in company. Sir George Rooke's desire had been speedily +realized, and George had taken his first step upwards. + +Marlborough marched to meet the King of Prussia, whom he persuaded to +send some eight thousand troops to the help of the Duke of Savoy, in +Italy. Then he went home to receive his honours, and the memorable +campaign of 1704 came to an end. + +Marlborough was a statesman as well as a brilliant commander, and he +had his work at home as well as abroad, a work the winters enabled him +to deal with. He was now quite aware that his best friends, that is to +say, the chief supporters of his war schemes, were the Whigs, and he +was working more and more energetically to put their party in power. +Harley and St. John took the place of more violent Tories, and in 1705 +a coalition of Whigs and Tories, called the Junto, managed public +affairs, more or less under Marlborough's direction. The Duchess still +held her sway over the Queen, and the two ladies addressed each other +as Mrs. Morley (the Queen) and Mrs. Freeman respectively. Already +there were influences at work to undermine the power of the +Marlboroughs, but their political downfall was not yet. + +Scottish matters were giving a good deal of trouble to the English +government. Two years before, in 1703, the Scotch Parliament had +passed an Act of Security, the object of which was to proclaim a +different sovereign from that of England, unless Scotland should be +guaranteed her own religious establishment and her laws. Now this +year, 1705, the Parliament in London placed severe restrictions on the +Scotch trade with England, and ordered the Border towns to be +fortified. The irritation between the two countries grew and grew, and +war seemed within sight. A commission was accordingly appointed to +consider the terms of an Act of Union, the greater portion of +Scotland, however, being strongly opposed to any such union at all. + +The spring of 1705 found the Allies active once more. The main +interest centres in the Netherlands and in Spain. The Earl of +Peterborough, who took the command in Spain, was one of the most +extraordinary men of his time. His energy and activity were amazing, +and he would dash about the Continent in a fashion that often +astounded his friends and confounded his enemies. No man knew where +Peterborough would next turn up. "In journeys he outrides the post," +Dean Swift wrote of him, and the Dean goes on to say, + + So wonderful his expedition, + When you have not the least suspicion, + He's with you like an apparition. + +Add to this that the Earl was a charming man, full of courage and +enthusiasm, and able to command the unbounded affection of his troops, +and you have the born leader of men. Of Peterborough's brilliant +exploits in the Peninsula in 1705 a whole book might be written. His +chief attention was first given to the important town of Barcelona, a +place which had successfully withstood Rooke, and in the most +remarkable fashion he captured the strong fort of Monjuich, the +citadel of the town, with a force of only 1,200 foot and 200 horse. +Barcelona itself fell for a time into the hands of Peterborough and +the Archduke Charles, now calling himself Charles III of Spain. +Success followed upon success, and whole provinces, Catalonia and +Valencia, were won over. So marvellous was the story of his doings, +indeed, that when, in the course of time, George Fairburn heard it, in +the distant Netherlands, he was disposed to wish he had remained in +Spain. Yet he had done very well, in that same year 1705, as we shall +see. + +Almost from his resumption of the command in the early spring of that +year, Marlborough met with vexations and disappointments. He had +formed the great plan of invading France by way of the Moselle valley, +and our two heroes, who had heard whispers as to the work being cut +out for the Allies, were ready to dance with delight. They were still +frisky boys out of school, one may say. But the plan was opposed in +two quarters. First, the Dutch, statesmen and generals alike, threw +every obstacle in the way. They would not hear of the project. Then +Louis of Baden was in one of his worst sulky fits, and for a time +refused his help. When he did consent to go, he demanded a delay, +pleading that a wound he had received at the Schellenberg, in the +previous year, was not yet fully healed. The troops the Duke expected +did not come in; instead of the 90,000 he wanted, but 30,000 mustered. + +"It is no go," Blackett said to his friend with a groan. + +At this juncture the Emperor Leopold died, and the Archduke's elder +brother Joseph succeeded him. + +"Spain is bound in the long run to drop into the hands of either +France or Austria," the two young officers agreed. Already the lads +were beginning to take an interest in great matters of state, as was +natural in the case of well-educated and intelligent youngsters. And +they felt that when either event should happen it would be a bad day +for the rest of Europe. + +Baffled in his great scheme, Marlborough set his hand to another +important work. Across the province of Brabant in Flanders the French +held a wonderful belt of strongholds, stretching from Namur to +Antwerp. No invasion of France could possibly be made from the +Netherlands so long as Louis held this formidable line of defences. +Moreover, the near presence of these fortresses to Holland was a +standing threat to the Dutch, and, when Marlborough made known his +plans to them, they for once fell in with them. + +Thus it happened that Lieutenant Blackett and his friend Cornet +Fairburn found themselves once more in the thick of war. They had had +a preliminary skirmish or two not long before--the retaking of Huy, +the frightening of Villeroy from Liége, and what not--but now +something more serious was afoot. That the task the Duke had set +himself was a difficult one, every man in his service knew, but they +knew also that he was not a commander likely to be dismayed by mere +difficulties. Villeroy, the leader of the French, had 70,000 troops +with him, a larger force than the Allies could get together. + +It was near Tirlemont that Marlborough began his operations. The march +to the place went on till it was stopped by a small but awkward brook, +the Little Gheet, on the farther side of which the French were very +strongly posted in great numbers. So formidable an affair did the +crossing appear that the Dutch generals objected to the attempt being +made. Marlborough, usually the best-tempered of men, was in a rage, +and determined to push the attack in spite of them. It was the morning +of July 17, 1705. + +"We are in for hard knocks to-day, if appearances go for anything," +Blackett said quietly to George, as their regiment prepared, with the +other cavalry, to open the proceedings. + +"So much the better," was George's laughing answer; "without hard +knocks there is no promotion, eh?" + +All was ready; the bugle rang out the signal for the attack. The long +line of Marlborough's horse fronted the Gheet at no great distance +away, the field-pieces were in position, the infantry and reserves +somewhat to the rear. Beyond the stream, with the advantage of rising +ground, were planted the French guns, supported by a powerful host. + +Away! The cavalry dashed onwards at a terrific pace. A sharp rattle of +musketry rang out, and in a moment a sprinkling of the advancing +troopers fell from their saddles. George Fairburn was already warming +to the work, and he sat his steed firmly. Then a ball struck the +gallant animal, and in an instant the rider was flung over its head. +The young cornet narrowly escaped being trampled to pieces by his +comrades as they swept by in full career. Up he sprang, however, a +trifle stunned for the moment, but otherwise no worse. Quickly +recovering his sword, which had flown from his grasp, he darted after +his more fortunate companions, and arrived breathless on the scene. + +A fierce struggle for the passage of the river was going on, and +desperate fighting was taking place in the very bed of the stream, a +trifle lower down its course. For a time George endeavoured in vain to +find a way through the struggling mass of men and horses to the brink +of the Gheet; the press and the confusion were too great. Accordingly +he ran on behind the lines of horse, to find a place where he might +thrust himself in. Where his own comrades were he could not tell. +Bullets were flying thick around him as he ran, but he did not give +the matter a thought. It was characteristic of him all through his +life, indeed, that when his attention and interest were strongly +engaged on one matter he was all but oblivious to every other +consideration. + +At length his chance appeared, and an opening presented itself. +Springing over the prostrate bodies of men and horses, he reached the +bank. To his surprise the stream seemed to be very deep. As a matter +of fact the waters were dammed lower down by the mass of fallen men +and animals lying across their bed. Without hesitation he dashed into +the flood, his sole thought being to get himself across and so into +the enemy's lines. With his sword held tightly between his teeth, the +boy officer swam, as many another lusty Peterite would have been able +to do. He reached mid stream. + +Suddenly he became aware of a sharp pain in his left shoulder. A +moment later he grew faint. In vain he struggled to keep afloat; the +world grew dark to him, and he sank beneath the surface. + +A tall fellow, fully six foot three in his stockings, if he was an +inch, had just managed to wade through the stream, his nose above the +surface, a comical sight, if anybody had had the time to notice it. +Looking back, this man saw George disappear, and without hesitation he +dashed into the water again. Reaching the spot, he groped about, and +then, with both hands clutching an inanimate form, he dragged his +burden to the bank. + +"George, by Heaven!" he cried, as soon as he could get a glimpse of +the features. It was true; Matthew Blackett had saved his friend's +life at the risk of his own. And it had been a risk, for a dozen +bullets had splashed around him as he had hauled his heavy load along. + +"Blackett!" exclaimed Fairburn, a moment or two later, when, +recovering, he opened his eyes. "Where's your horse?" + +"Done for, poor wretch! And yours?" + +"Shot under me, at the very first volley. And it was you who dragged +me out! I shall remember it! But here we are on the right side; come +on!" + +The lads gripped each other warmly by the hand, and side by side +dashed on into the thick of the _mêlée_. A large number of the allied +cavalry had by this time made good their passage across, in spite of +the fiercest opposition on the part of the enemy. In vain Blackett +urged his companion to withdraw and get himself away with his wounded +arm. George would not budge an inch. It was only a flesh wound, it +afterwards appeared. So the two North-country lads stood by each +other. For an hour or more they were hotly engaged, the enemy falling +back inch by inch. + +Then came ringing cheers. The French had abandoned the position; the +famous and hitherto impregnable line of defences had been broken. Our +heroes breathed more freely when a short respite came. But the +interval of rest was short. Colonel Rhodes, their commanding officer, +catching sight of the pair, as he was collecting his men again, +joyfully hailed them, and a minute later George and Matthew, provided +once more with mounts, were cantering with the rest to the renewed +attack. The enemy had made another stand some distance farther back. + +Another struggle, and this second position was like wise carried, with +a grand sweep. Victory was at hand. + +Suddenly a startling report ran through the English lines. The Duke +was missing! Where was the mighty General? was the question on every +lip. Somebody ran up and said a word to Colonel Rhodes. Instantly the +gallant officer and his men were galloping off to a distant part of +the field, the troopers wondering what was afoot. The explanation soon +appeared. Marlborough had become separated from the main body of his +army, and now, with but a very few men around him, was in imminent +danger of capture by the French troops, who were pouring thick upon +the spot. + +Colonel Rhodes charged at the head of his regiment straight upon the +French, and a lane was cut through. It was a matter of a few minutes. +The Duke was saved, and the enemy retired in woeful disappointment. +The first to reach the Duke were Blackett and Fairburn, and the lads +were flushed with joy and pride when their distinguished leader, +looking at them with a smile, said, with all his old pleasantness of +manner, "Gentlemen, I thank you." + +The Brabant line of strongholds was broken. Villeroy fell back, and +Marlborough had his will on the defences. No inconsiderable section of +the belt was rendered useless. No longer did an impassable barrier +stretch between the Netherlands and France. The importance of the +victory could hardly be overstated. As one writer has well pointed +out, "All Marlborough's operations had hitherto been carried on to the +outside of these lines; thenceforward they were all carried on within +them." + +A day or two later the Duke came to inspect the regiment to which our +boys belonged, just as he was inspecting others. The men with their +officers were drawn up, and the General's eyes ran along the line. +Presently he spoke a word to the colonel in command of the regiment, +and, to their no small confusion, Lieutenant Blackett and Cornet +Fairburn were called out to the front. + +"How old are you?" the Duke inquired, as the youths saluted. + +"Nearly twenty, may it please your Grace." "Just turned nineteen, by +your Grace's leave." Such were the replies. + +"Hum!" said the Duke thoughtfully, "you shall have your promotion in +due course. You are young, and can afford to wait for it." This to +Matthew. "As for you"--turning to George--"you have fairly earned your +lieutenancy." And he turned away. + + + + +CHAPTER IX + +ANNUS MIRABILIS + + +"Don't imagine, my dear lad, that they are going to make captains of +mere boys like ourselves." This was the reply, given with a hearty +laugh, when George Fairburn, after receiving his friend's warm +congratulations at the close of the inspection, was condoling with +Matthew on his failure to get his step. "A captain at twenty is +somewhat unlikely," Blackett went on. "I suppose so," replied George. +"After all we are only glorified schoolboys, some of our fellows tell +us. Yet you look three-and-twenty, if a day. However, all will come in +time, let us hope." + +The brilliant operations on the defence line proved to be but the +prelude to Marlborough's second great life disappointment. He saw his +chance. He had but to follow up his success by a decisive victory over +Villeroy's forces, and the way lay open to Paris. His hopes ran high. + +Alas! the Dutch had to be reckoned with. Eager to follow up his +advantage, Marlborough called for assistance, immediate and effective, +from them; in vain; the assistance did not come, or came too late. +With what help he could get from the Dutch, nevertheless, he went +forward to the Dyle. Here again the Dutch balked him, raising +objections to the crossing of that river. In despair the Duke gathered +his troops, as it happened, strangely enough, on the very spot where, +a hundred years later, another great Duke gained his most famous +victory over the French. Could Marlborough have but had his chance +with Villeroy in that spot, there is little doubt that Europe would +have seen an earlier Waterloo. + +But it was not to be. Just as the Margrave of Baden had stopped his +advance along the Moselle into France the previous year, so now the +supineness and factious opposition of the Dutch prevented Marlborough +from dealing the French power a crushing blow. Deeply disgusted, he +threatened once more to resign his command. "Had I had the same power +I had last year," he wrote, "I could have won a greater victory than +that of Blenheim." It was a bitter trial for him. + +The campaign of 1705 soon after came to a close, and the Duke set off +on what we may call a diplomatic tour among the allied states, his +travels and negotiations producing good results. It was not till the +beginning of 1706 that he went back to England, and thus it was late +in the spring of that year when the campaign was reopened. + +Rejoining his army in the Netherlands, he proposed to make another of +his great marches, namely into Italy, there to join his friend Prince +Eugene in an invasion of France from the south-east. This plan was +made impossible by the crookedness of the kings of Prussia and +Denmark, and some others of the Allies. Swallowing this disappointment +also, as best he might, Marlborough started from the Dyle and advanced +on the great and important stronghold of Namur, at the junction of the +Sambre with the Meuse. Namur had always been greatly esteemed by the +French, and, in dread alarm, Louis ordered Villeroy to take immediate +action. The result was that the two hostile armies, each numbering +about sixty thousand men, met face to face near the village of +Ramillies, half way between Tirlemont and Namur, and near the head +waters of the Great and Little Gheet and the Mehaigne. + +Lieutenants Fairburn and Blackett from their position on a bit of +rising ground could take in the general dispositions of the respective +forces, and the same thought passed through both their minds. The +French and Bavarian troops were drawn up in the form of an arc, whose +ends rested on the villages of Anderkirk, to the north, and Tavières, +on the Mehaigne, to the south. The villages of Ramillies and Offuz, +with a mound known as the Tomb of Ottomond at the back of the former, +were held by a strong centre. Marlborough, on his part, had disposed +his men along a chord of that arc. If it came to a question of moving +men and guns from one wing to the other, it was plain that the Duke +had the advantage, the distance along an arc being necessarily greater +than that along its chord, and it was that thought which came into the +heads of the two lieutenants. + +Marlborough directed his right to attack the enemy around the village +of Anderkirk, backing up the assault with a contingent from his +centre. Blackett and his friend were soon taking part in the gallop +over the swampy ground in the neighbourhood of the village. A sharp +encounter followed, the Frenchmen beginning to waver. Hereupon +Villeroy in alarm promptly sent from his centre a large number of men +to support his staggering left at Anderkirk, thereby leaving his +centre weak. + +All at once Marlborough withdrew his troops to the high ground +opposite the hamlet of Offuz, as if for a fresh attack. Then sending +back a part to keep up the pretence of continuing the combat in the +marsh, he took advantage of the concealment afforded by the higher +ground, and, cleverly detaching a large body, ordered them to slip +away round to seize Tavières, on the Mehaigne. George and his friend +were thus separated, the latter being of those who remained in the +swamp to keep up appearances. It was a clever bit of strategy, and, +before Villeroy realized the truth, Tavières had been rushed with a +splendid charge. The fact that the attack on Anderkirk had been only a +feint came to the French commander's understanding too late. His +centre, with the village of Ramillies and the Tomb of Ottomond +commanding it, the really important positions of the day, was weakened +by the loss of troops sent on a wild-goose chase. + +Ere Villeroy could repair the mischief and summon his men from +Anderkirk, Marlborough had sent down upon the French centre a great +body of cavalry under the command of Auerkerke, the Dutch general. +English and Dutch horse combined in this assault, and George Fairburn +found himself one of a host dashing upon the village of Ramillies. +There was a terrific shock, a few moments of fierce onslaught, and the +first line of the enemy gave way. Through the broken and disorganized +line the cavalry swept, to charge the second. + +Another shock, even greater than the first. The Frenchmen of the +second line stood firm, for were they not the famous Household +Regiment--the Maison du Roi--of Louis, and probably the finest troops +in Europe. The advance of the Allies was instantly checked. In vain +Auerkerke urged on his men; in vain those men renewed the attack. The +enemy stood steadfast; they began to drive back their antagonists; the +position of the Allies was becoming critical. + +"Go and inform the Duke! Quick, quick!" the Dutchman called out to a +young officer whom he had observed fighting with the utmost +determination near by, but who had stopped for a moment to recover his +breath. + +It happened to be Lieutenant Fairburn, and George once more found +himself face to face with the Duke, for the first time since he had +met him after the rush of the French defence line near Tirlemont last +year. Marlborough, the youth could see by his quick glance, knew him +again. In a word or two George delivered his startling message. + +"By Jove, sir," declared the subaltern, when telling his story to his +colonel afterwards, "never did I see so spry a bit of work as I did +when I had said my little say. The Duke was ten men rolled into one, +sir. Orders here, there, and everywhere; fellows sent darting about like +hares. In a few minutes--minutes! I was going to say seconds--every +sabre had been got together, and we were all tumbling over each other +in our hurry to get along to the fight. It was a fine thing, sir." + +The commander, sword in hand, led his reinforcement to the fatal spot +with the speed of the whirlwind. He had almost reached it when he was +suddenly set upon by a company of young bloods belonging to the Maison +du Roi. They were nobles for the most part, and utterly reckless of +their lives. Recognizing the Duke, they made a desperate attempt to +secure him, closing round him with a dash. + +"Great Heaven!" ejaculated George Fairburn, as his eye suddenly fell +upon the Duke fighting his way out of the group, and in company with +fifty more he flew to the spot. At that moment Marlborough, now almost +clear, put his horse to a ditch across his track. How it happened no +one could tell exactly, but the rider fell, and dropped into the +little trench. Marlborough's career appeared at an end. His steed was +cantering madly over the field. + +But friends were at hand, and before the Frenchmen could complete +their work the little company had beaten them off. George leapt to the +ground, and drew his horse towards the General, who had sprung to his +feet in a trice, nothing the worse. + +"Here, sir," said the lieutenant, handing the bridle to an officer in +a colonel's uniform, who stood at hand, and the colonel held the +animal while the Duke mounted. + +[Illustration: The Rescue of Marlborough.] + +Before the Duke had fairly gained his seat in the saddle, a ball with +a rustling hum carried off the head of the unfortunate colonel. It was +an appalling sight, and George Fairburn was forced to turn away his +eyes. + +The crisis was too serious, however, to waste time in vain regrets. +Without the loss of a moment Marlborough led the charge upon the +enemy. The famous Household Brigade fell back, and the village of +Ramillies was taken. Then another fierce struggle, but a brief one, +and the Tomb of Ottomond was secured, the position which commanded the +whole field. The battle was almost at an end. + +There remained only the village of Anderkirk in its marshy hollow, and +Marlborough called together his forces from the various parts of the +confused field. Another charge was sounded, the last. The enemy turned +and fled. Ramillies was won. + +The victory, quite as important in its way as Blenheim, had been +gained in a little over three hours. The loss on the side of the +Allies was hardly four thousand; that of the French and Bavarians, in +killed, wounded, and prisoners, was four times as great. All the +enemy's guns, six only excepted, fell into the hands of the victors. + +There was one heavy drawback to the pride which the young Lieutenant +Fairburn naturally felt at having had a humble share in the great +victory. At the muster of the survivors of his regiment Blackett was +missing. Half the night did George search for him, and was at last +rewarded by finding the young fellow lying wounded and helpless on the +boggy ground. It was an intense relief when the surgeon gave good +hopes of Matthew's ultimate recovery. + +"I'm done for this campaign, old friend," Blackett said with a feeble +smile to George, "and must be sent home for a while. But I hope to +turn up among you another year." + +If to follow up a great victory promptly, vigorously, and fully, be +one of the distinguishing marks of a great commander, then the Duke of +Marlborough was certainly one of the greatest generals of whom history +tells. Hardly anything more striking than his long and rapid series of +successes in the weeks after Ramillies can be credited to a military +leader, not even excepting Wellington and Napoleon. Louvain, Brussels, +Antwerp, Ghent, Bruges, all fell into his hands. Menin, Ostend, +Dendermonde, and a few other strongholds gave pore trouble, and the +brave Marshal Vendôme was sent to their assistance. It was useless; +Vendôme turned tail and fled, his men refusing to face the terrible +English Duke. "Every one here is ready to doff his hat, if one even +mentions the name of Marlborough," Vendôme wrote to his master Louis. +The remaining towns capitulated, and the Netherlands were lost to the +Spanish. Of the more important fortresses only Mons remained. + +But Marlborough's were by no means the only successes that fell to the +Allies that wonderful year. Prince Eugene and the Duke of Savoy, the +former after a rapid march, appeared before Turin, and on the 7th of +September that notable place fell into the hands of the Prince, after +brilliant efforts on both sides. The result was of the utmost +importance; the French were demoralized; Savoy was permanently gained +for the Grand Alliance; while Piedmont was lost to the French, who +were thus cut off from the kingdom of Naples. + +George had often wondered what had become of his old friend Fieldsend, +whom he had not seen since the capture of Landau. But in the autumn of +this year, 1706, while Fairburn was quartered at Antwerp, he received +a letter from the lieutenant. It appeared that at his own request +Fieldsend had been allowed to return to Spain, and he had served ever +since under Lord Peterborough. The writer's account of the victories +gained by Peterborough and the Earl of Galway in Spain that year read +more like a fairy tale than real sober history. The sum and substance +of it was that Peterborough had compelled the forces of Louis to raise +the siege of Barcelona, and that Galway had actually entered Madrid in +triumph. Had the Archduke Charles had the wit and the courage to enter +his capital too, his cause might have had a very different issue from +that which it was now fated to have. + +Just before Christmastide George received permission to return to +England on leave for a few weeks. He had never visited his old home +all those years, and it was with delight he took his passage in a +schooner bound for Hull. Hardly had he landed at that port when he ran +across the old skipper of the _Ouseburn Lassie_. The worthy fellow did +not at first recognize the schoolboy he had known in the sturdy +handsome young fellow wearing a cavalry lieutenant's uniform, and he +was taken aback when George accosted him with a hearty "How goes it, +old friend? How goes it with you?" The skipper saluted in some +trepidation, and it was not till George had given him a handshake that +gripped like a vice that he knew his man again. Soon the two were deep +in the work of exchanging histories. The crew of the captured collier +brig, it appeared, had been kept at Dunkirk till the autumn of 1704, +when they had been exchanged for certain French prisoners in ward at +Dover. The Fairburn colliery had prospered wonderfully, and the owner +now employed no fewer than four vessels of his own, one of which ran +to Hull regularly. In fact, the skipper was just going on board to +return to the Tyne. + +Within an hour, therefore, Lieutenant Fairburn was afloat once more, +to his great joy. On the voyage he learnt many things from the old +captain. Squire Blackett was in very bad odour with the men of the +district. For years his business had been falling off, and he had been +dismissing hands. Now his health was failing; he was unable or +unwilling to give vigorous attention to his trade, and he talked of +closing his pit altogether. The colliers of the neighbourhood were +desperately irritated, and to a man declared that, with anything like +energy in the management, the Blackett pit had a fortune in it for any +owner. + +The well-known wharf was reached, a wharf vastly enlarged and +improved, however, and George sprang ashore impatiently. Leaving all +his belongings for the moment, he strode off at a great rate for home, +rather wondering how it was that he did not see a single soul either +about the river or on the road. He rubbed his eyes as he caught a +sight of his boyhood's home. Like the wharf, the house had been added +to and improved until he scarcely recognized the spot at all. "Father +must be a prosperous man," was his thought. Opening the door without +ceremony, he entered. A figure in the hall turned, and in a moment the +boy had his mother in his arms, while he capered about the hall with +her in pure delight. + +The good woman gave a cry, but she was not of the fainting kind, and +soon she was weeping and laughing by turns, kissing her handsome lad +again and again. Presently, as if forgetting herself, she cried, "Ah, +my boy, there's a parlous deed going on up at the Towers! You should +be going to help." And George learned to his astonishment that the +Squire's house was being at that moment attacked by a formidable and +desperate gang. Fairburn had gone off to render what assistance he +could. It was reported that the few defenders were holding the house +against the besiegers, but that they could hold out little longer. The +Fairburn pitmen had declined to be mixed up in the quarrel, as they +called it. + +"Good Heavens!" exclaimed George, "what a state of things!" + +Bolting out of the house, he ran back at full speed to the wharf, his +plan already clear in his head. Within ten minutes he was leading to +Binfield Towers every man jack of the little crew, the old skipper +included. The pace was not half quick enough, and when, at a turn in +the road, an empty coal cart was met, George seized the head of the +nag, and slewed him round, crying "All aboard, mates!" The crew +tumbled in, and in an instant the lieutenant was whipping up the +animal, to the utter astonishment of the carter. + +Nearer to the mansion the party drew, but, hidden by the trees, it was +not yet in sight. The old horse was spent, and, when a point opposite +the house had been gained, George sprang out, vaulted over the fence +into the wood, dashed through the growth of trees, and with another +spring leapt down upon the lawn, almost on the selfsame spot where he +had jumped over on the evening of the fire. For the last hundred yards +he had been aware of the roar of angry voices. The sight that met his +eyes, now that he was in full view of the scene, was an extraordinary +one. + +Scattered about the trampled grassplots was a crowd of pitmen, surging +hither and thither, some armed with pickaxes, some with hedge-stakes, +some with nothing but nature's weapons. One fellow was in the act of +loading an old blunderbuss. Reared against the wall of the house were +two or three ladders, one smashed in the middle. The lower windows had +been barricaded with boards, but the mob had wrenched away the +protection at one point, and men were climbing in with great shouts of +triumph. + +From the bedroom windows men were holding muskets, ready to fire, but +evidently unwilling to do so except as a last resource. George spied +his old friend Matthew at one window; at another, astonishing sight! +stood no other than Fieldsend! His own father was at a third. + +At that moment the fellow below raised his blunderbuss and took +deliberate aim at the old Squire, who, all unconscious of his danger, +was endeavouring to address the mob from an upper window. The sight +seemed to grip George by the throat. + +George carried a handspike, a weapon he had brought along from the +collier vessel. A dozen rapid and noiseless strides over the grass +brought him within striking distance, and instantly, with a downward +stroke like a lightning flash, he had felled to earth man and +blunderbuss. The report came as the man dropped, and with a yell one +of the rioters climbing through a lower window dropped back to the +ground, shot through the thigh by one of his own party. + +"Saved!" the lieutenant shouted, a glance showing him that the old +Squire was still unhurt. All eyes, those of the defenders no less than +those of the attacking party, were immediately attracted to the +new-comer, who was just in the act of seizing the blunderbuss from the +grasp of the prostrate and senseless pitman. + +"George!" "Fairburn!" "My boy!" came the cries from the upper windows, +and the defenders cheered for pure joy. + +The mob, startled for a moment, prepared to retaliate, a hasty +whispering taking place between two or three of the leaders. "Look out +for the rush!" cried Matthew, warningly. George, with a bound, gained +the wall, where, back against the stonework, he stood ready with the +handspike and the clubbed musket. So formidable an antagonist did he +seem to the men that they held back, till one of them, with a fierce +imprecation, dashed forward. In a trice he was felled to the ground, a +loud roar of rage escaping the man's comrades. An instant later and +the young lieutenant was fighting in the midst of a howling mob. + +"Ah! Drat you!" came a bellow, and there rushed upon the rear of the +attackers the old skipper, cutlass in hand, followed close by the rest +of his little crew. This apparition, sudden and unexpected, upset the +nerves of the pitmen, and in a moment they began to run, falling away +from George and tumbling over each other in their haste. + +"No you don't!" hissed the youngster between his firm-set teeth, and +making a grab at a couple he had seen prominent in the fight, he held +them with a grip they could not escape. + +The attackers were routed; Binfield Towers was saved. Within a minute +George was being greeted, congratulated, thanked, till he was almost +fain to run for it, as the bulk of the mob had done. His father, +Matthew, Fieldsend, even old Reuben--all crowded around with delight. +In no long time Mrs. Maynard and Mary Blackett appeared, smiling +through their tears of joy at their great deliverance. The latter had +so grown that George hardly recognized her. All came up except the old +Squire, and he was presently found in an alarming condition, one of +his old heart attacks having come on. It was the only drawback to the +joy of the meeting and the ending of the danger that had threatened +the household. + +Early next morning word was carried to the Fairburns that Squire +Blackett was dead; he had never recovered from the shock and the +seizure consequent thereon. + +"Poor old neighbour!" Fairburn said, with a mournful shake of the +head, "I am afraid he has left things in a sorry state." + +Fairburn's fears were only too well founded. Mr. Blackett had left +little or nothing, and Matthew and his sister would be but +indifferently provided for. Then it was that Fairburn came out like a +man. He proposed to run the colliery for their benefit. To the world +it was to appear that the collieries had been amalgamated or rather +that the Blackett pit had been bought up by his rival. The advantage +to Matthew and Mary was too obvious to be rejected, and the required +arrangements were made. Before the time came for the three young +officers to go back to their duties they had the satisfaction of +seeing Mrs. Maynard and Mary settled in a pretty cottage near, and the +colliery in full work and prospering, the district employed and +contented. Mary had been pressed by the Fairburn family to take up her +abode with them, but had preferred to go into the cottage with her old +governess and friend. Yet she was overwhelmed with gratitude towards +the kindly couple. + + + + +CHAPTER X + +"OUR OWN MEN, SIR!" + + +Marlborough was late in taking the field that year. Important matters +engaged his attention at home. He saw more clearly than ever that the +Whigs alone were the real supporters of him and his war plans. The +party even passed a resolution to the effect that they would not hear +of peace so long as a Bourbon ruled over Spain. Then there were the +intrigues at work that were undermining the influence of the Duchess +of Marlborough, and consequently of the Duke himself, at Court. Harley +was known to be working for the overthrow of Marlborough. He was +preparing to introduce a formidable rival to the Duchess in Anne's +regards. + +The young men were nothing loth to go back to their respective +regiments, to say truth, when the time came. Inaction did not seem to +agree with their young blood. Matthew, his wound now quite healed, was +eager to get his next step. Fieldsend was already captain, and hoped +ere the close of the 1707 campaign to get his majority. As for George +Fairburn, he was quite content to be a soldier for soldiering's sake, +yet would thankfully take promotion if it came his way. Blackett had +paid a visit to the west-country home of the Fieldsends, and it was +whispered that he had there found a mighty attraction. But more of +this may come later. + +The year, to the bitter disappointment of our young officers, proved +an unlucky one. In all directions things went wrong. As for +Marlborough, from the very opening he experienced the old Dutch +thwartings and oppositions, and, after a short and vexatious summer, +he closed the campaign almost abruptly, and much earlier than in +former years. There was to be no promotion for anybody yet awhile. + +In Spain there was an overwhelming disaster. The French and Spanish +forces, commanded by the redoubtable Berwick, completely defeated the +combined English, Dutch, and Portuguese troops under Galway, at +Almanza. So great a misfortune was this that Galway declared that +Spain would have to be evacuated by the Allies. The cause of the +Archduke Charles was to all intents and purposes lost, and the +Bourbons were henceforth firmly seated on the throne of Spain. + +Misfortune trod on the heels of misfortune. Prince Eugene attempted to +take Toulon, the chief naval station in the Mediterranean, but failed +to accomplish the task he had set himself. On the Rhine the Prince of +Baden was badly defeated by Villars, at Stollhofen, the disaster +laying Germany open to invasion by Louis. The gallant Sir Cloudesley +Shovel, who had risen from the position of cabin-boy, was drowned in a +great storm off the Scilly Islands, England thereby losing one of her +ablest admirals. + +Glad were George and Matthew when, after a dull winter, the Duke +opened his campaign of 1708. The young men were now greater friends +than ever, and not unnaturally so, after all that had happened and was +happening. The reports they had occasionally from the elder Fairburn +were in the highest degree cheering. The two ladies were well; the +pits were prospering marvellously. + +The feeling at home, rumour said, was setting strongly in favour of +ending the war and coming to terms with France. This discontent at +home was supplemented by murmurings among the troops quartered at +Antwerp, and still more by the uneasiness of the Dutch, who were +disposed to make a separate treaty with France and drop out of the +conflict. Marlborough felt that he must achieve some brilliant success +before that campaign was ended. + +"There is going to be hot work for us, that is plain," the two +lieutenants said to each other, "and, if we have luck, we shall get +the promotion we have been waiting so long for." + +Bruges and Ghent had gone back to the French allegiance, and Louis +determined to make an attempt to secure Oudenarde also, an important +fortress lying between the French borders and Brabant. The French army +boasted two generals, the royal Duke of Burgundy, an incapable leader, +and the Duke of Vendôme, a most capable one. A more unfortunate +partnership could not well be imagined; Burgundy and Vendôme were in +everything the opposite of each other, and the quarrels between them +were as numerous as they were bitter, so that the army of Louis XIV +was handicapped at the very outset. + +It was three in the afternoon of July 11. The Allies were fagged out +with the marchings and the heat of the day when they came in sight of +the enemy's forces near Oudenarde. + +"Precious glad of a rest!" Matthew Blackett remarked when the signal +to halt came. To his surprise and dismay the order to form immediately +followed. + +"Just like the Duke," commented his friend Fairburn. + +Quickly the cavalry were got together for a charge. + +"The old fellow doesn't intend the Frenchmen to slip away without +fighting," the men remarked to one another. + +Suddenly, almost before the whole body of horse was ready, Marlborough +directed a charge to be made. For the first time our lieutenants found +themselves not in the Duke's own division. The commander of the right +wing, a very strong force, was Prince Eugene, who, having now nothing +to do in Italy, had hurried northwards to join his friend. In such hot +haste had the Prince travelled, indeed, that he had out-stripped his +own army. Here was Prince Eugene, but not Prince Eugene's men. His +wing at Oudenarde consisted entirely of English troops, while +Marlborough's own wing was composed of men of various other +nationalities. + +Almost all writers on military tactics agree that the battle of +Oudenarde was one of the most involved and intricate on record, and +that it is well nigh impossible to give any detailed account of the +puzzling movements. The leading points were these. + +Marlborough's force crossed the Scheldt; then the opposing wing of the +French left the high ground they occupied and swooped down upon him, +endeavouring to force the Allies back into the river. A terrible +hand-to-hand encounter followed, bayonet and sword alone being used +for the most part in such cramped quarters. In the thick of it the +Duke sent the Dutch general with a strong detachment to seize the +vantage ground on the rise which the enemy had lately left. The move +was successful, and the French found themselves between two fires. + +It was growing dusk. Eugene and his men had forced back their +opponents and were now following hard after them. Suddenly shots came +flying in, and in the dimness of the departing day an advancing column +was observed to be moving towards them. What could it mean? Apparently +that the enemy had rallied and were once more facing them. It was an +entirely unexpected change of front, but Eugene prepared to meet the +shock once more. George Fairburn took a long look, shading his eyes +with his hands. + +"By Heaven, sir!" he said, addressing Colonel Rhodes, "they are our +own men!" + +"Impossible, Fairburn!" the colonel answered. But Blackett and others +backed up George's opinion. The word ran quickly along the line that +the shots came from friends, not from the foe, and some consternation +prevailed. + +The next moment, at a nod of assent from the colonel in answer to +their eager request, Lieutenants Blackett and Fairburn were galloping +madly across the intervening space, each with his handkerchief +fastened to the point of his sword, and both shouting and +gesticulating. Bullets began to patter around them, but heedless they +dashed on. It seemed impossible they could reach the advancing column +alive. + +Half the distance had been covered, when the two horsemen saw on their +left a great body of troops tearing along towards them in furious +haste. "The French!" George exclaimed; "there's no mistake about +them!" On the two flew towards their friends, for the men towards whom +they were speeding had by this time discovered their mistake and had +ceased firing. It was a neck and neck race, and a very near thing. As +the horsemen cleared the open space and dashed safe into the arms of +their friends, a huge rabble of demoralized French swept across the +path they had just been following. No narrower escape had the two +young fellows yet had. + +The truth was at once evident. The Dutchman's division, having driven +the enemy from the high ground, had wheeled, and was thus meeting the +Prince's wing, which in its turn had advanced along a curving line. +Each body in the growing darkness had mistaken the other for the +enemy. The plucky dash made by the two young fellows, though happily +not in the end needed, nevertheless received high praise from their +brother officers, and especially from the colonel himself. + +For the next half-hour the fleeing French poured headlong through the +gap across which the lieutenants had galloped, between the Dutchman's +division and the Prince's. Darkness alone prevented the slaughter from +being greater than it was. The numbers of those who fell on the field +of Oudenarde, important as the battle was, were in fact far short of +those killed at Blenheim or Ramillies. + +What was there now to prevent Marlborough from marching straight on +Paris itself? He was actually on the borders of France, victorious, +the French army behind him. He was eager; the home Government would +almost certainly have approved of the step. The heart of many a young +fellow under the great leader beat high, when he thought of the mighty +possibilities before him. But it was not to be. The Prince raised the +strongest objections to the Duke's bold plan, and the Dutch were +terrified at the bare thought of it. So Marlborough turned him to +another task, the siege of the great stronghold of Lille. It may be +observed in passing that Vendôme wanted to fight again the next day +after Oudenarde, but Burgundy refused. Vendôme in a rage declared that +they must then retreat, adding, "and I know that you have long wished +to do so," a bitter morsel for a royal duke to swallow. + +Lille had been fortified by no less a person than the great master of +the art, Vauban himself. In charge of its garrison was Marshal +Boufflers, a splendid officer. Louis was as resolute to defend and +keep the place as the Allies were to take it. The actual investment of +the town was placed in the hands of Eugene, whose men had by this time +arrived, while Marlborough covered him. The siege train brought up by +the Duke and his generals stretched to a distance of thirteen miles. +Berwick and Vendôme were at no great distance away. + +The siege of Lille lasted a full two months, and few military +operations have produced more splendid examples of individual dash and +courage. + +Blackett and his friend found themselves one day taking part in a +risky bit of business. Throughout the siege there had been some +difficulty in procuring provisions for the Allies, and supplies were +drawn from Ostend. On this occasion an expected convoy had not arrived +to time, and a reconnoitring party had accordingly been sent out to +glean tidings of it. From a wooded knoll a glimpse of the missing +train was caught, and at the same moment a large body of French was +perceived approaching from the opposite direction. The Frenchmen had +not yet seen the convoy, being distant from it some miles, the +intervening country thickly studded with plantations. But in half an +hour the two bodies would have met, and the provisions sorely needed +would have fallen into the enemy's hands. It was a disconcerting pass, +and George Fairburn set his wits to work. + +"I have a plan!" he cried a moment later, and he hastily told it to +the officer in command, Major Wilson. That gentleman gave an emphatic +approval. + +Behold then, a quarter of an hour later, a couple of young peasants at +work in a hayfield down below. Stolidly they tossed the hay as they +slowly crossed the field, giving no heed to the tramp of horses near. +A voice, authoritative and impatient, caused them to look round in +wonderment, as a mounted officer came galloping up. He inquired of the +peasants whether they had seen anything of the convoy, describing its +probable appearance. The listeners grinned in response, and the face +of one of them lit up with intelligence, as he made answer in voluble +but countrified French. + +"Where have you picked up such vile French?" inquired the officer. + +"I'm from Dunkirk, please your honour," the man replied with another +grin, to which the other muttered, "Ah! I suppose the French of +Dunkirk is pretty bad!" + +In another minute the yokels were leading the way through a +plantation, along which ran a little stream. At one spot the water was +very muddy, and the marks of hoofs were plentiful. "We are evidently +close upon them," remarked the officer jubilantly, and at a brisk trot +he and his men rode on, a gold louis jingling down at the feet of the +peasants as the party dashed away. + +"Now for it!" whispered George, for he and Matthew were the two +rustics, "we can save the convoy. Our men, after trampling over the +burn here, will have turned as we agreed. We shall find them in the +next plantation." + +He was right in his conjecture. The two regained their friends just as +the head of the convoy hove in sight. To lead the train in a different +direction, and to safety, was now easy. The supplies reached their +destination. + +"Ton my honour, young sirs," the Colonel exclaimed, when he learnt the +story, "it was a smart trick, but a risky one--confoundedly risky, +gentlemen!" + +The fall of Lille reduced France to desperation. Louis was at his +wits' end. To his credit, he sought earnestly to negotiate a peace for +his unhappy and exhausted country. The terms offered by the Allies, +however, were too exacting, and not a Frenchman but rose to the +occasion; this, however, was in the following year. So the campaign +ended, the enemy beaten and exhausted, but not in utter despair. + +Captains Blackett and Fairburn were once more granted a term of leave +when late autumn came round. From London, which George saw now for the +first time, the two travelled all the way to Newcastle in the +wonderful stage-coach which ran from the English to the Scotch +capital. + +In high spirits they hurried towards their native village. At the +entrance to it they came all at once upon a gentleman walking in the +company of three ladies. + +"Fieldsend!" declared Matthew. + +"Yes, by Jove!" cried George, "And with three ladies all to himself. +It's too much!" + + + + +CHAPTER XI + +THE HARDEST FIGHT OF THEM ALL + + +There had been an attempted descent on the shores of Scotland in 1708, +the Old Pretender, under the auspices of Louis XIV, seeking to land +4,000 men in the Firth of Forth. Admiral Byng with sixteen vessels was +ready for the French expedition, and their fear of the redoubtable +sailor kept the enemy from doing anything, so that this attempt came +to less even than that which followed seven years later. + +Politics about this time demanded much of Marlborough's care and +thought. The power of the Whigs was still growing, Harley, St. John, +and others of the moderate Tories giving way to such strong and active +Whigs as Somers, Walpole, and Orford. It was in 1709 that a violent +quarrel took place between "Mrs. Morley" and "Mrs. Freeman." The Queen +was becoming more than ever dissatisfied with Marlborough's policy. +The overthrow of the Churchills was coming nearer. + +Abroad matters did not improve. It was true that Stanhope, the English +general, took Minorca. But the cause of Philip of Spain was now +strong. When, therefore, the Whigs demanded that as a condition of +peace Louis should turn his grandson out of Spain, Europe was +astounded. The proposal was impossible, ludicrous. Philip prepared to +go on with the conflict, saying, with fine spirit, "If I must continue +the war, I will contend against my enemies rather than against my own +family." Such was the state of things in the summer of 1709. + +We have left a group of ladies and gentlemen standing in the lane all +this time. Matthew had his sister in his arms in a moment, for one of +the ladies was Mary Blackett. + +"My sister," Fieldsend said, "and Miss Allan," by way of response to +the inquiring looks of the newcomers. Then George and Matthew learnt +many things that surprised them. They had had no news from home all +the summer, the one letter that had been sent having miscarried. +Binfield Towers was once more occupied, Mr. Fairburn having found an +excellent tenant for the place in Mr. Allan, the eminent +shipping-merchant of London, the very man into whose office George was +to have gone. The little group laughed merrily at the thought of the +gallant Captain Fairburn wielding a long quill in a dingy office. Mr. +Allan, a widower, who had taken up his abode in the mansion, bringing +with him his only daughter, Janet, had not been two months in the +village before he had made an offer of marriage to the devoted Mrs. +Maynard, and the old lady was now mistress of Binfield Towers. Mary +Blackett had thereupon taken at their word the affectionate offer of +the Fairburns, and was now to them as a daughter. Nor was this all. +Fieldsend's old father had lately died, and the Major himself had +succeeded to the baronetcy and had left the army. Brother and sister +had accepted with pleasure the invitation that had come to them to +spend a few weeks with the kindly Mr. and Mrs. Fairburn. Matthew was +to make the same hospitable roof his abode. + +"The good old dad will find it a bit of a squeeze," George ruminated, +as he walked with the rest towards the family cottage. Cottage! He +gave a jump when the home came into full view. It was a veritable +mansion. The original nucleus was there, but so deftly added to and +surrounded by a regular series of new wings, and so framed and +embellished by wide lawn and flower-bed that George did not know this +fine place. He remarked on the change when his mother came to his room +at bedtime, to give him his good-night kiss as she had been wont to do +in the days of old. + +"Father wanted to make the place a bit more presentable now we have an +officer son," the good dame explained, with simple and pardonable +pride. "And we can afford it," she added, blushing like a shy +schoolgirl as she made this whispered confession; "besides we had Mary +to consider, too." It was all very charming, George thought. + +The winter passed all too quickly. Mr. Allan proved to be a capital +neighbour, and had a great liking for young people about him. So there +were pleasant times, at the Towers--dinners, balls, shooting and +hunting parties, and the like. All the eligible society of the +country-side found its way to Binfield Towers. Yet somehow George +Fairburn did not fall into a fit of the blues when Sir Mark Fieldsend +took his sister back to their west-country home; in fact, strange to +say, George rather rejoiced to see the back of the retired major, his +old comrade-in-arms. Why this was so he would have found it hard to +explain, for a more unassuming and agreeable fellow than the baronet +it would not have been easy to find. + +It was a real delight to everybody to hear how the Blackett pit was +now prospering. Under Fairburn's management the colliery had made a +clear profit of five thousand odd pounds in the course of a single +year's working. It was astounding. "Mary and you will be rich folks +again, my dears," the good Mrs. Fairburn remarked, in her own homely +but kindly way, to the brother and sister, and Matthew felt a lump in +his throat. + +The wrench to George, when the time came for him and Matthew to return +to the Continent, seemed somehow vastly greater than it had been on +the two former occasions. However, once across the sea, he cast all +else than his profession to the winds. He did not know it, of course, +but the campaign that was coming was to prove to the Allies the most +costly they had yet experienced. The negotiations for a peace had +ended in nothing, and here was Marshal Villars, the only great French +leader as yet unbeaten by Marlborough, ready with a force of no fewer +than 110,000 men. True, many of his soldiers were raw recruits while +those of his opponent were mostly seasoned veterans. True also, France +was so crippled for money and munitions of war that it was rarely +possible to give every man of the army a full breakfast. Yet Villars +was a general that would have to be reckoned with, and this +Marlborough well knew when he used every effort to swell the numbers +of his troops in the Netherlands. + +Marlborough's aim was that of the previous year, to force his way into +France and to its capital. In order that such a step might be made +possible, it was necessary that no stronghold should be left behind. +Accordingly the Allies set about reducing the three that still +remained,--Mons, Valenciennes, and Tournai, not forgetting that they +had also Villars to deal with. A beginning was made with Tournai, an +enormously strong place, and reckoned to be of the best of all +Vauban's works. + +Marlborough employed stratagem, and it succeeded as usual. He made a +pretence of advancing, and Villars, to strengthen his force, withdrew +a number of troops from Tournai. Then the Duke, with a swift night +movement, invested the town. The garrison made a stout defence, and +our two captains had their work cut out for them. Never in all his +career had George Fairburn been so careless of his own safety, his +brother officers declared. It was not that he despised danger, or was +ignorant of its existence; he simply did not think of it, his mind +being occupied solely with the problem of reducing this impregnable +fortress. + +"Be not rash, gentlemen," Colonel Rhodes thought it advisable to say +to the younger men among his officers. "There are mines in all +directions, if rumour is to be believed. Do not expose yourselves to +needless risk. We are already losing heavily, and men are not to be +had for the whistling." And privately the kindly old fellow--the +youngsters called him old, though he was still short of fifty--added +an extra word of caution to George. "You are a born soldier, Fairburn, +but you never seem to be able to remember when you are in danger; you +forget it like a thoughtless schoolboy. Well, now, for our sakes, if +not for your own, take care of yourself, so far as it is possible, +there's a good fellow." And with a kindly smile and a fatherly shake +of the hand, the colonel turned away. He had said the last word he was +ever to say to George. + +An hour later a terrific explosion was heard; a cloud of dust flew +into the air. A mine had been exploded, and the report came in that +more than a hundred poor fellows of Marlborough's forces had perished. +George Fairburn was more than ever determined to do what he could to +discover hidden mines. + +That very afternoon a company of men, who had prosecuted their search +in spite of the deadly hail of bullets that came from a neighbouring +battery, found another mine, a particularly formidable affair. Eagerly +George Fairburn pressed forward, his friend Matthew close behind. +Suddenly Colonel Rhodes dashed up, crying, "Fall back, for Heaven's +sake! There's another mine below this, I have just learnt. For your +lives!" And the brave man galloped off, his retreat followed by a +startled rush for safety on the part of the men. + +"Come along, George! What are you after?" cried Matthew, observing +that his friend did not budge. + +"I'm not going till I've settled this mine," Fairburn answered. + +Even as they spoke the ground heaved with a mighty convulsion beneath +their feet, and an appalling roar rent the air, the echo resounding +far and near. + +"Ah! You're feeling better? That's right." + +George Fairburn opened his eyes and beheld the face of none other than +the Duke himself gazing kindly down upon him! It was the evening after +the fearful explosion, and Marlborough was making a tour of the +hospital wards, where lay long rows of wounded men. George had been +unconscious, and the Duke's words were caused by the fact that the +young man happened to open his eyes for the first time as the General +passed him. Before the sick man could answer a word, Marlborough had +passed on, with a quiet remark to Major Wilson, "I know the lad's face +well." + +"Where's Blackett?" George now inquired. The Major shook his head. +"And the Colonel?" Another mournful shake. George closed his eyes +dazed, stupefied. + +Three hundred poor fellows had perished in that double explosion. +Colonel Rhodes's battered body had been picked up; Blackett's could +not be distinguished, but doubtless the gallant lad was one of the +mass of victims whose remains were mangled beyond recognition. + +Captain Fairburn took no further part in the siege of Tournai. After a +month of terrible fighting, all but the citadel was captured by the +Allies, and five weeks saw that also in their possession. + +There was a long glade or clearing between two extensive plantations. +At the southern end of this glade, behind strong entrenchments, the +great army of Villars was drawn up, every man eager to fight, for +every Frenchman believed in the Marshal's luck, and that his presence +would certainly bring them victory. Away to the north was Marlborough, +equally eager to begin the combat, Eugene and the Dutch generals with +him. In deference to the wishes of the Prince the Duke had made the +fatal mistake of waiting two days, and all that time the enemy had +been throwing up their formidable trenches. It was the famous field of +Malplaquet, the last on which Marlborough was fated to fight a pitched +battle. The object of Villars was to prevent the Allies from taking +Mons, not far away, to northwards, the siege of which was in progress. +Marlborough had lost heavily at Tournai; Villars, behind his defences, +had suffered comparatively little. But on the other hand the Prince of +Hesse had broken through the strong line of defence works which the +French had rapidly and skilfully thrown up. Now, here, at Malplaquet, +the Allies had a hard task before them. Villars held not only the +glade but the woods on either side, and, moreover, sat in safety +behind his extensive entrenchments. + +For some reason not well understood the Duke for the first time began +the battle, though it would have seemed clearly his best policy to +endeavour to draw Villars from the strong position he held. There was +little in the way of fine tactics displayed, or even possible, on +either side; it was a question simply of sheer pluck and dogged +determination. The Highlanders, for the first time, had joined the +army of the Allies, and they and the famous Irish Brigade under +Villars specially distinguished themselves, if any detachment can be +said to have gained special distinction in a fight where all showed +such conspicuous gallantry. + +Eugene was wounded behind the ear, but refused to withdraw and have +his wound dressed. "No," said he, "it will be time enough for that +when the fight is over." Villars was also badly hurt, yet he had a +chair brought, in which he sat to direct his men till he fainted. +Boufflers, the hero of Lille, took his place. + +Charge after charge was made by the Allies into the woods, and +desperate fighting took place. Once and again Marlborough's troops +were repulsed with awful loss; as often they returned to the attack. +After four hours of heavy fighting the French fell back, and the +victory remained with the Allies. + +Just before Villars sounded his retreat George Fairburn, who had +charged and fought all the while with his usual forgetfulness of +himself and of danger, found himself just outside the eastern edge of +the wood Taisnière, in company with the others of his troop. He was +almost exhausted with his efforts, and, besides, was hardly himself +again yet, after his terrible experience at Tournai, and he sat for a +moment half listlessly in his saddle. A cry near him drew his +attention, and, turning his head, he beheld Major Wilson in the act of +falling from his charger. He had received a bullet in the leg. Before +George could get to this side, Wilson was on the ground, his horse +galloping away. + +At the same instant a fierce shout was heard, and George saw dashing +to the spot one of the redoubtable Irish Brigade. Like lightning the +young captain leapt from his horse, lifted Wilson from the ground, and +by main strength threw him across the animal, crying, "Off with you!" +giving the horse a thump with his fist on the quarters to start him +into a gallop. Then, looking round, he found the Irishman bearing down +upon him at desperate speed, and but a yard or two away. + +In a trice Fairburn darted behind the trunk of a fine tree at his +elbow. It was an oak, from which ran out some magnificent limbs +parallel with and at a distance of six or eight feet from the ground. +Nothing heeding, the Irishman kept on, his sword ready for a mighty +stroke. Then instantly he was swept violently from his horse, and +backwards over the tail, his chest having come into contact with one +of the great boughs. All this had passed like a flash. + +George made a grab at the bridle, but, missing it, fell sprawling to +the ground. Springing up, he found his fallen antagonist risen and +upon him. "English dog!" roared the Irishman, and the next moment the +two men were at it, both excited, both reckless. + +How long they fought they never knew. Apparently the spot was deserted +save for themselves and sundry wounded who lay around. It was a +desperate encounter. The Irishman had the advantage in height and +strength, Fairburn in youth and activity. In the matter of +swordsmanship there was little to choose between the two; in respect +of courage nothing. It was to be a duel to the death. + +The moments flew by, each man had received injuries, and the blood was +flowing freely. Still the swords flashed in the air. Then suddenly the +Irishman's weapon snapped at the hilt, and the gallant fellow dropped +at the same moment to the ground. Instantly George set his foot on the +prostrate man's chest, and cried, "Now your life is at my mercy! What +say you?" + +"If I must die, I must," the Irishman answered doggedly, "but," he +added quickly, a sudden thought striking him, "take this first, and +see it put into the hands of the person mentioned on it, sir." The +trooper pulled from his breast a piece of paper soiled and crumpled, +and George, wondering much, took it at the man's hands. His foot still +on his fallen foe, Fairburn unfolded the dirty and tattered paper. It +was the cover of a letter, and he read with staring eyes the address +on it, "To Captain M. Blackett,--Dragoons." The handwriting he well +knew; it was that of Mary Blackett. + +"Great Heaven!" the reader cried, "where did you get this?" + +"It was given me by a poor fellow, an officer, who escaped from the +big explosion at Tournai. He blundered by mistake into our lines, and +our fellows were about to finish him--leastways one chap was, but I +landed him one between his two eyes, and that stopped his game." + +"And you saved the Englishman's life?" + +"I did, sir; I thought it hard luck when the young fellow had just +escaped that terrific blow up as he had, to put an end to him the +minute after." + +"Get up, for God's sake, man; you have saved the life of my dearest +friend!" And seizing the Irishman's arm, George pulled him to his +feet, and wrung the hand hard in his own. "You are a fine fellow, a +right fine fellow. What is your name? I shall never forget you." + +"Sergeant Oborne, sir, at your service. But you have not read the +paper yet." + +"True," and George deciphered the line or two written in pencil on the +back of the paper. "I am alive and well, but a prisoner with the +French. Be easy about me; I am well treated. M.B." + + + + +CHAPTER XII + +CONCLUSION + + +Almost before Captain Fairburn had read the last word of Matthew's +communication, so cheering and so strangely brought into his hands, +the French signal to retreat sounded loud all over the field, a +mournful sound to one of the two listeners, a delight to the other, +George and Oborne glanced into each other's face. "What will you do?" +the former asked. + +"I am your prisoner and defenceless; it is not for me to say," the +Irishman answered simply. + +"Nay, not so, good fellow. You shall do exactly as you prefer, so far +as I am concerned. I can do no less for you." + +The prisoner shrugged his shoulders and muttered something about +catching it hot, if he ran, to which the captor replied, "So you +would, I am afraid, if any of our men got near you. We have lost +heavily, and our temper's a bit ruffled for the moment. If you care to +come with me as my prisoner I'll see you through safe. What's more, +I'll do my best to get you exchanged for the man you saved." + +"Thank you, captain; that's my best card to play, as things are going. +But I'd have given something to have it the other way about." + +"Of course you would, my good fellow. It's the fortune of war; I'm up +to-day, you're up to-morrow. And you've no cause to be anything but +mighty proud of yourselves--you of the Irish Brigade. I never saw +better stuff than you've turned out this day." + +"And many's the thanks, son. A bit o' praise comes sweet even from an +enemy." + +"Enemies only professionally, Oborne; in private life we're from +to-day the best of friends." + +At a later hour Sergeant Oborne informed Fairburn that he had carried +Captain Blackett's paper about with him for some little time, having +had no opportunity of passing it on to any likely Englishman, or +having forgotten it when he had the opportunity. + +The slaughter at Malplaquet was terrible on the side of the Allies, +amounting to 20,000, or one-fifth of the whole number engaged. The +French, who had fought under shelter, lost only about one half of that +total. Mons surrendered shortly afterwards, and the victory was +complete, the road to Paris open. Yet what a victory! Villars declared +to his royal master that if the French were vouchsafed such another +defeat, there would be left to them no enemies at all. + +This proved to be the Duke of Marlborough's last great battle and his +last great victory. "A deluge of blood" it had been. And, what was +worse, rarely has a great victory produced so little fruit. +Marlborough had quite expected to see his success at Malplaquet put an +end to the war. It did nothing of the kind; for two more years the war +continued. The rest of its story, however, may be told in a very few +words. + +Louis XIV once more asked for peace, and made certain offers to the +Allies, but these would be contented with nothing less than the +expulsion of Philip from Spain. The conference, at Gertruydenberg, +therefore came to nothing. This was in the early part of 1710. The +work of capturing the fortresses in French Flanders and the province +of Artois was proceeded with, and in 1711 Marlborough took Bouchain, +in France. But the Duke had apparently lost heart to some extent, and +there was no very vigorous action. At home the war had become hateful +to a very large proportion of the people; its cost in men and money +frightened them. + +The year 1710 was a busy and a decisive time in Spain. At first +success seemed to lean to the side of the Allies, General Stanhope, +the English leader, defeating the French and Spanish at Almanza, and +the Dutch General Staremberg doing the like at Saragossa. Charles the +Archduke, styling himself Charles III, now for the first time entered +Madrid. It was also the last time. Presently Stanhope was badly +defeated at the important battle of Brihuega, and Staremberg shortly +afterwards lost at Villa Viciosa. This decided matters in Spain. +Charles was compelled to flee the country, and Philip's throne was +finally secured to him. + +The end of the war came in an altogether unexpected and strange +fashion. This was the sudden downfall of the Marlboroughs and of the +Whig interest. For some time the Queen had been tired of the Duchess +of Marlborough, and had been inclining more and more to Mrs. Masham, +formerly Abigail Hill, a cousin of Harley, through whom the minister +was intriguing for the overthrow of the Churchills. Then Dr. +Sacheverell, a London clergyman, afterwards so notorious, had preached +violently against the Whigs, who were foolish enough to impeach him. +Sacheverell was suspended for three years, and in consequence became +exceedingly popular among the Tories, and their party gained greatly +in the country. Moreover the writings of certain pamphleteers tended +much to damage the cause of the Whigs. Dean Swift was at once the +ablest and the bitterest of these. Harley managed to get Godolphin +dismissed from office. And one day, early in 1711, Anne suddenly took +from the Duchess her various offices at Court, while later in the same +year the Duke himself was deprived of his command of the army, and was +succeeded by the Irish peer Ormonde. He, however, was ordered to take +no active steps in the war which was still in theory going on. A +general election came soon after, and the Tories had a large majority +over the Whigs. The Tories came into office, and all Whig members of +the Whig ministry were dismissed. From that time to the present the +principle has obtained of having the King's Ministers, or the Cabinet, +with the other chief administrators, drawn from the same side in +politics. + +The Tories now sought to bring to a close a war that had become so +unpopular. Louis XIV was also suing for peace. Then in 1711 the +Emperor Joseph died, and his brother the Archduke succeeded him as +Charles VI. It was now useless to trouble further to support or oppose +the claims of either candidate for the Spanish throne. Spain might as +well be in the hands of a Frenchman as be assigned to the powerful +Emperor. It would have been absurd, in short, for England to go on +fighting for Charles. + +The famous treaty of Utrecht, in 1713, brought the war to an end. By +this treaty several important matters were settled. Philip retained +Spain, but gave up for ever his claim to the throne of France. Louis +acknowledged the Hanoverian succession, and gave back to the Dutch the +line of "barrier fortresses" about which so much blood had been shed. +France gave up to Britain Newfoundland and some other possessions in +North America, and Spain resigned Gibraltar and Minorca. The Emperor +received Milan, Sardinia, and Naples. The rest of the Allies received +little or nothing, and loud was the outcry they raised. + +George Fairburn did not remain abroad till the conclusion of peace. +During the year 1710, at a time when things were at a standstill in +the Netherlands, he received word that his father had been killed in +an accident at the pit. With a heavy heart he sought permission to +return home for a period, and in pursuing his application he found +himself in the presence of the great commander-in-chief himself. To +his delight Marlborough recognized him at once. The Duke was full of +sympathy, and not only readily granted the young captain any +reasonable leave of absence he might desire, but held out his hand +with a smile, as he dismissed him: "Major Fairburn, you go with my +sympathy and my regard. I have few young fellows under me of whom I +think more highly." And in spite of his terrible bereavement the +newly-promoted officer left his master's presence with a swelling +heart. + +With him travelled home Matthew Blackett, whose release George, to his +delight, had managed, though with difficulty. The gallant Sergeant +Oborne had also been exchanged for an English prisoner in French +hands. An additional pleasure to both George and Matthew was an +intimation that Matthew, too, had been raised to the rank of major in +recognition of his excellent service throughout the war. As it proved, +neither officer ever served under Marlborough again. + +The months flew by. Mr. Fairburn was found to have left a far larger +fortune than the world had dreamt of, the sum amounting to fully fifty +thousand pounds. George and his ageing mother were rich. Matthew +Blackett had taken to the management of the joint collieries, strange +to say, and was preparing to leave the army as soon as he could do so +conveniently. Major Fairburn, on the other hand, was first and last a +soldier, and he hoped some day to have further opportunities of rising +in his profession. + +The Queen was in a very bad state of health; she might die any day. +But the Electress Sophia died first, and her son, Prince George of +Hanover, became the next heir to the throne, a prospect not much to +the liking of many in England. Some of the leading Tories were making +preparations for a revolution in favour of the Pretender, but the +death of Anne came before their preparations were complete, and George +of Hanover was quietly proclaimed as George I. + +Before Marlborough died George Fairburn was a lieutenant-colonel, and, +as he happened to be stationed for a time at Windsor, he and his wife, +the Mary Blackett of old, had more than once the honour of an +invitation to Windsor Park, the Duke's favourite abode, his great +palace of Blenheim being not yet ready for him. + + * * * * * + +We hear of our hero, many long years after all this, a stout old +soldier, General Sir George Fairburn, taking part in the memorable +chase after the Young Pretender in 1745, and the subsequent great +fight at Culloden. + +"And I tell you, sir," said Mr. Matthew Blackett, member for Langkirk, +as he told the story to a crony in the smoking-room of his club, +White's, "I tell you, sir, he trod Culloden Moor with all the vigour +and fire he had when we marched with Marlborough to Malplaquet." + + + + +REIGN OF QUEEN ANNE + +IMPORTANT QUESTIONS AND MOVEMENTS + + +1. THE SUCCESSION TO THE CROWN + +This question, especially after the death of all Anne's children, +became a most important one. The Whigs and the country in general were +bent upon securing a Protestant succession, but there were some, +especially amongst the Tories, who were secret supporters of the +Pretender, James Stuart, son of James II. The Act of Settlement had +provided for the accession of Sophia as the nearest Protestant +descendant of James I, on the failure of Anne's issue. At one time the +Scotch Parliament threatened to elect as king a different sovereign +from that of England, unless Scotland should be given the same +commercial privileges as England possessed. The Act of Security, +passed in 1704, declared as much. Both Bolingbroke and Harley were in +correspondence with the Pretender, and it was only through the death +of the Queen earlier than had been expected that a revolution in +favour of the exiled Stuarts was averted. + + +2. GOVERNMENT BY PARTY + +Until the reign of Anne what we now call Party Government was unknown. +We may see the beginnings of the division of politicians into Whig and +Tory in the Roundhead and Cavalier factions in the reign of Charles I. +Government by the one strong man of the time--a Burleigh, a Cromwell, +a Marlborough--was the usual thing. Marlborough was the last who tried +to govern without party. During the reign of Anne the Whigs and Tories +were combined in varying proportions, till the final return of a Tory +House of Commons and the formation of a purely Tory ministry, in 1711. +From that time Party Government, as we now understand it, has +generally prevailed. + + +3. POWER OF THE HOUSE OF COMMONS AND THE MINISTERS + +Anne was good-natured, and not disposed to give herself too much +trouble, which made it possible for her ministers to wield more power +over the country and its destinies. Nevertheless, the Queen had a will +of her own, and made her influence felt, especially in Church matters. +On the whole, however, Parliament and the Ministers gained in +importance and influence during the reign. Marlborough, Harley, St. +John, Rochester, Nottingham, were some of the leading ministers, and +towards the end of the reign Sir Robert Walpole is first heard of as a +politician. + + +4. THE QUESTION OF THE SUCCESSION TO THE SPANISH THRONE + +When Philip of Bourbon, the grandson of Louis XIV, was proclaimed as +Philip V of Spain, England, Holland, and some other nations felt that +the peace of Europe, or rather the freedom of the rest of it, were +threatened by the union of two such mighty powers. Accordingly the +Allies set up in opposition the Archduke Charles of Austria, and it +was in support of the claims of Charles to the throne of Spain that +all the wars of Anne's reign were waged. When at length Charles became +Emperor, the Allies had no farther reason for fighting, as it would +have been equally adverse to the interests of the rest of the +Continent to combine Spain and the Empire. Philip thus remained King +of Spain, though he had to renounce his claims to France. + + +5. THE UNION OF ENGLAND AND SCOTLAND + +The project for the union of the two countries had been talked of for +some time, but there were difficulties concerning religious matters, +trade, and the refusal of Scotland to pay any of the English debt, in +the way. By the Act of Security Sophia was declared to be ineligible +for the Scottish throne, and England was in alarm. A commission was +appointed to consider the question of the union, and the Act of Union +was passed in 1707. Many Scotchmen were greatly opposed to the step, +yet it cannot be denied that Scotland herself has been a great gainer +by the Union. + + +6. THE NATIONAL DEBT + +The borrowing of money to pay for wars did not originate in the reign +of Anne, but the War of the Spanish Succession added no less a sum +than twenty-two millions to the indebtedness of the country, and from +that time the National Debt began to assume large proportions. Many +people were greatly alarmed at the state of things in this respect, +and there were many who prophesied the speedy bankruptcy of the +nation. + + +7. PEACE AT HOME + +This reign is remarkable for the entire absence of internal risings +and disaffections. Only one person was executed for treason. + + +8. LITERATURE, AND ITS INFLUENCE ON POLITICS + +This has been called the Augustan age of English Literature. Pope, +Addison, Steele, Swift, Defoe, Sir Isaac Newton, Vanbrugh, Congreve, +Farquhar, Prior, Parnell, Colley Cibber, Gilbert Burnet, and others +flourished. The first daily newspaper, the _Daily Courant_, was +published in 1709. Pamphleteers, chief among them Swift, Addison, and +Defoe, by their writings played a great part in politics, there being +no newspaper press to mould people's opinions. No other period in +English history, except, perhaps, the times of Shakespeare, has +produced so many notable writers. + + +9. THE PEOPLE + +The population of England in this reign is supposed to have been about +five millions. London itself contained half a million, but even the +best of the provincial towns were small, as we reckon populations +nowadays. Bristol, the second town in size, possessed not more than +some thirty thousand souls, while York, Norwich, and Exeter, which +came next, had considerably fewer people than that. The bulk of the +people lived in the country, either in the villages, or in the petty +market-towns which were not much superior. The country squire class +was the most important in the community. Below this, but likewise +occupying a very important position in the country, were the clergy +and yeomen. Probably at no time was the yeoman class more numerous, +more prosperous, and more influential. The squire was in point of +education often inferior to the well-to-do farmer of our own day, but +very proud of his family. + + +10. THE CLERGY + +The clergymen of the period were, as a rule, especially in the remoter +districts, men of inferior standing, often of low origin and of little +learning. They were badly paid, generally speaking, and often had to +eke out a slender income by taking to farming pursuits. It was not at +all unusual for the clergyman to marry the lady's maid or other of the +upper servants in the great family of his neighbourhood. Queen Anne, +to relieve the poverty of the poorer livings, founded the fund known +as Queen Anne's Bounty, giving up for the purpose the _first-fruits_ +and the _tenths_. It is worth noting that the terms Low and High +Churchmen were political rather than religious terms, the former being +applied to the Whigs, and the latter to the Tories. + + +11. DWELLINGS + +The style of architecture known as that of Queen Anne prevailed at +this time, and many a country mansion of this date, red-bricked and +many-windowed, is still to be seen in England. But the houses of the +poor were for the most part still wretched, of mud or plaster, and +badly thatched. The windows were small and few in number; the +furniture was scanty and mean; sanitary matters were scarcely attended +to at all. But the growing prosperity of the country was beginning to +show itself in the better equipment and furnishing of the household, +particularly among the yeomen and the rising town tradesmen. Advantage +was taken of the Great Fire to improve the streets and dwellings of +the capital. + + +12. DRESS + +Among the gentry the influence of the magnificent court of Louis XIV +began to make itself felt in the matter of dress, and both gentlemen +and ladies affected gay attire. The hoop-petticoat came into fashion, +and the dress was looped up at intervals to show the richly-coloured +skirt below. The gentlemen wore knee-breeches and silk stockings, the +former ornamented with knots of ribbon; the scarf was very full and +rich, and often fell in folds over the front of the waistcoat; the +coat was usually gaily coloured. Swords were worn by the gallants, and +the periwig was seen everywhere in high society. The dress of the +lower ranks was of sober colour, and of stout but coarse texture. The +women wore homespun, and sometimes home-woven linsey-woolsies. The use +of linen and silk was coming in among those in better circumstances. + + +13. FOOD AND DRINK + +Tea was only just beginning to be known, and was a luxury for the +rich. In London the coffee-houses were everywhere, playing a great +part in the life of the capital, at least among those whom we should +now call clubmen. The common drink was still beer, and, among the farm +hands, milk. Port, till the Methuen treaty, was almost unknown in +England. Even the gentry, as a rule, did not drink wine at ordinary +times. The poorer classes rarely tasted flesh meat, except bacon, +which latter cottagers in the country were generally able to command, +every cottage having its pig. The best white wheaten bread was used by +the richer folk only, the poorer eating coarse and dark bread, of +whole-meal, of rye, or even of barley. Pewter was the ware in common +use, except among the labourer class, who had wooden trenchers, or a +coarse unglazed delft. + + +14. INDUSTRIES + +The main occupation of the country was still farming, with fishing, +shipbuilding, and seafaring on the coast. The manufacture of silk, +woollen, and linen goods, now occupying so many millions of folk in +the North and the Midlands, was then carried on mainly in the small +towns and villages, or even in the lonely wayside or moorland cottage. +The great manufacturing towns, such as Manchester, Leeds, Birmingham, +and Sheffield are now, were nowhere to be found in the England of +Queen Anne; but their day was coming. London was the great centre of +the silk trade, and after it came Norwich, Coventry, Derby, and +Nottingham. The cotton industry of Manchester and the surrounding +towns in South Lancashire was making a start, while Leeds, Bradford, +and Halifax, in the West Riding of Yorkshire, were just beginning to +give their attention to the cloth trade on a larger scale. The trade +with other countries was growing rapidly, Bristol being, next to +London, the chief port. Hull, Liverpool, Southampton, and Newcastle +were still small places. It is to be noted that the earliest notions +of what we now call _free trade_ are to be traced back to the days of +the later Stuart sovereigns. Bolingbroke made certain proposals in +that direction, but his plans were rejected by the Whigs. +Stage-coaches began to run, the earliest being those between London +and York, and between London and Exeter. A vast improvement in the +high-roads soon came in consequence. The first General Post Office for +the whole kingdom dates back to the reign of Queen Anne. + + + + +CHRONOLOGICAL LIST OF PRINCIPAL EVENTS + + +1702 (February 20). Queen's Accession, on the death of + William III. + + War of the Spanish Succession begun (May). England, + Holland, and the Empire against France and Spain: + to determine the succession to the Crown of Spain. + Two claimants, Philip, grandson of Louis XIV, and + Archduke Charles of Austria, the latter supported by + England and her allies. + + Duke of Marlborough, in command of allied forces, took + the strongholds of Venloo, Ruremonde, and Liége; + France cut off from Holland and Lower Rhine. + Marlborough made a duke. + + Spanish fleet at Vigo captured by Sir George Rooke. + + Godolphin appointed Lord Treasurer, and Nottingham + a Secretary of State. + + Louis of Baden defeated by French at Friedlingen. + + Battle of Cremona: French stopped by Eugene of Savoy + from entering the Tyrol. + + +1703 Second Grand Alliance. (First Grand Alliance in 1689.) + Nearly all Germany, and Savoy join the coalition + against the French. + + French marching in the direction of Vienna. + + Methuen Treaty; Portugal joined the Alliance. + + Marlborough hampered by the Dutch Government and + unable to follow the French. + + Marlborough took Bonn; giving command of Upper + Rhine. + + +1704 Battle of Donauwörth. Eugene joined Marlborough. + + (August 4). Gibraltar taken by Sir George Rooke, + Sir George Byng, and Sir Cloudesley Shovel. + + (August 13). Blenheim. Marlborough and Eugene + defeated French and Bavarians under Marshals + Tallard and Marsin. Vienna saved: Marlborough + received Woodstock Manor as a reward. + + Act of Security passed by Scotch Parliament. + + +1705 Marlborough opposed by Allies, and prevented from + marching into France. + + Barcelona taken by Lord Peterborough; the Catalan + district of Spain won for the Archduke Charles. + + Coalition between the more moderate Tories and the + Whigs. + + +1706 Ramillies (May 12), won by Marlborough against Villeroy: + + Allies occupied Antwerp, Brussels, Ghent, Bruges, + Ostend, a line of fortresses cutting off French from + Holland. + + Turin besieged by French: siege raised by Prince + Eugene. + + +1707 Capitulation of Milan signed by Louis: Milan and + Naples secured to Archduke Charles. + + Minorca captured by General Stanhope. + + Battle of Almanza (Spain): English under Lord + Galway surrendered. + + Ghent and Bruges retaken by French. + + Whig resolution not to make peace so long as a Bourbon + ruled in Spain. + + Union with Scotland (October 23): Scotland to send + sixteen peers and forty-five Commoners to United + Houses of Parliament: Law and Church of Scotland + left untouched: privileges of trade and coinage to + be the same for both countries. + + +1708 Harley and St. John dismissed: Whigs came into power + (July 11). Oudenarde: Marlborough and Eugene + defeated Vendôme: Lille secured. Bruges and + Ghent retaken by Allies. + + Attempted landing in Scotland by the Pretender + prevented. + + +1709 Peace Conference at the Hague. Louis declined to + remove his grandson from the throne of Spain. + + (September 11). Malplaquet: Marlborough and Eugene + defeated Villars. + + Mons taken by the Allies. + + Quarrel between the Queen and the Duchess of Marlborough. + + Dr. Sacheverell's sermons. + + +1710 Peace proposals by Louis at Gertruydenberg rejected. + + Dr. Sacheverell sentenced: Tory party greatly helped + thereby. + + Battle of Almenara (Spain): French and Spanish + defeated by Stanhope. + + Battle of Saragossa: French and Spanish defeated by + Stanhope. + + Battle of Brihuega: Stanhope beaten by Vendôme. + + Battle of Villa Viciosa: General Staremberg defeated + by Vendôme: Spain secured for Philip V. + + Bouchain taken by Marlborough. + + Fall of the Whigs. + + General Post Office established. + + St. Paul's Cathedral finished. + + +1711 All Whigs dismissed from office, and Tories alone to + form the Ministry, thus establishing the principle + that the members of the Cabinet should all be of + the same political party. + + Duchess of Marlborough supplanted by Mrs. Masham. + + Death of the Emperor Joseph, and accession of Archduke + Charles: no farther need now to continue + the war. + + Tories determined to put an end to the war. + + +1712 Twelve new Tory peers created to destroy the Whig + majority which was in favour of continuing the war. + + Marlborough deprived of his command: Ormonde to + succeed him. + + Peace Conference at Utrecht. + + Act against Occasional Conformity. + + +1713 (March 3). Treaty of Utrecht: Spain to Philip: + Minorca and Gibraltar to England: Spanish lands + in Italy and Netherlands to Emperor Charles: Sicily + to Savoy. Prussia made a kingdom. + + +1714 Quarrel between Harley and Bolingbroke: Harley + dismissed. + + Schism Act: schoolmasters to belong to the Church of + England. + + Bolingbroke's free trade proposals defeated by the Whigs. + + Death of Electress Sophia: George of Hanover now heir + to the British throne. + + (July 30). Death of Anne: Accession of George I. + + + + +Oxford: HORACE HART, Printer to the University + + + + +Herbert Strang's Stories for Boys + +_SOME PRESS OPINIONS_ + + +ATHENAEUM:--'Herbert Strang is second to none in graphic power and +veracity.' + +SPECTATOR:--'Mr. Strang's name will suffice to assure us that the +subject is seriously treated,' + +SATURDAY REVIEW:--'Excellent as many of the best stories by the best +writers for boys are, we feel that he is first of them all.' + +SPEAKER:--'Not only the best living writer of books for boys, but a +born teacher of history.' + +GUARDIAN:--'Mr. Strang's care and accuracy in detail are far beyond +those of the late Mr. Henty, while he tells a story infinitely +better.' + +CHURCH TIMES:--'If the place of the late G.A. Henty can be filled +it will be by Mr. Herbert Strang, whose finely-written and +historically accurate books are winning him fame.' + +SCHOOLMASTER:--'Mr. Strang is entitled to premier place amongst +writers of stories that equally interest boys and adults.' + +STANDARD:--'It has become a commonplace of criticism to describe Mr. +Strang as the wearer of the mantle of the late G.A. Henty.... We will +go further, and say that the disciple is greater than the master.' + +DAILY TELEGRAPH:--'Boys who read Mr. Strang's works have not merely +the advantage of perusing enthralling and wholesome tales, but they +are also absorbing sound and trustworthy information of the men and +times about which they are reading.' + +TRIBUNE:--'Mr. Herbert Strang's former books "caught on" with our +boys as no other books of adventure since Henty's industrious pen fell +from his hand.' + +MANCHESTER GUARDIAN:--'Mr. Henty was the ancient master in this +kind; the present master, Mr. Herbert Strang, has ten times his +historical knowledge and fully twenty times more narrative skill.' + +GENTLEWOMAN:--'This is the literature we want for young England.' + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 13817 *** diff --git a/13817-h/13817-h.htm b/13817-h/13817-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..fc1366d --- /dev/null +++ b/13817-h/13817-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,4948 @@ +<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN"> +<html> +<head> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8"> +<title>The Project Gutenberg eBook of With Marlborough to Malplaquet, by Herbert Strang and Richard Stead</title> +<style type="text/css"> +/*<![CDATA[ XML blockout */ +<!-- + P { margin-top: .75em; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .75em; + } + H1,H2,H3,H4,H5,H6 { + text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ + } + HR { width: 33%; + margin-top: 1em; + margin-bottom: 1em; + } + BODY{margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; + } + .linenum {position: absolute; top: auto; left: 4%;} /* poetry number */ + .note {margin-left: 2em; margin-right: 2em; margin-bottom: 1em;} /* footnote */ + .blkquot {margin-left: 4em; margin-right: 4em;} /* block indent */ + .pagenum {position: absolute; left: 92%; font-size: smaller; text-align: right;} /* page numbers */ + .sidenote {width: 20%; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: 1em; padding-left: 1em; font-size: smaller; float: right; clear: right;} + + .poem {margin-left:10%; margin-right:10%; text-align: left;} + .poem br {display: none;} + .poem .stanza {margin: 1em 0em 1em 0em;} + .poem span {display: block; margin: 0; padding-left: 3em; text-indent: -3em;} + .poem span.i2 {display: block; margin-left: 2em;} + .poem span.i4 {display: block; margin-left: 4em;} + hr.full { width: 100%; + height: 5px; } + a:link {color:blue; + text-decoration:none} + link {color:blue; + text-decoration:none} + a:visited {color:blue; + text-decoration:none} + a:hover {color:red} + pre {font-size: 9pt;} + // --> + /* XML end ]]>*/ +</style> +</head> +<body> +<div>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 13817 ***</div> +<h1>The Project Gutenberg eBook, With Marlborough to Malplaquet, by Herbert +Strang and Richard Stead</h1> +<hr class="full" noshade> +<br> +<a name='Illus1'></a> +<center><a href='images/Illus1.jpg'><img src='images/Illus1-Th.jpg' +width='207' height='329' alt= +'A mounted officer came galloping up.'></a><br> +A mounted officer came galloping up.<br> +<small><a href='#CHAPTER_X'>[<i>See CHAPTER +X.</i>]</a></small></center> + +<hr style='width: 65%;'> +<h2>Herbert Strang's Historical Series</h2> + +<br> +<h1>With Marlborough to Malplaquet</h1> + +<hr style='width: 65%;'> +<br> +<h3><i>NOW READY IN THIS SERIES.</i></h3> + +<p><b>With the Black Prince</b>: a Story of the Reign of Edward +III. By HERBERT STRANG and RICHARD STEAD.</p> + +<p><b>A Mariner of England</b>: a Story of the Reign of Queen +Elizabeth. By the same authors.</p> + +<p><b>With Marlborough to Malplaquet</b>: a Story of the Reign of +Queen Anne. By the same authors.</p> + +<center><i>Other volumes to follow.</i></center> + +<br> +<br> +<hr style='width: 65%;'> +<br> +<h1>With Marlborough to Malplaquet</h1> + +<h3><i>A Story of the Reign of Queen Anne</i></h3> + +<h5>by</h5> + +<h3>Herbert Strang</h3> + +<h5>and</h5> + +<h3>Richard Stead<br> +<small><small>Fellow of the Royal Historical +Society</small></small></h3> + +<h4>With Four Illustrations in Colour and a Map</h4> + +<br> +<center>LONDON<br> +<br> +1908</center> + +<br> +<hr style='width: 65%;'> +<br> +<a name='NOTE' id="NOTE"></a> + +<h2>NOTE</h2> + +<p>The object of this series is to encourage a taste for history +among boys and girls up to thirteen or fourteen years of age. An +attempt has been made to bring home to the young reader the +principal events and movements of the periods covered by the +several volumes.</p> + +<p>If in these little stories historical fact treads somewhat +closely upon the heels of fiction, the authors would plead the +excellence of their intentions and the limitations of their +space.</p> + +<br> +<hr style='width: 65%;'> +<br> +<h2>CONTENTS</h2> + +<p><a href='#CHAPTER_I'><b>CHAPTER I: A BOUT AT +SINGLESTICK</b></a></p> + +<p><a href='#CHAPTER_II'><b>CHAPTER II: THE ATTACK ON THE +COLLIERY</b></a></p> + +<p><a href='#CHAPTER_III'><b>CHAPTER III: THE FIRE AT BINFIELD +TOWERS</b></a></p> + +<p><a href='#CHAPTER_IV'><b>CHAPTER IV: THE RESCUE</b></a></p> + +<p><a href='#CHAPTER_V'><b>CHAPTER V: GEORGE +RECONNOITRES</b></a></p> + +<p><a href='#CHAPTER_VI'><b>CHAPTER VI: THE ROCK OF +GIBRALTAR</b></a></p> + +<p><a href='#CHAPTER_VII'><b>CHAPTER VII: BLENHEIM</b></a></p> + +<p><a href='#CHAPTER_VIII'><b>CHAPTER VIII: COMRADES IN +ARMS</b></a></p> + +<p><a href='#CHAPTER_IX'><b>CHAPTER IX: ANNUS MIRABILIS</b></a></p> + +<p><a href='#CHAPTER_X'><b>CHAPTER X: "OUR OWN MEN, +SIR!"</b></a></p> + +<p><a href='#CHAPTER_XI'><b>CHAPTER XI: THE HARDEST FIGHT OF THEM +ALL</b></a></p> + +<p><a href='#CHAPTER_XII'><b>CHAPTER XII: CONCLUSION</b></a></p> + +<p><a href='#REIGN_OF_QUEEN_ANNE'><b>HISTORICAL SUMMARY: REIGN OF +QUEEN ANNE</b></a></p> + +<p><a href='#CHRONOLOGY'><b>CHRONOLOGICAL LIST OF PRINCIPAL +EVENTS</b></a></p> + +<p><a href='#PRESS'><b>PRESS OPINIONS</b></a></p> + +<h2><b>ILLUSTRATIONS</b></h2> + +<p><a href='#Illus1'>A MOUNTED OFFICER CAME GALLOPING +UP</a></p> + +<p><a href='#Illus2'>"NOW!" CAME THE ORDER</a></p> + +<p><a href='#Illus3'>GEORGE FOUND HIMSELF ENGAGED IN A +HAND TO HAND ENCOUNTER</a></p> + +<p><a href='#Illus4'>THE RESCUE OF MARLBOROUGH</a></p> + +<p><a href='#Illus5'>MAP OF WESTERN EUROPE IN THE TIME OF +QUEEN ANNE</a></p> + +<br> +<hr style='width: 65%;'> +<br> +<a name='CHAPTER_I' id="CHAPTER_I"></a> + +<h2>CHAPTER I</h2> + +<center>A BOUT AT SINGLESTICK</center> + +<br> +<p>"Get thee down, laddie, I tell thee."</p> + +<p>This injunction, given for the third time, and in a broad +north-country dialect, came from the guard of the York and +Newcastle coach, a strange new thing in England. A wonderful +vehicle the York and Newcastle coach, covering the eighty-six long +miles between the two towns in the space of two-and-thirty hours, +and as yet an object of delight, and almost of awe, to the rustics +of the villages and small towns on that portion of the Great North +Road.</p> + +<p>It was the darkening of a stinging day in the latter part of +December, in the year 1701—it wanted but forty-eight hours to +Christmas Eve—when the coach pulled up at the principal inn +of the then quiet little country town of Darlington, a place which +roused itself from its general sleepiness only on market and fair +days, or now, since the mail-coach had begun to run, on the arrival +or departure of the marvellous conveyance, whose rattle over the +cobble-stones drew every inhabitant of the main street to the +door.</p> + +<p>No reply coming from the boy on the roof, the guard went on, +"Eh, but the lad must be frozen stark," and swinging himself up to +the top of the coach, he seized the dilatory passenger by the arm, +saying, "Now, my hearty, come your ways down; we gang na further +to-day. Ye are as stiff as a frozen poker."</p> + +<p>"And no wonder," came a voice from below; "'tis not a day fit +for man or dog to be out a minute longer than necessary. Bring the +bairn in, Charley." The invitation came from a kindly and portly +dame, the hostess, who had come to the door to welcome such +passengers as might be disposed to put up for the night at the +inn.</p> + +<p>"I don't think I can stir," the boy replied; "I'm about +frozen."</p> + +<p>He spoke in low tones and as if but half awake. He was, in fact, +just dropping into a doze.</p> + +<p>"Here, mates, catch hold," the guard cried, and without more ado +the lad was lowered down to the little group of loafers who had +come to see the sight and to pick up any stray penny that might be +available. A minute later George Fairburn was rapidly thawing +before the rousing fire in the inn's best parlour, and was gulping +down the cup of hot mulled ale the good-natured landlady had put +into his trembling hands.</p> + +<p>"I'm all right, ma'am, now, and I'll go. Thank you and good +night, ma'am."</p> + +<p>"Go, Fairburn?" cried another boy of about his own age, who sat +comfortably in the arm-chair by the cosy chimney corner. "Surely +you are not going to turn out again this bitter night?"</p> + +<p>"Indeed I am," was the somewhat ungracious reply; "my father is +not a rich man, and I'm not going to put him to needless +expense."</p> + +<p>The other boy blushed, but the next moment his face resumed its +usual pallor. He was tall for his fourteen years, but evidently not +particularly strong. He had, in truth, somewhat of a bookish look, +and his rounded shoulders already told of much poring over a +student's tasks. Fairburn, on the other hand, though less tall, +carried in his face and form all the evidence of robust good +health.</p> + +<p>"I've relatives somewhere in Darlington, Blackett," George +explained, in a rather pleasanter tone, as if ashamed of his former +surly speech, "and I'm going to hunt them up."</p> + +<p>"Look here, Fairburn," said the other, springing from his seat +and placing a patronizing hand on his companion's shoulder, "just +make yourself comfortable here with me for the night, and I'll +settle the bill for both of us in the morning." He spoke rather +grandly, jingling the coins in his pocket the while.</p> + +<p>"I can settle my own bills, thank you," answered Fairburn, a +proud hot flush overspreading his face. And, seizing his little +bag, the lad strode from the room and out of the inn, shivering as +the chill northeasterly breeze caught him in the now dark and +almost deserted street.</p> + +<p>"Confound the fellow with his purse-proud patronage!" he +muttered as he hurried along.</p> + +<p>"Bless me, why is he so touchy?" Blackett was asking himself at +the same moment. "We seem fated to quarrel, Fairburn's family and +ours. Whose is the pride now, I wonder! Fairburn thinks a deal of +his independence, as he calls it; I should call it simply pride, +myself. But I might have known that he wouldn't accept my offer +after his refusal of an inside place with me this morning, and +after riding all those miles from York to-day in the bitter cold. +Heigh-ho, the quarrel won't be of my seeking anyhow."</p> + +<p>These two lads were both sons of colliery owners, and both +pupils of the ancient school of St. Peter of York, the most notable +foundation north of the Humber. But there the likeness ended. +Matthew Blackett's father was a rich man and descended from +generations of rich men. He owned a large colliery and employed +many men and not a few ships. He was, moreover, a county magnate, +and held his head high on Tyneside. In politics he was a strong +supporter of the Tory party, and had never been easy under the rule +of Dutch William. He was proud and somewhat arrogant, yet not +wanting his good points. George Fairburn, on the other hand, was +the son of a much smaller man, of one, in truth, who had by his +energy and thrift become the proprietor of a small pit, of which he +himself acted as manager. The elder Fairburn was of a sturdy +independent character, his independence, however, sometimes +asserting itself at the expense of his manners; that at least was +the way Mr. Blackett put it. Fairburn had been thrown much in his +boyhood among the Quakers, of which new sect there were several +little groups in the northern counties. He was a firm Whig, and as +firm a hater of the exiled James II. He had made some sacrifice to +send his boy to a good school, being a great believer in education, +at a time when men of his class were little disposed to set much +store by book learning.</p> + +<p>After breakfast by candlelight next morning the passengers for +the coach assembled at the door of the inn. Blackett was already +comfortably seated among his many and ample rugs and wraps when +George Fairburn appeared, accompanied by a woman who made an odd +figure in an ancient cloak many sizes too big for her, covering her +from head to foot. It had, in fact, originally been a soldier's +cloak, and had seen much hard service in the continental campaigns +under William III. The good dame was very demonstrative in her +affection, and kissed George again and again on both cheeks, with +good sounding smacks, ere she would let him mount to the roof of +the coach. Then she stood by the window and talked volubly in a +rich northern brogue till the vehicle started, and even after, for +George could see her gesticulations when he was far out of +earshot.</p> + +<p>"It is bitter cold, bairn," she had said for the third or fourth +time, "and I doubt thou wilt be more dead than alive when thy +father sees thee at Newcastle. But don't forget that pasty; 'tis +good, for I made it myself. And there's the sup of summat +comforting in the little bottle; don't forget that."</p> + +<p>"Good-bye, aunt, and thank you over and over again," George +called from the top of the coach. "Don't stay any longer in the +freezing cold. I'm all right."</p> + +<p>But the talkative and kindly old dame would not budge, and +Blackett could not help smiling quietly in his corner. "What a +curious old rustic!" he said to himself, "and she's the aunt, it +appears." As for George himself, he was thinking much the same +thing. "A good soul," he murmured to himself, "but, oh, so +countrified!"</p> + +<p>Fairburn's limbs were pretty stiff by the time the grand old +cathedral and the castle of Durham standing proudly on their cliff +above the river came in sight. There was an unwonted stir in the +streets of the picturesque little city. My lord the bishop with a +very great train was coming for the Christmas high services.</p> + +<p>"Our bishop is a prince," explained the guard, who had had not a +little talk with George on the way. "There are squires and baronets +and lords in his train, and as for his servants and horses, +why—" the good fellow spread out his hands in his sheer +inability to describe the magnificence of the bishops of +Durham.</p> + +<p>"Yes," Fairburn made answer, "and I've heard or read that when a +new bishop first comes to the see he is met at Croft bridge by all +the big men of the county, who do homage to him as if he were a +king."</p> + +<p>The guard stared at a youngster, an outside and therefore a poor +passenger too, who appeared so well informed, and then applied +himself vigorously to his horn.</p> + +<p>The afternoon was fast waning when the coach brought to its +passengers the first glimpse of the blackened old fortress of +Newcastle and the lantern tower of St. Nicholas. Fairburn, almost +as helpless as on the previous afternoon, was speedily lifted down +from his lofty perch by the strong arms of his father.</p> + +<p>"Ah, my dear lad," the elder cried as he hugged George to his +breast, "the mother has a store of good things ready for her bairn +and for Christmas. And here is old Dapper ready to jog back with us +and to his own Christmas Eve supper. How do you do, sir?"</p> + +<p>These last words were addressed to a gentleman who had just +driven up in a well-appointed family equipage.</p> + +<p>"I hope I see young Mr. Blackett well," Fairburn continued.</p> + +<p>"Ah! 'tis you, Mr. Fairburn," said the great man +condescendingly. "This is your boy? Looks a trifle cold, don't you +think? 'Tis bitter weather for travelling outside."</p> + +<p>And with the curtest possible nod to the father, and no +recognition whatever of the son, Mr. Blackett linked his arm in +Matthew's and strode away to his carriage.</p> + +<p>George flushed, his father looked annoyed; then his face +cleared.</p> + +<p>"Come, lad," he said, "let us get along home."</p> + +<p>Thursday, Christmas Day, and the Friday following passed quietly +but happily in the little Fairburn family. The father was in +excellent spirits, and he had much to tell his son of the +prosperity that was at last coming. Orders were being booked faster +than the modest staff of the colliery could execute them. Best of +all, Fairburn had secured several important contracts with London +merchants; this, too, against the competition of the great Blackett +pit.</p> + +<p>"The truth is," the elder explained, "Mr. Blackett is too big a +man, and too easy-going to attend to his business as he should. But +I suppose he's rich enough and can afford to be a trifle +slack."</p> + +<p>"Whereas my dad has energy and to spare," George put in with a +smile, "and by that energy is taking the business out of the hands +of the bigger man. The Blacketts won't be exactly pleased with us, +eh?"</p> + +<p>"They are not. And, more, I hear the Blackett pit is working +only short time; it is more than likely that several of the men +will have to be discharged soon, and then will come more +soreness."</p> + +<p>"We can't help that, dad," the boy commented, "it's a sort of +war, this business competition, it seems to me, and all is fair in +love and war, as the saying goes."</p> + +<p>"True, my lad; yet I'm a peaceable man, and would fain enter +into no quarrels."</p> + +<p>On the Saturday afternoon a neighbour brought word up to the +house that there was some sort of a squabble going on down at the +river side.</p> + +<p>"Better run along and see what is the matter, George," said the +mother. "Father's gone to the town and won't be back till supper +time."</p> + +<p>So the boy pulled on his cap, twisted a big scarf about his +neck, and made off to the Tyne, nearly a mile away.</p> + +<p>He found a tremendous hubbub on the wharf, men pulling and +struggling and cursing and fighting in vigorous fashion. What might +be the right or the wrong of the quarrel, George did not know, and +he had not time to inquire before he too was mixed up in the fray. +The first thing that met his eye, in truth, was one of the crew of +the Fairburn collier brig lying helpless on his back and at the +mercy of a fellow who was showing him no favour, but was pounding +away at the upturned face with one of his fists, whilst with the +other hand he held a firm grip of his prostrate foeman.</p> + +<p>"Let him get up, coward!" the lad shouted as he rushed to the +spot. "Let him get up, I tell you, and fight it out fair and +square."</p> + +<p>The fellow was by no means disposed to give up the advantage he +had obtained, however, and redoubled the vigour of his blows.</p> + +<p>He was a strong thickset collier, not an easy man to tackle; but +without more ado George flung himself at the bully, and toppled him +over, the side of his head coming into violent collision with the +rough planks of the landing-stage.</p> + +<p>"Up with you, Jack!" George cried, and, seizing the hand of the +prostrate sailor, he jerked him to his feet. Jack, however, was of +little more use when he had been helped up, and staggered about in +a dazed and aimless sort of way. He was, in truth, almost blind, +his eyes scarce visible at all, so severe had been his punishment, +while his face streamed with blood.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile his antagonist had jumped to his feet, his face black +with coaldust and distorted with fury.</p> + +<p>"Two on ye!" he yelled with an oath, "then I must fend for +myself," and he seized a broken broom handle that was lying +near.</p> + +<p>"A game of singlestick is it?" George replied gleefully, as he +made a successful grab at another stick a couple of yards away. It +was the handle of a shovel; there were several broken tools lying +about the quay.</p> + +<p>"Come on," said the boy, brandishing his short but heavy weapon, +"this is quite in my line, I can tell you!"</p> + +<p>It was a curious sight as the two rushed upon each other, so +unequal did the antagonists seem. Bill, the collier, was tall as +well as strongly built, and in the very prime of life; while +George, though a sturdy lad for his age, was many inches shorter, +and appeared at first sight an absurdly inadequate foeman.</p> + +<p>In a moment the sticks were clattering merrily together, the lad +hesitating not a whit, for he felt sure that he was at least a +match for the other. George Fairburn had ever been an adept at all +school games, and had spent many a leisure hour at singlestick. In +vain did Bill endeavour to bring down his stick with furious whack +upon the youngster's scalp; his blow was unfailingly parried. It +was soon evident to the man that the boy was playing with him, and +when twice or thrice he received a rap on his shoulder, his arm, +his knuckles even, his fury got quite beyond his control, and he +struck out blindly and viciously, forcing the lad backwards towards +the edge of the wharf.</p> + +<p>But Fairburn was not to be taken in that style. Slipping agilely +out of the way, he planted another blow, this time on his +opponent's head. In a trice Bill threw down his cudgel and, raising +his heavy boot, endeavoured to administer a vicious kick. It was +time to take to more effective tactics, and while the man's leg was +poised in the air, George put in a thwack that made his skull +resound, and threw him quite off his already unstable balance. Bill +fell to the ground and lay there stunned, a roar of laughter +hailing the exploit, with shouts of, "Thrashed by a lad; that's a +grand come off for Bill Hutchinson!"</p> + +<p>George now had time to look about him. He found that the enemy, +whoever they might be, had been beaten off, and the crew of the +Fairburn brig was in possession of the landing-stage.</p> + +<p>"What is it all about, Jack?" he inquired of the man to whose +rescue he had come.</p> + +<p>"Why," returned Jack, "they are some of Blackett's men. They +tried to shove us from our berth here, after we had made fast, and +bring in their big schooner over there. Some of 'em are vexed, 'cos +'tis said there'll be no work for 'em soon. Your father's taking a +lot of Blackett's trade, you see."</p> + +<p>"Did they begin, Jack, or did you?"</p> + +<p>"Begin? Why, it was a kind of mixed-up job, I reckon. We'd both +had a drop of Christmas ale, you see—a drop extra, I +mean—and—why, there it was."</p> + +<p>"Well, you'll be sailing for London in a day or two," said +George. "See that you keep out of the way of Blackett's men, or +you'll find yourself in the lock-up and lose your place."</p> + +<p>Then he walked away.</p> + +<p>Mr. Fairburn was annoyed when he heard of the incident.</p> + +<p>"I don't like it, George," he said. "There's no reason why there +should be bad blood between Blackett's men and mine; but if they +are going to make disturbances like this I shall have to take +serious steps, and the coolness between Blackett and me will become +an open enmity. 'As much as lieth in <i>you</i>,' says the Apostle, +'live peaceably with all men;' but there's a limit, and if Mr. +Blackett can't keep his men in order, it will come to a fight +between us."</p> + +<p>The brig started in a couple of days for London, in fulfilment +of an important contract that had for years fallen to Mr. Blackett, +but now had been placed in the hands of his humbler but more +energetic rival. Its departure was hailed by the shouts and threats +of a gang of pitmen from the Blackett colliery, but nothing like +another fight occurred, thanks to the vigilance of Fairburn the +elder.</p> + +<br> +<hr style='width: 65%;'> +<br> +<a name='CHAPTER_II' id="CHAPTER_II"></a> + +<h2>CHAPTER II</h2> + +<center>THE ATTACK ON THE COLLIERY</center> + +<br> +<p>Not often has Europe been in a greater state of unrest than it +was at the time this story opens. James II, the exiled King of +England, had lately died in his French home, and his son, +afterwards famous as the Old Pretender, had been acknowledged as +the new English king by Louis XIV of France, to the joy of the many +Jacobites England still contained, but to the dismay of the +majority of Englishmen. There was likely to be dire trouble also +respecting the vacant throne of Spain. There had been originally +three candidates for the throne of the weakling Charles, not long +dead—Philip of Anjou, whose claims had the powerful support +of his grandfather, the ambitious Louis; Charles, the second son of +the Emperor Leopold of Austria; and Joseph, the Electoral Prince of +Bavaria. But the last mentioned had died, leaving the contest to +Philip and Charles, the French and Austrian claimants. The rest of +Europe was naturally in alarm when the already too-powerful Louis +actually placed his grandson on the Spanish throne. Practically the +step amounted on the part of France to an annexation of the once +predominant kingdom of Spain with all its appanages. And when the +Grand Monarque, as his flatterers called him, proceeded further to +garrison the strongholds of the Netherlands, then a Spanish +province, with his own troops, it was clear that Louis considered +himself King both of France and Spain. As for the Protestants of +Europe, their very existence seemed to be threatened by the designs +of the French sovereign.</p> + +<p>Who was there, then, to withstand the ambitious and arrogant +Louis? There was but one great and effective opponent, William of +Orange, King of England. He had spent his life in thwarting the +ambitious policy of the French monarch, and so long as William +lived Louis was sure of a vigorous and powerful antagonist. And +William was preparing, in both his English and his Dutch dominions, +for yet another conflict. War was indeed imminent; the sole +question being when it would actually break out, and who would be +ruler over England when it did. For William III was in feeble +health; his death might occur any day, and his crown pass to his +sister-in-law Anne. Such was the condition of affairs at the time +George Fairburn left St. Peter's School at York.</p> + +<p>January brought many new orders for the Fairburn pit, and the +owner had work for more men. So greatly was his business +increasing, that the proprietor of the little colliery came to a +decision that seemed likely to affect his son's whole future +life.</p> + +<p>"What would you like to be, my lad?" he one day inquired +abruptly.</p> + +<p>"A soldier, dad," was the prompt reply, the boy regarding his +father in some wonderment, nevertheless.</p> + +<p>"A soldier, says the lad!" Fairburn exclaimed, no less surprised +by the answer than George had been by the question. "It is the most +detestable of all trades, that of soldiering, and about the most +empty-stomached. Don't talk of such a thing, my good lad."</p> + +<p>In vain George entered into a defence of the military +profession, referring to the many great soldiers with whom his +school readings in the histories of Greece and Rome and England had +made him more or less acquainted. Fairburn was not to be charmed, +and with a deep sigh the boy gave up the contest. He was still more +upset when his father proceeded to tell him that he would not +return to St. Peter's, but would remain at home to assist in the +business till a place could be secured for him in some great London +house.</p> + +<p>It was not a task he cared about; anybody could have done it, he +thought, as he entered the weights on little tickets. But George +had a large fund of common sense and a deep respect for his father. +He did not grumble or sulk, but resolved that as he had to do the +work he would do it thoroughly.</p> + +<p>Half an hour later he started and flushed to see Mr. Blackett +and Matthew, both well mounted, and followed by a groom in livery, +come riding by. He trusted they would not notice him at his dusty +and disagreeable task. Alas! the field path they were pursuing led +close past the spot, and George observed the look of surprise on +their faces when they saw him. The father gave no sign of +recognition; Matthew looked uncomfortable and nodded in a +shamefaced kind of way. George flushed, and for a moment felt a +bitter anger surge within him; then he called himself a dolt for +caring a straw what they thought of him. It was a little hard, +however, to think that Matthew Blackett would be going back to his +beloved school and studies, while he, also a Peterite, was engaged +in such a humdrum task as weighing coal at the pit mouth.</p> + +<p>His father's energy at this time was prodigious. Fairburn was +afoot early and late. In spite of the cold and stormy weather of +winter he made two or three trips to London in his collier brig, +always to report on his return a notable addition to his trade. +Once, too, on his homeward voyage, he had had himself put ashore a +little north of Spurn, and had trudged the five and twenty miles to +Hull, the rising port on the east coast. Then, after appointing an +agent and starting what seemed likely to grow into a big business, +he had tramped the hundred and twenty miles or more that separated +him from Newcastle and his home, cutting a quaint figure on the +road, with his old-fashioned hat and cloak, and his much-twisted +and knotty oak stick. The result of all this energy was that when +he was in a joking mood he would say, "We shall have to see about +buying another pit, mother—Blackett's, perhaps, as I hear +they have little going on there at present."</p> + +<p>And indeed the Blackett colliery did at that time seem to be +under a cloud. Trade fell off, and almost every week hands were +discharged. Fairburn was secretly a little afraid of mischief from +these out-of-works, especially when he himself was absent from +home.</p> + +<p>Towards the end of February England was startled by the news +that King William had been thrown from his favourite steed Sorrel, +at Hampton Court, and was lying in a precarious state, his +collar-bone broken. A week or two later came the tidings of +William's death, and of the proclamation of the Princess Anne as +Queen.</p> + +<p>The news had an extraordinary effect on Mr. Blackett. Ordering +his coach, he drove in haste to his colliery, hoisted a big flag +there, proclaimed a holiday on full pay, and sent for a copious +supply of ale. His son Matthew, who had not gone back to school at +York, amused himself and the men by firing unnumbered salvoes from +a couple of small cannon he possessed.</p> + +<p>"Now that Billy the Dutchman is out of the way," Squire Blackett +cried exultingly, "Whiggery will soon be dead, and England will be +ruled by its rightful sovereign, who will be assisted by lords and +gentlemen of sound policy."</p> + +<p>A huge banner was hoisted, and the Squire and his son headed a +procession to the neighbouring villages. The jubilant colliery +owner and his merry men took care to pass the Fairburn pit, with +frantic cheerings and hallooings.</p> + +<p>"What does it all mean?" George, who was in charge in the +absence of his father, inquired of the old overlooker of the +colliery.</p> + +<p>"It means beer, George," the ancient replied, "beer and froth, +and nothing else."</p> + +<p>"Nothing else! I hope that is a true word, Saunders, that's all. +I mislike the looks of some of those fellows."</p> + +<p>"Why, to judge from all the whispers we hear," the overlooker +commented, "we are like enough to get our backs well hazelled +before long."</p> + +<p>George gave a word of caution to the pitmen when they left work +that afternoon.</p> + +<p>"There are sure to be insults," he said, "but take no notice, +and keep out of harm's way."</p> + +<p>But the fates were against George and his pit that day. Hardly +had the little gang of Fairburn colliers turned the corner of the +lane when they were met by an excited mob carrying a huge sheet on +which was rudely printed in big characters, "Down with all +Whigs!"</p> + +<p>"An insult to the gaffer, that's as plain as the nose on a man's +face," cried one of the Fairburn fellows, and without more ado, he +dashed forward and made a grab at the offending canvas. He was +forestalled, however, a man of the opposing party deftly tripping +him up and sending him sprawling into the mud. Before the unlucky +pitman could rise the whole mob had surged over him, amidst shrieks +of laughter.</p> + +<p>On this the Fairburn men threw all George's cautions to the +winds, and charged the mob. Instantly a hot fight was going on +around the big banner. Even old Saunders, the overlooker, caught +one of the opposition gang by the collar, crying, "Ye loons, what +for are ye coming our way again? Ye ha' been once to-day, wi' your +jibes and jeers; isn't that enough?"</p> + +<p>"Jibes and jeers, old lad! Eh, there'll happen be mair than that +afore bedtime."</p> + +<p>Meanwhile there was rough work around the banner. In spite of +the efforts of the bearers and their friends to protect the canvas, +one of the Fairburn men had got a grip of it, and in a second the +thing had been torn from its supporting poles, amid mingled cheers +and execrations. The canvas itself was pulled hither and thither by +the opposing gangs, each striving to retain possession of it. Bit +by bit the banner was torn to pieces, the men fighting savagely for +even the smallest shred of it, each man pocketing his piece as a +trophy, till at length there was nothing of the thing left +visible.</p> + +<p>Cries of, "On to the pit wi' ye, lads!" were by this time +plentiful, and with a dash the now much augmented mob surged in +that direction. Under old Saunders the Fairburn men disputed every +yard of the way, but they were entirely outnumbered, and were +slowly but surely forced back upon the works they had so recently +left. All had happened in the course of a very few minutes.</p> + +<p>George, on his way to his home, some half mile away, had made +scarce half the distance when his ears were assailed by the noise +of conflict somewhere behind him. He stopped and listened, the +yells growing louder and fiercer every instant. Then he darted back +towards the pit, reaching the spot just in time to see his men make +a dash for the shelter of the sheds around the mouth, followed by a +howling, threatening mob.</p> + +<p>In a moment the youngster sprang through the entrance of the +largest of the sheds, and closed the door, shooting home the two +thick rough bars of wood that did duty for bolts, amid shouts from +his men of "The young gaffer! We'll all stick to him!" And in spite +of his youth, George was at once installed as captain of the little +Fairburn band. He had always been highly popular with the men of +the colliery; they liked his entire freedom from vain show and +swagger, and his pleasant-spoken manner.</p> + +<p>"What have we in the way of weapons, lads?" he asked, taking a +hasty glance round the dimly-lit shed. Darkness was coming on apace +even outside; within the shed the men had to grope their way +about.</p> + +<p>There was very little that would serve, except a number of +pickaxes, a few shovels, and two or three hayforks belonging to the +stables. These were served out, and then one man found the master's +gun, with a powder-flask and a handful of sparrow shot.</p> + +<p>"Better let me have that," said George, quietly relieving the +man of the weapon, the old overlooker approving with a "Aye, that's +right; you'll keep a cooler head than Tom there."</p> + +<p>The mob outside surged down on the door in force, and with loud +yells. The door stood the shock, and the major part of the +attackers in a trice turned their attention to the smaller +buildings dotted here and there about the pit's mouth. One by one +these sheds were pulled to pieces, to the ever-increasing delight +of the mob. George and his men were powerless to stop the +destruction.</p> + +<p>"We must not venture out," the boy said, "unless the scoundrels +turn their attention to the windlasses and the gear."</p> + +<p>So his men had to grind their teeth in rage and look on +helplessly.</p> + +<p>As was expected, the rioters presently came back to the big +shed, one of them, evidently the leader, advancing with a +felling-axe.</p> + +<p>"Keep back, rascal!" shouted George. "Keep from the door, or +I'll put a few peppercorns into your hide."</p> + +<p>From a chink in the door George recognized him as the very man +he had so unceremoniously knocked from his perch and so merrily +battered in the bout of singlestick that day on the +landing-stage.</p> + +<p>The fellow answered with a curse and lifted his axe to stave in +the door. Before the weapon could descend a report rang out in the +twilight, and with a scream the attacker sprang from the ground, +and then fell to rubbing his legs vigorously.</p> + +<p>"One on 'em peppered," remarked old Saunders grimly.</p> + +<p>The crowd outside fell back in haste, and a burly fellow at that +instant appearing on the scene with a small cask of ale on his +shoulder, a diversion was caused. The fight was transferred to the +circle round the ale barrel, the already half-crazy fellows +struggling desperately to get at the liquor.</p> + +<p>"By Jupiter!" cried George, seeing his opportunity in a moment, +"now is our chance! Let them get fully occupied and we have them. +Let them once return and they will be madder and more reckless than +ever."</p> + +<p>And seizing every man his weapon, the little party in the shed +prepared to sally forth, old Saunders whispering to his next +neighbour, "The lad is a game 'un, if ever I saw one."</p> + +<p>Just as George was preparing to draw the bolts he caught sight +of young Blackett. His old schoolfellow was haranguing the men, +gesticulating violently, and pointing excitedly towards the large +shed. Matthew had in reality just heard of the fray, and had at +once run up to do what he could to stop it. But George Fairburn did +not know this. "The knave!" he exclaimed, beside himself with +anger, "he's the very ringleader of the party! He's kept himself +till now in the background. But he shall pay for his pains!"</p> + +<p>Flinging back the bars, George dashed forth upon the +ale-drinking group his little band following at his heels. With a +shout they swooped down upon the foe, and in an instant a score of +heads were broken, the luckless owners flung in all directions +around the cask. One of the prostrate ones held the spigot in his +hand, and the remainder of the liquor bubbled itself merrily to the +ground.</p> + +<p>So utterly unprepared were the fellows for the onset, and so +mauled were they in the very first rush, that a general alarm was +raised. In the darkening they imagined themselves surrounded by a +strong reinforcement of the Fairburn party, and at once there was a +wild stampede from the premises. Men and hobbledehoys stumbled off +in hot haste, pursued by the victorious handful under George.</p> + +<p>Not that George himself gave any heed to all this. At the very +first he had dashed to the spot where Matthew Blackett was +excitedly shouting to the rioters.</p> + +<p>"Coward!" cried Fairburn, "to set on your scoundrelly +fellows——"</p> + +<p>"Set on the fellows!" Matthew began in amazement, but he got no +farther.</p> + +<p>"Up with your fists!" cried George, "and we will see which is +the better man!"</p> + +<p>There was no time for explanations, though young Blackett opened +his mouth to speak. He had in truth but time to throw up his hands +to ward off George's vigorous blow, and the next moment the fight +was in full swing. Matthew was no coward, and once in for warm +work, he played his part manfully. At it the two boys went, each +hitting hard, and both coming in for a considerable share of +pummelling. For a time none heeded them, every man having enough to +do in other quarters. But at length they were surrounded by a small +group of the Fairburn men who had now driven off the enemy and +remained masters of the field.</p> + +<p>Once or twice, when the two stopped a moment to recover breath, +Matthew opened his mouth again to make an explanation, but as often +his pride held him back, and he said nothing. So the fight went +on.</p> + +<p>How long this fierce duel might have lasted it is hard to say. +But just as the boys were almost at the end of their strength there +was an effective interruption. It was time, for both combatants +were heavily punished. They had not been so ill-matched as one +might at first sight have suspected. George was the stronger and +harder fellow, but Matthew had the advantage in the matter of +height, and more particularly in length of arm, which enabled him +to get in a blow when his opponent's fell short; though the less +robust of the two he had as much pluck as pride, and would have +fought on to the last gasp.</p> + +<p>The sound of clattering hoofs was heard, and, from opposite +quarters, two horsemen dashed up. They were Mr. Blackett and the +elder Fairburn.</p> + +<br> +<hr style='width: 65%;'> +<br> +<a name='CHAPTER_III' id="CHAPTER_III"></a> + +<h2>CHAPTER III</h2> + +<center>THE FIRE AT BINFIELD TOWERS</center> + +<br> +<p>The fight stopped even more suddenly than it had begun, and the +two combatants stood away from each other, with hanging heads but +with fists still clenched.</p> + +<p>Fairburn took a glance around on the destruction, a thing he was +able to do by the glare from some burning wreckage which had now +got well into a blaze. Then his eyes wandered down to the two boys +with their bruised and bleeding countenances, and finally up into +Mr. Blackett's face.</p> + +<p>"So this is the kind of thing your Tory and your Jacobite is +capable of!" he remarked with stinging scorn to his richer +rival.</p> + +<p>"Don't you think, Mr. Fairburn," answered the Squire with +dignified calmness, restraining himself marvellously well, "don't +you think that instead of vilifying a cause as far above your +comprehension as the majority of its advocates are above you in +breeding, in education, in station, it would be more sensible to +give me your help in attending to these poor misguided fellows +lying wounded on all sides?"</p> + +<p>Fairburn winced; his rival had certainly the advantage in the +controversy, and none knew it better than the two boys. George did +not fail to observe the little flush of satisfaction that for an +instant lit up his antagonist's countenance, and, like his father, +he too winced.</p> + +<p>However, not another needless word was said, while the two men +and their sons, with the help of some of the Fairburn colliers who +were still on the spot, gave attention to the wounded and +extinguished the burning rubbish. Then the Blacketts, father and +son, raising their hats to the Fairburns, took their departure.</p> + +<p>It may well be supposed that this series of unhappy incidents +did not tend to narrow the breach between the two colliery owners +and their people. Fairburn, unlike his old self, was greatly +incensed, and talked much of prosecutions and so forth. But nothing +came of it, the man's sound native sense presently leading him to +adopt George's opinion. Said the boy, "Where would be the good, +father? Their side got most of the broken heads anyhow, and that's +enough for us." It was a youngster's view of the case, but it had +its merits.</p> + +<p>So Fairburn grumbled and rebuilt his few wrecked sheds, his +grumblings dying out as the work proceeded. George's own thoughts +were bitter enough, however, so far as Matthew Blackett was +concerned. He could not get it out of his head that the young +squire, as the folks around styled Matthew, was at the bottom of +the riot and indeed secretly its ringleader.</p> + +<p>A month or two passed away, and spring came. One day the elder +Fairburn, on his return from London in his collier, made a great +announcement.</p> + +<p>"I've got you a grand place, my lad," he said. "It is in the +office of Mr. Allan, one of the finest shipping-merchants in +London. 'Tis a very great favour, and will be the making of you, if +you prove to be the lad I take you to be. You are now fifteen, and +it is time you went from home to try your fortune; in fact, you'll +be all the better away from here—for certain reasons I need +not go into. You are a lucky lad, George,—I wish I had had +half your chance when I was in my teens."</p> + +<p>The son knew very well from his father's tone and manner that it +was useless to argue the matter with him. To London he would have +to go, and he prepared to face the unwelcome prospect like a +man.</p> + +<p>Yet, to add to his chagrin and disappointment, there came to him +just at that time the news that young Blackett was proposing to +enter the army as soon as he was old enough. The Squire was anxious +that his son should have a commission, and as he was wealthy, and +his party was now decidedly winning in the political race, there +would not only be no difficulties in Matthew's way, but a fine +prospect of advancement for the youth.</p> + +<p>"Who would have thought that that lanky weakling would choose a +soldier's trade!" George Fairburn said to himself. "I had quite +expected him to go to Oxford and become either a barrister or a +bishop. He's a lucky fellow! And I—I am—well, never +mind; it's silly to go on in this way. I don't like Blackett, but I +am bound to confess he's got good fighting stuff in him."</p> + +<p>When William III was on his deathbed he is reported to have +said, "I see another scene, and could wish to live a little +longer." His keen political foresight was soon confirmed. It was in +March, 1702, he died; in the May of the same year war was +proclaimed, the combination of powers known as the Grand Alliance +on the one side, Louis XIV, the Grand Monarque, on the other. The +nations belonging to the Grand Alliance were at first England, +Holland, and the Empire; at later dates Sweden, Denmark, and most +of the States of Germany came in, a strong league. But it was +needed. Louis was the most powerful sovereign in Europe, and France +the richest nation. To its resources were added those of Spain and +her dependencies; for the most part, at any rate, for there were +portions even of Spain which would have preferred the Archduke +Charles to Philip of France, and it was the cause of Charles that +England and the other members of the Alliance were espousing. Thus +began the war known in history as the War of the Spanish +Succession, which for several years gave work to some of the most +remarkable generals in European story.</p> + +<p>Of these great soldiers, John Churchill, Duke of Marlborough, or +rather, as he was at the outbreak of the war, the Earl of +Marlborough, was at once the most gifted with military genius and +the most successful. He was now fifty-two years of age, and one of +the leading men at the Court of Queen Anne. He had seen a fair +amount of military service, and had earned the praise of William +III, a judge of the first order in such matters. But the England of +that day could not be blamed if it failed to foresee the brilliancy +of fame with which its general would ere long surround himself.</p> +<a name='Illus5'></a> +<br> +<center><a href='images/Illus5.jpg'><img src='images/Illus5-Th.jpg' +width='207' height='332' alt= +'Map Of Western Europe In The Time Of Queen Anne.'></a><br> +Map Of Western Europe In The Time Of Queen Anne.<br> +The shading represents the dominions of Louis XIV.</center> + +<br> +<br> +<p>He was known as a brave and an able officer, not much more, +except that he was known also to be a great miser. His wife, Sarah +Jennings, now the Countess of Marlborough, was in high favour with +the new Queen; indeed, she was at that time the most influential +subject in the kingdom.</p> + +<p>To Marlborough, then, was given the command of the combined +English and Dutch forces.</p> + +<p>It needs no telling that the declaration of war, a war in which +the greater part of Europe would most likely be involved, caused no +small consternation among those whose business was with the sea and +with shipping. Fairburn's business necessitated that his single +brig should be constantly running to and from London, and it was +early rumoured that French cruisers and privateers were prowling +about the North Sea and the Channel. A schooner of considerable +size, belonging to Squire Blackett, had, indeed, been chased, off +the Norfolk coast, and had escaped only by the fact that it was +lightly laden—it was returning in ballast to the +Tyne—and by its superior sailing qualities. Such things +brought home to every collier the realities of the situation. +George's mother grew alarmed.</p> + +<p>"Who knows," said the good woman, "whether the same Frenchman +may not still be on the watch, and seize the <i>Ouseburn Lassie</i> +and her cargo; and, worse than all, my dear boy on board of +her?"</p> + +<p>Her husband was not without his fears either, but George laughed +at the notion of capture by a French vessel.</p> + +<p>"I'll go and have a talk with old Abbott, the skipper," he said, +"and see what he thinks about it."</p> + +<p>"Well, George, my lad," the old salt said when the boy +questioned him on the point, "it's like this. It's not impossible +we may get a Frenchy down on us. But we shan't strike our colours +if there's the least chance of doing anything by a bit of fighting. +The master's a man of peace, but between you and me"—the old +fellow sank his voice to a whisper—"I've got stowed away, +unbeknown to him, four tidy little guns; real beauties they are, if +small. You shall help me to use 'em on the Mounseers, if they won't +leave us alone."</p> + +<p>To a lad of George Fairburn's stamp such a prospect was +glorious. "I'm quite ready to go, mother," he announced, "on the +brig's very next trip." Mother and father made no reply, but the +former turned away to hide her tears. The lad must go and begin his +new life. For a few days all was bustle and preparation, George in +the seventh heaven of delight. The long voyage in a grimy and +uncomfortable collier had no terrors for him; he was too much +accustomed to coal dust for that. And was there not a chance that +before the Thames was reached he might see a brush with a +Frenchman?</p> + +<p>The last evening at home for him came, and he took a stroll to +get a final look at the familiar surroundings. It was now the very +heart of summer, the weather glorious: could any boy be sad at such +a time, even though there was before him the parting from home, +from an indulgent and much-loved mother, from a just and honourable +as well as affectionate father? George whistled and sang as he +wandered across the fields, careless whither his footsteps led +him.</p> + +<p>As fate would have it, he was proceeding generally in the +direction of Mr. Blackett's great house, Binfield Towers, a mansion +almost entirely hidden by thick woods from the public gaze. George +knew these woods well, with their acres of bluebells and their +breadths of primroses in the Spring, and their wealth of dogroses +in June. He turned into the footpath that crossed the plantations, +and presently found himself gazing at the mansion a hundred yards +away. The place was almost new, the style that was known in later +days as Queen Anne's. But George knew nothing of architectural +styles, and was idly counting the multitude of windows when he was +startled by a cracked old voice calling to him from the other side +of the fence that separated the wood from the grassplots in front +of the house.</p> + +<p>"For God's sake, come along and help, my good lad," cried an old +man in livery, beckoning him frantically.</p> + +<p>"What's the matter?" George asked quickly.</p> + +<p>"The house is on fire," was the reply, "and there's nobody at +home but the women folk, except old Reuben, and he's just about as +much use as me, and that's none at all, I reckon."</p> + +<p>"Where's Mr. Blackett?" the lad asked as he cleared the fence at +a bound, and stood by the old man's side on the lawn.</p> + +<p>"Gone off to a party, and young Master Matthew with him. Run and +do what you can, for Heaven's sake, and I'll follow."</p> + +<p>George bounded across the grass like a hare, and bolted into the +house without ceremony, for he now perceived smoke issuing from +several of the front windows. In the hall he found old Reuben, the +aged butler, whom Mr. Blackett still provided with a home, doing +what he could to stay the progress of the flames, by throwing upon +the burning staircase little pailfuls of water brought by the maid +servants. But, in truth most of the women were screaming, and those +who were not were fainting.</p> + +<p>"I'm almost moidered with it all," the old fellow cried +helplessly, to which the superannuated gardener, who now came +wheezing in, added, "Aye, we're both on us moidered."</p> + +<p>George glanced at the futile old couple, then cast his eye +upwards, to the various stretches of the grand staircase which +could be seen from the well below. Almost every length of the +banisters was blazing, and the cracked and broken skylight above +caused a fierce upward draught.</p> + +<p>"It's at the top the water should be poured down," George cried, +taking in the situation in an instant. "I'll see if I can get up." +And in spite of the shouts of the old fellows, and the redoubled +shrieks of the maids, the lad skipped up two or three of the +flights that zigzagged up the staircase well.</p> + +<p>At the second floor, however, he was almost overwhelmed by a +great mass of smoke mingled with flame that shot suddenly out of +the long corridor running right and left. Blinded, choked, +scorched, George staggered back, tripped, and with a clatter fell +down the six or eight steps he had mounted of that flight, and lay +for a moment on the broad carpeted landing half-dazed. But speedily +recovering himself, he perceived that the portion of the stairs +from which he had just fallen was now blazing fiercely.</p> + +<p>"It is useless!" he cried to himself, as he turned to descend to +the servants below.</p> + +<p>Then, before he had made two steps agonizing shrieks rang out +from somewhere above, and he stopped dead, almost appalled.</p> + +<p>"Miss Mary and Mrs. Maynard!" he heard the old men shout from +below, and the cries of the women servants grew frantic, as the +little band gazed terror-stricken upwards. George, too, cast his +eyes aloft, and there, to his utter dismay, were dimly seen through +the smoke a couple of female forms peeping from the topmost +corridor.</p> + +<p>He knew well enough by sight Mr. Blackett's little daughter of +eleven and her governess, a stately old lady, said to be an +impoverished relative of the Squire himself. The little pony chaise +in which the two were wont to drive about the neighbourhood was, +indeed, familiar to every soul in the district.</p> + +<p>"We had forgotten them, we had forgotten them!" came a voice +just below him, and there stood old Reuben, who had pulled himself +up the steps a little way. "They are lost!" the aged servant +moaned. "Oh dear, oh dear!" And the poor old fellow blundered down +the steps again, weeping like a child.</p> + +<p>"Is there any other staircase up to the top of the house?" the +boy called after him.</p> + +<p>"Only that in the servants' wing," was the reply, "and that is +gone already. God help us all!"</p> + +<p>"Any long ladders about? And the stablemen, where are they +all?"</p> + +<p>"Coachman with the Squire, the grooms gone off to the town for +an hour or two." Reuben shook his head sorrowfully.</p> + +<p>George waited no longer. With a bound he darted up the stairs +again, and in a moment had reached the spot where the fire was +fiercest. Without hesitation he dashed on, watching his chance +after a big gust of smoke and flame had surged across the well. +Through the fire he rushed, protecting his face with his arms, and +stumbling blindly on. The worst was soon passed, and the next +instant he had gained the top of the staircase.</p> + +<p>"Save her—<i>her</i>!" Mrs. Maynard cried piteously, +"leave <i>me</i>, and see to <i>her</i>, for mercy's sake!"</p> + +<p>George caught the girl in his arms and prepared to make a dash +down the staircase. But he drew back in dismay. A big piece of the +burning banister below them fell with a crash and a shower of +sparks to the bottom of the well.</p> + +<p>"It is impossible!" he cried. "Let us see what can be done from +one of the windows." And the three ran to the end of the corridor +farthest away from the fire. Into a room George dashed, and threw +up the window. It was Mary's playroom, and it was in this place +that she and her governess had been till now too much frightened by +the flames and smoke to make a dash for safety.</p> + +<p>Alas! there was no way of escape. The height from the ground was +too great; to leap meant certain death. George gazed frantically +down and around, to see if any help was arriving. Not a soul was to +be seen. Smoke was pouring from almost every window. The ladies +were speechless with alarm when they saw the look of despair on the +boy's face.</p> + +<p>"Don't leave us!" Mary pleaded piteously.</p> + +<p>"No, no!" cried George. "We'll find a way yet." But cheerfully +as he spoke, in his heart he almost despaired.</p> + +<p>It was but a few seconds the three had been in the playroom, but +when they looked out into the corridor again, to their horror they +found it blazing, the flames leaping towards them with astonishing +bounds, carried along by the evening breeze that had sprung up. The +sight seemed to drive Mrs. Maynard demented. With a shriek she +darted away, sped along the burning passage, and before the boy and +girl could realize the situation, she had dashed down the blazing +staircase. The sound of a crash and a fearful scream reached their +ears, telling their own tale. The girl clung to George, her head +sank, and she fainted.</p> + +<p>Desperate now, the lad placed her on the floor, and, thrusting +his head from the window, perceived that he could clamber up the +two or three feet of rain spout that ran close by, and gain a +position on the roof just overhead. If he could gain that, he +thought he might run to a further wing of the building that seemed +at present untouched by the fire. But the girl, what of her? He +cast his eyes about and descried two or three skipping ropes in a +corner. Hastily he tied them end to end, fastened a portion round +Mary's waist, his movements hastened by the burst of flame that +just then shot into the room. Then clambering desperately to the +roof, the rope in his teeth, he got a footing on the parapet, and +began to haul up the fainting girl.</p> + +<p>Hand over hand he hauled up the cord and its burden. The child +was dangling between earth and sky when suddenly a great shout came +from below. George glanced down, and there, running with up-turned +horror-stricken face, was Matthew Blackett. Help at last! But had +it come too late?</p> + +<br> +<hr style='width: 65%;'> +<br> +<a name='CHAPTER_IV' id="CHAPTER_IV"></a> + +<h2>CHAPTER IV</h2> + +<center>THE RESCUE</center> + +<br> +<p>Matthew stopped short, unable to move a yard further, his eyes +fixed upon the slight form hanging so dangerously high above him. +It was truly an awful moment for both the lads, a moment never +afterwards to be forgotten by either of them. The time of suspense +was but seconds; it seemed years. But George, his knees firmly +pressed against the low parapet wall that ran along the top in +front of the house, had no difficulty in supporting the weight, and +not too much in actually hauling up his living burden. Another +moment and he had seized one arm with a strong grip; the next he +had pulled the child to him on the roof.</p> + +<p>"Safe! thank God!" he murmured, almost breathless with his +exertions and still more with his agitation.</p> + +<p>Safe! As if to mock him a great tongue of flame shot from the +window from which rescuer and rescued had but now emerged, and a +cry of despair rose from Matthew below.</p> + +<p>"Run for the library!" Blackett shouted, a thought suddenly +striking him. "Run, run!" And the boy pointed to a sort of wing, an +addition to the mansion recently made by the Squire, and devoted to +his books and the extensive and valuable collection of antiquities +and curiosities of which he was very proud. This building was +connected with the body of the house by only one small arched door, +on the ground-floor.</p> + +<p>George understood, and cautiously but rapidly edging his way +along the broad leaden gutter behind the parapet, he drew the girl, +by this time conscious once more, but dazed with fright, to the +outlying portion of the roof, which was as yet untouched by the +flames. He peered over for Matthew, but could see nothing of +him.</p> + +<p>For the moment the two were in no danger. But the flames were +already licking the portion of the library immediately adjoining +the house proper; soon the whole wing must be ablaze. The boy gazed +wildly around, to see if there was any means, however risky or even +desperate, by which escape might be made. He saw nothing but the +slender branches of a magnificent yew that grew in the retired +garden behind and close to the library. These boughs overtopped +even the tall building, and some of them overhung the roof a +little. But the nearest of them was ten feet above the heads of the +two, and hopelessly out of reach. Would that some great gust of +wind would drive those branches within clutching distance!</p> + +<p>This tantalizing thought had hardly taken possession of George's +mind when his attention was attracted by shouts from below. Peering +down he was astonished to see Matthew rapidly climbing the yew. The +same thought had struck him also! Up the climber swarmed, higher +and higher. Then he began without hesitation to crawl along some of +the topmost branches that overhung the library roof. Outwards he +crept, embracing tightly half a dozen of the long thin boughs; they +seemed but little more than twigs.</p> + +<p>"You'll be dashed to pieces!" Mary cried; "go back, go +back!"</p> + +<p>"Haven't you a rope anywhere?" George asked eagerly.</p> + +<p>"Every rope and ladder locked up in the stable yard," was the +breathless reply, "and the men away. This is our only chance. Catch +hold."</p> + +<p>As Matthew spoke, the end of the long swaying branches, swinging +ever lower, came down to the roof, and a good yard or more of the +greenery was within George's grasp. Matthew lay at full length on +his collection of boughs in order that his weight might keep the +ends down. It was a precarious position truly, but Matthew was very +light, and had absolutely no fear for himself.</p> + +<p>"Lash her well to three or four of the strongest of the boughs," +he said hurriedly; "give the rope half a dozen good turns about her +waist and the boughs. They are yew and very tough. Quick!"</p> + +<p>Hardly knowing what he was doing, George obeyed. He was a bit of +a sailor, and in a couple of minutes he had bound the child to the +branches in a way to satisfy even Matthew, who still lay amongst +the foliage, some three yards away.</p> + +<p>"Now cling for your life to the rest of the branches you've got, +Fairburn, till I go down to the long thick arm there below. Can you +hold?"</p> + +<p>"Yes!" cried the other cheerfully, light beginning to dawn upon +him. "I can hold on; you go down."</p> + +<p>Matthew moved down, and the branches, relieved of their burden, +began to exert a considerable upward pull. But the weight of the +boy and the girl held down the ends, and they awaited Matthew's +call. It soon came, though the interval of waiting seemed an +age.</p> + +<p>"Now then!" came the shout, and George could see his quondam +enemy firmly seated on a stout branch that had been cut shorter, +its foliage having interfered with the light of one of the windows +of the library. Matthew was sitting astride, his legs firmly +gripping the branch. "Now drop yourselves over," he went on. +"You'll fall right on the top of me, and I'll grab you. Throw one +arm round Mary's waist, and then seize the branches with both hands +and stick tight."</p> + +<p>"I'll stick like a leech," George replied, "but it's a fearful +drop."</p> + +<p>"There's no other way, none! See! the blaze has caught the +library roof behind you! It will be upon you in another minute. +Drop over, for pity's sake!"</p> + +<p>George set his teeth, placed one arm round the child's slender +form, gripped hard a handful of the pliant boughs, and dropped over +the parapet, Mary closing her eyes in her mortal fright. With a +huge swing the branches bent, and in an instant the two were +swaying a good fifteen feet below, George almost jerked from his +hold. The boughs creaked but did not snap.</p> + +<p>"Thank heaven!" cried Matthew, "I have you!" And reaching up, he +got a grip of George's foot and dragged down the swinging pair.</p> + +<p>"Grab the branch with your legs, Fairburn! and I'll cut Mary +clear."</p> + +<p>No sooner said than done. By the aid of a good clasp-knife +Matthew severed the cords and secured his little sister, her +weight, however, as it came upon him, almost knocking him from his +perch. But he held desperately, and in another moment had Mary on +the branch beside him. Then George, throwing his legs apart, +suddenly loosed his hold of the branches and dropped also astride +of the bough, which he grasped tight with both hands. He swung +round and hung from the branch head downwards. But the next minute +he had righted himself, and was ready to help with Mary.</p> + +<p>The rescue was complete. To guide the child along the branch, +towards the middle of the tree, and then to lower her from limb to +limb of the old yew was mere play to the two boys. The three +dropped the last four or five feet to earth just as a man rushed +forward with a great cry, to clasp in his arms the fainting +girl.</p> + +<p>"God is merciful!" he ejaculated. It was Squire Blackett, who +had arrived just in time to see his beloved child saved from an +awful fate.</p> + +<p>For a few moments father and children clung to each other. When +at length they looked round to express their gratitude to the +plucky rescuer, he was nowhere to be seen. Seeing a great crowd of +the Blackett pitmen arrive with a run, George had felt that he +could be of no more use, and slipping into the wood had made for +home. He wanted no thanks, and moreover the brig was to sail at +four in the morning, at which time the tide would serve.</p> + +<p>"He's gone—George has gone!" cried Matthew.</p> + +<p>"We can never repay him," murmured Mr. Blackett. "We must go on +to see him at the earliest moment in the morning."</p> + +<p>When Mr. Blackett, with Matthew and the rescued Mary, drove +early next day to the Fairburns' house, it was only to learn that +George had sailed for London some hours before. There was no help +for it, and all they could do was to overwhelm the father and +mother with words of gratitude and praise. They informed the +Fairburns that by the exertions of the men the library and its +contents had been saved; the rest of the mansion was left a wreck. +Mrs. Maynard had been drawn from the mass of burning rubbish at the +foot of the staircase, and was now lying between life and +death.</p> + +<p>George had had a bad quarter of an hour at the parting from his +parents, but by the time the vessel felt the swell of the open sea +he was full of spirits again. The sea voyage, even in a dirty +collier, was a delight. Then there was London the wonderful at the +end of it, and he had long desired to see the great capital of +which he had heard and read so much.</p> + +<p>The London of Queen Anne's reign was not the huge overgrown +London of our own day. But it was a notable city, and to George +Fairburn and his contemporaries the grandest city in the world. The +Great Fire had taken place but twenty years before George was born, +yet already the city had risen from its ashes, with wider and +nobler streets, and with a multitude of handsome churches which +Wren had built. The new and magnificent St. Paul's, the great +architect's proudest work, was rapidly approaching completion. +George's father had witnessed the opening for worship of a portion +of the cathedral five years before, and soon the stupendous dome, +which was beginning to tower high above the city, would be +finished. Sir Thomas Gresham's Exchange, the centre of the business +life of the city, had been replaced by another and not less noble +edifice. The great capital contained a population of well over half +a million souls, a number that seemed incredible to those who knew +only Bristol, and York, and Norwich, the English cities next in +size. The houses stretched continuously from the city boundary to +Westminster, and soon the two would be but one vast town. George +had heard much of London Bridge, with its shops and its incessant +stream of passengers and vehicles, and he hoped to visit the +pleasant villages of Kensington and Islington, and many another +that lay within a walk of great London. He hoped one day, too, to +get a glimpse of some of the clever wits, Mat Prior, Wycherley, +Dick Steele, and others, who haunted the coffee-houses of the +capital, and of the rising young writer, Mr. Addison, not to +mention a greater than them all, the incomparable Sir Isaac Newton. +For George had ever been a great reader, even while he loved a good +game as well as any boy in the land.</p> + +<p>It was many a long year, however, ere George Fairburn was +destined to see the mighty capital. Once fairly at sea, the skipper +brought out and mounted his four little guns, to the lad's huge +joy.</p> + +<p>"You mean business, captain," he remarked with a merry +laugh.</p> + +<p>"I do, if there comes along a Frenchy who won't leave us alone," +the old fellow replied, "leastways if she isn't too big a craft for +us altogether."</p> + +<p>The evening was coming in, the town of Yarmouth faintly visible +through the haze, when suddenly the crew of the <i>Ouseburn +Lassie</i> became aware of a big vessel in the offing.</p> + +<p>"She's giving chase, by thunder!" cried the skipper, after he +had taken a long look through the glass; and all was excitement on +board the brig. Anxiously all hands watched the stranger, and at +last the shout went up, "She's a Frenchy!"</p> + +<p>"Aye, and a big 'un at that," somebody added.</p> + +<p>Hastily the preparations were made to receive her, though the +captain shook his head even as he gave his orders.</p> + +<p>"It's no go," he whispered to George. "We've got these four +small guns, but what's the good? We've nobody to man 'em; only a +couple on 'em, leastways. And the Frenchman's a monster."</p> + +<p>"We'll show them a bit of fight all the same," George put in +eagerly. The old salt shook his head again.</p> + +<p>Quickly the big vessel overhauled the collier brig, and signals +were made to pull down her flag, whereupon the Englishman +grunted.</p> + +<p>Within a minute a puff was seen, and a round shot whizzed close +past the <i>Ouseburn Lassie's</i> bows.</p> + +<p>"Give them a reply!" George urged in great excitement.</p> + +<p>"Wait a bit, my lad," and the skipper bided his time.</p> + +<p>"Now!" came the order at length, and a couple of eight-pound +balls flew straight to the Frenchman.</p> + +<p>"Well hit!" shouted the Englishmen, as a shower of splinters was +seen to fly upwards from the enemy's deck.</p> + +<p>"It's enough to show 'em we've got mettle in us," growled the +old captain, "and that's all we can say."</p> + +<p>His words were justified, for the next moment there came another +flash, and with a crash the brig's mast went by the board.</p> + +<p>"Done for!" groaned the skipper. "We shall see the inside of a +French prison, I reckon."</p> + +<p>The enemy's long boat put out with a crew four times that of the +brig. Within a quarter of an hour the Englishmen had all been +transferred to the <i>Louis Treize</i>, and an officer and half a +dozen men left in charge of the prize. The Frenchman at once set a +course for Dunkirk, and, with a spanking breeze behind her, she +made the port in fifteen hours. The noon of the next day saw George +Fairburn and his companions clapped into a French prison.</p> + +<p>"A bonny come off," the old skipper grumbled, "but we shall ha' +to make the best on it."</p> + +<p>It will not be forgotten that the war just begun was, to put it +bluntly, a war to determine which of two indifferent princes, +Philip of France and Charles of Austria, should have the Spanish +crown. Lord Peterborough declared that it was not worth his +country's while to fight for such "a pair of louts."</p> +<a name='Illus2'></a> +<br> +<center><a href='images/Illus2.jpg'><img src='images/Illus2-Th.jpg' +width='207' height='328' alt='"Now!" came the order.'></a><br> +"Now!" came the order.</center> + +<br> +<br> +<p>Into the war, however, England had thrown herself, under the +direction of Harley, the famous Tory minister now in power, at +home, and with Marlborough as commander-in-chief of both the +English and the Dutch forces abroad. The General's first aim was to +take back from Louis XIV all those fortresses in the Spanish +Netherlands which had been seized and garrisoned by the French +troops as if the country were a French possession.</p> + +<p>He started from Kaiserwörth, a town on the Rhine, which his +troops had captured from one of Louis's chief allies, the Elector +of Cologne, before Marlborough arrived to take command. Venloo was +taken in gallant style, and then the important city of +Liége, on the Meuse. The result of the campaign was that the +French had been chased from the Lower Rhine, and Holland, much to +its relief, made far more safe from attack. Returning to England, +the victorious commander was given a grand reception. And no +wonder, for it was the first time for many a year that the French +had received a real check.</p> + +<p>While these things were going on in the Netherlands, another +leader under the Grand Alliance, Prince Louis of Baden, took +Landau, on the Rhine, from the French. In Italy, too, the allies +triumphed, the gallant Prince Eugene, presently to be the warm and +life-long friend of Marlborough, defeating the French brilliantly +at Cremona, a fortunate thing for the Empire, which was thus +secured from a French invasion through the Tyrol.</p> + +<p>To crown the successes of the Grand Alliance during the campaign +of 1702, the first of the war, the brave sailor Sir George Rooke, +following the Spanish galleons and the French war vessels into the +harbour of Vigo, destroyed the greater number of them. It was a +repetition of Drake's famous expedition to "singe the King of +Spain's beard."</p> + +<p>All these things happened while George Fairburn and other +English prisoners ate their hearts out in captivity at Dunkirk. The +lad chafed under the surveillance to which he was subjected, and +never passed a day without turning over in his mind some scheme of +escape. How it was to be done, he did not see. But he waited for +his chance, and meanwhile, partly to avoid being suspected, and +partly to while away the hours he made friends with the soldiers on +guard. He already knew a little French, and with his natural +quickness he soon made rapid progress. At the end of a month he +could get along capitally in the language; at the end of three +months he could speak the tongue fluently; at the end of nine +months—for thus did his term of captivity drag itself +out—he was, so far as the language was concerned, almost a +Frenchman. Thus the winter passed, and the spring of 1703 came +round, George Fairburn still an inmate of a French prison, hopeless +of escape, so far as he could see.</p> + +<p>But his chance came at last suddenly and unexpectedly. One +morning he was escorted to the Hôtel de Ville, to interpret +for an officer examining a batch of English prisoners who had been +brought in from the Netherlands border. The way to the town lay at +no great distance from the shore, and he observed how a boat lay +close in on the low sandy beach, no owner in sight. His heart leapt +into his mouth, and he had much ado to keep himself from betraying +his thoughts by the flush that mantled hotly on his cheek.</p> + +<p>One, two, three hundred paces the boat was left behind. Now or +never! Instantly the lad started off back to the spot, his feet +flying across the sand.</p> + +<p>A shout broke from the throats of his astonished guards, and a +half score of bullets whistled after the runaway. George ducked his +head and sped on unhurt. A second volley did little more harm than +the first, merely grazing the lobe of his right ear. The race was +furious, but the lusty English lad was far and away the superior of +the heavy Frenchmen. He gained the boat, the enemy still a hundred +paces behind. The painter was loosely wound round a large stone, +and in a trice George had leapt with it into the little craft. He +had just time to give a vigorous shove off before the pursuers came +up, the foremost dashing into the sea after him.</p> + +<br> +<hr style='width: 65%;'> +<br> +<a name='CHAPTER_V' id="CHAPTER_V"></a> + +<h2>CHAPTER V</h2> + +<center>GEORGE RECONNOITRES</center> + +<br> +<p>Splash through the water rushed the French soldiers in full +chase. Already they were beginning to cheer, for the leading man +had all but grabbed the boat, and the prisoner was as good as +retaken. George looked down for something with which to strike, for +he did not intend to submit without a struggle, but there was no +oar on board. There had been a small boat-hook, but that he had +left sticking in the sand when he gave his lusty shove off. The +pursuer, up to his neck in water, seized the boat, and for a moment +his chin rested on the side. But the next instant the lad had +kicked out with the clumsy wooden shoes he wore, and the soldier +fell back half stunned into the sea. The rest of the fellows +instantly raised their guns, but George did not wince; he perceived +what they in their wild scamper after him had not noticed, that +they had dragged their muskets through the water, and for the time +had rendered the weapons useless. The boy laughed in spite of his +predicament, as he hastily ran up the little sail.</p> + +<p>The breeze at once caught the canvas, and the bark moved briskly +away. But two of the soldiers, who had not entered the sea, hastily +reloading—they had not done so hitherto, after the recent +discharges—levelled their pieces at the retreating prisoner. +George flung himself to the bottom of the boat as he saw the move, +and the bullets whistled harmlessly overhead. Springing up again, +he perceived that he was now beyond range, and with a shout of joy +he waved his cap triumphantly. The whole escape had been planned +and successfully carried out in the space of five minutes. He was +free!</p> + +<p>But his joy was presently tempered by the thought of what might +follow. That the men would endeavour to give chase he well knew; +indeed he could make out their forms running in search of another +boat. However, he had gained a start; that was something. As to +whither he was destined to be driven, or how he was to get food and +water, these things were for the present of less consequence than +the fact that he was free.</p> + +<p>Fortune favoured him, for within ten minutes a thickness came +on, and soon the boat was enveloped in fog. The chase was now +rendered impossible to the enemy. Hour after hour George kept his +sail hoisted, driving briskly he knew not whither.</p> + +<p>"I am bound," said he to himself, "to stumble upon either the +English or the Dutch coast, and in either case I shall be among +friends." Thus the lad comforted himself.</p> + +<p>The day wore on, and he was becoming ravenously hungry. He would +have given much for a basin of even the prison <i>soupe maigre</i>. +The sky was darkening and he began to feel drowsy; he resigned +himself to a night of hunger. All at once he heard shouts, and the +hull of a big vessel loomed up within a few yards of him. He was +instantly wide awake. Was the stranger French? Thank Heaven, no! +She was Dutch built, and as her flag showed, Dutch owned. +Hurrah!</p> + +<p>His cheer attracted the attention of the crew, and much +wondering the sailors drew him up on deck. "A Frenchman," was the +verdict in gruff Dutch. George did not understand Dutch, but he +instantly guessed their meaning.</p> + +<p>"Not I," he cried, in English, and was delighted to be answered +in the same tongue by the skipper.</p> + +<p>George's account of his escape, translated by the captain, set +the fat Dutchmen a-rolling. And, after the lad had had the good +square meal the skipper ordered for him, he spent the evening in +going over his adventures again. The jolly-hearted English lad +became an immediate favourite with the sailors and the soldiers, +for, as he soon learnt, the ship was a Dutch transport carrying +troops and stores for the war in Spain.</p> + +<p>"Where are we, sir?" George inquired of the skipper next morning +when he came on deck, to find a clear sky, and land faintly seen on +the starboard bow.</p> + +<p>"Off the Isle of Wight, my lad," replied the Dutchman.</p> + +<p>"Can't you put me ashore, captain?" he pleaded.</p> + +<p>The master smiled and shook his head.</p> + +<p>"Impossible, boy; you must go with us to Spain. And here comes a +gentleman to speak with you."</p> + +<p>An officer in military uniform approached, and the boy touched +his cap. With the skipper as interpreter the major made George an +offer of service under him.</p> + +<p>"We want fellows of your sort," he said. "And there will be +brave doings in Spain, and plenty of good pay, and glory to be won. +Besides, you will be fighting under one of your own countrymen, +most likely Sir George Rooke himself. Say the word, my good +lad."</p> + +<p>George's face flushed.</p> + +<p>"I have always wanted to be a soldier, sir," he stammered.</p> + +<p>"Of course you have, my lad. Then we may take it that the matter +is settled. Good luck go with you, my boy."</p> + +<p>Here then was George Fairburn, who ought to have been driving a +quill in the office of Mr. Allan, shipping merchant, of London, +sailing to join the allied forces in Spain, and to fight against +the French. His head swam with the thought of it.</p> + +<p>But what of George's friends at home all this long while? When +Fairburn learnt that his brig had not arrived in port, though she +had been spoken in Boston Deeps by another collier which was +returning to the Tyne, his heart misgave him. There had been a bad +storm on the coast; it seemed only too likely that the <i>Ouseburn +Lassie</i> had gone down in it! When week after week passed without +news it seemed more and more likely that the vessel had foundered +in the gale. News of captures by French privateers usually filtered +through sooner or later; but for long there were no tidings of the +<i>Ouseburn Lassie</i>. The Blacketts did what they could to +console the bereaved parents, but father and mother would not be +comforted. At length, months afterwards, they learnt in a casual +way that a collier had been captured off Yarmouth by a French +privateer, about the time the <i>Ouseburn Lassie</i> was making her +trip; at least that was the construction the Yarmouth salts who saw +the affair from the shore put upon the movements of the two +vessels. So a ray of hope came to Fairburn and his wife.</p> + +<p>"The lad will be somewhere in a French prison," the father said, +"and some day he will be set free and come home to us again."</p> + +<p>The spring of 1703 brought Matthew Blackett's seventeenth +birthday, and with it an ensign's commission in a well-reputed +regiment of foot. He already stood six feet one in his stockings, +and mighty proud he felt when his lanky figure was clothed in his +gay uniform.</p> + +<p>"Perhaps I shall come across George in my wanderings," he said, +when he went to bid a very friendly adieu to the Fairburns. "Won't +it be jolly if we do meet!" And the parents were constrained to +smile in spite of their sadness.</p> + +<p>One of the commonest subjects of conversation in our days is the +state of "political parties," and every child of school age can +tell you which is "the party in power." Three hundred years ago +such expressions would not have been understood at all, in their +modern sense, and "government by party" was a thing as yet +undreamed of. Usually the strongest man of his time, whether +sovereign or subject, was the real ruler in England. Elizabeth, for +instance, was the sole mistress in her own realm, though even she +was greatly helped by the famous minister Burleigh. In later times +a Strafford, a Laud, an Oliver Cromwell, a Clarendon presided over +the destinies of England.</p> + +<p>But in the second half of the seventeenth century there began +that division of politicians into two sides or parties which has +continued ever since. This division sprang, no doubt, from the +civil wars between King and Parliament, between Cavalier and +Roundhead. By the times of Queen Anne the terms Whig and Tory, +replaced in our days for the most part by Liberal and Conservative, +had come into common use, and no one who desires to understand the +history of her reign can wholly neglect the movements of these two +opposing parties in politics. For Marlborough—with his +wife—may be said to be the last powerful statesman who ruled +England without the formal and acknowledged help of party. Since +then the "party in power" has always, through its chief member, the +Prime Minister, and his Cabinet, been the actual ruler in the +State.</p> + +<p>At the beginning of Anne's reign the Whigs were leading in +matters of state, but presently Rochester and Nottingham, the +former a very strong Tory, came into power. Later on, in 1703, the +former was replaced by a more moderate Tory, Harley, and in the +following year St. John succeeded Nottingham. The truth was, +Marlborough, beginning to see that he was more likely to receive +support in his great wars from the Whig side, was working gradually +towards the placing of their party in office, though he himself had +all along been a Tory. Thus it was that he tried to rule with a +coalition, or a mixture of Whigs and Tories. This was in the year +1705, a little after the time to which this story has as yet been +carried. But Marlborough and his Duchess were still the real power +in the land.</p> + +<p>We may rejoin George Fairburn, some three weeks after the day +when he had been picked up by the Dutch transport. With others he +had been landed in the Tagus, and at once drafted into one of the +regiments under the Earl of Galway, a Frenchman by birth, but now, +having been driven out of France by the persecutions he and the +rest of the Protestants had had to endure, a general in the English +army. George learned that Portugal had joined the Grand Alliance, +in consequence of the Methuen Treaty between her and England, by +which Portuguese wines were to be admitted into English ports at a +lower customs duty than those of other countries. This step on the +part of Portugal had greatly enraged the French King, and he had +poured his troops into Spain. The Allies, therefore, were preparing +to attack Spain from the eastern and the western sides of the +Peninsula at the same time. So George and his comrades began their +march eastward, while the gallant admiral Sir George Rooke was +attacking Barcelona on the opposite coast.</p> + +<p>It was a new life for the English lad, and the heavy marches in +a hot climate tried him. But he was growing into a stout youth, and +was not afraid of a bit of hard work.</p> + +<p>"Besides," he would say to himself, when disposed to grumble, +"am I not a soldier? And isn't that what I've always wanted to be? +And I might have been chained up in a French prison still! A +thousand times better be here, even in this scorching place."</p> + +<p>If it seemed odd to the lad that the English soldiers were +commanded by a Frenchman, it was still stranger that the French +forces they were marching to meet were under an Englishman. Yet so +it was; the commander of Louis's army in Spain being the Duke of +Berwick, a son of James II and Arabella Churchill, Marlborough's +sister. The two generals were well matched, according to the +opinion that prevailed among the troops.</p> + +<p>Weeks passed, and as yet George Fairburn had seen no actual +fighting. He was all eager to get into action, and was not much +comforted by the declaration of the old sergeant under whom he +marched.</p> + +<p>"Bide your time, my lad," the veteran would say, "you will get +your full share of fighting; enough to satisfy even a fire-eater +such as I can see you're going to be."</p> + +<p>One evening, to his intense delight, the lad was sent forward +with a skirmishing party, a report having come in that the enemy +was concealed somewhere in one of the wooded valleys of the +neighbourhood. After a cautious march of three or four miles, the +little company, commanded by a lieutenant of foot, dropped down +into a dingle, at the bottom of which ran a stream almost +everywhere hidden by the thick growth of trees. The men were +startled, on turning a corner in the break-neck path, to see below +them the French flag flying from what appeared to be an old mill. +Scattered about were the roofs of a dozen cottages, and at the +doors could be perceived a number of soldiers lolling at their +ease.</p> + +<p>"The enemy, by Jove!" whispered George, who was leading in his +usual eager fashion, pointing out the flag and the hamlet to the +lieutenant. "Wouldn't it be a good joke to whip off their flag from +that old mill, sir!"</p> + +<p>The officer laughed at the notion; he was not much more than a +boy himself.</p> + +<p>"My lad," said he, "we must know how many the enemy are +first."</p> + +<p>"I'll climb to the roof there, and from it I can see right down +into the village and command a view of everything in it."</p> + +<p>"Do you mean to say, youngster, that you would risk it?" the +officer asked in surprise.</p> + +<p>"Oh, wouldn't I, sir," the lad replied with flushed face. "Say +the word, sir, please."</p> + +<p>The lieutenant nodded, saying, "It's worth it. But be +cautious."</p> + +<p>The soldiers looked on while the boy carried out his freak, for +such they judged his bit of reconnoitring to be. Cautiously George +crept towards the mill, the sloping roof of which came almost down +to the very hill side. Tying a wisp of long grass and weeds round +each boot, he crawled noiselessly up till within a foot or two of +the ridge. He paused a moment to gaze down the dingle. There, well +seen from his vantage point, a couple of miles away, ran a far +larger valley, which was filled with tents. "The enemy's main +body!" he thought. He waved his arm in the direction of the camp, +but his comrades did not understand the action, as they stood +peering down upon the lad from among the trees higher up the +slope.</p> + +<p>Now flat on his face the boy ventured to peep over the roof +ridge down into the village street at no great distance below. Not +an eye was directed upwards, so far as he could see, the men +laughing and chattering gaily as they drank. Then the temptation +seized him, and in a moment he had lifted the flag from the old +chimney in which the staff was loosely set. "I'm in for it now!" he +cried to himself, as he slid like an avalanche down the roof, leapt +to the ground, and made off up the steep slope towards his +comrades, the flag triumphantly in his hand.</p> + +<p>He had reached a spot half way up when suddenly wild shouts were +heard from below, and at the same instant a bullet whistled close +past his ear. A little turn in the path had discovered his head to +the enemy.</p> + +<p>"In for a penny, in for a pound," shouted the lieutenant, and +the Englishmen prepared to receive the French soldiers dashing up +to the attack. George stumbled on unhurt, but fell at his officer's +feet, utterly breathless. There he lay, unable to rise, while shots +were rapidly exchanged. For a minute's space it was hot work, but +then the French began to fall back, and with a shout the English +handful followed. Fairburn pulled himself together and stood on the +edge of the rock-shelf where he had fallen breathless. To his +horror, he saw a Frenchman on the shelf below, taking deliberate +aim at the lieutenant.</p> + +<p>With a loud cry, the lad sprang down upon the enemy, regardless +of the steepness of the place, and in an instant the man was locked +in his arms, just as the musket report came. Down the two fell, +bounding over two or three shelves of rock, and then pitching +headlong some twenty or thirty feet into the thick brushwood +below.</p> + +<p>"You have saved my life, my lad; you are an Englishman worth +knowing," were the next words the boy heard.</p> + +<p>They came buzzing into George's ears some ten minutes later, +when, the brush with the French over, the Englishmen were hastening +back to report to the General.</p> + +<p>"What happened when I fell, sir?" George asked with curiosity, +as the officer walked by the side of the litter. He was astounded +to learn that the Frenchman had been found still held in tight +grip, his neck broken. The enemy had been put to the rout and had +fled, leaving their flag behind them. Moreover, the French camp a +couple of miles away had been spied.</p> + +<p>"You have three ribs broken, Fairburn," the officer went on, +"and you've got about as many bruises as there are days in a year. +But what of that. By Jerusalem! I wish the honour had fallen to +me!"</p> + +<p>"I don't mind the wounds a bit, sir," George answered, +cheerfully, "so long as I've been of some use."</p> + +<p>The next day no less a person than the great Earl of Galway +himself came to speak to the wounded lad.</p> + +<p>"I have heard from your lieutenant here the tale of your doings +yesterday," he said, with a smile. "You are a boy of pluck. You are +done for so far as the present campaign is concerned, and must be +sent back to hospital. But there's work cut out yet for a lad of +your mettle."</p> + +<p>George heard all this praise as if in a dream. He was never sure +in after years whether the Earl had really said so much. But +Lieutenant Fieldsend, who was destined to become his comrade on +many a hard-fought field, and his warm friend for life, was always +prepared to tell the full and correct story.</p> + +<br> +<hr style='width: 65%;'> +<br> +<a name='CHAPTER_VI' id="CHAPTER_VI"></a> + +<h2>CHAPTER VI</h2> + +<center>THE ROCK OF GIBRALTAR</center> + +<br> +<p>"This is better than lying on one's back in hospital, sir, and +better than dodging about in a close-packed transport."</p> + +<p>The words came from George Fairburn, as with his officer, +Lieutenant Fieldsend, he stood surveying, from its northern +vicinity, the far-famed Rock of Gibraltar. It was the summer of +1704. His doings since the day of his injuries in the dingle are +soon recorded. After months of sickness and a winter of inaction, +his service under Lord Galway had come to an end, much to his +disgust at first. With others, he had been sent on board a vessel +and carried round the coast of Spain to the neighbourhood of +Barcelona, where Sir George Rooke was operating. The new troops had +arrived too late. The Admiral, despairing of making any impression +on the strongly-fortified Barcelona, was about to sail for home. On +the way the idea had come to Sir George that the commanding +fortress of Gibraltar would be worth trying for. He had accordingly +landed a number of troops on the narrow isthmus of flat land that +joins the rock and town of Gibraltar to the mainland.</p> + +<p>"Yes, Fairburn," the lieutenant replied, with a laugh, "my Lord +Galway foretold that you had work cut out for you. Here it is, I +fancy, and plenty of it."</p> + +<p>It was a striking sight on which the two friends +looked—for though the one was but a private and the other a +commissioned officer, yet by this time Fieldsend and Fairburn had +begun their life-long friendship. Away in front of them towered the +huge irregular mass called the Rock of Gibraltar, or, more +commonly, simply "the Rock," with the little town clustered at its +base and on its gentler slopes. To their right was the indentation +in the coast known as the Bay of Gibraltar, which was protected by +a long stone-built jetty, the Old Mole. From this protection ran a +stout sea defence called the Line Wall, with two or three strong +bastions. This wall ended at another projection, the New Mole. But +neither the Line Wall nor the New Mole was visible from the spot +where George and his superior stood. Filling all the narrow neck of +connecting ground were the allied forces just landed, five thousand +of them. Immediately in front stood the only outlet from the city +on its north side, the Land Point gate.</p> + +<p>"I wish they would settle the thing, and either let us get to +work or else re-embark for home," George said, as he sat in what +shade he could find to defend himself against the fierce blaze of +the sun.</p> + +<p>"I am with you there, Fairburn," the lieutenant agreed, with a +yawn.</p> + +<p>The speakers were alluding to the answer that was expected at +any moment from the garrison within. A formal demand had been made +to the Governor for the surrender of the fortress to the Archduke +Charles, "the rightful King of Spain." This was on the twenty-first +of July, 1704. The demand had been made on the part of the Allies +by the Prince of Hesse-Darmstadt, who was present with three Dutch +admirals and several Dutch ships. The English admirals concerned in +the siege were, besides Sir George Rooke, the chief of them, Byng, +Sir Cloudesley Shovel, and Leake. Many famous ships were in the Bay +or rode off the Rock, including Rooke's own vessel, the <i>Royal +Catherine</i>, and Shovel's still more famous <i>Barfleur</i>.</p> + +<p>The day wore to its close, the guards were posted, and the men +prepared for rest. Then there came the long-expected answer from +the Marquis de Salinas, the Governor of the fortress. It was a +stout and dignified refusal. He and his men had sworn allegiance to +King Philip, the old fellow said, and in Philip's name he held the +town and Rock of Gibraltar, and would continue to hold them as long +as he could.</p> + +<p>"That looks like business," cried George, gleefully, to a little +group of his comrades around, and the men smiled at the eager +enthusiasm of the lad. The orders were passed round that the attack +should begin with daybreak on the following morning, and the +soldiers went to roost at once, with easy minds. It was believed +that the attack would be but a harmless bit of child's-play, as it +was more than suspected that the defending force within the town +was very small, though how ridiculously small it really was none of +the besiegers at the time even guessed.</p> + +<p>"Turn out, mate," cried one of the soldiers, shaking George +vigorously by the shoulder, and the boy sprang up to find everybody +astir.</p> + +<p>"How I do sleep in this hot country!" he yawned, to which the +sergeant replied with a laugh, "It'll be hotter still before long, +my lad, never fear."</p> + +<p>It was a long time before the first shot was fired, however, the +disposition of the troops and the guns not being complete. At +length a movement was made. The <i>Dorsetshire</i>, with Captain +Whitaker in command, was sent to capture a French privateer with +twelve guns, which lay at the Old Mole, and the boom of cannon rose +in the air.</p> + +<p>Presently, from near the spot where Lieutenant Fieldsend and his +little company were posted, a shot was fired into the +fortifications; then another, and afterwards a third. Work had +begun at last.</p> + +<p>A puff, a boom in the distance, and there came screaming through +the air a big round shot, striking the ground, ploughing it up, and +covering those near with dust and dirt.</p> + +<p>"Quite near enough, eh, sir?" George observed to his lieutenant, +as they shook the earth from their clothing. "And, by Jove, there's +another of them!" A second shot flew just overhead, to do its +deadly work on the unfortunate men who stood immediately behind. +George Fairburn's first task in the siege was to help to carry to +the rear two or three badly wounded men. On the ground lay a couple +who needed no surgeon.</p> + +<p>As yet only a few preliminary shots had been fired into the +fortress, but the defenders were evidently quite ready with their +reply, and the order for a general attack rang out. Within a few +minutes the fight was raging in terrible fashion. From land and sea +alike the shot poured into the town; sailor and soldier joining, +and often standing side by side. As George afterwards expressed it, +"any man set his hand to any job there was to do." Sailors were to +be seen on land in many places, while not a few soldiers helped +with the firing on board the ships.</p> + +<p>All that long morning, however, George Fairburn worked at the +gun to which he had been assigned. Black with smoke, powder, dust, +perspiration, the lad toiled among his companions. For an hour or +two none of the enemy's shots fell very near the spot. But at +length, and almost suddenly, the balls began to fly in too close +proximity to be pleasant. Shot after shot fell within a yard or two +of the gun, and not a few gallant fellows dropped to earth dead or +wounded.</p> + +<p>"By Jupiter!" cried the lieutenant, who was assisting, "they +have got our measure at last! I wonder what it is that makes us so +conspicuous."</p> + +<p>Then, looking round, he beheld behind them, and not five yards +distant, a small clump of elder on which some man had tossed the +flaming red shirt he had thrown off in the broiling heat.</p> + +<p>"Ah!" Fieldsend ejaculated, "there's the offender."</p> + +<p>He sprang away and whipped the tell-tale garment from its bush. +Just as he seized it another shot came, striking the gun in front, +entirely disabling the weapon, and then bounding off. When the men, +hastily scattered by the mishap, looked for the lieutenant, he was +observed lying in front of the bush.</p> + +<p>"Dead!" one of the fellows cried.</p> + +<p>"No," answered George, whose keen eyes detected a movement of +the officer's arm, "but he soon will be, if he is left lying +there!" Another shot struck the bush, only just missing the body of +the prostrate man. In a moment George darted forward towards the +place, in spite of the loud warning shouts of his mates.</p> + +<p>He reached the spot, seized Fieldsend by the shoulders, and by +main force dragged him quickly a dozen yards to the right. It was a +heavy task, but the lad was as sturdy a fellow of his years as one +might have found in a week's march, and his efforts were rewarded +with a cheer from his comrades.</p> + +<p>While the shouts were still ringing, yet one more shot came, +this time striking the exact spot where the lieutenant had a moment +before been lying, and ploughing up the little elder bush by its +roots.</p> + +<p>"As plucky a job as ever I see!" cried the sergeant, running up +with three or four others, and he slapped George on the back with a +heartiness that made the lad wince.</p> + +<p>The wounded man was hastily carried off the field.</p> + +<p>"More stunned than hurt," reported the surgeon, "a nasty tap on +the left shoulder; but he'll be all right in a day or so."</p> + +<p>Within half an hour George Fairburn found himself on board the +<i>Dorsetshire</i>, to assist in the operations against the New +Mole. The signal had come to Captain Whitaker to proceed against +that place, and the ship was headed for the spot. To the surprise +of those on board, they perceived two other ships in advance of +them; they were the <i>Yarmouth</i>, Captain Hicks, and the +<i>Lennox</i>, Captain Jumper, a gallant pair. Boats from the two +vessels were perceived hastening to the shore. The crews landed, +and almost immediately their feet touched ground a dense cloud was +seen to fly up into the air, followed by a deafening explosion.</p> + +<p>"A mine!" rose from a hundred throats, as the <i>Dorsetshire</i> +men watched with straining eyes. It was true; two score gallant +fellows were afterwards found lying on the fatal ground.</p> + +<p>With a determined rush the <i>Dorsetshire</i> men fell upon the +defenders, and George found himself engaged in a hand-to-hand +encounter. It was all over in a few minutes; the handful of +Spaniards could not stand against so powerful a force, and the New +Mole was taken. Hot and exited, the men were carried against +Jumper's Bastion, a strong work a little to the north of the New +Mole, and that place, too, was rushed in an incredibly short space +of time, and with scarcely any loss worth the naming. From this +time George Fairburn kept no count of the long series of exciting +incidents that followed each other, the assault having been carried +to the Line Wall that stretched away northwards to the Old +Mole.</p> + +<p>The attack when at its height was a terrible affair. Sixteen +English ships under the immediate command of Byng, and six Dutch +men-of-war under Admiral Vanderdusen, faced the Line Wall, while +three more English vessels were off the New Mole.</p> +<a name='Illus3'></a> +<br> +<center><a href='images/Illus3.jpg'><img src='images/Illus3-Th.jpg' +width='207' height='333' alt= +'George found himself engaged in a hand-to-hand encounter.'> +</a><br> + George found himself engaged in a hand-to-hand encounter.</center> + +<br> +<br> +<p>No place so meagrely manned with defenders as was Gibraltar +could long stand such an attack, and at length the two Moles, and +the long Line Wall between them, were in the hands of the Allies. +Of all the attacking party none showed more vigorous and fearless +dash than a certain lad of sturdy build, and Hicks himself +perceived the fact.</p> + +<p>"Who is that boy in your company?" he enquired of the +sergeant.</p> + +<p>"Name Fairburn, sir," was the reply; "all along he's been a hot +member," to which the captain said with a smile, as he turned away, +"He most certainly is."</p> + +<p>The next day was a saints' day, and it was strongly suspected, +and at length clearly perceived, that the Spanish sentinels had +left their posts and gone off to mass. It would have been easy to +carry the place at once, but the necessary storming had been done, +and the allied commanders were only waiting for the besieged to +give the signal of capitulation. The besiegers, soldiers and +sailors, had nothing to do but chat.</p> + +<p>Presently some of the sailors declared that it would be a prime +joke to climb the heights and plant their flag there. The notion +was taken up, and presently the temptation grew irresistible to +certain of them, and with merry chuckles the fellows prepared for +the task, an enterprise that was risky in the extreme.</p> + +<p>"I'm one of you!" cried George Fairburn, as he followed the +handful of sailors to the foot of the steep rock.</p> + +<p>"And I!" chimed in yet another voice, and, to George's +astonishment, Lieutenant Fieldsend ran up, his arm in a sling.</p> + +<p>"Better go back, sir," exclaimed the lad, gazing up at the +towering cliff in front of them.</p> + +<p>"Better both on ye go back, I reckon," growled one of the +sailors; "this ain't no job for a landsman."</p> + +<p>Nothing heeding this rebuff, the two soldiers followed up the +steep rock, George giving a hand at the worst spots to his friend +and superior. Up, up, the scaling party mounted, the business +becoming every moment more difficult and more full of danger. More +than once the gallant fellows-in front paused and declared that +further progress was impossible.</p> + +<p>"Oh, go on!" called out George, impatiently, on one of these +occasions, from below, where he was helping up the lieutenant, "or +else let me come," he added, grumblingly.</p> + +<p>The sailor lads needed no spur, however, and amid growing +excitement the summit of their bit of cliff was perceived not far +away. In the dash for the top the active lad passed his fellows in +the race, catching up the foremost man, who held the flag. Seizing +the staff, George Fairburn assisted in the actual planting of the +colours. There, fluttering at the very summit of the Rock, was the +English flag, its unfolding hailed with bursts of cheering, again +and again repeated, from the throngs far below.</p> + +<p>The deed was done, and from that day, the twenty-third of July, +1704, according to the old reckoning, the third of August by the +new style, the British flag has floated from the Rock of +Gibraltar.</p> + +<p>Desperate efforts were made by the garrison to haul down the +flag, but they all failed, and the Governor capitulated. The Prince +of Hesse-Darmstadt was for claiming the fortress, but this Rooke +would not have, and he promptly declared the Rock to be the +possession of his august mistress, Queen Anne. Those of the +defenders who were prepared to take the oath of allegiance to +Charles III were permitted to remain, the rest for the most part +retired to St. Roque.</p> + +<p>The handful of harum-scarum fellows who had scaled the heights +and planted the flag before long found themselves facing the great +Admiral Sir George Rooke himself, on his quarter-deck, Lieutenant +Fieldsend and George Fairburn being of the party. The admiral said +a few words of commendation; few as they were, they were a full +reward for all the efforts the little band had made. Rooke kept the +lieutenant behind for a moment.</p> + +<p>"What do you propose to do now, Mr. Lieutenant?" he inquired, +with much kindly condescension; "our work is about finished, and we +are proceeding home."</p> + +<p>"By you leave, Sir George," the young man replied, with flushed +face, "I should like to join his Grace the Duke in the Netherlands, +and so would the lad Fairburn."</p> + +<p>"Good," said the Admiral, approvingly, "we will see what can be +done when we reach Portsmouth. I have heard something of the boy's +doings. He will go far, if he is fortunate."</p> + +<p>Accordingly, when, after a great fight with the French fleet +under the formidable Count of Toulouse, off Malaga, a doubtful +affair, the English ships reached home, the lieutenant and George +at once offered for service under the Duke, and were accepted. They +sailed away again, for the Netherlands, Fieldsend carrying in his +pocket a few words of recommendation from Sir George to the +commander-in-chief himself.</p> + +<p>The year 1703 had been a sorry year for Marlborough. In the +winter he had lost his son, the Marquis of Blandford, a promising +youth, a Cambridge student. When the spring operations began, he +had found himself hampered at every turn by the jealousies and +oppositions of the Dutch rulers and their commanders. In despair, +Marlborough had marched up the Rhine and taken Bonn. Meanwhile the +French were striving to reach Vienna, there to attack the Emperor. +Returning, the Duke was all eager to attack the great port and +stronghold of Antwerp, the capture of which would be a heavy blow +to Louis. He had, however, to content himself with seizing Huy, +Limburg, and Guilders, a success more than counterbalanced by the +defeat of the Emperor at Hochstädt, by the French and +Bavarians. Disheartened and disgusted, Marlborough went home at the +end of the summer, and it was only by the strong persuasion of Lord +Godolphin, now at the helm of state, that he retained his command +at all. As a set-off against all these disappointments, there were +two matters for rejoicing. The alliance with Portugal has already +been mentioned; now there came the accession to the Allies of +Savoy, for the Duke of Savoy had quarrelled with Louis.</p> + +<p>With intense interest, Lieutenant Fieldsend and George Fairburn +heard, on landing in the Netherlands, of the great victory of +Blenheim that had just been gained by the Allies under Marlborough, +against the combined French and Bavarian forces, commanded by the +famous generals Tallard and Marsin, and the two young soldiers +hoped to learn more of the great fight when they reached the +front.</p> + +<p>"What a bit of ill-luck not to have been there in time, sir!" +George exclaimed.</p> + +<p>The boy had, during his stay in hospital at Lisbon, communicated +with his parents at home, and, to his delight, had received their +consent to his following the profession of a soldier. "It is +useless to stand in the boy's way," the elder Fairburn had said, +"though I could have wished he had taken up almost any other +trade." So the lad had no hesitation in thus taking service in the +army once more.</p> + +<p>When the two, in company with others, reached head quarters, +Lieutenant Fieldsend presented the letter he held from Sir George +Rooke, and was received with the utmost pleasantness by the great +Duke.</p> + +<p>"Humph, Mr. Fieldsend," Marlborough began, when he had glanced +over the contents of the short epistle. "You are a lucky young +fellow to have got Sir George's good word. But where is the lad he +speaks of—Fairburn, I see?"</p> + +<p>"Just outside, your Grace," was the reply, and at a nod the +lieutenant fetched George in.</p> + +<p>The Duke scanned the boy's ruddy face and took note of his +sturdy figure.</p> + +<p>"My lad," he began, "you have begun early. Do you know what +request Sir George makes in this note?"</p> + +<p>"No, sir—my Lord Duke," George stammered in reply, his +knees almost shaking under him.</p> + +<p>"He recommends you for a commission as ensign," the Duke said +quietly, the boy standing almost open-mouthed. "We will give you a +short trial first, for as yet we don't know you. No doubt we soon +shall." And the great man smiled.</p> + +<p>He rapped smartly on the table and an aide-de-camp entered the +tent, saluting.</p> + +<p>"Here, Mr. Blackett," Marlborough gave the order, "take this lad +to your captain, who will see that he is enrolled in your +company."</p> + +<p>The next moment George Fairburn was shaking the other hard by +the hand, the astonishment on both sides too great to admit of a +word between them.</p> + +<br> +<hr style='width: 65%;'> +<br> +<a name='CHAPTER_VII' id="CHAPTER_VII"></a> + +<h2>CHAPTER VII</h2> + +<center>BLENHEIM</center> + +<br> +<p>"Now I can thank you, my dear Fairburn! We shall never forget +it!" were the first words Blackett uttered, and he pressed George's +hand once more in his warm grip.</p> + +<p>"Forget what, Blackett?" the other asked in surprise, "and for +what do you thank me?"</p> + +<p>"Surely you have not forgotten it all, my dear +fellow—Mary—the fire—your splendid rescue!"</p> + +<p>"Ah!" cried George, "and you have been keeping that in mind all +this time?"</p> + +<p>"Not a doubt of that. As I have just said, and repeat, we can +never forget it. From that day you became the dearest friend of our +family, if you will let us call you so."</p> + +<p>"Let you! Heaven knows I am more than delighted to be so. We are +no longer silly schoolboys to fight for the merest trifle."</p> + +<p>The reconciliation between the old rivals was complete, and the +two boys chatted long together.</p> + +<p>"But you are in a cavalry regiment, I see," remarked George +presently, "and a lieutenant. I understood from my father's letter +that you had joined a line regiment with an ensign's +commission."</p> + +<p>"So I did, my boy; but there are queer turns of fortune in war, +and one of them came to me—only a week or two since, it was." +And the lieutenant laughed pleasantly.</p> + +<p>"Tell me how it was," said George, eagerly.</p> + +<p>"It is like singing my own praises, Fairburn," the young officer +went on, "but here goes. I'll put it in a score of words. All last +year I went as Ensign Blackett, seeing bits of service here, there, +and everywhere—at Bonn, on the Rhine, then at Huy, and again +at Guelders—but there was no chance for me. But this summer, +as we were marching here, not a man of us except the Duke himself, +with a notion why we were coming this way at all, we stopped to +storm the Schellenberg, a hill overlooking the Danube near +Donauwörth. We were all dog tired—dead beat, in fact, +for we had marched till we were almost blind. However, as it was +the Duke's, day, he set us at it."</p> + +<p>"Duke's day?" interrupted George, in surprise; "isn't every day +the Duke's day?"</p> + +<p>"It's a funny thing," went on Blackett, laughing, "but as a +matter of fact at that time the Duke was taking alternate days of +command with the Prince of Baden."</p> + +<p>"A queer go!" the listener interjected.</p> + +<p>"Well, to cut my tale short, we made two attacks on that hill, +and both times were driven back. Things began to look like a drawn +game, when up comes Louis, the Prince, you know, with a lot of his +Germans, and at it we went again. In the thick of it, my colonel +suddenly called out, 'Can you ride, Blackett?' 'Try me, sir,' I +says. And he gave me a note for the Duke, telling me that he had +not another officer left who could ride, all our fellows had been +laid low or dispersed. I galloped off like the wind, on a big +hard-mouthed brute. Just as I was nearing the spot where the Duke +stood, a dozen Bavarians suddenly blocked my path and levelled +their muskets. I was on a bit of a slope and above their heads, in +a manner, so I kicked up my nag and in an instant I flew over them, +guns and all. It was a clean jump, and not a shot hit me, by good +luck. My horse managed to carry me on to the Duke, and then fell +dead. The poor beggar had caught what had been intended for me. +Well, now I've done. The Duke, who had seen it all, had me +transferred to a cavalry regiment, with the rank of lieutenant, and +here I am."</p> + +<p>"Yes, and here am I, a private, talking in this off-hand sort of +way to a commissioned officer."</p> + +<p>"That's all right, Fairburn," laughed Blackett, "we haven't +entered you yet. It'll be quite time enough to bother about that +sort of thing then. Officially we shall have to be master and man; +actually we shall be brothers."</p> + +<p>Thus the ancient rivals became comrades in arms, and members of +the same regiment, for George from that time was a cavalry man. His +other friend, Fieldsend, was attached to a line regiment again.</p> + +<p>Bit by bit Lieutenant Blackett, during the next days, contrived +to give his friend a full and vivid account of the great battle of +Blenheim, just won by the Allies. He was not a great hand at a +tale, whatever he might be on the field, and we may piece together +his story for him. His adventures and his doings in that memorable +fight may well delay our tale for a little space.</p> + +<p>That year Louis of France had determined to make a vigorous +effort, or rather a series of efforts, and sent various armies to +oppose the different members of the Grand Alliance. But his main +plan was to attack the Empire, making Bavaria, the Elector of which +was his only supporter in that part of the world, his advance post. +For some time Louis had been secretly encouraging Hungary in the +rebellion she was contemplating. He trusted, therefore, that the +Emperor would find himself attacked by his Hungarian subjects to +rearward, while he was engaged with the combined French and +Bavarian forces in front. It was a very fine scheme.</p> + +<p>But there was one man, and only one, who saw through +it—Marlborough. At once the Duke set off southwards, carrying +with him also a force of Dutchmen, deceiving their rulers by a +ruse. He sent for the valiant Prince Eugene to meet him, and the +two famous generals saw each other for the first time. Mutual +admiration and friendship sprang up between them, to last through +the rest of their lives. Prince Louis of Baden had given some +trouble by wishing to share the command with Marlborough. Him they +at last got rid of by sending him to take the important fortress of +Ingolstadt, commanding the Danube. Marlborough's magnificent march +from the Netherlands to the upper Danube is one of the finest +things in military story.</p> + +<p>Marlborough and Prince Eugene met with the French and Bavarian +forces near the village of Blenheim, on the same river, and close +to Hochstädt, the scene of the defeat of the allied troops the +year before, and joyfully the leaders prepared to join battle. The +commanders on the side of the enemy were Marshal Marsin, the Prince +of Bavaria, and Marshal Tallard. The last of these had managed to +slip past Eugene some time before and join his colleagues.</p> + +<p>The order of battle on the side of the Allies was this. The +right was commanded by Eugene, the left by Lord Cutts, a gallant +officer, the centre, a vast body of cavalry mainly, by Marlborough +himself. Opposed to Eugene were the Elector and Marsin, while +Tallard faced the Duke, but on the farther bank of the little brook +Nebel, which empties itself into the Danube just below. Tallard's +centre was weak, as he had crowded no fewer than seventeen +battalions into the village of Blenheim, on his extreme right and +close to the bank of the great river.</p> + +<p>"Now, gentlemen, to your posts." These words, quietly and +pleasantly spoken by Marlborough, began the great battle of +Blenheim. It was about midday, August 13, 1704. The Duke had been +waiting till he heard that Prince Eugene was ready, and he had +occupied the interval in breakfast and prayers. Every man of his +division was provided with a good meal. He himself had attended +divine service and had received the sacrament the evening +before.</p> + +<p>Lieutenant Blackett found himself one of a body of 8,000 +cavalry, which were ordered to cross the Nebel so as to be within +striking distance of Tallard's troops drawn up beyond the brook. +This work of crossing was likely to be a long and tedious, not to +say a difficult bit of business, the intervening ground being very +boggy. Matthew was far towards the rear of this large body of +horse, and it was evident that it would be hours before his turn +came to cross. In company with hundreds of his comrades, he began +to long for something more exciting.</p> + +<p>The first division to get into serious action was that under the +brave Lord Cutts, to the left of the allied forces. Cutts went by +the nickname of Salamander, so indifferent was he to danger when +under fire. This gallant leader led his men to attack the village +of Blenheim. Twice the assault was made with the utmost vigour and +determination; twice Cutts was driven back. The village was not +only filled with an immense force of French, but was protected by a +strong palisade.</p> + +<p>A horseman was presently seen galloping towards the spot where +the Duke was posted, and his movements were watched with interest +by Blackett and others of the cavalry waiting their orders to +cross.</p> + +<p>"Seems to me he is wounded," the lieutenant observed to a man +near him; to which the other replied, "Yes, he does seem wobbly, +doesn't he?"</p> + +<p>Hardly had the words been spoken when the advancing rider +suddenly fell from his horse, which kept on, however, dragging his +master along by the stirrup. Without a second's delay, Blackett +threw his own beast across the track of the runaway steed, caught +his head, and pulled him up. Then in a moment the youngster was +down on the ground to the assistance of the poor fellow who had +fallen.</p> + +<p>"To the Duke!" the man cried, glancing at a note he held tightly +clutched in his hand. "Quick!" he moaned; "I'm shot through the +back, and done for!"</p> + +<p>"Poor fellow!" murmured the lieutenant, and he seized the +letter, sprang with a bound into his saddle, and was off like the +wind, before his companions had quite realized what it all meant. +Thus for the second time within a few days Matthew Blackett +presented himself before his commander in the part of unofficial +aide-de-camp. The Duke nodded as he recognized the lad, and, +pencilling a few words of reply, said, "To Lord Cutts; then back to +your post." And as Blackett rode off like the wind in a bee-line +for Cutts's division, Marlborough murmured, "A fearless fox-hunter, +I'll be bound." The order, it was afterwards found, was for Cutts +to make no more attempts on Blenheim, but to hold himself in +readiness when his services should again be requisitioned.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile, Prince Eugene was having a lively time of it on the +right wing. He began by leading a cavalry charge against the French +and Bavarians, who were under the command of Marsin and the Elector +respectively. In a few minutes he had forced back the front line +and had captured a battery of six guns. On he sped to confront the +second line, and the opposing forces met with a tremendous shock. +For a moment all was doubtful, but the enemy stood their ground +stoutly. Eugene could make no impression and had to fall back. By +this time the scattered front line of the French had rallied, and, +in spite of the Prince's desperate efforts, the battery was +retaken. The danger to that division of the allied forces soon +became extreme. To save the day, Eugene immediately galloped away +in person, and returned presently, bringing a body of Prussian +infantry he had in reserve. The help of these alone saved him from +defeat.</p> + +<p>At last! Blackett and his comrades were ordered to advance, and +moved towards the Nebel. The ground was in a shockingly bad state. +At its best marshy and water-logged, it was now a sea of mire. The +worst spots had been bridged over, as it were, by the help of +fascines, with here and there pontoons. By this time, however, many +of these had been shifted from their places by the passage of so +many thousands of horse, and the road became worse and worse as the +burn was neared. In one place the men were compelled to come to a +full stop, the ground being simply impassable.</p> + +<p>"We cannot advance, gentlemen," cried the colonel commanding the +regiment, "till we have done some repairs. Now for willing +hands!"</p> + +<p>Some of the officers glanced dubiously at the mud in which the +horses were standing knee-deep, and they did not budge. Not so +Matthew Blackett; with a bound he sprang to the ground, and waded +through the mire, half of his long legs submerged, his brethren +endeavouring to keep their countenances.</p> + +<p>"That's the right way!" sang out the colonel in high +commendation, and a little crowd of the men following the example +of the young lieutenant, the work of repairing the road was soon in +rapid progress, the colonel standing by to direct the operations. +Other officers speedily came to help, rather ashamed to think that +they had allowed the youngster to set them a lead.</p> + +<p>"It's nothing," cried Matthew, cheerfully, as he toiled with a +will. "Many's the time I've stood up to my waist in deadly-cold +water digging out an old dog otter."</p> + +<p>The lad's good-humour and willingness were infectious, and in a +remarkably short space of time the track had been repaired. Then, +with many a joke at each other's expense, the men remounted and +pursued their journey, covered from head to foot with mire, but +cheered by the colonel's approving, "It will serve for all the rest +of the horse, my lads."</p> + +<p>All this time the cavalry were wondering why Tallard took no +steps to stop their passage, and none was more surprised than +Marlborough himself. He did not at the time know that Tallard had +left his centre weak, by sending so many men into the village on +the right. Still less, of course, could the Duke know that Tallard +was expecting a very easy victory. Be that as it may, the Marshal +made no move till Marlborough had got a large part of his men +across the stream and had formed his first line.</p> + +<p>When Blackett arrived on the scene with his regiment he found +that a force of Eugene's cavalry had taken the village of Oberglau, +near the spot. A minute later, almost before the colonel had drawn +up his men, there was a fierce shout, and there came thundering +down upon the village, with almost irresistible shock, a body of +the enemy.</p> + +<p>"Irishmen, by Jove!" cried a man by Matthew's side. "They'll +fight like demons!"</p> + +<p>The attack, in truth, came from the Irish Brigade, a doughty +body of Irishmen, exiles from their country, in the service of +Louis. Before the Englishmen realized the situation the Irishmen +had dashed clean through the force occupying Oberglau, and had +taken up a position between the men and Eugene.</p> + +<p>The confusion was extreme, and the allied troops could scarce be +got to face the resistless Irishmen at all. Things looked +desperate. The colonel of Blackett's regiment, seeing the state of +things at Oberglau, as he toured it, shouted, "Go and tell the +Duke, Mr. Blackett!" and away dashed Matthew once more to the +General. He was a pretty spectacle, but he did not give the matter +a thought, and his news prevented the Duke from paying much heed to +the condition of the messenger.</p> + +<p>"Lead the way," came the sharp order, and Blackett thundered on +in front, the great commander with a body of men hard after him, to +find the energetic and plucky colonel fallen badly wounded, and the +regiment in difficulties. With a swoop, the reinforcements fell +upon the Irishmen, and, almost for the first time, Matthew found +himself engaged in a hand-to-hand encounter. He did not know how +long the conflict lasted, but presently he found the enemy in full +flight, his comrades cheering lustily around him. Marlborough's +promptitude had saved the situation.</p> + +<p>"You fought like a very fiend, Blackett," remarked the major, +laughingly, a little later on, when for the moment operations had +ceased, to which Matthew replied simply, "Did I, sir? I don't +remember anything about it," whereat the major laughed again.</p> + +<p>It was five in the afternoon, and there was a lull on the field. +Up to the present neither side could be said to have gained any +real advantage over the other. All the allied cavalry had crossed +the stream, and the men wondered what would come next.</p> + +<p>They were not left long in doubt. The order came to mass the +horse in preparation for a grand charge. For a time the field was a +scene of rapid and puzzling movement, but order was quickly evolved +out of the seeming confusion.</p> + +<p>Then the trumpet rang out, and there bore down upon Tallard a +magnificent body of eight thousand cavalry. Bore <i>down</i>, we +have written; the course was slightly upwards, as a matter of fact, +from the stream. There was one check, and the Allies were stopped +for a moment. Then like a whirlwind the horse dashed forward, at a +tremendous speed.</p> + +<p>It was too much. The French fired one volley, then turned and +fled. On the Englishmen galloped, and in a few moments the enemy's +line was cut in two. In two different directions the French cavalry +ran, and Marlborough followed after that section which was making +for Blenheim. It was a wild stampede, and Matthew Blackett, as he +dashed after the retreating enemy, always considered it the most +exciting episode in his life.</p> + +<p>It did not last long. By great good fortune the lieutenant found +himself one of those surrounding Marshal Tallard. Amidst a wild +burst of applause the gallant Frenchman surrendered, and before he +knew well what he was doing, Blackett was leading Tallard's horse +by the bridle. The lad saw the Duke glance towards him as he +dismounted to receive the gallant leader and invite him into his +carriage.</p> + +<p>The victory was practically won. There remained only the +seventeen battalions in the village of Blenheim, and these, hemmed +in on the one side, and bounded by the river on the other, gave +little trouble. The poor fellows, in fact, were unable to stir, and +many a man of them sprang into the river in his desperation, only +to be hopelessly carried away by the swift current, and +drowned.</p> + +<p>It was a terrible scene of bloodshed, and it was an untold +relief to the Englishmen when their gallant foes in the village +gave in. One French regiment had actually burnt its colours to save +them from being taken.</p> + +<p>Thus ended the great fight of Blenheim, a fight in which the +enemy had lost no fewer than forty out of their sixty thousand men. +The Allies had had fifty thousand troops and had lost eleven +thousand of them. The wonderful renown of the French army had +received a mighty blow. No longer could Louis boast that his troops +were invincible.</p> + +<p>To Marlborough the victory brought the royal manor of Woodstock +and the palace of Blenheim. To the humble Matthew Blackett it gave +a place near the great Duke's own person, as we have seen.</p> + +<br> +<hr style='width: 65%;'> +<br> +<a name='CHAPTER_VIII' id="CHAPTER_VIII"></a> + +<h2>CHAPTER VIII</h2> + +<center>COMRADES IN ARMS</center> + +<br> +<p>It was always a puzzle to George Fairburn that the Duke had so +unexpectedly assigned him to a cavalry regiment, and his friend +Lieutenant Blackett could not help with the solution.</p> + +<p>"I suppose it was just an accident," Matthew said with a laugh; +"he saw a horse-soldier before him in the person of your servant +here, and so turned you over to me. I'm mighty delighted, anyhow, +that we are thrown together. We shall have a good time of it, I +feel sure."</p> + +<p>"We shall, if there's plenty to do," George assented with a +smile.</p> + +<p>There was plenty to do. At the very moment when the boy and +Lieutenant Fieldsend arrived, the Duke had given orders to prepare +for another long march, and within a couple of days George found +himself one of a large body of troops heading for the Rhine valley. +A halt was called before Landau, and the siege of this stronghold +began. The affair proved to be a slow business, the attacking force +being very short of military material. Days passed; the fortress +stood firm, no apparent impression being made at all.</p> + +<p>"I dare wager the Duke won't stand cooling at this job," +remarked Matthew to George and Fieldsend one evening. The latter +with his regiment was assisting in the siege, and he had already +taken a great liking for Matthew Blackett, a liking Matthew was not +slow to reciprocate.</p> + +<p>The prophecy was not far wrong. Almost before dawn the very next +morning Marlborough was marching, with twelve thousand men, largely +cavalry, towards the Queich valley, across a bit of country that +for badness could hardly be matched even in the wilds of Connemara. +On man and horse tramped, till the ancient city of Trèves +was reached. The Duke prepared for a siege, but he was saved the +trouble. The garrison was far too weak to hold the place, and the +place fell into his hands almost without a blow. George Fairburn +grumbled at his luck, but was cheered by Matthew's laughing reply, +"Don't seek to rush things too quickly, my dear lad; your time is +coming."</p> + +<p>It was. After ordering the siege of Traerbach, Marlborough flew +back with a portion of his men to Landau, in his own breathless +fashion, and before many hours were over Fairburn was as keenly +interested in the siege as if he had never scampered all the way to +Trèves and back again. A week or two passed by, and still +the place held out, though it was plain the end was near.</p> + +<p>One day a sudden assault was planned on a weak spot in the +defences, a spot where some earlier damages had been ineffectively +repaired. George, with a troop of cavalry on foot, under the orders +of Lieutenant Blackett, suddenly started off at the double, spurred +by their officer's "Come along, lads! through or over!" With a roar +of delight the men, mostly young fellows, dashed toward the spot, +regardless of the whistling bullets that flew around. In a breach +of the defences, a place not more than four or five feet wide, +stood a huge Frenchman, whirling his sword over his head. The +attackers pulled up for a moment, all except George, who kept right +on, till he was close upon the big fellow with the sword. The +Frenchman lunged out fiercely at the lad, but the Englishman +skipped out of the way like a cat. Then before the man could use +his weapon again George had charged him head first, like a bull, +his body bent double. With a shock his head came into contact with +the fellow's knees, and in a moment the Frenchman had tumbled +helplessly on his face. The rest of Blackett's little band dashed +over the prostrate enemy and into the fortress. The stronghold was +taken.</p> + +<p>"Send Cornet Fairburn to me, Mr. Blackett," said the colonel +that same evening, and much wondering the lieutenant obeyed.</p> + +<p>"Cornet Fairburn sounds well," he remarked to George. "Wonder if +the old colonel has made a mistake about it."</p> + +<p>There was no mistake at all. When George Fairburn returned from +his interview with his commanding officer, it was as Cornet, not as +Trooper Fairburn. It was by the Duke's own order, it appeared. That +night the three friends, all with commissions in their pockets now, +made merry in company. Sir George Rooke's desire had been speedily +realized, and George had taken his first step upwards.</p> + +<p>Marlborough marched to meet the King of Prussia, whom he +persuaded to send some eight thousand troops to the help of the +Duke of Savoy, in Italy. Then he went home to receive his honours, +and the memorable campaign of 1704 came to an end.</p> + +<p>Marlborough was a statesman as well as a brilliant commander, +and he had his work at home as well as abroad, a work the winters +enabled him to deal with. He was now quite aware that his best +friends, that is to say, the chief supporters of his war schemes, +were the Whigs, and he was working more and more energetically to +put their party in power. Harley and St. John took the place of +more violent Tories, and in 1705 a coalition of Whigs and Tories, +called the Junto, managed public affairs, more or less under +Marlborough's direction. The Duchess still held her sway over the +Queen, and the two ladies addressed each other as Mrs. Morley (the +Queen) and Mrs. Freeman respectively. Already there were influences +at work to undermine the power of the Marlboroughs, but their +political downfall was not yet.</p> + +<p>Scottish matters were giving a good deal of trouble to the +English government. Two years before, in 1703, the Scotch +Parliament had passed an Act of Security, the object of which was +to proclaim a different sovereign from that of England, unless +Scotland should be guaranteed her own religious establishment and +her laws. Now this year, 1705, the Parliament in London placed +severe restrictions on the Scotch trade with England, and ordered +the Border towns to be fortified. The irritation between the two +countries grew and grew, and war seemed within sight. A commission +was accordingly appointed to consider the terms of an Act of Union, +the greater portion of Scotland, however, being strongly opposed to +any such union at all.</p> + +<p>The spring of 1705 found the Allies active once more. The main +interest centres in the Netherlands and in Spain. The Earl of +Peterborough, who took the command in Spain, was one of the most +extraordinary men of his time. His energy and activity were +amazing, and he would dash about the Continent in a fashion that +often astounded his friends and confounded his enemies. No man knew +where Peterborough would next turn up. "In journeys he outrides the +post," Dean Swift wrote of him, and the Dean goes on to say,</p> + +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">So wonderful his expedition,<br> +</span> <span style="margin-left: 2em;">When you have not the least +suspicion,<br> +</span> <span style="margin-left: 2em;">He's with you like an +apparition.<br> +</span> + +<p>Add to this that the Earl was a charming man, full of courage +and enthusiasm, and able to command the unbounded affection of his +troops, and you have the born leader of men. Of Peterborough's +brilliant exploits in the Peninsula in 1705 a whole book might be +written. His chief attention was first given to the important town +of Barcelona, a place which had successfully withstood Rooke, and +in the most remarkable fashion he captured the strong fort of +Monjuich, the citadel of the town, with a force of only 1,200 foot +and 200 horse. Barcelona itself fell for a time into the hands of +Peterborough and the Archduke Charles, now calling himself Charles +III of Spain. Success followed upon success, and whole provinces, +Catalonia and Valencia, were won over. So marvellous was the story +of his doings, indeed, that when, in the course of time, George +Fairburn heard it, in the distant Netherlands, he was disposed to +wish he had remained in Spain. Yet he had done very well, in that +same year 1705, as we shall see.</p> + +<p>Almost from his resumption of the command in the early spring of +that year, Marlborough met with vexations and disappointments. He +had formed the great plan of invading France by way of the Moselle +valley, and our two heroes, who had heard whispers as to the work +being cut out for the Allies, were ready to dance with delight. +They were still frisky boys out of school, one may say. But the +plan was opposed in two quarters. First, the Dutch, statesmen and +generals alike, threw every obstacle in the way. They would not +hear of the project. Then Louis of Baden was in one of his worst +sulky fits, and for a time refused his help. When he did consent to +go, he demanded a delay, pleading that a wound he had received at +the Schellenberg, in the previous year, was not yet fully healed. +The troops the Duke expected did not come in; instead of the 90,000 +he wanted, but 30,000 mustered.</p> + +<p>"It is no go," Blackett said to his friend with a groan.</p> + +<p>At this juncture the Emperor Leopold died, and the Archduke's +elder brother Joseph succeeded him.</p> + +<p>"Spain is bound in the long run to drop into the hands of either +France or Austria," the two young officers agreed. Already the lads +were beginning to take an interest in great matters of state, as +was natural in the case of well-educated and intelligent +youngsters. And they felt that when either event should happen it +would be a bad day for the rest of Europe.</p> + +<p>Baffled in his great scheme, Marlborough set his hand to another +important work. Across the province of Brabant in Flanders the +French held a wonderful belt of strongholds, stretching from Namur +to Antwerp. No invasion of France could possibly be made from the +Netherlands so long as Louis held this formidable line of defences. +Moreover, the near presence of these fortresses to Holland was a +standing threat to the Dutch, and, when Marlborough made known his +plans to them, they for once fell in with them.</p> + +<p>Thus it happened that Lieutenant Blackett and his friend Cornet +Fairburn found themselves once more in the thick of war. They had +had a preliminary skirmish or two not long before—the +retaking of Huy, the frightening of Villeroy from Liége, and +what not—but now something more serious was afoot. That the +task the Duke had set himself was a difficult one, every man in his +service knew, but they knew also that he was not a commander likely +to be dismayed by mere difficulties. Villeroy, the leader of the +French, had 70,000 troops with him, a larger force than the Allies +could get together.</p> + +<p>It was near Tirlemont that Marlborough began his operations. The +march to the place went on till it was stopped by a small but +awkward brook, the Little Gheet, on the farther side of which the +French were very strongly posted in great numbers. So formidable an +affair did the crossing appear that the Dutch generals objected to +the attempt being made. Marlborough, usually the best-tempered of +men, was in a rage, and determined to push the attack in spite of +them. It was the morning of July 17, 1705.</p> + +<p>"We are in for hard knocks to-day, if appearances go for +anything," Blackett said quietly to George, as their regiment +prepared, with the other cavalry, to open the proceedings.</p> + +<p>"So much the better," was George's laughing answer; "without +hard knocks there is no promotion, eh?"</p> + +<p>All was ready; the bugle rang out the signal for the attack. The +long line of Marlborough's horse fronted the Gheet at no great +distance away, the field-pieces were in position, the infantry and +reserves somewhat to the rear. Beyond the stream, with the +advantage of rising ground, were planted the French guns, supported +by a powerful host.</p> + +<p>Away! The cavalry dashed onwards at a terrific pace. A sharp +rattle of musketry rang out, and in a moment a sprinkling of the +advancing troopers fell from their saddles. George Fairburn was +already warming to the work, and he sat his steed firmly. Then a +ball struck the gallant animal, and in an instant the rider was +flung over its head. The young cornet narrowly escaped being +trampled to pieces by his comrades as they swept by in full career. +Up he sprang, however, a trifle stunned for the moment, but +otherwise no worse. Quickly recovering his sword, which had flown +from his grasp, he darted after his more fortunate companions, and +arrived breathless on the scene.</p> + +<p>A fierce struggle for the passage of the river was going on, and +desperate fighting was taking place in the very bed of the stream, +a trifle lower down its course. For a time George endeavoured in +vain to find a way through the struggling mass of men and horses to +the brink of the Gheet; the press and the confusion were too great. +Accordingly he ran on behind the lines of horse, to find a place +where he might thrust himself in. Where his own comrades were he +could not tell. Bullets were flying thick around him as he ran, but +he did not give the matter a thought. It was characteristic of him +all through his life, indeed, that when his attention and interest +were strongly engaged on one matter he was all but oblivious to +every other consideration.</p> + +<p>At length his chance appeared, and an opening presented itself. +Springing over the prostrate bodies of men and horses, he reached +the bank. To his surprise the stream seemed to be very deep. As a +matter of fact the waters were dammed lower down by the mass of +fallen men and animals lying across their bed. Without hesitation +he dashed into the flood, his sole thought being to get himself +across and so into the enemy's lines. With his sword held tightly +between his teeth, the boy officer swam, as many another lusty +Peterite would have been able to do. He reached mid stream.</p> + +<p>Suddenly he became aware of a sharp pain in his left shoulder. A +moment later he grew faint. In vain he struggled to keep afloat; +the world grew dark to him, and he sank beneath the surface.</p> + +<p>A tall fellow, fully six foot three in his stockings, if he was +an inch, had just managed to wade through the stream, his nose +above the surface, a comical sight, if anybody had had the time to +notice it. Looking back, this man saw George disappear, and without +hesitation he dashed into the water again. Reaching the spot, he +groped about, and then, with both hands clutching an inanimate +form, he dragged his burden to the bank.</p> + +<p>"George, by Heaven!" he cried, as soon as he could get a glimpse +of the features. It was true; Matthew Blackett had saved his +friend's life at the risk of his own. And it had been a risk, for a +dozen bullets had splashed around him as he had hauled his heavy +load along.</p> + +<p>"Blackett!" exclaimed Fairburn, a moment or two later, when, +recovering, he opened his eyes. "Where's your horse?"</p> + +<p>"Done for, poor wretch! And yours?"</p> + +<p>"Shot under me, at the very first volley. And it was you who +dragged me out! I shall remember it! But here we are on the right +side; come on!"</p> + +<p>The lads gripped each other warmly by the hand, and side by side +dashed on into the thick of the <i>mêlée</i>. A large +number of the allied cavalry had by this time made good their +passage across, in spite of the fiercest opposition on the part of +the enemy. In vain Blackett urged his companion to withdraw and get +himself away with his wounded arm. George would not budge an inch. +It was only a flesh wound, it afterwards appeared. So the two +North-country lads stood by each other. For an hour or more they +were hotly engaged, the enemy falling back inch by inch.</p> + +<p>Then came ringing cheers. The French had abandoned the position; +the famous and hitherto impregnable line of defences had been +broken. Our heroes breathed more freely when a short respite came. +But the interval of rest was short. Colonel Rhodes, their +commanding officer, catching sight of the pair, as he was +collecting his men again, joyfully hailed them, and a minute later +George and Matthew, provided once more with mounts, were cantering +with the rest to the renewed attack. The enemy had made another +stand some distance farther back.</p> + +<p>Another struggle, and this second position was like wise +carried, with a grand sweep. Victory was at hand.</p> + +<p>Suddenly a startling report ran through the English lines. The +Duke was missing! Where was the mighty General? was the question on +every lip. Somebody ran up and said a word to Colonel Rhodes. +Instantly the gallant officer and his men were galloping off to a +distant part of the field, the troopers wondering what was afoot. +The explanation soon appeared. Marlborough had become separated +from the main body of his army, and now, with but a very few men +around him, was in imminent danger of capture by the French troops, +who were pouring thick upon the spot.</p> + +<p>Colonel Rhodes charged at the head of his regiment straight upon +the French, and a lane was cut through. It was a matter of a few +minutes. The Duke was saved, and the enemy retired in woeful +disappointment. The first to reach the Duke were Blackett and +Fairburn, and the lads were flushed with joy and pride when their +distinguished leader, looking at them with a smile, said, with all +his old pleasantness of manner, "Gentlemen, I thank you."</p> + +<p>The Brabant line of strongholds was broken. Villeroy fell back, +and Marlborough had his will on the defences. No inconsiderable +section of the belt was rendered useless. No longer did an +impassable barrier stretch between the Netherlands and France. The +importance of the victory could hardly be overstated. As one writer +has well pointed out, "All Marlborough's operations had hitherto +been carried on to the outside of these lines; thenceforward they +were all carried on within them."</p> + +<p>A day or two later the Duke came to inspect the regiment to +which our boys belonged, just as he was inspecting others. The men +with their officers were drawn up, and the General's eyes ran along +the line. Presently he spoke a word to the colonel in command of +the regiment, and, to their no small confusion, Lieutenant Blackett +and Cornet Fairburn were called out to the front.</p> + +<p>"How old are you?" the Duke inquired, as the youths saluted.</p> + +<p>"Nearly twenty, may it please your Grace." "Just turned +nineteen, by your Grace's leave." Such were the replies.</p> + +<p>"Hum!" said the Duke thoughtfully, "you shall have your +promotion in due course. You are young, and can afford to wait for +it." This to Matthew. "As for you"—turning to +George—"you have fairly earned your lieutenancy." And he +turned away.</p> + +<br> +<hr style='width: 65%;'> +<br> +<a name='CHAPTER_IX' id="CHAPTER_IX"></a> + +<h2>CHAPTER IX</h2> + +<center>ANNUS MIRABILIS</center> + +<br> +<p>"Don't imagine, my dear lad, that they are going to make +captains of mere boys like ourselves." This was the reply, given +with a hearty laugh, when George Fairburn, after receiving his +friend's warm congratulations at the close of the inspection, was +condoling with Matthew on his failure to get his step. "A captain +at twenty is somewhat unlikely," Blackett went on. "I suppose so," +replied George. "After all we are only glorified schoolboys, some +of our fellows tell us. Yet you look three-and-twenty, if a day. +However, all will come in time, let us hope."</p> + +<p>The brilliant operations on the defence line proved to be but +the prelude to Marlborough's second great life disappointment. He +saw his chance. He had but to follow up his success by a decisive +victory over Villeroy's forces, and the way lay open to Paris. His +hopes ran high.</p> + +<p>Alas! the Dutch had to be reckoned with. Eager to follow up his +advantage, Marlborough called for assistance, immediate and +effective, from them; in vain; the assistance did not come, or came +too late. With what help he could get from the Dutch, nevertheless, +he went forward to the Dyle. Here again the Dutch balked him, +raising objections to the crossing of that river. In despair the +Duke gathered his troops, as it happened, strangely enough, on the +very spot where, a hundred years later, another great Duke gained +his most famous victory over the French. Could Marlborough have but +had his chance with Villeroy in that spot, there is little doubt +that Europe would have seen an earlier Waterloo.</p> + +<p>But it was not to be. Just as the Margrave of Baden had stopped +his advance along the Moselle into France the previous year, so now +the supineness and factious opposition of the Dutch prevented +Marlborough from dealing the French power a crushing blow. Deeply +disgusted, he threatened once more to resign his command. "Had I +had the same power I had last year," he wrote, "I could have won a +greater victory than that of Blenheim." It was a bitter trial for +him.</p> + +<p>The campaign of 1705 soon after came to a close, and the Duke +set off on what we may call a diplomatic tour among the allied +states, his travels and negotiations producing good results. It was +not till the beginning of 1706 that he went back to England, and +thus it was late in the spring of that year when the campaign was +reopened.</p> + +<p>Rejoining his army in the Netherlands, he proposed to make +another of his great marches, namely into Italy, there to join his +friend Prince Eugene in an invasion of France from the south-east. +This plan was made impossible by the crookedness of the kings of +Prussia and Denmark, and some others of the Allies. Swallowing this +disappointment also, as best he might, Marlborough started from the +Dyle and advanced on the great and important stronghold of Namur, +at the junction of the Sambre with the Meuse. Namur had always been +greatly esteemed by the French, and, in dread alarm, Louis ordered +Villeroy to take immediate action. The result was that the two +hostile armies, each numbering about sixty thousand men, met face +to face near the village of Ramillies, half way between Tirlemont +and Namur, and near the head waters of the Great and Little Gheet +and the Mehaigne.</p> + +<p>Lieutenants Fairburn and Blackett from their position on a bit +of rising ground could take in the general dispositions of the +respective forces, and the same thought passed through both their +minds. The French and Bavarian troops were drawn up in the form of +an arc, whose ends rested on the villages of Anderkirk, to the +north, and Tavières, on the Mehaigne, to the south. The +villages of Ramillies and Offuz, with a mound known as the Tomb of +Ottomond at the back of the former, were held by a strong centre. +Marlborough, on his part, had disposed his men along a chord of +that arc. If it came to a question of moving men and guns from one +wing to the other, it was plain that the Duke had the advantage, +the distance along an arc being necessarily greater than that along +its chord, and it was that thought which came into the heads of the +two lieutenants.</p> + +<p>Marlborough directed his right to attack the enemy around the +village of Anderkirk, backing up the assault with a contingent from +his centre. Blackett and his friend were soon taking part in the +gallop over the swampy ground in the neighbourhood of the village. +A sharp encounter followed, the Frenchmen beginning to waver. +Hereupon Villeroy in alarm promptly sent from his centre a large +number of men to support his staggering left at Anderkirk, thereby +leaving his centre weak.</p> + +<p>All at once Marlborough withdrew his troops to the high ground +opposite the hamlet of Offuz, as if for a fresh attack. Then +sending back a part to keep up the pretence of continuing the +combat in the marsh, he took advantage of the concealment afforded +by the higher ground, and, cleverly detaching a large body, ordered +them to slip away round to seize Tavières, on the Mehaigne. +George and his friend were thus separated, the latter being of +those who remained in the swamp to keep up appearances. It was a +clever bit of strategy, and, before Villeroy realized the truth, +Tavières had been rushed with a splendid charge. The fact +that the attack on Anderkirk had been only a feint came to the +French commander's understanding too late. His centre, with the +village of Ramillies and the Tomb of Ottomond commanding it, the +really important positions of the day, was weakened by the loss of +troops sent on a wild-goose chase.</p> + +<p>Ere Villeroy could repair the mischief and summon his men from +Anderkirk, Marlborough had sent down upon the French centre a great +body of cavalry under the command of Auerkerke, the Dutch general. +English and Dutch horse combined in this assault, and George +Fairburn found himself one of a host dashing upon the village of +Ramillies. There was a terrific shock, a few moments of fierce +onslaught, and the first line of the enemy gave way. Through the +broken and disorganized line the cavalry swept, to charge the +second.</p> + +<p>Another shock, even greater than the first. The Frenchmen of the +second line stood firm, for were they not the famous Household +Regiment—the Maison du Roi—of Louis, and probably the +finest troops in Europe. The advance of the Allies was instantly +checked. In vain Auerkerke urged on his men; in vain those men +renewed the attack. The enemy stood steadfast; they began to drive +back their antagonists; the position of the Allies was becoming +critical.</p> + +<p>"Go and inform the Duke! Quick, quick!" the Dutchman called out +to a young officer whom he had observed fighting with the utmost +determination near by, but who had stopped for a moment to recover +his breath.</p> + +<p>It happened to be Lieutenant Fairburn, and George once more +found himself face to face with the Duke, for the first time since +he had met him after the rush of the French defence line near +Tirlemont last year. Marlborough, the youth could see by his quick +glance, knew him again. In a word or two George delivered his +startling message.</p> + +<p>"By Jove, sir," declared the subaltern, when telling his story +to his colonel afterwards, "never did I see so spry a bit of work +as I did when I had said my little say. The Duke was ten men rolled +into one, sir. Orders here, there, and everywhere; fellows sent +darting about like hares. In a few minutes—minutes! I was +going to say seconds—every sabre had been got together, and +we were all tumbling over each other in our hurry to get along to +the fight. It was a fine thing, sir."</p> + +<p>The commander, sword in hand, led his reinforcement to the fatal +spot with the speed of the whirlwind. He had almost reached it when +he was suddenly set upon by a company of young bloods belonging to +the Maison du Roi. They were nobles for the most part, and utterly +reckless of their lives. Recognizing the Duke, they made a +desperate attempt to secure him, closing round him with a dash.</p> + +<p>"Great Heaven!" ejaculated George Fairburn, as his eye suddenly +fell upon the Duke fighting his way out of the group, and in +company with fifty more he flew to the spot. At that moment +Marlborough, now almost clear, put his horse to a ditch across his +track. How it happened no one could tell exactly, but the rider +fell, and dropped into the little trench. Marlborough's career +appeared at an end. His steed was cantering madly over the +field.</p> + +<p>But friends were at hand, and before the Frenchmen could +complete their work the little company had beaten them off. George +leapt to the ground, and drew his horse towards the General, who +had sprung to his feet in a trice, nothing the worse.</p> + +<p>"Here, sir," said the lieutenant, handing the bridle to an +officer in a colonel's uniform, who stood at hand, and the colonel +held the animal while the Duke mounted.</p> +<a name='Illus4'></a> +<br> +<center><a href='images/Illus4.jpg'><img src='images/Illus4-Th.jpg' +width='207' height='333' alt='The Rescue of Marlborough.'></a><br> +The Rescue of Marlborough.</center> + +<br> +<br> +<p>Before the Duke had fairly gained his seat in the saddle, a ball +with a rustling hum carried off the head of the unfortunate +colonel. It was an appalling sight, and George Fairburn was forced +to turn away his eyes.</p> + +<p>The crisis was too serious, however, to waste time in vain +regrets. Without the loss of a moment Marlborough led the charge +upon the enemy. The famous Household Brigade fell back, and the +village of Ramillies was taken. Then another fierce struggle, but a +brief one, and the Tomb of Ottomond was secured, the position which +commanded the whole field. The battle was almost at an end.</p> + +<p>There remained only the village of Anderkirk in its marshy +hollow, and Marlborough called together his forces from the various +parts of the confused field. Another charge was sounded, the last. +The enemy turned and fled. Ramillies was won.</p> + +<p>The victory, quite as important in its way as Blenheim, had been +gained in a little over three hours. The loss on the side of the +Allies was hardly four thousand; that of the French and Bavarians, +in killed, wounded, and prisoners, was four times as great. All the +enemy's guns, six only excepted, fell into the hands of the +victors.</p> + +<p>There was one heavy drawback to the pride which the young +Lieutenant Fairburn naturally felt at having had a humble share in +the great victory. At the muster of the survivors of his regiment +Blackett was missing. Half the night did George search for him, and +was at last rewarded by finding the young fellow lying wounded and +helpless on the boggy ground. It was an intense relief when the +surgeon gave good hopes of Matthew's ultimate recovery.</p> + +<p>"I'm done for this campaign, old friend," Blackett said with a +feeble smile to George, "and must be sent home for a while. But I +hope to turn up among you another year."</p> + +<p>If to follow up a great victory promptly, vigorously, and fully, +be one of the distinguishing marks of a great commander, then the +Duke of Marlborough was certainly one of the greatest generals of +whom history tells. Hardly anything more striking than his long and +rapid series of successes in the weeks after Ramillies can be +credited to a military leader, not even excepting Wellington and +Napoleon. Louvain, Brussels, Antwerp, Ghent, Bruges, all fell into +his hands. Menin, Ostend, Dendermonde, and a few other strongholds +gave pore trouble, and the brave Marshal Vendôme was sent to +their assistance. It was useless; Vendôme turned tail and +fled, his men refusing to face the terrible English Duke. "Every +one here is ready to doff his hat, if one even mentions the name of +Marlborough," Vendôme wrote to his master Louis. The +remaining towns capitulated, and the Netherlands were lost to the +Spanish. Of the more important fortresses only Mons remained.</p> + +<p>But Marlborough's were by no means the only successes that fell +to the Allies that wonderful year. Prince Eugene and the Duke of +Savoy, the former after a rapid march, appeared before Turin, and +on the 7th of September that notable place fell into the hands of +the Prince, after brilliant efforts on both sides. The result was +of the utmost importance; the French were demoralized; Savoy was +permanently gained for the Grand Alliance; while Piedmont was lost +to the French, who were thus cut off from the kingdom of +Naples.</p> + +<p>George had often wondered what had become of his old friend +Fieldsend, whom he had not seen since the capture of Landau. But in +the autumn of this year, 1706, while Fairburn was quartered at +Antwerp, he received a letter from the lieutenant. It appeared that +at his own request Fieldsend had been allowed to return to Spain, +and he had served ever since under Lord Peterborough. The writer's +account of the victories gained by Peterborough and the Earl of +Galway in Spain that year read more like a fairy tale than real +sober history. The sum and substance of it was that Peterborough +had compelled the forces of Louis to raise the siege of Barcelona, +and that Galway had actually entered Madrid in triumph. Had the +Archduke Charles had the wit and the courage to enter his capital +too, his cause might have had a very different issue from that +which it was now fated to have.</p> + +<p>Just before Christmastide George received permission to return +to England on leave for a few weeks. He had never visited his old +home all those years, and it was with delight he took his passage +in a schooner bound for Hull. Hardly had he landed at that port +when he ran across the old skipper of the <i>Ouseburn Lassie</i>. +The worthy fellow did not at first recognize the schoolboy he had +known in the sturdy handsome young fellow wearing a cavalry +lieutenant's uniform, and he was taken aback when George accosted +him with a hearty "How goes it, old friend? How goes it with you?" +The skipper saluted in some trepidation, and it was not till George +had given him a handshake that gripped like a vice that he knew his +man again. Soon the two were deep in the work of exchanging +histories. The crew of the captured collier brig, it appeared, had +been kept at Dunkirk till the autumn of 1704, when they had been +exchanged for certain French prisoners in ward at Dover. The +Fairburn colliery had prospered wonderfully, and the owner now +employed no fewer than four vessels of his own, one of which ran to +Hull regularly. In fact, the skipper was just going on board to +return to the Tyne.</p> + +<p>Within an hour, therefore, Lieutenant Fairburn was afloat once +more, to his great joy. On the voyage he learnt many things from +the old captain. Squire Blackett was in very bad odour with the men +of the district. For years his business had been falling off, and +he had been dismissing hands. Now his health was failing; he was +unable or unwilling to give vigorous attention to his trade, and he +talked of closing his pit altogether. The colliers of the +neighbourhood were desperately irritated, and to a man declared +that, with anything like energy in the management, the Blackett pit +had a fortune in it for any owner.</p> + +<p>The well-known wharf was reached, a wharf vastly enlarged and +improved, however, and George sprang ashore impatiently. Leaving +all his belongings for the moment, he strode off at a great rate +for home, rather wondering how it was that he did not see a single +soul either about the river or on the road. He rubbed his eyes as +he caught a sight of his boyhood's home. Like the wharf, the house +had been added to and improved until he scarcely recognized the +spot at all. "Father must be a prosperous man," was his thought. +Opening the door without ceremony, he entered. A figure in the hall +turned, and in a moment the boy had his mother in his arms, while +he capered about the hall with her in pure delight.</p> + +<p>The good woman gave a cry, but she was not of the fainting kind, +and soon she was weeping and laughing by turns, kissing her +handsome lad again and again. Presently, as if forgetting herself, +she cried, "Ah, my boy, there's a parlous deed going on up at the +Towers! You should be going to help." And George learned to his +astonishment that the Squire's house was being at that moment +attacked by a formidable and desperate gang. Fairburn had gone off +to render what assistance he could. It was reported that the few +defenders were holding the house against the besiegers, but that +they could hold out little longer. The Fairburn pitmen had declined +to be mixed up in the quarrel, as they called it.</p> + +<p>"Good Heavens!" exclaimed George, "what a state of things!"</p> + +<p>Bolting out of the house, he ran back at full speed to the +wharf, his plan already clear in his head. Within ten minutes he +was leading to Binfield Towers every man jack of the little crew, +the old skipper included. The pace was not half quick enough, and +when, at a turn in the road, an empty coal cart was met, George +seized the head of the nag, and slewed him round, crying "All +aboard, mates!" The crew tumbled in, and in an instant the +lieutenant was whipping up the animal, to the utter astonishment of +the carter.</p> + +<p>Nearer to the mansion the party drew, but, hidden by the trees, +it was not yet in sight. The old horse was spent, and, when a point +opposite the house had been gained, George sprang out, vaulted over +the fence into the wood, dashed through the growth of trees, and +with another spring leapt down upon the lawn, almost on the +selfsame spot where he had jumped over on the evening of the fire. +For the last hundred yards he had been aware of the roar of angry +voices. The sight that met his eyes, now that he was in full view +of the scene, was an extraordinary one.</p> + +<p>Scattered about the trampled grassplots was a crowd of pitmen, +surging hither and thither, some armed with pickaxes, some with +hedge-stakes, some with nothing but nature's weapons. One fellow +was in the act of loading an old blunderbuss. Reared against the +wall of the house were two or three ladders, one smashed in the +middle. The lower windows had been barricaded with boards, but the +mob had wrenched away the protection at one point, and men were +climbing in with great shouts of triumph.</p> + +<p>From the bedroom windows men were holding muskets, ready to +fire, but evidently unwilling to do so except as a last resource. +George spied his old friend Matthew at one window; at another, +astonishing sight! stood no other than Fieldsend! His own father +was at a third.</p> + +<p>At that moment the fellow below raised his blunderbuss and took +deliberate aim at the old Squire, who, all unconscious of his +danger, was endeavouring to address the mob from an upper window. +The sight seemed to grip George by the throat.</p> + +<p>George carried a handspike, a weapon he had brought along from +the collier vessel. A dozen rapid and noiseless strides over the +grass brought him within striking distance, and instantly, with a +downward stroke like a lightning flash, he had felled to earth man +and blunderbuss. The report came as the man dropped, and with a +yell one of the rioters climbing through a lower window dropped +back to the ground, shot through the thigh by one of his own +party.</p> + +<p>"Saved!" the lieutenant shouted, a glance showing him that the +old Squire was still unhurt. All eyes, those of the defenders no +less than those of the attacking party, were immediately attracted +to the new-comer, who was just in the act of seizing the +blunderbuss from the grasp of the prostrate and senseless +pitman.</p> + +<p>"George!" "Fairburn!" "My boy!" came the cries from the upper +windows, and the defenders cheered for pure joy.</p> + +<p>The mob, startled for a moment, prepared to retaliate, a hasty +whispering taking place between two or three of the leaders. "Look +out for the rush!" cried Matthew, warningly. George, with a bound, +gained the wall, where, back against the stonework, he stood ready +with the handspike and the clubbed musket. So formidable an +antagonist did he seem to the men that they held back, till one of +them, with a fierce imprecation, dashed forward. In a trice he was +felled to the ground, a loud roar of rage escaping the man's +comrades. An instant later and the young lieutenant was fighting in +the midst of a howling mob.</p> + +<p>"Ah! Drat you!" came a bellow, and there rushed upon the rear of +the attackers the old skipper, cutlass in hand, followed close by +the rest of his little crew. This apparition, sudden and +unexpected, upset the nerves of the pitmen, and in a moment they +began to run, falling away from George and tumbling over each other +in their haste.</p> + +<p>"No you don't!" hissed the youngster between his firm-set teeth, +and making a grab at a couple he had seen prominent in the fight, +he held them with a grip they could not escape.</p> + +<p>The attackers were routed; Binfield Towers was saved. Within a +minute George was being greeted, congratulated, thanked, till he +was almost fain to run for it, as the bulk of the mob had done. His +father, Matthew, Fieldsend, even old Reuben—all crowded +around with delight. In no long time Mrs. Maynard and Mary Blackett +appeared, smiling through their tears of joy at their great +deliverance. The latter had so grown that George hardly recognized +her. All came up except the old Squire, and he was presently found +in an alarming condition, one of his old heart attacks having come +on. It was the only drawback to the joy of the meeting and the +ending of the danger that had threatened the household.</p> + +<p>Early next morning word was carried to the Fairburns that Squire +Blackett was dead; he had never recovered from the shock and the +seizure consequent thereon.</p> + +<p>"Poor old neighbour!" Fairburn said, with a mournful shake of +the head, "I am afraid he has left things in a sorry state."</p> + +<p>Fairburn's fears were only too well founded. Mr. Blackett had +left little or nothing, and Matthew and his sister would be but +indifferently provided for. Then it was that Fairburn came out like +a man. He proposed to run the colliery for their benefit. To the +world it was to appear that the collieries had been amalgamated or +rather that the Blackett pit had been bought up by his rival. The +advantage to Matthew and Mary was too obvious to be rejected, and +the required arrangements were made. Before the time came for the +three young officers to go back to their duties they had the +satisfaction of seeing Mrs. Maynard and Mary settled in a pretty +cottage near, and the colliery in full work and prospering, the +district employed and contented. Mary had been pressed by the +Fairburn family to take up her abode with them, but had preferred +to go into the cottage with her old governess and friend. Yet she +was overwhelmed with gratitude towards the kindly couple.</p> + +<br> +<hr style='width: 65%;'> +<br> +<a name='CHAPTER_X' id="CHAPTER_X"></a> + +<h2>CHAPTER X</h2> + +<center>"OUR OWN MEN, SIR!"</center> + +<br> +<p>Marlborough was late in taking the field that year. Important +matters engaged his attention at home. He saw more clearly than +ever that the Whigs alone were the real supporters of him and his +war plans. The party even passed a resolution to the effect that +they would not hear of peace so long as a Bourbon ruled over Spain. +Then there were the intrigues at work that were undermining the +influence of the Duchess of Marlborough, and consequently of the +Duke himself, at Court. Harley was known to be working for the +overthrow of Marlborough. He was preparing to introduce a +formidable rival to the Duchess in Anne's regards.</p> + +<p>The young men were nothing loth to go back to their respective +regiments, to say truth, when the time came. Inaction did not seem +to agree with their young blood. Matthew, his wound now quite +healed, was eager to get his next step. Fieldsend was already +captain, and hoped ere the close of the 1707 campaign to get his +majority. As for George Fairburn, he was quite content to be a +soldier for soldiering's sake, yet would thankfully take promotion +if it came his way. Blackett had paid a visit to the west-country +home of the Fieldsends, and it was whispered that he had there +found a mighty attraction. But more of this may come later.</p> + +<p>The year, to the bitter disappointment of our young officers, +proved an unlucky one. In all directions things went wrong. As for +Marlborough, from the very opening he experienced the old Dutch +thwartings and oppositions, and, after a short and vexatious +summer, he closed the campaign almost abruptly, and much earlier +than in former years. There was to be no promotion for anybody yet +awhile.</p> + +<p>In Spain there was an overwhelming disaster. The French and +Spanish forces, commanded by the redoubtable Berwick, completely +defeated the combined English, Dutch, and Portuguese troops under +Galway, at Almanza. So great a misfortune was this that Galway +declared that Spain would have to be evacuated by the Allies. The +cause of the Archduke Charles was to all intents and purposes lost, +and the Bourbons were henceforth firmly seated on the throne of +Spain.</p> + +<p>Misfortune trod on the heels of misfortune. Prince Eugene +attempted to take Toulon, the chief naval station in the +Mediterranean, but failed to accomplish the task he had set +himself. On the Rhine the Prince of Baden was badly defeated by +Villars, at Stollhofen, the disaster laying Germany open to +invasion by Louis. The gallant Sir Cloudesley Shovel, who had risen +from the position of cabin-boy, was drowned in a great storm off +the Scilly Islands, England thereby losing one of her ablest +admirals.</p> + +<p>Glad were George and Matthew when, after a dull winter, the Duke +opened his campaign of 1708. The young men were now greater friends +than ever, and not unnaturally so, after all that had happened and +was happening. The reports they had occasionally from the elder +Fairburn were in the highest degree cheering. The two ladies were +well; the pits were prospering marvellously.</p> + +<p>The feeling at home, rumour said, was setting strongly in favour +of ending the war and coming to terms with France. This discontent +at home was supplemented by murmurings among the troops quartered +at Antwerp, and still more by the uneasiness of the Dutch, who were +disposed to make a separate treaty with France and drop out of the +conflict. Marlborough felt that he must achieve some brilliant +success before that campaign was ended.</p> + +<p>"There is going to be hot work for us, that is plain," the two +lieutenants said to each other, "and, if we have luck, we shall get +the promotion we have been waiting so long for."</p> + +<p>Bruges and Ghent had gone back to the French allegiance, and +Louis determined to make an attempt to secure Oudenarde also, an +important fortress lying between the French borders and Brabant. +The French army boasted two generals, the royal Duke of Burgundy, +an incapable leader, and the Duke of Vendôme, a most capable +one. A more unfortunate partnership could not well be imagined; +Burgundy and Vendôme were in everything the opposite of each +other, and the quarrels between them were as numerous as they were +bitter, so that the army of Louis XIV was handicapped at the very +outset.</p> + +<p>It was three in the afternoon of July 11. The Allies were fagged +out with the marchings and the heat of the day when they came in +sight of the enemy's forces near Oudenarde.</p> + +<p>"Precious glad of a rest!" Matthew Blackett remarked when the +signal to halt came. To his surprise and dismay the order to form +immediately followed.</p> + +<p>"Just like the Duke," commented his friend Fairburn.</p> + +<p>Quickly the cavalry were got together for a charge.</p> + +<p>"The old fellow doesn't intend the Frenchmen to slip away +without fighting," the men remarked to one another.</p> + +<p>Suddenly, almost before the whole body of horse was ready, +Marlborough directed a charge to be made. For the first time our +lieutenants found themselves not in the Duke's own division. The +commander of the right wing, a very strong force, was Prince +Eugene, who, having now nothing to do in Italy, had hurried +northwards to join his friend. In such hot haste had the Prince +travelled, indeed, that he had out-stripped his own army. Here was +Prince Eugene, but not Prince Eugene's men. His wing at Oudenarde +consisted entirely of English troops, while Marlborough's own wing +was composed of men of various other nationalities.</p> + +<p>Almost all writers on military tactics agree that the battle of +Oudenarde was one of the most involved and intricate on record, and +that it is well nigh impossible to give any detailed account of the +puzzling movements. The leading points were these.</p> + +<p>Marlborough's force crossed the Scheldt; then the opposing wing +of the French left the high ground they occupied and swooped down +upon him, endeavouring to force the Allies back into the river. A +terrible hand-to-hand encounter followed, bayonet and sword alone +being used for the most part in such cramped quarters. In the thick +of it the Duke sent the Dutch general with a strong detachment to +seize the vantage ground on the rise which the enemy had lately +left. The move was successful, and the French found themselves +between two fires.</p> + +<p>It was growing dusk. Eugene and his men had forced back their +opponents and were now following hard after them. Suddenly shots +came flying in, and in the dimness of the departing day an +advancing column was observed to be moving towards them. What could +it mean? Apparently that the enemy had rallied and were once more +facing them. It was an entirely unexpected change of front, but +Eugene prepared to meet the shock once more. George Fairburn took a +long look, shading his eyes with his hands.</p> + +<p>"By Heaven, sir!" he said, addressing Colonel Rhodes, "they are +our own men!"</p> + +<p>"Impossible, Fairburn!" the colonel answered. But Blackett and +others backed up George's opinion. The word ran quickly along the +line that the shots came from friends, not from the foe, and some +consternation prevailed.</p> + +<p>The next moment, at a nod of assent from the colonel in answer +to their eager request, Lieutenants Blackett and Fairburn were +galloping madly across the intervening space, each with his +handkerchief fastened to the point of his sword, and both shouting +and gesticulating. Bullets began to patter around them, but +heedless they dashed on. It seemed impossible they could reach the +advancing column alive.</p> + +<p>Half the distance had been covered, when the two horsemen saw on +their left a great body of troops tearing along towards them in +furious haste. "The French!" George exclaimed; "there's no mistake +about them!" On the two flew towards their friends, for the men +towards whom they were speeding had by this time discovered their +mistake and had ceased firing. It was a neck and neck race, and a +very near thing. As the horsemen cleared the open space and dashed +safe into the arms of their friends, a huge rabble of demoralized +French swept across the path they had just been following. No +narrower escape had the two young fellows yet had.</p> + +<p>The truth was at once evident. The Dutchman's division, having +driven the enemy from the high ground, had wheeled, and was thus +meeting the Prince's wing, which in its turn had advanced along a +curving line. Each body in the growing darkness had mistaken the +other for the enemy. The plucky dash made by the two young fellows, +though happily not in the end needed, nevertheless received high +praise from their brother officers, and especially from the colonel +himself.</p> + +<p>For the next half-hour the fleeing French poured headlong +through the gap across which the lieutenants had galloped, between +the Dutchman's division and the Prince's. Darkness alone prevented +the slaughter from being greater than it was. The numbers of those +who fell on the field of Oudenarde, important as the battle was, +were in fact far short of those killed at Blenheim or +Ramillies.</p> + +<p>What was there now to prevent Marlborough from marching straight +on Paris itself? He was actually on the borders of France, +victorious, the French army behind him. He was eager; the home +Government would almost certainly have approved of the step. The +heart of many a young fellow under the great leader beat high, when +he thought of the mighty possibilities before him. But it was not +to be. The Prince raised the strongest objections to the Duke's +bold plan, and the Dutch were terrified at the bare thought of it. +So Marlborough turned him to another task, the siege of the great +stronghold of Lille. It may be observed in passing that +Vendôme wanted to fight again the next day after Oudenarde, +but Burgundy refused. Vendôme in a rage declared that they +must then retreat, adding, "and I know that you have long wished to +do so," a bitter morsel for a royal duke to swallow.</p> + +<p>Lille had been fortified by no less a person than the great +master of the art, Vauban himself. In charge of its garrison was +Marshal Boufflers, a splendid officer. Louis was as resolute to +defend and keep the place as the Allies were to take it. The actual +investment of the town was placed in the hands of Eugene, whose men +had by this time arrived, while Marlborough covered him. The siege +train brought up by the Duke and his generals stretched to a +distance of thirteen miles. Berwick and Vendôme were at no +great distance away.</p> + +<p>The siege of Lille lasted a full two months, and few military +operations have produced more splendid examples of individual dash +and courage.</p> + +<p>Blackett and his friend found themselves one day taking part in +a risky bit of business. Throughout the siege there had been some +difficulty in procuring provisions for the Allies, and supplies +were drawn from Ostend. On this occasion an expected convoy had not +arrived to time, and a reconnoitring party had accordingly been +sent out to glean tidings of it. From a wooded knoll a glimpse of +the missing train was caught, and at the same moment a large body +of French was perceived approaching from the opposite direction. +The Frenchmen had not yet seen the convoy, being distant from it +some miles, the intervening country thickly studded with +plantations. But in half an hour the two bodies would have met, and +the provisions sorely needed would have fallen into the enemy's +hands. It was a disconcerting pass, and George Fairburn set his +wits to work.</p> + +<p>"I have a plan!" he cried a moment later, and he hastily told it +to the officer in command, Major Wilson. That gentleman gave an +emphatic approval.</p> + +<p>Behold then, a quarter of an hour later, a couple of young +peasants at work in a hayfield down below. Stolidly they tossed the +hay as they slowly crossed the field, giving no heed to the tramp +of horses near. A voice, authoritative and impatient, caused them +to look round in wonderment, as a mounted officer came galloping +up. He inquired of the peasants whether they had seen anything of +the convoy, describing its probable appearance. The listeners +grinned in response, and the face of one of them lit up with +intelligence, as he made answer in voluble but countrified +French.</p> + +<p>"Where have you picked up such vile French?" inquired the +officer.</p> + +<p>"I'm from Dunkirk, please your honour," the man replied with +another grin, to which the other muttered, "Ah! I suppose the +French of Dunkirk is pretty bad!"</p> + +<p>In another minute the yokels were leading the way through a +plantation, along which ran a little stream. At one spot the water +was very muddy, and the marks of hoofs were plentiful. "We are +evidently close upon them," remarked the officer jubilantly, and at +a brisk trot he and his men rode on, a gold louis jingling down at +the feet of the peasants as the party dashed away.</p> + +<p>"Now for it!" whispered George, for he and Matthew were the two +rustics, "we can save the convoy. Our men, after trampling over the +burn here, will have turned as we agreed. We shall find them in the +next plantation."</p> + +<p>He was right in his conjecture. The two regained their friends +just as the head of the convoy hove in sight. To lead the train in +a different direction, and to safety, was now easy. The supplies +reached their destination.</p> + +<p>"Ton my honour, young sirs," the Colonel exclaimed, when he +learnt the story, "it was a smart trick, but a risky +one—confoundedly risky, gentlemen!"</p> + +<p>The fall of Lille reduced France to desperation. Louis was at +his wits' end. To his credit, he sought earnestly to negotiate a +peace for his unhappy and exhausted country. The terms offered by +the Allies, however, were too exacting, and not a Frenchman but +rose to the occasion; this, however, was in the following year. So +the campaign ended, the enemy beaten and exhausted, but not in +utter despair.</p> + +<p>Captains Blackett and Fairburn were once more granted a term of +leave when late autumn came round. From London, which George saw +now for the first time, the two travelled all the way to Newcastle +in the wonderful stage-coach which ran from the English to the +Scotch capital.</p> + +<p>In high spirits they hurried towards their native village. At +the entrance to it they came all at once upon a gentleman walking +in the company of three ladies.</p> + +<p>"Fieldsend!" declared Matthew.</p> + +<p>"Yes, by Jove!" cried George, "And with three ladies all to +himself. It's too much!"</p> + +<br> +<hr style='width: 65%;'> +<br> +<a name='CHAPTER_XI' id="CHAPTER_XI"></a> + +<h2>CHAPTER XI</h2> + +<center>THE HARDEST FIGHT OF THEM ALL</center> + +<br> +<p>There had been an attempted descent on the shores of Scotland in +1708, the Old Pretender, under the auspices of Louis XIV, seeking +to land 4,000 men in the Firth of Forth. Admiral Byng with sixteen +vessels was ready for the French expedition, and their fear of the +redoubtable sailor kept the enemy from doing anything, so that this +attempt came to less even than that which followed seven years +later.</p> + +<p>Politics about this time demanded much of Marlborough's care and +thought. The power of the Whigs was still growing, Harley, St. +John, and others of the moderate Tories giving way to such strong +and active Whigs as Somers, Walpole, and Orford. It was in 1709 +that a violent quarrel took place between "Mrs. Morley" and "Mrs. +Freeman." The Queen was becoming more than ever dissatisfied with +Marlborough's policy. The overthrow of the Churchills was coming +nearer.</p> + +<p>Abroad matters did not improve. It was true that Stanhope, the +English general, took Minorca. But the cause of Philip of Spain was +now strong. When, therefore, the Whigs demanded that as a condition +of peace Louis should turn his grandson out of Spain, Europe was +astounded. The proposal was impossible, ludicrous. Philip prepared +to go on with the conflict, saying, with fine spirit, "If I must +continue the war, I will contend against my enemies rather than +against my own family." Such was the state of things in the summer +of 1709.</p> + +<p>We have left a group of ladies and gentlemen standing in the +lane all this time. Matthew had his sister in his arms in a moment, +for one of the ladies was Mary Blackett.</p> + +<p>"My sister," Fieldsend said, "and Miss Allan," by way of +response to the inquiring looks of the newcomers. Then George and +Matthew learnt many things that surprised them. They had had no +news from home all the summer, the one letter that had been sent +having miscarried. Binfield Towers was once more occupied, Mr. +Fairburn having found an excellent tenant for the place in Mr. +Allan, the eminent shipping-merchant of London, the very man into +whose office George was to have gone. The little group laughed +merrily at the thought of the gallant Captain Fairburn wielding a +long quill in a dingy office. Mr. Allan, a widower, who had taken +up his abode in the mansion, bringing with him his only daughter, +Janet, had not been two months in the village before he had made an +offer of marriage to the devoted Mrs. Maynard, and the old lady was +now mistress of Binfield Towers. Mary Blackett had thereupon taken +at their word the affectionate offer of the Fairburns, and was now +to them as a daughter. Nor was this all. Fieldsend's old father had +lately died, and the Major himself had succeeded to the baronetcy +and had left the army. Brother and sister had accepted with +pleasure the invitation that had come to them to spend a few weeks +with the kindly Mr. and Mrs. Fairburn. Matthew was to make the same +hospitable roof his abode.</p> + +<p>"The good old dad will find it a bit of a squeeze," George +ruminated, as he walked with the rest towards the family cottage. +Cottage! He gave a jump when the home came into full view. It was a +veritable mansion. The original nucleus was there, but so deftly +added to and surrounded by a regular series of new wings, and so +framed and embellished by wide lawn and flower-bed that George did +not know this fine place. He remarked on the change when his mother +came to his room at bedtime, to give him his good-night kiss as she +had been wont to do in the days of old.</p> + +<p>"Father wanted to make the place a bit more presentable now we +have an officer son," the good dame explained, with simple and +pardonable pride. "And we can afford it," she added, blushing like +a shy schoolgirl as she made this whispered confession; "besides we +had Mary to consider, too." It was all very charming, George +thought.</p> + +<p>The winter passed all too quickly. Mr. Allan proved to be a +capital neighbour, and had a great liking for young people about +him. So there were pleasant times, at the Towers—dinners, +balls, shooting and hunting parties, and the like. All the eligible +society of the country-side found its way to Binfield Towers. Yet +somehow George Fairburn did not fall into a fit of the blues when +Sir Mark Fieldsend took his sister back to their west-country home; +in fact, strange to say, George rather rejoiced to see the back of +the retired major, his old comrade-in-arms. Why this was so he +would have found it hard to explain, for a more unassuming and +agreeable fellow than the baronet it would not have been easy to +find.</p> + +<p>It was a real delight to everybody to hear how the Blackett pit +was now prospering. Under Fairburn's management the colliery had +made a clear profit of five thousand odd pounds in the course of a +single year's working. It was astounding. "Mary and you will be +rich folks again, my dears," the good Mrs. Fairburn remarked, in +her own homely but kindly way, to the brother and sister, and +Matthew felt a lump in his throat.</p> + +<p>The wrench to George, when the time came for him and Matthew to +return to the Continent, seemed somehow vastly greater than it had +been on the two former occasions. However, once across the sea, he +cast all else than his profession to the winds. He did not know it, +of course, but the campaign that was coming was to prove to the +Allies the most costly they had yet experienced. The negotiations +for a peace had ended in nothing, and here was Marshal Villars, the +only great French leader as yet unbeaten by Marlborough, ready with +a force of no fewer than 110,000 men. True, many of his soldiers +were raw recruits while those of his opponent were mostly seasoned +veterans. True also, France was so crippled for money and munitions +of war that it was rarely possible to give every man of the army a +full breakfast. Yet Villars was a general that would have to be +reckoned with, and this Marlborough well knew when he used every +effort to swell the numbers of his troops in the Netherlands.</p> + +<p>Marlborough's aim was that of the previous year, to force his +way into France and to its capital. In order that such a step might +be made possible, it was necessary that no stronghold should be +left behind. Accordingly the Allies set about reducing the three +that still remained,—Mons, Valenciennes, and Tournai, not +forgetting that they had also Villars to deal with. A beginning was +made with Tournai, an enormously strong place, and reckoned to be +of the best of all Vauban's works.</p> + +<p>Marlborough employed stratagem, and it succeeded as usual. He +made a pretence of advancing, and Villars, to strengthen his force, +withdrew a number of troops from Tournai. Then the Duke, with a +swift night movement, invested the town. The garrison made a stout +defence, and our two captains had their work cut out for them. +Never in all his career had George Fairburn been so careless of his +own safety, his brother officers declared. It was not that he +despised danger, or was ignorant of its existence; he simply did +not think of it, his mind being occupied solely with the problem of +reducing this impregnable fortress.</p> + +<p>"Be not rash, gentlemen," Colonel Rhodes thought it advisable to +say to the younger men among his officers. "There are mines in all +directions, if rumour is to be believed. Do not expose yourselves +to needless risk. We are already losing heavily, and men are not to +be had for the whistling." And privately the kindly old +fellow—the youngsters called him old, though he was still +short of fifty—added an extra word of caution to George. "You +are a born soldier, Fairburn, but you never seem to be able to +remember when you are in danger; you forget it like a thoughtless +schoolboy. Well, now, for our sakes, if not for your own, take care +of yourself, so far as it is possible, there's a good fellow." And +with a kindly smile and a fatherly shake of the hand, the colonel +turned away. He had said the last word he was ever to say to +George.</p> + +<p>An hour later a terrific explosion was heard; a cloud of dust +flew into the air. A mine had been exploded, and the report came in +that more than a hundred poor fellows of Marlborough's forces had +perished. George Fairburn was more than ever determined to do what +he could to discover hidden mines.</p> + +<p>That very afternoon a company of men, who had prosecuted their +search in spite of the deadly hail of bullets that came from a +neighbouring battery, found another mine, a particularly formidable +affair. Eagerly George Fairburn pressed forward, his friend Matthew +close behind. Suddenly Colonel Rhodes dashed up, crying, "Fall +back, for Heaven's sake! There's another mine below this, I have +just learnt. For your lives!" And the brave man galloped off, his +retreat followed by a startled rush for safety on the part of the +men.</p> + +<p>"Come along, George! What are you after?" cried Matthew, +observing that his friend did not budge.</p> + +<p>"I'm not going till I've settled this mine," Fairburn +answered.</p> + +<p>Even as they spoke the ground heaved with a mighty convulsion +beneath their feet, and an appalling roar rent the air, the echo +resounding far and near.</p> + +<p>"Ah! You're feeling better? That's right."</p> + +<p>George Fairburn opened his eyes and beheld the face of none +other than the Duke himself gazing kindly down upon him! It was the +evening after the fearful explosion, and Marlborough was making a +tour of the hospital wards, where lay long rows of wounded men. +George had been unconscious, and the Duke's words were caused by +the fact that the young man happened to open his eyes for the first +time as the General passed him. Before the sick man could answer a +word, Marlborough had passed on, with a quiet remark to Major +Wilson, "I know the lad's face well."</p> + +<p>"Where's Blackett?" George now inquired. The Major shook his +head. "And the Colonel?" Another mournful shake. George closed his +eyes dazed, stupefied.</p> + +<p>Three hundred poor fellows had perished in that double +explosion. Colonel Rhodes's battered body had been picked up; +Blackett's could not be distinguished, but doubtless the gallant +lad was one of the mass of victims whose remains were mangled +beyond recognition.</p> + +<p>Captain Fairburn took no further part in the siege of Tournai. +After a month of terrible fighting, all but the citadel was +captured by the Allies, and five weeks saw that also in their +possession.</p> + +<p>There was a long glade or clearing between two extensive +plantations. At the southern end of this glade, behind strong +entrenchments, the great army of Villars was drawn up, every man +eager to fight, for every Frenchman believed in the Marshal's luck, +and that his presence would certainly bring them victory. Away to +the north was Marlborough, equally eager to begin the combat, +Eugene and the Dutch generals with him. In deference to the wishes +of the Prince the Duke had made the fatal mistake of waiting two +days, and all that time the enemy had been throwing up their +formidable trenches. It was the famous field of Malplaquet, the +last on which Marlborough was fated to fight a pitched battle. The +object of Villars was to prevent the Allies from taking Mons, not +far away, to northwards, the siege of which was in progress. +Marlborough had lost heavily at Tournai; Villars, behind his +defences, had suffered comparatively little. But on the other hand +the Prince of Hesse had broken through the strong line of defence +works which the French had rapidly and skilfully thrown up. Now, +here, at Malplaquet, the Allies had a hard task before them. +Villars held not only the glade but the woods on either side, and, +moreover, sat in safety behind his extensive entrenchments.</p> + +<p>For some reason not well understood the Duke for the first time +began the battle, though it would have seemed clearly his best +policy to endeavour to draw Villars from the strong position he +held. There was little in the way of fine tactics displayed, or +even possible, on either side; it was a question simply of sheer +pluck and dogged determination. The Highlanders, for the first +time, had joined the army of the Allies, and they and the famous +Irish Brigade under Villars specially distinguished themselves, if +any detachment can be said to have gained special distinction in a +fight where all showed such conspicuous gallantry.</p> + +<p>Eugene was wounded behind the ear, but refused to withdraw and +have his wound dressed. "No," said he, "it will be time enough for +that when the fight is over." Villars was also badly hurt, yet he +had a chair brought, in which he sat to direct his men till he +fainted. Boufflers, the hero of Lille, took his place.</p> + +<p>Charge after charge was made by the Allies into the woods, and +desperate fighting took place. Once and again Marlborough's troops +were repulsed with awful loss; as often they returned to the +attack. After four hours of heavy fighting the French fell back, +and the victory remained with the Allies.</p> + +<p>Just before Villars sounded his retreat George Fairburn, who had +charged and fought all the while with his usual forgetfulness of +himself and of danger, found himself just outside the eastern edge +of the wood Taisnière, in company with the others of his +troop. He was almost exhausted with his efforts, and, besides, was +hardly himself again yet, after his terrible experience at Tournai, +and he sat for a moment half listlessly in his saddle. A cry near +him drew his attention, and, turning his head, he beheld Major +Wilson in the act of falling from his charger. He had received a +bullet in the leg. Before George could get to this side, Wilson was +on the ground, his horse galloping away.</p> + +<p>At the same instant a fierce shout was heard, and George saw +dashing to the spot one of the redoubtable Irish Brigade. Like +lightning the young captain leapt from his horse, lifted Wilson +from the ground, and by main strength threw him across the animal, +crying, "Off with you!" giving the horse a thump with his fist on +the quarters to start him into a gallop. Then, looking round, he +found the Irishman bearing down upon him at desperate speed, and +but a yard or two away.</p> + +<p>In a trice Fairburn darted behind the trunk of a fine tree at +his elbow. It was an oak, from which ran out some magnificent limbs +parallel with and at a distance of six or eight feet from the +ground. Nothing heeding, the Irishman kept on, his sword ready for +a mighty stroke. Then instantly he was swept violently from his +horse, and backwards over the tail, his chest having come into +contact with one of the great boughs. All this had passed like a +flash.</p> + +<p>George made a grab at the bridle, but, missing it, fell +sprawling to the ground. Springing up, he found his fallen +antagonist risen and upon him. "English dog!" roared the Irishman, +and the next moment the two men were at it, both excited, both +reckless.</p> + +<p>How long they fought they never knew. Apparently the spot was +deserted save for themselves and sundry wounded who lay around. It +was a desperate encounter. The Irishman had the advantage in height +and strength, Fairburn in youth and activity. In the matter of +swordsmanship there was little to choose between the two; in +respect of courage nothing. It was to be a duel to the death.</p> + +<p>The moments flew by, each man had received injuries, and the +blood was flowing freely. Still the swords flashed in the air. Then +suddenly the Irishman's weapon snapped at the hilt, and the gallant +fellow dropped at the same moment to the ground. Instantly George +set his foot on the prostrate man's chest, and cried, "Now your +life is at my mercy! What say you?"</p> + +<p>"If I must die, I must," the Irishman answered doggedly, "but," +he added quickly, a sudden thought striking him, "take this first, +and see it put into the hands of the person mentioned on it, sir." +The trooper pulled from his breast a piece of paper soiled and +crumpled, and George, wondering much, took it at the man's hands. +His foot still on his fallen foe, Fairburn unfolded the dirty and +tattered paper. It was the cover of a letter, and he read with +staring eyes the address on it, "To Captain M. +Blackett,—Dragoons." The handwriting he well knew; it was +that of Mary Blackett.</p> + +<p>"Great Heaven!" the reader cried, "where did you get this?"</p> + +<p>"It was given me by a poor fellow, an officer, who escaped from +the big explosion at Tournai. He blundered by mistake into our +lines, and our fellows were about to finish him—leastways one +chap was, but I landed him one between his two eyes, and that +stopped his game."</p> + +<p>"And you saved the Englishman's life?"</p> + +<p>"I did, sir; I thought it hard luck when the young fellow had +just escaped that terrific blow up as he had, to put an end to him +the minute after."</p> + +<p>"Get up, for God's sake, man; you have saved the life of my +dearest friend!" And seizing the Irishman's arm, George pulled him +to his feet, and wrung the hand hard in his own. "You are a fine +fellow, a right fine fellow. What is your name? I shall never +forget you."</p> + +<p>"Sergeant Oborne, sir, at your service. But you have not read +the paper yet."</p> + +<p>"True," and George deciphered the line or two written in pencil +on the back of the paper. "I am alive and well, but a prisoner with +the French. Be easy about me; I am well treated. M.B."</p> + +<br> +<hr style='width: 65%;'> +<br> +<a name='CHAPTER_XII' id="CHAPTER_XII"></a> + +<h2>CHAPTER XII</h2> + +<center>CONCLUSION</center> + +<br> +<p>Almost before Captain Fairburn had read the last word of +Matthew's communication, so cheering and so strangely brought into +his hands, the French signal to retreat sounded loud all over the +field, a mournful sound to one of the two listeners, a delight to +the other, George and Oborne glanced into each other's face. "What +will you do?" the former asked.</p> + +<p>"I am your prisoner and defenceless; it is not for me to say," +the Irishman answered simply.</p> + +<p>"Nay, not so, good fellow. You shall do exactly as you prefer, +so far as I am concerned. I can do no less for you."</p> + +<p>The prisoner shrugged his shoulders and muttered something about +catching it hot, if he ran, to which the captor replied, "So you +would, I am afraid, if any of our men got near you. We have lost +heavily, and our temper's a bit ruffled for the moment. If you care +to come with me as my prisoner I'll see you through safe. What's +more, I'll do my best to get you exchanged for the man you +saved."</p> + +<p>"Thank you, captain; that's my best card to play, as things are +going. But I'd have given something to have it the other way +about."</p> + +<p>"Of course you would, my good fellow. It's the fortune of war; +I'm up to-day, you're up to-morrow. And you've no cause to be +anything but mighty proud of yourselves—you of the Irish +Brigade. I never saw better stuff than you've turned out this +day."</p> + +<p>"And many's the thanks, son. A bit o' praise comes sweet even +from an enemy."</p> + +<p>"Enemies only professionally, Oborne; in private life we're from +to-day the best of friends."</p> + +<p>At a later hour Sergeant Oborne informed Fairburn that he had +carried Captain Blackett's paper about with him for some little +time, having had no opportunity of passing it on to any likely +Englishman, or having forgotten it when he had the opportunity.</p> + +<p>The slaughter at Malplaquet was terrible on the side of the +Allies, amounting to 20,000, or one-fifth of the whole number +engaged. The French, who had fought under shelter, lost only about +one half of that total. Mons surrendered shortly afterwards, and +the victory was complete, the road to Paris open. Yet what a +victory! Villars declared to his royal master that if the French +were vouchsafed such another defeat, there would be left to them no +enemies at all.</p> + +<p>This proved to be the Duke of Marlborough's last great battle +and his last great victory. "A deluge of blood" it had been. And, +what was worse, rarely has a great victory produced so little +fruit. Marlborough had quite expected to see his success at +Malplaquet put an end to the war. It did nothing of the kind; for +two more years the war continued. The rest of its story, however, +may be told in a very few words.</p> + +<p>Louis XIV once more asked for peace, and made certain offers to +the Allies, but these would be contented with nothing less than the +expulsion of Philip from Spain. The conference, at Gertruydenberg, +therefore came to nothing. This was in the early part of 1710. The +work of capturing the fortresses in French Flanders and the +province of Artois was proceeded with, and in 1711 Marlborough took +Bouchain, in France. But the Duke had apparently lost heart to some +extent, and there was no very vigorous action. At home the war had +become hateful to a very large proportion of the people; its cost +in men and money frightened them.</p> + +<p>The year 1710 was a busy and a decisive time in Spain. At first +success seemed to lean to the side of the Allies, General Stanhope, +the English leader, defeating the French and Spanish at Almanza, +and the Dutch General Staremberg doing the like at Saragossa. +Charles the Archduke, styling himself Charles III, now for the +first time entered Madrid. It was also the last time. Presently +Stanhope was badly defeated at the important battle of Brihuega, +and Staremberg shortly afterwards lost at Villa Viciosa. This +decided matters in Spain. Charles was compelled to flee the +country, and Philip's throne was finally secured to him.</p> + +<p>The end of the war came in an altogether unexpected and strange +fashion. This was the sudden downfall of the Marlboroughs and of +the Whig interest. For some time the Queen had been tired of the +Duchess of Marlborough, and had been inclining more and more to +Mrs. Masham, formerly Abigail Hill, a cousin of Harley, through +whom the minister was intriguing for the overthrow of the +Churchills. Then Dr. Sacheverell, a London clergyman, afterwards so +notorious, had preached violently against the Whigs, who were +foolish enough to impeach him. Sacheverell was suspended for three +years, and in consequence became exceedingly popular among the +Tories, and their party gained greatly in the country. Moreover the +writings of certain pamphleteers tended much to damage the cause of +the Whigs. Dean Swift was at once the ablest and the bitterest of +these. Harley managed to get Godolphin dismissed from office. And +one day, early in 1711, Anne suddenly took from the Duchess her +various offices at Court, while later in the same year the Duke +himself was deprived of his command of the army, and was succeeded +by the Irish peer Ormonde. He, however, was ordered to take no +active steps in the war which was still in theory going on. A +general election came soon after, and the Tories had a large +majority over the Whigs. The Tories came into office, and all Whig +members of the Whig ministry were dismissed. From that time to the +present the principle has obtained of having the King's Ministers, +or the Cabinet, with the other chief administrators, drawn from the +same side in politics.</p> + +<p>The Tories now sought to bring to a close a war that had become +so unpopular. Louis XIV was also suing for peace. Then in 1711 the +Emperor Joseph died, and his brother the Archduke succeeded him as +Charles VI. It was now useless to trouble further to support or +oppose the claims of either candidate for the Spanish throne. Spain +might as well be in the hands of a Frenchman as be assigned to the +powerful Emperor. It would have been absurd, in short, for England +to go on fighting for Charles.</p> + +<p>The famous treaty of Utrecht, in 1713, brought the war to an +end. By this treaty several important matters were settled. Philip +retained Spain, but gave up for ever his claim to the throne of +France. Louis acknowledged the Hanoverian succession, and gave back +to the Dutch the line of "barrier fortresses" about which so much +blood had been shed. France gave up to Britain Newfoundland and +some other possessions in North America, and Spain resigned +Gibraltar and Minorca. The Emperor received Milan, Sardinia, and +Naples. The rest of the Allies received little or nothing, and loud +was the outcry they raised.</p> + +<p>George Fairburn did not remain abroad till the conclusion of +peace. During the year 1710, at a time when things were at a +standstill in the Netherlands, he received word that his father had +been killed in an accident at the pit. With a heavy heart he sought +permission to return home for a period, and in pursuing his +application he found himself in the presence of the great +commander-in-chief himself. To his delight Marlborough recognized +him at once. The Duke was full of sympathy, and not only readily +granted the young captain any reasonable leave of absence he might +desire, but held out his hand with a smile, as he dismissed him: +"Major Fairburn, you go with my sympathy and my regard. I have few +young fellows under me of whom I think more highly." And in spite +of his terrible bereavement the newly-promoted officer left his +master's presence with a swelling heart.</p> + +<p>With him travelled home Matthew Blackett, whose release George, +to his delight, had managed, though with difficulty. The gallant +Sergeant Oborne had also been exchanged for an English prisoner in +French hands. An additional pleasure to both George and Matthew was +an intimation that Matthew, too, had been raised to the rank of +major in recognition of his excellent service throughout the war. +As it proved, neither officer ever served under Marlborough +again.</p> + +<p>The months flew by. Mr. Fairburn was found to have left a far +larger fortune than the world had dreamt of, the sum amounting to +fully fifty thousand pounds. George and his ageing mother were +rich. Matthew Blackett had taken to the management of the joint +collieries, strange to say, and was preparing to leave the army as +soon as he could do so conveniently. Major Fairburn, on the other +hand, was first and last a soldier, and he hoped some day to have +further opportunities of rising in his profession.</p> + +<p>The Queen was in a very bad state of health; she might die any +day. But the Electress Sophia died first, and her son, Prince +George of Hanover, became the next heir to the throne, a prospect +not much to the liking of many in England. Some of the leading +Tories were making preparations for a revolution in favour of the +Pretender, but the death of Anne came before their preparations +were complete, and George of Hanover was quietly proclaimed as +George I.</p> + +<p>Before Marlborough died George Fairburn was a +lieutenant-colonel, and, as he happened to be stationed for a time +at Windsor, he and his wife, the Mary Blackett of old, had more +than once the honour of an invitation to Windsor Park, the Duke's +favourite abode, his great palace of Blenheim being not yet ready +for him.</p> + +<p>We hear of our hero, many long years after all this, a stout old +soldier, General Sir George Fairburn, taking part in the memorable +chase after the Young Pretender in 1745, and the subsequent great +fight at Culloden.</p> + +<p>"And I tell you, sir," said Mr. Matthew Blackett, member for +Langkirk, as he told the story to a crony in the smoking-room of +his club, White's, "I tell you, sir, he trod Culloden Moor with all +the vigour and fire he had when we marched with Marlborough to +Malplaquet."</p> + +<br> +<hr style='width: 65%;'> +<br> +<a name='REIGN_OF_QUEEN_ANNE' id="REIGN_OF_QUEEN_ANNE"></a> + +<h2>REIGN OF QUEEN ANNE</h2> + +<h4>IMPORTANT QUESTIONS AND MOVEMENTS</h4> + +<br> +<p>1. THE SUCCESSION TO THE CROWN</p> + +<p>This question, especially after the death of all Anne's +children, became a most important one. The Whigs and the country in +general were bent upon securing a Protestant succession, but there +were some, especially amongst the Tories, who were secret +supporters of the Pretender, James Stuart, son of James II. The Act +of Settlement had provided for the accession of Sophia as the +nearest Protestant descendant of James I, on the failure of Anne's +issue. At one time the Scotch Parliament threatened to elect as +king a different sovereign from that of England, unless Scotland +should be given the same commercial privileges as England +possessed. The Act of Security, passed in 1704, declared as much. +Both Bolingbroke and Harley were in correspondence with the +Pretender, and it was only through the death of the Queen earlier +than had been expected that a revolution in favour of the exiled +Stuarts was averted.</p> + +<br> +<p>2. GOVERNMENT BY PARTY</p> + +<p>Until the reign of Anne what we now call Party Government was +unknown. We may see the beginnings of the division of politicians +into Whig and Tory in the Roundhead and Cavalier factions in the +reign of Charles I. Government by the one strong man of the +time—a Burleigh, a Cromwell, a Marlborough—was the +usual thing. Marlborough was the last who tried to govern without +party. During the reign of Anne the Whigs and Tories were combined +in varying proportions, till the final return of a Tory House of +Commons and the formation of a purely Tory ministry, in 1711. From +that time Party Government, as we now understand it, has generally +prevailed.</p> + +<br> +<p>3. POWER OF THE HOUSE OF COMMONS AND THE MINISTERS</p> + +<p>Anne was good-natured, and not disposed to give herself too much +trouble, which made it possible for her ministers to wield more +power over the country and its destinies. Nevertheless, the Queen +had a will of her own, and made her influence felt, especially in +Church matters. On the whole, however, Parliament and the Ministers +gained in importance and influence during the reign. Marlborough, +Harley, St. John, Rochester, Nottingham, were some of the leading +ministers, and towards the end of the reign Sir Robert Walpole is +first heard of as a politician.</p> + +<br> +<p>4. THE QUESTION OF THE SUCCESSION TO THE SPANISH THRONE</p> + +<p>When Philip of Bourbon, the grandson of Louis XIV, was +proclaimed as Philip V of Spain, England, Holland, and some other +nations felt that the peace of Europe, or rather the freedom of the +rest of it, were threatened by the union of two such mighty powers. +Accordingly the Allies set up in opposition the Archduke Charles of +Austria, and it was in support of the claims of Charles to the +throne of Spain that all the wars of Anne's reign were waged. When +at length Charles became Emperor, the Allies had no farther reason +for fighting, as it would have been equally adverse to the +interests of the rest of the Continent to combine Spain and the +Empire. Philip thus remained King of Spain, though he had to +renounce his claims to France.</p> + +<br> +<p>5. THE UNION OF ENGLAND AND SCOTLAND</p> + +<p>The project for the union of the two countries had been talked +of for some time, but there were difficulties concerning religious +matters, trade, and the refusal of Scotland to pay any of the +English debt, in the way. By the Act of Security Sophia was +declared to be ineligible for the Scottish throne, and England was +in alarm. A commission was appointed to consider the question of +the union, and the Act of Union was passed in 1707. Many Scotchmen +were greatly opposed to the step, yet it cannot be denied that +Scotland herself has been a great gainer by the Union.</p> + +<br> +<p>6. THE NATIONAL DEBT</p> + +<p>The borrowing of money to pay for wars did not originate in the +reign of Anne, but the War of the Spanish Succession added no less +a sum than twenty-two millions to the indebtedness of the country, +and from that time the National Debt began to assume large +proportions. Many people were greatly alarmed at the state of +things in this respect, and there were many who prophesied the +speedy bankruptcy of the nation.</p> + +<br> +<p>7. PEACE AT HOME</p> + +<p>This reign is remarkable for the entire absence of internal +risings and disaffections. Only one person was executed for +treason.</p> + +<br> +<p>8. LITERATURE, AND ITS INFLUENCE ON POLITICS</p> + +<p>This has been called the Augustan age of English Literature. +Pope, Addison, Steele, Swift, Defoe, Sir Isaac Newton, Vanbrugh, +Congreve, Farquhar, Prior, Parnell, Colley Cibber, Gilbert Burnet, +and others flourished. The first daily newspaper, the <i>Daily +Courant</i>, was published in 1709. Pamphleteers, chief among them +Swift, Addison, and Defoe, by their writings played a great part in +politics, there being no newspaper press to mould people's +opinions. No other period in English history, except, perhaps, the +times of Shakespeare, has produced so many notable writers.</p> + +<br> +<p>9. THE PEOPLE</p> + +<p>The population of England in this reign is supposed to have been +about five millions. London itself contained half a million, but +even the best of the provincial towns were small, as we reckon +populations nowadays. Bristol, the second town in size, possessed +not more than some thirty thousand souls, while York, Norwich, and +Exeter, which came next, had considerably fewer people than that. +The bulk of the people lived in the country, either in the +villages, or in the petty market-towns which were not much +superior. The country squire class was the most important in the +community. Below this, but likewise occupying a very important +position in the country, were the clergy and yeomen. Probably at no +time was the yeoman class more numerous, more prosperous, and more +influential. The squire was in point of education often inferior to +the well-to-do farmer of our own day, but very proud of his +family.</p> + +<br> +<p>10. THE CLERGY</p> + +<p>The clergymen of the period were, as a rule, especially in the +remoter districts, men of inferior standing, often of low origin +and of little learning. They were badly paid, generally speaking, +and often had to eke out a slender income by taking to farming +pursuits. It was not at all unusual for the clergyman to marry the +lady's maid or other of the upper servants in the great family of +his neighbourhood. Queen Anne, to relieve the poverty of the poorer +livings, founded the fund known as Queen Anne's Bounty, giving up +for the purpose the <i>first-fruits</i> and the <i>tenths</i>. It +is worth noting that the terms Low and High Churchmen were +political rather than religious terms, the former being applied to +the Whigs, and the latter to the Tories.</p> + +<br> +<p>11. DWELLINGS</p> + +<p>The style of architecture known as that of Queen Anne prevailed +at this time, and many a country mansion of this date, red-bricked +and many-windowed, is still to be seen in England. But the houses +of the poor were for the most part still wretched, of mud or +plaster, and badly thatched. The windows were small and few in +number; the furniture was scanty and mean; sanitary matters were +scarcely attended to at all. But the growing prosperity of the +country was beginning to show itself in the better equipment and +furnishing of the household, particularly among the yeomen and the +rising town tradesmen. Advantage was taken of the Great Fire to +improve the streets and dwellings of the capital.</p> + +<br> +<p>12. DRESS</p> + +<p>Among the gentry the influence of the magnificent court of Louis +XIV began to make itself felt in the matter of dress, and both +gentlemen and ladies affected gay attire. The hoop-petticoat came +into fashion, and the dress was looped up at intervals to show the +richly-coloured skirt below. The gentlemen wore knee-breeches and +silk stockings, the former ornamented with knots of ribbon; the +scarf was very full and rich, and often fell in folds over the +front of the waistcoat; the coat was usually gaily coloured. Swords +were worn by the gallants, and the periwig was seen everywhere in +high society. The dress of the lower ranks was of sober colour, and +of stout but coarse texture. The women wore homespun, and sometimes +home-woven linsey-woolsies. The use of linen and silk was coming in +among those in better circumstances.</p> + +<br> +<p>13. FOOD AND DRINK</p> + +<p>Tea was only just beginning to be known, and was a luxury for +the rich. In London the coffee-houses were everywhere, playing a +great part in the life of the capital, at least among those whom we +should now call clubmen. The common drink was still beer, and, +among the farm hands, milk. Port, till the Methuen treaty, was +almost unknown in England. Even the gentry, as a rule, did not +drink wine at ordinary times. The poorer classes rarely tasted +flesh meat, except bacon, which latter cottagers in the country +were generally able to command, every cottage having its pig. The +best white wheaten bread was used by the richer folk only, the +poorer eating coarse and dark bread, of whole-meal, of rye, or even +of barley. Pewter was the ware in common use, except among the +labourer class, who had wooden trenchers, or a coarse unglazed +delft.</p> + +<br> +<p>14. INDUSTRIES</p> + +<p>The main occupation of the country was still farming, with +fishing, shipbuilding, and seafaring on the coast. The manufacture +of silk, woollen, and linen goods, now occupying so many millions +of folk in the North and the Midlands, was then carried on mainly +in the small towns and villages, or even in the lonely wayside or +moorland cottage. The great manufacturing towns, such as +Manchester, Leeds, Birmingham, and Sheffield are now, were nowhere +to be found in the England of Queen Anne; but their day was coming. +London was the great centre of the silk trade, and after it came +Norwich, Coventry, Derby, and Nottingham. The cotton industry of +Manchester and the surrounding towns in South Lancashire was making +a start, while Leeds, Bradford, and Halifax, in the West Riding of +Yorkshire, were just beginning to give their attention to the cloth +trade on a larger scale. The trade with other countries was growing +rapidly, Bristol being, next to London, the chief port. Hull, +Liverpool, Southampton, and Newcastle were still small places. It +is to be noted that the earliest notions of what we now call +<i>free trade</i> are to be traced back to the days of the later +Stuart sovereigns. Bolingbroke made certain proposals in that +direction, but his plans were rejected by the Whigs. Stage-coaches +began to run, the earliest being those between London and York, and +between London and Exeter. A vast improvement in the high-roads +soon came in consequence. The first General Post Office for the +whole kingdom dates back to the reign of Queen Anne.</p> + +<br> +<hr style='width: 65%;'> +<br> +<a name="CHRONOLOGY" id="CHRONOLOGY"></a> + +<h2>CHRONOLOGICAL LIST OF PRINCIPAL EVENTS</h2> + +<br> +1702 (February 20). Queen's Accession, on +the death of<br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>William III.</span><br> +<br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>War of the Spanish Succession begun +(May). England,</span><br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>Holland, and the Empire against +France and Spain:</span><br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>to determine the succession to the +Crown of Spain.</span><br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>Two claimants, Philip, grandson of +Louis XIV, and</span><br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>Archduke Charles of Austria, the +latter supported by</span><br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>England and her allies.</span><br> +<br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>Duke of Marlborough, in command of +allied forces, took</span><br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>the strongholds of Venloo, +Ruremonde, and Liége;</span><br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>France cut off from Holland and +Lower Rhine.</span><br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>Marlborough made a duke.</span><br> +<br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>Spanish fleet at Vigo captured by +Sir George Rooke.</span><br> +<br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>Godolphin appointed Lord Treasurer, +and Nottingham</span><br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>a Secretary of State.</span><br> +<br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>Louis of Baden defeated by French +at Friedlingen.</span><br> +<br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>Battle of Cremona: French stopped +by Eugene of Savoy</span><br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>from entering the Tyrol.</span><br> +<br> +<br> +1703 Second Grand Alliance. (First Grand +Alliance in 1689.)<br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>Nearly all Germany, and Savoy join +the coalition</span><br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>against the French.</span><br> +<br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>French marching in the direction of +Vienna.</span><br> +<br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>Methuen Treaty; Portugal joined the +Alliance.</span><br> +<br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>Marlborough hampered by the Dutch +Government and</span><br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>unable to follow the +French.</span><br> +<br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>Marlborough took Bonn; giving +command of Upper</span><br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>Rhine.</span><br> +<br> +<br> +1704 Battle of Donauwörth. Eugene +joined Marlborough.<br> +<br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>(August 4). Gibraltar taken by Sir +George Rooke,</span><br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>Sir George Byng, and Sir Cloudesley +Shovel.</span><br> +<br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>(August 13). Blenheim. Marlborough +and Eugene</span><br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>defeated French and Bavarians under +Marshals</span><br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>Tallard and Marsin. Vienna saved: +Marlborough</span><br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>received Woodstock Manor as a +reward.</span><br> +<br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>Act of Security passed by Scotch +Parliament.</span><br> +<br> +<br> +1705 Marlborough opposed by Allies, and +prevented from<br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>marching into France.</span><br> +<br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>Barcelona taken by Lord +Peterborough; the Catalan</span><br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>district of Spain won for the +Archduke Charles.</span><br> +<br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>Coalition between the more moderate +Tories and the</span><br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>Whigs.</span><br> +<br> +<br> +1706 Ramillies (May 12), won by Marlborough +against Villeroy:<br> +<br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>Allies occupied Antwerp, Brussels, +Ghent, Bruges,</span><br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>Ostend, a line of fortresses +cutting off French from</span><br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>Holland.</span><br> +<br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>Turin besieged by French: siege +raised by Prince</span><br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>Eugene.</span><br> +<br> +<br> +1707 Capitulation of Milan signed by Louis: +Milan and<br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>Naples secured to Archduke +Charles.</span><br> +<br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>Minorca captured by General +Stanhope.</span><br> +<br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>Battle of Almanza (Spain): English +under Lord</span><br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>Galway surrendered.</span><br> +<br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>Ghent and Bruges retaken by +French.</span><br> +<br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>Whig resolution not to make peace +so long as a Bourbon</span><br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>ruled in Spain.</span><br> +<br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>Union with Scotland (October 23): +Scotland to send</span><br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>sixteen peers and forty-five +Commoners to United</span><br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>Houses of Parliament: Law and +Church of Scotland</span><br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>left untouched: privileges of trade +and coinage to</span><br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>be the same for both +countries.</span><br> +<br> +<br> +1708 Harley and St. John dismissed: Whigs +came into power<br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>(July 11). Oudenarde: Marlborough +and Eugene</span><br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>defeated Vendôme: Lille +secured. Bruges and</span><br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>Ghent retaken by Allies.</span><br> +<br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>Attempted landing in Scotland by +the Pretender</span><br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>prevented.</span><br> +<br> +<br> +1709 Peace Conference at the Hague. Louis +declined to<br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>remove his grandson from the throne +of Spain.</span><br> +<br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>(September 11). Malplaquet: +Marlborough and Eugene</span><br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>defeated Villars.</span><br> +<br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>Mons taken by the +Allies.</span><br> +<br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>Quarrel between the Queen and the +Duchess of Marlborough.</span><br> +<br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>Dr. Sacheverell's +sermons.</span><br> +<br> +<br> +1710 Peace proposals by Louis at +Gertruydenberg rejected.<br> +<br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>Dr. Sacheverell sentenced: Tory +party greatly helped</span><br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>thereby.</span><br> +<br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>Battle of Almenara (Spain): French +and Spanish</span><br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>defeated by Stanhope.</span><br> +<br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>Battle of Saragossa: French and +Spanish defeated by</span><br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>Stanhope.</span><br> +<br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>Battle of Brihuega: Stanhope beaten +by Vendôme.</span><br> +<br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>Battle of Villa Viciosa: General +Staremberg defeated</span><br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>by Vendôme: Spain secured for +Philip V.</span><br> +<br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>Bouchain taken by +Marlborough.</span><br> +<br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>Fall of the Whigs.</span><br> +<br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>General Post Office +established.</span><br> +<br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>St. Paul's Cathedral +finished.</span><br> +<br> +<br> +1711 All Whigs dismissed from office, and +Tories alone to<br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>form the Ministry, thus +establishing the principle</span><br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>that the members of the Cabinet +should all be of</span><br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>the same political +party.</span><br> +<br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>Duchess of Marlborough supplanted +by Mrs. Masham.</span><br> +<br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>Death of the Emperor Joseph, and +accession of Archduke</span><br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>Charles: no farther need now to +continue</span><br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>the war.</span><br> +<br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>Tories determined to put an end to +the war.</span><br> +<br> +<br> +1712 Twelve new Tory peers created to +destroy the Whig<br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>majority which was in favour of +continuing the war.</span><br> +<br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>Marlborough deprived of his +command: Ormonde to</span><br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>succeed him.</span><br> +<br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>Peace Conference at +Utrecht.</span><br> +<br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>Act against Occasional +Conformity.</span><br> +<br> +<br> +1713 (March 3). Treaty of Utrecht: Spain to +Philip:<br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>Minorca and Gibraltar to England: +Spanish lands</span><br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>in Italy and Netherlands to Emperor +Charles: Sicily</span><br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>to Savoy. Prussia made a +kingdom.</span><br> +<br> +<br> +1714 Quarrel between Harley and Bolingbroke: +Harley<br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>dismissed.</span><br> +<br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>Schism Act: schoolmasters to belong +to the Church of</span><br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>England.</span><br> +<br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>Bolingbroke's free trade proposals +defeated by the Whigs.</span><br> +<br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>Death of Electress Sophia: George +of Hanover now heir</span><br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>to the British throne.</span><br> +<br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>(July 30). Death of Anne: Accession +of George I.</span><br> +<br> +<hr style='width: 65%;'> +<br> +<h3>Oxford: HORACE HART, Printer to the University</h3> + +<br> +<hr style='width: 65%;'> +<br> +<a name='PRESS' id="PRESS"></a> + +<h2>Herbert Strang's Stories for Boys</h2> + +<h3><i>SOME PRESS OPINIONS</i></h3> + +<p><b>Athenaeum</b>:—'Herbert Strang is second to none in +graphic power and veracity.'</p> + +<p><b>Spectator</b>:—'Mr. Strang's name will suffice to +assure us that the subject is seriously treated,'</p> + +<p><b>Saturday Review</b>:—'Excellent as many of the best +stories by the best writers for boys are, we feel that he is first +of them all.'</p> + +<p><b>Speaker</b>:—'Not only the best living writer of books +for boys, but a born teacher of history.'</p> + +<p><b>Guardian</b>:—'Mr. Strang's care and accuracy in detail +are far beyond those of the late Mr. Henty, while he tells a story +infinitely better.'</p> + +<p><b>Church Times</b>:—'If the place of the late G.A. Henty +can be filled it will be by Mr. Herbert Strang, whose +finely-written and historically accurate books are winning him +fame.'</p> + +<p><b>Schoolmaster</b>:—'Mr. Strang is entitled to premier +place amongst writers of stories that equally interest boys and +adults.'</p> + +<p><b>Standard</b>:—'It has become a commonplace of criticism +to describe Mr. Strang as the wearer of the mantle of the late G.A. +Henty.... We will go further, and say that the disciple is greater +than the master.'</p> + +<p><b>Daily Telegraph</b>:—'Boys who read Mr. Strang's works +have not merely the advantage of perusing enthralling and wholesome +tales, but they are also absorbing sound and trustworthy +information of the men and times about which they are reading.'</p> + +<p><b>Tribune</b>:—'Mr. Herbert Strang's former books "caught +on" with our boys as no other books of adventure since Henty's +industrious pen fell from his hand.'</p> + +<p><b>Manchester Guardian</b>:—'Mr. Henty was the ancient +master in this kind; the present master, Mr. Herbert Strang, has +ten times his historical knowledge and fully twenty times more +narrative skill.'</p> + +<p><b>Gentlewoman</b>:—'This is the literature we want for +young England.'</p> + +<br> +<br> +<div>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 13817 ***</div> +</body> +</html> diff --git a/13817-h/images/Illus1-Th.jpg b/13817-h/images/Illus1-Th.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..5956d17 --- /dev/null +++ b/13817-h/images/Illus1-Th.jpg diff --git a/13817-h/images/Illus1.jpg b/13817-h/images/Illus1.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..05b4e01 --- /dev/null +++ b/13817-h/images/Illus1.jpg diff --git a/13817-h/images/Illus2-Th.jpg b/13817-h/images/Illus2-Th.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..bb453aa --- /dev/null +++ b/13817-h/images/Illus2-Th.jpg diff --git a/13817-h/images/Illus2.jpg b/13817-h/images/Illus2.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..25079eb --- /dev/null +++ b/13817-h/images/Illus2.jpg diff --git a/13817-h/images/Illus3-Th.jpg b/13817-h/images/Illus3-Th.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..b185452 --- /dev/null +++ b/13817-h/images/Illus3-Th.jpg diff --git a/13817-h/images/Illus3.jpg b/13817-h/images/Illus3.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..a51fc13 --- /dev/null +++ b/13817-h/images/Illus3.jpg diff --git a/13817-h/images/Illus4-Th.jpg b/13817-h/images/Illus4-Th.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..4a3a7d0 --- /dev/null +++ b/13817-h/images/Illus4-Th.jpg diff --git a/13817-h/images/Illus4.jpg b/13817-h/images/Illus4.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..ddde2b4 --- /dev/null +++ b/13817-h/images/Illus4.jpg diff --git a/13817-h/images/Illus5-Th.jpg b/13817-h/images/Illus5-Th.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..cba8d45 --- /dev/null +++ b/13817-h/images/Illus5-Th.jpg diff --git a/13817-h/images/Illus5.jpg b/13817-h/images/Illus5.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..990ab4b --- /dev/null +++ b/13817-h/images/Illus5.jpg diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..612e41e --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #13817 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/13817) diff --git a/old/13817-8.txt b/old/13817-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..faec6a0 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/13817-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,4947 @@ +The Project Gutenberg eBook, With Marlborough to Malplaquet, by Herbert +Strang and Richard Stead + + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + + + + +Title: With Marlborough to Malplaquet + +Author: Herbert Strang and Richard Stead + +Release Date: October 20, 2004 [eBook #13817] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK WITH MARLBOROUGH TO MALPLAQUET*** + + +E-text prepared by Juliet Sutherland, Tom Martin, and the Project +Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team + + + +Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this + file which includes the original illustrations. + See 13817-h.htm or 13817-h.zip: + (https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/3/8/1/13817/13817-h/13817-h.htm) + or + (https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/3/8/1/13817/13817-h.zip) + + + + + +Herbert Strang's Historical Series + +WITH MARLBOROUGH TO MALPLAQUET + +A Story of the Reign of Queen Anne + +by + +HERBERT STRANG + +and + +RICHARD STEAD +Fellow of the Royal Historical Society + +With Four Illustrations in Colour and a Map + +LONDON + +1908 + + + + + + + +NOW READY IN THIS SERIES. + +WITH THE BLACK PRINCE: a Story of the Reign +of Edward III. By HERBERT STRANG and RICHARD STEAD. + +A MARINER OF ENGLAND: a Story of the Reign of +Queen Elizabeth. By the same authors. + +WITH MARLBOROUGH TO MALPLAQUET: a Story of +the Reign of Queen Anne. By the same authors. + +Other volumes to follow. + + + + +[Illustration: A mounted officer came galloping up. See Chapter X.] + + + + + +With Marlborough +to Malplaquet + + + + + +NOTE + + +The object of this series is to encourage a taste for history among +boys and girls up to thirteen or fourteen years of age. An attempt has +been made to bring home to the young reader the principal events and +movements of the periods covered by the several volumes. + +If in these little stories historical fact treads somewhat closely +upon the heels of fiction, the authors would plead the excellence of +their intentions and the limitations of their space. + + + + +CONTENTS + + +CHAPTER I + + A BOUT AT SINGLESTICK + +CHAPTER II + + THE ATTACK ON THE COLLIERY + +CHAPTER III + + THE FIRE AT BINFIELD TOWERS + +CHAPTER IV + + THE RESCUE + +CHAPTER V + + GEORGE RECONNOITRES + +CHAPTER VI + + THE ROCK OF GIBRALTAR + +CHAPTER VII + + BLENHEIM + +CHAPTER VIII + + COMRADES IN ARMS + +CHAPTER IX + + ANNUS MIRABILIS + +CHAPTER X + + "OUR OWN MEN, SIR!" + +CHAPTER XI + + THE HARDEST FIGHT OF THEM ALL + +CHAPTER XII + + CONCLUSION + +HISTORICAL SUMMARY + + + + +ILLUSTRATIONS + + +A MOUNTED OFFICER CAME GALLOPING UP + +"NOW!" CAME THE ORDER + +GEORGE FOUND HIMSELF ENGAGED IN A HAND TO HAND ENCOUNTER + +THE RESCUE OF MARLBOROUGH + +MAP OF WESTERN EUROPE IN THE TIME OF QUEEN ANNE + + + + +CHAPTER I + +A BOUT AT SINGLESTICK + + +"Get thee down, laddie, I tell thee." + +This injunction, given for the third time, and in a broad +north-country dialect, came from the guard of the York and Newcastle +coach, a strange new thing in England. A wonderful vehicle the York +and Newcastle coach, covering the eighty-six long miles between the +two towns in the space of two-and-thirty hours, and as yet an object +of delight, and almost of awe, to the rustics of the villages and +small towns on that portion of the Great North Road. + +It was the darkening of a stinging day in the latter part of December, +in the year 1701--it wanted but forty-eight hours to Christmas +Eve--when the coach pulled up at the principal inn of the then quiet +little country town of Darlington, a place which roused itself from +its general sleepiness only on market and fair days, or now, since the +mail-coach had begun to run, on the arrival or departure of the +marvellous conveyance, whose rattle over the cobble-stones drew every +inhabitant of the main street to the door. + +No reply coming from the boy on the roof, the guard went on, "Eh, but +the lad must be frozen stark," and swinging himself up to the top of +the coach, he seized the dilatory passenger by the arm, saying, "Now, +my hearty, come your ways down; we gang na further to-day. Ye are as +stiff as a frozen poker." + +"And no wonder," came a voice from below; "'tis not a day fit for man +or dog to be out a minute longer than necessary. Bring the bairn in, +Charley." The invitation came from a kindly and portly dame, the +hostess, who had come to the door to welcome such passengers as might +be disposed to put up for the night at the inn. + +"I don't think I can stir," the boy replied; "I'm about frozen." + +He spoke in low tones and as if but half awake. He was, in fact, just +dropping into a doze. + +"Here, mates, catch hold," the guard cried, and without more ado the +lad was lowered down to the little group of loafers who had come to +see the sight and to pick up any stray penny that might be available. +A minute later George Fairburn was rapidly thawing before the rousing +fire in the inn's best parlour, and was gulping down the cup of hot +mulled ale the good-natured landlady had put into his trembling hands. + +"I'm all right, ma'am, now, and I'll go. Thank you and good night, +ma'am." + +"Go, Fairburn?" cried another boy of about his own age, who sat +comfortably in the arm-chair by the cosy chimney corner. "Surely you +are not going to turn out again this bitter night?" + +"Indeed I am," was the somewhat ungracious reply; "my father is not a +rich man, and I'm not going to put him to needless expense." + +The other boy blushed, but the next moment his face resumed its usual +pallor. He was tall for his fourteen years, but evidently not +particularly strong. He had, in truth, somewhat of a bookish look, and +his rounded shoulders already told of much poring over a student's +tasks. Fairburn, on the other hand, though less tall, carried in his +face and form all the evidence of robust good health. + +"I've relatives somewhere in Darlington, Blackett," George explained, +in a rather pleasanter tone, as if ashamed of his former surly speech, +"and I'm going to hunt them up." + +"Look here, Fairburn," said the other, springing from his seat and +placing a patronizing hand on his companion's shoulder, "just make +yourself comfortable here with me for the night, and I'll settle the +bill for both of us in the morning." He spoke rather grandly, jingling +the coins in his pocket the while. + +"I can settle my own bills, thank you," answered Fairburn, a proud hot +flush overspreading his face. And, seizing his little bag, the lad +strode from the room and out of the inn, shivering as the chill +northeasterly breeze caught him in the now dark and almost deserted +street. + +"Confound the fellow with his purse-proud patronage!" he muttered as +he hurried along. + +"Bless me, why is he so touchy?" Blackett was asking himself at the +same moment. "We seem fated to quarrel, Fairburn's family and ours. +Whose is the pride now, I wonder! Fairburn thinks a deal of his +independence, as he calls it; I should call it simply pride, myself. +But I might have known that he wouldn't accept my offer after his +refusal of an inside place with me this morning, and after riding all +those miles from York to-day in the bitter cold. Heigh-ho, the quarrel +won't be of my seeking anyhow." + +These two lads were both sons of colliery owners, and both pupils of +the ancient school of St. Peter of York, the most notable foundation +north of the Humber. But there the likeness ended. Matthew Blackett's +father was a rich man and descended from generations of rich men. He +owned a large colliery and employed many men and not a few ships. He +was, moreover, a county magnate, and held his head high on Tyneside. +In politics he was a strong supporter of the Tory party, and had never +been easy under the rule of Dutch William. He was proud and somewhat +arrogant, yet not wanting his good points. George Fairburn, on the +other hand, was the son of a much smaller man, of one, in truth, who +had by his energy and thrift become the proprietor of a small pit, of +which he himself acted as manager. The elder Fairburn was of a sturdy +independent character, his independence, however, sometimes asserting +itself at the expense of his manners; that at least was the way Mr. +Blackett put it. Fairburn had been thrown much in his boyhood among +the Quakers, of which new sect there were several little groups in the +northern counties. He was a firm Whig, and as firm a hater of the +exiled James II. He had made some sacrifice to send his boy to a good +school, being a great believer in education, at a time when men of his +class were little disposed to set much store by book learning. + +After breakfast by candlelight next morning the passengers for the +coach assembled at the door of the inn. Blackett was already +comfortably seated among his many and ample rugs and wraps when George +Fairburn appeared, accompanied by a woman who made an odd figure in an +ancient cloak many sizes too big for her, covering her from head to +foot. It had, in fact, originally been a soldier's cloak, and had seen +much hard service in the continental campaigns under William III. The +good dame was very demonstrative in her affection, and kissed George +again and again on both cheeks, with good sounding smacks, ere she +would let him mount to the roof of the coach. Then she stood by the +window and talked volubly in a rich northern brogue till the vehicle +started, and even after, for George could see her gesticulations when +he was far out of earshot. + +"It is bitter cold, bairn," she had said for the third or fourth time, +"and I doubt thou wilt be more dead than alive when thy father sees +thee at Newcastle. But don't forget that pasty; 'tis good, for I made +it myself. And there's the sup of summat comforting in the little +bottle; don't forget that." + +"Good-bye, aunt, and thank you over and over again," George called +from the top of the coach. "Don't stay any longer in the freezing +cold. I'm all right." + +But the talkative and kindly old dame would not budge, and Blackett +could not help smiling quietly in his corner. "What a curious old +rustic!" he said to himself, "and she's the aunt, it appears." As for +George himself, he was thinking much the same thing. "A good soul," he +murmured to himself, "but, oh, so countrified!" + +Fairburn's limbs were pretty stiff by the time the grand old cathedral +and the castle of Durham standing proudly on their cliff above the +river came in sight. There was an unwonted stir in the streets of the +picturesque little city. My lord the bishop with a very great train +was coming for the Christmas high services. + +"Our bishop is a prince," explained the guard, who had had not a +little talk with George on the way. "There are squires and baronets +and lords in his train, and as for his servants and horses, why--" the +good fellow spread out his hands in his sheer inability to describe +the magnificence of the bishops of Durham. + +"Yes," Fairburn made answer, "and I've heard or read that when a new +bishop first comes to the see he is met at Croft bridge by all the big +men of the county, who do homage to him as if he were a king." + +The guard stared at a youngster, an outside and therefore a poor +passenger too, who appeared so well informed, and then applied himself +vigorously to his horn. + +The afternoon was fast waning when the coach brought to its passengers +the first glimpse of the blackened old fortress of Newcastle and the +lantern tower of St. Nicholas. Fairburn, almost as helpless as on the +previous afternoon, was speedily lifted down from his lofty perch by +the strong arms of his father. + +"Ah, my dear lad," the elder cried as he hugged George to his breast, +"the mother has a store of good things ready for her bairn and for +Christmas. And here is old Dapper ready to jog back with us and to his +own Christmas Eve supper. How do you do, sir?" + +These last words were addressed to a gentleman who had just driven up +in a well-appointed family equipage. + +"I hope I see young Mr. Blackett well," Fairburn continued. + +"Ah! 'tis you, Mr. Fairburn," said the great man condescendingly. +"This is your boy? Looks a trifle cold, don't you think? 'Tis bitter +weather for travelling outside." + +And with the curtest possible nod to the father, and no recognition +whatever of the son, Mr. Blackett linked his arm in Matthew's and +strode away to his carriage. + +George flushed, his father looked annoyed; then his face cleared. + +"Come, lad," he said, "let us get along home." + +Thursday, Christmas Day, and the Friday following passed quietly but +happily in the little Fairburn family. The father was in excellent +spirits, and he had much to tell his son of the prosperity that was at +last coming. Orders were being booked faster than the modest staff of +the colliery could execute them. Best of all, Fairburn had secured +several important contracts with London merchants; this, too, against +the competition of the great Blackett pit. + +"The truth is," the elder explained, "Mr. Blackett is too big a man, +and too easy-going to attend to his business as he should. But I +suppose he's rich enough and can afford to be a trifle slack." + +"Whereas my dad has energy and to spare," George put in with a smile, +"and by that energy is taking the business out of the hands of the +bigger man. The Blacketts won't be exactly pleased with us, eh?" + +"They are not. And, more, I hear the Blackett pit is working only +short time; it is more than likely that several of the men will have +to be discharged soon, and then will come more soreness." + +"We can't help that, dad," the boy commented, "it's a sort of war, +this business competition, it seems to me, and all is fair in love and +war, as the saying goes." + +"True, my lad; yet I'm a peaceable man, and would fain enter into no +quarrels." + +On the Saturday afternoon a neighbour brought word up to the house +that there was some sort of a squabble going on down at the river +side. + +"Better run along and see what is the matter, George," said the +mother. "Father's gone to the town and won't be back till supper +time." + +So the boy pulled on his cap, twisted a big scarf about his neck, and +made off to the Tyne, nearly a mile away. + +He found a tremendous hubbub on the wharf, men pulling and struggling +and cursing and fighting in vigorous fashion. What might be the right +or the wrong of the quarrel, George did not know, and he had not time +to inquire before he too was mixed up in the fray. The first thing +that met his eye, in truth, was one of the crew of the Fairburn +collier brig lying helpless on his back and at the mercy of a fellow +who was showing him no favour, but was pounding away at the upturned +face with one of his fists, whilst with the other hand he held a firm +grip of his prostrate foeman. + +"Let him get up, coward!" the lad shouted as he rushed to the spot. +"Let him get up, I tell you, and fight it out fair and square." + +The fellow was by no means disposed to give up the advantage he had +obtained, however, and redoubled the vigour of his blows. + +He was a strong thickset collier, not an easy man to tackle; but +without more ado George flung himself at the bully, and toppled him +over, the side of his head coming into violent collision with the +rough planks of the landing-stage. + +"Up with you, Jack!" George cried, and, seizing the hand of the +prostrate sailor, he jerked him to his feet. Jack, however, was of +little more use when he had been helped up, and staggered about in a +dazed and aimless sort of way. He was, in truth, almost blind, his +eyes scarce visible at all, so severe had been his punishment, while +his face streamed with blood. + +Meanwhile his antagonist had jumped to his feet, his face black with +coaldust and distorted with fury. + +"Two on ye!" he yelled with an oath, "then I must fend for myself," +and he seized a broken broom handle that was lying near. + +"A game of singlestick is it?" George replied gleefully, as he made a +successful grab at another stick a couple of yards away. It was the +handle of a shovel; there were several broken tools lying about the +quay. + +"Come on," said the boy, brandishing his short but heavy weapon, "this +is quite in my line, I can tell you!" + +It was a curious sight as the two rushed upon each other, so unequal +did the antagonists seem. Bill, the collier, was tall as well as +strongly built, and in the very prime of life; while George, though a +sturdy lad for his age, was many inches shorter, and appeared at first +sight an absurdly inadequate foeman. + +In a moment the sticks were clattering merrily together, the lad +hesitating not a whit, for he felt sure that he was at least a match +for the other. George Fairburn had ever been an adept at all school +games, and had spent many a leisure hour at singlestick. In vain did +Bill endeavour to bring down his stick with furious whack upon the +youngster's scalp; his blow was unfailingly parried. It was soon +evident to the man that the boy was playing with him, and when twice +or thrice he received a rap on his shoulder, his arm, his knuckles +even, his fury got quite beyond his control, and he struck out blindly +and viciously, forcing the lad backwards towards the edge of the +wharf. + +But Fairburn was not to be taken in that style. Slipping agilely out +of the way, he planted another blow, this time on his opponent's head. +In a trice Bill threw down his cudgel and, raising his heavy boot, +endeavoured to administer a vicious kick. It was time to take to more +effective tactics, and while the man's leg was poised in the air, +George put in a thwack that made his skull resound, and threw him +quite off his already unstable balance. Bill fell to the ground and +lay there stunned, a roar of laughter hailing the exploit, with shouts +of, "Thrashed by a lad; that's a grand come off for Bill Hutchinson!" + +George now had time to look about him. He found that the enemy, +whoever they might be, had been beaten off, and the crew of the +Fairburn brig was in possession of the landing-stage. + +"What is it all about, Jack?" he inquired of the man to whose rescue +he had come. + +"Why," returned Jack, "they are some of Blackett's men. They tried to +shove us from our berth here, after we had made fast, and bring in +their big schooner over there. Some of 'em are vexed, 'cos 'tis said +there'll be no work for 'em soon. Your father's taking a lot of +Blackett's trade, you see." + +"Did they begin, Jack, or did you?" + +"Begin? Why, it was a kind of mixed-up job, I reckon. We'd both had a +drop of Christmas ale, you see--a drop extra, I mean--and--why, there +it was." + +"Well, you'll be sailing for London in a day or two," said George. +"See that you keep out of the way of Blackett's men, or you'll find +yourself in the lock-up and lose your place." + +Then he walked away. + +Mr. Fairburn was annoyed when he heard of the incident. + +"I don't like it, George," he said. "There's no reason why there +should be bad blood between Blackett's men and mine; but if they are +going to make disturbances like this I shall have to take serious +steps, and the coolness between Blackett and me will become an open +enmity. 'As much as lieth in _you_,' says the Apostle, 'live peaceably +with all men;' but there's a limit, and if Mr. Blackett can't keep his +men in order, it will come to a fight between us." + +The brig started in a couple of days for London, in fulfilment of an +important contract that had for years fallen to Mr. Blackett, but now +had been placed in the hands of his humbler but more energetic rival. +Its departure was hailed by the shouts and threats of a gang of pitmen +from the Blackett colliery, but nothing like another fight occurred, +thanks to the vigilance of Fairburn the elder. + + + + +CHAPTER II + +THE ATTACK ON THE COLLIERY + + +Not often has Europe been in a greater state of unrest than it was at +the time this story opens. James II, the exiled King of England, had +lately died in his French home, and his son, afterwards famous as the +Old Pretender, had been acknowledged as the new English king by Louis +XIV of France, to the joy of the many Jacobites England still +contained, but to the dismay of the majority of Englishmen. There was +likely to be dire trouble also respecting the vacant throne of Spain. +There had been originally three candidates for the throne of the +weakling Charles, not long dead--Philip of Anjou, whose claims had the +powerful support of his grandfather, the ambitious Louis; Charles, the +second son of the Emperor Leopold of Austria; and Joseph, the +Electoral Prince of Bavaria. But the last mentioned had died, leaving +the contest to Philip and Charles, the French and Austrian claimants. +The rest of Europe was naturally in alarm when the already +too-powerful Louis actually placed his grandson on the Spanish throne. +Practically the step amounted on the part of France to an annexation +of the once predominant kingdom of Spain with all its appanages. And +when the Grand Monarque, as his flatterers called him, proceeded +further to garrison the strongholds of the Netherlands, then a Spanish +province, with his own troops, it was clear that Louis considered +himself King both of France and Spain. As for the Protestants of +Europe, their very existence seemed to be threatened by the designs of +the French sovereign. + +Who was there, then, to withstand the ambitious and arrogant Louis? +There was but one great and effective opponent, William of Orange, +King of England. He had spent his life in thwarting the ambitious +policy of the French monarch, and so long as William lived Louis was +sure of a vigorous and powerful antagonist. And William was preparing, +in both his English and his Dutch dominions, for yet another conflict. +War was indeed imminent; the sole question being when it would +actually break out, and who would be ruler over England when it did. +For William III was in feeble health; his death might occur any day, +and his crown pass to his sister-in-law Anne. Such was the condition +of affairs at the time George Fairburn left St. Peter's School at +York. + +January brought many new orders for the Fairburn pit, and the owner +had work for more men. So greatly was his business increasing, that +the proprietor of the little colliery came to a decision that seemed +likely to affect his son's whole future life. + +"What would you like to be, my lad?" he one day inquired abruptly. + +"A soldier, dad," was the prompt reply, the boy regarding his father +in some wonderment, nevertheless. + +"A soldier, says the lad!" Fairburn exclaimed, no less surprised by +the answer than George had been by the question. "It is the most +detestable of all trades, that of soldiering, and about the most +empty-stomached. Don't talk of such a thing, my good lad." + +In vain George entered into a defence of the military profession, +referring to the many great soldiers with whom his school readings in +the histories of Greece and Rome and England had made him more or less +acquainted. Fairburn was not to be charmed, and with a deep sigh the +boy gave up the contest. He was still more upset when his father +proceeded to tell him that he would not return to St. Peter's, but +would remain at home to assist in the business till a place could be +secured for him in some great London house. + +It was not a task he cared about; anybody could have done it, he +thought, as he entered the weights on little tickets. But George had a +large fund of common sense and a deep respect for his father. He did +not grumble or sulk, but resolved that as he had to do the work he +would do it thoroughly. + +Half an hour later he started and flushed to see Mr. Blackett and +Matthew, both well mounted, and followed by a groom in livery, come +riding by. He trusted they would not notice him at his dusty and +disagreeable task. Alas! the field path they were pursuing led close +past the spot, and George observed the look of surprise on their faces +when they saw him. The father gave no sign of recognition; Matthew +looked uncomfortable and nodded in a shamefaced kind of way. George +flushed, and for a moment felt a bitter anger surge within him; then +he called himself a dolt for caring a straw what they thought of him. +It was a little hard, however, to think that Matthew Blackett would be +going back to his beloved school and studies, while he, also a +Peterite, was engaged in such a humdrum task as weighing coal at the +pit mouth. + +His father's energy at this time was prodigious. Fairburn was afoot +early and late. In spite of the cold and stormy weather of winter he +made two or three trips to London in his collier brig, always to +report on his return a notable addition to his trade. Once, too, on +his homeward voyage, he had had himself put ashore a little north of +Spurn, and had trudged the five and twenty miles to Hull, the rising +port on the east coast. Then, after appointing an agent and starting +what seemed likely to grow into a big business, he had tramped the +hundred and twenty miles or more that separated him from Newcastle and +his home, cutting a quaint figure on the road, with his old-fashioned +hat and cloak, and his much-twisted and knotty oak stick. The result +of all this energy was that when he was in a joking mood he would say, +"We shall have to see about buying another pit, mother--Blackett's, +perhaps, as I hear they have little going on there at present." + +And indeed the Blackett colliery did at that time seem to be under a +cloud. Trade fell off, and almost every week hands were discharged. +Fairburn was secretly a little afraid of mischief from these +out-of-works, especially when he himself was absent from home. + +Towards the end of February England was startled by the news that King +William had been thrown from his favourite steed Sorrel, at Hampton +Court, and was lying in a precarious state, his collar-bone broken. A +week or two later came the tidings of William's death, and of the +proclamation of the Princess Anne as Queen. + +The news had an extraordinary effect on Mr. Blackett. Ordering his +coach, he drove in haste to his colliery, hoisted a big flag there, +proclaimed a holiday on full pay, and sent for a copious supply of +ale. His son Matthew, who had not gone back to school at York, amused +himself and the men by firing unnumbered salvoes from a couple of +small cannon he possessed. + +"Now that Billy the Dutchman is out of the way," Squire Blackett cried +exultingly, "Whiggery will soon be dead, and England will be ruled by +its rightful sovereign, who will be assisted by lords and gentlemen of +sound policy." + +A huge banner was hoisted, and the Squire and his son headed a +procession to the neighbouring villages. The jubilant colliery owner +and his merry men took care to pass the Fairburn pit, with frantic +cheerings and hallooings. + +"What does it all mean?" George, who was in charge in the absence of +his father, inquired of the old overlooker of the colliery. + +"It means beer, George," the ancient replied, "beer and froth, and +nothing else." + +"Nothing else! I hope that is a true word, Saunders, that's all. I +mislike the looks of some of those fellows." + +"Why, to judge from all the whispers we hear," the overlooker +commented, "we are like enough to get our backs well hazelled before +long." + +George gave a word of caution to the pitmen when they left work that +afternoon. + +"There are sure to be insults," he said, "but take no notice, and keep +out of harm's way." + +But the fates were against George and his pit that day. Hardly had the +little gang of Fairburn colliers turned the corner of the lane when +they were met by an excited mob carrying a huge sheet on which was +rudely printed in big characters, "Down with all Whigs!" + +"An insult to the gaffer, that's as plain as the nose on a man's +face," cried one of the Fairburn fellows, and without more ado, he +dashed forward and made a grab at the offending canvas. He was +forestalled, however, a man of the opposing party deftly tripping him +up and sending him sprawling into the mud. Before the unlucky pitman +could rise the whole mob had surged over him, amidst shrieks of +laughter. + +On this the Fairburn men threw all George's cautions to the winds, and +charged the mob. Instantly a hot fight was going on around the big +banner. Even old Saunders, the overlooker, caught one of the +opposition gang by the collar, crying, "Ye loons, what for are ye +coming our way again? Ye ha' been once to-day, wi' your jibes and +jeers; isn't that enough?" + +"Jibes and jeers, old lad! Eh, there'll happen be mair than that afore +bedtime." + +Meanwhile there was rough work around the banner. In spite of the +efforts of the bearers and their friends to protect the canvas, one of +the Fairburn men had got a grip of it, and in a second the thing had +been torn from its supporting poles, amid mingled cheers and +execrations. The canvas itself was pulled hither and thither by the +opposing gangs, each striving to retain possession of it. Bit by bit +the banner was torn to pieces, the men fighting savagely for even the +smallest shred of it, each man pocketing his piece as a trophy, till +at length there was nothing of the thing left visible. + +Cries of, "On to the pit wi' ye, lads!" were by this time plentiful, +and with a dash the now much augmented mob surged in that direction. +Under old Saunders the Fairburn men disputed every yard of the way, +but they were entirely outnumbered, and were slowly but surely forced +back upon the works they had so recently left. All had happened in the +course of a very few minutes. + +George, on his way to his home, some half mile away, had made scarce +half the distance when his ears were assailed by the noise of conflict +somewhere behind him. He stopped and listened, the yells growing +louder and fiercer every instant. Then he darted back towards the pit, +reaching the spot just in time to see his men make a dash for the +shelter of the sheds around the mouth, followed by a howling, +threatening mob. + +In a moment the youngster sprang through the entrance of the largest +of the sheds, and closed the door, shooting home the two thick rough +bars of wood that did duty for bolts, amid shouts from his men of "The +young gaffer! We'll all stick to him!" And in spite of his youth, +George was at once installed as captain of the little Fairburn band. +He had always been highly popular with the men of the colliery; they +liked his entire freedom from vain show and swagger, and his +pleasant-spoken manner. + +"What have we in the way of weapons, lads?" he asked, taking a hasty +glance round the dimly-lit shed. Darkness was coming on apace even +outside; within the shed the men had to grope their way about. + +There was very little that would serve, except a number of pickaxes, a +few shovels, and two or three hayforks belonging to the stables. These +were served out, and then one man found the master's gun, with a +powder-flask and a handful of sparrow shot. + +"Better let me have that," said George, quietly relieving the man of +the weapon, the old overlooker approving with a "Aye, that's right; +you'll keep a cooler head than Tom there." + +The mob outside surged down on the door in force, and with loud yells. +The door stood the shock, and the major part of the attackers in a +trice turned their attention to the smaller buildings dotted here and +there about the pit's mouth. One by one these sheds were pulled to +pieces, to the ever-increasing delight of the mob. George and his men +were powerless to stop the destruction. + +"We must not venture out," the boy said, "unless the scoundrels turn +their attention to the windlasses and the gear." + +So his men had to grind their teeth in rage and look on helplessly. + +As was expected, the rioters presently came back to the big shed, one +of them, evidently the leader, advancing with a felling-axe. + +"Keep back, rascal!" shouted George. "Keep from the door, or I'll put +a few peppercorns into your hide." + +From a chink in the door George recognized him as the very man he had +so unceremoniously knocked from his perch and so merrily battered in +the bout of singlestick that day on the landing-stage. + +The fellow answered with a curse and lifted his axe to stave in the +door. Before the weapon could descend a report rang out in the +twilight, and with a scream the attacker sprang from the ground, and +then fell to rubbing his legs vigorously. + +"One on 'em peppered," remarked old Saunders grimly. + +The crowd outside fell back in haste, and a burly fellow at that +instant appearing on the scene with a small cask of ale on his +shoulder, a diversion was caused. The fight was transferred to the +circle round the ale barrel, the already half-crazy fellows struggling +desperately to get at the liquor. + +"By Jupiter!" cried George, seeing his opportunity in a moment, "now +is our chance! Let them get fully occupied and we have them. Let them +once return and they will be madder and more reckless than ever." + +And seizing every man his weapon, the little party in the shed +prepared to sally forth, old Saunders whispering to his next +neighbour, "The lad is a game 'un, if ever I saw one." + +Just as George was preparing to draw the bolts he caught sight of +young Blackett. His old schoolfellow was haranguing the men, +gesticulating violently, and pointing excitedly towards the large +shed. Matthew had in reality just heard of the fray, and had at once +run up to do what he could to stop it. But George Fairburn did not +know this. "The knave!" he exclaimed, beside himself with anger, "he's +the very ringleader of the party! He's kept himself till now in the +background. But he shall pay for his pains!" + +Flinging back the bars, George dashed forth upon the ale-drinking +group his little band following at his heels. With a shout they +swooped down upon the foe, and in an instant a score of heads were +broken, the luckless owners flung in all directions around the cask. +One of the prostrate ones held the spigot in his hand, and the +remainder of the liquor bubbled itself merrily to the ground. + +So utterly unprepared were the fellows for the onset, and so mauled +were they in the very first rush, that a general alarm was raised. In +the darkening they imagined themselves surrounded by a strong +reinforcement of the Fairburn party, and at once there was a wild +stampede from the premises. Men and hobbledehoys stumbled off in hot +haste, pursued by the victorious handful under George. + +Not that George himself gave any heed to all this. At the very first +he had dashed to the spot where Matthew Blackett was excitedly +shouting to the rioters. + +"Coward!" cried Fairburn, "to set on your scoundrelly fellows--" + +"Set on the fellows!" Matthew began in amazement, but he got no +farther. + +"Up with your fists!" cried George, "and we will see which is the +better man!" + +There was no time for explanations, though young Blackett opened his +mouth to speak. He had in truth but time to throw up his hands to ward +off George's vigorous blow, and the next moment the fight was in full +swing. Matthew was no coward, and once in for warm work, he played his +part manfully. At it the two boys went, each hitting hard, and both +coming in for a considerable share of pummelling. For a time none +heeded them, every man having enough to do in other quarters. But at +length they were surrounded by a small group of the Fairburn men who +had now driven off the enemy and remained masters of the field. + +Once or twice, when the two stopped a moment to recover breath, +Matthew opened his mouth again to make an explanation, but as often +his pride held him back, and he said nothing. So the fight went on. + +How long this fierce duel might have lasted it is hard to say. But +just as the boys were almost at the end of their strength there was an +effective interruption. It was time, for both combatants were heavily +punished. They had not been so ill-matched as one might at first sight +have suspected. George was the stronger and harder fellow, but Matthew +had the advantage in the matter of height, and more particularly in +length of arm, which enabled him to get in a blow when his opponent's +fell short; though the less robust of the two he had as much pluck as +pride, and would have fought on to the last gasp. + +The sound of clattering hoofs was heard, and, from opposite quarters, +two horsemen dashed up. They were Mr. Blackett and the elder Fairburn. + + + + +CHAPTER III + +THE FIRE AT BINFIELD TOWERS + + +The fight stopped even more suddenly than it had begun, and the two +combatants stood away from each other, with hanging heads but with +fists still clenched. + +Fairburn took a glance around on the destruction, a thing he was able +to do by the glare from some burning wreckage which had now got well +into a blaze. Then his eyes wandered down to the two boys with their +bruised and bleeding countenances, and finally up into Mr. Blackett's +face. + +"So this is the kind of thing your Tory and your Jacobite is capable +of!" he remarked with stinging scorn to his richer rival. + +"Don't you think, Mr. Fairburn," answered the Squire with dignified +calmness, restraining himself marvellously well, "don't you think that +instead of vilifying a cause as far above your comprehension as the +majority of its advocates are above you in breeding, in education, in +station, it would be more sensible to give me your help in attending +to these poor misguided fellows lying wounded on all sides?" + +Fairburn winced; his rival had certainly the advantage in the +controversy, and none knew it better than the two boys. George did not +fail to observe the little flush of satisfaction that for an instant +lit up his antagonist's countenance, and, like his father, he too +winced. + +However, not another needless word was said, while the two men and +their sons, with the help of some of the Fairburn colliers who were +still on the spot, gave attention to the wounded and extinguished the +burning rubbish. Then the Blacketts, father and son, raising their +hats to the Fairburns, took their departure. + +It may well be supposed that this series of unhappy incidents did not +tend to narrow the breach between the two colliery owners and their +people. Fairburn, unlike his old self, was greatly incensed, and +talked much of prosecutions and so forth. But nothing came of it, the +man's sound native sense presently leading him to adopt George's +opinion. Said the boy, "Where would be the good, father? Their side +got most of the broken heads anyhow, and that's enough for us." It was +a youngster's view of the case, but it had its merits. + +So Fairburn grumbled and rebuilt his few wrecked sheds, his grumblings +dying out as the work proceeded. George's own thoughts were bitter +enough, however, so far as Matthew Blackett was concerned. He could +not get it out of his head that the young squire, as the folks around +styled Matthew, was at the bottom of the riot and indeed secretly its +ringleader. + +A month or two passed away, and spring came. One day the elder +Fairburn, on his return from London in his collier, made a great +announcement. + +"I've got you a grand place, my lad," he said. "It is in the office of +Mr. Allan, one of the finest shipping-merchants in London. 'Tis a very +great favour, and will be the making of you, if you prove to be the +lad I take you to be. You are now fifteen, and it is time you went +from home to try your fortune; in fact, you'll be all the better away +from here--for certain reasons I need not go into. You are a lucky +lad, George,--I wish I had had half your chance when I was in my +teens." + +The son knew very well from his father's tone and manner that it was +useless to argue the matter with him. To London he would have to go, +and he prepared to face the unwelcome prospect like a man. + +Yet, to add to his chagrin and disappointment, there came to him just +at that time the news that young Blackett was proposing to enter the +army as soon as he was old enough. The Squire was anxious that his son +should have a commission, and as he was wealthy, and his party was now +decidedly winning in the political race, there would not only be no +difficulties in Matthew's way, but a fine prospect of advancement for +the youth. + +"Who would have thought that that lanky weakling would choose a +soldier's trade!" George Fairburn said to himself. "I had quite +expected him to go to Oxford and become either a barrister or a +bishop. He's a lucky fellow! And I--I am--well, never mind; it's silly +to go on in this way. I don't like Blackett, but I am bound to confess +he's got good fighting stuff in him." + +When William III was on his deathbed he is reported to have said, "I +see another scene, and could wish to live a little longer." His keen +political foresight was soon confirmed. It was in March, 1702, he +died; in the May of the same year war was proclaimed, the combination +of powers known as the Grand Alliance on the one side, Louis XIV, the +Grand Monarque, on the other. The nations belonging to the Grand +Alliance were at first England, Holland, and the Empire; at later +dates Sweden, Denmark, and most of the States of Germany came in, a +strong league. But it was needed. Louis was the most powerful +sovereign in Europe, and France the richest nation. To its resources +were added those of Spain and her dependencies; for the most part, at +any rate, for there were portions even of Spain which would have +preferred the Archduke Charles to Philip of France, and it was the +cause of Charles that England and the other members of the Alliance +were espousing. Thus began the war known in history as the War of the +Spanish Succession, which for several years gave work to some of the +most remarkable generals in European story. + +Of these great soldiers, John Churchill, Duke of Marlborough, or +rather, as he was at the outbreak of the war, the Earl of Marlborough, +was at once the most gifted with military genius and the most +successful. He was now fifty-two years of age, and one of the leading +men at the Court of Queen Anne. He had seen a fair amount of military +service, and had earned the praise of William III, a judge of the +first order in such matters. But the England of that day could not be +blamed if it failed to foresee the brilliancy of fame with which its +general would ere long surround himself. + +[Illustration: Map Of Western Europe In The Time Of Queen Anne. The +shading represents the dominions of Louis XIV.] + +He was known as a brave and an able officer, not much more, except +that he was known also to be a great miser. His wife, Sarah Jennings, +now the Countess of Marlborough, was in high favour with the new +Queen; indeed, she was at that time the most influential subject in +the kingdom. + +To Marlborough, then, was given the command of the combined English +and Dutch forces. + +It needs no telling that the declaration of war, a war in which the +greater part of Europe would most likely be involved, caused no small +consternation among those whose business was with the sea and with +shipping. Fairburn's business necessitated that his single brig should +be constantly running to and from London, and it was early rumoured +that French cruisers and privateers were prowling about the North Sea +and the Channel. A schooner of considerable size, belonging to Squire +Blackett, had, indeed, been chased, off the Norfolk coast, and had +escaped only by the fact that it was lightly laden--it was returning +in ballast to the Tyne--and by its superior sailing qualities. Such +things brought home to every collier the realities of the situation. +George's mother grew alarmed. + +"Who knows," said the good woman, "whether the same Frenchman may not +still be on the watch, and seize the _Ouseburn Lassie_ and her cargo; +and, worse than all, my dear boy on board of her?" + +Her husband was not without his fears either, but George laughed at +the notion of capture by a French vessel. + +"I'll go and have a talk with old Abbott, the skipper," he said, "and +see what he thinks about it." + +"Well, George, my lad," the old salt said when the boy questioned him +on the point, "it's like this. It's not impossible we may get a +Frenchy down on us. But we shan't strike our colours if there's the +least chance of doing anything by a bit of fighting. The master's a +man of peace, but between you and me"--the old fellow sank his voice +to a whisper--"I've got stowed away, unbeknown to him, four tidy +little guns; real beauties they are, if small. You shall help me to +use 'em on the Mounseers, if they won't leave us alone." + +To a lad of George Fairburn's stamp such a prospect was glorious. +"I'm quite ready to go, mother," he announced, "on the brig's very next +trip." Mother and father made no reply, but the former turned away to +hide her tears. The lad must go and begin his new life. For a few days +all was bustle and preparation, George in the seventh heaven of +delight. The long voyage in a grimy and uncomfortable collier had no +terrors for him; he was too much accustomed to coal dust for that. And +was there not a chance that before the Thames was reached he might see +a brush with a Frenchman? + +The last evening at home for him came, and he took a stroll to get a +final look at the familiar surroundings. It was now the very heart of +summer, the weather glorious: could any boy be sad at such a time, +even though there was before him the parting from home, from an +indulgent and much-loved mother, from a just and honourable as well as +affectionate father? George whistled and sang as he wandered across +the fields, careless whither his footsteps led him. + +As fate would have it, he was proceeding generally in the direction of +Mr. Blackett's great house, Binfield Towers, a mansion almost entirely +hidden by thick woods from the public gaze. George knew these woods +well, with their acres of bluebells and their breadths of primroses in +the Spring, and their wealth of dogroses in June. He turned into the +footpath that crossed the plantations, and presently found himself +gazing at the mansion a hundred yards away. The place was almost new, +the style that was known in later days as Queen Anne's. But George +knew nothing of architectural styles, and was idly counting the +multitude of windows when he was startled by a cracked old voice +calling to him from the other side of the fence that separated the +wood from the grassplots in front of the house. + +"For God's sake, come along and help, my good lad," cried an old man +in livery, beckoning him frantically. + +"What's the matter?" George asked quickly. + +"The house is on fire," was the reply, "and there's nobody at home but +the women folk, except old Reuben, and he's just about as much use as +me, and that's none at all, I reckon." + +"Where's Mr. Blackett?" the lad asked as he cleared the fence at a +bound, and stood by the old man's side on the lawn. + +"Gone off to a party, and young Master Matthew with him. Run and do +what you can, for Heaven's sake, and I'll follow." + +George bounded across the grass like a hare, and bolted into the house +without ceremony, for he now perceived smoke issuing from several of +the front windows. In the hall he found old Reuben, the aged butler, +whom Mr. Blackett still provided with a home, doing what he could to +stay the progress of the flames, by throwing upon the burning +staircase little pailfuls of water brought by the maid servants. But, +in truth most of the women were screaming, and those who were not were +fainting. + +"I'm almost moidered with it all," the old fellow cried helplessly, to +which the superannuated gardener, who now came wheezing in, added, +"Aye, we're both on us moidered." + +George glanced at the futile old couple, then cast his eye upwards, to +the various stretches of the grand staircase which could be seen from +the well below. Almost every length of the banisters was blazing, and +the cracked and broken skylight above caused a fierce upward draught. + +"It's at the top the water should be poured down," George cried, +taking in the situation in an instant. "I'll see if I can get up." And +in spite of the shouts of the old fellows, and the redoubled shrieks +of the maids, the lad skipped up two or three of the flights that +zigzagged up the staircase well. + +At the second floor, however, he was almost overwhelmed by a great +mass of smoke mingled with flame that shot suddenly out of the long +corridor running right and left. Blinded, choked, scorched, George +staggered back, tripped, and with a clatter fell down the six or eight +steps he had mounted of that flight, and lay for a moment on the broad +carpeted landing half-dazed. But speedily recovering himself, he +perceived that the portion of the stairs from which he had just fallen +was now blazing fiercely. + +"It is useless!" he cried to himself, as he turned to descend to the +servants below. + +Then, before he had made two steps agonizing shrieks rang out from +somewhere above, and he stopped dead, almost appalled. + +"Miss Mary and Mrs. Maynard!" he heard the old men shout from below, +and the cries of the women servants grew frantic, as the little band +gazed terror-stricken upwards. George, too, cast his eyes aloft, and +there, to his utter dismay, were dimly seen through the smoke a couple +of female forms peeping from the topmost corridor. + +He knew well enough by sight Mr. Blackett's little daughter of eleven +and her governess, a stately old lady, said to be an impoverished +relative of the Squire himself. The little pony chaise in which the +two were wont to drive about the neighbourhood was, indeed, familiar +to every soul in the district. + +"We had forgotten them, we had forgotten them!" came a voice just +below him, and there stood old Reuben, who had pulled himself up the +steps a little way. "They are lost!" the aged servant moaned. "Oh +dear, oh dear!" And the poor old fellow blundered down the steps +again, weeping like a child. + +"Is there any other staircase up to the top of the house?" the boy +called after him. + +"Only that in the servants' wing," was the reply, "and that is gone +already. God help us all!" + +"Any long ladders about? And the stablemen, where are they all?" + +"Coachman with the Squire, the grooms gone off to the town for an hour +or two." Reuben shook his head sorrowfully. + +George waited no longer. With a bound he darted up the stairs again, +and in a moment had reached the spot where the fire was fiercest. +Without hesitation he dashed on, watching his chance after a big gust +of smoke and flame had surged across the well. Through the fire he +rushed, protecting his face with his arms, and stumbling blindly on. +The worst was soon passed, and the next instant he had gained the top +of the staircase. + +"Save her--_her_!" Mrs. Maynard cried piteously, "leave _me_, and see +to _her_, for mercy's sake!" + +George caught the girl in his arms and prepared to make a dash down +the staircase. But he drew back in dismay. A big piece of the burning +banister below them fell with a crash and a shower of sparks to the +bottom of the well. + +"It is impossible!" he cried. "Let us see what can be done from one of +the windows." And the three ran to the end of the corridor farthest +away from the fire. Into a room George dashed, and threw up the +window. It was Mary's playroom, and it was in this place that she and +her governess had been till now too much frightened by the flames and +smoke to make a dash for safety. + +Alas! there was no way of escape. The height from the ground was too +great; to leap meant certain death. George gazed frantically down and +around, to see if any help was arriving. Not a soul was to be seen. +Smoke was pouring from almost every window. The ladies were speechless +with alarm when they saw the look of despair on the boy's face. + +"Don't leave us!" Mary pleaded piteously. + +"No, no!" cried George. "We'll find a way yet." But cheerfully as he +spoke, in his heart he almost despaired. + +It was but a few seconds the three had been in the playroom, but when +they looked out into the corridor again, to their horror they found it +blazing, the flames leaping towards them with astonishing bounds, +carried along by the evening breeze that had sprung up. The sight +seemed to drive Mrs. Maynard demented. With a shriek she darted away, +sped along the burning passage, and before the boy and girl could +realize the situation, she had dashed down the blazing staircase. The +sound of a crash and a fearful scream reached their ears, telling +their own tale. The girl clung to George, her head sank, and she +fainted. + +Desperate now, the lad placed her on the floor, and, thrusting his +head from the window, perceived that he could clamber up the two or +three feet of rain spout that ran close by, and gain a position on the +roof just overhead. If he could gain that, he thought he might run to +a further wing of the building that seemed at present untouched by the +fire. But the girl, what of her? He cast his eyes about and descried +two or three skipping ropes in a corner. Hastily he tied them end to +end, fastened a portion round Mary's waist, his movements hastened by +the burst of flame that just then shot into the room. Then clambering +desperately to the roof, the rope in his teeth, he got a footing on +the parapet, and began to haul up the fainting girl. + +Hand over hand he hauled up the cord and its burden. The child was +dangling between earth and sky when suddenly a great shout came from +below. George glanced down, and there, running with up-turned +horror-stricken face, was Matthew Blackett. Help at last! But had it +come too late? + + + + +CHAPTER IV + +THE RESCUE + + +Matthew stopped short, unable to move a yard further, his eyes fixed +upon the slight form hanging so dangerously high above him. It was +truly an awful moment for both the lads, a moment never afterwards to +be forgotten by either of them. The time of suspense was but seconds; +it seemed years. But George, his knees firmly pressed against the low +parapet wall that ran along the top in front of the house, had no +difficulty in supporting the weight, and not too much in actually +hauling up his living burden. Another moment and he had seized one arm +with a strong grip; the next he had pulled the child to him on the +roof. + +"Safe! thank God!" he murmured, almost breathless with his exertions +and still more with his agitation. + +Safe! As if to mock him a great tongue of flame shot from the window +from which rescuer and rescued had but now emerged, and a cry of +despair rose from Matthew below. + +"Run for the library!" Blackett shouted, a thought suddenly striking +him. "Run, run!" And the boy pointed to a sort of wing, an addition to +the mansion recently made by the Squire, and devoted to his books and +the extensive and valuable collection of antiquities and curiosities +of which he was very proud. This building was connected with the body +of the house by only one small arched door, on the ground-floor. + +George understood, and cautiously but rapidly edging his way along the +broad leaden gutter behind the parapet, he drew the girl, by this time +conscious once more, but dazed with fright, to the outlying portion of +the roof, which was as yet untouched by the flames. He peered over for +Matthew, but could see nothing of him. + +For the moment the two were in no danger. But the flames were already +licking the portion of the library immediately adjoining the house +proper; soon the whole wing must be ablaze. The boy gazed wildly +around, to see if there was any means, however risky or even +desperate, by which escape might be made. He saw nothing but the +slender branches of a magnificent yew that grew in the retired garden +behind and close to the library. These boughs overtopped even the tall +building, and some of them overhung the roof a little. But the nearest +of them was ten feet above the heads of the two, and hopelessly out of +reach. Would that some great gust of wind would drive those branches +within clutching distance! + +This tantalizing thought had hardly taken possession of George's mind +when his attention was attracted by shouts from below. Peering down he +was astonished to see Matthew rapidly climbing the yew. The same +thought had struck him also! Up the climber swarmed, higher and +higher. Then he began without hesitation to crawl along some of the +topmost branches that overhung the library roof. Outwards he crept, +embracing tightly half a dozen of the long thin boughs; they seemed +but little more than twigs. + +"You'll be dashed to pieces!" Mary cried; "go back, go back!" + +"Haven't you a rope anywhere?" George asked eagerly. + +"Every rope and ladder locked up in the stable yard," was the +breathless reply, "and the men away. This is our only chance. Catch +hold." + +As Matthew spoke, the end of the long swaying branches, swinging ever +lower, came down to the roof, and a good yard or more of the greenery +was within George's grasp. Matthew lay at full length on his +collection of boughs in order that his weight might keep the ends +down. It was a precarious position truly, but Matthew was very light, +and had absolutely no fear for himself. + +"Lash her well to three or four of the strongest of the boughs," he +said hurriedly; "give the rope half a dozen good turns about her waist +and the boughs. They are yew and very tough. Quick!" + +Hardly knowing what he was doing, George obeyed. He was a bit of a +sailor, and in a couple of minutes he had bound the child to the +branches in a way to satisfy even Matthew, who still lay amongst the +foliage, some three yards away. + +"Now cling for your life to the rest of the branches you've got, +Fairburn, till I go down to the long thick arm there below. Can you +hold?" + +"Yes!" cried the other cheerfully, light beginning to dawn upon him. +"I can hold on; you go down." + +Matthew moved down, and the branches, relieved of their burden, began +to exert a considerable upward pull. But the weight of the boy and the +girl held down the ends, and they awaited Matthew's call. It soon +came, though the interval of waiting seemed an age. + +"Now then!" came the shout, and George could see his quondam enemy +firmly seated on a stout branch that had been cut shorter, its foliage +having interfered with the light of one of the windows of the library. +Matthew was sitting astride, his legs firmly gripping the branch. "Now +drop yourselves over," he went on. "You'll fall right on the top of +me, and I'll grab you. Throw one arm round Mary's waist, and then +seize the branches with both hands and stick tight." + +"I'll stick like a leech," George replied, "but it's a fearful drop." + +"There's no other way, none! See! the blaze has caught the library +roof behind you! It will be upon you in another minute. Drop over, for +pity's sake!" + +George set his teeth, placed one arm round the child's slender form, +gripped hard a handful of the pliant boughs, and dropped over the +parapet, Mary closing her eyes in her mortal fright. With a huge swing +the branches bent, and in an instant the two were swaying a good +fifteen feet below, George almost jerked from his hold. The boughs +creaked but did not snap. + +"Thank heaven!" cried Matthew, "I have you!" And reaching up, he got a +grip of George's foot and dragged down the swinging pair. + +"Grab the branch with your legs, Fairburn! and I'll cut Mary clear." + +No sooner said than done. By the aid of a good clasp-knife Matthew +severed the cords and secured his little sister, her weight, however, +as it came upon him, almost knocking him from his perch. But he held +desperately, and in another moment had Mary on the branch beside him. +Then George, throwing his legs apart, suddenly loosed his hold of the +branches and dropped also astride of the bough, which he grasped tight +with both hands. He swung round and hung from the branch head +downwards. But the next minute he had righted himself, and was ready +to help with Mary. + +The rescue was complete. To guide the child along the branch, towards +the middle of the tree, and then to lower her from limb to limb of the +old yew was mere play to the two boys. The three dropped the last four +or five feet to earth just as a man rushed forward with a great cry, +to clasp in his arms the fainting girl. + +"God is merciful!" he ejaculated. It was Squire Blackett, who had +arrived just in time to see his beloved child saved from an awful +fate. + +For a few moments father and children clung to each other. When at +length they looked round to express their gratitude to the plucky +rescuer, he was nowhere to be seen. Seeing a great crowd of the +Blackett pitmen arrive with a run, George had felt that he could be of +no more use, and slipping into the wood had made for home. He wanted +no thanks, and moreover the brig was to sail at four in the morning, +at which time the tide would serve. + +"He's gone--George has gone!" cried Matthew. + +"We can never repay him," murmured Mr. Blackett. "We must go on to see +him at the earliest moment in the morning." + +When Mr. Blackett, with Matthew and the rescued Mary, drove early next +day to the Fairburns' house, it was only to learn that George had +sailed for London some hours before. There was no help for it, and all +they could do was to overwhelm the father and mother with words of +gratitude and praise. They informed the Fairburns that by the +exertions of the men the library and its contents had been saved; the +rest of the mansion was left a wreck. Mrs. Maynard had been drawn from +the mass of burning rubbish at the foot of the staircase, and was now +lying between life and death. + +George had had a bad quarter of an hour at the parting from his +parents, but by the time the vessel felt the swell of the open sea he +was full of spirits again. The sea voyage, even in a dirty collier, +was a delight. Then there was London the wonderful at the end of it, +and he had long desired to see the great capital of which he had heard +and read so much. + +The London of Queen Anne's reign was not the huge overgrown London of +our own day. But it was a notable city, and to George Fairburn and his +contemporaries the grandest city in the world. The Great Fire had +taken place but twenty years before George was born, yet already the +city had risen from its ashes, with wider and nobler streets, and with +a multitude of handsome churches which Wren had built. The new and +magnificent St. Paul's, the great architect's proudest work, was +rapidly approaching completion. George's father had witnessed the +opening for worship of a portion of the cathedral five years before, +and soon the stupendous dome, which was beginning to tower high above +the city, would be finished. Sir Thomas Gresham's Exchange, the centre +of the business life of the city, had been replaced by another and not +less noble edifice. The great capital contained a population of well +over half a million souls, a number that seemed incredible to those +who knew only Bristol, and York, and Norwich, the English cities next +in size. The houses stretched continuously from the city boundary to +Westminster, and soon the two would be but one vast town. George had +heard much of London Bridge, with its shops and its incessant stream +of passengers and vehicles, and he hoped to visit the pleasant +villages of Kensington and Islington, and many another that lay within +a walk of great London. He hoped one day, too, to get a glimpse of +some of the clever wits, Mat Prior, Wycherley, Dick Steele, and +others, who haunted the coffee-houses of the capital, and of the +rising young writer, Mr. Addison, not to mention a greater than them +all, the incomparable Sir Isaac Newton. For George had ever been a +great reader, even while he loved a good game as well as any boy in +the land. + +It was many a long year, however, ere George Fairburn was destined to +see the mighty capital. Once fairly at sea, the skipper brought out +and mounted his four little guns, to the lad's huge joy. + +"You mean business, captain," he remarked with a merry laugh. + +"I do, if there comes along a Frenchy who won't leave us alone," the +old fellow replied, "leastways if she isn't too big a craft for us +altogether." + +The evening was coming in, the town of Yarmouth faintly visible +through the haze, when suddenly the crew of the _Ouseburn Lassie_ +became aware of a big vessel in the offing. + +"She's giving chase, by thunder!" cried the skipper, after he had +taken a long look through the glass; and all was excitement on board +the brig. Anxiously all hands watched the stranger, and at last the +shout went up, "She's a Frenchy!" + +"Aye, and a big 'un at that," somebody added. + +Hastily the preparations were made to receive her, though the captain +shook his head even as he gave his orders. + +"It's no go," he whispered to George. "We've got these four small +guns, but what's the good? We've nobody to man 'em; only a couple on +'em, leastways. And the Frenchman's a monster." + +"We'll show them a bit of fight all the same," George put in eagerly. +The old salt shook his head again. + +Quickly the big vessel overhauled the collier brig, and signals were +made to pull down her flag, whereupon the Englishman grunted. + +Within a minute a puff was seen, and a round shot whizzed close past +the _Ouseburn Lassie's_ bows. + +"Give them a reply!" George urged in great excitement. + +"Wait a bit, my lad," and the skipper bided his time. + +"Now!" came the order at length, and a couple of eight-pound balls +flew straight to the Frenchman. + +"Well hit!" shouted the Englishmen, as a shower of splinters was seen +to fly upwards from the enemy's deck. + +"It's enough to show 'em we've got mettle in us," growled the old +captain, "and that's all we can say." + +His words were justified, for the next moment there came another +flash, and with a crash the brig's mast went by the board. + +"Done for!" groaned the skipper. "We shall see the inside of a French +prison, I reckon." + +The enemy's long boat put out with a crew four times that of the brig. +Within a quarter of an hour the Englishmen had all been transferred to +the _Louis Treize_, and an officer and half a dozen men left in charge +of the prize. The Frenchman at once set a course for Dunkirk, and, +with a spanking breeze behind her, she made the port in fifteen hours. +The noon of the next day saw George Fairburn and his companions +clapped into a French prison. + +"A bonny come off," the old skipper grumbled, "but we shall ha' to +make the best on it." + +It will not be forgotten that the war just begun was, to put it +bluntly, a war to determine which of two indifferent princes, Philip +of France and Charles of Austria, should have the Spanish crown. Lord +Peterborough declared that it was not worth his country's while to +fight for such "a pair of louts." + +[Illustration: "Now!" came the order.] + +Into the war, however, England had thrown herself, under the direction +of Harley, the famous Tory minister now in power, at home, and with +Marlborough as commander-in-chief of both the English and the Dutch +forces abroad. The General's first aim was to take back from Louis XIV +all those fortresses in the Spanish Netherlands which had been seized +and garrisoned by the French troops as if the country were a French +possession. + +He started from Kaiserwörth, a town on the Rhine, which his troops had +captured from one of Louis's chief allies, the Elector of Cologne, +before Marlborough arrived to take command. Venloo was taken in +gallant style, and then the important city of Liége, on the Meuse. The +result of the campaign was that the French had been chased from the +Lower Rhine, and Holland, much to its relief, made far more safe from +attack. Returning to England, the victorious commander was given a +grand reception. And no wonder, for it was the first time for many a +year that the French had received a real check. + +While these things were going on in the Netherlands, another leader +under the Grand Alliance, Prince Louis of Baden, took Landau, on the +Rhine, from the French. In Italy, too, the allies triumphed, the +gallant Prince Eugene, presently to be the warm and life-long friend +of Marlborough, defeating the French brilliantly at Cremona, a +fortunate thing for the Empire, which was thus secured from a French +invasion through the Tyrol. + +To crown the successes of the Grand Alliance during the campaign of +1702, the first of the war, the brave sailor Sir George Rooke, +following the Spanish galleons and the French war vessels into the +harbour of Vigo, destroyed the greater number of them. It was a +repetition of Drake's famous expedition to "singe the King of Spain's +beard." + +All these things happened while George Fairburn and other English +prisoners ate their hearts out in captivity at Dunkirk. The lad chafed +under the surveillance to which he was subjected, and never passed a +day without turning over in his mind some scheme of escape. How it was +to be done, he did not see. But he waited for his chance, and +meanwhile, partly to avoid being suspected, and partly to while away +the hours he made friends with the soldiers on guard. He already knew +a little French, and with his natural quickness he soon made rapid +progress. At the end of a month he could get along capitally in the +language; at the end of three months he could speak the tongue +fluently; at the end of nine months--for thus did his term of +captivity drag itself out--he was, so far as the language was +concerned, almost a Frenchman. Thus the winter passed, and the spring +of 1703 came round, George Fairburn still an inmate of a French +prison, hopeless of escape, so far as he could see. + +But his chance came at last suddenly and unexpectedly. One morning he +was escorted to the Hôtel de Ville, to interpret for an officer +examining a batch of English prisoners who had been brought in from +the Netherlands border. The way to the town lay at no great distance +from the shore, and he observed how a boat lay close in on the low +sandy beach, no owner in sight. His heart leapt into his mouth, and he +had much ado to keep himself from betraying his thoughts by the flush +that mantled hotly on his cheek. + +One, two, three hundred paces the boat was left behind. Now or never! +Instantly the lad started off back to the spot, his feet flying across +the sand. + +A shout broke from the throats of his astonished guards, and a half +score of bullets whistled after the runaway. George ducked his head +and sped on unhurt. A second volley did little more harm than the +first, merely grazing the lobe of his right ear. The race was furious, +but the lusty English lad was far and away the superior of the heavy +Frenchmen. He gained the boat, the enemy still a hundred paces behind. +The painter was loosely wound round a large stone, and in a trice +George had leapt with it into the little craft. He had just time to +give a vigorous shove off before the pursuers came up, the foremost +dashing into the sea after him. + + + + +CHAPTER V + +GEORGE RECONNOITRES + + +Splash through the water rushed the French soldiers in full chase. +Already they were beginning to cheer, for the leading man had all but +grabbed the boat, and the prisoner was as good as retaken. George +looked down for something with which to strike, for he did not intend +to submit without a struggle, but there was no oar on board. There had +been a small boat-hook, but that he had left sticking in the sand when +he gave his lusty shove off. The pursuer, up to his neck in water, +seized the boat, and for a moment his chin rested on the side. But the +next instant the lad had kicked out with the clumsy wooden shoes he +wore, and the soldier fell back half stunned into the sea. The rest of +the fellows instantly raised their guns, but George did not wince; he +perceived what they in their wild scamper after him had not noticed, +that they had dragged their muskets through the water, and for the +time had rendered the weapons useless. The boy laughed in spite of his +predicament, as he hastily ran up the little sail. + +The breeze at once caught the canvas, and the bark moved briskly away. +But two of the soldiers, who had not entered the sea, hastily +reloading--they had not done so hitherto, after the recent +discharges--levelled their pieces at the retreating prisoner. George +flung himself to the bottom of the boat as he saw the move, and the +bullets whistled harmlessly overhead. Springing up again, he perceived +that he was now beyond range, and with a shout of joy he waved his cap +triumphantly. The whole escape had been planned and successfully +carried out in the space of five minutes. He was free! + +But his joy was presently tempered by the thought of what might +follow. That the men would endeavour to give chase he well knew; +indeed he could make out their forms running in search of another +boat. However, he had gained a start; that was something. As to +whither he was destined to be driven, or how he was to get food and +water, these things were for the present of less consequence than the +fact that he was free. + +Fortune favoured him, for within ten minutes a thickness came on, and +soon the boat was enveloped in fog. The chase was now rendered +impossible to the enemy. Hour after hour George kept his sail hoisted, +driving briskly he knew not whither. + +"I am bound," said he to himself, "to stumble upon either the English +or the Dutch coast, and in either case I shall be among friends." Thus +the lad comforted himself. + +The day wore on, and he was becoming ravenously hungry. He would have +given much for a basin of even the prison _soupe maigre_. The sky was +darkening and he began to feel drowsy; he resigned himself to a night +of hunger. All at once he heard shouts, and the hull of a big vessel +loomed up within a few yards of him. He was instantly wide awake. Was +the stranger French? Thank Heaven, no! She was Dutch built, and as her +flag showed, Dutch owned. Hurrah! + +His cheer attracted the attention of the crew, and much wondering the +sailors drew him up on deck. "A Frenchman," was the verdict in gruff +Dutch. George did not understand Dutch, but he instantly guessed their +meaning. + +"Not I," he cried, in English, and was delighted to be answered in the +same tongue by the skipper. + +George's account of his escape, translated by the captain, set the fat +Dutchmen a-rolling. And, after the lad had had the good square meal +the skipper ordered for him, he spent the evening in going over his +adventures again. The jolly-hearted English lad became an immediate +favourite with the sailors and the soldiers, for, as he soon learnt, +the ship was a Dutch transport carrying troops and stores for the war +in Spain. + +"Where are we, sir?" George inquired of the skipper next morning when +he came on deck, to find a clear sky, and land faintly seen on the +starboard bow. + +"Off the Isle of Wight, my lad," replied the Dutchman. + +"Can't you put me ashore, captain?" he pleaded. + +The master smiled and shook his head. + +"Impossible, boy; you must go with us to Spain. And here comes a +gentleman to speak with you." + +An officer in military uniform approached, and the boy touched his +cap. With the skipper as interpreter the major made George an offer of +service under him. + +"We want fellows of your sort," he said. "And there will be brave +doings in Spain, and plenty of good pay, and glory to be won. Besides, +you will be fighting under one of your own countrymen, most likely Sir +George Rooke himself. Say the word, my good lad." + +George's face flushed. + +"I have always wanted to be a soldier, sir," he stammered. + +"Of course you have, my lad. Then we may take it that the matter is +settled. Good luck go with you, my boy." + +Here then was George Fairburn, who ought to have been driving a quill +in the office of Mr. Allan, shipping merchant, of London, sailing to +join the allied forces in Spain, and to fight against the French. His +head swam with the thought of it. + +But what of George's friends at home all this long while? When +Fairburn learnt that his brig had not arrived in port, though she had +been spoken in Boston Deeps by another collier which was returning to +the Tyne, his heart misgave him. There had been a bad storm on the +coast; it seemed only too likely that the _Ouseburn Lassie_ had gone +down in it! When week after week passed without news it seemed more +and more likely that the vessel had foundered in the gale. News of +captures by French privateers usually filtered through sooner or +later; but for long there were no tidings of the _Ouseburn Lassie_. +The Blacketts did what they could to console the bereaved parents, but +father and mother would not be comforted. At length, months +afterwards, they learnt in a casual way that a collier had been +captured off Yarmouth by a French privateer, about the time the +_Ouseburn Lassie_ was making her trip; at least that was the +construction the Yarmouth salts who saw the affair from the shore put +upon the movements of the two vessels. So a ray of hope came to +Fairburn and his wife. + +"The lad will be somewhere in a French prison," the father said, "and +some day he will be set free and come home to us again." + +The spring of 1703 brought Matthew Blackett's seventeenth birthday, +and with it an ensign's commission in a well-reputed regiment of foot. +He already stood six feet one in his stockings, and mighty proud he +felt when his lanky figure was clothed in his gay uniform. + +"Perhaps I shall come across George in my wanderings," he said, when +he went to bid a very friendly adieu to the Fairburns. "Won't it be +jolly if we do meet!" And the parents were constrained to smile in +spite of their sadness. + +One of the commonest subjects of conversation in our days is the state +of "political parties," and every child of school age can tell you +which is "the party in power." Three hundred years ago such +expressions would not have been understood at all, in their modern +sense, and "government by party" was a thing as yet undreamed of. +Usually the strongest man of his time, whether sovereign or subject, +was the real ruler in England. Elizabeth, for instance, was the sole +mistress in her own realm, though even she was greatly helped by the +famous minister Burleigh. In later times a Strafford, a Laud, an +Oliver Cromwell, a Clarendon presided over the destinies of England. + +But in the second half of the seventeenth century there began that +division of politicians into two sides or parties which has continued +ever since. This division sprang, no doubt, from the civil wars +between King and Parliament, between Cavalier and Roundhead. By the +times of Queen Anne the terms Whig and Tory, replaced in our days for +the most part by Liberal and Conservative, had come into common use, +and no one who desires to understand the history of her reign can +wholly neglect the movements of these two opposing parties in +politics. For Marlborough--with his wife--may be said to be the last +powerful statesman who ruled England without the formal and +acknowledged help of party. Since then the "party in power" has +always, through its chief member, the Prime Minister, and his Cabinet, +been the actual ruler in the State. + +At the beginning of Anne's reign the Whigs were leading in matters of +state, but presently Rochester and Nottingham, the former a very +strong Tory, came into power. Later on, in 1703, the former was +replaced by a more moderate Tory, Harley, and in the following year +St. John succeeded Nottingham. The truth was, Marlborough, beginning +to see that he was more likely to receive support in his great wars +from the Whig side, was working gradually towards the placing of their +party in office, though he himself had all along been a Tory. Thus it +was that he tried to rule with a coalition, or a mixture of Whigs and +Tories. This was in the year 1705, a little after the time to which +this story has as yet been carried. But Marlborough and his Duchess +were still the real power in the land. + +We may rejoin George Fairburn, some three weeks after the day when he +had been picked up by the Dutch transport. With others he had been +landed in the Tagus, and at once drafted into one of the regiments +under the Earl of Galway, a Frenchman by birth, but now, having been +driven out of France by the persecutions he and the rest of the +Protestants had had to endure, a general in the English army. George +learned that Portugal had joined the Grand Alliance, in consequence of +the Methuen Treaty between her and England, by which Portuguese wines +were to be admitted into English ports at a lower customs duty than +those of other countries. This step on the part of Portugal had +greatly enraged the French King, and he had poured his troops into +Spain. The Allies, therefore, were preparing to attack Spain from the +eastern and the western sides of the Peninsula at the same time. So +George and his comrades began their march eastward, while the gallant +admiral Sir George Rooke was attacking Barcelona on the opposite +coast. + +It was a new life for the English lad, and the heavy marches in a hot +climate tried him. But he was growing into a stout youth, and was not +afraid of a bit of hard work. + +"Besides," he would say to himself, when disposed to grumble, "am I +not a soldier? And isn't that what I've always wanted to be? And I +might have been chained up in a French prison still! A thousand times +better be here, even in this scorching place." + +If it seemed odd to the lad that the English soldiers were commanded +by a Frenchman, it was still stranger that the French forces they were +marching to meet were under an Englishman. Yet so it was; the +commander of Louis's army in Spain being the Duke of Berwick, a son of +James II and Arabella Churchill, Marlborough's sister. The two +generals were well matched, according to the opinion that prevailed +among the troops. + +Weeks passed, and as yet George Fairburn had seen no actual fighting. +He was all eager to get into action, and was not much comforted by the +declaration of the old sergeant under whom he marched. + +"Bide your time, my lad," the veteran would say, "you will get your +full share of fighting; enough to satisfy even a fire-eater such as I +can see you're going to be." + +One evening, to his intense delight, the lad was sent forward with a +skirmishing party, a report having come in that the enemy was +concealed somewhere in one of the wooded valleys of the neighbourhood. +After a cautious march of three or four miles, the little company, +commanded by a lieutenant of foot, dropped down into a dingle, at the +bottom of which ran a stream almost everywhere hidden by the thick +growth of trees. The men were startled, on turning a corner in the +break-neck path, to see below them the French flag flying from what +appeared to be an old mill. Scattered about were the roofs of a dozen +cottages, and at the doors could be perceived a number of soldiers +lolling at their ease. + +"The enemy, by Jove!" whispered George, who was leading in his usual +eager fashion, pointing out the flag and the hamlet to the lieutenant. +"Wouldn't it be a good joke to whip off their flag from that old mill, +sir!" + +The officer laughed at the notion; he was not much more than a boy +himself. + +"My lad," said he, "we must know how many the enemy are first." + +"I'll climb to the roof there, and from it I can see right down into +the village and command a view of everything in it." + +"Do you mean to say, youngster, that you would risk it?" the officer +asked in surprise. + +"Oh, wouldn't I, sir," the lad replied with flushed face. "Say the +word, sir, please." + +The lieutenant nodded, saying, "It's worth it. But be cautious." + +The soldiers looked on while the boy carried out his freak, for such +they judged his bit of reconnoitring to be. Cautiously George crept +towards the mill, the sloping roof of which came almost down to the +very hill side. Tying a wisp of long grass and weeds round each boot, +he crawled noiselessly up till within a foot or two of the ridge. He +paused a moment to gaze down the dingle. There, well seen from his +vantage point, a couple of miles away, ran a far larger valley, which +was filled with tents. "The enemy's main body!" he thought. He waved +his arm in the direction of the camp, but his comrades did not +understand the action, as they stood peering down upon the lad from +among the trees higher up the slope. + +Now flat on his face the boy ventured to peep over the roof ridge down +into the village street at no great distance below. Not an eye was +directed upwards, so far as he could see, the men laughing and +chattering gaily as they drank. Then the temptation seized him, and in +a moment he had lifted the flag from the old chimney in which the +staff was loosely set. "I'm in for it now!" he cried to himself, as he +slid like an avalanche down the roof, leapt to the ground, and made +off up the steep slope towards his comrades, the flag triumphantly in +his hand. + +He had reached a spot half way up when suddenly wild shouts were heard +from below, and at the same instant a bullet whistled close past his +ear. A little turn in the path had discovered his head to the enemy. + +"In for a penny, in for a pound," shouted the lieutenant, and the +Englishmen prepared to receive the French soldiers dashing up to the +attack. George stumbled on unhurt, but fell at his officer's feet, +utterly breathless. There he lay, unable to rise, while shots were +rapidly exchanged. For a minute's space it was hot work, but then the +French began to fall back, and with a shout the English handful +followed. Fairburn pulled himself together and stood on the edge of +the rock-shelf where he had fallen breathless. To his horror, he saw a +Frenchman on the shelf below, taking deliberate aim at the lieutenant. + +With a loud cry, the lad sprang down upon the enemy, regardless of the +steepness of the place, and in an instant the man was locked in his +arms, just as the musket report came. Down the two fell, bounding over +two or three shelves of rock, and then pitching headlong some twenty +or thirty feet into the thick brushwood below. + +"You have saved my life, my lad; you are an Englishman worth knowing," +were the next words the boy heard. + +They came buzzing into George's ears some ten minutes later, when, the +brush with the French over, the Englishmen were hastening back to +report to the General. + +"What happened when I fell, sir?" George asked with curiosity, as the +officer walked by the side of the litter. He was astounded to learn +that the Frenchman had been found still held in tight grip, his neck +broken. The enemy had been put to the rout and had fled, leaving their +flag behind them. Moreover, the French camp a couple of miles away had +been spied. + +"You have three ribs broken, Fairburn," the officer went on, "and +you've got about as many bruises as there are days in a year. But what +of that. By Jerusalem! I wish the honour had fallen to me!" + +"I don't mind the wounds a bit, sir," George answered, cheerfully, "so +long as I've been of some use." + +The next day no less a person than the great Earl of Galway himself +came to speak to the wounded lad. + +"I have heard from your lieutenant here the tale of your doings +yesterday," he said, with a smile. "You are a boy of pluck. You are +done for so far as the present campaign is concerned, and must be sent +back to hospital. But there's work cut out yet for a lad of your +mettle." + +George heard all this praise as if in a dream. He was never sure in +after years whether the Earl had really said so much. But Lieutenant +Fieldsend, who was destined to become his comrade on many a +hard-fought field, and his warm friend for life, was always prepared +to tell the full and correct story. + + + + +CHAPTER VI + +THE ROCK OF GIBRALTAR + + +"This is better than lying on one's back in hospital, sir, and better +than dodging about in a close-packed transport." + +The words came from George Fairburn, as with his officer, Lieutenant +Fieldsend, he stood surveying, from its northern vicinity, the +far-famed Rock of Gibraltar. It was the summer of 1704. His doings +since the day of his injuries in the dingle are soon recorded. After +months of sickness and a winter of inaction, his service under Lord +Galway had come to an end, much to his disgust at first. With others, +he had been sent on board a vessel and carried round the coast of +Spain to the neighbourhood of Barcelona, where Sir George Rooke was +operating. The new troops had arrived too late. The Admiral, +despairing of making any impression on the strongly-fortified +Barcelona, was about to sail for home. On the way the idea had come to +Sir George that the commanding fortress of Gibraltar would be worth +trying for. He had accordingly landed a number of troops on the narrow +isthmus of flat land that joins the rock and town of Gibraltar to the +mainland. + +"Yes, Fairburn," the lieutenant replied, with a laugh, "my Lord Galway +foretold that you had work cut out for you. Here it is, I fancy, and +plenty of it." + +It was a striking sight on which the two friends looked--for though +the one was but a private and the other a commissioned officer, yet by +this time Fieldsend and Fairburn had begun their life-long friendship. +Away in front of them towered the huge irregular mass called the Rock +of Gibraltar, or, more commonly, simply "the Rock," with the little +town clustered at its base and on its gentler slopes. To their right +was the indentation in the coast known as the Bay of Gibraltar, which +was protected by a long stone-built jetty, the Old Mole. From this +protection ran a stout sea defence called the Line Wall, with two or +three strong bastions. This wall ended at another projection, the New +Mole. But neither the Line Wall nor the New Mole was visible from the +spot where George and his superior stood. Filling all the narrow neck +of connecting ground were the allied forces just landed, five thousand +of them. Immediately in front stood the only outlet from the city on +its north side, the Land Point gate. + +"I wish they would settle the thing, and either let us get to work or +else re-embark for home," George said, as he sat in what shade he +could find to defend himself against the fierce blaze of the sun. + +"I am with you there, Fairburn," the lieutenant agreed, with a yawn. + +The speakers were alluding to the answer that was expected at any +moment from the garrison within. A formal demand had been made to the +Governor for the surrender of the fortress to the Archduke Charles, +"the rightful King of Spain." This was on the twenty-first of July, +1704. The demand had been made on the part of the Allies by the Prince +of Hesse-Darmstadt, who was present with three Dutch admirals and +several Dutch ships. The English admirals concerned in the siege were, +besides Sir George Rooke, the chief of them, Byng, Sir Cloudesley +Shovel, and Leake. Many famous ships were in the Bay or rode off the +Rock, including Rooke's own vessel, the _Royal Catherine_, and +Shovel's still more famous _Barfleur_. + +The day wore to its close, the guards were posted, and the men +prepared for rest. Then there came the long-expected answer from the +Marquis de Salinas, the Governor of the fortress. It was a stout and +dignified refusal. He and his men had sworn allegiance to King Philip, +the old fellow said, and in Philip's name he held the town and Rock of +Gibraltar, and would continue to hold them as long as he could. + +"That looks like business," cried George, gleefully, to a little group +of his comrades around, and the men smiled at the eager enthusiasm of +the lad. The orders were passed round that the attack should begin +with daybreak on the following morning, and the soldiers went to roost +at once, with easy minds. It was believed that the attack would be but +a harmless bit of child's-play, as it was more than suspected that the +defending force within the town was very small, though how +ridiculously small it really was none of the besiegers at the time +even guessed. + +"Turn out, mate," cried one of the soldiers, shaking George vigorously +by the shoulder, and the boy sprang up to find everybody astir. + +"How I do sleep in this hot country!" he yawned, to which the sergeant +replied with a laugh, "It'll be hotter still before long, my lad, +never fear." + +It was a long time before the first shot was fired, however, the +disposition of the troops and the guns not being complete. At length a +movement was made. The _Dorsetshire_, with Captain Whitaker in +command, was sent to capture a French privateer with twelve guns, +which lay at the Old Mole, and the boom of cannon rose in the air. + +Presently, from near the spot where Lieutenant Fieldsend and his +little company were posted, a shot was fired into the fortifications; +then another, and afterwards a third. Work had begun at last. + +A puff, a boom in the distance, and there came screaming through the +air a big round shot, striking the ground, ploughing it up, and +covering those near with dust and dirt. + +"Quite near enough, eh, sir?" George observed to his lieutenant, as +they shook the earth from their clothing. "And, by Jove, there's +another of them!" A second shot flew just overhead, to do its deadly +work on the unfortunate men who stood immediately behind. George +Fairburn's first task in the siege was to help to carry to the rear +two or three badly wounded men. On the ground lay a couple who needed +no surgeon. + +As yet only a few preliminary shots had been fired into the fortress, +but the defenders were evidently quite ready with their reply, and the +order for a general attack rang out. Within a few minutes the fight +was raging in terrible fashion. From land and sea alike the shot +poured into the town; sailor and soldier joining, and often standing +side by side. As George afterwards expressed it, "any man set his hand +to any job there was to do." Sailors were to be seen on land in many +places, while not a few soldiers helped with the firing on board the +ships. + +All that long morning, however, George Fairburn worked at the gun to +which he had been assigned. Black with smoke, powder, dust, +perspiration, the lad toiled among his companions. For an hour or two +none of the enemy's shots fell very near the spot. But at length, and +almost suddenly, the balls began to fly in too close proximity to be +pleasant. Shot after shot fell within a yard or two of the gun, and +not a few gallant fellows dropped to earth dead or wounded. + +"By Jupiter!" cried the lieutenant, who was assisting, "they have got +our measure at last! I wonder what it is that makes us so +conspicuous." + +Then, looking round, he beheld behind them, and not five yards +distant, a small clump of elder on which some man had tossed the +flaming red shirt he had thrown off in the broiling heat. + +"Ah!" Fieldsend ejaculated, "there's the offender." + +He sprang away and whipped the tell-tale garment from its bush. Just +as he seized it another shot came, striking the gun in front, entirely +disabling the weapon, and then bounding off. When the men, hastily +scattered by the mishap, looked for the lieutenant, he was observed +lying in front of the bush. + +"Dead!" one of the fellows cried. + +"No," answered George, whose keen eyes detected a movement of the +officer's arm, "but he soon will be, if he is left lying there!" +Another shot struck the bush, only just missing the body of the +prostrate man. In a moment George darted forward towards the place, in +spite of the loud warning shouts of his mates. + +He reached the spot, seized Fieldsend by the shoulders, and by main +force dragged him quickly a dozen yards to the right. It was a heavy +task, but the lad was as sturdy a fellow of his years as one might +have found in a week's march, and his efforts were rewarded with a +cheer from his comrades. + +While the shouts were still ringing, yet one more shot came, this time +striking the exact spot where the lieutenant had a moment before been +lying, and ploughing up the little elder bush by its roots. + +"As plucky a job as ever I see!" cried the sergeant, running up with +three or four others, and he slapped George on the back with a +heartiness that made the lad wince. + +The wounded man was hastily carried off the field. + +"More stunned than hurt," reported the surgeon, "a nasty tap on the +left shoulder; but he'll be all right in a day or so." + +Within half an hour George Fairburn found himself on board the +_Dorsetshire_, to assist in the operations against the New Mole. The +signal had come to Captain Whitaker to proceed against that place, and +the ship was headed for the spot. To the surprise of those on board, +they perceived two other ships in advance of them; they were the +_Yarmouth_, Captain Hicks, and the _Lennox_, Captain Jumper, a gallant +pair. Boats from the two vessels were perceived hastening to the +shore. The crews landed, and almost immediately their feet touched +ground a dense cloud was seen to fly up into the air, followed by a +deafening explosion. + +"A mine!" rose from a hundred throats, as the _Dorsetshire_ men +watched with straining eyes. It was true; two score gallant fellows +were afterwards found lying on the fatal ground. + +With a determined rush the _Dorsetshire_ men fell upon the defenders, +and George found himself engaged in a hand-to-hand encounter. It was +all over in a few minutes; the handful of Spaniards could not stand +against so powerful a force, and the New Mole was taken. Hot and +exited, the men were carried against Jumper's Bastion, a strong work a +little to the north of the New Mole, and that place, too, was rushed +in an incredibly short space of time, and with scarcely any loss worth +the naming. From this time George Fairburn kept no count of the long +series of exciting incidents that followed each other, the assault +having been carried to the Line Wall that stretched away northwards to +the Old Mole. + +The attack when at its height was a terrible affair. Sixteen English +ships under the immediate command of Byng, and six Dutch men-of-war +under Admiral Vanderdusen, faced the Line Wall, while three more +English vessels were off the New Mole. + +[Illustration: George found himself engaged in a hand-to-hand +encounter.] + +No place so meagrely manned with defenders as was Gibraltar could long +stand such an attack, and at length the two Moles, and the long Line +Wall between them, were in the hands of the Allies. Of all the +attacking party none showed more vigorous and fearless dash than a +certain lad of sturdy build, and Hicks himself perceived the fact. + +"Who is that boy in your company?" he enquired of the sergeant. + +"Name Fairburn, sir," was the reply; "all along he's been a hot +member," to which the captain said with a smile, as he turned away, +"He most certainly is." + +The next day was a saints' day, and it was strongly suspected, and at +length clearly perceived, that the Spanish sentinels had left their +posts and gone off to mass. It would have been easy to carry the place +at once, but the necessary storming had been done, and the allied +commanders were only waiting for the besieged to give the signal of +capitulation. The besiegers, soldiers and sailors, had nothing to do +but chat. + +Presently some of the sailors declared that it would be a prime joke +to climb the heights and plant their flag there. The notion was taken +up, and presently the temptation grew irresistible to certain of them, +and with merry chuckles the fellows prepared for the task, an +enterprise that was risky in the extreme. + +"I'm one of you!" cried George Fairburn, as he followed the handful of +sailors to the foot of the steep rock. + +"And I!" chimed in yet another voice, and, to George's astonishment, +Lieutenant Fieldsend ran up, his arm in a sling. + +"Better go back, sir," exclaimed the lad, gazing up at the towering +cliff in front of them. + +"Better both on ye go back, I reckon," growled one of the sailors; +"this ain't no job for a landsman." + +Nothing heeding this rebuff, the two soldiers followed up the steep +rock, George giving a hand at the worst spots to his friend and +superior. Up, up, the scaling party mounted, the business becoming +every moment more difficult and more full of danger. More than once +the gallant fellows-in front paused and declared that further progress +was impossible. + +"Oh, go on!" called out George, impatiently, on one of these +occasions, from below, where he was helping up the lieutenant, "or +else let me come," he added, grumblingly. + +The sailor lads needed no spur, however, and amid growing excitement +the summit of their bit of cliff was perceived not far away. In the +dash for the top the active lad passed his fellows in the race, +catching up the foremost man, who held the flag. Seizing the staff, +George Fairburn assisted in the actual planting of the colours. There, +fluttering at the very summit of the Rock, was the English flag, its +unfolding hailed with bursts of cheering, again and again repeated, +from the throngs far below. + +The deed was done, and from that day, the twenty-third of July, 1704, +according to the old reckoning, the third of August by the new style, +the British flag has floated from the Rock of Gibraltar. + +Desperate efforts were made by the garrison to haul down the flag, but +they all failed, and the Governor capitulated. The Prince of +Hesse-Darmstadt was for claiming the fortress, but this Rooke would +not have, and he promptly declared the Rock to be the possession of +his august mistress, Queen Anne. Those of the defenders who were +prepared to take the oath of allegiance to Charles III were permitted +to remain, the rest for the most part retired to St. Roque. + +The handful of harum-scarum fellows who had scaled the heights and +planted the flag before long found themselves facing the great Admiral +Sir George Rooke himself, on his quarter-deck, Lieutenant Fieldsend +and George Fairburn being of the party. The admiral said a few words +of commendation; few as they were, they were a full reward for all the +efforts the little band had made. Rooke kept the lieutenant behind for +a moment. + +"What do you propose to do now, Mr. Lieutenant?" he inquired, with +much kindly condescension; "our work is about finished, and we are +proceeding home." + +"By you leave, Sir George," the young man replied, with flushed face, +"I should like to join his Grace the Duke in the Netherlands, and so +would the lad Fairburn." + +"Good," said the Admiral, approvingly, "we will see what can be done +when we reach Portsmouth. I have heard something of the boy's doings. +He will go far, if he is fortunate." + +Accordingly, when, after a great fight with the French fleet under the +formidable Count of Toulouse, off Malaga, a doubtful affair, the +English ships reached home, the lieutenant and George at once offered +for service under the Duke, and were accepted. They sailed away again, +for the Netherlands, Fieldsend carrying in his pocket a few words of +recommendation from Sir George to the commander-in-chief himself. + +The year 1703 had been a sorry year for Marlborough. In the winter he +had lost his son, the Marquis of Blandford, a promising youth, a +Cambridge student. When the spring operations began, he had found +himself hampered at every turn by the jealousies and oppositions of +the Dutch rulers and their commanders. In despair, Marlborough had +marched up the Rhine and taken Bonn. Meanwhile the French were +striving to reach Vienna, there to attack the Emperor. Returning, the +Duke was all eager to attack the great port and stronghold of Antwerp, +the capture of which would be a heavy blow to Louis. He had, however, +to content himself with seizing Huy, Limburg, and Guilders, a success +more than counterbalanced by the defeat of the Emperor at Hochstädt, +by the French and Bavarians. Disheartened and disgusted, Marlborough +went home at the end of the summer, and it was only by the strong +persuasion of Lord Godolphin, now at the helm of state, that he +retained his command at all. As a set-off against all these +disappointments, there were two matters for rejoicing. The alliance +with Portugal has already been mentioned; now there came the accession +to the Allies of Savoy, for the Duke of Savoy had quarrelled with +Louis. + +With intense interest, Lieutenant Fieldsend and George Fairburn heard, +on landing in the Netherlands, of the great victory of Blenheim that +had just been gained by the Allies under Marlborough, against the +combined French and Bavarian forces, commanded by the famous generals +Tallard and Marsin, and the two young soldiers hoped to learn more of +the great fight when they reached the front. + +"What a bit of ill-luck not to have been there in time, sir!" George +exclaimed. + +The boy had, during his stay in hospital at Lisbon, communicated with +his parents at home, and, to his delight, had received their consent +to his following the profession of a soldier. "It is useless to stand +in the boy's way," the elder Fairburn had said, "though I could have +wished he had taken up almost any other trade." So the lad had no +hesitation in thus taking service in the army once more. + +When the two, in company with others, reached head quarters, +Lieutenant Fieldsend presented the letter he held from Sir George +Rooke, and was received with the utmost pleasantness by the great +Duke. + +"Humph, Mr. Fieldsend," Marlborough began, when he had glanced over +the contents of the short epistle. "You are a lucky young fellow to +have got Sir George's good word. But where is the lad he speaks +of--Fairburn, I see?" + +"Just outside, your Grace," was the reply, and at a nod the lieutenant +fetched George in. + +The Duke scanned the boy's ruddy face and took note of his sturdy +figure. + +"My lad," he began, "you have begun early. Do you know what request +Sir George makes in this note?" + +"No, sir--my Lord Duke," George stammered in reply, his knees almost +shaking under him. + +"He recommends you for a commission as ensign," the Duke said quietly, +the boy standing almost open-mouthed. "We will give you a short trial +first, for as yet we don't know you. No doubt we soon shall." And the +great man smiled. + +He rapped smartly on the table and an aide-de-camp entered the tent, +saluting. + +"Here, Mr. Blackett," Marlborough gave the order, "take this lad to +your captain, who will see that he is enrolled in your company." + +The next moment George Fairburn was shaking the other hard by the +hand, the astonishment on both sides too great to admit of a word +between them. + + + + +CHAPTER VII + +BLENHEIM + + +"Now I can thank you, my dear Fairburn! We shall never forget it!" +were the first words Blackett uttered, and he pressed George's hand +once more in his warm grip. + +"Forget what, Blackett?" the other asked in surprise, "and for what do +you thank me?" + +"Surely you have not forgotten it all, my dear fellow--Mary--the +fire--your splendid rescue!" + +"Ah!" cried George, "and you have been keeping that in mind all this +time?" + +"Not a doubt of that. As I have just said, and repeat, we can never +forget it. From that day you became the dearest friend of our family, +if you will let us call you so." + +"Let you! Heaven knows I am more than delighted to be so. We are no +longer silly schoolboys to fight for the merest trifle." + +The reconciliation between the old rivals was complete, and the two +boys chatted long together. + +"But you are in a cavalry regiment, I see," remarked George presently, +"and a lieutenant. I understood from my father's letter that you had +joined a line regiment with an ensign's commission." + +"So I did, my boy; but there are queer turns of fortune in war, and +one of them came to me--only a week or two since, it was." And the +lieutenant laughed pleasantly. + +"Tell me how it was," said George, eagerly. + +"It is like singing my own praises, Fairburn," the young officer went +on, "but here goes. I'll put it in a score of words. All last year I +went as Ensign Blackett, seeing bits of service here, there, and +everywhere--at Bonn, on the Rhine, then at Huy, and again at +Guelders--but there was no chance for me. But this summer, as we were +marching here, not a man of us except the Duke himself, with a notion +why we were coming this way at all, we stopped to storm the +Schellenberg, a hill overlooking the Danube near Donauwörth. We were +all dog tired--dead beat, in fact, for we had marched till we were +almost blind. However, as it was the Duke's, day, he set us at it." + +"Duke's day?" interrupted George, in surprise; "isn't every day the +Duke's day?" + +"It's a funny thing," went on Blackett, laughing, "but as a matter of +fact at that time the Duke was taking alternate days of command with +the Prince of Baden." + +"A queer go!" the listener interjected. + +"Well, to cut my tale short, we made two attacks on that hill, and +both times were driven back. Things began to look like a drawn game, +when up comes Louis, the Prince, you know, with a lot of his Germans, +and at it we went again. In the thick of it, my colonel suddenly +called out, 'Can you ride, Blackett?' 'Try me, sir,' I says. And he +gave me a note for the Duke, telling me that he had not another +officer left who could ride, all our fellows had been laid low or +dispersed. I galloped off like the wind, on a big hard-mouthed brute. +Just as I was nearing the spot where the Duke stood, a dozen Bavarians +suddenly blocked my path and levelled their muskets. I was on a bit of +a slope and above their heads, in a manner, so I kicked up my nag and +in an instant I flew over them, guns and all. It was a clean jump, and +not a shot hit me, by good luck. My horse managed to carry me on to +the Duke, and then fell dead. The poor beggar had caught what had been +intended for me. Well, now I've done. The Duke, who had seen it all, +had me transferred to a cavalry regiment, with the rank of lieutenant, +and here I am." + +"Yes, and here am I, a private, talking in this off-hand sort of way +to a commissioned officer." + +"That's all right, Fairburn," laughed Blackett, "we haven't entered +you yet. It'll be quite time enough to bother about that sort of thing +then. Officially we shall have to be master and man; actually we shall +be brothers." + +Thus the ancient rivals became comrades in arms, and members of the +same regiment, for George from that time was a cavalry man. His other +friend, Fieldsend, was attached to a line regiment again. + +Bit by bit Lieutenant Blackett, during the next days, contrived to +give his friend a full and vivid account of the great battle of +Blenheim, just won by the Allies. He was not a great hand at a tale, +whatever he might be on the field, and we may piece together his story +for him. His adventures and his doings in that memorable fight may +well delay our tale for a little space. + +That year Louis of France had determined to make a vigorous effort, or +rather a series of efforts, and sent various armies to oppose the +different members of the Grand Alliance. But his main plan was to +attack the Empire, making Bavaria, the Elector of which was his only +supporter in that part of the world, his advance post. For some time +Louis had been secretly encouraging Hungary in the rebellion she was +contemplating. He trusted, therefore, that the Emperor would find +himself attacked by his Hungarian subjects to rearward, while he was +engaged with the combined French and Bavarian forces in front. It was +a very fine scheme. + +But there was one man, and only one, who saw through it--Marlborough. +At once the Duke set off southwards, carrying with him also a force of +Dutchmen, deceiving their rulers by a ruse. He sent for the valiant +Prince Eugene to meet him, and the two famous generals saw each other +for the first time. Mutual admiration and friendship sprang up between +them, to last through the rest of their lives. Prince Louis of Baden +had given some trouble by wishing to share the command with +Marlborough. Him they at last got rid of by sending him to take the +important fortress of Ingolstadt, commanding the Danube. Marlborough's +magnificent march from the Netherlands to the upper Danube is one of +the finest things in military story. + +Marlborough and Prince Eugene met with the French and Bavarian forces +near the village of Blenheim, on the same river, and close to +Hochstädt, the scene of the defeat of the allied troops the year +before, and joyfully the leaders prepared to join battle. The +commanders on the side of the enemy were Marshal Marsin, the Prince of +Bavaria, and Marshal Tallard. The last of these had managed to slip +past Eugene some time before and join his colleagues. + +The order of battle on the side of the Allies was this. The right was +commanded by Eugene, the left by Lord Cutts, a gallant officer, the +centre, a vast body of cavalry mainly, by Marlborough himself. Opposed +to Eugene were the Elector and Marsin, while Tallard faced the Duke, +but on the farther bank of the little brook Nebel, which empties +itself into the Danube just below. Tallard's centre was weak, as he +had crowded no fewer than seventeen battalions into the village of +Blenheim, on his extreme right and close to the bank of the great +river. + +"Now, gentlemen, to your posts." These words, quietly and pleasantly +spoken by Marlborough, began the great battle of Blenheim. It was +about midday, August 13, 1704. The Duke had been waiting till he heard +that Prince Eugene was ready, and he had occupied the interval in +breakfast and prayers. Every man of his division was provided with a +good meal. He himself had attended divine service and had received the +sacrament the evening before. + +Lieutenant Blackett found himself one of a body of 8,000 cavalry, +which were ordered to cross the Nebel so as to be within striking +distance of Tallard's troops drawn up beyond the brook. This work of +crossing was likely to be a long and tedious, not to say a difficult +bit of business, the intervening ground being very boggy. Matthew was +far towards the rear of this large body of horse, and it was evident +that it would be hours before his turn came to cross. In company with +hundreds of his comrades, he began to long for something more +exciting. + +The first division to get into serious action was that under the brave +Lord Cutts, to the left of the allied forces. Cutts went by the +nickname of Salamander, so indifferent was he to danger when under +fire. This gallant leader led his men to attack the village of +Blenheim. Twice the assault was made with the utmost vigour and +determination; twice Cutts was driven back. The village was not only +filled with an immense force of French, but was protected by a strong +palisade. + +A horseman was presently seen galloping towards the spot where the +Duke was posted, and his movements were watched with interest by +Blackett and others of the cavalry waiting their orders to cross. + +"Seems to me he is wounded," the lieutenant observed to a man near +him; to which the other replied, "Yes, he does seem wobbly, doesn't +he?" + +Hardly had the words been spoken when the advancing rider suddenly +fell from his horse, which kept on, however, dragging his master along +by the stirrup. Without a second's delay, Blackett threw his own beast +across the track of the runaway steed, caught his head, and pulled him +up. Then in a moment the youngster was down on the ground to the +assistance of the poor fellow who had fallen. + +"To the Duke!" the man cried, glancing at a note he held tightly +clutched in his hand. "Quick!" he moaned; "I'm shot through the back, +and done for!" + +"Poor fellow!" murmured the lieutenant, and he seized the letter, +sprang with a bound into his saddle, and was off like the wind, before +his companions had quite realized what it all meant. Thus for the +second time within a few days Matthew Blackett presented himself +before his commander in the part of unofficial aide-de-camp. The Duke +nodded as he recognized the lad, and, pencilling a few words of reply, +said, "To Lord Cutts; then back to your post." And as Blackett rode +off like the wind in a bee-line for Cutts's division, Marlborough +murmured, "A fearless fox-hunter, I'll be bound." The order, it was +afterwards found, was for Cutts to make no more attempts on Blenheim, +but to hold himself in readiness when his services should again be +requisitioned. + +Meanwhile, Prince Eugene was having a lively time of it on the right +wing. He began by leading a cavalry charge against the French and +Bavarians, who were under the command of Marsin and the Elector +respectively. In a few minutes he had forced back the front line and +had captured a battery of six guns. On he sped to confront the second +line, and the opposing forces met with a tremendous shock. For a +moment all was doubtful, but the enemy stood their ground stoutly. +Eugene could make no impression and had to fall back. By this time the +scattered front line of the French had rallied, and, in spite of the +Prince's desperate efforts, the battery was retaken. The danger to +that division of the allied forces soon became extreme. To save the +day, Eugene immediately galloped away in person, and returned +presently, bringing a body of Prussian infantry he had in reserve. The +help of these alone saved him from defeat. + +At last! Blackett and his comrades were ordered to advance, and moved +towards the Nebel. The ground was in a shockingly bad state. At its +best marshy and water-logged, it was now a sea of mire. The worst +spots had been bridged over, as it were, by the help of fascines, with +here and there pontoons. By this time, however, many of these had been +shifted from their places by the passage of so many thousands of +horse, and the road became worse and worse as the burn was neared. In +one place the men were compelled to come to a full stop, the ground +being simply impassable. + +"We cannot advance, gentlemen," cried the colonel commanding the +regiment, "till we have done some repairs. Now for willing hands!" + +Some of the officers glanced dubiously at the mud in which the horses +were standing knee-deep, and they did not budge. Not so Matthew +Blackett; with a bound he sprang to the ground, and waded through the +mire, half of his long legs submerged, his brethren endeavouring to +keep their countenances. + +"That's the right way!" sang out the colonel in high commendation, and +a little crowd of the men following the example of the young +lieutenant, the work of repairing the road was soon in rapid progress, +the colonel standing by to direct the operations. Other officers +speedily came to help, rather ashamed to think that they had allowed +the youngster to set them a lead. + +"It's nothing," cried Matthew, cheerfully, as he toiled with a will. +"Many's the time I've stood up to my waist in deadly-cold water +digging out an old dog otter." + +The lad's good-humour and willingness were infectious, and in a +remarkably short space of time the track had been repaired. Then, with +many a joke at each other's expense, the men remounted and pursued +their journey, covered from head to foot with mire, but cheered by the +colonel's approving, "It will serve for all the rest of the horse, my +lads." + +All this time the cavalry were wondering why Tallard took no steps to +stop their passage, and none was more surprised than Marlborough +himself. He did not at the time know that Tallard had left his centre +weak, by sending so many men into the village on the right. Still +less, of course, could the Duke know that Tallard was expecting a very +easy victory. Be that as it may, the Marshal made no move till +Marlborough had got a large part of his men across the stream and had +formed his first line. + +When Blackett arrived on the scene with his regiment he found that a +force of Eugene's cavalry had taken the village of Oberglau, near the +spot. A minute later, almost before the colonel had drawn up his men, +there was a fierce shout, and there came thundering down upon the +village, with almost irresistible shock, a body of the enemy. + +"Irishmen, by Jove!" cried a man by Matthew's side. "They'll fight +like demons!" + +The attack, in truth, came from the Irish Brigade, a doughty body of +Irishmen, exiles from their country, in the service of Louis. Before +the Englishmen realized the situation the Irishmen had dashed clean +through the force occupying Oberglau, and had taken up a position +between the men and Eugene. + +The confusion was extreme, and the allied troops could scarce be got +to face the resistless Irishmen at all. Things looked desperate. The +colonel of Blackett's regiment, seeing the state of things at +Oberglau, as he toured it, shouted, "Go and tell the Duke, Mr. +Blackett!" and away dashed Matthew once more to the General. He was a +pretty spectacle, but he did not give the matter a thought, and his +news prevented the Duke from paying much heed to the condition of the +messenger. + +"Lead the way," came the sharp order, and Blackett thundered on in +front, the great commander with a body of men hard after him, to find +the energetic and plucky colonel fallen badly wounded, and the +regiment in difficulties. With a swoop, the reinforcements fell upon +the Irishmen, and, almost for the first time, Matthew found himself +engaged in a hand-to-hand encounter. He did not know how long the +conflict lasted, but presently he found the enemy in full flight, his +comrades cheering lustily around him. Marlborough's promptitude had +saved the situation. + +"You fought like a very fiend, Blackett," remarked the major, +laughingly, a little later on, when for the moment operations had +ceased, to which Matthew replied simply, "Did I, sir? I don't remember +anything about it," whereat the major laughed again. + +It was five in the afternoon, and there was a lull on the field. Up to +the present neither side could be said to have gained any real +advantage over the other. All the allied cavalry had crossed the +stream, and the men wondered what would come next. + +They were not left long in doubt. The order came to mass the horse in +preparation for a grand charge. For a time the field was a scene of +rapid and puzzling movement, but order was quickly evolved out of the +seeming confusion. + +Then the trumpet rang out, and there bore down upon Tallard a +magnificent body of eight thousand cavalry. Bore _down_, we have +written; the course was slightly upwards, as a matter of fact, from +the stream. There was one check, and the Allies were stopped for a +moment. Then like a whirlwind the horse dashed forward, at a +tremendous speed. + +It was too much. The French fired one volley, then turned and fled. On +the Englishmen galloped, and in a few moments the enemy's line was cut +in two. In two different directions the French cavalry ran, and +Marlborough followed after that section which was making for Blenheim. +It was a wild stampede, and Matthew Blackett, as he dashed after the +retreating enemy, always considered it the most exciting episode in +his life. + +It did not last long. By great good fortune the lieutenant found +himself one of those surrounding Marshal Tallard. Amidst a wild burst +of applause the gallant Frenchman surrendered, and before he knew well +what he was doing, Blackett was leading Tallard's horse by the bridle. +The lad saw the Duke glance towards him as he dismounted to receive +the gallant leader and invite him into his carriage. + +The victory was practically won. There remained only the seventeen +battalions in the village of Blenheim, and these, hemmed in on the one +side, and bounded by the river on the other, gave little trouble. The +poor fellows, in fact, were unable to stir, and many a man of them +sprang into the river in his desperation, only to be hopelessly +carried away by the swift current, and drowned. + +It was a terrible scene of bloodshed, and it was an untold relief to +the Englishmen when their gallant foes in the village gave in. One +French regiment had actually burnt its colours to save them from being +taken. + +Thus ended the great fight of Blenheim, a fight in which the enemy had +lost no fewer than forty out of their sixty thousand men. The Allies +had had fifty thousand troops and had lost eleven thousand of them. +The wonderful renown of the French army had received a mighty blow. No +longer could Louis boast that his troops were invincible. + +To Marlborough the victory brought the royal manor of Woodstock and +the palace of Blenheim. To the humble Matthew Blackett it gave a place +near the great Duke's own person, as we have seen. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +COMRADES IN ARMS + + +It was always a puzzle to George Fairburn that the Duke had so +unexpectedly assigned him to a cavalry regiment, and his friend +Lieutenant Blackett could not help with the solution. + +"I suppose it was just an accident," Matthew said with a laugh; "he +saw a horse-soldier before him in the person of your servant here, and +so turned you over to me. I'm mighty delighted, anyhow, that we are +thrown together. We shall have a good time of it, I feel sure." + +"We shall, if there's plenty to do," George assented with a smile. + +There was plenty to do. At the very moment when the boy and Lieutenant +Fieldsend arrived, the Duke had given orders to prepare for another +long march, and within a couple of days George found himself one of a +large body of troops heading for the Rhine valley. A halt was called +before Landau, and the siege of this stronghold began. The affair +proved to be a slow business, the attacking force being very short of +military material. Days passed; the fortress stood firm, no apparent +impression being made at all. + +"I dare wager the Duke won't stand cooling at this job," remarked +Matthew to George and Fieldsend one evening. The latter with his +regiment was assisting in the siege, and he had already taken a great +liking for Matthew Blackett, a liking Matthew was not slow to +reciprocate. + +The prophecy was not far wrong. Almost before dawn the very next +morning Marlborough was marching, with twelve thousand men, largely +cavalry, towards the Queich valley, across a bit of country that for +badness could hardly be matched even in the wilds of Connemara. On man +and horse tramped, till the ancient city of Trèves was reached. The +Duke prepared for a siege, but he was saved the trouble. The garrison +was far too weak to hold the place, and the place fell into his hands +almost without a blow. George Fairburn grumbled at his luck, but was +cheered by Matthew's laughing reply, "Don't seek to rush things too +quickly, my dear lad; your time is coming." + +It was. After ordering the siege of Traerbach, Marlborough flew back +with a portion of his men to Landau, in his own breathless fashion, +and before many hours were over Fairburn was as keenly interested in +the siege as if he had never scampered all the way to Trèves and back +again. A week or two passed by, and still the place held out, though +it was plain the end was near. + +One day a sudden assault was planned on a weak spot in the defences, a +spot where some earlier damages had been ineffectively repaired. +George, with a troop of cavalry on foot, under the orders of +Lieutenant Blackett, suddenly started off at the double, spurred by +their officer's "Come along, lads! through or over!" With a roar of +delight the men, mostly young fellows, dashed toward the spot, +regardless of the whistling bullets that flew around. In a breach of +the defences, a place not more than four or five feet wide, stood a +huge Frenchman, whirling his sword over his head. The attackers pulled +up for a moment, all except George, who kept right on, till he was +close upon the big fellow with the sword. The Frenchman lunged out +fiercely at the lad, but the Englishman skipped out of the way like a +cat. Then before the man could use his weapon again George had charged +him head first, like a bull, his body bent double. With a shock his +head came into contact with the fellow's knees, and in a moment the +Frenchman had tumbled helplessly on his face. The rest of Blackett's +little band dashed over the prostrate enemy and into the fortress. The +stronghold was taken. + +"Send Cornet Fairburn to me, Mr. Blackett," said the colonel that same +evening, and much wondering the lieutenant obeyed. + +"Cornet Fairburn sounds well," he remarked to George. "Wonder if the +old colonel has made a mistake about it." + +There was no mistake at all. When George Fairburn returned from his +interview with his commanding officer, it was as Cornet, not as +Trooper Fairburn. It was by the Duke's own order, it appeared. That +night the three friends, all with commissions in their pockets now, +made merry in company. Sir George Rooke's desire had been speedily +realized, and George had taken his first step upwards. + +Marlborough marched to meet the King of Prussia, whom he persuaded to +send some eight thousand troops to the help of the Duke of Savoy, in +Italy. Then he went home to receive his honours, and the memorable +campaign of 1704 came to an end. + +Marlborough was a statesman as well as a brilliant commander, and he +had his work at home as well as abroad, a work the winters enabled him +to deal with. He was now quite aware that his best friends, that is to +say, the chief supporters of his war schemes, were the Whigs, and he +was working more and more energetically to put their party in power. +Harley and St. John took the place of more violent Tories, and in 1705 +a coalition of Whigs and Tories, called the Junto, managed public +affairs, more or less under Marlborough's direction. The Duchess still +held her sway over the Queen, and the two ladies addressed each other +as Mrs. Morley (the Queen) and Mrs. Freeman respectively. Already +there were influences at work to undermine the power of the +Marlboroughs, but their political downfall was not yet. + +Scottish matters were giving a good deal of trouble to the English +government. Two years before, in 1703, the Scotch Parliament had +passed an Act of Security, the object of which was to proclaim a +different sovereign from that of England, unless Scotland should be +guaranteed her own religious establishment and her laws. Now this +year, 1705, the Parliament in London placed severe restrictions on the +Scotch trade with England, and ordered the Border towns to be +fortified. The irritation between the two countries grew and grew, and +war seemed within sight. A commission was accordingly appointed to +consider the terms of an Act of Union, the greater portion of +Scotland, however, being strongly opposed to any such union at all. + +The spring of 1705 found the Allies active once more. The main +interest centres in the Netherlands and in Spain. The Earl of +Peterborough, who took the command in Spain, was one of the most +extraordinary men of his time. His energy and activity were amazing, +and he would dash about the Continent in a fashion that often +astounded his friends and confounded his enemies. No man knew where +Peterborough would next turn up. "In journeys he outrides the post," +Dean Swift wrote of him, and the Dean goes on to say, + + So wonderful his expedition, + When you have not the least suspicion, + He's with you like an apparition. + +Add to this that the Earl was a charming man, full of courage and +enthusiasm, and able to command the unbounded affection of his troops, +and you have the born leader of men. Of Peterborough's brilliant +exploits in the Peninsula in 1705 a whole book might be written. His +chief attention was first given to the important town of Barcelona, a +place which had successfully withstood Rooke, and in the most +remarkable fashion he captured the strong fort of Monjuich, the +citadel of the town, with a force of only 1,200 foot and 200 horse. +Barcelona itself fell for a time into the hands of Peterborough and +the Archduke Charles, now calling himself Charles III of Spain. +Success followed upon success, and whole provinces, Catalonia and +Valencia, were won over. So marvellous was the story of his doings, +indeed, that when, in the course of time, George Fairburn heard it, in +the distant Netherlands, he was disposed to wish he had remained in +Spain. Yet he had done very well, in that same year 1705, as we shall +see. + +Almost from his resumption of the command in the early spring of that +year, Marlborough met with vexations and disappointments. He had +formed the great plan of invading France by way of the Moselle valley, +and our two heroes, who had heard whispers as to the work being cut +out for the Allies, were ready to dance with delight. They were still +frisky boys out of school, one may say. But the plan was opposed in +two quarters. First, the Dutch, statesmen and generals alike, threw +every obstacle in the way. They would not hear of the project. Then +Louis of Baden was in one of his worst sulky fits, and for a time +refused his help. When he did consent to go, he demanded a delay, +pleading that a wound he had received at the Schellenberg, in the +previous year, was not yet fully healed. The troops the Duke expected +did not come in; instead of the 90,000 he wanted, but 30,000 mustered. + +"It is no go," Blackett said to his friend with a groan. + +At this juncture the Emperor Leopold died, and the Archduke's elder +brother Joseph succeeded him. + +"Spain is bound in the long run to drop into the hands of either +France or Austria," the two young officers agreed. Already the lads +were beginning to take an interest in great matters of state, as was +natural in the case of well-educated and intelligent youngsters. And +they felt that when either event should happen it would be a bad day +for the rest of Europe. + +Baffled in his great scheme, Marlborough set his hand to another +important work. Across the province of Brabant in Flanders the French +held a wonderful belt of strongholds, stretching from Namur to +Antwerp. No invasion of France could possibly be made from the +Netherlands so long as Louis held this formidable line of defences. +Moreover, the near presence of these fortresses to Holland was a +standing threat to the Dutch, and, when Marlborough made known his +plans to them, they for once fell in with them. + +Thus it happened that Lieutenant Blackett and his friend Cornet +Fairburn found themselves once more in the thick of war. They had had +a preliminary skirmish or two not long before--the retaking of Huy, +the frightening of Villeroy from Liége, and what not--but now +something more serious was afoot. That the task the Duke had set +himself was a difficult one, every man in his service knew, but they +knew also that he was not a commander likely to be dismayed by mere +difficulties. Villeroy, the leader of the French, had 70,000 troops +with him, a larger force than the Allies could get together. + +It was near Tirlemont that Marlborough began his operations. The march +to the place went on till it was stopped by a small but awkward brook, +the Little Gheet, on the farther side of which the French were very +strongly posted in great numbers. So formidable an affair did the +crossing appear that the Dutch generals objected to the attempt being +made. Marlborough, usually the best-tempered of men, was in a rage, +and determined to push the attack in spite of them. It was the morning +of July 17, 1705. + +"We are in for hard knocks to-day, if appearances go for anything," +Blackett said quietly to George, as their regiment prepared, with the +other cavalry, to open the proceedings. + +"So much the better," was George's laughing answer; "without hard +knocks there is no promotion, eh?" + +All was ready; the bugle rang out the signal for the attack. The long +line of Marlborough's horse fronted the Gheet at no great distance +away, the field-pieces were in position, the infantry and reserves +somewhat to the rear. Beyond the stream, with the advantage of rising +ground, were planted the French guns, supported by a powerful host. + +Away! The cavalry dashed onwards at a terrific pace. A sharp rattle of +musketry rang out, and in a moment a sprinkling of the advancing +troopers fell from their saddles. George Fairburn was already warming +to the work, and he sat his steed firmly. Then a ball struck the +gallant animal, and in an instant the rider was flung over its head. +The young cornet narrowly escaped being trampled to pieces by his +comrades as they swept by in full career. Up he sprang, however, a +trifle stunned for the moment, but otherwise no worse. Quickly +recovering his sword, which had flown from his grasp, he darted after +his more fortunate companions, and arrived breathless on the scene. + +A fierce struggle for the passage of the river was going on, and +desperate fighting was taking place in the very bed of the stream, a +trifle lower down its course. For a time George endeavoured in vain to +find a way through the struggling mass of men and horses to the brink +of the Gheet; the press and the confusion were too great. Accordingly +he ran on behind the lines of horse, to find a place where he might +thrust himself in. Where his own comrades were he could not tell. +Bullets were flying thick around him as he ran, but he did not give +the matter a thought. It was characteristic of him all through his +life, indeed, that when his attention and interest were strongly +engaged on one matter he was all but oblivious to every other +consideration. + +At length his chance appeared, and an opening presented itself. +Springing over the prostrate bodies of men and horses, he reached the +bank. To his surprise the stream seemed to be very deep. As a matter +of fact the waters were dammed lower down by the mass of fallen men +and animals lying across their bed. Without hesitation he dashed into +the flood, his sole thought being to get himself across and so into +the enemy's lines. With his sword held tightly between his teeth, the +boy officer swam, as many another lusty Peterite would have been able +to do. He reached mid stream. + +Suddenly he became aware of a sharp pain in his left shoulder. A +moment later he grew faint. In vain he struggled to keep afloat; the +world grew dark to him, and he sank beneath the surface. + +A tall fellow, fully six foot three in his stockings, if he was an +inch, had just managed to wade through the stream, his nose above the +surface, a comical sight, if anybody had had the time to notice it. +Looking back, this man saw George disappear, and without hesitation he +dashed into the water again. Reaching the spot, he groped about, and +then, with both hands clutching an inanimate form, he dragged his +burden to the bank. + +"George, by Heaven!" he cried, as soon as he could get a glimpse of +the features. It was true; Matthew Blackett had saved his friend's +life at the risk of his own. And it had been a risk, for a dozen +bullets had splashed around him as he had hauled his heavy load along. + +"Blackett!" exclaimed Fairburn, a moment or two later, when, +recovering, he opened his eyes. "Where's your horse?" + +"Done for, poor wretch! And yours?" + +"Shot under me, at the very first volley. And it was you who dragged +me out! I shall remember it! But here we are on the right side; come +on!" + +The lads gripped each other warmly by the hand, and side by side +dashed on into the thick of the _mêlée_. A large number of the allied +cavalry had by this time made good their passage across, in spite of +the fiercest opposition on the part of the enemy. In vain Blackett +urged his companion to withdraw and get himself away with his wounded +arm. George would not budge an inch. It was only a flesh wound, it +afterwards appeared. So the two North-country lads stood by each +other. For an hour or more they were hotly engaged, the enemy falling +back inch by inch. + +Then came ringing cheers. The French had abandoned the position; the +famous and hitherto impregnable line of defences had been broken. Our +heroes breathed more freely when a short respite came. But the +interval of rest was short. Colonel Rhodes, their commanding officer, +catching sight of the pair, as he was collecting his men again, +joyfully hailed them, and a minute later George and Matthew, provided +once more with mounts, were cantering with the rest to the renewed +attack. The enemy had made another stand some distance farther back. + +Another struggle, and this second position was like wise carried, with +a grand sweep. Victory was at hand. + +Suddenly a startling report ran through the English lines. The Duke +was missing! Where was the mighty General? was the question on every +lip. Somebody ran up and said a word to Colonel Rhodes. Instantly the +gallant officer and his men were galloping off to a distant part of +the field, the troopers wondering what was afoot. The explanation soon +appeared. Marlborough had become separated from the main body of his +army, and now, with but a very few men around him, was in imminent +danger of capture by the French troops, who were pouring thick upon +the spot. + +Colonel Rhodes charged at the head of his regiment straight upon the +French, and a lane was cut through. It was a matter of a few minutes. +The Duke was saved, and the enemy retired in woeful disappointment. +The first to reach the Duke were Blackett and Fairburn, and the lads +were flushed with joy and pride when their distinguished leader, +looking at them with a smile, said, with all his old pleasantness of +manner, "Gentlemen, I thank you." + +The Brabant line of strongholds was broken. Villeroy fell back, and +Marlborough had his will on the defences. No inconsiderable section of +the belt was rendered useless. No longer did an impassable barrier +stretch between the Netherlands and France. The importance of the +victory could hardly be overstated. As one writer has well pointed +out, "All Marlborough's operations had hitherto been carried on to the +outside of these lines; thenceforward they were all carried on within +them." + +A day or two later the Duke came to inspect the regiment to which our +boys belonged, just as he was inspecting others. The men with their +officers were drawn up, and the General's eyes ran along the line. +Presently he spoke a word to the colonel in command of the regiment, +and, to their no small confusion, Lieutenant Blackett and Cornet +Fairburn were called out to the front. + +"How old are you?" the Duke inquired, as the youths saluted. + +"Nearly twenty, may it please your Grace." "Just turned nineteen, by +your Grace's leave." Such were the replies. + +"Hum!" said the Duke thoughtfully, "you shall have your promotion in +due course. You are young, and can afford to wait for it." This to +Matthew. "As for you"--turning to George--"you have fairly earned your +lieutenancy." And he turned away. + + + + +CHAPTER IX + +ANNUS MIRABILIS + + +"Don't imagine, my dear lad, that they are going to make captains of +mere boys like ourselves." This was the reply, given with a hearty +laugh, when George Fairburn, after receiving his friend's warm +congratulations at the close of the inspection, was condoling with +Matthew on his failure to get his step. "A captain at twenty is +somewhat unlikely," Blackett went on. "I suppose so," replied George. +"After all we are only glorified schoolboys, some of our fellows tell +us. Yet you look three-and-twenty, if a day. However, all will come in +time, let us hope." + +The brilliant operations on the defence line proved to be but the +prelude to Marlborough's second great life disappointment. He saw his +chance. He had but to follow up his success by a decisive victory over +Villeroy's forces, and the way lay open to Paris. His hopes ran high. + +Alas! the Dutch had to be reckoned with. Eager to follow up his +advantage, Marlborough called for assistance, immediate and effective, +from them; in vain; the assistance did not come, or came too late. +With what help he could get from the Dutch, nevertheless, he went +forward to the Dyle. Here again the Dutch balked him, raising +objections to the crossing of that river. In despair the Duke gathered +his troops, as it happened, strangely enough, on the very spot where, +a hundred years later, another great Duke gained his most famous +victory over the French. Could Marlborough have but had his chance +with Villeroy in that spot, there is little doubt that Europe would +have seen an earlier Waterloo. + +But it was not to be. Just as the Margrave of Baden had stopped his +advance along the Moselle into France the previous year, so now the +supineness and factious opposition of the Dutch prevented Marlborough +from dealing the French power a crushing blow. Deeply disgusted, he +threatened once more to resign his command. "Had I had the same power +I had last year," he wrote, "I could have won a greater victory than +that of Blenheim." It was a bitter trial for him. + +The campaign of 1705 soon after came to a close, and the Duke set off +on what we may call a diplomatic tour among the allied states, his +travels and negotiations producing good results. It was not till the +beginning of 1706 that he went back to England, and thus it was late +in the spring of that year when the campaign was reopened. + +Rejoining his army in the Netherlands, he proposed to make another of +his great marches, namely into Italy, there to join his friend Prince +Eugene in an invasion of France from the south-east. This plan was +made impossible by the crookedness of the kings of Prussia and +Denmark, and some others of the Allies. Swallowing this disappointment +also, as best he might, Marlborough started from the Dyle and advanced +on the great and important stronghold of Namur, at the junction of the +Sambre with the Meuse. Namur had always been greatly esteemed by the +French, and, in dread alarm, Louis ordered Villeroy to take immediate +action. The result was that the two hostile armies, each numbering +about sixty thousand men, met face to face near the village of +Ramillies, half way between Tirlemont and Namur, and near the head +waters of the Great and Little Gheet and the Mehaigne. + +Lieutenants Fairburn and Blackett from their position on a bit of +rising ground could take in the general dispositions of the respective +forces, and the same thought passed through both their minds. The +French and Bavarian troops were drawn up in the form of an arc, whose +ends rested on the villages of Anderkirk, to the north, and Tavières, +on the Mehaigne, to the south. The villages of Ramillies and Offuz, +with a mound known as the Tomb of Ottomond at the back of the former, +were held by a strong centre. Marlborough, on his part, had disposed +his men along a chord of that arc. If it came to a question of moving +men and guns from one wing to the other, it was plain that the Duke +had the advantage, the distance along an arc being necessarily greater +than that along its chord, and it was that thought which came into the +heads of the two lieutenants. + +Marlborough directed his right to attack the enemy around the village +of Anderkirk, backing up the assault with a contingent from his +centre. Blackett and his friend were soon taking part in the gallop +over the swampy ground in the neighbourhood of the village. A sharp +encounter followed, the Frenchmen beginning to waver. Hereupon +Villeroy in alarm promptly sent from his centre a large number of men +to support his staggering left at Anderkirk, thereby leaving his +centre weak. + +All at once Marlborough withdrew his troops to the high ground +opposite the hamlet of Offuz, as if for a fresh attack. Then sending +back a part to keep up the pretence of continuing the combat in the +marsh, he took advantage of the concealment afforded by the higher +ground, and, cleverly detaching a large body, ordered them to slip +away round to seize Tavières, on the Mehaigne. George and his friend +were thus separated, the latter being of those who remained in the +swamp to keep up appearances. It was a clever bit of strategy, and, +before Villeroy realized the truth, Tavières had been rushed with a +splendid charge. The fact that the attack on Anderkirk had been only a +feint came to the French commander's understanding too late. His +centre, with the village of Ramillies and the Tomb of Ottomond +commanding it, the really important positions of the day, was weakened +by the loss of troops sent on a wild-goose chase. + +Ere Villeroy could repair the mischief and summon his men from +Anderkirk, Marlborough had sent down upon the French centre a great +body of cavalry under the command of Auerkerke, the Dutch general. +English and Dutch horse combined in this assault, and George Fairburn +found himself one of a host dashing upon the village of Ramillies. +There was a terrific shock, a few moments of fierce onslaught, and the +first line of the enemy gave way. Through the broken and disorganized +line the cavalry swept, to charge the second. + +Another shock, even greater than the first. The Frenchmen of the +second line stood firm, for were they not the famous Household +Regiment--the Maison du Roi--of Louis, and probably the finest troops +in Europe. The advance of the Allies was instantly checked. In vain +Auerkerke urged on his men; in vain those men renewed the attack. The +enemy stood steadfast; they began to drive back their antagonists; the +position of the Allies was becoming critical. + +"Go and inform the Duke! Quick, quick!" the Dutchman called out to a +young officer whom he had observed fighting with the utmost +determination near by, but who had stopped for a moment to recover his +breath. + +It happened to be Lieutenant Fairburn, and George once more found +himself face to face with the Duke, for the first time since he had +met him after the rush of the French defence line near Tirlemont last +year. Marlborough, the youth could see by his quick glance, knew him +again. In a word or two George delivered his startling message. + +"By Jove, sir," declared the subaltern, when telling his story to his +colonel afterwards, "never did I see so spry a bit of work as I did +when I had said my little say. The Duke was ten men rolled into one, +sir. Orders here, there, and everywhere; fellows sent darting about like +hares. In a few minutes--minutes! I was going to say seconds--every +sabre had been got together, and we were all tumbling over each other +in our hurry to get along to the fight. It was a fine thing, sir." + +The commander, sword in hand, led his reinforcement to the fatal spot +with the speed of the whirlwind. He had almost reached it when he was +suddenly set upon by a company of young bloods belonging to the Maison +du Roi. They were nobles for the most part, and utterly reckless of +their lives. Recognizing the Duke, they made a desperate attempt to +secure him, closing round him with a dash. + +"Great Heaven!" ejaculated George Fairburn, as his eye suddenly fell +upon the Duke fighting his way out of the group, and in company with +fifty more he flew to the spot. At that moment Marlborough, now almost +clear, put his horse to a ditch across his track. How it happened no +one could tell exactly, but the rider fell, and dropped into the +little trench. Marlborough's career appeared at an end. His steed was +cantering madly over the field. + +But friends were at hand, and before the Frenchmen could complete +their work the little company had beaten them off. George leapt to the +ground, and drew his horse towards the General, who had sprung to his +feet in a trice, nothing the worse. + +"Here, sir," said the lieutenant, handing the bridle to an officer in +a colonel's uniform, who stood at hand, and the colonel held the +animal while the Duke mounted. + +[Illustration: The Rescue of Marlborough.] + +Before the Duke had fairly gained his seat in the saddle, a ball with +a rustling hum carried off the head of the unfortunate colonel. It was +an appalling sight, and George Fairburn was forced to turn away his +eyes. + +The crisis was too serious, however, to waste time in vain regrets. +Without the loss of a moment Marlborough led the charge upon the +enemy. The famous Household Brigade fell back, and the village of +Ramillies was taken. Then another fierce struggle, but a brief one, +and the Tomb of Ottomond was secured, the position which commanded the +whole field. The battle was almost at an end. + +There remained only the village of Anderkirk in its marshy hollow, and +Marlborough called together his forces from the various parts of the +confused field. Another charge was sounded, the last. The enemy turned +and fled. Ramillies was won. + +The victory, quite as important in its way as Blenheim, had been +gained in a little over three hours. The loss on the side of the +Allies was hardly four thousand; that of the French and Bavarians, in +killed, wounded, and prisoners, was four times as great. All the +enemy's guns, six only excepted, fell into the hands of the victors. + +There was one heavy drawback to the pride which the young Lieutenant +Fairburn naturally felt at having had a humble share in the great +victory. At the muster of the survivors of his regiment Blackett was +missing. Half the night did George search for him, and was at last +rewarded by finding the young fellow lying wounded and helpless on the +boggy ground. It was an intense relief when the surgeon gave good +hopes of Matthew's ultimate recovery. + +"I'm done for this campaign, old friend," Blackett said with a feeble +smile to George, "and must be sent home for a while. But I hope to +turn up among you another year." + +If to follow up a great victory promptly, vigorously, and fully, be +one of the distinguishing marks of a great commander, then the Duke of +Marlborough was certainly one of the greatest generals of whom history +tells. Hardly anything more striking than his long and rapid series of +successes in the weeks after Ramillies can be credited to a military +leader, not even excepting Wellington and Napoleon. Louvain, Brussels, +Antwerp, Ghent, Bruges, all fell into his hands. Menin, Ostend, +Dendermonde, and a few other strongholds gave pore trouble, and the +brave Marshal Vendôme was sent to their assistance. It was useless; +Vendôme turned tail and fled, his men refusing to face the terrible +English Duke. "Every one here is ready to doff his hat, if one even +mentions the name of Marlborough," Vendôme wrote to his master Louis. +The remaining towns capitulated, and the Netherlands were lost to the +Spanish. Of the more important fortresses only Mons remained. + +But Marlborough's were by no means the only successes that fell to the +Allies that wonderful year. Prince Eugene and the Duke of Savoy, the +former after a rapid march, appeared before Turin, and on the 7th of +September that notable place fell into the hands of the Prince, after +brilliant efforts on both sides. The result was of the utmost +importance; the French were demoralized; Savoy was permanently gained +for the Grand Alliance; while Piedmont was lost to the French, who +were thus cut off from the kingdom of Naples. + +George had often wondered what had become of his old friend Fieldsend, +whom he had not seen since the capture of Landau. But in the autumn of +this year, 1706, while Fairburn was quartered at Antwerp, he received +a letter from the lieutenant. It appeared that at his own request +Fieldsend had been allowed to return to Spain, and he had served ever +since under Lord Peterborough. The writer's account of the victories +gained by Peterborough and the Earl of Galway in Spain that year read +more like a fairy tale than real sober history. The sum and substance +of it was that Peterborough had compelled the forces of Louis to raise +the siege of Barcelona, and that Galway had actually entered Madrid in +triumph. Had the Archduke Charles had the wit and the courage to enter +his capital too, his cause might have had a very different issue from +that which it was now fated to have. + +Just before Christmastide George received permission to return to +England on leave for a few weeks. He had never visited his old home +all those years, and it was with delight he took his passage in a +schooner bound for Hull. Hardly had he landed at that port when he ran +across the old skipper of the _Ouseburn Lassie_. The worthy fellow did +not at first recognize the schoolboy he had known in the sturdy +handsome young fellow wearing a cavalry lieutenant's uniform, and he +was taken aback when George accosted him with a hearty "How goes it, +old friend? How goes it with you?" The skipper saluted in some +trepidation, and it was not till George had given him a handshake that +gripped like a vice that he knew his man again. Soon the two were deep +in the work of exchanging histories. The crew of the captured collier +brig, it appeared, had been kept at Dunkirk till the autumn of 1704, +when they had been exchanged for certain French prisoners in ward at +Dover. The Fairburn colliery had prospered wonderfully, and the owner +now employed no fewer than four vessels of his own, one of which ran +to Hull regularly. In fact, the skipper was just going on board to +return to the Tyne. + +Within an hour, therefore, Lieutenant Fairburn was afloat once more, +to his great joy. On the voyage he learnt many things from the old +captain. Squire Blackett was in very bad odour with the men of the +district. For years his business had been falling off, and he had been +dismissing hands. Now his health was failing; he was unable or +unwilling to give vigorous attention to his trade, and he talked of +closing his pit altogether. The colliers of the neighbourhood were +desperately irritated, and to a man declared that, with anything like +energy in the management, the Blackett pit had a fortune in it for any +owner. + +The well-known wharf was reached, a wharf vastly enlarged and +improved, however, and George sprang ashore impatiently. Leaving all +his belongings for the moment, he strode off at a great rate for home, +rather wondering how it was that he did not see a single soul either +about the river or on the road. He rubbed his eyes as he caught a +sight of his boyhood's home. Like the wharf, the house had been added +to and improved until he scarcely recognized the spot at all. "Father +must be a prosperous man," was his thought. Opening the door without +ceremony, he entered. A figure in the hall turned, and in a moment the +boy had his mother in his arms, while he capered about the hall with +her in pure delight. + +The good woman gave a cry, but she was not of the fainting kind, and +soon she was weeping and laughing by turns, kissing her handsome lad +again and again. Presently, as if forgetting herself, she cried, "Ah, +my boy, there's a parlous deed going on up at the Towers! You should +be going to help." And George learned to his astonishment that the +Squire's house was being at that moment attacked by a formidable and +desperate gang. Fairburn had gone off to render what assistance he +could. It was reported that the few defenders were holding the house +against the besiegers, but that they could hold out little longer. The +Fairburn pitmen had declined to be mixed up in the quarrel, as they +called it. + +"Good Heavens!" exclaimed George, "what a state of things!" + +Bolting out of the house, he ran back at full speed to the wharf, his +plan already clear in his head. Within ten minutes he was leading to +Binfield Towers every man jack of the little crew, the old skipper +included. The pace was not half quick enough, and when, at a turn in +the road, an empty coal cart was met, George seized the head of the +nag, and slewed him round, crying "All aboard, mates!" The crew +tumbled in, and in an instant the lieutenant was whipping up the +animal, to the utter astonishment of the carter. + +Nearer to the mansion the party drew, but, hidden by the trees, it was +not yet in sight. The old horse was spent, and, when a point opposite +the house had been gained, George sprang out, vaulted over the fence +into the wood, dashed through the growth of trees, and with another +spring leapt down upon the lawn, almost on the selfsame spot where he +had jumped over on the evening of the fire. For the last hundred yards +he had been aware of the roar of angry voices. The sight that met his +eyes, now that he was in full view of the scene, was an extraordinary +one. + +Scattered about the trampled grassplots was a crowd of pitmen, surging +hither and thither, some armed with pickaxes, some with hedge-stakes, +some with nothing but nature's weapons. One fellow was in the act of +loading an old blunderbuss. Reared against the wall of the house were +two or three ladders, one smashed in the middle. The lower windows had +been barricaded with boards, but the mob had wrenched away the +protection at one point, and men were climbing in with great shouts of +triumph. + +From the bedroom windows men were holding muskets, ready to fire, but +evidently unwilling to do so except as a last resource. George spied +his old friend Matthew at one window; at another, astonishing sight! +stood no other than Fieldsend! His own father was at a third. + +At that moment the fellow below raised his blunderbuss and took +deliberate aim at the old Squire, who, all unconscious of his danger, +was endeavouring to address the mob from an upper window. The sight +seemed to grip George by the throat. + +George carried a handspike, a weapon he had brought along from the +collier vessel. A dozen rapid and noiseless strides over the grass +brought him within striking distance, and instantly, with a downward +stroke like a lightning flash, he had felled to earth man and +blunderbuss. The report came as the man dropped, and with a yell one +of the rioters climbing through a lower window dropped back to the +ground, shot through the thigh by one of his own party. + +"Saved!" the lieutenant shouted, a glance showing him that the old +Squire was still unhurt. All eyes, those of the defenders no less than +those of the attacking party, were immediately attracted to the +new-comer, who was just in the act of seizing the blunderbuss from the +grasp of the prostrate and senseless pitman. + +"George!" "Fairburn!" "My boy!" came the cries from the upper windows, +and the defenders cheered for pure joy. + +The mob, startled for a moment, prepared to retaliate, a hasty +whispering taking place between two or three of the leaders. "Look out +for the rush!" cried Matthew, warningly. George, with a bound, gained +the wall, where, back against the stonework, he stood ready with the +handspike and the clubbed musket. So formidable an antagonist did he +seem to the men that they held back, till one of them, with a fierce +imprecation, dashed forward. In a trice he was felled to the ground, a +loud roar of rage escaping the man's comrades. An instant later and +the young lieutenant was fighting in the midst of a howling mob. + +"Ah! Drat you!" came a bellow, and there rushed upon the rear of the +attackers the old skipper, cutlass in hand, followed close by the rest +of his little crew. This apparition, sudden and unexpected, upset the +nerves of the pitmen, and in a moment they began to run, falling away +from George and tumbling over each other in their haste. + +"No you don't!" hissed the youngster between his firm-set teeth, and +making a grab at a couple he had seen prominent in the fight, he held +them with a grip they could not escape. + +The attackers were routed; Binfield Towers was saved. Within a minute +George was being greeted, congratulated, thanked, till he was almost +fain to run for it, as the bulk of the mob had done. His father, +Matthew, Fieldsend, even old Reuben--all crowded around with delight. +In no long time Mrs. Maynard and Mary Blackett appeared, smiling +through their tears of joy at their great deliverance. The latter had +so grown that George hardly recognized her. All came up except the old +Squire, and he was presently found in an alarming condition, one of +his old heart attacks having come on. It was the only drawback to the +joy of the meeting and the ending of the danger that had threatened +the household. + +Early next morning word was carried to the Fairburns that Squire +Blackett was dead; he had never recovered from the shock and the +seizure consequent thereon. + +"Poor old neighbour!" Fairburn said, with a mournful shake of the +head, "I am afraid he has left things in a sorry state." + +Fairburn's fears were only too well founded. Mr. Blackett had left +little or nothing, and Matthew and his sister would be but +indifferently provided for. Then it was that Fairburn came out like a +man. He proposed to run the colliery for their benefit. To the world +it was to appear that the collieries had been amalgamated or rather +that the Blackett pit had been bought up by his rival. The advantage +to Matthew and Mary was too obvious to be rejected, and the required +arrangements were made. Before the time came for the three young +officers to go back to their duties they had the satisfaction of +seeing Mrs. Maynard and Mary settled in a pretty cottage near, and the +colliery in full work and prospering, the district employed and +contented. Mary had been pressed by the Fairburn family to take up her +abode with them, but had preferred to go into the cottage with her old +governess and friend. Yet she was overwhelmed with gratitude towards +the kindly couple. + + + + +CHAPTER X + +"OUR OWN MEN, SIR!" + + +Marlborough was late in taking the field that year. Important matters +engaged his attention at home. He saw more clearly than ever that the +Whigs alone were the real supporters of him and his war plans. The +party even passed a resolution to the effect that they would not hear +of peace so long as a Bourbon ruled over Spain. Then there were the +intrigues at work that were undermining the influence of the Duchess +of Marlborough, and consequently of the Duke himself, at Court. Harley +was known to be working for the overthrow of Marlborough. He was +preparing to introduce a formidable rival to the Duchess in Anne's +regards. + +The young men were nothing loth to go back to their respective +regiments, to say truth, when the time came. Inaction did not seem to +agree with their young blood. Matthew, his wound now quite healed, was +eager to get his next step. Fieldsend was already captain, and hoped +ere the close of the 1707 campaign to get his majority. As for George +Fairburn, he was quite content to be a soldier for soldiering's sake, +yet would thankfully take promotion if it came his way. Blackett had +paid a visit to the west-country home of the Fieldsends, and it was +whispered that he had there found a mighty attraction. But more of +this may come later. + +The year, to the bitter disappointment of our young officers, proved +an unlucky one. In all directions things went wrong. As for +Marlborough, from the very opening he experienced the old Dutch +thwartings and oppositions, and, after a short and vexatious summer, +he closed the campaign almost abruptly, and much earlier than in +former years. There was to be no promotion for anybody yet awhile. + +In Spain there was an overwhelming disaster. The French and Spanish +forces, commanded by the redoubtable Berwick, completely defeated the +combined English, Dutch, and Portuguese troops under Galway, at +Almanza. So great a misfortune was this that Galway declared that +Spain would have to be evacuated by the Allies. The cause of the +Archduke Charles was to all intents and purposes lost, and the +Bourbons were henceforth firmly seated on the throne of Spain. + +Misfortune trod on the heels of misfortune. Prince Eugene attempted to +take Toulon, the chief naval station in the Mediterranean, but failed +to accomplish the task he had set himself. On the Rhine the Prince of +Baden was badly defeated by Villars, at Stollhofen, the disaster +laying Germany open to invasion by Louis. The gallant Sir Cloudesley +Shovel, who had risen from the position of cabin-boy, was drowned in a +great storm off the Scilly Islands, England thereby losing one of her +ablest admirals. + +Glad were George and Matthew when, after a dull winter, the Duke +opened his campaign of 1708. The young men were now greater friends +than ever, and not unnaturally so, after all that had happened and was +happening. The reports they had occasionally from the elder Fairburn +were in the highest degree cheering. The two ladies were well; the +pits were prospering marvellously. + +The feeling at home, rumour said, was setting strongly in favour of +ending the war and coming to terms with France. This discontent at +home was supplemented by murmurings among the troops quartered at +Antwerp, and still more by the uneasiness of the Dutch, who were +disposed to make a separate treaty with France and drop out of the +conflict. Marlborough felt that he must achieve some brilliant success +before that campaign was ended. + +"There is going to be hot work for us, that is plain," the two +lieutenants said to each other, "and, if we have luck, we shall get +the promotion we have been waiting so long for." + +Bruges and Ghent had gone back to the French allegiance, and Louis +determined to make an attempt to secure Oudenarde also, an important +fortress lying between the French borders and Brabant. The French army +boasted two generals, the royal Duke of Burgundy, an incapable leader, +and the Duke of Vendôme, a most capable one. A more unfortunate +partnership could not well be imagined; Burgundy and Vendôme were in +everything the opposite of each other, and the quarrels between them +were as numerous as they were bitter, so that the army of Louis XIV +was handicapped at the very outset. + +It was three in the afternoon of July 11. The Allies were fagged out +with the marchings and the heat of the day when they came in sight of +the enemy's forces near Oudenarde. + +"Precious glad of a rest!" Matthew Blackett remarked when the signal +to halt came. To his surprise and dismay the order to form immediately +followed. + +"Just like the Duke," commented his friend Fairburn. + +Quickly the cavalry were got together for a charge. + +"The old fellow doesn't intend the Frenchmen to slip away without +fighting," the men remarked to one another. + +Suddenly, almost before the whole body of horse was ready, Marlborough +directed a charge to be made. For the first time our lieutenants found +themselves not in the Duke's own division. The commander of the right +wing, a very strong force, was Prince Eugene, who, having now nothing +to do in Italy, had hurried northwards to join his friend. In such hot +haste had the Prince travelled, indeed, that he had out-stripped his +own army. Here was Prince Eugene, but not Prince Eugene's men. His +wing at Oudenarde consisted entirely of English troops, while +Marlborough's own wing was composed of men of various other +nationalities. + +Almost all writers on military tactics agree that the battle of +Oudenarde was one of the most involved and intricate on record, and +that it is well nigh impossible to give any detailed account of the +puzzling movements. The leading points were these. + +Marlborough's force crossed the Scheldt; then the opposing wing of the +French left the high ground they occupied and swooped down upon him, +endeavouring to force the Allies back into the river. A terrible +hand-to-hand encounter followed, bayonet and sword alone being used +for the most part in such cramped quarters. In the thick of it the +Duke sent the Dutch general with a strong detachment to seize the +vantage ground on the rise which the enemy had lately left. The move +was successful, and the French found themselves between two fires. + +It was growing dusk. Eugene and his men had forced back their +opponents and were now following hard after them. Suddenly shots came +flying in, and in the dimness of the departing day an advancing column +was observed to be moving towards them. What could it mean? Apparently +that the enemy had rallied and were once more facing them. It was an +entirely unexpected change of front, but Eugene prepared to meet the +shock once more. George Fairburn took a long look, shading his eyes +with his hands. + +"By Heaven, sir!" he said, addressing Colonel Rhodes, "they are our +own men!" + +"Impossible, Fairburn!" the colonel answered. But Blackett and others +backed up George's opinion. The word ran quickly along the line that +the shots came from friends, not from the foe, and some consternation +prevailed. + +The next moment, at a nod of assent from the colonel in answer to +their eager request, Lieutenants Blackett and Fairburn were galloping +madly across the intervening space, each with his handkerchief +fastened to the point of his sword, and both shouting and +gesticulating. Bullets began to patter around them, but heedless they +dashed on. It seemed impossible they could reach the advancing column +alive. + +Half the distance had been covered, when the two horsemen saw on their +left a great body of troops tearing along towards them in furious +haste. "The French!" George exclaimed; "there's no mistake about +them!" On the two flew towards their friends, for the men towards whom +they were speeding had by this time discovered their mistake and had +ceased firing. It was a neck and neck race, and a very near thing. As +the horsemen cleared the open space and dashed safe into the arms of +their friends, a huge rabble of demoralized French swept across the +path they had just been following. No narrower escape had the two +young fellows yet had. + +The truth was at once evident. The Dutchman's division, having driven +the enemy from the high ground, had wheeled, and was thus meeting the +Prince's wing, which in its turn had advanced along a curving line. +Each body in the growing darkness had mistaken the other for the +enemy. The plucky dash made by the two young fellows, though happily +not in the end needed, nevertheless received high praise from their +brother officers, and especially from the colonel himself. + +For the next half-hour the fleeing French poured headlong through the +gap across which the lieutenants had galloped, between the Dutchman's +division and the Prince's. Darkness alone prevented the slaughter from +being greater than it was. The numbers of those who fell on the field +of Oudenarde, important as the battle was, were in fact far short of +those killed at Blenheim or Ramillies. + +What was there now to prevent Marlborough from marching straight on +Paris itself? He was actually on the borders of France, victorious, +the French army behind him. He was eager; the home Government would +almost certainly have approved of the step. The heart of many a young +fellow under the great leader beat high, when he thought of the mighty +possibilities before him. But it was not to be. The Prince raised the +strongest objections to the Duke's bold plan, and the Dutch were +terrified at the bare thought of it. So Marlborough turned him to +another task, the siege of the great stronghold of Lille. It may be +observed in passing that Vendôme wanted to fight again the next day +after Oudenarde, but Burgundy refused. Vendôme in a rage declared that +they must then retreat, adding, "and I know that you have long wished +to do so," a bitter morsel for a royal duke to swallow. + +Lille had been fortified by no less a person than the great master of +the art, Vauban himself. In charge of its garrison was Marshal +Boufflers, a splendid officer. Louis was as resolute to defend and +keep the place as the Allies were to take it. The actual investment of +the town was placed in the hands of Eugene, whose men had by this time +arrived, while Marlborough covered him. The siege train brought up by +the Duke and his generals stretched to a distance of thirteen miles. +Berwick and Vendôme were at no great distance away. + +The siege of Lille lasted a full two months, and few military +operations have produced more splendid examples of individual dash and +courage. + +Blackett and his friend found themselves one day taking part in a +risky bit of business. Throughout the siege there had been some +difficulty in procuring provisions for the Allies, and supplies were +drawn from Ostend. On this occasion an expected convoy had not arrived +to time, and a reconnoitring party had accordingly been sent out to +glean tidings of it. From a wooded knoll a glimpse of the missing +train was caught, and at the same moment a large body of French was +perceived approaching from the opposite direction. The Frenchmen had +not yet seen the convoy, being distant from it some miles, the +intervening country thickly studded with plantations. But in half an +hour the two bodies would have met, and the provisions sorely needed +would have fallen into the enemy's hands. It was a disconcerting pass, +and George Fairburn set his wits to work. + +"I have a plan!" he cried a moment later, and he hastily told it to +the officer in command, Major Wilson. That gentleman gave an emphatic +approval. + +Behold then, a quarter of an hour later, a couple of young peasants at +work in a hayfield down below. Stolidly they tossed the hay as they +slowly crossed the field, giving no heed to the tramp of horses near. +A voice, authoritative and impatient, caused them to look round in +wonderment, as a mounted officer came galloping up. He inquired of the +peasants whether they had seen anything of the convoy, describing its +probable appearance. The listeners grinned in response, and the face +of one of them lit up with intelligence, as he made answer in voluble +but countrified French. + +"Where have you picked up such vile French?" inquired the officer. + +"I'm from Dunkirk, please your honour," the man replied with another +grin, to which the other muttered, "Ah! I suppose the French of +Dunkirk is pretty bad!" + +In another minute the yokels were leading the way through a +plantation, along which ran a little stream. At one spot the water was +very muddy, and the marks of hoofs were plentiful. "We are evidently +close upon them," remarked the officer jubilantly, and at a brisk trot +he and his men rode on, a gold louis jingling down at the feet of the +peasants as the party dashed away. + +"Now for it!" whispered George, for he and Matthew were the two +rustics, "we can save the convoy. Our men, after trampling over the +burn here, will have turned as we agreed. We shall find them in the +next plantation." + +He was right in his conjecture. The two regained their friends just as +the head of the convoy hove in sight. To lead the train in a different +direction, and to safety, was now easy. The supplies reached their +destination. + +"Ton my honour, young sirs," the Colonel exclaimed, when he learnt the +story, "it was a smart trick, but a risky one--confoundedly risky, +gentlemen!" + +The fall of Lille reduced France to desperation. Louis was at his +wits' end. To his credit, he sought earnestly to negotiate a peace for +his unhappy and exhausted country. The terms offered by the Allies, +however, were too exacting, and not a Frenchman but rose to the +occasion; this, however, was in the following year. So the campaign +ended, the enemy beaten and exhausted, but not in utter despair. + +Captains Blackett and Fairburn were once more granted a term of leave +when late autumn came round. From London, which George saw now for the +first time, the two travelled all the way to Newcastle in the +wonderful stage-coach which ran from the English to the Scotch +capital. + +In high spirits they hurried towards their native village. At the +entrance to it they came all at once upon a gentleman walking in the +company of three ladies. + +"Fieldsend!" declared Matthew. + +"Yes, by Jove!" cried George, "And with three ladies all to himself. +It's too much!" + + + + +CHAPTER XI + +THE HARDEST FIGHT OF THEM ALL + + +There had been an attempted descent on the shores of Scotland in 1708, +the Old Pretender, under the auspices of Louis XIV, seeking to land +4,000 men in the Firth of Forth. Admiral Byng with sixteen vessels was +ready for the French expedition, and their fear of the redoubtable +sailor kept the enemy from doing anything, so that this attempt came +to less even than that which followed seven years later. + +Politics about this time demanded much of Marlborough's care and +thought. The power of the Whigs was still growing, Harley, St. John, +and others of the moderate Tories giving way to such strong and active +Whigs as Somers, Walpole, and Orford. It was in 1709 that a violent +quarrel took place between "Mrs. Morley" and "Mrs. Freeman." The Queen +was becoming more than ever dissatisfied with Marlborough's policy. +The overthrow of the Churchills was coming nearer. + +Abroad matters did not improve. It was true that Stanhope, the English +general, took Minorca. But the cause of Philip of Spain was now +strong. When, therefore, the Whigs demanded that as a condition of +peace Louis should turn his grandson out of Spain, Europe was +astounded. The proposal was impossible, ludicrous. Philip prepared to +go on with the conflict, saying, with fine spirit, "If I must continue +the war, I will contend against my enemies rather than against my own +family." Such was the state of things in the summer of 1709. + +We have left a group of ladies and gentlemen standing in the lane all +this time. Matthew had his sister in his arms in a moment, for one of +the ladies was Mary Blackett. + +"My sister," Fieldsend said, "and Miss Allan," by way of response to +the inquiring looks of the newcomers. Then George and Matthew learnt +many things that surprised them. They had had no news from home all +the summer, the one letter that had been sent having miscarried. +Binfield Towers was once more occupied, Mr. Fairburn having found an +excellent tenant for the place in Mr. Allan, the eminent +shipping-merchant of London, the very man into whose office George was +to have gone. The little group laughed merrily at the thought of the +gallant Captain Fairburn wielding a long quill in a dingy office. Mr. +Allan, a widower, who had taken up his abode in the mansion, bringing +with him his only daughter, Janet, had not been two months in the +village before he had made an offer of marriage to the devoted Mrs. +Maynard, and the old lady was now mistress of Binfield Towers. Mary +Blackett had thereupon taken at their word the affectionate offer of +the Fairburns, and was now to them as a daughter. Nor was this all. +Fieldsend's old father had lately died, and the Major himself had +succeeded to the baronetcy and had left the army. Brother and sister +had accepted with pleasure the invitation that had come to them to +spend a few weeks with the kindly Mr. and Mrs. Fairburn. Matthew was +to make the same hospitable roof his abode. + +"The good old dad will find it a bit of a squeeze," George ruminated, +as he walked with the rest towards the family cottage. Cottage! He +gave a jump when the home came into full view. It was a veritable +mansion. The original nucleus was there, but so deftly added to and +surrounded by a regular series of new wings, and so framed and +embellished by wide lawn and flower-bed that George did not know this +fine place. He remarked on the change when his mother came to his room +at bedtime, to give him his good-night kiss as she had been wont to do +in the days of old. + +"Father wanted to make the place a bit more presentable now we have an +officer son," the good dame explained, with simple and pardonable +pride. "And we can afford it," she added, blushing like a shy +schoolgirl as she made this whispered confession; "besides we had Mary +to consider, too." It was all very charming, George thought. + +The winter passed all too quickly. Mr. Allan proved to be a capital +neighbour, and had a great liking for young people about him. So there +were pleasant times, at the Towers--dinners, balls, shooting and +hunting parties, and the like. All the eligible society of the +country-side found its way to Binfield Towers. Yet somehow George +Fairburn did not fall into a fit of the blues when Sir Mark Fieldsend +took his sister back to their west-country home; in fact, strange to +say, George rather rejoiced to see the back of the retired major, his +old comrade-in-arms. Why this was so he would have found it hard to +explain, for a more unassuming and agreeable fellow than the baronet +it would not have been easy to find. + +It was a real delight to everybody to hear how the Blackett pit was +now prospering. Under Fairburn's management the colliery had made a +clear profit of five thousand odd pounds in the course of a single +year's working. It was astounding. "Mary and you will be rich folks +again, my dears," the good Mrs. Fairburn remarked, in her own homely +but kindly way, to the brother and sister, and Matthew felt a lump in +his throat. + +The wrench to George, when the time came for him and Matthew to return +to the Continent, seemed somehow vastly greater than it had been on +the two former occasions. However, once across the sea, he cast all +else than his profession to the winds. He did not know it, of course, +but the campaign that was coming was to prove to the Allies the most +costly they had yet experienced. The negotiations for a peace had +ended in nothing, and here was Marshal Villars, the only great French +leader as yet unbeaten by Marlborough, ready with a force of no fewer +than 110,000 men. True, many of his soldiers were raw recruits while +those of his opponent were mostly seasoned veterans. True also, France +was so crippled for money and munitions of war that it was rarely +possible to give every man of the army a full breakfast. Yet Villars +was a general that would have to be reckoned with, and this +Marlborough well knew when he used every effort to swell the numbers +of his troops in the Netherlands. + +Marlborough's aim was that of the previous year, to force his way into +France and to its capital. In order that such a step might be made +possible, it was necessary that no stronghold should be left behind. +Accordingly the Allies set about reducing the three that still +remained,--Mons, Valenciennes, and Tournai, not forgetting that they +had also Villars to deal with. A beginning was made with Tournai, an +enormously strong place, and reckoned to be of the best of all +Vauban's works. + +Marlborough employed stratagem, and it succeeded as usual. He made a +pretence of advancing, and Villars, to strengthen his force, withdrew +a number of troops from Tournai. Then the Duke, with a swift night +movement, invested the town. The garrison made a stout defence, and +our two captains had their work cut out for them. Never in all his +career had George Fairburn been so careless of his own safety, his +brother officers declared. It was not that he despised danger, or was +ignorant of its existence; he simply did not think of it, his mind +being occupied solely with the problem of reducing this impregnable +fortress. + +"Be not rash, gentlemen," Colonel Rhodes thought it advisable to say +to the younger men among his officers. "There are mines in all +directions, if rumour is to be believed. Do not expose yourselves to +needless risk. We are already losing heavily, and men are not to be +had for the whistling." And privately the kindly old fellow--the +youngsters called him old, though he was still short of fifty--added +an extra word of caution to George. "You are a born soldier, Fairburn, +but you never seem to be able to remember when you are in danger; you +forget it like a thoughtless schoolboy. Well, now, for our sakes, if +not for your own, take care of yourself, so far as it is possible, +there's a good fellow." And with a kindly smile and a fatherly shake +of the hand, the colonel turned away. He had said the last word he was +ever to say to George. + +An hour later a terrific explosion was heard; a cloud of dust flew +into the air. A mine had been exploded, and the report came in that +more than a hundred poor fellows of Marlborough's forces had perished. +George Fairburn was more than ever determined to do what he could to +discover hidden mines. + +That very afternoon a company of men, who had prosecuted their search +in spite of the deadly hail of bullets that came from a neighbouring +battery, found another mine, a particularly formidable affair. Eagerly +George Fairburn pressed forward, his friend Matthew close behind. +Suddenly Colonel Rhodes dashed up, crying, "Fall back, for Heaven's +sake! There's another mine below this, I have just learnt. For your +lives!" And the brave man galloped off, his retreat followed by a +startled rush for safety on the part of the men. + +"Come along, George! What are you after?" cried Matthew, observing +that his friend did not budge. + +"I'm not going till I've settled this mine," Fairburn answered. + +Even as they spoke the ground heaved with a mighty convulsion beneath +their feet, and an appalling roar rent the air, the echo resounding +far and near. + +"Ah! You're feeling better? That's right." + +George Fairburn opened his eyes and beheld the face of none other than +the Duke himself gazing kindly down upon him! It was the evening after +the fearful explosion, and Marlborough was making a tour of the +hospital wards, where lay long rows of wounded men. George had been +unconscious, and the Duke's words were caused by the fact that the +young man happened to open his eyes for the first time as the General +passed him. Before the sick man could answer a word, Marlborough had +passed on, with a quiet remark to Major Wilson, "I know the lad's face +well." + +"Where's Blackett?" George now inquired. The Major shook his head. +"And the Colonel?" Another mournful shake. George closed his eyes +dazed, stupefied. + +Three hundred poor fellows had perished in that double explosion. +Colonel Rhodes's battered body had been picked up; Blackett's could +not be distinguished, but doubtless the gallant lad was one of the +mass of victims whose remains were mangled beyond recognition. + +Captain Fairburn took no further part in the siege of Tournai. After a +month of terrible fighting, all but the citadel was captured by the +Allies, and five weeks saw that also in their possession. + +There was a long glade or clearing between two extensive plantations. +At the southern end of this glade, behind strong entrenchments, the +great army of Villars was drawn up, every man eager to fight, for +every Frenchman believed in the Marshal's luck, and that his presence +would certainly bring them victory. Away to the north was Marlborough, +equally eager to begin the combat, Eugene and the Dutch generals with +him. In deference to the wishes of the Prince the Duke had made the +fatal mistake of waiting two days, and all that time the enemy had +been throwing up their formidable trenches. It was the famous field of +Malplaquet, the last on which Marlborough was fated to fight a pitched +battle. The object of Villars was to prevent the Allies from taking +Mons, not far away, to northwards, the siege of which was in progress. +Marlborough had lost heavily at Tournai; Villars, behind his defences, +had suffered comparatively little. But on the other hand the Prince of +Hesse had broken through the strong line of defence works which the +French had rapidly and skilfully thrown up. Now, here, at Malplaquet, +the Allies had a hard task before them. Villars held not only the +glade but the woods on either side, and, moreover, sat in safety +behind his extensive entrenchments. + +For some reason not well understood the Duke for the first time began +the battle, though it would have seemed clearly his best policy to +endeavour to draw Villars from the strong position he held. There was +little in the way of fine tactics displayed, or even possible, on +either side; it was a question simply of sheer pluck and dogged +determination. The Highlanders, for the first time, had joined the +army of the Allies, and they and the famous Irish Brigade under +Villars specially distinguished themselves, if any detachment can be +said to have gained special distinction in a fight where all showed +such conspicuous gallantry. + +Eugene was wounded behind the ear, but refused to withdraw and have +his wound dressed. "No," said he, "it will be time enough for that +when the fight is over." Villars was also badly hurt, yet he had a +chair brought, in which he sat to direct his men till he fainted. +Boufflers, the hero of Lille, took his place. + +Charge after charge was made by the Allies into the woods, and +desperate fighting took place. Once and again Marlborough's troops +were repulsed with awful loss; as often they returned to the attack. +After four hours of heavy fighting the French fell back, and the +victory remained with the Allies. + +Just before Villars sounded his retreat George Fairburn, who had +charged and fought all the while with his usual forgetfulness of +himself and of danger, found himself just outside the eastern edge of +the wood Taisnière, in company with the others of his troop. He was +almost exhausted with his efforts, and, besides, was hardly himself +again yet, after his terrible experience at Tournai, and he sat for a +moment half listlessly in his saddle. A cry near him drew his +attention, and, turning his head, he beheld Major Wilson in the act of +falling from his charger. He had received a bullet in the leg. Before +George could get to this side, Wilson was on the ground, his horse +galloping away. + +At the same instant a fierce shout was heard, and George saw dashing +to the spot one of the redoubtable Irish Brigade. Like lightning the +young captain leapt from his horse, lifted Wilson from the ground, and +by main strength threw him across the animal, crying, "Off with you!" +giving the horse a thump with his fist on the quarters to start him +into a gallop. Then, looking round, he found the Irishman bearing down +upon him at desperate speed, and but a yard or two away. + +In a trice Fairburn darted behind the trunk of a fine tree at his +elbow. It was an oak, from which ran out some magnificent limbs +parallel with and at a distance of six or eight feet from the ground. +Nothing heeding, the Irishman kept on, his sword ready for a mighty +stroke. Then instantly he was swept violently from his horse, and +backwards over the tail, his chest having come into contact with one +of the great boughs. All this had passed like a flash. + +George made a grab at the bridle, but, missing it, fell sprawling to +the ground. Springing up, he found his fallen antagonist risen and +upon him. "English dog!" roared the Irishman, and the next moment the +two men were at it, both excited, both reckless. + +How long they fought they never knew. Apparently the spot was deserted +save for themselves and sundry wounded who lay around. It was a +desperate encounter. The Irishman had the advantage in height and +strength, Fairburn in youth and activity. In the matter of +swordsmanship there was little to choose between the two; in respect +of courage nothing. It was to be a duel to the death. + +The moments flew by, each man had received injuries, and the blood was +flowing freely. Still the swords flashed in the air. Then suddenly the +Irishman's weapon snapped at the hilt, and the gallant fellow dropped +at the same moment to the ground. Instantly George set his foot on the +prostrate man's chest, and cried, "Now your life is at my mercy! What +say you?" + +"If I must die, I must," the Irishman answered doggedly, "but," he +added quickly, a sudden thought striking him, "take this first, and +see it put into the hands of the person mentioned on it, sir." The +trooper pulled from his breast a piece of paper soiled and crumpled, +and George, wondering much, took it at the man's hands. His foot still +on his fallen foe, Fairburn unfolded the dirty and tattered paper. It +was the cover of a letter, and he read with staring eyes the address +on it, "To Captain M. Blackett,--Dragoons." The handwriting he well +knew; it was that of Mary Blackett. + +"Great Heaven!" the reader cried, "where did you get this?" + +"It was given me by a poor fellow, an officer, who escaped from the +big explosion at Tournai. He blundered by mistake into our lines, and +our fellows were about to finish him--leastways one chap was, but I +landed him one between his two eyes, and that stopped his game." + +"And you saved the Englishman's life?" + +"I did, sir; I thought it hard luck when the young fellow had just +escaped that terrific blow up as he had, to put an end to him the +minute after." + +"Get up, for God's sake, man; you have saved the life of my dearest +friend!" And seizing the Irishman's arm, George pulled him to his +feet, and wrung the hand hard in his own. "You are a fine fellow, a +right fine fellow. What is your name? I shall never forget you." + +"Sergeant Oborne, sir, at your service. But you have not read the +paper yet." + +"True," and George deciphered the line or two written in pencil on the +back of the paper. "I am alive and well, but a prisoner with the +French. Be easy about me; I am well treated. M.B." + + + + +CHAPTER XII + +CONCLUSION + + +Almost before Captain Fairburn had read the last word of Matthew's +communication, so cheering and so strangely brought into his hands, +the French signal to retreat sounded loud all over the field, a +mournful sound to one of the two listeners, a delight to the other, +George and Oborne glanced into each other's face. "What will you do?" +the former asked. + +"I am your prisoner and defenceless; it is not for me to say," the +Irishman answered simply. + +"Nay, not so, good fellow. You shall do exactly as you prefer, so far +as I am concerned. I can do no less for you." + +The prisoner shrugged his shoulders and muttered something about +catching it hot, if he ran, to which the captor replied, "So you +would, I am afraid, if any of our men got near you. We have lost +heavily, and our temper's a bit ruffled for the moment. If you care to +come with me as my prisoner I'll see you through safe. What's more, +I'll do my best to get you exchanged for the man you saved." + +"Thank you, captain; that's my best card to play, as things are going. +But I'd have given something to have it the other way about." + +"Of course you would, my good fellow. It's the fortune of war; I'm up +to-day, you're up to-morrow. And you've no cause to be anything but +mighty proud of yourselves--you of the Irish Brigade. I never saw +better stuff than you've turned out this day." + +"And many's the thanks, son. A bit o' praise comes sweet even from an +enemy." + +"Enemies only professionally, Oborne; in private life we're from +to-day the best of friends." + +At a later hour Sergeant Oborne informed Fairburn that he had carried +Captain Blackett's paper about with him for some little time, having +had no opportunity of passing it on to any likely Englishman, or +having forgotten it when he had the opportunity. + +The slaughter at Malplaquet was terrible on the side of the Allies, +amounting to 20,000, or one-fifth of the whole number engaged. The +French, who had fought under shelter, lost only about one half of that +total. Mons surrendered shortly afterwards, and the victory was +complete, the road to Paris open. Yet what a victory! Villars declared +to his royal master that if the French were vouchsafed such another +defeat, there would be left to them no enemies at all. + +This proved to be the Duke of Marlborough's last great battle and his +last great victory. "A deluge of blood" it had been. And, what was +worse, rarely has a great victory produced so little fruit. +Marlborough had quite expected to see his success at Malplaquet put an +end to the war. It did nothing of the kind; for two more years the war +continued. The rest of its story, however, may be told in a very few +words. + +Louis XIV once more asked for peace, and made certain offers to the +Allies, but these would be contented with nothing less than the +expulsion of Philip from Spain. The conference, at Gertruydenberg, +therefore came to nothing. This was in the early part of 1710. The +work of capturing the fortresses in French Flanders and the province +of Artois was proceeded with, and in 1711 Marlborough took Bouchain, +in France. But the Duke had apparently lost heart to some extent, and +there was no very vigorous action. At home the war had become hateful +to a very large proportion of the people; its cost in men and money +frightened them. + +The year 1710 was a busy and a decisive time in Spain. At first +success seemed to lean to the side of the Allies, General Stanhope, +the English leader, defeating the French and Spanish at Almanza, and +the Dutch General Staremberg doing the like at Saragossa. Charles the +Archduke, styling himself Charles III, now for the first time entered +Madrid. It was also the last time. Presently Stanhope was badly +defeated at the important battle of Brihuega, and Staremberg shortly +afterwards lost at Villa Viciosa. This decided matters in Spain. +Charles was compelled to flee the country, and Philip's throne was +finally secured to him. + +The end of the war came in an altogether unexpected and strange +fashion. This was the sudden downfall of the Marlboroughs and of the +Whig interest. For some time the Queen had been tired of the Duchess +of Marlborough, and had been inclining more and more to Mrs. Masham, +formerly Abigail Hill, a cousin of Harley, through whom the minister +was intriguing for the overthrow of the Churchills. Then Dr. +Sacheverell, a London clergyman, afterwards so notorious, had preached +violently against the Whigs, who were foolish enough to impeach him. +Sacheverell was suspended for three years, and in consequence became +exceedingly popular among the Tories, and their party gained greatly +in the country. Moreover the writings of certain pamphleteers tended +much to damage the cause of the Whigs. Dean Swift was at once the +ablest and the bitterest of these. Harley managed to get Godolphin +dismissed from office. And one day, early in 1711, Anne suddenly took +from the Duchess her various offices at Court, while later in the same +year the Duke himself was deprived of his command of the army, and was +succeeded by the Irish peer Ormonde. He, however, was ordered to take +no active steps in the war which was still in theory going on. A +general election came soon after, and the Tories had a large majority +over the Whigs. The Tories came into office, and all Whig members of +the Whig ministry were dismissed. From that time to the present the +principle has obtained of having the King's Ministers, or the Cabinet, +with the other chief administrators, drawn from the same side in +politics. + +The Tories now sought to bring to a close a war that had become so +unpopular. Louis XIV was also suing for peace. Then in 1711 the +Emperor Joseph died, and his brother the Archduke succeeded him as +Charles VI. It was now useless to trouble further to support or oppose +the claims of either candidate for the Spanish throne. Spain might as +well be in the hands of a Frenchman as be assigned to the powerful +Emperor. It would have been absurd, in short, for England to go on +fighting for Charles. + +The famous treaty of Utrecht, in 1713, brought the war to an end. By +this treaty several important matters were settled. Philip retained +Spain, but gave up for ever his claim to the throne of France. Louis +acknowledged the Hanoverian succession, and gave back to the Dutch the +line of "barrier fortresses" about which so much blood had been shed. +France gave up to Britain Newfoundland and some other possessions in +North America, and Spain resigned Gibraltar and Minorca. The Emperor +received Milan, Sardinia, and Naples. The rest of the Allies received +little or nothing, and loud was the outcry they raised. + +George Fairburn did not remain abroad till the conclusion of peace. +During the year 1710, at a time when things were at a standstill in +the Netherlands, he received word that his father had been killed in +an accident at the pit. With a heavy heart he sought permission to +return home for a period, and in pursuing his application he found +himself in the presence of the great commander-in-chief himself. To +his delight Marlborough recognized him at once. The Duke was full of +sympathy, and not only readily granted the young captain any +reasonable leave of absence he might desire, but held out his hand +with a smile, as he dismissed him: "Major Fairburn, you go with my +sympathy and my regard. I have few young fellows under me of whom I +think more highly." And in spite of his terrible bereavement the +newly-promoted officer left his master's presence with a swelling +heart. + +With him travelled home Matthew Blackett, whose release George, to his +delight, had managed, though with difficulty. The gallant Sergeant +Oborne had also been exchanged for an English prisoner in French +hands. An additional pleasure to both George and Matthew was an +intimation that Matthew, too, had been raised to the rank of major in +recognition of his excellent service throughout the war. As it proved, +neither officer ever served under Marlborough again. + +The months flew by. Mr. Fairburn was found to have left a far larger +fortune than the world had dreamt of, the sum amounting to fully fifty +thousand pounds. George and his ageing mother were rich. Matthew +Blackett had taken to the management of the joint collieries, strange +to say, and was preparing to leave the army as soon as he could do so +conveniently. Major Fairburn, on the other hand, was first and last a +soldier, and he hoped some day to have further opportunities of rising +in his profession. + +The Queen was in a very bad state of health; she might die any day. +But the Electress Sophia died first, and her son, Prince George of +Hanover, became the next heir to the throne, a prospect not much to +the liking of many in England. Some of the leading Tories were making +preparations for a revolution in favour of the Pretender, but the +death of Anne came before their preparations were complete, and George +of Hanover was quietly proclaimed as George I. + +Before Marlborough died George Fairburn was a lieutenant-colonel, and, +as he happened to be stationed for a time at Windsor, he and his wife, +the Mary Blackett of old, had more than once the honour of an +invitation to Windsor Park, the Duke's favourite abode, his great +palace of Blenheim being not yet ready for him. + + * * * * * + +We hear of our hero, many long years after all this, a stout old +soldier, General Sir George Fairburn, taking part in the memorable +chase after the Young Pretender in 1745, and the subsequent great +fight at Culloden. + +"And I tell you, sir," said Mr. Matthew Blackett, member for Langkirk, +as he told the story to a crony in the smoking-room of his club, +White's, "I tell you, sir, he trod Culloden Moor with all the vigour +and fire he had when we marched with Marlborough to Malplaquet." + + + + +REIGN OF QUEEN ANNE + +IMPORTANT QUESTIONS AND MOVEMENTS + + +1. THE SUCCESSION TO THE CROWN + +This question, especially after the death of all Anne's children, +became a most important one. The Whigs and the country in general were +bent upon securing a Protestant succession, but there were some, +especially amongst the Tories, who were secret supporters of the +Pretender, James Stuart, son of James II. The Act of Settlement had +provided for the accession of Sophia as the nearest Protestant +descendant of James I, on the failure of Anne's issue. At one time the +Scotch Parliament threatened to elect as king a different sovereign +from that of England, unless Scotland should be given the same +commercial privileges as England possessed. The Act of Security, +passed in 1704, declared as much. Both Bolingbroke and Harley were in +correspondence with the Pretender, and it was only through the death +of the Queen earlier than had been expected that a revolution in +favour of the exiled Stuarts was averted. + + +2. GOVERNMENT BY PARTY + +Until the reign of Anne what we now call Party Government was unknown. +We may see the beginnings of the division of politicians into Whig and +Tory in the Roundhead and Cavalier factions in the reign of Charles I. +Government by the one strong man of the time--a Burleigh, a Cromwell, +a Marlborough--was the usual thing. Marlborough was the last who tried +to govern without party. During the reign of Anne the Whigs and Tories +were combined in varying proportions, till the final return of a Tory +House of Commons and the formation of a purely Tory ministry, in 1711. +From that time Party Government, as we now understand it, has +generally prevailed. + + +3. POWER OF THE HOUSE OF COMMONS AND THE MINISTERS + +Anne was good-natured, and not disposed to give herself too much +trouble, which made it possible for her ministers to wield more power +over the country and its destinies. Nevertheless, the Queen had a will +of her own, and made her influence felt, especially in Church matters. +On the whole, however, Parliament and the Ministers gained in +importance and influence during the reign. Marlborough, Harley, St. +John, Rochester, Nottingham, were some of the leading ministers, and +towards the end of the reign Sir Robert Walpole is first heard of as a +politician. + + +4. THE QUESTION OF THE SUCCESSION TO THE SPANISH THRONE + +When Philip of Bourbon, the grandson of Louis XIV, was proclaimed as +Philip V of Spain, England, Holland, and some other nations felt that +the peace of Europe, or rather the freedom of the rest of it, were +threatened by the union of two such mighty powers. Accordingly the +Allies set up in opposition the Archduke Charles of Austria, and it +was in support of the claims of Charles to the throne of Spain that +all the wars of Anne's reign were waged. When at length Charles became +Emperor, the Allies had no farther reason for fighting, as it would +have been equally adverse to the interests of the rest of the +Continent to combine Spain and the Empire. Philip thus remained King +of Spain, though he had to renounce his claims to France. + + +5. THE UNION OF ENGLAND AND SCOTLAND + +The project for the union of the two countries had been talked of for +some time, but there were difficulties concerning religious matters, +trade, and the refusal of Scotland to pay any of the English debt, in +the way. By the Act of Security Sophia was declared to be ineligible +for the Scottish throne, and England was in alarm. A commission was +appointed to consider the question of the union, and the Act of Union +was passed in 1707. Many Scotchmen were greatly opposed to the step, +yet it cannot be denied that Scotland herself has been a great gainer +by the Union. + + +6. THE NATIONAL DEBT + +The borrowing of money to pay for wars did not originate in the reign +of Anne, but the War of the Spanish Succession added no less a sum +than twenty-two millions to the indebtedness of the country, and from +that time the National Debt began to assume large proportions. Many +people were greatly alarmed at the state of things in this respect, +and there were many who prophesied the speedy bankruptcy of the +nation. + + +7. PEACE AT HOME + +This reign is remarkable for the entire absence of internal risings +and disaffections. Only one person was executed for treason. + + +8. LITERATURE, AND ITS INFLUENCE ON POLITICS + +This has been called the Augustan age of English Literature. Pope, +Addison, Steele, Swift, Defoe, Sir Isaac Newton, Vanbrugh, Congreve, +Farquhar, Prior, Parnell, Colley Cibber, Gilbert Burnet, and others +flourished. The first daily newspaper, the _Daily Courant_, was +published in 1709. Pamphleteers, chief among them Swift, Addison, and +Defoe, by their writings played a great part in politics, there being +no newspaper press to mould people's opinions. No other period in +English history, except, perhaps, the times of Shakespeare, has +produced so many notable writers. + + +9. THE PEOPLE + +The population of England in this reign is supposed to have been about +five millions. London itself contained half a million, but even the +best of the provincial towns were small, as we reckon populations +nowadays. Bristol, the second town in size, possessed not more than +some thirty thousand souls, while York, Norwich, and Exeter, which +came next, had considerably fewer people than that. The bulk of the +people lived in the country, either in the villages, or in the petty +market-towns which were not much superior. The country squire class +was the most important in the community. Below this, but likewise +occupying a very important position in the country, were the clergy +and yeomen. Probably at no time was the yeoman class more numerous, +more prosperous, and more influential. The squire was in point of +education often inferior to the well-to-do farmer of our own day, but +very proud of his family. + + +10. THE CLERGY + +The clergymen of the period were, as a rule, especially in the remoter +districts, men of inferior standing, often of low origin and of little +learning. They were badly paid, generally speaking, and often had to +eke out a slender income by taking to farming pursuits. It was not at +all unusual for the clergyman to marry the lady's maid or other of the +upper servants in the great family of his neighbourhood. Queen Anne, +to relieve the poverty of the poorer livings, founded the fund known +as Queen Anne's Bounty, giving up for the purpose the _first-fruits_ +and the _tenths_. It is worth noting that the terms Low and High +Churchmen were political rather than religious terms, the former being +applied to the Whigs, and the latter to the Tories. + + +11. DWELLINGS + +The style of architecture known as that of Queen Anne prevailed at +this time, and many a country mansion of this date, red-bricked and +many-windowed, is still to be seen in England. But the houses of the +poor were for the most part still wretched, of mud or plaster, and +badly thatched. The windows were small and few in number; the +furniture was scanty and mean; sanitary matters were scarcely attended +to at all. But the growing prosperity of the country was beginning to +show itself in the better equipment and furnishing of the household, +particularly among the yeomen and the rising town tradesmen. Advantage +was taken of the Great Fire to improve the streets and dwellings of +the capital. + + +12. DRESS + +Among the gentry the influence of the magnificent court of Louis XIV +began to make itself felt in the matter of dress, and both gentlemen +and ladies affected gay attire. The hoop-petticoat came into fashion, +and the dress was looped up at intervals to show the richly-coloured +skirt below. The gentlemen wore knee-breeches and silk stockings, the +former ornamented with knots of ribbon; the scarf was very full and +rich, and often fell in folds over the front of the waistcoat; the +coat was usually gaily coloured. Swords were worn by the gallants, and +the periwig was seen everywhere in high society. The dress of the +lower ranks was of sober colour, and of stout but coarse texture. The +women wore homespun, and sometimes home-woven linsey-woolsies. The use +of linen and silk was coming in among those in better circumstances. + + +13. FOOD AND DRINK + +Tea was only just beginning to be known, and was a luxury for the +rich. In London the coffee-houses were everywhere, playing a great +part in the life of the capital, at least among those whom we should +now call clubmen. The common drink was still beer, and, among the farm +hands, milk. Port, till the Methuen treaty, was almost unknown in +England. Even the gentry, as a rule, did not drink wine at ordinary +times. The poorer classes rarely tasted flesh meat, except bacon, +which latter cottagers in the country were generally able to command, +every cottage having its pig. The best white wheaten bread was used by +the richer folk only, the poorer eating coarse and dark bread, of +whole-meal, of rye, or even of barley. Pewter was the ware in common +use, except among the labourer class, who had wooden trenchers, or a +coarse unglazed delft. + + +14. INDUSTRIES + +The main occupation of the country was still farming, with fishing, +shipbuilding, and seafaring on the coast. The manufacture of silk, +woollen, and linen goods, now occupying so many millions of folk in +the North and the Midlands, was then carried on mainly in the small +towns and villages, or even in the lonely wayside or moorland cottage. +The great manufacturing towns, such as Manchester, Leeds, Birmingham, +and Sheffield are now, were nowhere to be found in the England of +Queen Anne; but their day was coming. London was the great centre of +the silk trade, and after it came Norwich, Coventry, Derby, and +Nottingham. The cotton industry of Manchester and the surrounding +towns in South Lancashire was making a start, while Leeds, Bradford, +and Halifax, in the West Riding of Yorkshire, were just beginning to +give their attention to the cloth trade on a larger scale. The trade +with other countries was growing rapidly, Bristol being, next to +London, the chief port. Hull, Liverpool, Southampton, and Newcastle +were still small places. It is to be noted that the earliest notions +of what we now call _free trade_ are to be traced back to the days of +the later Stuart sovereigns. Bolingbroke made certain proposals in +that direction, but his plans were rejected by the Whigs. +Stage-coaches began to run, the earliest being those between London +and York, and between London and Exeter. A vast improvement in the +high-roads soon came in consequence. The first General Post Office for +the whole kingdom dates back to the reign of Queen Anne. + + + + +CHRONOLOGICAL LIST OF PRINCIPAL EVENTS + + +1702 (February 20). Queen's Accession, on the death of + William III. + + War of the Spanish Succession begun (May). England, + Holland, and the Empire against France and Spain: + to determine the succession to the Crown of Spain. + Two claimants, Philip, grandson of Louis XIV, and + Archduke Charles of Austria, the latter supported by + England and her allies. + + Duke of Marlborough, in command of allied forces, took + the strongholds of Venloo, Ruremonde, and Liége; + France cut off from Holland and Lower Rhine. + Marlborough made a duke. + + Spanish fleet at Vigo captured by Sir George Rooke. + + Godolphin appointed Lord Treasurer, and Nottingham + a Secretary of State. + + Louis of Baden defeated by French at Friedlingen. + + Battle of Cremona: French stopped by Eugene of Savoy + from entering the Tyrol. + + +1703 Second Grand Alliance. (First Grand Alliance in 1689.) + Nearly all Germany, and Savoy join the coalition + against the French. + + French marching in the direction of Vienna. + + Methuen Treaty; Portugal joined the Alliance. + + Marlborough hampered by the Dutch Government and + unable to follow the French. + + Marlborough took Bonn; giving command of Upper + Rhine. + + +1704 Battle of Donauwörth. Eugene joined Marlborough. + + (August 4). Gibraltar taken by Sir George Rooke, + Sir George Byng, and Sir Cloudesley Shovel. + + (August 13). Blenheim. Marlborough and Eugene + defeated French and Bavarians under Marshals + Tallard and Marsin. Vienna saved: Marlborough + received Woodstock Manor as a reward. + + Act of Security passed by Scotch Parliament. + + +1705 Marlborough opposed by Allies, and prevented from + marching into France. + + Barcelona taken by Lord Peterborough; the Catalan + district of Spain won for the Archduke Charles. + + Coalition between the more moderate Tories and the + Whigs. + + +1706 Ramillies (May 12), won by Marlborough against Villeroy: + + Allies occupied Antwerp, Brussels, Ghent, Bruges, + Ostend, a line of fortresses cutting off French from + Holland. + + Turin besieged by French: siege raised by Prince + Eugene. + + +1707 Capitulation of Milan signed by Louis: Milan and + Naples secured to Archduke Charles. + + Minorca captured by General Stanhope. + + Battle of Almanza (Spain): English under Lord + Galway surrendered. + + Ghent and Bruges retaken by French. + + Whig resolution not to make peace so long as a Bourbon + ruled in Spain. + + Union with Scotland (October 23): Scotland to send + sixteen peers and forty-five Commoners to United + Houses of Parliament: Law and Church of Scotland + left untouched: privileges of trade and coinage to + be the same for both countries. + + +1708 Harley and St. John dismissed: Whigs came into power + (July 11). Oudenarde: Marlborough and Eugene + defeated Vendôme: Lille secured. Bruges and + Ghent retaken by Allies. + + Attempted landing in Scotland by the Pretender + prevented. + + +1709 Peace Conference at the Hague. Louis declined to + remove his grandson from the throne of Spain. + + (September 11). Malplaquet: Marlborough and Eugene + defeated Villars. + + Mons taken by the Allies. + + Quarrel between the Queen and the Duchess of Marlborough. + + Dr. Sacheverell's sermons. + + +1710 Peace proposals by Louis at Gertruydenberg rejected. + + Dr. Sacheverell sentenced: Tory party greatly helped + thereby. + + Battle of Almenara (Spain): French and Spanish + defeated by Stanhope. + + Battle of Saragossa: French and Spanish defeated by + Stanhope. + + Battle of Brihuega: Stanhope beaten by Vendôme. + + Battle of Villa Viciosa: General Staremberg defeated + by Vendôme: Spain secured for Philip V. + + Bouchain taken by Marlborough. + + Fall of the Whigs. + + General Post Office established. + + St. Paul's Cathedral finished. + + +1711 All Whigs dismissed from office, and Tories alone to + form the Ministry, thus establishing the principle + that the members of the Cabinet should all be of + the same political party. + + Duchess of Marlborough supplanted by Mrs. Masham. + + Death of the Emperor Joseph, and accession of Archduke + Charles: no farther need now to continue + the war. + + Tories determined to put an end to the war. + + +1712 Twelve new Tory peers created to destroy the Whig + majority which was in favour of continuing the war. + + Marlborough deprived of his command: Ormonde to + succeed him. + + Peace Conference at Utrecht. + + Act against Occasional Conformity. + + +1713 (March 3). Treaty of Utrecht: Spain to Philip: + Minorca and Gibraltar to England: Spanish lands + in Italy and Netherlands to Emperor Charles: Sicily + to Savoy. Prussia made a kingdom. + + +1714 Quarrel between Harley and Bolingbroke: Harley + dismissed. + + Schism Act: schoolmasters to belong to the Church of + England. + + Bolingbroke's free trade proposals defeated by the Whigs. + + Death of Electress Sophia: George of Hanover now heir + to the British throne. + + (July 30). Death of Anne: Accession of George I. + + + + +Oxford: HORACE HART, Printer to the University + + + + +Herbert Strang's Stories for Boys + +_SOME PRESS OPINIONS_ + + +ATHENAEUM:--'Herbert Strang is second to none in graphic power and +veracity.' + +SPECTATOR:--'Mr. Strang's name will suffice to assure us that the +subject is seriously treated,' + +SATURDAY REVIEW:--'Excellent as many of the best stories by the best +writers for boys are, we feel that he is first of them all.' + +SPEAKER:--'Not only the best living writer of books for boys, but a +born teacher of history.' + +GUARDIAN:--'Mr. Strang's care and accuracy in detail are far beyond +those of the late Mr. Henty, while he tells a story infinitely +better.' + +CHURCH TIMES:--'If the place of the late G.A. Henty can be filled +it will be by Mr. Herbert Strang, whose finely-written and +historically accurate books are winning him fame.' + +SCHOOLMASTER:--'Mr. Strang is entitled to premier place amongst +writers of stories that equally interest boys and adults.' + +STANDARD:--'It has become a commonplace of criticism to describe Mr. +Strang as the wearer of the mantle of the late G.A. Henty.... We will +go further, and say that the disciple is greater than the master.' + +DAILY TELEGRAPH:--'Boys who read Mr. Strang's works have not merely +the advantage of perusing enthralling and wholesome tales, but they +are also absorbing sound and trustworthy information of the men and +times about which they are reading.' + +TRIBUNE:--'Mr. Herbert Strang's former books "caught on" with our +boys as no other books of adventure since Henty's industrious pen fell +from his hand.' + +MANCHESTER GUARDIAN:--'Mr. Henty was the ancient master in this +kind; the present master, Mr. Herbert Strang, has ten times his +historical knowledge and fully twenty times more narrative skill.' + +GENTLEWOMAN:--'This is the literature we want for young England.' + + + +***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK WITH MARLBOROUGH TO MALPLAQUET*** + + +******* This file should be named 13817-8.txt or 13817-8.zip ******* + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/3/8/1/13817 + + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at <a href = "https://www.gutenberg.org">www.gutenberg.org</a></pre> +<p>Title: With Marlborough to Malplaquet</p> +<p>Author: Herbert Strang and Richard Stead</p> +<p>Release Date: October 20, 2004 [eBook #13817]</p> +<p>Language: English</p> +<p>Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1</p> +<p>***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK WITH MARLBOROUGH TO MALPLAQUET***</p> +<br><br><h3>E-text prepared by Juliet Sutherland, Tom Martin,<br> + and the Project Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team</h3><br><br> +<hr class="full" noshade> +<br> +<a name='Illus1'></a> +<center><a href='images/Illus1.jpg'><img src='images/Illus1-Th.jpg' +width='207' height='329' alt= +'A mounted officer came galloping up.'></a><br> +A mounted officer came galloping up.<br> +<small><a href='#CHAPTER_X'>[<i>See CHAPTER +X.</i>]</a></small></center> + +<hr style='width: 65%;'> +<h2>Herbert Strang's Historical Series</h2> + +<br> +<h1>With Marlborough to Malplaquet</h1> + +<hr style='width: 65%;'> +<br> +<h3><i>NOW READY IN THIS SERIES.</i></h3> + +<p><b>With the Black Prince</b>: a Story of the Reign of Edward +III. By HERBERT STRANG and RICHARD STEAD.</p> + +<p><b>A Mariner of England</b>: a Story of the Reign of Queen +Elizabeth. By the same authors.</p> + +<p><b>With Marlborough to Malplaquet</b>: a Story of the Reign of +Queen Anne. By the same authors.</p> + +<center><i>Other volumes to follow.</i></center> + +<br> +<br> +<hr style='width: 65%;'> +<br> +<h1>With Marlborough to Malplaquet</h1> + +<h3><i>A Story of the Reign of Queen Anne</i></h3> + +<h5>by</h5> + +<h3>Herbert Strang</h3> + +<h5>and</h5> + +<h3>Richard Stead<br> +<small><small>Fellow of the Royal Historical +Society</small></small></h3> + +<h4>With Four Illustrations in Colour and a Map</h4> + +<br> +<center>LONDON<br> +<br> +1908</center> + +<br> +<hr style='width: 65%;'> +<br> +<a name='NOTE' id="NOTE"></a> + +<h2>NOTE</h2> + +<p>The object of this series is to encourage a taste for history +among boys and girls up to thirteen or fourteen years of age. An +attempt has been made to bring home to the young reader the +principal events and movements of the periods covered by the +several volumes.</p> + +<p>If in these little stories historical fact treads somewhat +closely upon the heels of fiction, the authors would plead the +excellence of their intentions and the limitations of their +space.</p> + +<br> +<hr style='width: 65%;'> +<br> +<h2>CONTENTS</h2> + +<p><a href='#CHAPTER_I'><b>CHAPTER I: A BOUT AT +SINGLESTICK</b></a></p> + +<p><a href='#CHAPTER_II'><b>CHAPTER II: THE ATTACK ON THE +COLLIERY</b></a></p> + +<p><a href='#CHAPTER_III'><b>CHAPTER III: THE FIRE AT BINFIELD +TOWERS</b></a></p> + +<p><a href='#CHAPTER_IV'><b>CHAPTER IV: THE RESCUE</b></a></p> + +<p><a href='#CHAPTER_V'><b>CHAPTER V: GEORGE +RECONNOITRES</b></a></p> + +<p><a href='#CHAPTER_VI'><b>CHAPTER VI: THE ROCK OF +GIBRALTAR</b></a></p> + +<p><a href='#CHAPTER_VII'><b>CHAPTER VII: BLENHEIM</b></a></p> + +<p><a href='#CHAPTER_VIII'><b>CHAPTER VIII: COMRADES IN +ARMS</b></a></p> + +<p><a href='#CHAPTER_IX'><b>CHAPTER IX: ANNUS MIRABILIS</b></a></p> + +<p><a href='#CHAPTER_X'><b>CHAPTER X: "OUR OWN MEN, +SIR!"</b></a></p> + +<p><a href='#CHAPTER_XI'><b>CHAPTER XI: THE HARDEST FIGHT OF THEM +ALL</b></a></p> + +<p><a href='#CHAPTER_XII'><b>CHAPTER XII: CONCLUSION</b></a></p> + +<p><a href='#REIGN_OF_QUEEN_ANNE'><b>HISTORICAL SUMMARY: REIGN OF +QUEEN ANNE</b></a></p> + +<p><a href='#CHRONOLOGY'><b>CHRONOLOGICAL LIST OF PRINCIPAL +EVENTS</b></a></p> + +<p><a href='#PRESS'><b>PRESS OPINIONS</b></a></p> + +<h2><b>ILLUSTRATIONS</b></h2> + +<p><a href='#Illus1'>A MOUNTED OFFICER CAME GALLOPING +UP</a></p> + +<p><a href='#Illus2'>"NOW!" CAME THE ORDER</a></p> + +<p><a href='#Illus3'>GEORGE FOUND HIMSELF ENGAGED IN A +HAND TO HAND ENCOUNTER</a></p> + +<p><a href='#Illus4'>THE RESCUE OF MARLBOROUGH</a></p> + +<p><a href='#Illus5'>MAP OF WESTERN EUROPE IN THE TIME OF +QUEEN ANNE</a></p> + +<br> +<hr style='width: 65%;'> +<br> +<a name='CHAPTER_I' id="CHAPTER_I"></a> + +<h2>CHAPTER I</h2> + +<center>A BOUT AT SINGLESTICK</center> + +<br> +<p>"Get thee down, laddie, I tell thee."</p> + +<p>This injunction, given for the third time, and in a broad +north-country dialect, came from the guard of the York and +Newcastle coach, a strange new thing in England. A wonderful +vehicle the York and Newcastle coach, covering the eighty-six long +miles between the two towns in the space of two-and-thirty hours, +and as yet an object of delight, and almost of awe, to the rustics +of the villages and small towns on that portion of the Great North +Road.</p> + +<p>It was the darkening of a stinging day in the latter part of +December, in the year 1701—it wanted but forty-eight hours to +Christmas Eve—when the coach pulled up at the principal inn +of the then quiet little country town of Darlington, a place which +roused itself from its general sleepiness only on market and fair +days, or now, since the mail-coach had begun to run, on the arrival +or departure of the marvellous conveyance, whose rattle over the +cobble-stones drew every inhabitant of the main street to the +door.</p> + +<p>No reply coming from the boy on the roof, the guard went on, +"Eh, but the lad must be frozen stark," and swinging himself up to +the top of the coach, he seized the dilatory passenger by the arm, +saying, "Now, my hearty, come your ways down; we gang na further +to-day. Ye are as stiff as a frozen poker."</p> + +<p>"And no wonder," came a voice from below; "'tis not a day fit +for man or dog to be out a minute longer than necessary. Bring the +bairn in, Charley." The invitation came from a kindly and portly +dame, the hostess, who had come to the door to welcome such +passengers as might be disposed to put up for the night at the +inn.</p> + +<p>"I don't think I can stir," the boy replied; "I'm about +frozen."</p> + +<p>He spoke in low tones and as if but half awake. He was, in fact, +just dropping into a doze.</p> + +<p>"Here, mates, catch hold," the guard cried, and without more ado +the lad was lowered down to the little group of loafers who had +come to see the sight and to pick up any stray penny that might be +available. A minute later George Fairburn was rapidly thawing +before the rousing fire in the inn's best parlour, and was gulping +down the cup of hot mulled ale the good-natured landlady had put +into his trembling hands.</p> + +<p>"I'm all right, ma'am, now, and I'll go. Thank you and good +night, ma'am."</p> + +<p>"Go, Fairburn?" cried another boy of about his own age, who sat +comfortably in the arm-chair by the cosy chimney corner. "Surely +you are not going to turn out again this bitter night?"</p> + +<p>"Indeed I am," was the somewhat ungracious reply; "my father is +not a rich man, and I'm not going to put him to needless +expense."</p> + +<p>The other boy blushed, but the next moment his face resumed its +usual pallor. He was tall for his fourteen years, but evidently not +particularly strong. He had, in truth, somewhat of a bookish look, +and his rounded shoulders already told of much poring over a +student's tasks. Fairburn, on the other hand, though less tall, +carried in his face and form all the evidence of robust good +health.</p> + +<p>"I've relatives somewhere in Darlington, Blackett," George +explained, in a rather pleasanter tone, as if ashamed of his former +surly speech, "and I'm going to hunt them up."</p> + +<p>"Look here, Fairburn," said the other, springing from his seat +and placing a patronizing hand on his companion's shoulder, "just +make yourself comfortable here with me for the night, and I'll +settle the bill for both of us in the morning." He spoke rather +grandly, jingling the coins in his pocket the while.</p> + +<p>"I can settle my own bills, thank you," answered Fairburn, a +proud hot flush overspreading his face. And, seizing his little +bag, the lad strode from the room and out of the inn, shivering as +the chill northeasterly breeze caught him in the now dark and +almost deserted street.</p> + +<p>"Confound the fellow with his purse-proud patronage!" he +muttered as he hurried along.</p> + +<p>"Bless me, why is he so touchy?" Blackett was asking himself at +the same moment. "We seem fated to quarrel, Fairburn's family and +ours. Whose is the pride now, I wonder! Fairburn thinks a deal of +his independence, as he calls it; I should call it simply pride, +myself. But I might have known that he wouldn't accept my offer +after his refusal of an inside place with me this morning, and +after riding all those miles from York to-day in the bitter cold. +Heigh-ho, the quarrel won't be of my seeking anyhow."</p> + +<p>These two lads were both sons of colliery owners, and both +pupils of the ancient school of St. Peter of York, the most notable +foundation north of the Humber. But there the likeness ended. +Matthew Blackett's father was a rich man and descended from +generations of rich men. He owned a large colliery and employed +many men and not a few ships. He was, moreover, a county magnate, +and held his head high on Tyneside. In politics he was a strong +supporter of the Tory party, and had never been easy under the rule +of Dutch William. He was proud and somewhat arrogant, yet not +wanting his good points. George Fairburn, on the other hand, was +the son of a much smaller man, of one, in truth, who had by his +energy and thrift become the proprietor of a small pit, of which he +himself acted as manager. The elder Fairburn was of a sturdy +independent character, his independence, however, sometimes +asserting itself at the expense of his manners; that at least was +the way Mr. Blackett put it. Fairburn had been thrown much in his +boyhood among the Quakers, of which new sect there were several +little groups in the northern counties. He was a firm Whig, and as +firm a hater of the exiled James II. He had made some sacrifice to +send his boy to a good school, being a great believer in education, +at a time when men of his class were little disposed to set much +store by book learning.</p> + +<p>After breakfast by candlelight next morning the passengers for +the coach assembled at the door of the inn. Blackett was already +comfortably seated among his many and ample rugs and wraps when +George Fairburn appeared, accompanied by a woman who made an odd +figure in an ancient cloak many sizes too big for her, covering her +from head to foot. It had, in fact, originally been a soldier's +cloak, and had seen much hard service in the continental campaigns +under William III. The good dame was very demonstrative in her +affection, and kissed George again and again on both cheeks, with +good sounding smacks, ere she would let him mount to the roof of +the coach. Then she stood by the window and talked volubly in a +rich northern brogue till the vehicle started, and even after, for +George could see her gesticulations when he was far out of +earshot.</p> + +<p>"It is bitter cold, bairn," she had said for the third or fourth +time, "and I doubt thou wilt be more dead than alive when thy +father sees thee at Newcastle. But don't forget that pasty; 'tis +good, for I made it myself. And there's the sup of summat +comforting in the little bottle; don't forget that."</p> + +<p>"Good-bye, aunt, and thank you over and over again," George +called from the top of the coach. "Don't stay any longer in the +freezing cold. I'm all right."</p> + +<p>But the talkative and kindly old dame would not budge, and +Blackett could not help smiling quietly in his corner. "What a +curious old rustic!" he said to himself, "and she's the aunt, it +appears." As for George himself, he was thinking much the same +thing. "A good soul," he murmured to himself, "but, oh, so +countrified!"</p> + +<p>Fairburn's limbs were pretty stiff by the time the grand old +cathedral and the castle of Durham standing proudly on their cliff +above the river came in sight. There was an unwonted stir in the +streets of the picturesque little city. My lord the bishop with a +very great train was coming for the Christmas high services.</p> + +<p>"Our bishop is a prince," explained the guard, who had had not a +little talk with George on the way. "There are squires and baronets +and lords in his train, and as for his servants and horses, +why—" the good fellow spread out his hands in his sheer +inability to describe the magnificence of the bishops of +Durham.</p> + +<p>"Yes," Fairburn made answer, "and I've heard or read that when a +new bishop first comes to the see he is met at Croft bridge by all +the big men of the county, who do homage to him as if he were a +king."</p> + +<p>The guard stared at a youngster, an outside and therefore a poor +passenger too, who appeared so well informed, and then applied +himself vigorously to his horn.</p> + +<p>The afternoon was fast waning when the coach brought to its +passengers the first glimpse of the blackened old fortress of +Newcastle and the lantern tower of St. Nicholas. Fairburn, almost +as helpless as on the previous afternoon, was speedily lifted down +from his lofty perch by the strong arms of his father.</p> + +<p>"Ah, my dear lad," the elder cried as he hugged George to his +breast, "the mother has a store of good things ready for her bairn +and for Christmas. And here is old Dapper ready to jog back with us +and to his own Christmas Eve supper. How do you do, sir?"</p> + +<p>These last words were addressed to a gentleman who had just +driven up in a well-appointed family equipage.</p> + +<p>"I hope I see young Mr. Blackett well," Fairburn continued.</p> + +<p>"Ah! 'tis you, Mr. Fairburn," said the great man +condescendingly. "This is your boy? Looks a trifle cold, don't you +think? 'Tis bitter weather for travelling outside."</p> + +<p>And with the curtest possible nod to the father, and no +recognition whatever of the son, Mr. Blackett linked his arm in +Matthew's and strode away to his carriage.</p> + +<p>George flushed, his father looked annoyed; then his face +cleared.</p> + +<p>"Come, lad," he said, "let us get along home."</p> + +<p>Thursday, Christmas Day, and the Friday following passed quietly +but happily in the little Fairburn family. The father was in +excellent spirits, and he had much to tell his son of the +prosperity that was at last coming. Orders were being booked faster +than the modest staff of the colliery could execute them. Best of +all, Fairburn had secured several important contracts with London +merchants; this, too, against the competition of the great Blackett +pit.</p> + +<p>"The truth is," the elder explained, "Mr. Blackett is too big a +man, and too easy-going to attend to his business as he should. But +I suppose he's rich enough and can afford to be a trifle +slack."</p> + +<p>"Whereas my dad has energy and to spare," George put in with a +smile, "and by that energy is taking the business out of the hands +of the bigger man. The Blacketts won't be exactly pleased with us, +eh?"</p> + +<p>"They are not. And, more, I hear the Blackett pit is working +only short time; it is more than likely that several of the men +will have to be discharged soon, and then will come more +soreness."</p> + +<p>"We can't help that, dad," the boy commented, "it's a sort of +war, this business competition, it seems to me, and all is fair in +love and war, as the saying goes."</p> + +<p>"True, my lad; yet I'm a peaceable man, and would fain enter +into no quarrels."</p> + +<p>On the Saturday afternoon a neighbour brought word up to the +house that there was some sort of a squabble going on down at the +river side.</p> + +<p>"Better run along and see what is the matter, George," said the +mother. "Father's gone to the town and won't be back till supper +time."</p> + +<p>So the boy pulled on his cap, twisted a big scarf about his +neck, and made off to the Tyne, nearly a mile away.</p> + +<p>He found a tremendous hubbub on the wharf, men pulling and +struggling and cursing and fighting in vigorous fashion. What might +be the right or the wrong of the quarrel, George did not know, and +he had not time to inquire before he too was mixed up in the fray. +The first thing that met his eye, in truth, was one of the crew of +the Fairburn collier brig lying helpless on his back and at the +mercy of a fellow who was showing him no favour, but was pounding +away at the upturned face with one of his fists, whilst with the +other hand he held a firm grip of his prostrate foeman.</p> + +<p>"Let him get up, coward!" the lad shouted as he rushed to the +spot. "Let him get up, I tell you, and fight it out fair and +square."</p> + +<p>The fellow was by no means disposed to give up the advantage he +had obtained, however, and redoubled the vigour of his blows.</p> + +<p>He was a strong thickset collier, not an easy man to tackle; but +without more ado George flung himself at the bully, and toppled him +over, the side of his head coming into violent collision with the +rough planks of the landing-stage.</p> + +<p>"Up with you, Jack!" George cried, and, seizing the hand of the +prostrate sailor, he jerked him to his feet. Jack, however, was of +little more use when he had been helped up, and staggered about in +a dazed and aimless sort of way. He was, in truth, almost blind, +his eyes scarce visible at all, so severe had been his punishment, +while his face streamed with blood.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile his antagonist had jumped to his feet, his face black +with coaldust and distorted with fury.</p> + +<p>"Two on ye!" he yelled with an oath, "then I must fend for +myself," and he seized a broken broom handle that was lying +near.</p> + +<p>"A game of singlestick is it?" George replied gleefully, as he +made a successful grab at another stick a couple of yards away. It +was the handle of a shovel; there were several broken tools lying +about the quay.</p> + +<p>"Come on," said the boy, brandishing his short but heavy weapon, +"this is quite in my line, I can tell you!"</p> + +<p>It was a curious sight as the two rushed upon each other, so +unequal did the antagonists seem. Bill, the collier, was tall as +well as strongly built, and in the very prime of life; while +George, though a sturdy lad for his age, was many inches shorter, +and appeared at first sight an absurdly inadequate foeman.</p> + +<p>In a moment the sticks were clattering merrily together, the lad +hesitating not a whit, for he felt sure that he was at least a +match for the other. George Fairburn had ever been an adept at all +school games, and had spent many a leisure hour at singlestick. In +vain did Bill endeavour to bring down his stick with furious whack +upon the youngster's scalp; his blow was unfailingly parried. It +was soon evident to the man that the boy was playing with him, and +when twice or thrice he received a rap on his shoulder, his arm, +his knuckles even, his fury got quite beyond his control, and he +struck out blindly and viciously, forcing the lad backwards towards +the edge of the wharf.</p> + +<p>But Fairburn was not to be taken in that style. Slipping agilely +out of the way, he planted another blow, this time on his +opponent's head. In a trice Bill threw down his cudgel and, raising +his heavy boot, endeavoured to administer a vicious kick. It was +time to take to more effective tactics, and while the man's leg was +poised in the air, George put in a thwack that made his skull +resound, and threw him quite off his already unstable balance. Bill +fell to the ground and lay there stunned, a roar of laughter +hailing the exploit, with shouts of, "Thrashed by a lad; that's a +grand come off for Bill Hutchinson!"</p> + +<p>George now had time to look about him. He found that the enemy, +whoever they might be, had been beaten off, and the crew of the +Fairburn brig was in possession of the landing-stage.</p> + +<p>"What is it all about, Jack?" he inquired of the man to whose +rescue he had come.</p> + +<p>"Why," returned Jack, "they are some of Blackett's men. They +tried to shove us from our berth here, after we had made fast, and +bring in their big schooner over there. Some of 'em are vexed, 'cos +'tis said there'll be no work for 'em soon. Your father's taking a +lot of Blackett's trade, you see."</p> + +<p>"Did they begin, Jack, or did you?"</p> + +<p>"Begin? Why, it was a kind of mixed-up job, I reckon. We'd both +had a drop of Christmas ale, you see—a drop extra, I +mean—and—why, there it was."</p> + +<p>"Well, you'll be sailing for London in a day or two," said +George. "See that you keep out of the way of Blackett's men, or +you'll find yourself in the lock-up and lose your place."</p> + +<p>Then he walked away.</p> + +<p>Mr. Fairburn was annoyed when he heard of the incident.</p> + +<p>"I don't like it, George," he said. "There's no reason why there +should be bad blood between Blackett's men and mine; but if they +are going to make disturbances like this I shall have to take +serious steps, and the coolness between Blackett and me will become +an open enmity. 'As much as lieth in <i>you</i>,' says the Apostle, +'live peaceably with all men;' but there's a limit, and if Mr. +Blackett can't keep his men in order, it will come to a fight +between us."</p> + +<p>The brig started in a couple of days for London, in fulfilment +of an important contract that had for years fallen to Mr. Blackett, +but now had been placed in the hands of his humbler but more +energetic rival. Its departure was hailed by the shouts and threats +of a gang of pitmen from the Blackett colliery, but nothing like +another fight occurred, thanks to the vigilance of Fairburn the +elder.</p> + +<br> +<hr style='width: 65%;'> +<br> +<a name='CHAPTER_II' id="CHAPTER_II"></a> + +<h2>CHAPTER II</h2> + +<center>THE ATTACK ON THE COLLIERY</center> + +<br> +<p>Not often has Europe been in a greater state of unrest than it +was at the time this story opens. James II, the exiled King of +England, had lately died in his French home, and his son, +afterwards famous as the Old Pretender, had been acknowledged as +the new English king by Louis XIV of France, to the joy of the many +Jacobites England still contained, but to the dismay of the +majority of Englishmen. There was likely to be dire trouble also +respecting the vacant throne of Spain. There had been originally +three candidates for the throne of the weakling Charles, not long +dead—Philip of Anjou, whose claims had the powerful support +of his grandfather, the ambitious Louis; Charles, the second son of +the Emperor Leopold of Austria; and Joseph, the Electoral Prince of +Bavaria. But the last mentioned had died, leaving the contest to +Philip and Charles, the French and Austrian claimants. The rest of +Europe was naturally in alarm when the already too-powerful Louis +actually placed his grandson on the Spanish throne. Practically the +step amounted on the part of France to an annexation of the once +predominant kingdom of Spain with all its appanages. And when the +Grand Monarque, as his flatterers called him, proceeded further to +garrison the strongholds of the Netherlands, then a Spanish +province, with his own troops, it was clear that Louis considered +himself King both of France and Spain. As for the Protestants of +Europe, their very existence seemed to be threatened by the designs +of the French sovereign.</p> + +<p>Who was there, then, to withstand the ambitious and arrogant +Louis? There was but one great and effective opponent, William of +Orange, King of England. He had spent his life in thwarting the +ambitious policy of the French monarch, and so long as William +lived Louis was sure of a vigorous and powerful antagonist. And +William was preparing, in both his English and his Dutch dominions, +for yet another conflict. War was indeed imminent; the sole +question being when it would actually break out, and who would be +ruler over England when it did. For William III was in feeble +health; his death might occur any day, and his crown pass to his +sister-in-law Anne. Such was the condition of affairs at the time +George Fairburn left St. Peter's School at York.</p> + +<p>January brought many new orders for the Fairburn pit, and the +owner had work for more men. So greatly was his business +increasing, that the proprietor of the little colliery came to a +decision that seemed likely to affect his son's whole future +life.</p> + +<p>"What would you like to be, my lad?" he one day inquired +abruptly.</p> + +<p>"A soldier, dad," was the prompt reply, the boy regarding his +father in some wonderment, nevertheless.</p> + +<p>"A soldier, says the lad!" Fairburn exclaimed, no less surprised +by the answer than George had been by the question. "It is the most +detestable of all trades, that of soldiering, and about the most +empty-stomached. Don't talk of such a thing, my good lad."</p> + +<p>In vain George entered into a defence of the military +profession, referring to the many great soldiers with whom his +school readings in the histories of Greece and Rome and England had +made him more or less acquainted. Fairburn was not to be charmed, +and with a deep sigh the boy gave up the contest. He was still more +upset when his father proceeded to tell him that he would not +return to St. Peter's, but would remain at home to assist in the +business till a place could be secured for him in some great London +house.</p> + +<p>It was not a task he cared about; anybody could have done it, he +thought, as he entered the weights on little tickets. But George +had a large fund of common sense and a deep respect for his father. +He did not grumble or sulk, but resolved that as he had to do the +work he would do it thoroughly.</p> + +<p>Half an hour later he started and flushed to see Mr. Blackett +and Matthew, both well mounted, and followed by a groom in livery, +come riding by. He trusted they would not notice him at his dusty +and disagreeable task. Alas! the field path they were pursuing led +close past the spot, and George observed the look of surprise on +their faces when they saw him. The father gave no sign of +recognition; Matthew looked uncomfortable and nodded in a +shamefaced kind of way. George flushed, and for a moment felt a +bitter anger surge within him; then he called himself a dolt for +caring a straw what they thought of him. It was a little hard, +however, to think that Matthew Blackett would be going back to his +beloved school and studies, while he, also a Peterite, was engaged +in such a humdrum task as weighing coal at the pit mouth.</p> + +<p>His father's energy at this time was prodigious. Fairburn was +afoot early and late. In spite of the cold and stormy weather of +winter he made two or three trips to London in his collier brig, +always to report on his return a notable addition to his trade. +Once, too, on his homeward voyage, he had had himself put ashore a +little north of Spurn, and had trudged the five and twenty miles to +Hull, the rising port on the east coast. Then, after appointing an +agent and starting what seemed likely to grow into a big business, +he had tramped the hundred and twenty miles or more that separated +him from Newcastle and his home, cutting a quaint figure on the +road, with his old-fashioned hat and cloak, and his much-twisted +and knotty oak stick. The result of all this energy was that when +he was in a joking mood he would say, "We shall have to see about +buying another pit, mother—Blackett's, perhaps, as I hear +they have little going on there at present."</p> + +<p>And indeed the Blackett colliery did at that time seem to be +under a cloud. Trade fell off, and almost every week hands were +discharged. Fairburn was secretly a little afraid of mischief from +these out-of-works, especially when he himself was absent from +home.</p> + +<p>Towards the end of February England was startled by the news +that King William had been thrown from his favourite steed Sorrel, +at Hampton Court, and was lying in a precarious state, his +collar-bone broken. A week or two later came the tidings of +William's death, and of the proclamation of the Princess Anne as +Queen.</p> + +<p>The news had an extraordinary effect on Mr. Blackett. Ordering +his coach, he drove in haste to his colliery, hoisted a big flag +there, proclaimed a holiday on full pay, and sent for a copious +supply of ale. His son Matthew, who had not gone back to school at +York, amused himself and the men by firing unnumbered salvoes from +a couple of small cannon he possessed.</p> + +<p>"Now that Billy the Dutchman is out of the way," Squire Blackett +cried exultingly, "Whiggery will soon be dead, and England will be +ruled by its rightful sovereign, who will be assisted by lords and +gentlemen of sound policy."</p> + +<p>A huge banner was hoisted, and the Squire and his son headed a +procession to the neighbouring villages. The jubilant colliery +owner and his merry men took care to pass the Fairburn pit, with +frantic cheerings and hallooings.</p> + +<p>"What does it all mean?" George, who was in charge in the +absence of his father, inquired of the old overlooker of the +colliery.</p> + +<p>"It means beer, George," the ancient replied, "beer and froth, +and nothing else."</p> + +<p>"Nothing else! I hope that is a true word, Saunders, that's all. +I mislike the looks of some of those fellows."</p> + +<p>"Why, to judge from all the whispers we hear," the overlooker +commented, "we are like enough to get our backs well hazelled +before long."</p> + +<p>George gave a word of caution to the pitmen when they left work +that afternoon.</p> + +<p>"There are sure to be insults," he said, "but take no notice, +and keep out of harm's way."</p> + +<p>But the fates were against George and his pit that day. Hardly +had the little gang of Fairburn colliers turned the corner of the +lane when they were met by an excited mob carrying a huge sheet on +which was rudely printed in big characters, "Down with all +Whigs!"</p> + +<p>"An insult to the gaffer, that's as plain as the nose on a man's +face," cried one of the Fairburn fellows, and without more ado, he +dashed forward and made a grab at the offending canvas. He was +forestalled, however, a man of the opposing party deftly tripping +him up and sending him sprawling into the mud. Before the unlucky +pitman could rise the whole mob had surged over him, amidst shrieks +of laughter.</p> + +<p>On this the Fairburn men threw all George's cautions to the +winds, and charged the mob. Instantly a hot fight was going on +around the big banner. Even old Saunders, the overlooker, caught +one of the opposition gang by the collar, crying, "Ye loons, what +for are ye coming our way again? Ye ha' been once to-day, wi' your +jibes and jeers; isn't that enough?"</p> + +<p>"Jibes and jeers, old lad! Eh, there'll happen be mair than that +afore bedtime."</p> + +<p>Meanwhile there was rough work around the banner. In spite of +the efforts of the bearers and their friends to protect the canvas, +one of the Fairburn men had got a grip of it, and in a second the +thing had been torn from its supporting poles, amid mingled cheers +and execrations. The canvas itself was pulled hither and thither by +the opposing gangs, each striving to retain possession of it. Bit +by bit the banner was torn to pieces, the men fighting savagely for +even the smallest shred of it, each man pocketing his piece as a +trophy, till at length there was nothing of the thing left +visible.</p> + +<p>Cries of, "On to the pit wi' ye, lads!" were by this time +plentiful, and with a dash the now much augmented mob surged in +that direction. Under old Saunders the Fairburn men disputed every +yard of the way, but they were entirely outnumbered, and were +slowly but surely forced back upon the works they had so recently +left. All had happened in the course of a very few minutes.</p> + +<p>George, on his way to his home, some half mile away, had made +scarce half the distance when his ears were assailed by the noise +of conflict somewhere behind him. He stopped and listened, the +yells growing louder and fiercer every instant. Then he darted back +towards the pit, reaching the spot just in time to see his men make +a dash for the shelter of the sheds around the mouth, followed by a +howling, threatening mob.</p> + +<p>In a moment the youngster sprang through the entrance of the +largest of the sheds, and closed the door, shooting home the two +thick rough bars of wood that did duty for bolts, amid shouts from +his men of "The young gaffer! We'll all stick to him!" And in spite +of his youth, George was at once installed as captain of the little +Fairburn band. He had always been highly popular with the men of +the colliery; they liked his entire freedom from vain show and +swagger, and his pleasant-spoken manner.</p> + +<p>"What have we in the way of weapons, lads?" he asked, taking a +hasty glance round the dimly-lit shed. Darkness was coming on apace +even outside; within the shed the men had to grope their way +about.</p> + +<p>There was very little that would serve, except a number of +pickaxes, a few shovels, and two or three hayforks belonging to the +stables. These were served out, and then one man found the master's +gun, with a powder-flask and a handful of sparrow shot.</p> + +<p>"Better let me have that," said George, quietly relieving the +man of the weapon, the old overlooker approving with a "Aye, that's +right; you'll keep a cooler head than Tom there."</p> + +<p>The mob outside surged down on the door in force, and with loud +yells. The door stood the shock, and the major part of the +attackers in a trice turned their attention to the smaller +buildings dotted here and there about the pit's mouth. One by one +these sheds were pulled to pieces, to the ever-increasing delight +of the mob. George and his men were powerless to stop the +destruction.</p> + +<p>"We must not venture out," the boy said, "unless the scoundrels +turn their attention to the windlasses and the gear."</p> + +<p>So his men had to grind their teeth in rage and look on +helplessly.</p> + +<p>As was expected, the rioters presently came back to the big +shed, one of them, evidently the leader, advancing with a +felling-axe.</p> + +<p>"Keep back, rascal!" shouted George. "Keep from the door, or +I'll put a few peppercorns into your hide."</p> + +<p>From a chink in the door George recognized him as the very man +he had so unceremoniously knocked from his perch and so merrily +battered in the bout of singlestick that day on the +landing-stage.</p> + +<p>The fellow answered with a curse and lifted his axe to stave in +the door. Before the weapon could descend a report rang out in the +twilight, and with a scream the attacker sprang from the ground, +and then fell to rubbing his legs vigorously.</p> + +<p>"One on 'em peppered," remarked old Saunders grimly.</p> + +<p>The crowd outside fell back in haste, and a burly fellow at that +instant appearing on the scene with a small cask of ale on his +shoulder, a diversion was caused. The fight was transferred to the +circle round the ale barrel, the already half-crazy fellows +struggling desperately to get at the liquor.</p> + +<p>"By Jupiter!" cried George, seeing his opportunity in a moment, +"now is our chance! Let them get fully occupied and we have them. +Let them once return and they will be madder and more reckless than +ever."</p> + +<p>And seizing every man his weapon, the little party in the shed +prepared to sally forth, old Saunders whispering to his next +neighbour, "The lad is a game 'un, if ever I saw one."</p> + +<p>Just as George was preparing to draw the bolts he caught sight +of young Blackett. His old schoolfellow was haranguing the men, +gesticulating violently, and pointing excitedly towards the large +shed. Matthew had in reality just heard of the fray, and had at +once run up to do what he could to stop it. But George Fairburn did +not know this. "The knave!" he exclaimed, beside himself with +anger, "he's the very ringleader of the party! He's kept himself +till now in the background. But he shall pay for his pains!"</p> + +<p>Flinging back the bars, George dashed forth upon the +ale-drinking group his little band following at his heels. With a +shout they swooped down upon the foe, and in an instant a score of +heads were broken, the luckless owners flung in all directions +around the cask. One of the prostrate ones held the spigot in his +hand, and the remainder of the liquor bubbled itself merrily to the +ground.</p> + +<p>So utterly unprepared were the fellows for the onset, and so +mauled were they in the very first rush, that a general alarm was +raised. In the darkening they imagined themselves surrounded by a +strong reinforcement of the Fairburn party, and at once there was a +wild stampede from the premises. Men and hobbledehoys stumbled off +in hot haste, pursued by the victorious handful under George.</p> + +<p>Not that George himself gave any heed to all this. At the very +first he had dashed to the spot where Matthew Blackett was +excitedly shouting to the rioters.</p> + +<p>"Coward!" cried Fairburn, "to set on your scoundrelly +fellows——"</p> + +<p>"Set on the fellows!" Matthew began in amazement, but he got no +farther.</p> + +<p>"Up with your fists!" cried George, "and we will see which is +the better man!"</p> + +<p>There was no time for explanations, though young Blackett opened +his mouth to speak. He had in truth but time to throw up his hands +to ward off George's vigorous blow, and the next moment the fight +was in full swing. Matthew was no coward, and once in for warm +work, he played his part manfully. At it the two boys went, each +hitting hard, and both coming in for a considerable share of +pummelling. For a time none heeded them, every man having enough to +do in other quarters. But at length they were surrounded by a small +group of the Fairburn men who had now driven off the enemy and +remained masters of the field.</p> + +<p>Once or twice, when the two stopped a moment to recover breath, +Matthew opened his mouth again to make an explanation, but as often +his pride held him back, and he said nothing. So the fight went +on.</p> + +<p>How long this fierce duel might have lasted it is hard to say. +But just as the boys were almost at the end of their strength there +was an effective interruption. It was time, for both combatants +were heavily punished. They had not been so ill-matched as one +might at first sight have suspected. George was the stronger and +harder fellow, but Matthew had the advantage in the matter of +height, and more particularly in length of arm, which enabled him +to get in a blow when his opponent's fell short; though the less +robust of the two he had as much pluck as pride, and would have +fought on to the last gasp.</p> + +<p>The sound of clattering hoofs was heard, and, from opposite +quarters, two horsemen dashed up. They were Mr. Blackett and the +elder Fairburn.</p> + +<br> +<hr style='width: 65%;'> +<br> +<a name='CHAPTER_III' id="CHAPTER_III"></a> + +<h2>CHAPTER III</h2> + +<center>THE FIRE AT BINFIELD TOWERS</center> + +<br> +<p>The fight stopped even more suddenly than it had begun, and the +two combatants stood away from each other, with hanging heads but +with fists still clenched.</p> + +<p>Fairburn took a glance around on the destruction, a thing he was +able to do by the glare from some burning wreckage which had now +got well into a blaze. Then his eyes wandered down to the two boys +with their bruised and bleeding countenances, and finally up into +Mr. Blackett's face.</p> + +<p>"So this is the kind of thing your Tory and your Jacobite is +capable of!" he remarked with stinging scorn to his richer +rival.</p> + +<p>"Don't you think, Mr. Fairburn," answered the Squire with +dignified calmness, restraining himself marvellously well, "don't +you think that instead of vilifying a cause as far above your +comprehension as the majority of its advocates are above you in +breeding, in education, in station, it would be more sensible to +give me your help in attending to these poor misguided fellows +lying wounded on all sides?"</p> + +<p>Fairburn winced; his rival had certainly the advantage in the +controversy, and none knew it better than the two boys. George did +not fail to observe the little flush of satisfaction that for an +instant lit up his antagonist's countenance, and, like his father, +he too winced.</p> + +<p>However, not another needless word was said, while the two men +and their sons, with the help of some of the Fairburn colliers who +were still on the spot, gave attention to the wounded and +extinguished the burning rubbish. Then the Blacketts, father and +son, raising their hats to the Fairburns, took their departure.</p> + +<p>It may well be supposed that this series of unhappy incidents +did not tend to narrow the breach between the two colliery owners +and their people. Fairburn, unlike his old self, was greatly +incensed, and talked much of prosecutions and so forth. But nothing +came of it, the man's sound native sense presently leading him to +adopt George's opinion. Said the boy, "Where would be the good, +father? Their side got most of the broken heads anyhow, and that's +enough for us." It was a youngster's view of the case, but it had +its merits.</p> + +<p>So Fairburn grumbled and rebuilt his few wrecked sheds, his +grumblings dying out as the work proceeded. George's own thoughts +were bitter enough, however, so far as Matthew Blackett was +concerned. He could not get it out of his head that the young +squire, as the folks around styled Matthew, was at the bottom of +the riot and indeed secretly its ringleader.</p> + +<p>A month or two passed away, and spring came. One day the elder +Fairburn, on his return from London in his collier, made a great +announcement.</p> + +<p>"I've got you a grand place, my lad," he said. "It is in the +office of Mr. Allan, one of the finest shipping-merchants in +London. 'Tis a very great favour, and will be the making of you, if +you prove to be the lad I take you to be. You are now fifteen, and +it is time you went from home to try your fortune; in fact, you'll +be all the better away from here—for certain reasons I need +not go into. You are a lucky lad, George,—I wish I had had +half your chance when I was in my teens."</p> + +<p>The son knew very well from his father's tone and manner that it +was useless to argue the matter with him. To London he would have +to go, and he prepared to face the unwelcome prospect like a +man.</p> + +<p>Yet, to add to his chagrin and disappointment, there came to him +just at that time the news that young Blackett was proposing to +enter the army as soon as he was old enough. The Squire was anxious +that his son should have a commission, and as he was wealthy, and +his party was now decidedly winning in the political race, there +would not only be no difficulties in Matthew's way, but a fine +prospect of advancement for the youth.</p> + +<p>"Who would have thought that that lanky weakling would choose a +soldier's trade!" George Fairburn said to himself. "I had quite +expected him to go to Oxford and become either a barrister or a +bishop. He's a lucky fellow! And I—I am—well, never +mind; it's silly to go on in this way. I don't like Blackett, but I +am bound to confess he's got good fighting stuff in him."</p> + +<p>When William III was on his deathbed he is reported to have +said, "I see another scene, and could wish to live a little +longer." His keen political foresight was soon confirmed. It was in +March, 1702, he died; in the May of the same year war was +proclaimed, the combination of powers known as the Grand Alliance +on the one side, Louis XIV, the Grand Monarque, on the other. The +nations belonging to the Grand Alliance were at first England, +Holland, and the Empire; at later dates Sweden, Denmark, and most +of the States of Germany came in, a strong league. But it was +needed. Louis was the most powerful sovereign in Europe, and France +the richest nation. To its resources were added those of Spain and +her dependencies; for the most part, at any rate, for there were +portions even of Spain which would have preferred the Archduke +Charles to Philip of France, and it was the cause of Charles that +England and the other members of the Alliance were espousing. Thus +began the war known in history as the War of the Spanish +Succession, which for several years gave work to some of the most +remarkable generals in European story.</p> + +<p>Of these great soldiers, John Churchill, Duke of Marlborough, or +rather, as he was at the outbreak of the war, the Earl of +Marlborough, was at once the most gifted with military genius and +the most successful. He was now fifty-two years of age, and one of +the leading men at the Court of Queen Anne. He had seen a fair +amount of military service, and had earned the praise of William +III, a judge of the first order in such matters. But the England of +that day could not be blamed if it failed to foresee the brilliancy +of fame with which its general would ere long surround himself.</p> +<a name='Illus5'></a> +<br> +<center><a href='images/Illus5.jpg'><img src='images/Illus5-Th.jpg' +width='207' height='332' alt= +'Map Of Western Europe In The Time Of Queen Anne.'></a><br> +Map Of Western Europe In The Time Of Queen Anne.<br> +The shading represents the dominions of Louis XIV.</center> + +<br> +<br> +<p>He was known as a brave and an able officer, not much more, +except that he was known also to be a great miser. His wife, Sarah +Jennings, now the Countess of Marlborough, was in high favour with +the new Queen; indeed, she was at that time the most influential +subject in the kingdom.</p> + +<p>To Marlborough, then, was given the command of the combined +English and Dutch forces.</p> + +<p>It needs no telling that the declaration of war, a war in which +the greater part of Europe would most likely be involved, caused no +small consternation among those whose business was with the sea and +with shipping. Fairburn's business necessitated that his single +brig should be constantly running to and from London, and it was +early rumoured that French cruisers and privateers were prowling +about the North Sea and the Channel. A schooner of considerable +size, belonging to Squire Blackett, had, indeed, been chased, off +the Norfolk coast, and had escaped only by the fact that it was +lightly laden—it was returning in ballast to the +Tyne—and by its superior sailing qualities. Such things +brought home to every collier the realities of the situation. +George's mother grew alarmed.</p> + +<p>"Who knows," said the good woman, "whether the same Frenchman +may not still be on the watch, and seize the <i>Ouseburn Lassie</i> +and her cargo; and, worse than all, my dear boy on board of +her?"</p> + +<p>Her husband was not without his fears either, but George laughed +at the notion of capture by a French vessel.</p> + +<p>"I'll go and have a talk with old Abbott, the skipper," he said, +"and see what he thinks about it."</p> + +<p>"Well, George, my lad," the old salt said when the boy +questioned him on the point, "it's like this. It's not impossible +we may get a Frenchy down on us. But we shan't strike our colours +if there's the least chance of doing anything by a bit of fighting. +The master's a man of peace, but between you and me"—the old +fellow sank his voice to a whisper—"I've got stowed away, +unbeknown to him, four tidy little guns; real beauties they are, if +small. You shall help me to use 'em on the Mounseers, if they won't +leave us alone."</p> + +<p>To a lad of George Fairburn's stamp such a prospect was +glorious. "I'm quite ready to go, mother," he announced, "on the +brig's very next trip." Mother and father made no reply, but the +former turned away to hide her tears. The lad must go and begin his +new life. For a few days all was bustle and preparation, George in +the seventh heaven of delight. The long voyage in a grimy and +uncomfortable collier had no terrors for him; he was too much +accustomed to coal dust for that. And was there not a chance that +before the Thames was reached he might see a brush with a +Frenchman?</p> + +<p>The last evening at home for him came, and he took a stroll to +get a final look at the familiar surroundings. It was now the very +heart of summer, the weather glorious: could any boy be sad at such +a time, even though there was before him the parting from home, +from an indulgent and much-loved mother, from a just and honourable +as well as affectionate father? George whistled and sang as he +wandered across the fields, careless whither his footsteps led +him.</p> + +<p>As fate would have it, he was proceeding generally in the +direction of Mr. Blackett's great house, Binfield Towers, a mansion +almost entirely hidden by thick woods from the public gaze. George +knew these woods well, with their acres of bluebells and their +breadths of primroses in the Spring, and their wealth of dogroses +in June. He turned into the footpath that crossed the plantations, +and presently found himself gazing at the mansion a hundred yards +away. The place was almost new, the style that was known in later +days as Queen Anne's. But George knew nothing of architectural +styles, and was idly counting the multitude of windows when he was +startled by a cracked old voice calling to him from the other side +of the fence that separated the wood from the grassplots in front +of the house.</p> + +<p>"For God's sake, come along and help, my good lad," cried an old +man in livery, beckoning him frantically.</p> + +<p>"What's the matter?" George asked quickly.</p> + +<p>"The house is on fire," was the reply, "and there's nobody at +home but the women folk, except old Reuben, and he's just about as +much use as me, and that's none at all, I reckon."</p> + +<p>"Where's Mr. Blackett?" the lad asked as he cleared the fence at +a bound, and stood by the old man's side on the lawn.</p> + +<p>"Gone off to a party, and young Master Matthew with him. Run and +do what you can, for Heaven's sake, and I'll follow."</p> + +<p>George bounded across the grass like a hare, and bolted into the +house without ceremony, for he now perceived smoke issuing from +several of the front windows. In the hall he found old Reuben, the +aged butler, whom Mr. Blackett still provided with a home, doing +what he could to stay the progress of the flames, by throwing upon +the burning staircase little pailfuls of water brought by the maid +servants. But, in truth most of the women were screaming, and those +who were not were fainting.</p> + +<p>"I'm almost moidered with it all," the old fellow cried +helplessly, to which the superannuated gardener, who now came +wheezing in, added, "Aye, we're both on us moidered."</p> + +<p>George glanced at the futile old couple, then cast his eye +upwards, to the various stretches of the grand staircase which +could be seen from the well below. Almost every length of the +banisters was blazing, and the cracked and broken skylight above +caused a fierce upward draught.</p> + +<p>"It's at the top the water should be poured down," George cried, +taking in the situation in an instant. "I'll see if I can get up." +And in spite of the shouts of the old fellows, and the redoubled +shrieks of the maids, the lad skipped up two or three of the +flights that zigzagged up the staircase well.</p> + +<p>At the second floor, however, he was almost overwhelmed by a +great mass of smoke mingled with flame that shot suddenly out of +the long corridor running right and left. Blinded, choked, +scorched, George staggered back, tripped, and with a clatter fell +down the six or eight steps he had mounted of that flight, and lay +for a moment on the broad carpeted landing half-dazed. But speedily +recovering himself, he perceived that the portion of the stairs +from which he had just fallen was now blazing fiercely.</p> + +<p>"It is useless!" he cried to himself, as he turned to descend to +the servants below.</p> + +<p>Then, before he had made two steps agonizing shrieks rang out +from somewhere above, and he stopped dead, almost appalled.</p> + +<p>"Miss Mary and Mrs. Maynard!" he heard the old men shout from +below, and the cries of the women servants grew frantic, as the +little band gazed terror-stricken upwards. George, too, cast his +eyes aloft, and there, to his utter dismay, were dimly seen through +the smoke a couple of female forms peeping from the topmost +corridor.</p> + +<p>He knew well enough by sight Mr. Blackett's little daughter of +eleven and her governess, a stately old lady, said to be an +impoverished relative of the Squire himself. The little pony chaise +in which the two were wont to drive about the neighbourhood was, +indeed, familiar to every soul in the district.</p> + +<p>"We had forgotten them, we had forgotten them!" came a voice +just below him, and there stood old Reuben, who had pulled himself +up the steps a little way. "They are lost!" the aged servant +moaned. "Oh dear, oh dear!" And the poor old fellow blundered down +the steps again, weeping like a child.</p> + +<p>"Is there any other staircase up to the top of the house?" the +boy called after him.</p> + +<p>"Only that in the servants' wing," was the reply, "and that is +gone already. God help us all!"</p> + +<p>"Any long ladders about? And the stablemen, where are they +all?"</p> + +<p>"Coachman with the Squire, the grooms gone off to the town for +an hour or two." Reuben shook his head sorrowfully.</p> + +<p>George waited no longer. With a bound he darted up the stairs +again, and in a moment had reached the spot where the fire was +fiercest. Without hesitation he dashed on, watching his chance +after a big gust of smoke and flame had surged across the well. +Through the fire he rushed, protecting his face with his arms, and +stumbling blindly on. The worst was soon passed, and the next +instant he had gained the top of the staircase.</p> + +<p>"Save her—<i>her</i>!" Mrs. Maynard cried piteously, +"leave <i>me</i>, and see to <i>her</i>, for mercy's sake!"</p> + +<p>George caught the girl in his arms and prepared to make a dash +down the staircase. But he drew back in dismay. A big piece of the +burning banister below them fell with a crash and a shower of +sparks to the bottom of the well.</p> + +<p>"It is impossible!" he cried. "Let us see what can be done from +one of the windows." And the three ran to the end of the corridor +farthest away from the fire. Into a room George dashed, and threw +up the window. It was Mary's playroom, and it was in this place +that she and her governess had been till now too much frightened by +the flames and smoke to make a dash for safety.</p> + +<p>Alas! there was no way of escape. The height from the ground was +too great; to leap meant certain death. George gazed frantically +down and around, to see if any help was arriving. Not a soul was to +be seen. Smoke was pouring from almost every window. The ladies +were speechless with alarm when they saw the look of despair on the +boy's face.</p> + +<p>"Don't leave us!" Mary pleaded piteously.</p> + +<p>"No, no!" cried George. "We'll find a way yet." But cheerfully +as he spoke, in his heart he almost despaired.</p> + +<p>It was but a few seconds the three had been in the playroom, but +when they looked out into the corridor again, to their horror they +found it blazing, the flames leaping towards them with astonishing +bounds, carried along by the evening breeze that had sprung up. The +sight seemed to drive Mrs. Maynard demented. With a shriek she +darted away, sped along the burning passage, and before the boy and +girl could realize the situation, she had dashed down the blazing +staircase. The sound of a crash and a fearful scream reached their +ears, telling their own tale. The girl clung to George, her head +sank, and she fainted.</p> + +<p>Desperate now, the lad placed her on the floor, and, thrusting +his head from the window, perceived that he could clamber up the +two or three feet of rain spout that ran close by, and gain a +position on the roof just overhead. If he could gain that, he +thought he might run to a further wing of the building that seemed +at present untouched by the fire. But the girl, what of her? He +cast his eyes about and descried two or three skipping ropes in a +corner. Hastily he tied them end to end, fastened a portion round +Mary's waist, his movements hastened by the burst of flame that +just then shot into the room. Then clambering desperately to the +roof, the rope in his teeth, he got a footing on the parapet, and +began to haul up the fainting girl.</p> + +<p>Hand over hand he hauled up the cord and its burden. The child +was dangling between earth and sky when suddenly a great shout came +from below. George glanced down, and there, running with up-turned +horror-stricken face, was Matthew Blackett. Help at last! But had +it come too late?</p> + +<br> +<hr style='width: 65%;'> +<br> +<a name='CHAPTER_IV' id="CHAPTER_IV"></a> + +<h2>CHAPTER IV</h2> + +<center>THE RESCUE</center> + +<br> +<p>Matthew stopped short, unable to move a yard further, his eyes +fixed upon the slight form hanging so dangerously high above him. +It was truly an awful moment for both the lads, a moment never +afterwards to be forgotten by either of them. The time of suspense +was but seconds; it seemed years. But George, his knees firmly +pressed against the low parapet wall that ran along the top in +front of the house, had no difficulty in supporting the weight, and +not too much in actually hauling up his living burden. Another +moment and he had seized one arm with a strong grip; the next he +had pulled the child to him on the roof.</p> + +<p>"Safe! thank God!" he murmured, almost breathless with his +exertions and still more with his agitation.</p> + +<p>Safe! As if to mock him a great tongue of flame shot from the +window from which rescuer and rescued had but now emerged, and a +cry of despair rose from Matthew below.</p> + +<p>"Run for the library!" Blackett shouted, a thought suddenly +striking him. "Run, run!" And the boy pointed to a sort of wing, an +addition to the mansion recently made by the Squire, and devoted to +his books and the extensive and valuable collection of antiquities +and curiosities of which he was very proud. This building was +connected with the body of the house by only one small arched door, +on the ground-floor.</p> + +<p>George understood, and cautiously but rapidly edging his way +along the broad leaden gutter behind the parapet, he drew the girl, +by this time conscious once more, but dazed with fright, to the +outlying portion of the roof, which was as yet untouched by the +flames. He peered over for Matthew, but could see nothing of +him.</p> + +<p>For the moment the two were in no danger. But the flames were +already licking the portion of the library immediately adjoining +the house proper; soon the whole wing must be ablaze. The boy gazed +wildly around, to see if there was any means, however risky or even +desperate, by which escape might be made. He saw nothing but the +slender branches of a magnificent yew that grew in the retired +garden behind and close to the library. These boughs overtopped +even the tall building, and some of them overhung the roof a +little. But the nearest of them was ten feet above the heads of the +two, and hopelessly out of reach. Would that some great gust of +wind would drive those branches within clutching distance!</p> + +<p>This tantalizing thought had hardly taken possession of George's +mind when his attention was attracted by shouts from below. Peering +down he was astonished to see Matthew rapidly climbing the yew. The +same thought had struck him also! Up the climber swarmed, higher +and higher. Then he began without hesitation to crawl along some of +the topmost branches that overhung the library roof. Outwards he +crept, embracing tightly half a dozen of the long thin boughs; they +seemed but little more than twigs.</p> + +<p>"You'll be dashed to pieces!" Mary cried; "go back, go +back!"</p> + +<p>"Haven't you a rope anywhere?" George asked eagerly.</p> + +<p>"Every rope and ladder locked up in the stable yard," was the +breathless reply, "and the men away. This is our only chance. Catch +hold."</p> + +<p>As Matthew spoke, the end of the long swaying branches, swinging +ever lower, came down to the roof, and a good yard or more of the +greenery was within George's grasp. Matthew lay at full length on +his collection of boughs in order that his weight might keep the +ends down. It was a precarious position truly, but Matthew was very +light, and had absolutely no fear for himself.</p> + +<p>"Lash her well to three or four of the strongest of the boughs," +he said hurriedly; "give the rope half a dozen good turns about her +waist and the boughs. They are yew and very tough. Quick!"</p> + +<p>Hardly knowing what he was doing, George obeyed. He was a bit of +a sailor, and in a couple of minutes he had bound the child to the +branches in a way to satisfy even Matthew, who still lay amongst +the foliage, some three yards away.</p> + +<p>"Now cling for your life to the rest of the branches you've got, +Fairburn, till I go down to the long thick arm there below. Can you +hold?"</p> + +<p>"Yes!" cried the other cheerfully, light beginning to dawn upon +him. "I can hold on; you go down."</p> + +<p>Matthew moved down, and the branches, relieved of their burden, +began to exert a considerable upward pull. But the weight of the +boy and the girl held down the ends, and they awaited Matthew's +call. It soon came, though the interval of waiting seemed an +age.</p> + +<p>"Now then!" came the shout, and George could see his quondam +enemy firmly seated on a stout branch that had been cut shorter, +its foliage having interfered with the light of one of the windows +of the library. Matthew was sitting astride, his legs firmly +gripping the branch. "Now drop yourselves over," he went on. +"You'll fall right on the top of me, and I'll grab you. Throw one +arm round Mary's waist, and then seize the branches with both hands +and stick tight."</p> + +<p>"I'll stick like a leech," George replied, "but it's a fearful +drop."</p> + +<p>"There's no other way, none! See! the blaze has caught the +library roof behind you! It will be upon you in another minute. +Drop over, for pity's sake!"</p> + +<p>George set his teeth, placed one arm round the child's slender +form, gripped hard a handful of the pliant boughs, and dropped over +the parapet, Mary closing her eyes in her mortal fright. With a +huge swing the branches bent, and in an instant the two were +swaying a good fifteen feet below, George almost jerked from his +hold. The boughs creaked but did not snap.</p> + +<p>"Thank heaven!" cried Matthew, "I have you!" And reaching up, he +got a grip of George's foot and dragged down the swinging pair.</p> + +<p>"Grab the branch with your legs, Fairburn! and I'll cut Mary +clear."</p> + +<p>No sooner said than done. By the aid of a good clasp-knife +Matthew severed the cords and secured his little sister, her +weight, however, as it came upon him, almost knocking him from his +perch. But he held desperately, and in another moment had Mary on +the branch beside him. Then George, throwing his legs apart, +suddenly loosed his hold of the branches and dropped also astride +of the bough, which he grasped tight with both hands. He swung +round and hung from the branch head downwards. But the next minute +he had righted himself, and was ready to help with Mary.</p> + +<p>The rescue was complete. To guide the child along the branch, +towards the middle of the tree, and then to lower her from limb to +limb of the old yew was mere play to the two boys. The three +dropped the last four or five feet to earth just as a man rushed +forward with a great cry, to clasp in his arms the fainting +girl.</p> + +<p>"God is merciful!" he ejaculated. It was Squire Blackett, who +had arrived just in time to see his beloved child saved from an +awful fate.</p> + +<p>For a few moments father and children clung to each other. When +at length they looked round to express their gratitude to the +plucky rescuer, he was nowhere to be seen. Seeing a great crowd of +the Blackett pitmen arrive with a run, George had felt that he +could be of no more use, and slipping into the wood had made for +home. He wanted no thanks, and moreover the brig was to sail at +four in the morning, at which time the tide would serve.</p> + +<p>"He's gone—George has gone!" cried Matthew.</p> + +<p>"We can never repay him," murmured Mr. Blackett. "We must go on +to see him at the earliest moment in the morning."</p> + +<p>When Mr. Blackett, with Matthew and the rescued Mary, drove +early next day to the Fairburns' house, it was only to learn that +George had sailed for London some hours before. There was no help +for it, and all they could do was to overwhelm the father and +mother with words of gratitude and praise. They informed the +Fairburns that by the exertions of the men the library and its +contents had been saved; the rest of the mansion was left a wreck. +Mrs. Maynard had been drawn from the mass of burning rubbish at the +foot of the staircase, and was now lying between life and +death.</p> + +<p>George had had a bad quarter of an hour at the parting from his +parents, but by the time the vessel felt the swell of the open sea +he was full of spirits again. The sea voyage, even in a dirty +collier, was a delight. Then there was London the wonderful at the +end of it, and he had long desired to see the great capital of +which he had heard and read so much.</p> + +<p>The London of Queen Anne's reign was not the huge overgrown +London of our own day. But it was a notable city, and to George +Fairburn and his contemporaries the grandest city in the world. The +Great Fire had taken place but twenty years before George was born, +yet already the city had risen from its ashes, with wider and +nobler streets, and with a multitude of handsome churches which +Wren had built. The new and magnificent St. Paul's, the great +architect's proudest work, was rapidly approaching completion. +George's father had witnessed the opening for worship of a portion +of the cathedral five years before, and soon the stupendous dome, +which was beginning to tower high above the city, would be +finished. Sir Thomas Gresham's Exchange, the centre of the business +life of the city, had been replaced by another and not less noble +edifice. The great capital contained a population of well over half +a million souls, a number that seemed incredible to those who knew +only Bristol, and York, and Norwich, the English cities next in +size. The houses stretched continuously from the city boundary to +Westminster, and soon the two would be but one vast town. George +had heard much of London Bridge, with its shops and its incessant +stream of passengers and vehicles, and he hoped to visit the +pleasant villages of Kensington and Islington, and many another +that lay within a walk of great London. He hoped one day, too, to +get a glimpse of some of the clever wits, Mat Prior, Wycherley, +Dick Steele, and others, who haunted the coffee-houses of the +capital, and of the rising young writer, Mr. Addison, not to +mention a greater than them all, the incomparable Sir Isaac Newton. +For George had ever been a great reader, even while he loved a good +game as well as any boy in the land.</p> + +<p>It was many a long year, however, ere George Fairburn was +destined to see the mighty capital. Once fairly at sea, the skipper +brought out and mounted his four little guns, to the lad's huge +joy.</p> + +<p>"You mean business, captain," he remarked with a merry +laugh.</p> + +<p>"I do, if there comes along a Frenchy who won't leave us alone," +the old fellow replied, "leastways if she isn't too big a craft for +us altogether."</p> + +<p>The evening was coming in, the town of Yarmouth faintly visible +through the haze, when suddenly the crew of the <i>Ouseburn +Lassie</i> became aware of a big vessel in the offing.</p> + +<p>"She's giving chase, by thunder!" cried the skipper, after he +had taken a long look through the glass; and all was excitement on +board the brig. Anxiously all hands watched the stranger, and at +last the shout went up, "She's a Frenchy!"</p> + +<p>"Aye, and a big 'un at that," somebody added.</p> + +<p>Hastily the preparations were made to receive her, though the +captain shook his head even as he gave his orders.</p> + +<p>"It's no go," he whispered to George. "We've got these four +small guns, but what's the good? We've nobody to man 'em; only a +couple on 'em, leastways. And the Frenchman's a monster."</p> + +<p>"We'll show them a bit of fight all the same," George put in +eagerly. The old salt shook his head again.</p> + +<p>Quickly the big vessel overhauled the collier brig, and signals +were made to pull down her flag, whereupon the Englishman +grunted.</p> + +<p>Within a minute a puff was seen, and a round shot whizzed close +past the <i>Ouseburn Lassie's</i> bows.</p> + +<p>"Give them a reply!" George urged in great excitement.</p> + +<p>"Wait a bit, my lad," and the skipper bided his time.</p> + +<p>"Now!" came the order at length, and a couple of eight-pound +balls flew straight to the Frenchman.</p> + +<p>"Well hit!" shouted the Englishmen, as a shower of splinters was +seen to fly upwards from the enemy's deck.</p> + +<p>"It's enough to show 'em we've got mettle in us," growled the +old captain, "and that's all we can say."</p> + +<p>His words were justified, for the next moment there came another +flash, and with a crash the brig's mast went by the board.</p> + +<p>"Done for!" groaned the skipper. "We shall see the inside of a +French prison, I reckon."</p> + +<p>The enemy's long boat put out with a crew four times that of the +brig. Within a quarter of an hour the Englishmen had all been +transferred to the <i>Louis Treize</i>, and an officer and half a +dozen men left in charge of the prize. The Frenchman at once set a +course for Dunkirk, and, with a spanking breeze behind her, she +made the port in fifteen hours. The noon of the next day saw George +Fairburn and his companions clapped into a French prison.</p> + +<p>"A bonny come off," the old skipper grumbled, "but we shall ha' +to make the best on it."</p> + +<p>It will not be forgotten that the war just begun was, to put it +bluntly, a war to determine which of two indifferent princes, +Philip of France and Charles of Austria, should have the Spanish +crown. Lord Peterborough declared that it was not worth his +country's while to fight for such "a pair of louts."</p> +<a name='Illus2'></a> +<br> +<center><a href='images/Illus2.jpg'><img src='images/Illus2-Th.jpg' +width='207' height='328' alt='"Now!" came the order.'></a><br> +"Now!" came the order.</center> + +<br> +<br> +<p>Into the war, however, England had thrown herself, under the +direction of Harley, the famous Tory minister now in power, at +home, and with Marlborough as commander-in-chief of both the +English and the Dutch forces abroad. The General's first aim was to +take back from Louis XIV all those fortresses in the Spanish +Netherlands which had been seized and garrisoned by the French +troops as if the country were a French possession.</p> + +<p>He started from Kaiserwörth, a town on the Rhine, which his +troops had captured from one of Louis's chief allies, the Elector +of Cologne, before Marlborough arrived to take command. Venloo was +taken in gallant style, and then the important city of +Liége, on the Meuse. The result of the campaign was that the +French had been chased from the Lower Rhine, and Holland, much to +its relief, made far more safe from attack. Returning to England, +the victorious commander was given a grand reception. And no +wonder, for it was the first time for many a year that the French +had received a real check.</p> + +<p>While these things were going on in the Netherlands, another +leader under the Grand Alliance, Prince Louis of Baden, took +Landau, on the Rhine, from the French. In Italy, too, the allies +triumphed, the gallant Prince Eugene, presently to be the warm and +life-long friend of Marlborough, defeating the French brilliantly +at Cremona, a fortunate thing for the Empire, which was thus +secured from a French invasion through the Tyrol.</p> + +<p>To crown the successes of the Grand Alliance during the campaign +of 1702, the first of the war, the brave sailor Sir George Rooke, +following the Spanish galleons and the French war vessels into the +harbour of Vigo, destroyed the greater number of them. It was a +repetition of Drake's famous expedition to "singe the King of +Spain's beard."</p> + +<p>All these things happened while George Fairburn and other +English prisoners ate their hearts out in captivity at Dunkirk. The +lad chafed under the surveillance to which he was subjected, and +never passed a day without turning over in his mind some scheme of +escape. How it was to be done, he did not see. But he waited for +his chance, and meanwhile, partly to avoid being suspected, and +partly to while away the hours he made friends with the soldiers on +guard. He already knew a little French, and with his natural +quickness he soon made rapid progress. At the end of a month he +could get along capitally in the language; at the end of three +months he could speak the tongue fluently; at the end of nine +months—for thus did his term of captivity drag itself +out—he was, so far as the language was concerned, almost a +Frenchman. Thus the winter passed, and the spring of 1703 came +round, George Fairburn still an inmate of a French prison, hopeless +of escape, so far as he could see.</p> + +<p>But his chance came at last suddenly and unexpectedly. One +morning he was escorted to the Hôtel de Ville, to interpret +for an officer examining a batch of English prisoners who had been +brought in from the Netherlands border. The way to the town lay at +no great distance from the shore, and he observed how a boat lay +close in on the low sandy beach, no owner in sight. His heart leapt +into his mouth, and he had much ado to keep himself from betraying +his thoughts by the flush that mantled hotly on his cheek.</p> + +<p>One, two, three hundred paces the boat was left behind. Now or +never! Instantly the lad started off back to the spot, his feet +flying across the sand.</p> + +<p>A shout broke from the throats of his astonished guards, and a +half score of bullets whistled after the runaway. George ducked his +head and sped on unhurt. A second volley did little more harm than +the first, merely grazing the lobe of his right ear. The race was +furious, but the lusty English lad was far and away the superior of +the heavy Frenchmen. He gained the boat, the enemy still a hundred +paces behind. The painter was loosely wound round a large stone, +and in a trice George had leapt with it into the little craft. He +had just time to give a vigorous shove off before the pursuers came +up, the foremost dashing into the sea after him.</p> + +<br> +<hr style='width: 65%;'> +<br> +<a name='CHAPTER_V' id="CHAPTER_V"></a> + +<h2>CHAPTER V</h2> + +<center>GEORGE RECONNOITRES</center> + +<br> +<p>Splash through the water rushed the French soldiers in full +chase. Already they were beginning to cheer, for the leading man +had all but grabbed the boat, and the prisoner was as good as +retaken. George looked down for something with which to strike, for +he did not intend to submit without a struggle, but there was no +oar on board. There had been a small boat-hook, but that he had +left sticking in the sand when he gave his lusty shove off. The +pursuer, up to his neck in water, seized the boat, and for a moment +his chin rested on the side. But the next instant the lad had +kicked out with the clumsy wooden shoes he wore, and the soldier +fell back half stunned into the sea. The rest of the fellows +instantly raised their guns, but George did not wince; he perceived +what they in their wild scamper after him had not noticed, that +they had dragged their muskets through the water, and for the time +had rendered the weapons useless. The boy laughed in spite of his +predicament, as he hastily ran up the little sail.</p> + +<p>The breeze at once caught the canvas, and the bark moved briskly +away. But two of the soldiers, who had not entered the sea, hastily +reloading—they had not done so hitherto, after the recent +discharges—levelled their pieces at the retreating prisoner. +George flung himself to the bottom of the boat as he saw the move, +and the bullets whistled harmlessly overhead. Springing up again, +he perceived that he was now beyond range, and with a shout of joy +he waved his cap triumphantly. The whole escape had been planned +and successfully carried out in the space of five minutes. He was +free!</p> + +<p>But his joy was presently tempered by the thought of what might +follow. That the men would endeavour to give chase he well knew; +indeed he could make out their forms running in search of another +boat. However, he had gained a start; that was something. As to +whither he was destined to be driven, or how he was to get food and +water, these things were for the present of less consequence than +the fact that he was free.</p> + +<p>Fortune favoured him, for within ten minutes a thickness came +on, and soon the boat was enveloped in fog. The chase was now +rendered impossible to the enemy. Hour after hour George kept his +sail hoisted, driving briskly he knew not whither.</p> + +<p>"I am bound," said he to himself, "to stumble upon either the +English or the Dutch coast, and in either case I shall be among +friends." Thus the lad comforted himself.</p> + +<p>The day wore on, and he was becoming ravenously hungry. He would +have given much for a basin of even the prison <i>soupe maigre</i>. +The sky was darkening and he began to feel drowsy; he resigned +himself to a night of hunger. All at once he heard shouts, and the +hull of a big vessel loomed up within a few yards of him. He was +instantly wide awake. Was the stranger French? Thank Heaven, no! +She was Dutch built, and as her flag showed, Dutch owned. +Hurrah!</p> + +<p>His cheer attracted the attention of the crew, and much +wondering the sailors drew him up on deck. "A Frenchman," was the +verdict in gruff Dutch. George did not understand Dutch, but he +instantly guessed their meaning.</p> + +<p>"Not I," he cried, in English, and was delighted to be answered +in the same tongue by the skipper.</p> + +<p>George's account of his escape, translated by the captain, set +the fat Dutchmen a-rolling. And, after the lad had had the good +square meal the skipper ordered for him, he spent the evening in +going over his adventures again. The jolly-hearted English lad +became an immediate favourite with the sailors and the soldiers, +for, as he soon learnt, the ship was a Dutch transport carrying +troops and stores for the war in Spain.</p> + +<p>"Where are we, sir?" George inquired of the skipper next morning +when he came on deck, to find a clear sky, and land faintly seen on +the starboard bow.</p> + +<p>"Off the Isle of Wight, my lad," replied the Dutchman.</p> + +<p>"Can't you put me ashore, captain?" he pleaded.</p> + +<p>The master smiled and shook his head.</p> + +<p>"Impossible, boy; you must go with us to Spain. And here comes a +gentleman to speak with you."</p> + +<p>An officer in military uniform approached, and the boy touched +his cap. With the skipper as interpreter the major made George an +offer of service under him.</p> + +<p>"We want fellows of your sort," he said. "And there will be +brave doings in Spain, and plenty of good pay, and glory to be won. +Besides, you will be fighting under one of your own countrymen, +most likely Sir George Rooke himself. Say the word, my good +lad."</p> + +<p>George's face flushed.</p> + +<p>"I have always wanted to be a soldier, sir," he stammered.</p> + +<p>"Of course you have, my lad. Then we may take it that the matter +is settled. Good luck go with you, my boy."</p> + +<p>Here then was George Fairburn, who ought to have been driving a +quill in the office of Mr. Allan, shipping merchant, of London, +sailing to join the allied forces in Spain, and to fight against +the French. His head swam with the thought of it.</p> + +<p>But what of George's friends at home all this long while? When +Fairburn learnt that his brig had not arrived in port, though she +had been spoken in Boston Deeps by another collier which was +returning to the Tyne, his heart misgave him. There had been a bad +storm on the coast; it seemed only too likely that the <i>Ouseburn +Lassie</i> had gone down in it! When week after week passed without +news it seemed more and more likely that the vessel had foundered +in the gale. News of captures by French privateers usually filtered +through sooner or later; but for long there were no tidings of the +<i>Ouseburn Lassie</i>. The Blacketts did what they could to +console the bereaved parents, but father and mother would not be +comforted. At length, months afterwards, they learnt in a casual +way that a collier had been captured off Yarmouth by a French +privateer, about the time the <i>Ouseburn Lassie</i> was making her +trip; at least that was the construction the Yarmouth salts who saw +the affair from the shore put upon the movements of the two +vessels. So a ray of hope came to Fairburn and his wife.</p> + +<p>"The lad will be somewhere in a French prison," the father said, +"and some day he will be set free and come home to us again."</p> + +<p>The spring of 1703 brought Matthew Blackett's seventeenth +birthday, and with it an ensign's commission in a well-reputed +regiment of foot. He already stood six feet one in his stockings, +and mighty proud he felt when his lanky figure was clothed in his +gay uniform.</p> + +<p>"Perhaps I shall come across George in my wanderings," he said, +when he went to bid a very friendly adieu to the Fairburns. "Won't +it be jolly if we do meet!" And the parents were constrained to +smile in spite of their sadness.</p> + +<p>One of the commonest subjects of conversation in our days is the +state of "political parties," and every child of school age can +tell you which is "the party in power." Three hundred years ago +such expressions would not have been understood at all, in their +modern sense, and "government by party" was a thing as yet +undreamed of. Usually the strongest man of his time, whether +sovereign or subject, was the real ruler in England. Elizabeth, for +instance, was the sole mistress in her own realm, though even she +was greatly helped by the famous minister Burleigh. In later times +a Strafford, a Laud, an Oliver Cromwell, a Clarendon presided over +the destinies of England.</p> + +<p>But in the second half of the seventeenth century there began +that division of politicians into two sides or parties which has +continued ever since. This division sprang, no doubt, from the +civil wars between King and Parliament, between Cavalier and +Roundhead. By the times of Queen Anne the terms Whig and Tory, +replaced in our days for the most part by Liberal and Conservative, +had come into common use, and no one who desires to understand the +history of her reign can wholly neglect the movements of these two +opposing parties in politics. For Marlborough—with his +wife—may be said to be the last powerful statesman who ruled +England without the formal and acknowledged help of party. Since +then the "party in power" has always, through its chief member, the +Prime Minister, and his Cabinet, been the actual ruler in the +State.</p> + +<p>At the beginning of Anne's reign the Whigs were leading in +matters of state, but presently Rochester and Nottingham, the +former a very strong Tory, came into power. Later on, in 1703, the +former was replaced by a more moderate Tory, Harley, and in the +following year St. John succeeded Nottingham. The truth was, +Marlborough, beginning to see that he was more likely to receive +support in his great wars from the Whig side, was working gradually +towards the placing of their party in office, though he himself had +all along been a Tory. Thus it was that he tried to rule with a +coalition, or a mixture of Whigs and Tories. This was in the year +1705, a little after the time to which this story has as yet been +carried. But Marlborough and his Duchess were still the real power +in the land.</p> + +<p>We may rejoin George Fairburn, some three weeks after the day +when he had been picked up by the Dutch transport. With others he +had been landed in the Tagus, and at once drafted into one of the +regiments under the Earl of Galway, a Frenchman by birth, but now, +having been driven out of France by the persecutions he and the +rest of the Protestants had had to endure, a general in the English +army. George learned that Portugal had joined the Grand Alliance, +in consequence of the Methuen Treaty between her and England, by +which Portuguese wines were to be admitted into English ports at a +lower customs duty than those of other countries. This step on the +part of Portugal had greatly enraged the French King, and he had +poured his troops into Spain. The Allies, therefore, were preparing +to attack Spain from the eastern and the western sides of the +Peninsula at the same time. So George and his comrades began their +march eastward, while the gallant admiral Sir George Rooke was +attacking Barcelona on the opposite coast.</p> + +<p>It was a new life for the English lad, and the heavy marches in +a hot climate tried him. But he was growing into a stout youth, and +was not afraid of a bit of hard work.</p> + +<p>"Besides," he would say to himself, when disposed to grumble, +"am I not a soldier? And isn't that what I've always wanted to be? +And I might have been chained up in a French prison still! A +thousand times better be here, even in this scorching place."</p> + +<p>If it seemed odd to the lad that the English soldiers were +commanded by a Frenchman, it was still stranger that the French +forces they were marching to meet were under an Englishman. Yet so +it was; the commander of Louis's army in Spain being the Duke of +Berwick, a son of James II and Arabella Churchill, Marlborough's +sister. The two generals were well matched, according to the +opinion that prevailed among the troops.</p> + +<p>Weeks passed, and as yet George Fairburn had seen no actual +fighting. He was all eager to get into action, and was not much +comforted by the declaration of the old sergeant under whom he +marched.</p> + +<p>"Bide your time, my lad," the veteran would say, "you will get +your full share of fighting; enough to satisfy even a fire-eater +such as I can see you're going to be."</p> + +<p>One evening, to his intense delight, the lad was sent forward +with a skirmishing party, a report having come in that the enemy +was concealed somewhere in one of the wooded valleys of the +neighbourhood. After a cautious march of three or four miles, the +little company, commanded by a lieutenant of foot, dropped down +into a dingle, at the bottom of which ran a stream almost +everywhere hidden by the thick growth of trees. The men were +startled, on turning a corner in the break-neck path, to see below +them the French flag flying from what appeared to be an old mill. +Scattered about were the roofs of a dozen cottages, and at the +doors could be perceived a number of soldiers lolling at their +ease.</p> + +<p>"The enemy, by Jove!" whispered George, who was leading in his +usual eager fashion, pointing out the flag and the hamlet to the +lieutenant. "Wouldn't it be a good joke to whip off their flag from +that old mill, sir!"</p> + +<p>The officer laughed at the notion; he was not much more than a +boy himself.</p> + +<p>"My lad," said he, "we must know how many the enemy are +first."</p> + +<p>"I'll climb to the roof there, and from it I can see right down +into the village and command a view of everything in it."</p> + +<p>"Do you mean to say, youngster, that you would risk it?" the +officer asked in surprise.</p> + +<p>"Oh, wouldn't I, sir," the lad replied with flushed face. "Say +the word, sir, please."</p> + +<p>The lieutenant nodded, saying, "It's worth it. But be +cautious."</p> + +<p>The soldiers looked on while the boy carried out his freak, for +such they judged his bit of reconnoitring to be. Cautiously George +crept towards the mill, the sloping roof of which came almost down +to the very hill side. Tying a wisp of long grass and weeds round +each boot, he crawled noiselessly up till within a foot or two of +the ridge. He paused a moment to gaze down the dingle. There, well +seen from his vantage point, a couple of miles away, ran a far +larger valley, which was filled with tents. "The enemy's main +body!" he thought. He waved his arm in the direction of the camp, +but his comrades did not understand the action, as they stood +peering down upon the lad from among the trees higher up the +slope.</p> + +<p>Now flat on his face the boy ventured to peep over the roof +ridge down into the village street at no great distance below. Not +an eye was directed upwards, so far as he could see, the men +laughing and chattering gaily as they drank. Then the temptation +seized him, and in a moment he had lifted the flag from the old +chimney in which the staff was loosely set. "I'm in for it now!" he +cried to himself, as he slid like an avalanche down the roof, leapt +to the ground, and made off up the steep slope towards his +comrades, the flag triumphantly in his hand.</p> + +<p>He had reached a spot half way up when suddenly wild shouts were +heard from below, and at the same instant a bullet whistled close +past his ear. A little turn in the path had discovered his head to +the enemy.</p> + +<p>"In for a penny, in for a pound," shouted the lieutenant, and +the Englishmen prepared to receive the French soldiers dashing up +to the attack. George stumbled on unhurt, but fell at his officer's +feet, utterly breathless. There he lay, unable to rise, while shots +were rapidly exchanged. For a minute's space it was hot work, but +then the French began to fall back, and with a shout the English +handful followed. Fairburn pulled himself together and stood on the +edge of the rock-shelf where he had fallen breathless. To his +horror, he saw a Frenchman on the shelf below, taking deliberate +aim at the lieutenant.</p> + +<p>With a loud cry, the lad sprang down upon the enemy, regardless +of the steepness of the place, and in an instant the man was locked +in his arms, just as the musket report came. Down the two fell, +bounding over two or three shelves of rock, and then pitching +headlong some twenty or thirty feet into the thick brushwood +below.</p> + +<p>"You have saved my life, my lad; you are an Englishman worth +knowing," were the next words the boy heard.</p> + +<p>They came buzzing into George's ears some ten minutes later, +when, the brush with the French over, the Englishmen were hastening +back to report to the General.</p> + +<p>"What happened when I fell, sir?" George asked with curiosity, +as the officer walked by the side of the litter. He was astounded +to learn that the Frenchman had been found still held in tight +grip, his neck broken. The enemy had been put to the rout and had +fled, leaving their flag behind them. Moreover, the French camp a +couple of miles away had been spied.</p> + +<p>"You have three ribs broken, Fairburn," the officer went on, +"and you've got about as many bruises as there are days in a year. +But what of that. By Jerusalem! I wish the honour had fallen to +me!"</p> + +<p>"I don't mind the wounds a bit, sir," George answered, +cheerfully, "so long as I've been of some use."</p> + +<p>The next day no less a person than the great Earl of Galway +himself came to speak to the wounded lad.</p> + +<p>"I have heard from your lieutenant here the tale of your doings +yesterday," he said, with a smile. "You are a boy of pluck. You are +done for so far as the present campaign is concerned, and must be +sent back to hospital. But there's work cut out yet for a lad of +your mettle."</p> + +<p>George heard all this praise as if in a dream. He was never sure +in after years whether the Earl had really said so much. But +Lieutenant Fieldsend, who was destined to become his comrade on +many a hard-fought field, and his warm friend for life, was always +prepared to tell the full and correct story.</p> + +<br> +<hr style='width: 65%;'> +<br> +<a name='CHAPTER_VI' id="CHAPTER_VI"></a> + +<h2>CHAPTER VI</h2> + +<center>THE ROCK OF GIBRALTAR</center> + +<br> +<p>"This is better than lying on one's back in hospital, sir, and +better than dodging about in a close-packed transport."</p> + +<p>The words came from George Fairburn, as with his officer, +Lieutenant Fieldsend, he stood surveying, from its northern +vicinity, the far-famed Rock of Gibraltar. It was the summer of +1704. His doings since the day of his injuries in the dingle are +soon recorded. After months of sickness and a winter of inaction, +his service under Lord Galway had come to an end, much to his +disgust at first. With others, he had been sent on board a vessel +and carried round the coast of Spain to the neighbourhood of +Barcelona, where Sir George Rooke was operating. The new troops had +arrived too late. The Admiral, despairing of making any impression +on the strongly-fortified Barcelona, was about to sail for home. On +the way the idea had come to Sir George that the commanding +fortress of Gibraltar would be worth trying for. He had accordingly +landed a number of troops on the narrow isthmus of flat land that +joins the rock and town of Gibraltar to the mainland.</p> + +<p>"Yes, Fairburn," the lieutenant replied, with a laugh, "my Lord +Galway foretold that you had work cut out for you. Here it is, I +fancy, and plenty of it."</p> + +<p>It was a striking sight on which the two friends +looked—for though the one was but a private and the other a +commissioned officer, yet by this time Fieldsend and Fairburn had +begun their life-long friendship. Away in front of them towered the +huge irregular mass called the Rock of Gibraltar, or, more +commonly, simply "the Rock," with the little town clustered at its +base and on its gentler slopes. To their right was the indentation +in the coast known as the Bay of Gibraltar, which was protected by +a long stone-built jetty, the Old Mole. From this protection ran a +stout sea defence called the Line Wall, with two or three strong +bastions. This wall ended at another projection, the New Mole. But +neither the Line Wall nor the New Mole was visible from the spot +where George and his superior stood. Filling all the narrow neck of +connecting ground were the allied forces just landed, five thousand +of them. Immediately in front stood the only outlet from the city +on its north side, the Land Point gate.</p> + +<p>"I wish they would settle the thing, and either let us get to +work or else re-embark for home," George said, as he sat in what +shade he could find to defend himself against the fierce blaze of +the sun.</p> + +<p>"I am with you there, Fairburn," the lieutenant agreed, with a +yawn.</p> + +<p>The speakers were alluding to the answer that was expected at +any moment from the garrison within. A formal demand had been made +to the Governor for the surrender of the fortress to the Archduke +Charles, "the rightful King of Spain." This was on the twenty-first +of July, 1704. The demand had been made on the part of the Allies +by the Prince of Hesse-Darmstadt, who was present with three Dutch +admirals and several Dutch ships. The English admirals concerned in +the siege were, besides Sir George Rooke, the chief of them, Byng, +Sir Cloudesley Shovel, and Leake. Many famous ships were in the Bay +or rode off the Rock, including Rooke's own vessel, the <i>Royal +Catherine</i>, and Shovel's still more famous <i>Barfleur</i>.</p> + +<p>The day wore to its close, the guards were posted, and the men +prepared for rest. Then there came the long-expected answer from +the Marquis de Salinas, the Governor of the fortress. It was a +stout and dignified refusal. He and his men had sworn allegiance to +King Philip, the old fellow said, and in Philip's name he held the +town and Rock of Gibraltar, and would continue to hold them as long +as he could.</p> + +<p>"That looks like business," cried George, gleefully, to a little +group of his comrades around, and the men smiled at the eager +enthusiasm of the lad. The orders were passed round that the attack +should begin with daybreak on the following morning, and the +soldiers went to roost at once, with easy minds. It was believed +that the attack would be but a harmless bit of child's-play, as it +was more than suspected that the defending force within the town +was very small, though how ridiculously small it really was none of +the besiegers at the time even guessed.</p> + +<p>"Turn out, mate," cried one of the soldiers, shaking George +vigorously by the shoulder, and the boy sprang up to find everybody +astir.</p> + +<p>"How I do sleep in this hot country!" he yawned, to which the +sergeant replied with a laugh, "It'll be hotter still before long, +my lad, never fear."</p> + +<p>It was a long time before the first shot was fired, however, the +disposition of the troops and the guns not being complete. At +length a movement was made. The <i>Dorsetshire</i>, with Captain +Whitaker in command, was sent to capture a French privateer with +twelve guns, which lay at the Old Mole, and the boom of cannon rose +in the air.</p> + +<p>Presently, from near the spot where Lieutenant Fieldsend and his +little company were posted, a shot was fired into the +fortifications; then another, and afterwards a third. Work had +begun at last.</p> + +<p>A puff, a boom in the distance, and there came screaming through +the air a big round shot, striking the ground, ploughing it up, and +covering those near with dust and dirt.</p> + +<p>"Quite near enough, eh, sir?" George observed to his lieutenant, +as they shook the earth from their clothing. "And, by Jove, there's +another of them!" A second shot flew just overhead, to do its +deadly work on the unfortunate men who stood immediately behind. +George Fairburn's first task in the siege was to help to carry to +the rear two or three badly wounded men. On the ground lay a couple +who needed no surgeon.</p> + +<p>As yet only a few preliminary shots had been fired into the +fortress, but the defenders were evidently quite ready with their +reply, and the order for a general attack rang out. Within a few +minutes the fight was raging in terrible fashion. From land and sea +alike the shot poured into the town; sailor and soldier joining, +and often standing side by side. As George afterwards expressed it, +"any man set his hand to any job there was to do." Sailors were to +be seen on land in many places, while not a few soldiers helped +with the firing on board the ships.</p> + +<p>All that long morning, however, George Fairburn worked at the +gun to which he had been assigned. Black with smoke, powder, dust, +perspiration, the lad toiled among his companions. For an hour or +two none of the enemy's shots fell very near the spot. But at +length, and almost suddenly, the balls began to fly in too close +proximity to be pleasant. Shot after shot fell within a yard or two +of the gun, and not a few gallant fellows dropped to earth dead or +wounded.</p> + +<p>"By Jupiter!" cried the lieutenant, who was assisting, "they +have got our measure at last! I wonder what it is that makes us so +conspicuous."</p> + +<p>Then, looking round, he beheld behind them, and not five yards +distant, a small clump of elder on which some man had tossed the +flaming red shirt he had thrown off in the broiling heat.</p> + +<p>"Ah!" Fieldsend ejaculated, "there's the offender."</p> + +<p>He sprang away and whipped the tell-tale garment from its bush. +Just as he seized it another shot came, striking the gun in front, +entirely disabling the weapon, and then bounding off. When the men, +hastily scattered by the mishap, looked for the lieutenant, he was +observed lying in front of the bush.</p> + +<p>"Dead!" one of the fellows cried.</p> + +<p>"No," answered George, whose keen eyes detected a movement of +the officer's arm, "but he soon will be, if he is left lying +there!" Another shot struck the bush, only just missing the body of +the prostrate man. In a moment George darted forward towards the +place, in spite of the loud warning shouts of his mates.</p> + +<p>He reached the spot, seized Fieldsend by the shoulders, and by +main force dragged him quickly a dozen yards to the right. It was a +heavy task, but the lad was as sturdy a fellow of his years as one +might have found in a week's march, and his efforts were rewarded +with a cheer from his comrades.</p> + +<p>While the shouts were still ringing, yet one more shot came, +this time striking the exact spot where the lieutenant had a moment +before been lying, and ploughing up the little elder bush by its +roots.</p> + +<p>"As plucky a job as ever I see!" cried the sergeant, running up +with three or four others, and he slapped George on the back with a +heartiness that made the lad wince.</p> + +<p>The wounded man was hastily carried off the field.</p> + +<p>"More stunned than hurt," reported the surgeon, "a nasty tap on +the left shoulder; but he'll be all right in a day or so."</p> + +<p>Within half an hour George Fairburn found himself on board the +<i>Dorsetshire</i>, to assist in the operations against the New +Mole. The signal had come to Captain Whitaker to proceed against +that place, and the ship was headed for the spot. To the surprise +of those on board, they perceived two other ships in advance of +them; they were the <i>Yarmouth</i>, Captain Hicks, and the +<i>Lennox</i>, Captain Jumper, a gallant pair. Boats from the two +vessels were perceived hastening to the shore. The crews landed, +and almost immediately their feet touched ground a dense cloud was +seen to fly up into the air, followed by a deafening explosion.</p> + +<p>"A mine!" rose from a hundred throats, as the <i>Dorsetshire</i> +men watched with straining eyes. It was true; two score gallant +fellows were afterwards found lying on the fatal ground.</p> + +<p>With a determined rush the <i>Dorsetshire</i> men fell upon the +defenders, and George found himself engaged in a hand-to-hand +encounter. It was all over in a few minutes; the handful of +Spaniards could not stand against so powerful a force, and the New +Mole was taken. Hot and exited, the men were carried against +Jumper's Bastion, a strong work a little to the north of the New +Mole, and that place, too, was rushed in an incredibly short space +of time, and with scarcely any loss worth the naming. From this +time George Fairburn kept no count of the long series of exciting +incidents that followed each other, the assault having been carried +to the Line Wall that stretched away northwards to the Old +Mole.</p> + +<p>The attack when at its height was a terrible affair. Sixteen +English ships under the immediate command of Byng, and six Dutch +men-of-war under Admiral Vanderdusen, faced the Line Wall, while +three more English vessels were off the New Mole.</p> +<a name='Illus3'></a> +<br> +<center><a href='images/Illus3.jpg'><img src='images/Illus3-Th.jpg' +width='207' height='333' alt= +'George found himself engaged in a hand-to-hand encounter.'> +</a><br> + George found himself engaged in a hand-to-hand encounter.</center> + +<br> +<br> +<p>No place so meagrely manned with defenders as was Gibraltar +could long stand such an attack, and at length the two Moles, and +the long Line Wall between them, were in the hands of the Allies. +Of all the attacking party none showed more vigorous and fearless +dash than a certain lad of sturdy build, and Hicks himself +perceived the fact.</p> + +<p>"Who is that boy in your company?" he enquired of the +sergeant.</p> + +<p>"Name Fairburn, sir," was the reply; "all along he's been a hot +member," to which the captain said with a smile, as he turned away, +"He most certainly is."</p> + +<p>The next day was a saints' day, and it was strongly suspected, +and at length clearly perceived, that the Spanish sentinels had +left their posts and gone off to mass. It would have been easy to +carry the place at once, but the necessary storming had been done, +and the allied commanders were only waiting for the besieged to +give the signal of capitulation. The besiegers, soldiers and +sailors, had nothing to do but chat.</p> + +<p>Presently some of the sailors declared that it would be a prime +joke to climb the heights and plant their flag there. The notion +was taken up, and presently the temptation grew irresistible to +certain of them, and with merry chuckles the fellows prepared for +the task, an enterprise that was risky in the extreme.</p> + +<p>"I'm one of you!" cried George Fairburn, as he followed the +handful of sailors to the foot of the steep rock.</p> + +<p>"And I!" chimed in yet another voice, and, to George's +astonishment, Lieutenant Fieldsend ran up, his arm in a sling.</p> + +<p>"Better go back, sir," exclaimed the lad, gazing up at the +towering cliff in front of them.</p> + +<p>"Better both on ye go back, I reckon," growled one of the +sailors; "this ain't no job for a landsman."</p> + +<p>Nothing heeding this rebuff, the two soldiers followed up the +steep rock, George giving a hand at the worst spots to his friend +and superior. Up, up, the scaling party mounted, the business +becoming every moment more difficult and more full of danger. More +than once the gallant fellows-in front paused and declared that +further progress was impossible.</p> + +<p>"Oh, go on!" called out George, impatiently, on one of these +occasions, from below, where he was helping up the lieutenant, "or +else let me come," he added, grumblingly.</p> + +<p>The sailor lads needed no spur, however, and amid growing +excitement the summit of their bit of cliff was perceived not far +away. In the dash for the top the active lad passed his fellows in +the race, catching up the foremost man, who held the flag. Seizing +the staff, George Fairburn assisted in the actual planting of the +colours. There, fluttering at the very summit of the Rock, was the +English flag, its unfolding hailed with bursts of cheering, again +and again repeated, from the throngs far below.</p> + +<p>The deed was done, and from that day, the twenty-third of July, +1704, according to the old reckoning, the third of August by the +new style, the British flag has floated from the Rock of +Gibraltar.</p> + +<p>Desperate efforts were made by the garrison to haul down the +flag, but they all failed, and the Governor capitulated. The Prince +of Hesse-Darmstadt was for claiming the fortress, but this Rooke +would not have, and he promptly declared the Rock to be the +possession of his august mistress, Queen Anne. Those of the +defenders who were prepared to take the oath of allegiance to +Charles III were permitted to remain, the rest for the most part +retired to St. Roque.</p> + +<p>The handful of harum-scarum fellows who had scaled the heights +and planted the flag before long found themselves facing the great +Admiral Sir George Rooke himself, on his quarter-deck, Lieutenant +Fieldsend and George Fairburn being of the party. The admiral said +a few words of commendation; few as they were, they were a full +reward for all the efforts the little band had made. Rooke kept the +lieutenant behind for a moment.</p> + +<p>"What do you propose to do now, Mr. Lieutenant?" he inquired, +with much kindly condescension; "our work is about finished, and we +are proceeding home."</p> + +<p>"By you leave, Sir George," the young man replied, with flushed +face, "I should like to join his Grace the Duke in the Netherlands, +and so would the lad Fairburn."</p> + +<p>"Good," said the Admiral, approvingly, "we will see what can be +done when we reach Portsmouth. I have heard something of the boy's +doings. He will go far, if he is fortunate."</p> + +<p>Accordingly, when, after a great fight with the French fleet +under the formidable Count of Toulouse, off Malaga, a doubtful +affair, the English ships reached home, the lieutenant and George +at once offered for service under the Duke, and were accepted. They +sailed away again, for the Netherlands, Fieldsend carrying in his +pocket a few words of recommendation from Sir George to the +commander-in-chief himself.</p> + +<p>The year 1703 had been a sorry year for Marlborough. In the +winter he had lost his son, the Marquis of Blandford, a promising +youth, a Cambridge student. When the spring operations began, he +had found himself hampered at every turn by the jealousies and +oppositions of the Dutch rulers and their commanders. In despair, +Marlborough had marched up the Rhine and taken Bonn. Meanwhile the +French were striving to reach Vienna, there to attack the Emperor. +Returning, the Duke was all eager to attack the great port and +stronghold of Antwerp, the capture of which would be a heavy blow +to Louis. He had, however, to content himself with seizing Huy, +Limburg, and Guilders, a success more than counterbalanced by the +defeat of the Emperor at Hochstädt, by the French and +Bavarians. Disheartened and disgusted, Marlborough went home at the +end of the summer, and it was only by the strong persuasion of Lord +Godolphin, now at the helm of state, that he retained his command +at all. As a set-off against all these disappointments, there were +two matters for rejoicing. The alliance with Portugal has already +been mentioned; now there came the accession to the Allies of +Savoy, for the Duke of Savoy had quarrelled with Louis.</p> + +<p>With intense interest, Lieutenant Fieldsend and George Fairburn +heard, on landing in the Netherlands, of the great victory of +Blenheim that had just been gained by the Allies under Marlborough, +against the combined French and Bavarian forces, commanded by the +famous generals Tallard and Marsin, and the two young soldiers +hoped to learn more of the great fight when they reached the +front.</p> + +<p>"What a bit of ill-luck not to have been there in time, sir!" +George exclaimed.</p> + +<p>The boy had, during his stay in hospital at Lisbon, communicated +with his parents at home, and, to his delight, had received their +consent to his following the profession of a soldier. "It is +useless to stand in the boy's way," the elder Fairburn had said, +"though I could have wished he had taken up almost any other +trade." So the lad had no hesitation in thus taking service in the +army once more.</p> + +<p>When the two, in company with others, reached head quarters, +Lieutenant Fieldsend presented the letter he held from Sir George +Rooke, and was received with the utmost pleasantness by the great +Duke.</p> + +<p>"Humph, Mr. Fieldsend," Marlborough began, when he had glanced +over the contents of the short epistle. "You are a lucky young +fellow to have got Sir George's good word. But where is the lad he +speaks of—Fairburn, I see?"</p> + +<p>"Just outside, your Grace," was the reply, and at a nod the +lieutenant fetched George in.</p> + +<p>The Duke scanned the boy's ruddy face and took note of his +sturdy figure.</p> + +<p>"My lad," he began, "you have begun early. Do you know what +request Sir George makes in this note?"</p> + +<p>"No, sir—my Lord Duke," George stammered in reply, his +knees almost shaking under him.</p> + +<p>"He recommends you for a commission as ensign," the Duke said +quietly, the boy standing almost open-mouthed. "We will give you a +short trial first, for as yet we don't know you. No doubt we soon +shall." And the great man smiled.</p> + +<p>He rapped smartly on the table and an aide-de-camp entered the +tent, saluting.</p> + +<p>"Here, Mr. Blackett," Marlborough gave the order, "take this lad +to your captain, who will see that he is enrolled in your +company."</p> + +<p>The next moment George Fairburn was shaking the other hard by +the hand, the astonishment on both sides too great to admit of a +word between them.</p> + +<br> +<hr style='width: 65%;'> +<br> +<a name='CHAPTER_VII' id="CHAPTER_VII"></a> + +<h2>CHAPTER VII</h2> + +<center>BLENHEIM</center> + +<br> +<p>"Now I can thank you, my dear Fairburn! We shall never forget +it!" were the first words Blackett uttered, and he pressed George's +hand once more in his warm grip.</p> + +<p>"Forget what, Blackett?" the other asked in surprise, "and for +what do you thank me?"</p> + +<p>"Surely you have not forgotten it all, my dear +fellow—Mary—the fire—your splendid rescue!"</p> + +<p>"Ah!" cried George, "and you have been keeping that in mind all +this time?"</p> + +<p>"Not a doubt of that. As I have just said, and repeat, we can +never forget it. From that day you became the dearest friend of our +family, if you will let us call you so."</p> + +<p>"Let you! Heaven knows I am more than delighted to be so. We are +no longer silly schoolboys to fight for the merest trifle."</p> + +<p>The reconciliation between the old rivals was complete, and the +two boys chatted long together.</p> + +<p>"But you are in a cavalry regiment, I see," remarked George +presently, "and a lieutenant. I understood from my father's letter +that you had joined a line regiment with an ensign's +commission."</p> + +<p>"So I did, my boy; but there are queer turns of fortune in war, +and one of them came to me—only a week or two since, it was." +And the lieutenant laughed pleasantly.</p> + +<p>"Tell me how it was," said George, eagerly.</p> + +<p>"It is like singing my own praises, Fairburn," the young officer +went on, "but here goes. I'll put it in a score of words. All last +year I went as Ensign Blackett, seeing bits of service here, there, +and everywhere—at Bonn, on the Rhine, then at Huy, and again +at Guelders—but there was no chance for me. But this summer, +as we were marching here, not a man of us except the Duke himself, +with a notion why we were coming this way at all, we stopped to +storm the Schellenberg, a hill overlooking the Danube near +Donauwörth. We were all dog tired—dead beat, in fact, +for we had marched till we were almost blind. However, as it was +the Duke's, day, he set us at it."</p> + +<p>"Duke's day?" interrupted George, in surprise; "isn't every day +the Duke's day?"</p> + +<p>"It's a funny thing," went on Blackett, laughing, "but as a +matter of fact at that time the Duke was taking alternate days of +command with the Prince of Baden."</p> + +<p>"A queer go!" the listener interjected.</p> + +<p>"Well, to cut my tale short, we made two attacks on that hill, +and both times were driven back. Things began to look like a drawn +game, when up comes Louis, the Prince, you know, with a lot of his +Germans, and at it we went again. In the thick of it, my colonel +suddenly called out, 'Can you ride, Blackett?' 'Try me, sir,' I +says. And he gave me a note for the Duke, telling me that he had +not another officer left who could ride, all our fellows had been +laid low or dispersed. I galloped off like the wind, on a big +hard-mouthed brute. Just as I was nearing the spot where the Duke +stood, a dozen Bavarians suddenly blocked my path and levelled +their muskets. I was on a bit of a slope and above their heads, in +a manner, so I kicked up my nag and in an instant I flew over them, +guns and all. It was a clean jump, and not a shot hit me, by good +luck. My horse managed to carry me on to the Duke, and then fell +dead. The poor beggar had caught what had been intended for me. +Well, now I've done. The Duke, who had seen it all, had me +transferred to a cavalry regiment, with the rank of lieutenant, and +here I am."</p> + +<p>"Yes, and here am I, a private, talking in this off-hand sort of +way to a commissioned officer."</p> + +<p>"That's all right, Fairburn," laughed Blackett, "we haven't +entered you yet. It'll be quite time enough to bother about that +sort of thing then. Officially we shall have to be master and man; +actually we shall be brothers."</p> + +<p>Thus the ancient rivals became comrades in arms, and members of +the same regiment, for George from that time was a cavalry man. His +other friend, Fieldsend, was attached to a line regiment again.</p> + +<p>Bit by bit Lieutenant Blackett, during the next days, contrived +to give his friend a full and vivid account of the great battle of +Blenheim, just won by the Allies. He was not a great hand at a +tale, whatever he might be on the field, and we may piece together +his story for him. His adventures and his doings in that memorable +fight may well delay our tale for a little space.</p> + +<p>That year Louis of France had determined to make a vigorous +effort, or rather a series of efforts, and sent various armies to +oppose the different members of the Grand Alliance. But his main +plan was to attack the Empire, making Bavaria, the Elector of which +was his only supporter in that part of the world, his advance post. +For some time Louis had been secretly encouraging Hungary in the +rebellion she was contemplating. He trusted, therefore, that the +Emperor would find himself attacked by his Hungarian subjects to +rearward, while he was engaged with the combined French and +Bavarian forces in front. It was a very fine scheme.</p> + +<p>But there was one man, and only one, who saw through +it—Marlborough. At once the Duke set off southwards, carrying +with him also a force of Dutchmen, deceiving their rulers by a +ruse. He sent for the valiant Prince Eugene to meet him, and the +two famous generals saw each other for the first time. Mutual +admiration and friendship sprang up between them, to last through +the rest of their lives. Prince Louis of Baden had given some +trouble by wishing to share the command with Marlborough. Him they +at last got rid of by sending him to take the important fortress of +Ingolstadt, commanding the Danube. Marlborough's magnificent march +from the Netherlands to the upper Danube is one of the finest +things in military story.</p> + +<p>Marlborough and Prince Eugene met with the French and Bavarian +forces near the village of Blenheim, on the same river, and close +to Hochstädt, the scene of the defeat of the allied troops the +year before, and joyfully the leaders prepared to join battle. The +commanders on the side of the enemy were Marshal Marsin, the Prince +of Bavaria, and Marshal Tallard. The last of these had managed to +slip past Eugene some time before and join his colleagues.</p> + +<p>The order of battle on the side of the Allies was this. The +right was commanded by Eugene, the left by Lord Cutts, a gallant +officer, the centre, a vast body of cavalry mainly, by Marlborough +himself. Opposed to Eugene were the Elector and Marsin, while +Tallard faced the Duke, but on the farther bank of the little brook +Nebel, which empties itself into the Danube just below. Tallard's +centre was weak, as he had crowded no fewer than seventeen +battalions into the village of Blenheim, on his extreme right and +close to the bank of the great river.</p> + +<p>"Now, gentlemen, to your posts." These words, quietly and +pleasantly spoken by Marlborough, began the great battle of +Blenheim. It was about midday, August 13, 1704. The Duke had been +waiting till he heard that Prince Eugene was ready, and he had +occupied the interval in breakfast and prayers. Every man of his +division was provided with a good meal. He himself had attended +divine service and had received the sacrament the evening +before.</p> + +<p>Lieutenant Blackett found himself one of a body of 8,000 +cavalry, which were ordered to cross the Nebel so as to be within +striking distance of Tallard's troops drawn up beyond the brook. +This work of crossing was likely to be a long and tedious, not to +say a difficult bit of business, the intervening ground being very +boggy. Matthew was far towards the rear of this large body of +horse, and it was evident that it would be hours before his turn +came to cross. In company with hundreds of his comrades, he began +to long for something more exciting.</p> + +<p>The first division to get into serious action was that under the +brave Lord Cutts, to the left of the allied forces. Cutts went by +the nickname of Salamander, so indifferent was he to danger when +under fire. This gallant leader led his men to attack the village +of Blenheim. Twice the assault was made with the utmost vigour and +determination; twice Cutts was driven back. The village was not +only filled with an immense force of French, but was protected by a +strong palisade.</p> + +<p>A horseman was presently seen galloping towards the spot where +the Duke was posted, and his movements were watched with interest +by Blackett and others of the cavalry waiting their orders to +cross.</p> + +<p>"Seems to me he is wounded," the lieutenant observed to a man +near him; to which the other replied, "Yes, he does seem wobbly, +doesn't he?"</p> + +<p>Hardly had the words been spoken when the advancing rider +suddenly fell from his horse, which kept on, however, dragging his +master along by the stirrup. Without a second's delay, Blackett +threw his own beast across the track of the runaway steed, caught +his head, and pulled him up. Then in a moment the youngster was +down on the ground to the assistance of the poor fellow who had +fallen.</p> + +<p>"To the Duke!" the man cried, glancing at a note he held tightly +clutched in his hand. "Quick!" he moaned; "I'm shot through the +back, and done for!"</p> + +<p>"Poor fellow!" murmured the lieutenant, and he seized the +letter, sprang with a bound into his saddle, and was off like the +wind, before his companions had quite realized what it all meant. +Thus for the second time within a few days Matthew Blackett +presented himself before his commander in the part of unofficial +aide-de-camp. The Duke nodded as he recognized the lad, and, +pencilling a few words of reply, said, "To Lord Cutts; then back to +your post." And as Blackett rode off like the wind in a bee-line +for Cutts's division, Marlborough murmured, "A fearless fox-hunter, +I'll be bound." The order, it was afterwards found, was for Cutts +to make no more attempts on Blenheim, but to hold himself in +readiness when his services should again be requisitioned.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile, Prince Eugene was having a lively time of it on the +right wing. He began by leading a cavalry charge against the French +and Bavarians, who were under the command of Marsin and the Elector +respectively. In a few minutes he had forced back the front line +and had captured a battery of six guns. On he sped to confront the +second line, and the opposing forces met with a tremendous shock. +For a moment all was doubtful, but the enemy stood their ground +stoutly. Eugene could make no impression and had to fall back. By +this time the scattered front line of the French had rallied, and, +in spite of the Prince's desperate efforts, the battery was +retaken. The danger to that division of the allied forces soon +became extreme. To save the day, Eugene immediately galloped away +in person, and returned presently, bringing a body of Prussian +infantry he had in reserve. The help of these alone saved him from +defeat.</p> + +<p>At last! Blackett and his comrades were ordered to advance, and +moved towards the Nebel. The ground was in a shockingly bad state. +At its best marshy and water-logged, it was now a sea of mire. The +worst spots had been bridged over, as it were, by the help of +fascines, with here and there pontoons. By this time, however, many +of these had been shifted from their places by the passage of so +many thousands of horse, and the road became worse and worse as the +burn was neared. In one place the men were compelled to come to a +full stop, the ground being simply impassable.</p> + +<p>"We cannot advance, gentlemen," cried the colonel commanding the +regiment, "till we have done some repairs. Now for willing +hands!"</p> + +<p>Some of the officers glanced dubiously at the mud in which the +horses were standing knee-deep, and they did not budge. Not so +Matthew Blackett; with a bound he sprang to the ground, and waded +through the mire, half of his long legs submerged, his brethren +endeavouring to keep their countenances.</p> + +<p>"That's the right way!" sang out the colonel in high +commendation, and a little crowd of the men following the example +of the young lieutenant, the work of repairing the road was soon in +rapid progress, the colonel standing by to direct the operations. +Other officers speedily came to help, rather ashamed to think that +they had allowed the youngster to set them a lead.</p> + +<p>"It's nothing," cried Matthew, cheerfully, as he toiled with a +will. "Many's the time I've stood up to my waist in deadly-cold +water digging out an old dog otter."</p> + +<p>The lad's good-humour and willingness were infectious, and in a +remarkably short space of time the track had been repaired. Then, +with many a joke at each other's expense, the men remounted and +pursued their journey, covered from head to foot with mire, but +cheered by the colonel's approving, "It will serve for all the rest +of the horse, my lads."</p> + +<p>All this time the cavalry were wondering why Tallard took no +steps to stop their passage, and none was more surprised than +Marlborough himself. He did not at the time know that Tallard had +left his centre weak, by sending so many men into the village on +the right. Still less, of course, could the Duke know that Tallard +was expecting a very easy victory. Be that as it may, the Marshal +made no move till Marlborough had got a large part of his men +across the stream and had formed his first line.</p> + +<p>When Blackett arrived on the scene with his regiment he found +that a force of Eugene's cavalry had taken the village of Oberglau, +near the spot. A minute later, almost before the colonel had drawn +up his men, there was a fierce shout, and there came thundering +down upon the village, with almost irresistible shock, a body of +the enemy.</p> + +<p>"Irishmen, by Jove!" cried a man by Matthew's side. "They'll +fight like demons!"</p> + +<p>The attack, in truth, came from the Irish Brigade, a doughty +body of Irishmen, exiles from their country, in the service of +Louis. Before the Englishmen realized the situation the Irishmen +had dashed clean through the force occupying Oberglau, and had +taken up a position between the men and Eugene.</p> + +<p>The confusion was extreme, and the allied troops could scarce be +got to face the resistless Irishmen at all. Things looked +desperate. The colonel of Blackett's regiment, seeing the state of +things at Oberglau, as he toured it, shouted, "Go and tell the +Duke, Mr. Blackett!" and away dashed Matthew once more to the +General. He was a pretty spectacle, but he did not give the matter +a thought, and his news prevented the Duke from paying much heed to +the condition of the messenger.</p> + +<p>"Lead the way," came the sharp order, and Blackett thundered on +in front, the great commander with a body of men hard after him, to +find the energetic and plucky colonel fallen badly wounded, and the +regiment in difficulties. With a swoop, the reinforcements fell +upon the Irishmen, and, almost for the first time, Matthew found +himself engaged in a hand-to-hand encounter. He did not know how +long the conflict lasted, but presently he found the enemy in full +flight, his comrades cheering lustily around him. Marlborough's +promptitude had saved the situation.</p> + +<p>"You fought like a very fiend, Blackett," remarked the major, +laughingly, a little later on, when for the moment operations had +ceased, to which Matthew replied simply, "Did I, sir? I don't +remember anything about it," whereat the major laughed again.</p> + +<p>It was five in the afternoon, and there was a lull on the field. +Up to the present neither side could be said to have gained any +real advantage over the other. All the allied cavalry had crossed +the stream, and the men wondered what would come next.</p> + +<p>They were not left long in doubt. The order came to mass the +horse in preparation for a grand charge. For a time the field was a +scene of rapid and puzzling movement, but order was quickly evolved +out of the seeming confusion.</p> + +<p>Then the trumpet rang out, and there bore down upon Tallard a +magnificent body of eight thousand cavalry. Bore <i>down</i>, we +have written; the course was slightly upwards, as a matter of fact, +from the stream. There was one check, and the Allies were stopped +for a moment. Then like a whirlwind the horse dashed forward, at a +tremendous speed.</p> + +<p>It was too much. The French fired one volley, then turned and +fled. On the Englishmen galloped, and in a few moments the enemy's +line was cut in two. In two different directions the French cavalry +ran, and Marlborough followed after that section which was making +for Blenheim. It was a wild stampede, and Matthew Blackett, as he +dashed after the retreating enemy, always considered it the most +exciting episode in his life.</p> + +<p>It did not last long. By great good fortune the lieutenant found +himself one of those surrounding Marshal Tallard. Amidst a wild +burst of applause the gallant Frenchman surrendered, and before he +knew well what he was doing, Blackett was leading Tallard's horse +by the bridle. The lad saw the Duke glance towards him as he +dismounted to receive the gallant leader and invite him into his +carriage.</p> + +<p>The victory was practically won. There remained only the +seventeen battalions in the village of Blenheim, and these, hemmed +in on the one side, and bounded by the river on the other, gave +little trouble. The poor fellows, in fact, were unable to stir, and +many a man of them sprang into the river in his desperation, only +to be hopelessly carried away by the swift current, and +drowned.</p> + +<p>It was a terrible scene of bloodshed, and it was an untold +relief to the Englishmen when their gallant foes in the village +gave in. One French regiment had actually burnt its colours to save +them from being taken.</p> + +<p>Thus ended the great fight of Blenheim, a fight in which the +enemy had lost no fewer than forty out of their sixty thousand men. +The Allies had had fifty thousand troops and had lost eleven +thousand of them. The wonderful renown of the French army had +received a mighty blow. No longer could Louis boast that his troops +were invincible.</p> + +<p>To Marlborough the victory brought the royal manor of Woodstock +and the palace of Blenheim. To the humble Matthew Blackett it gave +a place near the great Duke's own person, as we have seen.</p> + +<br> +<hr style='width: 65%;'> +<br> +<a name='CHAPTER_VIII' id="CHAPTER_VIII"></a> + +<h2>CHAPTER VIII</h2> + +<center>COMRADES IN ARMS</center> + +<br> +<p>It was always a puzzle to George Fairburn that the Duke had so +unexpectedly assigned him to a cavalry regiment, and his friend +Lieutenant Blackett could not help with the solution.</p> + +<p>"I suppose it was just an accident," Matthew said with a laugh; +"he saw a horse-soldier before him in the person of your servant +here, and so turned you over to me. I'm mighty delighted, anyhow, +that we are thrown together. We shall have a good time of it, I +feel sure."</p> + +<p>"We shall, if there's plenty to do," George assented with a +smile.</p> + +<p>There was plenty to do. At the very moment when the boy and +Lieutenant Fieldsend arrived, the Duke had given orders to prepare +for another long march, and within a couple of days George found +himself one of a large body of troops heading for the Rhine valley. +A halt was called before Landau, and the siege of this stronghold +began. The affair proved to be a slow business, the attacking force +being very short of military material. Days passed; the fortress +stood firm, no apparent impression being made at all.</p> + +<p>"I dare wager the Duke won't stand cooling at this job," +remarked Matthew to George and Fieldsend one evening. The latter +with his regiment was assisting in the siege, and he had already +taken a great liking for Matthew Blackett, a liking Matthew was not +slow to reciprocate.</p> + +<p>The prophecy was not far wrong. Almost before dawn the very next +morning Marlborough was marching, with twelve thousand men, largely +cavalry, towards the Queich valley, across a bit of country that +for badness could hardly be matched even in the wilds of Connemara. +On man and horse tramped, till the ancient city of Trèves +was reached. The Duke prepared for a siege, but he was saved the +trouble. The garrison was far too weak to hold the place, and the +place fell into his hands almost without a blow. George Fairburn +grumbled at his luck, but was cheered by Matthew's laughing reply, +"Don't seek to rush things too quickly, my dear lad; your time is +coming."</p> + +<p>It was. After ordering the siege of Traerbach, Marlborough flew +back with a portion of his men to Landau, in his own breathless +fashion, and before many hours were over Fairburn was as keenly +interested in the siege as if he had never scampered all the way to +Trèves and back again. A week or two passed by, and still +the place held out, though it was plain the end was near.</p> + +<p>One day a sudden assault was planned on a weak spot in the +defences, a spot where some earlier damages had been ineffectively +repaired. George, with a troop of cavalry on foot, under the orders +of Lieutenant Blackett, suddenly started off at the double, spurred +by their officer's "Come along, lads! through or over!" With a roar +of delight the men, mostly young fellows, dashed toward the spot, +regardless of the whistling bullets that flew around. In a breach +of the defences, a place not more than four or five feet wide, +stood a huge Frenchman, whirling his sword over his head. The +attackers pulled up for a moment, all except George, who kept right +on, till he was close upon the big fellow with the sword. The +Frenchman lunged out fiercely at the lad, but the Englishman +skipped out of the way like a cat. Then before the man could use +his weapon again George had charged him head first, like a bull, +his body bent double. With a shock his head came into contact with +the fellow's knees, and in a moment the Frenchman had tumbled +helplessly on his face. The rest of Blackett's little band dashed +over the prostrate enemy and into the fortress. The stronghold was +taken.</p> + +<p>"Send Cornet Fairburn to me, Mr. Blackett," said the colonel +that same evening, and much wondering the lieutenant obeyed.</p> + +<p>"Cornet Fairburn sounds well," he remarked to George. "Wonder if +the old colonel has made a mistake about it."</p> + +<p>There was no mistake at all. When George Fairburn returned from +his interview with his commanding officer, it was as Cornet, not as +Trooper Fairburn. It was by the Duke's own order, it appeared. That +night the three friends, all with commissions in their pockets now, +made merry in company. Sir George Rooke's desire had been speedily +realized, and George had taken his first step upwards.</p> + +<p>Marlborough marched to meet the King of Prussia, whom he +persuaded to send some eight thousand troops to the help of the +Duke of Savoy, in Italy. Then he went home to receive his honours, +and the memorable campaign of 1704 came to an end.</p> + +<p>Marlborough was a statesman as well as a brilliant commander, +and he had his work at home as well as abroad, a work the winters +enabled him to deal with. He was now quite aware that his best +friends, that is to say, the chief supporters of his war schemes, +were the Whigs, and he was working more and more energetically to +put their party in power. Harley and St. John took the place of +more violent Tories, and in 1705 a coalition of Whigs and Tories, +called the Junto, managed public affairs, more or less under +Marlborough's direction. The Duchess still held her sway over the +Queen, and the two ladies addressed each other as Mrs. Morley (the +Queen) and Mrs. Freeman respectively. Already there were influences +at work to undermine the power of the Marlboroughs, but their +political downfall was not yet.</p> + +<p>Scottish matters were giving a good deal of trouble to the +English government. Two years before, in 1703, the Scotch +Parliament had passed an Act of Security, the object of which was +to proclaim a different sovereign from that of England, unless +Scotland should be guaranteed her own religious establishment and +her laws. Now this year, 1705, the Parliament in London placed +severe restrictions on the Scotch trade with England, and ordered +the Border towns to be fortified. The irritation between the two +countries grew and grew, and war seemed within sight. A commission +was accordingly appointed to consider the terms of an Act of Union, +the greater portion of Scotland, however, being strongly opposed to +any such union at all.</p> + +<p>The spring of 1705 found the Allies active once more. The main +interest centres in the Netherlands and in Spain. The Earl of +Peterborough, who took the command in Spain, was one of the most +extraordinary men of his time. His energy and activity were +amazing, and he would dash about the Continent in a fashion that +often astounded his friends and confounded his enemies. No man knew +where Peterborough would next turn up. "In journeys he outrides the +post," Dean Swift wrote of him, and the Dean goes on to say,</p> + +<span style="margin-left: 2em;">So wonderful his expedition,<br> +</span> <span style="margin-left: 2em;">When you have not the least +suspicion,<br> +</span> <span style="margin-left: 2em;">He's with you like an +apparition.<br> +</span> + +<p>Add to this that the Earl was a charming man, full of courage +and enthusiasm, and able to command the unbounded affection of his +troops, and you have the born leader of men. Of Peterborough's +brilliant exploits in the Peninsula in 1705 a whole book might be +written. His chief attention was first given to the important town +of Barcelona, a place which had successfully withstood Rooke, and +in the most remarkable fashion he captured the strong fort of +Monjuich, the citadel of the town, with a force of only 1,200 foot +and 200 horse. Barcelona itself fell for a time into the hands of +Peterborough and the Archduke Charles, now calling himself Charles +III of Spain. Success followed upon success, and whole provinces, +Catalonia and Valencia, were won over. So marvellous was the story +of his doings, indeed, that when, in the course of time, George +Fairburn heard it, in the distant Netherlands, he was disposed to +wish he had remained in Spain. Yet he had done very well, in that +same year 1705, as we shall see.</p> + +<p>Almost from his resumption of the command in the early spring of +that year, Marlborough met with vexations and disappointments. He +had formed the great plan of invading France by way of the Moselle +valley, and our two heroes, who had heard whispers as to the work +being cut out for the Allies, were ready to dance with delight. +They were still frisky boys out of school, one may say. But the +plan was opposed in two quarters. First, the Dutch, statesmen and +generals alike, threw every obstacle in the way. They would not +hear of the project. Then Louis of Baden was in one of his worst +sulky fits, and for a time refused his help. When he did consent to +go, he demanded a delay, pleading that a wound he had received at +the Schellenberg, in the previous year, was not yet fully healed. +The troops the Duke expected did not come in; instead of the 90,000 +he wanted, but 30,000 mustered.</p> + +<p>"It is no go," Blackett said to his friend with a groan.</p> + +<p>At this juncture the Emperor Leopold died, and the Archduke's +elder brother Joseph succeeded him.</p> + +<p>"Spain is bound in the long run to drop into the hands of either +France or Austria," the two young officers agreed. Already the lads +were beginning to take an interest in great matters of state, as +was natural in the case of well-educated and intelligent +youngsters. And they felt that when either event should happen it +would be a bad day for the rest of Europe.</p> + +<p>Baffled in his great scheme, Marlborough set his hand to another +important work. Across the province of Brabant in Flanders the +French held a wonderful belt of strongholds, stretching from Namur +to Antwerp. No invasion of France could possibly be made from the +Netherlands so long as Louis held this formidable line of defences. +Moreover, the near presence of these fortresses to Holland was a +standing threat to the Dutch, and, when Marlborough made known his +plans to them, they for once fell in with them.</p> + +<p>Thus it happened that Lieutenant Blackett and his friend Cornet +Fairburn found themselves once more in the thick of war. They had +had a preliminary skirmish or two not long before—the +retaking of Huy, the frightening of Villeroy from Liége, and +what not—but now something more serious was afoot. That the +task the Duke had set himself was a difficult one, every man in his +service knew, but they knew also that he was not a commander likely +to be dismayed by mere difficulties. Villeroy, the leader of the +French, had 70,000 troops with him, a larger force than the Allies +could get together.</p> + +<p>It was near Tirlemont that Marlborough began his operations. The +march to the place went on till it was stopped by a small but +awkward brook, the Little Gheet, on the farther side of which the +French were very strongly posted in great numbers. So formidable an +affair did the crossing appear that the Dutch generals objected to +the attempt being made. Marlborough, usually the best-tempered of +men, was in a rage, and determined to push the attack in spite of +them. It was the morning of July 17, 1705.</p> + +<p>"We are in for hard knocks to-day, if appearances go for +anything," Blackett said quietly to George, as their regiment +prepared, with the other cavalry, to open the proceedings.</p> + +<p>"So much the better," was George's laughing answer; "without +hard knocks there is no promotion, eh?"</p> + +<p>All was ready; the bugle rang out the signal for the attack. The +long line of Marlborough's horse fronted the Gheet at no great +distance away, the field-pieces were in position, the infantry and +reserves somewhat to the rear. Beyond the stream, with the +advantage of rising ground, were planted the French guns, supported +by a powerful host.</p> + +<p>Away! The cavalry dashed onwards at a terrific pace. A sharp +rattle of musketry rang out, and in a moment a sprinkling of the +advancing troopers fell from their saddles. George Fairburn was +already warming to the work, and he sat his steed firmly. Then a +ball struck the gallant animal, and in an instant the rider was +flung over its head. The young cornet narrowly escaped being +trampled to pieces by his comrades as they swept by in full career. +Up he sprang, however, a trifle stunned for the moment, but +otherwise no worse. Quickly recovering his sword, which had flown +from his grasp, he darted after his more fortunate companions, and +arrived breathless on the scene.</p> + +<p>A fierce struggle for the passage of the river was going on, and +desperate fighting was taking place in the very bed of the stream, +a trifle lower down its course. For a time George endeavoured in +vain to find a way through the struggling mass of men and horses to +the brink of the Gheet; the press and the confusion were too great. +Accordingly he ran on behind the lines of horse, to find a place +where he might thrust himself in. Where his own comrades were he +could not tell. Bullets were flying thick around him as he ran, but +he did not give the matter a thought. It was characteristic of him +all through his life, indeed, that when his attention and interest +were strongly engaged on one matter he was all but oblivious to +every other consideration.</p> + +<p>At length his chance appeared, and an opening presented itself. +Springing over the prostrate bodies of men and horses, he reached +the bank. To his surprise the stream seemed to be very deep. As a +matter of fact the waters were dammed lower down by the mass of +fallen men and animals lying across their bed. Without hesitation +he dashed into the flood, his sole thought being to get himself +across and so into the enemy's lines. With his sword held tightly +between his teeth, the boy officer swam, as many another lusty +Peterite would have been able to do. He reached mid stream.</p> + +<p>Suddenly he became aware of a sharp pain in his left shoulder. A +moment later he grew faint. In vain he struggled to keep afloat; +the world grew dark to him, and he sank beneath the surface.</p> + +<p>A tall fellow, fully six foot three in his stockings, if he was +an inch, had just managed to wade through the stream, his nose +above the surface, a comical sight, if anybody had had the time to +notice it. Looking back, this man saw George disappear, and without +hesitation he dashed into the water again. Reaching the spot, he +groped about, and then, with both hands clutching an inanimate +form, he dragged his burden to the bank.</p> + +<p>"George, by Heaven!" he cried, as soon as he could get a glimpse +of the features. It was true; Matthew Blackett had saved his +friend's life at the risk of his own. And it had been a risk, for a +dozen bullets had splashed around him as he had hauled his heavy +load along.</p> + +<p>"Blackett!" exclaimed Fairburn, a moment or two later, when, +recovering, he opened his eyes. "Where's your horse?"</p> + +<p>"Done for, poor wretch! And yours?"</p> + +<p>"Shot under me, at the very first volley. And it was you who +dragged me out! I shall remember it! But here we are on the right +side; come on!"</p> + +<p>The lads gripped each other warmly by the hand, and side by side +dashed on into the thick of the <i>mêlée</i>. A large +number of the allied cavalry had by this time made good their +passage across, in spite of the fiercest opposition on the part of +the enemy. In vain Blackett urged his companion to withdraw and get +himself away with his wounded arm. George would not budge an inch. +It was only a flesh wound, it afterwards appeared. So the two +North-country lads stood by each other. For an hour or more they +were hotly engaged, the enemy falling back inch by inch.</p> + +<p>Then came ringing cheers. The French had abandoned the position; +the famous and hitherto impregnable line of defences had been +broken. Our heroes breathed more freely when a short respite came. +But the interval of rest was short. Colonel Rhodes, their +commanding officer, catching sight of the pair, as he was +collecting his men again, joyfully hailed them, and a minute later +George and Matthew, provided once more with mounts, were cantering +with the rest to the renewed attack. The enemy had made another +stand some distance farther back.</p> + +<p>Another struggle, and this second position was like wise +carried, with a grand sweep. Victory was at hand.</p> + +<p>Suddenly a startling report ran through the English lines. The +Duke was missing! Where was the mighty General? was the question on +every lip. Somebody ran up and said a word to Colonel Rhodes. +Instantly the gallant officer and his men were galloping off to a +distant part of the field, the troopers wondering what was afoot. +The explanation soon appeared. Marlborough had become separated +from the main body of his army, and now, with but a very few men +around him, was in imminent danger of capture by the French troops, +who were pouring thick upon the spot.</p> + +<p>Colonel Rhodes charged at the head of his regiment straight upon +the French, and a lane was cut through. It was a matter of a few +minutes. The Duke was saved, and the enemy retired in woeful +disappointment. The first to reach the Duke were Blackett and +Fairburn, and the lads were flushed with joy and pride when their +distinguished leader, looking at them with a smile, said, with all +his old pleasantness of manner, "Gentlemen, I thank you."</p> + +<p>The Brabant line of strongholds was broken. Villeroy fell back, +and Marlborough had his will on the defences. No inconsiderable +section of the belt was rendered useless. No longer did an +impassable barrier stretch between the Netherlands and France. The +importance of the victory could hardly be overstated. As one writer +has well pointed out, "All Marlborough's operations had hitherto +been carried on to the outside of these lines; thenceforward they +were all carried on within them."</p> + +<p>A day or two later the Duke came to inspect the regiment to +which our boys belonged, just as he was inspecting others. The men +with their officers were drawn up, and the General's eyes ran along +the line. Presently he spoke a word to the colonel in command of +the regiment, and, to their no small confusion, Lieutenant Blackett +and Cornet Fairburn were called out to the front.</p> + +<p>"How old are you?" the Duke inquired, as the youths saluted.</p> + +<p>"Nearly twenty, may it please your Grace." "Just turned +nineteen, by your Grace's leave." Such were the replies.</p> + +<p>"Hum!" said the Duke thoughtfully, "you shall have your +promotion in due course. You are young, and can afford to wait for +it." This to Matthew. "As for you"—turning to +George—"you have fairly earned your lieutenancy." And he +turned away.</p> + +<br> +<hr style='width: 65%;'> +<br> +<a name='CHAPTER_IX' id="CHAPTER_IX"></a> + +<h2>CHAPTER IX</h2> + +<center>ANNUS MIRABILIS</center> + +<br> +<p>"Don't imagine, my dear lad, that they are going to make +captains of mere boys like ourselves." This was the reply, given +with a hearty laugh, when George Fairburn, after receiving his +friend's warm congratulations at the close of the inspection, was +condoling with Matthew on his failure to get his step. "A captain +at twenty is somewhat unlikely," Blackett went on. "I suppose so," +replied George. "After all we are only glorified schoolboys, some +of our fellows tell us. Yet you look three-and-twenty, if a day. +However, all will come in time, let us hope."</p> + +<p>The brilliant operations on the defence line proved to be but +the prelude to Marlborough's second great life disappointment. He +saw his chance. He had but to follow up his success by a decisive +victory over Villeroy's forces, and the way lay open to Paris. His +hopes ran high.</p> + +<p>Alas! the Dutch had to be reckoned with. Eager to follow up his +advantage, Marlborough called for assistance, immediate and +effective, from them; in vain; the assistance did not come, or came +too late. With what help he could get from the Dutch, nevertheless, +he went forward to the Dyle. Here again the Dutch balked him, +raising objections to the crossing of that river. In despair the +Duke gathered his troops, as it happened, strangely enough, on the +very spot where, a hundred years later, another great Duke gained +his most famous victory over the French. Could Marlborough have but +had his chance with Villeroy in that spot, there is little doubt +that Europe would have seen an earlier Waterloo.</p> + +<p>But it was not to be. Just as the Margrave of Baden had stopped +his advance along the Moselle into France the previous year, so now +the supineness and factious opposition of the Dutch prevented +Marlborough from dealing the French power a crushing blow. Deeply +disgusted, he threatened once more to resign his command. "Had I +had the same power I had last year," he wrote, "I could have won a +greater victory than that of Blenheim." It was a bitter trial for +him.</p> + +<p>The campaign of 1705 soon after came to a close, and the Duke +set off on what we may call a diplomatic tour among the allied +states, his travels and negotiations producing good results. It was +not till the beginning of 1706 that he went back to England, and +thus it was late in the spring of that year when the campaign was +reopened.</p> + +<p>Rejoining his army in the Netherlands, he proposed to make +another of his great marches, namely into Italy, there to join his +friend Prince Eugene in an invasion of France from the south-east. +This plan was made impossible by the crookedness of the kings of +Prussia and Denmark, and some others of the Allies. Swallowing this +disappointment also, as best he might, Marlborough started from the +Dyle and advanced on the great and important stronghold of Namur, +at the junction of the Sambre with the Meuse. Namur had always been +greatly esteemed by the French, and, in dread alarm, Louis ordered +Villeroy to take immediate action. The result was that the two +hostile armies, each numbering about sixty thousand men, met face +to face near the village of Ramillies, half way between Tirlemont +and Namur, and near the head waters of the Great and Little Gheet +and the Mehaigne.</p> + +<p>Lieutenants Fairburn and Blackett from their position on a bit +of rising ground could take in the general dispositions of the +respective forces, and the same thought passed through both their +minds. The French and Bavarian troops were drawn up in the form of +an arc, whose ends rested on the villages of Anderkirk, to the +north, and Tavières, on the Mehaigne, to the south. The +villages of Ramillies and Offuz, with a mound known as the Tomb of +Ottomond at the back of the former, were held by a strong centre. +Marlborough, on his part, had disposed his men along a chord of +that arc. If it came to a question of moving men and guns from one +wing to the other, it was plain that the Duke had the advantage, +the distance along an arc being necessarily greater than that along +its chord, and it was that thought which came into the heads of the +two lieutenants.</p> + +<p>Marlborough directed his right to attack the enemy around the +village of Anderkirk, backing up the assault with a contingent from +his centre. Blackett and his friend were soon taking part in the +gallop over the swampy ground in the neighbourhood of the village. +A sharp encounter followed, the Frenchmen beginning to waver. +Hereupon Villeroy in alarm promptly sent from his centre a large +number of men to support his staggering left at Anderkirk, thereby +leaving his centre weak.</p> + +<p>All at once Marlborough withdrew his troops to the high ground +opposite the hamlet of Offuz, as if for a fresh attack. Then +sending back a part to keep up the pretence of continuing the +combat in the marsh, he took advantage of the concealment afforded +by the higher ground, and, cleverly detaching a large body, ordered +them to slip away round to seize Tavières, on the Mehaigne. +George and his friend were thus separated, the latter being of +those who remained in the swamp to keep up appearances. It was a +clever bit of strategy, and, before Villeroy realized the truth, +Tavières had been rushed with a splendid charge. The fact +that the attack on Anderkirk had been only a feint came to the +French commander's understanding too late. His centre, with the +village of Ramillies and the Tomb of Ottomond commanding it, the +really important positions of the day, was weakened by the loss of +troops sent on a wild-goose chase.</p> + +<p>Ere Villeroy could repair the mischief and summon his men from +Anderkirk, Marlborough had sent down upon the French centre a great +body of cavalry under the command of Auerkerke, the Dutch general. +English and Dutch horse combined in this assault, and George +Fairburn found himself one of a host dashing upon the village of +Ramillies. There was a terrific shock, a few moments of fierce +onslaught, and the first line of the enemy gave way. Through the +broken and disorganized line the cavalry swept, to charge the +second.</p> + +<p>Another shock, even greater than the first. The Frenchmen of the +second line stood firm, for were they not the famous Household +Regiment—the Maison du Roi—of Louis, and probably the +finest troops in Europe. The advance of the Allies was instantly +checked. In vain Auerkerke urged on his men; in vain those men +renewed the attack. The enemy stood steadfast; they began to drive +back their antagonists; the position of the Allies was becoming +critical.</p> + +<p>"Go and inform the Duke! Quick, quick!" the Dutchman called out +to a young officer whom he had observed fighting with the utmost +determination near by, but who had stopped for a moment to recover +his breath.</p> + +<p>It happened to be Lieutenant Fairburn, and George once more +found himself face to face with the Duke, for the first time since +he had met him after the rush of the French defence line near +Tirlemont last year. Marlborough, the youth could see by his quick +glance, knew him again. In a word or two George delivered his +startling message.</p> + +<p>"By Jove, sir," declared the subaltern, when telling his story +to his colonel afterwards, "never did I see so spry a bit of work +as I did when I had said my little say. The Duke was ten men rolled +into one, sir. Orders here, there, and everywhere; fellows sent +darting about like hares. In a few minutes—minutes! I was +going to say seconds—every sabre had been got together, and +we were all tumbling over each other in our hurry to get along to +the fight. It was a fine thing, sir."</p> + +<p>The commander, sword in hand, led his reinforcement to the fatal +spot with the speed of the whirlwind. He had almost reached it when +he was suddenly set upon by a company of young bloods belonging to +the Maison du Roi. They were nobles for the most part, and utterly +reckless of their lives. Recognizing the Duke, they made a +desperate attempt to secure him, closing round him with a dash.</p> + +<p>"Great Heaven!" ejaculated George Fairburn, as his eye suddenly +fell upon the Duke fighting his way out of the group, and in +company with fifty more he flew to the spot. At that moment +Marlborough, now almost clear, put his horse to a ditch across his +track. How it happened no one could tell exactly, but the rider +fell, and dropped into the little trench. Marlborough's career +appeared at an end. His steed was cantering madly over the +field.</p> + +<p>But friends were at hand, and before the Frenchmen could +complete their work the little company had beaten them off. George +leapt to the ground, and drew his horse towards the General, who +had sprung to his feet in a trice, nothing the worse.</p> + +<p>"Here, sir," said the lieutenant, handing the bridle to an +officer in a colonel's uniform, who stood at hand, and the colonel +held the animal while the Duke mounted.</p> +<a name='Illus4'></a> +<br> +<center><a href='images/Illus4.jpg'><img src='images/Illus4-Th.jpg' +width='207' height='333' alt='The Rescue of Marlborough.'></a><br> +The Rescue of Marlborough.</center> + +<br> +<br> +<p>Before the Duke had fairly gained his seat in the saddle, a ball +with a rustling hum carried off the head of the unfortunate +colonel. It was an appalling sight, and George Fairburn was forced +to turn away his eyes.</p> + +<p>The crisis was too serious, however, to waste time in vain +regrets. Without the loss of a moment Marlborough led the charge +upon the enemy. The famous Household Brigade fell back, and the +village of Ramillies was taken. Then another fierce struggle, but a +brief one, and the Tomb of Ottomond was secured, the position which +commanded the whole field. The battle was almost at an end.</p> + +<p>There remained only the village of Anderkirk in its marshy +hollow, and Marlborough called together his forces from the various +parts of the confused field. Another charge was sounded, the last. +The enemy turned and fled. Ramillies was won.</p> + +<p>The victory, quite as important in its way as Blenheim, had been +gained in a little over three hours. The loss on the side of the +Allies was hardly four thousand; that of the French and Bavarians, +in killed, wounded, and prisoners, was four times as great. All the +enemy's guns, six only excepted, fell into the hands of the +victors.</p> + +<p>There was one heavy drawback to the pride which the young +Lieutenant Fairburn naturally felt at having had a humble share in +the great victory. At the muster of the survivors of his regiment +Blackett was missing. Half the night did George search for him, and +was at last rewarded by finding the young fellow lying wounded and +helpless on the boggy ground. It was an intense relief when the +surgeon gave good hopes of Matthew's ultimate recovery.</p> + +<p>"I'm done for this campaign, old friend," Blackett said with a +feeble smile to George, "and must be sent home for a while. But I +hope to turn up among you another year."</p> + +<p>If to follow up a great victory promptly, vigorously, and fully, +be one of the distinguishing marks of a great commander, then the +Duke of Marlborough was certainly one of the greatest generals of +whom history tells. Hardly anything more striking than his long and +rapid series of successes in the weeks after Ramillies can be +credited to a military leader, not even excepting Wellington and +Napoleon. Louvain, Brussels, Antwerp, Ghent, Bruges, all fell into +his hands. Menin, Ostend, Dendermonde, and a few other strongholds +gave pore trouble, and the brave Marshal Vendôme was sent to +their assistance. It was useless; Vendôme turned tail and +fled, his men refusing to face the terrible English Duke. "Every +one here is ready to doff his hat, if one even mentions the name of +Marlborough," Vendôme wrote to his master Louis. The +remaining towns capitulated, and the Netherlands were lost to the +Spanish. Of the more important fortresses only Mons remained.</p> + +<p>But Marlborough's were by no means the only successes that fell +to the Allies that wonderful year. Prince Eugene and the Duke of +Savoy, the former after a rapid march, appeared before Turin, and +on the 7th of September that notable place fell into the hands of +the Prince, after brilliant efforts on both sides. The result was +of the utmost importance; the French were demoralized; Savoy was +permanently gained for the Grand Alliance; while Piedmont was lost +to the French, who were thus cut off from the kingdom of +Naples.</p> + +<p>George had often wondered what had become of his old friend +Fieldsend, whom he had not seen since the capture of Landau. But in +the autumn of this year, 1706, while Fairburn was quartered at +Antwerp, he received a letter from the lieutenant. It appeared that +at his own request Fieldsend had been allowed to return to Spain, +and he had served ever since under Lord Peterborough. The writer's +account of the victories gained by Peterborough and the Earl of +Galway in Spain that year read more like a fairy tale than real +sober history. The sum and substance of it was that Peterborough +had compelled the forces of Louis to raise the siege of Barcelona, +and that Galway had actually entered Madrid in triumph. Had the +Archduke Charles had the wit and the courage to enter his capital +too, his cause might have had a very different issue from that +which it was now fated to have.</p> + +<p>Just before Christmastide George received permission to return +to England on leave for a few weeks. He had never visited his old +home all those years, and it was with delight he took his passage +in a schooner bound for Hull. Hardly had he landed at that port +when he ran across the old skipper of the <i>Ouseburn Lassie</i>. +The worthy fellow did not at first recognize the schoolboy he had +known in the sturdy handsome young fellow wearing a cavalry +lieutenant's uniform, and he was taken aback when George accosted +him with a hearty "How goes it, old friend? How goes it with you?" +The skipper saluted in some trepidation, and it was not till George +had given him a handshake that gripped like a vice that he knew his +man again. Soon the two were deep in the work of exchanging +histories. The crew of the captured collier brig, it appeared, had +been kept at Dunkirk till the autumn of 1704, when they had been +exchanged for certain French prisoners in ward at Dover. The +Fairburn colliery had prospered wonderfully, and the owner now +employed no fewer than four vessels of his own, one of which ran to +Hull regularly. In fact, the skipper was just going on board to +return to the Tyne.</p> + +<p>Within an hour, therefore, Lieutenant Fairburn was afloat once +more, to his great joy. On the voyage he learnt many things from +the old captain. Squire Blackett was in very bad odour with the men +of the district. For years his business had been falling off, and +he had been dismissing hands. Now his health was failing; he was +unable or unwilling to give vigorous attention to his trade, and he +talked of closing his pit altogether. The colliers of the +neighbourhood were desperately irritated, and to a man declared +that, with anything like energy in the management, the Blackett pit +had a fortune in it for any owner.</p> + +<p>The well-known wharf was reached, a wharf vastly enlarged and +improved, however, and George sprang ashore impatiently. Leaving +all his belongings for the moment, he strode off at a great rate +for home, rather wondering how it was that he did not see a single +soul either about the river or on the road. He rubbed his eyes as +he caught a sight of his boyhood's home. Like the wharf, the house +had been added to and improved until he scarcely recognized the +spot at all. "Father must be a prosperous man," was his thought. +Opening the door without ceremony, he entered. A figure in the hall +turned, and in a moment the boy had his mother in his arms, while +he capered about the hall with her in pure delight.</p> + +<p>The good woman gave a cry, but she was not of the fainting kind, +and soon she was weeping and laughing by turns, kissing her +handsome lad again and again. Presently, as if forgetting herself, +she cried, "Ah, my boy, there's a parlous deed going on up at the +Towers! You should be going to help." And George learned to his +astonishment that the Squire's house was being at that moment +attacked by a formidable and desperate gang. Fairburn had gone off +to render what assistance he could. It was reported that the few +defenders were holding the house against the besiegers, but that +they could hold out little longer. The Fairburn pitmen had declined +to be mixed up in the quarrel, as they called it.</p> + +<p>"Good Heavens!" exclaimed George, "what a state of things!"</p> + +<p>Bolting out of the house, he ran back at full speed to the +wharf, his plan already clear in his head. Within ten minutes he +was leading to Binfield Towers every man jack of the little crew, +the old skipper included. The pace was not half quick enough, and +when, at a turn in the road, an empty coal cart was met, George +seized the head of the nag, and slewed him round, crying "All +aboard, mates!" The crew tumbled in, and in an instant the +lieutenant was whipping up the animal, to the utter astonishment of +the carter.</p> + +<p>Nearer to the mansion the party drew, but, hidden by the trees, +it was not yet in sight. The old horse was spent, and, when a point +opposite the house had been gained, George sprang out, vaulted over +the fence into the wood, dashed through the growth of trees, and +with another spring leapt down upon the lawn, almost on the +selfsame spot where he had jumped over on the evening of the fire. +For the last hundred yards he had been aware of the roar of angry +voices. The sight that met his eyes, now that he was in full view +of the scene, was an extraordinary one.</p> + +<p>Scattered about the trampled grassplots was a crowd of pitmen, +surging hither and thither, some armed with pickaxes, some with +hedge-stakes, some with nothing but nature's weapons. One fellow +was in the act of loading an old blunderbuss. Reared against the +wall of the house were two or three ladders, one smashed in the +middle. The lower windows had been barricaded with boards, but the +mob had wrenched away the protection at one point, and men were +climbing in with great shouts of triumph.</p> + +<p>From the bedroom windows men were holding muskets, ready to +fire, but evidently unwilling to do so except as a last resource. +George spied his old friend Matthew at one window; at another, +astonishing sight! stood no other than Fieldsend! His own father +was at a third.</p> + +<p>At that moment the fellow below raised his blunderbuss and took +deliberate aim at the old Squire, who, all unconscious of his +danger, was endeavouring to address the mob from an upper window. +The sight seemed to grip George by the throat.</p> + +<p>George carried a handspike, a weapon he had brought along from +the collier vessel. A dozen rapid and noiseless strides over the +grass brought him within striking distance, and instantly, with a +downward stroke like a lightning flash, he had felled to earth man +and blunderbuss. The report came as the man dropped, and with a +yell one of the rioters climbing through a lower window dropped +back to the ground, shot through the thigh by one of his own +party.</p> + +<p>"Saved!" the lieutenant shouted, a glance showing him that the +old Squire was still unhurt. All eyes, those of the defenders no +less than those of the attacking party, were immediately attracted +to the new-comer, who was just in the act of seizing the +blunderbuss from the grasp of the prostrate and senseless +pitman.</p> + +<p>"George!" "Fairburn!" "My boy!" came the cries from the upper +windows, and the defenders cheered for pure joy.</p> + +<p>The mob, startled for a moment, prepared to retaliate, a hasty +whispering taking place between two or three of the leaders. "Look +out for the rush!" cried Matthew, warningly. George, with a bound, +gained the wall, where, back against the stonework, he stood ready +with the handspike and the clubbed musket. So formidable an +antagonist did he seem to the men that they held back, till one of +them, with a fierce imprecation, dashed forward. In a trice he was +felled to the ground, a loud roar of rage escaping the man's +comrades. An instant later and the young lieutenant was fighting in +the midst of a howling mob.</p> + +<p>"Ah! Drat you!" came a bellow, and there rushed upon the rear of +the attackers the old skipper, cutlass in hand, followed close by +the rest of his little crew. This apparition, sudden and +unexpected, upset the nerves of the pitmen, and in a moment they +began to run, falling away from George and tumbling over each other +in their haste.</p> + +<p>"No you don't!" hissed the youngster between his firm-set teeth, +and making a grab at a couple he had seen prominent in the fight, +he held them with a grip they could not escape.</p> + +<p>The attackers were routed; Binfield Towers was saved. Within a +minute George was being greeted, congratulated, thanked, till he +was almost fain to run for it, as the bulk of the mob had done. His +father, Matthew, Fieldsend, even old Reuben—all crowded +around with delight. In no long time Mrs. Maynard and Mary Blackett +appeared, smiling through their tears of joy at their great +deliverance. The latter had so grown that George hardly recognized +her. All came up except the old Squire, and he was presently found +in an alarming condition, one of his old heart attacks having come +on. It was the only drawback to the joy of the meeting and the +ending of the danger that had threatened the household.</p> + +<p>Early next morning word was carried to the Fairburns that Squire +Blackett was dead; he had never recovered from the shock and the +seizure consequent thereon.</p> + +<p>"Poor old neighbour!" Fairburn said, with a mournful shake of +the head, "I am afraid he has left things in a sorry state."</p> + +<p>Fairburn's fears were only too well founded. Mr. Blackett had +left little or nothing, and Matthew and his sister would be but +indifferently provided for. Then it was that Fairburn came out like +a man. He proposed to run the colliery for their benefit. To the +world it was to appear that the collieries had been amalgamated or +rather that the Blackett pit had been bought up by his rival. The +advantage to Matthew and Mary was too obvious to be rejected, and +the required arrangements were made. Before the time came for the +three young officers to go back to their duties they had the +satisfaction of seeing Mrs. Maynard and Mary settled in a pretty +cottage near, and the colliery in full work and prospering, the +district employed and contented. Mary had been pressed by the +Fairburn family to take up her abode with them, but had preferred +to go into the cottage with her old governess and friend. Yet she +was overwhelmed with gratitude towards the kindly couple.</p> + +<br> +<hr style='width: 65%;'> +<br> +<a name='CHAPTER_X' id="CHAPTER_X"></a> + +<h2>CHAPTER X</h2> + +<center>"OUR OWN MEN, SIR!"</center> + +<br> +<p>Marlborough was late in taking the field that year. Important +matters engaged his attention at home. He saw more clearly than +ever that the Whigs alone were the real supporters of him and his +war plans. The party even passed a resolution to the effect that +they would not hear of peace so long as a Bourbon ruled over Spain. +Then there were the intrigues at work that were undermining the +influence of the Duchess of Marlborough, and consequently of the +Duke himself, at Court. Harley was known to be working for the +overthrow of Marlborough. He was preparing to introduce a +formidable rival to the Duchess in Anne's regards.</p> + +<p>The young men were nothing loth to go back to their respective +regiments, to say truth, when the time came. Inaction did not seem +to agree with their young blood. Matthew, his wound now quite +healed, was eager to get his next step. Fieldsend was already +captain, and hoped ere the close of the 1707 campaign to get his +majority. As for George Fairburn, he was quite content to be a +soldier for soldiering's sake, yet would thankfully take promotion +if it came his way. Blackett had paid a visit to the west-country +home of the Fieldsends, and it was whispered that he had there +found a mighty attraction. But more of this may come later.</p> + +<p>The year, to the bitter disappointment of our young officers, +proved an unlucky one. In all directions things went wrong. As for +Marlborough, from the very opening he experienced the old Dutch +thwartings and oppositions, and, after a short and vexatious +summer, he closed the campaign almost abruptly, and much earlier +than in former years. There was to be no promotion for anybody yet +awhile.</p> + +<p>In Spain there was an overwhelming disaster. The French and +Spanish forces, commanded by the redoubtable Berwick, completely +defeated the combined English, Dutch, and Portuguese troops under +Galway, at Almanza. So great a misfortune was this that Galway +declared that Spain would have to be evacuated by the Allies. The +cause of the Archduke Charles was to all intents and purposes lost, +and the Bourbons were henceforth firmly seated on the throne of +Spain.</p> + +<p>Misfortune trod on the heels of misfortune. Prince Eugene +attempted to take Toulon, the chief naval station in the +Mediterranean, but failed to accomplish the task he had set +himself. On the Rhine the Prince of Baden was badly defeated by +Villars, at Stollhofen, the disaster laying Germany open to +invasion by Louis. The gallant Sir Cloudesley Shovel, who had risen +from the position of cabin-boy, was drowned in a great storm off +the Scilly Islands, England thereby losing one of her ablest +admirals.</p> + +<p>Glad were George and Matthew when, after a dull winter, the Duke +opened his campaign of 1708. The young men were now greater friends +than ever, and not unnaturally so, after all that had happened and +was happening. The reports they had occasionally from the elder +Fairburn were in the highest degree cheering. The two ladies were +well; the pits were prospering marvellously.</p> + +<p>The feeling at home, rumour said, was setting strongly in favour +of ending the war and coming to terms with France. This discontent +at home was supplemented by murmurings among the troops quartered +at Antwerp, and still more by the uneasiness of the Dutch, who were +disposed to make a separate treaty with France and drop out of the +conflict. Marlborough felt that he must achieve some brilliant +success before that campaign was ended.</p> + +<p>"There is going to be hot work for us, that is plain," the two +lieutenants said to each other, "and, if we have luck, we shall get +the promotion we have been waiting so long for."</p> + +<p>Bruges and Ghent had gone back to the French allegiance, and +Louis determined to make an attempt to secure Oudenarde also, an +important fortress lying between the French borders and Brabant. +The French army boasted two generals, the royal Duke of Burgundy, +an incapable leader, and the Duke of Vendôme, a most capable +one. A more unfortunate partnership could not well be imagined; +Burgundy and Vendôme were in everything the opposite of each +other, and the quarrels between them were as numerous as they were +bitter, so that the army of Louis XIV was handicapped at the very +outset.</p> + +<p>It was three in the afternoon of July 11. The Allies were fagged +out with the marchings and the heat of the day when they came in +sight of the enemy's forces near Oudenarde.</p> + +<p>"Precious glad of a rest!" Matthew Blackett remarked when the +signal to halt came. To his surprise and dismay the order to form +immediately followed.</p> + +<p>"Just like the Duke," commented his friend Fairburn.</p> + +<p>Quickly the cavalry were got together for a charge.</p> + +<p>"The old fellow doesn't intend the Frenchmen to slip away +without fighting," the men remarked to one another.</p> + +<p>Suddenly, almost before the whole body of horse was ready, +Marlborough directed a charge to be made. For the first time our +lieutenants found themselves not in the Duke's own division. The +commander of the right wing, a very strong force, was Prince +Eugene, who, having now nothing to do in Italy, had hurried +northwards to join his friend. In such hot haste had the Prince +travelled, indeed, that he had out-stripped his own army. Here was +Prince Eugene, but not Prince Eugene's men. His wing at Oudenarde +consisted entirely of English troops, while Marlborough's own wing +was composed of men of various other nationalities.</p> + +<p>Almost all writers on military tactics agree that the battle of +Oudenarde was one of the most involved and intricate on record, and +that it is well nigh impossible to give any detailed account of the +puzzling movements. The leading points were these.</p> + +<p>Marlborough's force crossed the Scheldt; then the opposing wing +of the French left the high ground they occupied and swooped down +upon him, endeavouring to force the Allies back into the river. A +terrible hand-to-hand encounter followed, bayonet and sword alone +being used for the most part in such cramped quarters. In the thick +of it the Duke sent the Dutch general with a strong detachment to +seize the vantage ground on the rise which the enemy had lately +left. The move was successful, and the French found themselves +between two fires.</p> + +<p>It was growing dusk. Eugene and his men had forced back their +opponents and were now following hard after them. Suddenly shots +came flying in, and in the dimness of the departing day an +advancing column was observed to be moving towards them. What could +it mean? Apparently that the enemy had rallied and were once more +facing them. It was an entirely unexpected change of front, but +Eugene prepared to meet the shock once more. George Fairburn took a +long look, shading his eyes with his hands.</p> + +<p>"By Heaven, sir!" he said, addressing Colonel Rhodes, "they are +our own men!"</p> + +<p>"Impossible, Fairburn!" the colonel answered. But Blackett and +others backed up George's opinion. The word ran quickly along the +line that the shots came from friends, not from the foe, and some +consternation prevailed.</p> + +<p>The next moment, at a nod of assent from the colonel in answer +to their eager request, Lieutenants Blackett and Fairburn were +galloping madly across the intervening space, each with his +handkerchief fastened to the point of his sword, and both shouting +and gesticulating. Bullets began to patter around them, but +heedless they dashed on. It seemed impossible they could reach the +advancing column alive.</p> + +<p>Half the distance had been covered, when the two horsemen saw on +their left a great body of troops tearing along towards them in +furious haste. "The French!" George exclaimed; "there's no mistake +about them!" On the two flew towards their friends, for the men +towards whom they were speeding had by this time discovered their +mistake and had ceased firing. It was a neck and neck race, and a +very near thing. As the horsemen cleared the open space and dashed +safe into the arms of their friends, a huge rabble of demoralized +French swept across the path they had just been following. No +narrower escape had the two young fellows yet had.</p> + +<p>The truth was at once evident. The Dutchman's division, having +driven the enemy from the high ground, had wheeled, and was thus +meeting the Prince's wing, which in its turn had advanced along a +curving line. Each body in the growing darkness had mistaken the +other for the enemy. The plucky dash made by the two young fellows, +though happily not in the end needed, nevertheless received high +praise from their brother officers, and especially from the colonel +himself.</p> + +<p>For the next half-hour the fleeing French poured headlong +through the gap across which the lieutenants had galloped, between +the Dutchman's division and the Prince's. Darkness alone prevented +the slaughter from being greater than it was. The numbers of those +who fell on the field of Oudenarde, important as the battle was, +were in fact far short of those killed at Blenheim or +Ramillies.</p> + +<p>What was there now to prevent Marlborough from marching straight +on Paris itself? He was actually on the borders of France, +victorious, the French army behind him. He was eager; the home +Government would almost certainly have approved of the step. The +heart of many a young fellow under the great leader beat high, when +he thought of the mighty possibilities before him. But it was not +to be. The Prince raised the strongest objections to the Duke's +bold plan, and the Dutch were terrified at the bare thought of it. +So Marlborough turned him to another task, the siege of the great +stronghold of Lille. It may be observed in passing that +Vendôme wanted to fight again the next day after Oudenarde, +but Burgundy refused. Vendôme in a rage declared that they +must then retreat, adding, "and I know that you have long wished to +do so," a bitter morsel for a royal duke to swallow.</p> + +<p>Lille had been fortified by no less a person than the great +master of the art, Vauban himself. In charge of its garrison was +Marshal Boufflers, a splendid officer. Louis was as resolute to +defend and keep the place as the Allies were to take it. The actual +investment of the town was placed in the hands of Eugene, whose men +had by this time arrived, while Marlborough covered him. The siege +train brought up by the Duke and his generals stretched to a +distance of thirteen miles. Berwick and Vendôme were at no +great distance away.</p> + +<p>The siege of Lille lasted a full two months, and few military +operations have produced more splendid examples of individual dash +and courage.</p> + +<p>Blackett and his friend found themselves one day taking part in +a risky bit of business. Throughout the siege there had been some +difficulty in procuring provisions for the Allies, and supplies +were drawn from Ostend. On this occasion an expected convoy had not +arrived to time, and a reconnoitring party had accordingly been +sent out to glean tidings of it. From a wooded knoll a glimpse of +the missing train was caught, and at the same moment a large body +of French was perceived approaching from the opposite direction. +The Frenchmen had not yet seen the convoy, being distant from it +some miles, the intervening country thickly studded with +plantations. But in half an hour the two bodies would have met, and +the provisions sorely needed would have fallen into the enemy's +hands. It was a disconcerting pass, and George Fairburn set his +wits to work.</p> + +<p>"I have a plan!" he cried a moment later, and he hastily told it +to the officer in command, Major Wilson. That gentleman gave an +emphatic approval.</p> + +<p>Behold then, a quarter of an hour later, a couple of young +peasants at work in a hayfield down below. Stolidly they tossed the +hay as they slowly crossed the field, giving no heed to the tramp +of horses near. A voice, authoritative and impatient, caused them +to look round in wonderment, as a mounted officer came galloping +up. He inquired of the peasants whether they had seen anything of +the convoy, describing its probable appearance. The listeners +grinned in response, and the face of one of them lit up with +intelligence, as he made answer in voluble but countrified +French.</p> + +<p>"Where have you picked up such vile French?" inquired the +officer.</p> + +<p>"I'm from Dunkirk, please your honour," the man replied with +another grin, to which the other muttered, "Ah! I suppose the +French of Dunkirk is pretty bad!"</p> + +<p>In another minute the yokels were leading the way through a +plantation, along which ran a little stream. At one spot the water +was very muddy, and the marks of hoofs were plentiful. "We are +evidently close upon them," remarked the officer jubilantly, and at +a brisk trot he and his men rode on, a gold louis jingling down at +the feet of the peasants as the party dashed away.</p> + +<p>"Now for it!" whispered George, for he and Matthew were the two +rustics, "we can save the convoy. Our men, after trampling over the +burn here, will have turned as we agreed. We shall find them in the +next plantation."</p> + +<p>He was right in his conjecture. The two regained their friends +just as the head of the convoy hove in sight. To lead the train in +a different direction, and to safety, was now easy. The supplies +reached their destination.</p> + +<p>"Ton my honour, young sirs," the Colonel exclaimed, when he +learnt the story, "it was a smart trick, but a risky +one—confoundedly risky, gentlemen!"</p> + +<p>The fall of Lille reduced France to desperation. Louis was at +his wits' end. To his credit, he sought earnestly to negotiate a +peace for his unhappy and exhausted country. The terms offered by +the Allies, however, were too exacting, and not a Frenchman but +rose to the occasion; this, however, was in the following year. So +the campaign ended, the enemy beaten and exhausted, but not in +utter despair.</p> + +<p>Captains Blackett and Fairburn were once more granted a term of +leave when late autumn came round. From London, which George saw +now for the first time, the two travelled all the way to Newcastle +in the wonderful stage-coach which ran from the English to the +Scotch capital.</p> + +<p>In high spirits they hurried towards their native village. At +the entrance to it they came all at once upon a gentleman walking +in the company of three ladies.</p> + +<p>"Fieldsend!" declared Matthew.</p> + +<p>"Yes, by Jove!" cried George, "And with three ladies all to +himself. It's too much!"</p> + +<br> +<hr style='width: 65%;'> +<br> +<a name='CHAPTER_XI' id="CHAPTER_XI"></a> + +<h2>CHAPTER XI</h2> + +<center>THE HARDEST FIGHT OF THEM ALL</center> + +<br> +<p>There had been an attempted descent on the shores of Scotland in +1708, the Old Pretender, under the auspices of Louis XIV, seeking +to land 4,000 men in the Firth of Forth. Admiral Byng with sixteen +vessels was ready for the French expedition, and their fear of the +redoubtable sailor kept the enemy from doing anything, so that this +attempt came to less even than that which followed seven years +later.</p> + +<p>Politics about this time demanded much of Marlborough's care and +thought. The power of the Whigs was still growing, Harley, St. +John, and others of the moderate Tories giving way to such strong +and active Whigs as Somers, Walpole, and Orford. It was in 1709 +that a violent quarrel took place between "Mrs. Morley" and "Mrs. +Freeman." The Queen was becoming more than ever dissatisfied with +Marlborough's policy. The overthrow of the Churchills was coming +nearer.</p> + +<p>Abroad matters did not improve. It was true that Stanhope, the +English general, took Minorca. But the cause of Philip of Spain was +now strong. When, therefore, the Whigs demanded that as a condition +of peace Louis should turn his grandson out of Spain, Europe was +astounded. The proposal was impossible, ludicrous. Philip prepared +to go on with the conflict, saying, with fine spirit, "If I must +continue the war, I will contend against my enemies rather than +against my own family." Such was the state of things in the summer +of 1709.</p> + +<p>We have left a group of ladies and gentlemen standing in the +lane all this time. Matthew had his sister in his arms in a moment, +for one of the ladies was Mary Blackett.</p> + +<p>"My sister," Fieldsend said, "and Miss Allan," by way of +response to the inquiring looks of the newcomers. Then George and +Matthew learnt many things that surprised them. They had had no +news from home all the summer, the one letter that had been sent +having miscarried. Binfield Towers was once more occupied, Mr. +Fairburn having found an excellent tenant for the place in Mr. +Allan, the eminent shipping-merchant of London, the very man into +whose office George was to have gone. The little group laughed +merrily at the thought of the gallant Captain Fairburn wielding a +long quill in a dingy office. Mr. Allan, a widower, who had taken +up his abode in the mansion, bringing with him his only daughter, +Janet, had not been two months in the village before he had made an +offer of marriage to the devoted Mrs. Maynard, and the old lady was +now mistress of Binfield Towers. Mary Blackett had thereupon taken +at their word the affectionate offer of the Fairburns, and was now +to them as a daughter. Nor was this all. Fieldsend's old father had +lately died, and the Major himself had succeeded to the baronetcy +and had left the army. Brother and sister had accepted with +pleasure the invitation that had come to them to spend a few weeks +with the kindly Mr. and Mrs. Fairburn. Matthew was to make the same +hospitable roof his abode.</p> + +<p>"The good old dad will find it a bit of a squeeze," George +ruminated, as he walked with the rest towards the family cottage. +Cottage! He gave a jump when the home came into full view. It was a +veritable mansion. The original nucleus was there, but so deftly +added to and surrounded by a regular series of new wings, and so +framed and embellished by wide lawn and flower-bed that George did +not know this fine place. He remarked on the change when his mother +came to his room at bedtime, to give him his good-night kiss as she +had been wont to do in the days of old.</p> + +<p>"Father wanted to make the place a bit more presentable now we +have an officer son," the good dame explained, with simple and +pardonable pride. "And we can afford it," she added, blushing like +a shy schoolgirl as she made this whispered confession; "besides we +had Mary to consider, too." It was all very charming, George +thought.</p> + +<p>The winter passed all too quickly. Mr. Allan proved to be a +capital neighbour, and had a great liking for young people about +him. So there were pleasant times, at the Towers—dinners, +balls, shooting and hunting parties, and the like. All the eligible +society of the country-side found its way to Binfield Towers. Yet +somehow George Fairburn did not fall into a fit of the blues when +Sir Mark Fieldsend took his sister back to their west-country home; +in fact, strange to say, George rather rejoiced to see the back of +the retired major, his old comrade-in-arms. Why this was so he +would have found it hard to explain, for a more unassuming and +agreeable fellow than the baronet it would not have been easy to +find.</p> + +<p>It was a real delight to everybody to hear how the Blackett pit +was now prospering. Under Fairburn's management the colliery had +made a clear profit of five thousand odd pounds in the course of a +single year's working. It was astounding. "Mary and you will be +rich folks again, my dears," the good Mrs. Fairburn remarked, in +her own homely but kindly way, to the brother and sister, and +Matthew felt a lump in his throat.</p> + +<p>The wrench to George, when the time came for him and Matthew to +return to the Continent, seemed somehow vastly greater than it had +been on the two former occasions. However, once across the sea, he +cast all else than his profession to the winds. He did not know it, +of course, but the campaign that was coming was to prove to the +Allies the most costly they had yet experienced. The negotiations +for a peace had ended in nothing, and here was Marshal Villars, the +only great French leader as yet unbeaten by Marlborough, ready with +a force of no fewer than 110,000 men. True, many of his soldiers +were raw recruits while those of his opponent were mostly seasoned +veterans. True also, France was so crippled for money and munitions +of war that it was rarely possible to give every man of the army a +full breakfast. Yet Villars was a general that would have to be +reckoned with, and this Marlborough well knew when he used every +effort to swell the numbers of his troops in the Netherlands.</p> + +<p>Marlborough's aim was that of the previous year, to force his +way into France and to its capital. In order that such a step might +be made possible, it was necessary that no stronghold should be +left behind. Accordingly the Allies set about reducing the three +that still remained,—Mons, Valenciennes, and Tournai, not +forgetting that they had also Villars to deal with. A beginning was +made with Tournai, an enormously strong place, and reckoned to be +of the best of all Vauban's works.</p> + +<p>Marlborough employed stratagem, and it succeeded as usual. He +made a pretence of advancing, and Villars, to strengthen his force, +withdrew a number of troops from Tournai. Then the Duke, with a +swift night movement, invested the town. The garrison made a stout +defence, and our two captains had their work cut out for them. +Never in all his career had George Fairburn been so careless of his +own safety, his brother officers declared. It was not that he +despised danger, or was ignorant of its existence; he simply did +not think of it, his mind being occupied solely with the problem of +reducing this impregnable fortress.</p> + +<p>"Be not rash, gentlemen," Colonel Rhodes thought it advisable to +say to the younger men among his officers. "There are mines in all +directions, if rumour is to be believed. Do not expose yourselves +to needless risk. We are already losing heavily, and men are not to +be had for the whistling." And privately the kindly old +fellow—the youngsters called him old, though he was still +short of fifty—added an extra word of caution to George. "You +are a born soldier, Fairburn, but you never seem to be able to +remember when you are in danger; you forget it like a thoughtless +schoolboy. Well, now, for our sakes, if not for your own, take care +of yourself, so far as it is possible, there's a good fellow." And +with a kindly smile and a fatherly shake of the hand, the colonel +turned away. He had said the last word he was ever to say to +George.</p> + +<p>An hour later a terrific explosion was heard; a cloud of dust +flew into the air. A mine had been exploded, and the report came in +that more than a hundred poor fellows of Marlborough's forces had +perished. George Fairburn was more than ever determined to do what +he could to discover hidden mines.</p> + +<p>That very afternoon a company of men, who had prosecuted their +search in spite of the deadly hail of bullets that came from a +neighbouring battery, found another mine, a particularly formidable +affair. Eagerly George Fairburn pressed forward, his friend Matthew +close behind. Suddenly Colonel Rhodes dashed up, crying, "Fall +back, for Heaven's sake! There's another mine below this, I have +just learnt. For your lives!" And the brave man galloped off, his +retreat followed by a startled rush for safety on the part of the +men.</p> + +<p>"Come along, George! What are you after?" cried Matthew, +observing that his friend did not budge.</p> + +<p>"I'm not going till I've settled this mine," Fairburn +answered.</p> + +<p>Even as they spoke the ground heaved with a mighty convulsion +beneath their feet, and an appalling roar rent the air, the echo +resounding far and near.</p> + +<p>"Ah! You're feeling better? That's right."</p> + +<p>George Fairburn opened his eyes and beheld the face of none +other than the Duke himself gazing kindly down upon him! It was the +evening after the fearful explosion, and Marlborough was making a +tour of the hospital wards, where lay long rows of wounded men. +George had been unconscious, and the Duke's words were caused by +the fact that the young man happened to open his eyes for the first +time as the General passed him. Before the sick man could answer a +word, Marlborough had passed on, with a quiet remark to Major +Wilson, "I know the lad's face well."</p> + +<p>"Where's Blackett?" George now inquired. The Major shook his +head. "And the Colonel?" Another mournful shake. George closed his +eyes dazed, stupefied.</p> + +<p>Three hundred poor fellows had perished in that double +explosion. Colonel Rhodes's battered body had been picked up; +Blackett's could not be distinguished, but doubtless the gallant +lad was one of the mass of victims whose remains were mangled +beyond recognition.</p> + +<p>Captain Fairburn took no further part in the siege of Tournai. +After a month of terrible fighting, all but the citadel was +captured by the Allies, and five weeks saw that also in their +possession.</p> + +<p>There was a long glade or clearing between two extensive +plantations. At the southern end of this glade, behind strong +entrenchments, the great army of Villars was drawn up, every man +eager to fight, for every Frenchman believed in the Marshal's luck, +and that his presence would certainly bring them victory. Away to +the north was Marlborough, equally eager to begin the combat, +Eugene and the Dutch generals with him. In deference to the wishes +of the Prince the Duke had made the fatal mistake of waiting two +days, and all that time the enemy had been throwing up their +formidable trenches. It was the famous field of Malplaquet, the +last on which Marlborough was fated to fight a pitched battle. The +object of Villars was to prevent the Allies from taking Mons, not +far away, to northwards, the siege of which was in progress. +Marlborough had lost heavily at Tournai; Villars, behind his +defences, had suffered comparatively little. But on the other hand +the Prince of Hesse had broken through the strong line of defence +works which the French had rapidly and skilfully thrown up. Now, +here, at Malplaquet, the Allies had a hard task before them. +Villars held not only the glade but the woods on either side, and, +moreover, sat in safety behind his extensive entrenchments.</p> + +<p>For some reason not well understood the Duke for the first time +began the battle, though it would have seemed clearly his best +policy to endeavour to draw Villars from the strong position he +held. There was little in the way of fine tactics displayed, or +even possible, on either side; it was a question simply of sheer +pluck and dogged determination. The Highlanders, for the first +time, had joined the army of the Allies, and they and the famous +Irish Brigade under Villars specially distinguished themselves, if +any detachment can be said to have gained special distinction in a +fight where all showed such conspicuous gallantry.</p> + +<p>Eugene was wounded behind the ear, but refused to withdraw and +have his wound dressed. "No," said he, "it will be time enough for +that when the fight is over." Villars was also badly hurt, yet he +had a chair brought, in which he sat to direct his men till he +fainted. Boufflers, the hero of Lille, took his place.</p> + +<p>Charge after charge was made by the Allies into the woods, and +desperate fighting took place. Once and again Marlborough's troops +were repulsed with awful loss; as often they returned to the +attack. After four hours of heavy fighting the French fell back, +and the victory remained with the Allies.</p> + +<p>Just before Villars sounded his retreat George Fairburn, who had +charged and fought all the while with his usual forgetfulness of +himself and of danger, found himself just outside the eastern edge +of the wood Taisnière, in company with the others of his +troop. He was almost exhausted with his efforts, and, besides, was +hardly himself again yet, after his terrible experience at Tournai, +and he sat for a moment half listlessly in his saddle. A cry near +him drew his attention, and, turning his head, he beheld Major +Wilson in the act of falling from his charger. He had received a +bullet in the leg. Before George could get to this side, Wilson was +on the ground, his horse galloping away.</p> + +<p>At the same instant a fierce shout was heard, and George saw +dashing to the spot one of the redoubtable Irish Brigade. Like +lightning the young captain leapt from his horse, lifted Wilson +from the ground, and by main strength threw him across the animal, +crying, "Off with you!" giving the horse a thump with his fist on +the quarters to start him into a gallop. Then, looking round, he +found the Irishman bearing down upon him at desperate speed, and +but a yard or two away.</p> + +<p>In a trice Fairburn darted behind the trunk of a fine tree at +his elbow. It was an oak, from which ran out some magnificent limbs +parallel with and at a distance of six or eight feet from the +ground. Nothing heeding, the Irishman kept on, his sword ready for +a mighty stroke. Then instantly he was swept violently from his +horse, and backwards over the tail, his chest having come into +contact with one of the great boughs. All this had passed like a +flash.</p> + +<p>George made a grab at the bridle, but, missing it, fell +sprawling to the ground. Springing up, he found his fallen +antagonist risen and upon him. "English dog!" roared the Irishman, +and the next moment the two men were at it, both excited, both +reckless.</p> + +<p>How long they fought they never knew. Apparently the spot was +deserted save for themselves and sundry wounded who lay around. It +was a desperate encounter. The Irishman had the advantage in height +and strength, Fairburn in youth and activity. In the matter of +swordsmanship there was little to choose between the two; in +respect of courage nothing. It was to be a duel to the death.</p> + +<p>The moments flew by, each man had received injuries, and the +blood was flowing freely. Still the swords flashed in the air. Then +suddenly the Irishman's weapon snapped at the hilt, and the gallant +fellow dropped at the same moment to the ground. Instantly George +set his foot on the prostrate man's chest, and cried, "Now your +life is at my mercy! What say you?"</p> + +<p>"If I must die, I must," the Irishman answered doggedly, "but," +he added quickly, a sudden thought striking him, "take this first, +and see it put into the hands of the person mentioned on it, sir." +The trooper pulled from his breast a piece of paper soiled and +crumpled, and George, wondering much, took it at the man's hands. +His foot still on his fallen foe, Fairburn unfolded the dirty and +tattered paper. It was the cover of a letter, and he read with +staring eyes the address on it, "To Captain M. +Blackett,—Dragoons." The handwriting he well knew; it was +that of Mary Blackett.</p> + +<p>"Great Heaven!" the reader cried, "where did you get this?"</p> + +<p>"It was given me by a poor fellow, an officer, who escaped from +the big explosion at Tournai. He blundered by mistake into our +lines, and our fellows were about to finish him—leastways one +chap was, but I landed him one between his two eyes, and that +stopped his game."</p> + +<p>"And you saved the Englishman's life?"</p> + +<p>"I did, sir; I thought it hard luck when the young fellow had +just escaped that terrific blow up as he had, to put an end to him +the minute after."</p> + +<p>"Get up, for God's sake, man; you have saved the life of my +dearest friend!" And seizing the Irishman's arm, George pulled him +to his feet, and wrung the hand hard in his own. "You are a fine +fellow, a right fine fellow. What is your name? I shall never +forget you."</p> + +<p>"Sergeant Oborne, sir, at your service. But you have not read +the paper yet."</p> + +<p>"True," and George deciphered the line or two written in pencil +on the back of the paper. "I am alive and well, but a prisoner with +the French. Be easy about me; I am well treated. M.B."</p> + +<br> +<hr style='width: 65%;'> +<br> +<a name='CHAPTER_XII' id="CHAPTER_XII"></a> + +<h2>CHAPTER XII</h2> + +<center>CONCLUSION</center> + +<br> +<p>Almost before Captain Fairburn had read the last word of +Matthew's communication, so cheering and so strangely brought into +his hands, the French signal to retreat sounded loud all over the +field, a mournful sound to one of the two listeners, a delight to +the other, George and Oborne glanced into each other's face. "What +will you do?" the former asked.</p> + +<p>"I am your prisoner and defenceless; it is not for me to say," +the Irishman answered simply.</p> + +<p>"Nay, not so, good fellow. You shall do exactly as you prefer, +so far as I am concerned. I can do no less for you."</p> + +<p>The prisoner shrugged his shoulders and muttered something about +catching it hot, if he ran, to which the captor replied, "So you +would, I am afraid, if any of our men got near you. We have lost +heavily, and our temper's a bit ruffled for the moment. If you care +to come with me as my prisoner I'll see you through safe. What's +more, I'll do my best to get you exchanged for the man you +saved."</p> + +<p>"Thank you, captain; that's my best card to play, as things are +going. But I'd have given something to have it the other way +about."</p> + +<p>"Of course you would, my good fellow. It's the fortune of war; +I'm up to-day, you're up to-morrow. And you've no cause to be +anything but mighty proud of yourselves—you of the Irish +Brigade. I never saw better stuff than you've turned out this +day."</p> + +<p>"And many's the thanks, son. A bit o' praise comes sweet even +from an enemy."</p> + +<p>"Enemies only professionally, Oborne; in private life we're from +to-day the best of friends."</p> + +<p>At a later hour Sergeant Oborne informed Fairburn that he had +carried Captain Blackett's paper about with him for some little +time, having had no opportunity of passing it on to any likely +Englishman, or having forgotten it when he had the opportunity.</p> + +<p>The slaughter at Malplaquet was terrible on the side of the +Allies, amounting to 20,000, or one-fifth of the whole number +engaged. The French, who had fought under shelter, lost only about +one half of that total. Mons surrendered shortly afterwards, and +the victory was complete, the road to Paris open. Yet what a +victory! Villars declared to his royal master that if the French +were vouchsafed such another defeat, there would be left to them no +enemies at all.</p> + +<p>This proved to be the Duke of Marlborough's last great battle +and his last great victory. "A deluge of blood" it had been. And, +what was worse, rarely has a great victory produced so little +fruit. Marlborough had quite expected to see his success at +Malplaquet put an end to the war. It did nothing of the kind; for +two more years the war continued. The rest of its story, however, +may be told in a very few words.</p> + +<p>Louis XIV once more asked for peace, and made certain offers to +the Allies, but these would be contented with nothing less than the +expulsion of Philip from Spain. The conference, at Gertruydenberg, +therefore came to nothing. This was in the early part of 1710. The +work of capturing the fortresses in French Flanders and the +province of Artois was proceeded with, and in 1711 Marlborough took +Bouchain, in France. But the Duke had apparently lost heart to some +extent, and there was no very vigorous action. At home the war had +become hateful to a very large proportion of the people; its cost +in men and money frightened them.</p> + +<p>The year 1710 was a busy and a decisive time in Spain. At first +success seemed to lean to the side of the Allies, General Stanhope, +the English leader, defeating the French and Spanish at Almanza, +and the Dutch General Staremberg doing the like at Saragossa. +Charles the Archduke, styling himself Charles III, now for the +first time entered Madrid. It was also the last time. Presently +Stanhope was badly defeated at the important battle of Brihuega, +and Staremberg shortly afterwards lost at Villa Viciosa. This +decided matters in Spain. Charles was compelled to flee the +country, and Philip's throne was finally secured to him.</p> + +<p>The end of the war came in an altogether unexpected and strange +fashion. This was the sudden downfall of the Marlboroughs and of +the Whig interest. For some time the Queen had been tired of the +Duchess of Marlborough, and had been inclining more and more to +Mrs. Masham, formerly Abigail Hill, a cousin of Harley, through +whom the minister was intriguing for the overthrow of the +Churchills. Then Dr. Sacheverell, a London clergyman, afterwards so +notorious, had preached violently against the Whigs, who were +foolish enough to impeach him. Sacheverell was suspended for three +years, and in consequence became exceedingly popular among the +Tories, and their party gained greatly in the country. Moreover the +writings of certain pamphleteers tended much to damage the cause of +the Whigs. Dean Swift was at once the ablest and the bitterest of +these. Harley managed to get Godolphin dismissed from office. And +one day, early in 1711, Anne suddenly took from the Duchess her +various offices at Court, while later in the same year the Duke +himself was deprived of his command of the army, and was succeeded +by the Irish peer Ormonde. He, however, was ordered to take no +active steps in the war which was still in theory going on. A +general election came soon after, and the Tories had a large +majority over the Whigs. The Tories came into office, and all Whig +members of the Whig ministry were dismissed. From that time to the +present the principle has obtained of having the King's Ministers, +or the Cabinet, with the other chief administrators, drawn from the +same side in politics.</p> + +<p>The Tories now sought to bring to a close a war that had become +so unpopular. Louis XIV was also suing for peace. Then in 1711 the +Emperor Joseph died, and his brother the Archduke succeeded him as +Charles VI. It was now useless to trouble further to support or +oppose the claims of either candidate for the Spanish throne. Spain +might as well be in the hands of a Frenchman as be assigned to the +powerful Emperor. It would have been absurd, in short, for England +to go on fighting for Charles.</p> + +<p>The famous treaty of Utrecht, in 1713, brought the war to an +end. By this treaty several important matters were settled. Philip +retained Spain, but gave up for ever his claim to the throne of +France. Louis acknowledged the Hanoverian succession, and gave back +to the Dutch the line of "barrier fortresses" about which so much +blood had been shed. France gave up to Britain Newfoundland and +some other possessions in North America, and Spain resigned +Gibraltar and Minorca. The Emperor received Milan, Sardinia, and +Naples. The rest of the Allies received little or nothing, and loud +was the outcry they raised.</p> + +<p>George Fairburn did not remain abroad till the conclusion of +peace. During the year 1710, at a time when things were at a +standstill in the Netherlands, he received word that his father had +been killed in an accident at the pit. With a heavy heart he sought +permission to return home for a period, and in pursuing his +application he found himself in the presence of the great +commander-in-chief himself. To his delight Marlborough recognized +him at once. The Duke was full of sympathy, and not only readily +granted the young captain any reasonable leave of absence he might +desire, but held out his hand with a smile, as he dismissed him: +"Major Fairburn, you go with my sympathy and my regard. I have few +young fellows under me of whom I think more highly." And in spite +of his terrible bereavement the newly-promoted officer left his +master's presence with a swelling heart.</p> + +<p>With him travelled home Matthew Blackett, whose release George, +to his delight, had managed, though with difficulty. The gallant +Sergeant Oborne had also been exchanged for an English prisoner in +French hands. An additional pleasure to both George and Matthew was +an intimation that Matthew, too, had been raised to the rank of +major in recognition of his excellent service throughout the war. +As it proved, neither officer ever served under Marlborough +again.</p> + +<p>The months flew by. Mr. Fairburn was found to have left a far +larger fortune than the world had dreamt of, the sum amounting to +fully fifty thousand pounds. George and his ageing mother were +rich. Matthew Blackett had taken to the management of the joint +collieries, strange to say, and was preparing to leave the army as +soon as he could do so conveniently. Major Fairburn, on the other +hand, was first and last a soldier, and he hoped some day to have +further opportunities of rising in his profession.</p> + +<p>The Queen was in a very bad state of health; she might die any +day. But the Electress Sophia died first, and her son, Prince +George of Hanover, became the next heir to the throne, a prospect +not much to the liking of many in England. Some of the leading +Tories were making preparations for a revolution in favour of the +Pretender, but the death of Anne came before their preparations +were complete, and George of Hanover was quietly proclaimed as +George I.</p> + +<p>Before Marlborough died George Fairburn was a +lieutenant-colonel, and, as he happened to be stationed for a time +at Windsor, he and his wife, the Mary Blackett of old, had more +than once the honour of an invitation to Windsor Park, the Duke's +favourite abode, his great palace of Blenheim being not yet ready +for him.</p> + +<p>We hear of our hero, many long years after all this, a stout old +soldier, General Sir George Fairburn, taking part in the memorable +chase after the Young Pretender in 1745, and the subsequent great +fight at Culloden.</p> + +<p>"And I tell you, sir," said Mr. Matthew Blackett, member for +Langkirk, as he told the story to a crony in the smoking-room of +his club, White's, "I tell you, sir, he trod Culloden Moor with all +the vigour and fire he had when we marched with Marlborough to +Malplaquet."</p> + +<br> +<hr style='width: 65%;'> +<br> +<a name='REIGN_OF_QUEEN_ANNE' id="REIGN_OF_QUEEN_ANNE"></a> + +<h2>REIGN OF QUEEN ANNE</h2> + +<h4>IMPORTANT QUESTIONS AND MOVEMENTS</h4> + +<br> +<p>1. THE SUCCESSION TO THE CROWN</p> + +<p>This question, especially after the death of all Anne's +children, became a most important one. The Whigs and the country in +general were bent upon securing a Protestant succession, but there +were some, especially amongst the Tories, who were secret +supporters of the Pretender, James Stuart, son of James II. The Act +of Settlement had provided for the accession of Sophia as the +nearest Protestant descendant of James I, on the failure of Anne's +issue. At one time the Scotch Parliament threatened to elect as +king a different sovereign from that of England, unless Scotland +should be given the same commercial privileges as England +possessed. The Act of Security, passed in 1704, declared as much. +Both Bolingbroke and Harley were in correspondence with the +Pretender, and it was only through the death of the Queen earlier +than had been expected that a revolution in favour of the exiled +Stuarts was averted.</p> + +<br> +<p>2. GOVERNMENT BY PARTY</p> + +<p>Until the reign of Anne what we now call Party Government was +unknown. We may see the beginnings of the division of politicians +into Whig and Tory in the Roundhead and Cavalier factions in the +reign of Charles I. Government by the one strong man of the +time—a Burleigh, a Cromwell, a Marlborough—was the +usual thing. Marlborough was the last who tried to govern without +party. During the reign of Anne the Whigs and Tories were combined +in varying proportions, till the final return of a Tory House of +Commons and the formation of a purely Tory ministry, in 1711. From +that time Party Government, as we now understand it, has generally +prevailed.</p> + +<br> +<p>3. POWER OF THE HOUSE OF COMMONS AND THE MINISTERS</p> + +<p>Anne was good-natured, and not disposed to give herself too much +trouble, which made it possible for her ministers to wield more +power over the country and its destinies. Nevertheless, the Queen +had a will of her own, and made her influence felt, especially in +Church matters. On the whole, however, Parliament and the Ministers +gained in importance and influence during the reign. Marlborough, +Harley, St. John, Rochester, Nottingham, were some of the leading +ministers, and towards the end of the reign Sir Robert Walpole is +first heard of as a politician.</p> + +<br> +<p>4. THE QUESTION OF THE SUCCESSION TO THE SPANISH THRONE</p> + +<p>When Philip of Bourbon, the grandson of Louis XIV, was +proclaimed as Philip V of Spain, England, Holland, and some other +nations felt that the peace of Europe, or rather the freedom of the +rest of it, were threatened by the union of two such mighty powers. +Accordingly the Allies set up in opposition the Archduke Charles of +Austria, and it was in support of the claims of Charles to the +throne of Spain that all the wars of Anne's reign were waged. When +at length Charles became Emperor, the Allies had no farther reason +for fighting, as it would have been equally adverse to the +interests of the rest of the Continent to combine Spain and the +Empire. Philip thus remained King of Spain, though he had to +renounce his claims to France.</p> + +<br> +<p>5. THE UNION OF ENGLAND AND SCOTLAND</p> + +<p>The project for the union of the two countries had been talked +of for some time, but there were difficulties concerning religious +matters, trade, and the refusal of Scotland to pay any of the +English debt, in the way. By the Act of Security Sophia was +declared to be ineligible for the Scottish throne, and England was +in alarm. A commission was appointed to consider the question of +the union, and the Act of Union was passed in 1707. Many Scotchmen +were greatly opposed to the step, yet it cannot be denied that +Scotland herself has been a great gainer by the Union.</p> + +<br> +<p>6. THE NATIONAL DEBT</p> + +<p>The borrowing of money to pay for wars did not originate in the +reign of Anne, but the War of the Spanish Succession added no less +a sum than twenty-two millions to the indebtedness of the country, +and from that time the National Debt began to assume large +proportions. Many people were greatly alarmed at the state of +things in this respect, and there were many who prophesied the +speedy bankruptcy of the nation.</p> + +<br> +<p>7. PEACE AT HOME</p> + +<p>This reign is remarkable for the entire absence of internal +risings and disaffections. Only one person was executed for +treason.</p> + +<br> +<p>8. LITERATURE, AND ITS INFLUENCE ON POLITICS</p> + +<p>This has been called the Augustan age of English Literature. +Pope, Addison, Steele, Swift, Defoe, Sir Isaac Newton, Vanbrugh, +Congreve, Farquhar, Prior, Parnell, Colley Cibber, Gilbert Burnet, +and others flourished. The first daily newspaper, the <i>Daily +Courant</i>, was published in 1709. Pamphleteers, chief among them +Swift, Addison, and Defoe, by their writings played a great part in +politics, there being no newspaper press to mould people's +opinions. No other period in English history, except, perhaps, the +times of Shakespeare, has produced so many notable writers.</p> + +<br> +<p>9. THE PEOPLE</p> + +<p>The population of England in this reign is supposed to have been +about five millions. London itself contained half a million, but +even the best of the provincial towns were small, as we reckon +populations nowadays. Bristol, the second town in size, possessed +not more than some thirty thousand souls, while York, Norwich, and +Exeter, which came next, had considerably fewer people than that. +The bulk of the people lived in the country, either in the +villages, or in the petty market-towns which were not much +superior. The country squire class was the most important in the +community. Below this, but likewise occupying a very important +position in the country, were the clergy and yeomen. Probably at no +time was the yeoman class more numerous, more prosperous, and more +influential. The squire was in point of education often inferior to +the well-to-do farmer of our own day, but very proud of his +family.</p> + +<br> +<p>10. THE CLERGY</p> + +<p>The clergymen of the period were, as a rule, especially in the +remoter districts, men of inferior standing, often of low origin +and of little learning. They were badly paid, generally speaking, +and often had to eke out a slender income by taking to farming +pursuits. It was not at all unusual for the clergyman to marry the +lady's maid or other of the upper servants in the great family of +his neighbourhood. Queen Anne, to relieve the poverty of the poorer +livings, founded the fund known as Queen Anne's Bounty, giving up +for the purpose the <i>first-fruits</i> and the <i>tenths</i>. It +is worth noting that the terms Low and High Churchmen were +political rather than religious terms, the former being applied to +the Whigs, and the latter to the Tories.</p> + +<br> +<p>11. DWELLINGS</p> + +<p>The style of architecture known as that of Queen Anne prevailed +at this time, and many a country mansion of this date, red-bricked +and many-windowed, is still to be seen in England. But the houses +of the poor were for the most part still wretched, of mud or +plaster, and badly thatched. The windows were small and few in +number; the furniture was scanty and mean; sanitary matters were +scarcely attended to at all. But the growing prosperity of the +country was beginning to show itself in the better equipment and +furnishing of the household, particularly among the yeomen and the +rising town tradesmen. Advantage was taken of the Great Fire to +improve the streets and dwellings of the capital.</p> + +<br> +<p>12. DRESS</p> + +<p>Among the gentry the influence of the magnificent court of Louis +XIV began to make itself felt in the matter of dress, and both +gentlemen and ladies affected gay attire. The hoop-petticoat came +into fashion, and the dress was looped up at intervals to show the +richly-coloured skirt below. The gentlemen wore knee-breeches and +silk stockings, the former ornamented with knots of ribbon; the +scarf was very full and rich, and often fell in folds over the +front of the waistcoat; the coat was usually gaily coloured. Swords +were worn by the gallants, and the periwig was seen everywhere in +high society. The dress of the lower ranks was of sober colour, and +of stout but coarse texture. The women wore homespun, and sometimes +home-woven linsey-woolsies. The use of linen and silk was coming in +among those in better circumstances.</p> + +<br> +<p>13. FOOD AND DRINK</p> + +<p>Tea was only just beginning to be known, and was a luxury for +the rich. In London the coffee-houses were everywhere, playing a +great part in the life of the capital, at least among those whom we +should now call clubmen. The common drink was still beer, and, +among the farm hands, milk. Port, till the Methuen treaty, was +almost unknown in England. Even the gentry, as a rule, did not +drink wine at ordinary times. The poorer classes rarely tasted +flesh meat, except bacon, which latter cottagers in the country +were generally able to command, every cottage having its pig. The +best white wheaten bread was used by the richer folk only, the +poorer eating coarse and dark bread, of whole-meal, of rye, or even +of barley. Pewter was the ware in common use, except among the +labourer class, who had wooden trenchers, or a coarse unglazed +delft.</p> + +<br> +<p>14. INDUSTRIES</p> + +<p>The main occupation of the country was still farming, with +fishing, shipbuilding, and seafaring on the coast. The manufacture +of silk, woollen, and linen goods, now occupying so many millions +of folk in the North and the Midlands, was then carried on mainly +in the small towns and villages, or even in the lonely wayside or +moorland cottage. The great manufacturing towns, such as +Manchester, Leeds, Birmingham, and Sheffield are now, were nowhere +to be found in the England of Queen Anne; but their day was coming. +London was the great centre of the silk trade, and after it came +Norwich, Coventry, Derby, and Nottingham. The cotton industry of +Manchester and the surrounding towns in South Lancashire was making +a start, while Leeds, Bradford, and Halifax, in the West Riding of +Yorkshire, were just beginning to give their attention to the cloth +trade on a larger scale. The trade with other countries was growing +rapidly, Bristol being, next to London, the chief port. Hull, +Liverpool, Southampton, and Newcastle were still small places. It +is to be noted that the earliest notions of what we now call +<i>free trade</i> are to be traced back to the days of the later +Stuart sovereigns. Bolingbroke made certain proposals in that +direction, but his plans were rejected by the Whigs. Stage-coaches +began to run, the earliest being those between London and York, and +between London and Exeter. A vast improvement in the high-roads +soon came in consequence. The first General Post Office for the +whole kingdom dates back to the reign of Queen Anne.</p> + +<br> +<hr style='width: 65%;'> +<br> +<a name="CHRONOLOGY" id="CHRONOLOGY"></a> + +<h2>CHRONOLOGICAL LIST OF PRINCIPAL EVENTS</h2> + +<br> +1702 (February 20). Queen's Accession, on +the death of<br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>William III.</span><br> +<br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>War of the Spanish Succession begun +(May). England,</span><br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>Holland, and the Empire against +France and Spain:</span><br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>to determine the succession to the +Crown of Spain.</span><br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>Two claimants, Philip, grandson of +Louis XIV, and</span><br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>Archduke Charles of Austria, the +latter supported by</span><br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>England and her allies.</span><br> +<br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>Duke of Marlborough, in command of +allied forces, took</span><br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>the strongholds of Venloo, +Ruremonde, and Liége;</span><br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>France cut off from Holland and +Lower Rhine.</span><br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>Marlborough made a duke.</span><br> +<br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>Spanish fleet at Vigo captured by +Sir George Rooke.</span><br> +<br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>Godolphin appointed Lord Treasurer, +and Nottingham</span><br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>a Secretary of State.</span><br> +<br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>Louis of Baden defeated by French +at Friedlingen.</span><br> +<br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>Battle of Cremona: French stopped +by Eugene of Savoy</span><br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>from entering the Tyrol.</span><br> +<br> +<br> +1703 Second Grand Alliance. (First Grand +Alliance in 1689.)<br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>Nearly all Germany, and Savoy join +the coalition</span><br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>against the French.</span><br> +<br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>French marching in the direction of +Vienna.</span><br> +<br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>Methuen Treaty; Portugal joined the +Alliance.</span><br> +<br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>Marlborough hampered by the Dutch +Government and</span><br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>unable to follow the +French.</span><br> +<br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>Marlborough took Bonn; giving +command of Upper</span><br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>Rhine.</span><br> +<br> +<br> +1704 Battle of Donauwörth. Eugene +joined Marlborough.<br> +<br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>(August 4). Gibraltar taken by Sir +George Rooke,</span><br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>Sir George Byng, and Sir Cloudesley +Shovel.</span><br> +<br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>(August 13). Blenheim. Marlborough +and Eugene</span><br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>defeated French and Bavarians under +Marshals</span><br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>Tallard and Marsin. Vienna saved: +Marlborough</span><br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>received Woodstock Manor as a +reward.</span><br> +<br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>Act of Security passed by Scotch +Parliament.</span><br> +<br> +<br> +1705 Marlborough opposed by Allies, and +prevented from<br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>marching into France.</span><br> +<br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>Barcelona taken by Lord +Peterborough; the Catalan</span><br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>district of Spain won for the +Archduke Charles.</span><br> +<br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>Coalition between the more moderate +Tories and the</span><br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>Whigs.</span><br> +<br> +<br> +1706 Ramillies (May 12), won by Marlborough +against Villeroy:<br> +<br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>Allies occupied Antwerp, Brussels, +Ghent, Bruges,</span><br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>Ostend, a line of fortresses +cutting off French from</span><br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>Holland.</span><br> +<br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>Turin besieged by French: siege +raised by Prince</span><br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>Eugene.</span><br> +<br> +<br> +1707 Capitulation of Milan signed by Louis: +Milan and<br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>Naples secured to Archduke +Charles.</span><br> +<br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>Minorca captured by General +Stanhope.</span><br> +<br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>Battle of Almanza (Spain): English +under Lord</span><br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>Galway surrendered.</span><br> +<br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>Ghent and Bruges retaken by +French.</span><br> +<br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>Whig resolution not to make peace +so long as a Bourbon</span><br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>ruled in Spain.</span><br> +<br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>Union with Scotland (October 23): +Scotland to send</span><br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>sixteen peers and forty-five +Commoners to United</span><br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>Houses of Parliament: Law and +Church of Scotland</span><br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>left untouched: privileges of trade +and coinage to</span><br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>be the same for both +countries.</span><br> +<br> +<br> +1708 Harley and St. John dismissed: Whigs +came into power<br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>(July 11). Oudenarde: Marlborough +and Eugene</span><br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>defeated Vendôme: Lille +secured. Bruges and</span><br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>Ghent retaken by Allies.</span><br> +<br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>Attempted landing in Scotland by +the Pretender</span><br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>prevented.</span><br> +<br> +<br> +1709 Peace Conference at the Hague. Louis +declined to<br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>remove his grandson from the throne +of Spain.</span><br> +<br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>(September 11). Malplaquet: +Marlborough and Eugene</span><br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>defeated Villars.</span><br> +<br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>Mons taken by the +Allies.</span><br> +<br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>Quarrel between the Queen and the +Duchess of Marlborough.</span><br> +<br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>Dr. Sacheverell's +sermons.</span><br> +<br> +<br> +1710 Peace proposals by Louis at +Gertruydenberg rejected.<br> +<br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>Dr. Sacheverell sentenced: Tory +party greatly helped</span><br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>thereby.</span><br> +<br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>Battle of Almenara (Spain): French +and Spanish</span><br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>defeated by Stanhope.</span><br> +<br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>Battle of Saragossa: French and +Spanish defeated by</span><br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>Stanhope.</span><br> +<br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>Battle of Brihuega: Stanhope beaten +by Vendôme.</span><br> +<br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>Battle of Villa Viciosa: General +Staremberg defeated</span><br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>by Vendôme: Spain secured for +Philip V.</span><br> +<br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>Bouchain taken by +Marlborough.</span><br> +<br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>Fall of the Whigs.</span><br> +<br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>General Post Office +established.</span><br> +<br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>St. Paul's Cathedral +finished.</span><br> +<br> +<br> +1711 All Whigs dismissed from office, and +Tories alone to<br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>form the Ministry, thus +establishing the principle</span><br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>that the members of the Cabinet +should all be of</span><br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>the same political +party.</span><br> +<br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>Duchess of Marlborough supplanted +by Mrs. Masham.</span><br> +<br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>Death of the Emperor Joseph, and +accession of Archduke</span><br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>Charles: no farther need now to +continue</span><br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>the war.</span><br> +<br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>Tories determined to put an end to +the war.</span><br> +<br> +<br> +1712 Twelve new Tory peers created to +destroy the Whig<br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>majority which was in favour of +continuing the war.</span><br> +<br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>Marlborough deprived of his +command: Ormonde to</span><br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>succeed him.</span><br> +<br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>Peace Conference at +Utrecht.</span><br> +<br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>Act against Occasional +Conformity.</span><br> +<br> +<br> +1713 (March 3). Treaty of Utrecht: Spain to +Philip:<br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>Minorca and Gibraltar to England: +Spanish lands</span><br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>in Italy and Netherlands to Emperor +Charles: Sicily</span><br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>to Savoy. Prussia made a +kingdom.</span><br> +<br> +<br> +1714 Quarrel between Harley and Bolingbroke: +Harley<br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>dismissed.</span><br> +<br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>Schism Act: schoolmasters to belong +to the Church of</span><br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>England.</span><br> +<br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>Bolingbroke's free trade proposals +defeated by the Whigs.</span><br> +<br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>Death of Electress Sophia: George +of Hanover now heir</span><br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>to the British throne.</span><br> +<br> +<span style='margin-left: 3em;'>(July 30). Death of Anne: Accession +of George I.</span><br> +<br> +<hr style='width: 65%;'> +<br> +<h3>Oxford: HORACE HART, Printer to the University</h3> + +<br> +<hr style='width: 65%;'> +<br> +<a name='PRESS' id="PRESS"></a> + +<h2>Herbert Strang's Stories for Boys</h2> + +<h3><i>SOME PRESS OPINIONS</i></h3> + +<p><b>Athenaeum</b>:—'Herbert Strang is second to none in +graphic power and veracity.'</p> + +<p><b>Spectator</b>:—'Mr. Strang's name will suffice to +assure us that the subject is seriously treated,'</p> + +<p><b>Saturday Review</b>:—'Excellent as many of the best +stories by the best writers for boys are, we feel that he is first +of them all.'</p> + +<p><b>Speaker</b>:—'Not only the best living writer of books +for boys, but a born teacher of history.'</p> + +<p><b>Guardian</b>:—'Mr. Strang's care and accuracy in detail +are far beyond those of the late Mr. Henty, while he tells a story +infinitely better.'</p> + +<p><b>Church Times</b>:—'If the place of the late G.A. Henty +can be filled it will be by Mr. Herbert Strang, whose +finely-written and historically accurate books are winning him +fame.'</p> + +<p><b>Schoolmaster</b>:—'Mr. Strang is entitled to premier +place amongst writers of stories that equally interest boys and +adults.'</p> + +<p><b>Standard</b>:—'It has become a commonplace of criticism +to describe Mr. Strang as the wearer of the mantle of the late G.A. +Henty.... We will go further, and say that the disciple is greater +than the master.'</p> + +<p><b>Daily Telegraph</b>:—'Boys who read Mr. Strang's works +have not merely the advantage of perusing enthralling and wholesome +tales, but they are also absorbing sound and trustworthy +information of the men and times about which they are reading.'</p> + +<p><b>Tribune</b>:—'Mr. Herbert Strang's former books "caught +on" with our boys as no other books of adventure since Henty's +industrious pen fell from his hand.'</p> + +<p><b>Manchester Guardian</b>:—'Mr. Henty was the ancient +master in this kind; the present master, Mr. Herbert Strang, has +ten times his historical knowledge and fully twenty times more +narrative skill.'</p> + +<p><b>Gentlewoman</b>:—'This is the literature we want for +young England.'</p> + +<br> +<br> +<hr class="full" noshade> +<p>***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK WITH MARLBOROUGH TO MALPLAQUET***</p> +<p>******* This file should be named 13817-h.txt or 13817-h.zip *******</p> +<p>This and all associated files of various formats will be found in:<br /> +<a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/3/8/1/13817">https://www.gutenberg.org/1/3/8/1/13817</a></p> +<p>Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed.</p> + +<p>Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + + + + +Title: With Marlborough to Malplaquet + +Author: Herbert Strang and Richard Stead + +Release Date: October 20, 2004 [eBook #13817] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII) + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK WITH MARLBOROUGH TO MALPLAQUET*** + + +E-text prepared by Juliet Sutherland, Tom Martin, and the Project +Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team + + + +Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this + file which includes the original illustrations. + See 13817-h.htm or 13817-h.zip: + (https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/3/8/1/13817/13817-h/13817-h.htm) + or + (https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/3/8/1/13817/13817-h.zip) + + + + + +Herbert Strang's Historical Series + +WITH MARLBOROUGH TO MALPLAQUET + +A Story of the Reign of Queen Anne + +by + +HERBERT STRANG + +and + +RICHARD STEAD +Fellow of the Royal Historical Society + +With Four Illustrations in Colour and a Map + +LONDON + +1908 + + + + + + + +NOW READY IN THIS SERIES. + +WITH THE BLACK PRINCE: a Story of the Reign +of Edward III. By HERBERT STRANG and RICHARD STEAD. + +A MARINER OF ENGLAND: a Story of the Reign of +Queen Elizabeth. By the same authors. + +WITH MARLBOROUGH TO MALPLAQUET: a Story of +the Reign of Queen Anne. By the same authors. + +Other volumes to follow. + + + + +[Illustration: A mounted officer came galloping up. See Chapter X.] + + + + + +With Marlborough +to Malplaquet + + + + + +NOTE + + +The object of this series is to encourage a taste for history among +boys and girls up to thirteen or fourteen years of age. An attempt has +been made to bring home to the young reader the principal events and +movements of the periods covered by the several volumes. + +If in these little stories historical fact treads somewhat closely +upon the heels of fiction, the authors would plead the excellence of +their intentions and the limitations of their space. + + + + +CONTENTS + + +CHAPTER I + + A BOUT AT SINGLESTICK + +CHAPTER II + + THE ATTACK ON THE COLLIERY + +CHAPTER III + + THE FIRE AT BINFIELD TOWERS + +CHAPTER IV + + THE RESCUE + +CHAPTER V + + GEORGE RECONNOITRES + +CHAPTER VI + + THE ROCK OF GIBRALTAR + +CHAPTER VII + + BLENHEIM + +CHAPTER VIII + + COMRADES IN ARMS + +CHAPTER IX + + ANNUS MIRABILIS + +CHAPTER X + + "OUR OWN MEN, SIR!" + +CHAPTER XI + + THE HARDEST FIGHT OF THEM ALL + +CHAPTER XII + + CONCLUSION + +HISTORICAL SUMMARY + + + + +ILLUSTRATIONS + + +A MOUNTED OFFICER CAME GALLOPING UP + +"NOW!" CAME THE ORDER + +GEORGE FOUND HIMSELF ENGAGED IN A HAND TO HAND ENCOUNTER + +THE RESCUE OF MARLBOROUGH + +MAP OF WESTERN EUROPE IN THE TIME OF QUEEN ANNE + + + + +CHAPTER I + +A BOUT AT SINGLESTICK + + +"Get thee down, laddie, I tell thee." + +This injunction, given for the third time, and in a broad +north-country dialect, came from the guard of the York and Newcastle +coach, a strange new thing in England. A wonderful vehicle the York +and Newcastle coach, covering the eighty-six long miles between the +two towns in the space of two-and-thirty hours, and as yet an object +of delight, and almost of awe, to the rustics of the villages and +small towns on that portion of the Great North Road. + +It was the darkening of a stinging day in the latter part of December, +in the year 1701--it wanted but forty-eight hours to Christmas +Eve--when the coach pulled up at the principal inn of the then quiet +little country town of Darlington, a place which roused itself from +its general sleepiness only on market and fair days, or now, since the +mail-coach had begun to run, on the arrival or departure of the +marvellous conveyance, whose rattle over the cobble-stones drew every +inhabitant of the main street to the door. + +No reply coming from the boy on the roof, the guard went on, "Eh, but +the lad must be frozen stark," and swinging himself up to the top of +the coach, he seized the dilatory passenger by the arm, saying, "Now, +my hearty, come your ways down; we gang na further to-day. Ye are as +stiff as a frozen poker." + +"And no wonder," came a voice from below; "'tis not a day fit for man +or dog to be out a minute longer than necessary. Bring the bairn in, +Charley." The invitation came from a kindly and portly dame, the +hostess, who had come to the door to welcome such passengers as might +be disposed to put up for the night at the inn. + +"I don't think I can stir," the boy replied; "I'm about frozen." + +He spoke in low tones and as if but half awake. He was, in fact, just +dropping into a doze. + +"Here, mates, catch hold," the guard cried, and without more ado the +lad was lowered down to the little group of loafers who had come to +see the sight and to pick up any stray penny that might be available. +A minute later George Fairburn was rapidly thawing before the rousing +fire in the inn's best parlour, and was gulping down the cup of hot +mulled ale the good-natured landlady had put into his trembling hands. + +"I'm all right, ma'am, now, and I'll go. Thank you and good night, +ma'am." + +"Go, Fairburn?" cried another boy of about his own age, who sat +comfortably in the arm-chair by the cosy chimney corner. "Surely you +are not going to turn out again this bitter night?" + +"Indeed I am," was the somewhat ungracious reply; "my father is not a +rich man, and I'm not going to put him to needless expense." + +The other boy blushed, but the next moment his face resumed its usual +pallor. He was tall for his fourteen years, but evidently not +particularly strong. He had, in truth, somewhat of a bookish look, and +his rounded shoulders already told of much poring over a student's +tasks. Fairburn, on the other hand, though less tall, carried in his +face and form all the evidence of robust good health. + +"I've relatives somewhere in Darlington, Blackett," George explained, +in a rather pleasanter tone, as if ashamed of his former surly speech, +"and I'm going to hunt them up." + +"Look here, Fairburn," said the other, springing from his seat and +placing a patronizing hand on his companion's shoulder, "just make +yourself comfortable here with me for the night, and I'll settle the +bill for both of us in the morning." He spoke rather grandly, jingling +the coins in his pocket the while. + +"I can settle my own bills, thank you," answered Fairburn, a proud hot +flush overspreading his face. And, seizing his little bag, the lad +strode from the room and out of the inn, shivering as the chill +northeasterly breeze caught him in the now dark and almost deserted +street. + +"Confound the fellow with his purse-proud patronage!" he muttered as +he hurried along. + +"Bless me, why is he so touchy?" Blackett was asking himself at the +same moment. "We seem fated to quarrel, Fairburn's family and ours. +Whose is the pride now, I wonder! Fairburn thinks a deal of his +independence, as he calls it; I should call it simply pride, myself. +But I might have known that he wouldn't accept my offer after his +refusal of an inside place with me this morning, and after riding all +those miles from York to-day in the bitter cold. Heigh-ho, the quarrel +won't be of my seeking anyhow." + +These two lads were both sons of colliery owners, and both pupils of +the ancient school of St. Peter of York, the most notable foundation +north of the Humber. But there the likeness ended. Matthew Blackett's +father was a rich man and descended from generations of rich men. He +owned a large colliery and employed many men and not a few ships. He +was, moreover, a county magnate, and held his head high on Tyneside. +In politics he was a strong supporter of the Tory party, and had never +been easy under the rule of Dutch William. He was proud and somewhat +arrogant, yet not wanting his good points. George Fairburn, on the +other hand, was the son of a much smaller man, of one, in truth, who +had by his energy and thrift become the proprietor of a small pit, of +which he himself acted as manager. The elder Fairburn was of a sturdy +independent character, his independence, however, sometimes asserting +itself at the expense of his manners; that at least was the way Mr. +Blackett put it. Fairburn had been thrown much in his boyhood among +the Quakers, of which new sect there were several little groups in the +northern counties. He was a firm Whig, and as firm a hater of the +exiled James II. He had made some sacrifice to send his boy to a good +school, being a great believer in education, at a time when men of his +class were little disposed to set much store by book learning. + +After breakfast by candlelight next morning the passengers for the +coach assembled at the door of the inn. Blackett was already +comfortably seated among his many and ample rugs and wraps when George +Fairburn appeared, accompanied by a woman who made an odd figure in an +ancient cloak many sizes too big for her, covering her from head to +foot. It had, in fact, originally been a soldier's cloak, and had seen +much hard service in the continental campaigns under William III. The +good dame was very demonstrative in her affection, and kissed George +again and again on both cheeks, with good sounding smacks, ere she +would let him mount to the roof of the coach. Then she stood by the +window and talked volubly in a rich northern brogue till the vehicle +started, and even after, for George could see her gesticulations when +he was far out of earshot. + +"It is bitter cold, bairn," she had said for the third or fourth time, +"and I doubt thou wilt be more dead than alive when thy father sees +thee at Newcastle. But don't forget that pasty; 'tis good, for I made +it myself. And there's the sup of summat comforting in the little +bottle; don't forget that." + +"Good-bye, aunt, and thank you over and over again," George called +from the top of the coach. "Don't stay any longer in the freezing +cold. I'm all right." + +But the talkative and kindly old dame would not budge, and Blackett +could not help smiling quietly in his corner. "What a curious old +rustic!" he said to himself, "and she's the aunt, it appears." As for +George himself, he was thinking much the same thing. "A good soul," he +murmured to himself, "but, oh, so countrified!" + +Fairburn's limbs were pretty stiff by the time the grand old cathedral +and the castle of Durham standing proudly on their cliff above the +river came in sight. There was an unwonted stir in the streets of the +picturesque little city. My lord the bishop with a very great train +was coming for the Christmas high services. + +"Our bishop is a prince," explained the guard, who had had not a +little talk with George on the way. "There are squires and baronets +and lords in his train, and as for his servants and horses, why--" the +good fellow spread out his hands in his sheer inability to describe +the magnificence of the bishops of Durham. + +"Yes," Fairburn made answer, "and I've heard or read that when a new +bishop first comes to the see he is met at Croft bridge by all the big +men of the county, who do homage to him as if he were a king." + +The guard stared at a youngster, an outside and therefore a poor +passenger too, who appeared so well informed, and then applied himself +vigorously to his horn. + +The afternoon was fast waning when the coach brought to its passengers +the first glimpse of the blackened old fortress of Newcastle and the +lantern tower of St. Nicholas. Fairburn, almost as helpless as on the +previous afternoon, was speedily lifted down from his lofty perch by +the strong arms of his father. + +"Ah, my dear lad," the elder cried as he hugged George to his breast, +"the mother has a store of good things ready for her bairn and for +Christmas. And here is old Dapper ready to jog back with us and to his +own Christmas Eve supper. How do you do, sir?" + +These last words were addressed to a gentleman who had just driven up +in a well-appointed family equipage. + +"I hope I see young Mr. Blackett well," Fairburn continued. + +"Ah! 'tis you, Mr. Fairburn," said the great man condescendingly. +"This is your boy? Looks a trifle cold, don't you think? 'Tis bitter +weather for travelling outside." + +And with the curtest possible nod to the father, and no recognition +whatever of the son, Mr. Blackett linked his arm in Matthew's and +strode away to his carriage. + +George flushed, his father looked annoyed; then his face cleared. + +"Come, lad," he said, "let us get along home." + +Thursday, Christmas Day, and the Friday following passed quietly but +happily in the little Fairburn family. The father was in excellent +spirits, and he had much to tell his son of the prosperity that was at +last coming. Orders were being booked faster than the modest staff of +the colliery could execute them. Best of all, Fairburn had secured +several important contracts with London merchants; this, too, against +the competition of the great Blackett pit. + +"The truth is," the elder explained, "Mr. Blackett is too big a man, +and too easy-going to attend to his business as he should. But I +suppose he's rich enough and can afford to be a trifle slack." + +"Whereas my dad has energy and to spare," George put in with a smile, +"and by that energy is taking the business out of the hands of the +bigger man. The Blacketts won't be exactly pleased with us, eh?" + +"They are not. And, more, I hear the Blackett pit is working only +short time; it is more than likely that several of the men will have +to be discharged soon, and then will come more soreness." + +"We can't help that, dad," the boy commented, "it's a sort of war, +this business competition, it seems to me, and all is fair in love and +war, as the saying goes." + +"True, my lad; yet I'm a peaceable man, and would fain enter into no +quarrels." + +On the Saturday afternoon a neighbour brought word up to the house +that there was some sort of a squabble going on down at the river +side. + +"Better run along and see what is the matter, George," said the +mother. "Father's gone to the town and won't be back till supper +time." + +So the boy pulled on his cap, twisted a big scarf about his neck, and +made off to the Tyne, nearly a mile away. + +He found a tremendous hubbub on the wharf, men pulling and struggling +and cursing and fighting in vigorous fashion. What might be the right +or the wrong of the quarrel, George did not know, and he had not time +to inquire before he too was mixed up in the fray. The first thing +that met his eye, in truth, was one of the crew of the Fairburn +collier brig lying helpless on his back and at the mercy of a fellow +who was showing him no favour, but was pounding away at the upturned +face with one of his fists, whilst with the other hand he held a firm +grip of his prostrate foeman. + +"Let him get up, coward!" the lad shouted as he rushed to the spot. +"Let him get up, I tell you, and fight it out fair and square." + +The fellow was by no means disposed to give up the advantage he had +obtained, however, and redoubled the vigour of his blows. + +He was a strong thickset collier, not an easy man to tackle; but +without more ado George flung himself at the bully, and toppled him +over, the side of his head coming into violent collision with the +rough planks of the landing-stage. + +"Up with you, Jack!" George cried, and, seizing the hand of the +prostrate sailor, he jerked him to his feet. Jack, however, was of +little more use when he had been helped up, and staggered about in a +dazed and aimless sort of way. He was, in truth, almost blind, his +eyes scarce visible at all, so severe had been his punishment, while +his face streamed with blood. + +Meanwhile his antagonist had jumped to his feet, his face black with +coaldust and distorted with fury. + +"Two on ye!" he yelled with an oath, "then I must fend for myself," +and he seized a broken broom handle that was lying near. + +"A game of singlestick is it?" George replied gleefully, as he made a +successful grab at another stick a couple of yards away. It was the +handle of a shovel; there were several broken tools lying about the +quay. + +"Come on," said the boy, brandishing his short but heavy weapon, "this +is quite in my line, I can tell you!" + +It was a curious sight as the two rushed upon each other, so unequal +did the antagonists seem. Bill, the collier, was tall as well as +strongly built, and in the very prime of life; while George, though a +sturdy lad for his age, was many inches shorter, and appeared at first +sight an absurdly inadequate foeman. + +In a moment the sticks were clattering merrily together, the lad +hesitating not a whit, for he felt sure that he was at least a match +for the other. George Fairburn had ever been an adept at all school +games, and had spent many a leisure hour at singlestick. In vain did +Bill endeavour to bring down his stick with furious whack upon the +youngster's scalp; his blow was unfailingly parried. It was soon +evident to the man that the boy was playing with him, and when twice +or thrice he received a rap on his shoulder, his arm, his knuckles +even, his fury got quite beyond his control, and he struck out blindly +and viciously, forcing the lad backwards towards the edge of the +wharf. + +But Fairburn was not to be taken in that style. Slipping agilely out +of the way, he planted another blow, this time on his opponent's head. +In a trice Bill threw down his cudgel and, raising his heavy boot, +endeavoured to administer a vicious kick. It was time to take to more +effective tactics, and while the man's leg was poised in the air, +George put in a thwack that made his skull resound, and threw him +quite off his already unstable balance. Bill fell to the ground and +lay there stunned, a roar of laughter hailing the exploit, with shouts +of, "Thrashed by a lad; that's a grand come off for Bill Hutchinson!" + +George now had time to look about him. He found that the enemy, +whoever they might be, had been beaten off, and the crew of the +Fairburn brig was in possession of the landing-stage. + +"What is it all about, Jack?" he inquired of the man to whose rescue +he had come. + +"Why," returned Jack, "they are some of Blackett's men. They tried to +shove us from our berth here, after we had made fast, and bring in +their big schooner over there. Some of 'em are vexed, 'cos 'tis said +there'll be no work for 'em soon. Your father's taking a lot of +Blackett's trade, you see." + +"Did they begin, Jack, or did you?" + +"Begin? Why, it was a kind of mixed-up job, I reckon. We'd both had a +drop of Christmas ale, you see--a drop extra, I mean--and--why, there +it was." + +"Well, you'll be sailing for London in a day or two," said George. +"See that you keep out of the way of Blackett's men, or you'll find +yourself in the lock-up and lose your place." + +Then he walked away. + +Mr. Fairburn was annoyed when he heard of the incident. + +"I don't like it, George," he said. "There's no reason why there +should be bad blood between Blackett's men and mine; but if they are +going to make disturbances like this I shall have to take serious +steps, and the coolness between Blackett and me will become an open +enmity. 'As much as lieth in _you_,' says the Apostle, 'live peaceably +with all men;' but there's a limit, and if Mr. Blackett can't keep his +men in order, it will come to a fight between us." + +The brig started in a couple of days for London, in fulfilment of an +important contract that had for years fallen to Mr. Blackett, but now +had been placed in the hands of his humbler but more energetic rival. +Its departure was hailed by the shouts and threats of a gang of pitmen +from the Blackett colliery, but nothing like another fight occurred, +thanks to the vigilance of Fairburn the elder. + + + + +CHAPTER II + +THE ATTACK ON THE COLLIERY + + +Not often has Europe been in a greater state of unrest than it was at +the time this story opens. James II, the exiled King of England, had +lately died in his French home, and his son, afterwards famous as the +Old Pretender, had been acknowledged as the new English king by Louis +XIV of France, to the joy of the many Jacobites England still +contained, but to the dismay of the majority of Englishmen. There was +likely to be dire trouble also respecting the vacant throne of Spain. +There had been originally three candidates for the throne of the +weakling Charles, not long dead--Philip of Anjou, whose claims had the +powerful support of his grandfather, the ambitious Louis; Charles, the +second son of the Emperor Leopold of Austria; and Joseph, the +Electoral Prince of Bavaria. But the last mentioned had died, leaving +the contest to Philip and Charles, the French and Austrian claimants. +The rest of Europe was naturally in alarm when the already +too-powerful Louis actually placed his grandson on the Spanish throne. +Practically the step amounted on the part of France to an annexation +of the once predominant kingdom of Spain with all its appanages. And +when the Grand Monarque, as his flatterers called him, proceeded +further to garrison the strongholds of the Netherlands, then a Spanish +province, with his own troops, it was clear that Louis considered +himself King both of France and Spain. As for the Protestants of +Europe, their very existence seemed to be threatened by the designs of +the French sovereign. + +Who was there, then, to withstand the ambitious and arrogant Louis? +There was but one great and effective opponent, William of Orange, +King of England. He had spent his life in thwarting the ambitious +policy of the French monarch, and so long as William lived Louis was +sure of a vigorous and powerful antagonist. And William was preparing, +in both his English and his Dutch dominions, for yet another conflict. +War was indeed imminent; the sole question being when it would +actually break out, and who would be ruler over England when it did. +For William III was in feeble health; his death might occur any day, +and his crown pass to his sister-in-law Anne. Such was the condition +of affairs at the time George Fairburn left St. Peter's School at +York. + +January brought many new orders for the Fairburn pit, and the owner +had work for more men. So greatly was his business increasing, that +the proprietor of the little colliery came to a decision that seemed +likely to affect his son's whole future life. + +"What would you like to be, my lad?" he one day inquired abruptly. + +"A soldier, dad," was the prompt reply, the boy regarding his father +in some wonderment, nevertheless. + +"A soldier, says the lad!" Fairburn exclaimed, no less surprised by +the answer than George had been by the question. "It is the most +detestable of all trades, that of soldiering, and about the most +empty-stomached. Don't talk of such a thing, my good lad." + +In vain George entered into a defence of the military profession, +referring to the many great soldiers with whom his school readings in +the histories of Greece and Rome and England had made him more or less +acquainted. Fairburn was not to be charmed, and with a deep sigh the +boy gave up the contest. He was still more upset when his father +proceeded to tell him that he would not return to St. Peter's, but +would remain at home to assist in the business till a place could be +secured for him in some great London house. + +It was not a task he cared about; anybody could have done it, he +thought, as he entered the weights on little tickets. But George had a +large fund of common sense and a deep respect for his father. He did +not grumble or sulk, but resolved that as he had to do the work he +would do it thoroughly. + +Half an hour later he started and flushed to see Mr. Blackett and +Matthew, both well mounted, and followed by a groom in livery, come +riding by. He trusted they would not notice him at his dusty and +disagreeable task. Alas! the field path they were pursuing led close +past the spot, and George observed the look of surprise on their faces +when they saw him. The father gave no sign of recognition; Matthew +looked uncomfortable and nodded in a shamefaced kind of way. George +flushed, and for a moment felt a bitter anger surge within him; then +he called himself a dolt for caring a straw what they thought of him. +It was a little hard, however, to think that Matthew Blackett would be +going back to his beloved school and studies, while he, also a +Peterite, was engaged in such a humdrum task as weighing coal at the +pit mouth. + +His father's energy at this time was prodigious. Fairburn was afoot +early and late. In spite of the cold and stormy weather of winter he +made two or three trips to London in his collier brig, always to +report on his return a notable addition to his trade. Once, too, on +his homeward voyage, he had had himself put ashore a little north of +Spurn, and had trudged the five and twenty miles to Hull, the rising +port on the east coast. Then, after appointing an agent and starting +what seemed likely to grow into a big business, he had tramped the +hundred and twenty miles or more that separated him from Newcastle and +his home, cutting a quaint figure on the road, with his old-fashioned +hat and cloak, and his much-twisted and knotty oak stick. The result +of all this energy was that when he was in a joking mood he would say, +"We shall have to see about buying another pit, mother--Blackett's, +perhaps, as I hear they have little going on there at present." + +And indeed the Blackett colliery did at that time seem to be under a +cloud. Trade fell off, and almost every week hands were discharged. +Fairburn was secretly a little afraid of mischief from these +out-of-works, especially when he himself was absent from home. + +Towards the end of February England was startled by the news that King +William had been thrown from his favourite steed Sorrel, at Hampton +Court, and was lying in a precarious state, his collar-bone broken. A +week or two later came the tidings of William's death, and of the +proclamation of the Princess Anne as Queen. + +The news had an extraordinary effect on Mr. Blackett. Ordering his +coach, he drove in haste to his colliery, hoisted a big flag there, +proclaimed a holiday on full pay, and sent for a copious supply of +ale. His son Matthew, who had not gone back to school at York, amused +himself and the men by firing unnumbered salvoes from a couple of +small cannon he possessed. + +"Now that Billy the Dutchman is out of the way," Squire Blackett cried +exultingly, "Whiggery will soon be dead, and England will be ruled by +its rightful sovereign, who will be assisted by lords and gentlemen of +sound policy." + +A huge banner was hoisted, and the Squire and his son headed a +procession to the neighbouring villages. The jubilant colliery owner +and his merry men took care to pass the Fairburn pit, with frantic +cheerings and hallooings. + +"What does it all mean?" George, who was in charge in the absence of +his father, inquired of the old overlooker of the colliery. + +"It means beer, George," the ancient replied, "beer and froth, and +nothing else." + +"Nothing else! I hope that is a true word, Saunders, that's all. I +mislike the looks of some of those fellows." + +"Why, to judge from all the whispers we hear," the overlooker +commented, "we are like enough to get our backs well hazelled before +long." + +George gave a word of caution to the pitmen when they left work that +afternoon. + +"There are sure to be insults," he said, "but take no notice, and keep +out of harm's way." + +But the fates were against George and his pit that day. Hardly had the +little gang of Fairburn colliers turned the corner of the lane when +they were met by an excited mob carrying a huge sheet on which was +rudely printed in big characters, "Down with all Whigs!" + +"An insult to the gaffer, that's as plain as the nose on a man's +face," cried one of the Fairburn fellows, and without more ado, he +dashed forward and made a grab at the offending canvas. He was +forestalled, however, a man of the opposing party deftly tripping him +up and sending him sprawling into the mud. Before the unlucky pitman +could rise the whole mob had surged over him, amidst shrieks of +laughter. + +On this the Fairburn men threw all George's cautions to the winds, and +charged the mob. Instantly a hot fight was going on around the big +banner. Even old Saunders, the overlooker, caught one of the +opposition gang by the collar, crying, "Ye loons, what for are ye +coming our way again? Ye ha' been once to-day, wi' your jibes and +jeers; isn't that enough?" + +"Jibes and jeers, old lad! Eh, there'll happen be mair than that afore +bedtime." + +Meanwhile there was rough work around the banner. In spite of the +efforts of the bearers and their friends to protect the canvas, one of +the Fairburn men had got a grip of it, and in a second the thing had +been torn from its supporting poles, amid mingled cheers and +execrations. The canvas itself was pulled hither and thither by the +opposing gangs, each striving to retain possession of it. Bit by bit +the banner was torn to pieces, the men fighting savagely for even the +smallest shred of it, each man pocketing his piece as a trophy, till +at length there was nothing of the thing left visible. + +Cries of, "On to the pit wi' ye, lads!" were by this time plentiful, +and with a dash the now much augmented mob surged in that direction. +Under old Saunders the Fairburn men disputed every yard of the way, +but they were entirely outnumbered, and were slowly but surely forced +back upon the works they had so recently left. All had happened in the +course of a very few minutes. + +George, on his way to his home, some half mile away, had made scarce +half the distance when his ears were assailed by the noise of conflict +somewhere behind him. He stopped and listened, the yells growing +louder and fiercer every instant. Then he darted back towards the pit, +reaching the spot just in time to see his men make a dash for the +shelter of the sheds around the mouth, followed by a howling, +threatening mob. + +In a moment the youngster sprang through the entrance of the largest +of the sheds, and closed the door, shooting home the two thick rough +bars of wood that did duty for bolts, amid shouts from his men of "The +young gaffer! We'll all stick to him!" And in spite of his youth, +George was at once installed as captain of the little Fairburn band. +He had always been highly popular with the men of the colliery; they +liked his entire freedom from vain show and swagger, and his +pleasant-spoken manner. + +"What have we in the way of weapons, lads?" he asked, taking a hasty +glance round the dimly-lit shed. Darkness was coming on apace even +outside; within the shed the men had to grope their way about. + +There was very little that would serve, except a number of pickaxes, a +few shovels, and two or three hayforks belonging to the stables. These +were served out, and then one man found the master's gun, with a +powder-flask and a handful of sparrow shot. + +"Better let me have that," said George, quietly relieving the man of +the weapon, the old overlooker approving with a "Aye, that's right; +you'll keep a cooler head than Tom there." + +The mob outside surged down on the door in force, and with loud yells. +The door stood the shock, and the major part of the attackers in a +trice turned their attention to the smaller buildings dotted here and +there about the pit's mouth. One by one these sheds were pulled to +pieces, to the ever-increasing delight of the mob. George and his men +were powerless to stop the destruction. + +"We must not venture out," the boy said, "unless the scoundrels turn +their attention to the windlasses and the gear." + +So his men had to grind their teeth in rage and look on helplessly. + +As was expected, the rioters presently came back to the big shed, one +of them, evidently the leader, advancing with a felling-axe. + +"Keep back, rascal!" shouted George. "Keep from the door, or I'll put +a few peppercorns into your hide." + +From a chink in the door George recognized him as the very man he had +so unceremoniously knocked from his perch and so merrily battered in +the bout of singlestick that day on the landing-stage. + +The fellow answered with a curse and lifted his axe to stave in the +door. Before the weapon could descend a report rang out in the +twilight, and with a scream the attacker sprang from the ground, and +then fell to rubbing his legs vigorously. + +"One on 'em peppered," remarked old Saunders grimly. + +The crowd outside fell back in haste, and a burly fellow at that +instant appearing on the scene with a small cask of ale on his +shoulder, a diversion was caused. The fight was transferred to the +circle round the ale barrel, the already half-crazy fellows struggling +desperately to get at the liquor. + +"By Jupiter!" cried George, seeing his opportunity in a moment, "now +is our chance! Let them get fully occupied and we have them. Let them +once return and they will be madder and more reckless than ever." + +And seizing every man his weapon, the little party in the shed +prepared to sally forth, old Saunders whispering to his next +neighbour, "The lad is a game 'un, if ever I saw one." + +Just as George was preparing to draw the bolts he caught sight of +young Blackett. His old schoolfellow was haranguing the men, +gesticulating violently, and pointing excitedly towards the large +shed. Matthew had in reality just heard of the fray, and had at once +run up to do what he could to stop it. But George Fairburn did not +know this. "The knave!" he exclaimed, beside himself with anger, "he's +the very ringleader of the party! He's kept himself till now in the +background. But he shall pay for his pains!" + +Flinging back the bars, George dashed forth upon the ale-drinking +group his little band following at his heels. With a shout they +swooped down upon the foe, and in an instant a score of heads were +broken, the luckless owners flung in all directions around the cask. +One of the prostrate ones held the spigot in his hand, and the +remainder of the liquor bubbled itself merrily to the ground. + +So utterly unprepared were the fellows for the onset, and so mauled +were they in the very first rush, that a general alarm was raised. In +the darkening they imagined themselves surrounded by a strong +reinforcement of the Fairburn party, and at once there was a wild +stampede from the premises. Men and hobbledehoys stumbled off in hot +haste, pursued by the victorious handful under George. + +Not that George himself gave any heed to all this. At the very first +he had dashed to the spot where Matthew Blackett was excitedly +shouting to the rioters. + +"Coward!" cried Fairburn, "to set on your scoundrelly fellows--" + +"Set on the fellows!" Matthew began in amazement, but he got no +farther. + +"Up with your fists!" cried George, "and we will see which is the +better man!" + +There was no time for explanations, though young Blackett opened his +mouth to speak. He had in truth but time to throw up his hands to ward +off George's vigorous blow, and the next moment the fight was in full +swing. Matthew was no coward, and once in for warm work, he played his +part manfully. At it the two boys went, each hitting hard, and both +coming in for a considerable share of pummelling. For a time none +heeded them, every man having enough to do in other quarters. But at +length they were surrounded by a small group of the Fairburn men who +had now driven off the enemy and remained masters of the field. + +Once or twice, when the two stopped a moment to recover breath, +Matthew opened his mouth again to make an explanation, but as often +his pride held him back, and he said nothing. So the fight went on. + +How long this fierce duel might have lasted it is hard to say. But +just as the boys were almost at the end of their strength there was an +effective interruption. It was time, for both combatants were heavily +punished. They had not been so ill-matched as one might at first sight +have suspected. George was the stronger and harder fellow, but Matthew +had the advantage in the matter of height, and more particularly in +length of arm, which enabled him to get in a blow when his opponent's +fell short; though the less robust of the two he had as much pluck as +pride, and would have fought on to the last gasp. + +The sound of clattering hoofs was heard, and, from opposite quarters, +two horsemen dashed up. They were Mr. Blackett and the elder Fairburn. + + + + +CHAPTER III + +THE FIRE AT BINFIELD TOWERS + + +The fight stopped even more suddenly than it had begun, and the two +combatants stood away from each other, with hanging heads but with +fists still clenched. + +Fairburn took a glance around on the destruction, a thing he was able +to do by the glare from some burning wreckage which had now got well +into a blaze. Then his eyes wandered down to the two boys with their +bruised and bleeding countenances, and finally up into Mr. Blackett's +face. + +"So this is the kind of thing your Tory and your Jacobite is capable +of!" he remarked with stinging scorn to his richer rival. + +"Don't you think, Mr. Fairburn," answered the Squire with dignified +calmness, restraining himself marvellously well, "don't you think that +instead of vilifying a cause as far above your comprehension as the +majority of its advocates are above you in breeding, in education, in +station, it would be more sensible to give me your help in attending +to these poor misguided fellows lying wounded on all sides?" + +Fairburn winced; his rival had certainly the advantage in the +controversy, and none knew it better than the two boys. George did not +fail to observe the little flush of satisfaction that for an instant +lit up his antagonist's countenance, and, like his father, he too +winced. + +However, not another needless word was said, while the two men and +their sons, with the help of some of the Fairburn colliers who were +still on the spot, gave attention to the wounded and extinguished the +burning rubbish. Then the Blacketts, father and son, raising their +hats to the Fairburns, took their departure. + +It may well be supposed that this series of unhappy incidents did not +tend to narrow the breach between the two colliery owners and their +people. Fairburn, unlike his old self, was greatly incensed, and +talked much of prosecutions and so forth. But nothing came of it, the +man's sound native sense presently leading him to adopt George's +opinion. Said the boy, "Where would be the good, father? Their side +got most of the broken heads anyhow, and that's enough for us." It was +a youngster's view of the case, but it had its merits. + +So Fairburn grumbled and rebuilt his few wrecked sheds, his grumblings +dying out as the work proceeded. George's own thoughts were bitter +enough, however, so far as Matthew Blackett was concerned. He could +not get it out of his head that the young squire, as the folks around +styled Matthew, was at the bottom of the riot and indeed secretly its +ringleader. + +A month or two passed away, and spring came. One day the elder +Fairburn, on his return from London in his collier, made a great +announcement. + +"I've got you a grand place, my lad," he said. "It is in the office of +Mr. Allan, one of the finest shipping-merchants in London. 'Tis a very +great favour, and will be the making of you, if you prove to be the +lad I take you to be. You are now fifteen, and it is time you went +from home to try your fortune; in fact, you'll be all the better away +from here--for certain reasons I need not go into. You are a lucky +lad, George,--I wish I had had half your chance when I was in my +teens." + +The son knew very well from his father's tone and manner that it was +useless to argue the matter with him. To London he would have to go, +and he prepared to face the unwelcome prospect like a man. + +Yet, to add to his chagrin and disappointment, there came to him just +at that time the news that young Blackett was proposing to enter the +army as soon as he was old enough. The Squire was anxious that his son +should have a commission, and as he was wealthy, and his party was now +decidedly winning in the political race, there would not only be no +difficulties in Matthew's way, but a fine prospect of advancement for +the youth. + +"Who would have thought that that lanky weakling would choose a +soldier's trade!" George Fairburn said to himself. "I had quite +expected him to go to Oxford and become either a barrister or a +bishop. He's a lucky fellow! And I--I am--well, never mind; it's silly +to go on in this way. I don't like Blackett, but I am bound to confess +he's got good fighting stuff in him." + +When William III was on his deathbed he is reported to have said, "I +see another scene, and could wish to live a little longer." His keen +political foresight was soon confirmed. It was in March, 1702, he +died; in the May of the same year war was proclaimed, the combination +of powers known as the Grand Alliance on the one side, Louis XIV, the +Grand Monarque, on the other. The nations belonging to the Grand +Alliance were at first England, Holland, and the Empire; at later +dates Sweden, Denmark, and most of the States of Germany came in, a +strong league. But it was needed. Louis was the most powerful +sovereign in Europe, and France the richest nation. To its resources +were added those of Spain and her dependencies; for the most part, at +any rate, for there were portions even of Spain which would have +preferred the Archduke Charles to Philip of France, and it was the +cause of Charles that England and the other members of the Alliance +were espousing. Thus began the war known in history as the War of the +Spanish Succession, which for several years gave work to some of the +most remarkable generals in European story. + +Of these great soldiers, John Churchill, Duke of Marlborough, or +rather, as he was at the outbreak of the war, the Earl of Marlborough, +was at once the most gifted with military genius and the most +successful. He was now fifty-two years of age, and one of the leading +men at the Court of Queen Anne. He had seen a fair amount of military +service, and had earned the praise of William III, a judge of the +first order in such matters. But the England of that day could not be +blamed if it failed to foresee the brilliancy of fame with which its +general would ere long surround himself. + +[Illustration: Map Of Western Europe In The Time Of Queen Anne. The +shading represents the dominions of Louis XIV.] + +He was known as a brave and an able officer, not much more, except +that he was known also to be a great miser. His wife, Sarah Jennings, +now the Countess of Marlborough, was in high favour with the new +Queen; indeed, she was at that time the most influential subject in +the kingdom. + +To Marlborough, then, was given the command of the combined English +and Dutch forces. + +It needs no telling that the declaration of war, a war in which the +greater part of Europe would most likely be involved, caused no small +consternation among those whose business was with the sea and with +shipping. Fairburn's business necessitated that his single brig should +be constantly running to and from London, and it was early rumoured +that French cruisers and privateers were prowling about the North Sea +and the Channel. A schooner of considerable size, belonging to Squire +Blackett, had, indeed, been chased, off the Norfolk coast, and had +escaped only by the fact that it was lightly laden--it was returning +in ballast to the Tyne--and by its superior sailing qualities. Such +things brought home to every collier the realities of the situation. +George's mother grew alarmed. + +"Who knows," said the good woman, "whether the same Frenchman may not +still be on the watch, and seize the _Ouseburn Lassie_ and her cargo; +and, worse than all, my dear boy on board of her?" + +Her husband was not without his fears either, but George laughed at +the notion of capture by a French vessel. + +"I'll go and have a talk with old Abbott, the skipper," he said, "and +see what he thinks about it." + +"Well, George, my lad," the old salt said when the boy questioned him +on the point, "it's like this. It's not impossible we may get a +Frenchy down on us. But we shan't strike our colours if there's the +least chance of doing anything by a bit of fighting. The master's a +man of peace, but between you and me"--the old fellow sank his voice +to a whisper--"I've got stowed away, unbeknown to him, four tidy +little guns; real beauties they are, if small. You shall help me to +use 'em on the Mounseers, if they won't leave us alone." + +To a lad of George Fairburn's stamp such a prospect was glorious. +"I'm quite ready to go, mother," he announced, "on the brig's very next +trip." Mother and father made no reply, but the former turned away to +hide her tears. The lad must go and begin his new life. For a few days +all was bustle and preparation, George in the seventh heaven of +delight. The long voyage in a grimy and uncomfortable collier had no +terrors for him; he was too much accustomed to coal dust for that. And +was there not a chance that before the Thames was reached he might see +a brush with a Frenchman? + +The last evening at home for him came, and he took a stroll to get a +final look at the familiar surroundings. It was now the very heart of +summer, the weather glorious: could any boy be sad at such a time, +even though there was before him the parting from home, from an +indulgent and much-loved mother, from a just and honourable as well as +affectionate father? George whistled and sang as he wandered across +the fields, careless whither his footsteps led him. + +As fate would have it, he was proceeding generally in the direction of +Mr. Blackett's great house, Binfield Towers, a mansion almost entirely +hidden by thick woods from the public gaze. George knew these woods +well, with their acres of bluebells and their breadths of primroses in +the Spring, and their wealth of dogroses in June. He turned into the +footpath that crossed the plantations, and presently found himself +gazing at the mansion a hundred yards away. The place was almost new, +the style that was known in later days as Queen Anne's. But George +knew nothing of architectural styles, and was idly counting the +multitude of windows when he was startled by a cracked old voice +calling to him from the other side of the fence that separated the +wood from the grassplots in front of the house. + +"For God's sake, come along and help, my good lad," cried an old man +in livery, beckoning him frantically. + +"What's the matter?" George asked quickly. + +"The house is on fire," was the reply, "and there's nobody at home but +the women folk, except old Reuben, and he's just about as much use as +me, and that's none at all, I reckon." + +"Where's Mr. Blackett?" the lad asked as he cleared the fence at a +bound, and stood by the old man's side on the lawn. + +"Gone off to a party, and young Master Matthew with him. Run and do +what you can, for Heaven's sake, and I'll follow." + +George bounded across the grass like a hare, and bolted into the house +without ceremony, for he now perceived smoke issuing from several of +the front windows. In the hall he found old Reuben, the aged butler, +whom Mr. Blackett still provided with a home, doing what he could to +stay the progress of the flames, by throwing upon the burning +staircase little pailfuls of water brought by the maid servants. But, +in truth most of the women were screaming, and those who were not were +fainting. + +"I'm almost moidered with it all," the old fellow cried helplessly, to +which the superannuated gardener, who now came wheezing in, added, +"Aye, we're both on us moidered." + +George glanced at the futile old couple, then cast his eye upwards, to +the various stretches of the grand staircase which could be seen from +the well below. Almost every length of the banisters was blazing, and +the cracked and broken skylight above caused a fierce upward draught. + +"It's at the top the water should be poured down," George cried, +taking in the situation in an instant. "I'll see if I can get up." And +in spite of the shouts of the old fellows, and the redoubled shrieks +of the maids, the lad skipped up two or three of the flights that +zigzagged up the staircase well. + +At the second floor, however, he was almost overwhelmed by a great +mass of smoke mingled with flame that shot suddenly out of the long +corridor running right and left. Blinded, choked, scorched, George +staggered back, tripped, and with a clatter fell down the six or eight +steps he had mounted of that flight, and lay for a moment on the broad +carpeted landing half-dazed. But speedily recovering himself, he +perceived that the portion of the stairs from which he had just fallen +was now blazing fiercely. + +"It is useless!" he cried to himself, as he turned to descend to the +servants below. + +Then, before he had made two steps agonizing shrieks rang out from +somewhere above, and he stopped dead, almost appalled. + +"Miss Mary and Mrs. Maynard!" he heard the old men shout from below, +and the cries of the women servants grew frantic, as the little band +gazed terror-stricken upwards. George, too, cast his eyes aloft, and +there, to his utter dismay, were dimly seen through the smoke a couple +of female forms peeping from the topmost corridor. + +He knew well enough by sight Mr. Blackett's little daughter of eleven +and her governess, a stately old lady, said to be an impoverished +relative of the Squire himself. The little pony chaise in which the +two were wont to drive about the neighbourhood was, indeed, familiar +to every soul in the district. + +"We had forgotten them, we had forgotten them!" came a voice just +below him, and there stood old Reuben, who had pulled himself up the +steps a little way. "They are lost!" the aged servant moaned. "Oh +dear, oh dear!" And the poor old fellow blundered down the steps +again, weeping like a child. + +"Is there any other staircase up to the top of the house?" the boy +called after him. + +"Only that in the servants' wing," was the reply, "and that is gone +already. God help us all!" + +"Any long ladders about? And the stablemen, where are they all?" + +"Coachman with the Squire, the grooms gone off to the town for an hour +or two." Reuben shook his head sorrowfully. + +George waited no longer. With a bound he darted up the stairs again, +and in a moment had reached the spot where the fire was fiercest. +Without hesitation he dashed on, watching his chance after a big gust +of smoke and flame had surged across the well. Through the fire he +rushed, protecting his face with his arms, and stumbling blindly on. +The worst was soon passed, and the next instant he had gained the top +of the staircase. + +"Save her--_her_!" Mrs. Maynard cried piteously, "leave _me_, and see +to _her_, for mercy's sake!" + +George caught the girl in his arms and prepared to make a dash down +the staircase. But he drew back in dismay. A big piece of the burning +banister below them fell with a crash and a shower of sparks to the +bottom of the well. + +"It is impossible!" he cried. "Let us see what can be done from one of +the windows." And the three ran to the end of the corridor farthest +away from the fire. Into a room George dashed, and threw up the +window. It was Mary's playroom, and it was in this place that she and +her governess had been till now too much frightened by the flames and +smoke to make a dash for safety. + +Alas! there was no way of escape. The height from the ground was too +great; to leap meant certain death. George gazed frantically down and +around, to see if any help was arriving. Not a soul was to be seen. +Smoke was pouring from almost every window. The ladies were speechless +with alarm when they saw the look of despair on the boy's face. + +"Don't leave us!" Mary pleaded piteously. + +"No, no!" cried George. "We'll find a way yet." But cheerfully as he +spoke, in his heart he almost despaired. + +It was but a few seconds the three had been in the playroom, but when +they looked out into the corridor again, to their horror they found it +blazing, the flames leaping towards them with astonishing bounds, +carried along by the evening breeze that had sprung up. The sight +seemed to drive Mrs. Maynard demented. With a shriek she darted away, +sped along the burning passage, and before the boy and girl could +realize the situation, she had dashed down the blazing staircase. The +sound of a crash and a fearful scream reached their ears, telling +their own tale. The girl clung to George, her head sank, and she +fainted. + +Desperate now, the lad placed her on the floor, and, thrusting his +head from the window, perceived that he could clamber up the two or +three feet of rain spout that ran close by, and gain a position on the +roof just overhead. If he could gain that, he thought he might run to +a further wing of the building that seemed at present untouched by the +fire. But the girl, what of her? He cast his eyes about and descried +two or three skipping ropes in a corner. Hastily he tied them end to +end, fastened a portion round Mary's waist, his movements hastened by +the burst of flame that just then shot into the room. Then clambering +desperately to the roof, the rope in his teeth, he got a footing on +the parapet, and began to haul up the fainting girl. + +Hand over hand he hauled up the cord and its burden. The child was +dangling between earth and sky when suddenly a great shout came from +below. George glanced down, and there, running with up-turned +horror-stricken face, was Matthew Blackett. Help at last! But had it +come too late? + + + + +CHAPTER IV + +THE RESCUE + + +Matthew stopped short, unable to move a yard further, his eyes fixed +upon the slight form hanging so dangerously high above him. It was +truly an awful moment for both the lads, a moment never afterwards to +be forgotten by either of them. The time of suspense was but seconds; +it seemed years. But George, his knees firmly pressed against the low +parapet wall that ran along the top in front of the house, had no +difficulty in supporting the weight, and not too much in actually +hauling up his living burden. Another moment and he had seized one arm +with a strong grip; the next he had pulled the child to him on the +roof. + +"Safe! thank God!" he murmured, almost breathless with his exertions +and still more with his agitation. + +Safe! As if to mock him a great tongue of flame shot from the window +from which rescuer and rescued had but now emerged, and a cry of +despair rose from Matthew below. + +"Run for the library!" Blackett shouted, a thought suddenly striking +him. "Run, run!" And the boy pointed to a sort of wing, an addition to +the mansion recently made by the Squire, and devoted to his books and +the extensive and valuable collection of antiquities and curiosities +of which he was very proud. This building was connected with the body +of the house by only one small arched door, on the ground-floor. + +George understood, and cautiously but rapidly edging his way along the +broad leaden gutter behind the parapet, he drew the girl, by this time +conscious once more, but dazed with fright, to the outlying portion of +the roof, which was as yet untouched by the flames. He peered over for +Matthew, but could see nothing of him. + +For the moment the two were in no danger. But the flames were already +licking the portion of the library immediately adjoining the house +proper; soon the whole wing must be ablaze. The boy gazed wildly +around, to see if there was any means, however risky or even +desperate, by which escape might be made. He saw nothing but the +slender branches of a magnificent yew that grew in the retired garden +behind and close to the library. These boughs overtopped even the tall +building, and some of them overhung the roof a little. But the nearest +of them was ten feet above the heads of the two, and hopelessly out of +reach. Would that some great gust of wind would drive those branches +within clutching distance! + +This tantalizing thought had hardly taken possession of George's mind +when his attention was attracted by shouts from below. Peering down he +was astonished to see Matthew rapidly climbing the yew. The same +thought had struck him also! Up the climber swarmed, higher and +higher. Then he began without hesitation to crawl along some of the +topmost branches that overhung the library roof. Outwards he crept, +embracing tightly half a dozen of the long thin boughs; they seemed +but little more than twigs. + +"You'll be dashed to pieces!" Mary cried; "go back, go back!" + +"Haven't you a rope anywhere?" George asked eagerly. + +"Every rope and ladder locked up in the stable yard," was the +breathless reply, "and the men away. This is our only chance. Catch +hold." + +As Matthew spoke, the end of the long swaying branches, swinging ever +lower, came down to the roof, and a good yard or more of the greenery +was within George's grasp. Matthew lay at full length on his +collection of boughs in order that his weight might keep the ends +down. It was a precarious position truly, but Matthew was very light, +and had absolutely no fear for himself. + +"Lash her well to three or four of the strongest of the boughs," he +said hurriedly; "give the rope half a dozen good turns about her waist +and the boughs. They are yew and very tough. Quick!" + +Hardly knowing what he was doing, George obeyed. He was a bit of a +sailor, and in a couple of minutes he had bound the child to the +branches in a way to satisfy even Matthew, who still lay amongst the +foliage, some three yards away. + +"Now cling for your life to the rest of the branches you've got, +Fairburn, till I go down to the long thick arm there below. Can you +hold?" + +"Yes!" cried the other cheerfully, light beginning to dawn upon him. +"I can hold on; you go down." + +Matthew moved down, and the branches, relieved of their burden, began +to exert a considerable upward pull. But the weight of the boy and the +girl held down the ends, and they awaited Matthew's call. It soon +came, though the interval of waiting seemed an age. + +"Now then!" came the shout, and George could see his quondam enemy +firmly seated on a stout branch that had been cut shorter, its foliage +having interfered with the light of one of the windows of the library. +Matthew was sitting astride, his legs firmly gripping the branch. "Now +drop yourselves over," he went on. "You'll fall right on the top of +me, and I'll grab you. Throw one arm round Mary's waist, and then +seize the branches with both hands and stick tight." + +"I'll stick like a leech," George replied, "but it's a fearful drop." + +"There's no other way, none! See! the blaze has caught the library +roof behind you! It will be upon you in another minute. Drop over, for +pity's sake!" + +George set his teeth, placed one arm round the child's slender form, +gripped hard a handful of the pliant boughs, and dropped over the +parapet, Mary closing her eyes in her mortal fright. With a huge swing +the branches bent, and in an instant the two were swaying a good +fifteen feet below, George almost jerked from his hold. The boughs +creaked but did not snap. + +"Thank heaven!" cried Matthew, "I have you!" And reaching up, he got a +grip of George's foot and dragged down the swinging pair. + +"Grab the branch with your legs, Fairburn! and I'll cut Mary clear." + +No sooner said than done. By the aid of a good clasp-knife Matthew +severed the cords and secured his little sister, her weight, however, +as it came upon him, almost knocking him from his perch. But he held +desperately, and in another moment had Mary on the branch beside him. +Then George, throwing his legs apart, suddenly loosed his hold of the +branches and dropped also astride of the bough, which he grasped tight +with both hands. He swung round and hung from the branch head +downwards. But the next minute he had righted himself, and was ready +to help with Mary. + +The rescue was complete. To guide the child along the branch, towards +the middle of the tree, and then to lower her from limb to limb of the +old yew was mere play to the two boys. The three dropped the last four +or five feet to earth just as a man rushed forward with a great cry, +to clasp in his arms the fainting girl. + +"God is merciful!" he ejaculated. It was Squire Blackett, who had +arrived just in time to see his beloved child saved from an awful +fate. + +For a few moments father and children clung to each other. When at +length they looked round to express their gratitude to the plucky +rescuer, he was nowhere to be seen. Seeing a great crowd of the +Blackett pitmen arrive with a run, George had felt that he could be of +no more use, and slipping into the wood had made for home. He wanted +no thanks, and moreover the brig was to sail at four in the morning, +at which time the tide would serve. + +"He's gone--George has gone!" cried Matthew. + +"We can never repay him," murmured Mr. Blackett. "We must go on to see +him at the earliest moment in the morning." + +When Mr. Blackett, with Matthew and the rescued Mary, drove early next +day to the Fairburns' house, it was only to learn that George had +sailed for London some hours before. There was no help for it, and all +they could do was to overwhelm the father and mother with words of +gratitude and praise. They informed the Fairburns that by the +exertions of the men the library and its contents had been saved; the +rest of the mansion was left a wreck. Mrs. Maynard had been drawn from +the mass of burning rubbish at the foot of the staircase, and was now +lying between life and death. + +George had had a bad quarter of an hour at the parting from his +parents, but by the time the vessel felt the swell of the open sea he +was full of spirits again. The sea voyage, even in a dirty collier, +was a delight. Then there was London the wonderful at the end of it, +and he had long desired to see the great capital of which he had heard +and read so much. + +The London of Queen Anne's reign was not the huge overgrown London of +our own day. But it was a notable city, and to George Fairburn and his +contemporaries the grandest city in the world. The Great Fire had +taken place but twenty years before George was born, yet already the +city had risen from its ashes, with wider and nobler streets, and with +a multitude of handsome churches which Wren had built. The new and +magnificent St. Paul's, the great architect's proudest work, was +rapidly approaching completion. George's father had witnessed the +opening for worship of a portion of the cathedral five years before, +and soon the stupendous dome, which was beginning to tower high above +the city, would be finished. Sir Thomas Gresham's Exchange, the centre +of the business life of the city, had been replaced by another and not +less noble edifice. The great capital contained a population of well +over half a million souls, a number that seemed incredible to those +who knew only Bristol, and York, and Norwich, the English cities next +in size. The houses stretched continuously from the city boundary to +Westminster, and soon the two would be but one vast town. George had +heard much of London Bridge, with its shops and its incessant stream +of passengers and vehicles, and he hoped to visit the pleasant +villages of Kensington and Islington, and many another that lay within +a walk of great London. He hoped one day, too, to get a glimpse of +some of the clever wits, Mat Prior, Wycherley, Dick Steele, and +others, who haunted the coffee-houses of the capital, and of the +rising young writer, Mr. Addison, not to mention a greater than them +all, the incomparable Sir Isaac Newton. For George had ever been a +great reader, even while he loved a good game as well as any boy in +the land. + +It was many a long year, however, ere George Fairburn was destined to +see the mighty capital. Once fairly at sea, the skipper brought out +and mounted his four little guns, to the lad's huge joy. + +"You mean business, captain," he remarked with a merry laugh. + +"I do, if there comes along a Frenchy who won't leave us alone," the +old fellow replied, "leastways if she isn't too big a craft for us +altogether." + +The evening was coming in, the town of Yarmouth faintly visible +through the haze, when suddenly the crew of the _Ouseburn Lassie_ +became aware of a big vessel in the offing. + +"She's giving chase, by thunder!" cried the skipper, after he had +taken a long look through the glass; and all was excitement on board +the brig. Anxiously all hands watched the stranger, and at last the +shout went up, "She's a Frenchy!" + +"Aye, and a big 'un at that," somebody added. + +Hastily the preparations were made to receive her, though the captain +shook his head even as he gave his orders. + +"It's no go," he whispered to George. "We've got these four small +guns, but what's the good? We've nobody to man 'em; only a couple on +'em, leastways. And the Frenchman's a monster." + +"We'll show them a bit of fight all the same," George put in eagerly. +The old salt shook his head again. + +Quickly the big vessel overhauled the collier brig, and signals were +made to pull down her flag, whereupon the Englishman grunted. + +Within a minute a puff was seen, and a round shot whizzed close past +the _Ouseburn Lassie's_ bows. + +"Give them a reply!" George urged in great excitement. + +"Wait a bit, my lad," and the skipper bided his time. + +"Now!" came the order at length, and a couple of eight-pound balls +flew straight to the Frenchman. + +"Well hit!" shouted the Englishmen, as a shower of splinters was seen +to fly upwards from the enemy's deck. + +"It's enough to show 'em we've got mettle in us," growled the old +captain, "and that's all we can say." + +His words were justified, for the next moment there came another +flash, and with a crash the brig's mast went by the board. + +"Done for!" groaned the skipper. "We shall see the inside of a French +prison, I reckon." + +The enemy's long boat put out with a crew four times that of the brig. +Within a quarter of an hour the Englishmen had all been transferred to +the _Louis Treize_, and an officer and half a dozen men left in charge +of the prize. The Frenchman at once set a course for Dunkirk, and, +with a spanking breeze behind her, she made the port in fifteen hours. +The noon of the next day saw George Fairburn and his companions +clapped into a French prison. + +"A bonny come off," the old skipper grumbled, "but we shall ha' to +make the best on it." + +It will not be forgotten that the war just begun was, to put it +bluntly, a war to determine which of two indifferent princes, Philip +of France and Charles of Austria, should have the Spanish crown. Lord +Peterborough declared that it was not worth his country's while to +fight for such "a pair of louts." + +[Illustration: "Now!" came the order.] + +Into the war, however, England had thrown herself, under the direction +of Harley, the famous Tory minister now in power, at home, and with +Marlborough as commander-in-chief of both the English and the Dutch +forces abroad. The General's first aim was to take back from Louis XIV +all those fortresses in the Spanish Netherlands which had been seized +and garrisoned by the French troops as if the country were a French +possession. + +He started from Kaiserwoerth, a town on the Rhine, which his troops had +captured from one of Louis's chief allies, the Elector of Cologne, +before Marlborough arrived to take command. Venloo was taken in +gallant style, and then the important city of Liege, on the Meuse. The +result of the campaign was that the French had been chased from the +Lower Rhine, and Holland, much to its relief, made far more safe from +attack. Returning to England, the victorious commander was given a +grand reception. And no wonder, for it was the first time for many a +year that the French had received a real check. + +While these things were going on in the Netherlands, another leader +under the Grand Alliance, Prince Louis of Baden, took Landau, on the +Rhine, from the French. In Italy, too, the allies triumphed, the +gallant Prince Eugene, presently to be the warm and life-long friend +of Marlborough, defeating the French brilliantly at Cremona, a +fortunate thing for the Empire, which was thus secured from a French +invasion through the Tyrol. + +To crown the successes of the Grand Alliance during the campaign of +1702, the first of the war, the brave sailor Sir George Rooke, +following the Spanish galleons and the French war vessels into the +harbour of Vigo, destroyed the greater number of them. It was a +repetition of Drake's famous expedition to "singe the King of Spain's +beard." + +All these things happened while George Fairburn and other English +prisoners ate their hearts out in captivity at Dunkirk. The lad chafed +under the surveillance to which he was subjected, and never passed a +day without turning over in his mind some scheme of escape. How it was +to be done, he did not see. But he waited for his chance, and +meanwhile, partly to avoid being suspected, and partly to while away +the hours he made friends with the soldiers on guard. He already knew +a little French, and with his natural quickness he soon made rapid +progress. At the end of a month he could get along capitally in the +language; at the end of three months he could speak the tongue +fluently; at the end of nine months--for thus did his term of +captivity drag itself out--he was, so far as the language was +concerned, almost a Frenchman. Thus the winter passed, and the spring +of 1703 came round, George Fairburn still an inmate of a French +prison, hopeless of escape, so far as he could see. + +But his chance came at last suddenly and unexpectedly. One morning he +was escorted to the Hotel de Ville, to interpret for an officer +examining a batch of English prisoners who had been brought in from +the Netherlands border. The way to the town lay at no great distance +from the shore, and he observed how a boat lay close in on the low +sandy beach, no owner in sight. His heart leapt into his mouth, and he +had much ado to keep himself from betraying his thoughts by the flush +that mantled hotly on his cheek. + +One, two, three hundred paces the boat was left behind. Now or never! +Instantly the lad started off back to the spot, his feet flying across +the sand. + +A shout broke from the throats of his astonished guards, and a half +score of bullets whistled after the runaway. George ducked his head +and sped on unhurt. A second volley did little more harm than the +first, merely grazing the lobe of his right ear. The race was furious, +but the lusty English lad was far and away the superior of the heavy +Frenchmen. He gained the boat, the enemy still a hundred paces behind. +The painter was loosely wound round a large stone, and in a trice +George had leapt with it into the little craft. He had just time to +give a vigorous shove off before the pursuers came up, the foremost +dashing into the sea after him. + + + + +CHAPTER V + +GEORGE RECONNOITRES + + +Splash through the water rushed the French soldiers in full chase. +Already they were beginning to cheer, for the leading man had all but +grabbed the boat, and the prisoner was as good as retaken. George +looked down for something with which to strike, for he did not intend +to submit without a struggle, but there was no oar on board. There had +been a small boat-hook, but that he had left sticking in the sand when +he gave his lusty shove off. The pursuer, up to his neck in water, +seized the boat, and for a moment his chin rested on the side. But the +next instant the lad had kicked out with the clumsy wooden shoes he +wore, and the soldier fell back half stunned into the sea. The rest of +the fellows instantly raised their guns, but George did not wince; he +perceived what they in their wild scamper after him had not noticed, +that they had dragged their muskets through the water, and for the +time had rendered the weapons useless. The boy laughed in spite of his +predicament, as he hastily ran up the little sail. + +The breeze at once caught the canvas, and the bark moved briskly away. +But two of the soldiers, who had not entered the sea, hastily +reloading--they had not done so hitherto, after the recent +discharges--levelled their pieces at the retreating prisoner. George +flung himself to the bottom of the boat as he saw the move, and the +bullets whistled harmlessly overhead. Springing up again, he perceived +that he was now beyond range, and with a shout of joy he waved his cap +triumphantly. The whole escape had been planned and successfully +carried out in the space of five minutes. He was free! + +But his joy was presently tempered by the thought of what might +follow. That the men would endeavour to give chase he well knew; +indeed he could make out their forms running in search of another +boat. However, he had gained a start; that was something. As to +whither he was destined to be driven, or how he was to get food and +water, these things were for the present of less consequence than the +fact that he was free. + +Fortune favoured him, for within ten minutes a thickness came on, and +soon the boat was enveloped in fog. The chase was now rendered +impossible to the enemy. Hour after hour George kept his sail hoisted, +driving briskly he knew not whither. + +"I am bound," said he to himself, "to stumble upon either the English +or the Dutch coast, and in either case I shall be among friends." Thus +the lad comforted himself. + +The day wore on, and he was becoming ravenously hungry. He would have +given much for a basin of even the prison _soupe maigre_. The sky was +darkening and he began to feel drowsy; he resigned himself to a night +of hunger. All at once he heard shouts, and the hull of a big vessel +loomed up within a few yards of him. He was instantly wide awake. Was +the stranger French? Thank Heaven, no! She was Dutch built, and as her +flag showed, Dutch owned. Hurrah! + +His cheer attracted the attention of the crew, and much wondering the +sailors drew him up on deck. "A Frenchman," was the verdict in gruff +Dutch. George did not understand Dutch, but he instantly guessed their +meaning. + +"Not I," he cried, in English, and was delighted to be answered in the +same tongue by the skipper. + +George's account of his escape, translated by the captain, set the fat +Dutchmen a-rolling. And, after the lad had had the good square meal +the skipper ordered for him, he spent the evening in going over his +adventures again. The jolly-hearted English lad became an immediate +favourite with the sailors and the soldiers, for, as he soon learnt, +the ship was a Dutch transport carrying troops and stores for the war +in Spain. + +"Where are we, sir?" George inquired of the skipper next morning when +he came on deck, to find a clear sky, and land faintly seen on the +starboard bow. + +"Off the Isle of Wight, my lad," replied the Dutchman. + +"Can't you put me ashore, captain?" he pleaded. + +The master smiled and shook his head. + +"Impossible, boy; you must go with us to Spain. And here comes a +gentleman to speak with you." + +An officer in military uniform approached, and the boy touched his +cap. With the skipper as interpreter the major made George an offer of +service under him. + +"We want fellows of your sort," he said. "And there will be brave +doings in Spain, and plenty of good pay, and glory to be won. Besides, +you will be fighting under one of your own countrymen, most likely Sir +George Rooke himself. Say the word, my good lad." + +George's face flushed. + +"I have always wanted to be a soldier, sir," he stammered. + +"Of course you have, my lad. Then we may take it that the matter is +settled. Good luck go with you, my boy." + +Here then was George Fairburn, who ought to have been driving a quill +in the office of Mr. Allan, shipping merchant, of London, sailing to +join the allied forces in Spain, and to fight against the French. His +head swam with the thought of it. + +But what of George's friends at home all this long while? When +Fairburn learnt that his brig had not arrived in port, though she had +been spoken in Boston Deeps by another collier which was returning to +the Tyne, his heart misgave him. There had been a bad storm on the +coast; it seemed only too likely that the _Ouseburn Lassie_ had gone +down in it! When week after week passed without news it seemed more +and more likely that the vessel had foundered in the gale. News of +captures by French privateers usually filtered through sooner or +later; but for long there were no tidings of the _Ouseburn Lassie_. +The Blacketts did what they could to console the bereaved parents, but +father and mother would not be comforted. At length, months +afterwards, they learnt in a casual way that a collier had been +captured off Yarmouth by a French privateer, about the time the +_Ouseburn Lassie_ was making her trip; at least that was the +construction the Yarmouth salts who saw the affair from the shore put +upon the movements of the two vessels. So a ray of hope came to +Fairburn and his wife. + +"The lad will be somewhere in a French prison," the father said, "and +some day he will be set free and come home to us again." + +The spring of 1703 brought Matthew Blackett's seventeenth birthday, +and with it an ensign's commission in a well-reputed regiment of foot. +He already stood six feet one in his stockings, and mighty proud he +felt when his lanky figure was clothed in his gay uniform. + +"Perhaps I shall come across George in my wanderings," he said, when +he went to bid a very friendly adieu to the Fairburns. "Won't it be +jolly if we do meet!" And the parents were constrained to smile in +spite of their sadness. + +One of the commonest subjects of conversation in our days is the state +of "political parties," and every child of school age can tell you +which is "the party in power." Three hundred years ago such +expressions would not have been understood at all, in their modern +sense, and "government by party" was a thing as yet undreamed of. +Usually the strongest man of his time, whether sovereign or subject, +was the real ruler in England. Elizabeth, for instance, was the sole +mistress in her own realm, though even she was greatly helped by the +famous minister Burleigh. In later times a Strafford, a Laud, an +Oliver Cromwell, a Clarendon presided over the destinies of England. + +But in the second half of the seventeenth century there began that +division of politicians into two sides or parties which has continued +ever since. This division sprang, no doubt, from the civil wars +between King and Parliament, between Cavalier and Roundhead. By the +times of Queen Anne the terms Whig and Tory, replaced in our days for +the most part by Liberal and Conservative, had come into common use, +and no one who desires to understand the history of her reign can +wholly neglect the movements of these two opposing parties in +politics. For Marlborough--with his wife--may be said to be the last +powerful statesman who ruled England without the formal and +acknowledged help of party. Since then the "party in power" has +always, through its chief member, the Prime Minister, and his Cabinet, +been the actual ruler in the State. + +At the beginning of Anne's reign the Whigs were leading in matters of +state, but presently Rochester and Nottingham, the former a very +strong Tory, came into power. Later on, in 1703, the former was +replaced by a more moderate Tory, Harley, and in the following year +St. John succeeded Nottingham. The truth was, Marlborough, beginning +to see that he was more likely to receive support in his great wars +from the Whig side, was working gradually towards the placing of their +party in office, though he himself had all along been a Tory. Thus it +was that he tried to rule with a coalition, or a mixture of Whigs and +Tories. This was in the year 1705, a little after the time to which +this story has as yet been carried. But Marlborough and his Duchess +were still the real power in the land. + +We may rejoin George Fairburn, some three weeks after the day when he +had been picked up by the Dutch transport. With others he had been +landed in the Tagus, and at once drafted into one of the regiments +under the Earl of Galway, a Frenchman by birth, but now, having been +driven out of France by the persecutions he and the rest of the +Protestants had had to endure, a general in the English army. George +learned that Portugal had joined the Grand Alliance, in consequence of +the Methuen Treaty between her and England, by which Portuguese wines +were to be admitted into English ports at a lower customs duty than +those of other countries. This step on the part of Portugal had +greatly enraged the French King, and he had poured his troops into +Spain. The Allies, therefore, were preparing to attack Spain from the +eastern and the western sides of the Peninsula at the same time. So +George and his comrades began their march eastward, while the gallant +admiral Sir George Rooke was attacking Barcelona on the opposite +coast. + +It was a new life for the English lad, and the heavy marches in a hot +climate tried him. But he was growing into a stout youth, and was not +afraid of a bit of hard work. + +"Besides," he would say to himself, when disposed to grumble, "am I +not a soldier? And isn't that what I've always wanted to be? And I +might have been chained up in a French prison still! A thousand times +better be here, even in this scorching place." + +If it seemed odd to the lad that the English soldiers were commanded +by a Frenchman, it was still stranger that the French forces they were +marching to meet were under an Englishman. Yet so it was; the +commander of Louis's army in Spain being the Duke of Berwick, a son of +James II and Arabella Churchill, Marlborough's sister. The two +generals were well matched, according to the opinion that prevailed +among the troops. + +Weeks passed, and as yet George Fairburn had seen no actual fighting. +He was all eager to get into action, and was not much comforted by the +declaration of the old sergeant under whom he marched. + +"Bide your time, my lad," the veteran would say, "you will get your +full share of fighting; enough to satisfy even a fire-eater such as I +can see you're going to be." + +One evening, to his intense delight, the lad was sent forward with a +skirmishing party, a report having come in that the enemy was +concealed somewhere in one of the wooded valleys of the neighbourhood. +After a cautious march of three or four miles, the little company, +commanded by a lieutenant of foot, dropped down into a dingle, at the +bottom of which ran a stream almost everywhere hidden by the thick +growth of trees. The men were startled, on turning a corner in the +break-neck path, to see below them the French flag flying from what +appeared to be an old mill. Scattered about were the roofs of a dozen +cottages, and at the doors could be perceived a number of soldiers +lolling at their ease. + +"The enemy, by Jove!" whispered George, who was leading in his usual +eager fashion, pointing out the flag and the hamlet to the lieutenant. +"Wouldn't it be a good joke to whip off their flag from that old mill, +sir!" + +The officer laughed at the notion; he was not much more than a boy +himself. + +"My lad," said he, "we must know how many the enemy are first." + +"I'll climb to the roof there, and from it I can see right down into +the village and command a view of everything in it." + +"Do you mean to say, youngster, that you would risk it?" the officer +asked in surprise. + +"Oh, wouldn't I, sir," the lad replied with flushed face. "Say the +word, sir, please." + +The lieutenant nodded, saying, "It's worth it. But be cautious." + +The soldiers looked on while the boy carried out his freak, for such +they judged his bit of reconnoitring to be. Cautiously George crept +towards the mill, the sloping roof of which came almost down to the +very hill side. Tying a wisp of long grass and weeds round each boot, +he crawled noiselessly up till within a foot or two of the ridge. He +paused a moment to gaze down the dingle. There, well seen from his +vantage point, a couple of miles away, ran a far larger valley, which +was filled with tents. "The enemy's main body!" he thought. He waved +his arm in the direction of the camp, but his comrades did not +understand the action, as they stood peering down upon the lad from +among the trees higher up the slope. + +Now flat on his face the boy ventured to peep over the roof ridge down +into the village street at no great distance below. Not an eye was +directed upwards, so far as he could see, the men laughing and +chattering gaily as they drank. Then the temptation seized him, and in +a moment he had lifted the flag from the old chimney in which the +staff was loosely set. "I'm in for it now!" he cried to himself, as he +slid like an avalanche down the roof, leapt to the ground, and made +off up the steep slope towards his comrades, the flag triumphantly in +his hand. + +He had reached a spot half way up when suddenly wild shouts were heard +from below, and at the same instant a bullet whistled close past his +ear. A little turn in the path had discovered his head to the enemy. + +"In for a penny, in for a pound," shouted the lieutenant, and the +Englishmen prepared to receive the French soldiers dashing up to the +attack. George stumbled on unhurt, but fell at his officer's feet, +utterly breathless. There he lay, unable to rise, while shots were +rapidly exchanged. For a minute's space it was hot work, but then the +French began to fall back, and with a shout the English handful +followed. Fairburn pulled himself together and stood on the edge of +the rock-shelf where he had fallen breathless. To his horror, he saw a +Frenchman on the shelf below, taking deliberate aim at the lieutenant. + +With a loud cry, the lad sprang down upon the enemy, regardless of the +steepness of the place, and in an instant the man was locked in his +arms, just as the musket report came. Down the two fell, bounding over +two or three shelves of rock, and then pitching headlong some twenty +or thirty feet into the thick brushwood below. + +"You have saved my life, my lad; you are an Englishman worth knowing," +were the next words the boy heard. + +They came buzzing into George's ears some ten minutes later, when, the +brush with the French over, the Englishmen were hastening back to +report to the General. + +"What happened when I fell, sir?" George asked with curiosity, as the +officer walked by the side of the litter. He was astounded to learn +that the Frenchman had been found still held in tight grip, his neck +broken. The enemy had been put to the rout and had fled, leaving their +flag behind them. Moreover, the French camp a couple of miles away had +been spied. + +"You have three ribs broken, Fairburn," the officer went on, "and +you've got about as many bruises as there are days in a year. But what +of that. By Jerusalem! I wish the honour had fallen to me!" + +"I don't mind the wounds a bit, sir," George answered, cheerfully, "so +long as I've been of some use." + +The next day no less a person than the great Earl of Galway himself +came to speak to the wounded lad. + +"I have heard from your lieutenant here the tale of your doings +yesterday," he said, with a smile. "You are a boy of pluck. You are +done for so far as the present campaign is concerned, and must be sent +back to hospital. But there's work cut out yet for a lad of your +mettle." + +George heard all this praise as if in a dream. He was never sure in +after years whether the Earl had really said so much. But Lieutenant +Fieldsend, who was destined to become his comrade on many a +hard-fought field, and his warm friend for life, was always prepared +to tell the full and correct story. + + + + +CHAPTER VI + +THE ROCK OF GIBRALTAR + + +"This is better than lying on one's back in hospital, sir, and better +than dodging about in a close-packed transport." + +The words came from George Fairburn, as with his officer, Lieutenant +Fieldsend, he stood surveying, from its northern vicinity, the +far-famed Rock of Gibraltar. It was the summer of 1704. His doings +since the day of his injuries in the dingle are soon recorded. After +months of sickness and a winter of inaction, his service under Lord +Galway had come to an end, much to his disgust at first. With others, +he had been sent on board a vessel and carried round the coast of +Spain to the neighbourhood of Barcelona, where Sir George Rooke was +operating. The new troops had arrived too late. The Admiral, +despairing of making any impression on the strongly-fortified +Barcelona, was about to sail for home. On the way the idea had come to +Sir George that the commanding fortress of Gibraltar would be worth +trying for. He had accordingly landed a number of troops on the narrow +isthmus of flat land that joins the rock and town of Gibraltar to the +mainland. + +"Yes, Fairburn," the lieutenant replied, with a laugh, "my Lord Galway +foretold that you had work cut out for you. Here it is, I fancy, and +plenty of it." + +It was a striking sight on which the two friends looked--for though +the one was but a private and the other a commissioned officer, yet by +this time Fieldsend and Fairburn had begun their life-long friendship. +Away in front of them towered the huge irregular mass called the Rock +of Gibraltar, or, more commonly, simply "the Rock," with the little +town clustered at its base and on its gentler slopes. To their right +was the indentation in the coast known as the Bay of Gibraltar, which +was protected by a long stone-built jetty, the Old Mole. From this +protection ran a stout sea defence called the Line Wall, with two or +three strong bastions. This wall ended at another projection, the New +Mole. But neither the Line Wall nor the New Mole was visible from the +spot where George and his superior stood. Filling all the narrow neck +of connecting ground were the allied forces just landed, five thousand +of them. Immediately in front stood the only outlet from the city on +its north side, the Land Point gate. + +"I wish they would settle the thing, and either let us get to work or +else re-embark for home," George said, as he sat in what shade he +could find to defend himself against the fierce blaze of the sun. + +"I am with you there, Fairburn," the lieutenant agreed, with a yawn. + +The speakers were alluding to the answer that was expected at any +moment from the garrison within. A formal demand had been made to the +Governor for the surrender of the fortress to the Archduke Charles, +"the rightful King of Spain." This was on the twenty-first of July, +1704. The demand had been made on the part of the Allies by the Prince +of Hesse-Darmstadt, who was present with three Dutch admirals and +several Dutch ships. The English admirals concerned in the siege were, +besides Sir George Rooke, the chief of them, Byng, Sir Cloudesley +Shovel, and Leake. Many famous ships were in the Bay or rode off the +Rock, including Rooke's own vessel, the _Royal Catherine_, and +Shovel's still more famous _Barfleur_. + +The day wore to its close, the guards were posted, and the men +prepared for rest. Then there came the long-expected answer from the +Marquis de Salinas, the Governor of the fortress. It was a stout and +dignified refusal. He and his men had sworn allegiance to King Philip, +the old fellow said, and in Philip's name he held the town and Rock of +Gibraltar, and would continue to hold them as long as he could. + +"That looks like business," cried George, gleefully, to a little group +of his comrades around, and the men smiled at the eager enthusiasm of +the lad. The orders were passed round that the attack should begin +with daybreak on the following morning, and the soldiers went to roost +at once, with easy minds. It was believed that the attack would be but +a harmless bit of child's-play, as it was more than suspected that the +defending force within the town was very small, though how +ridiculously small it really was none of the besiegers at the time +even guessed. + +"Turn out, mate," cried one of the soldiers, shaking George vigorously +by the shoulder, and the boy sprang up to find everybody astir. + +"How I do sleep in this hot country!" he yawned, to which the sergeant +replied with a laugh, "It'll be hotter still before long, my lad, +never fear." + +It was a long time before the first shot was fired, however, the +disposition of the troops and the guns not being complete. At length a +movement was made. The _Dorsetshire_, with Captain Whitaker in +command, was sent to capture a French privateer with twelve guns, +which lay at the Old Mole, and the boom of cannon rose in the air. + +Presently, from near the spot where Lieutenant Fieldsend and his +little company were posted, a shot was fired into the fortifications; +then another, and afterwards a third. Work had begun at last. + +A puff, a boom in the distance, and there came screaming through the +air a big round shot, striking the ground, ploughing it up, and +covering those near with dust and dirt. + +"Quite near enough, eh, sir?" George observed to his lieutenant, as +they shook the earth from their clothing. "And, by Jove, there's +another of them!" A second shot flew just overhead, to do its deadly +work on the unfortunate men who stood immediately behind. George +Fairburn's first task in the siege was to help to carry to the rear +two or three badly wounded men. On the ground lay a couple who needed +no surgeon. + +As yet only a few preliminary shots had been fired into the fortress, +but the defenders were evidently quite ready with their reply, and the +order for a general attack rang out. Within a few minutes the fight +was raging in terrible fashion. From land and sea alike the shot +poured into the town; sailor and soldier joining, and often standing +side by side. As George afterwards expressed it, "any man set his hand +to any job there was to do." Sailors were to be seen on land in many +places, while not a few soldiers helped with the firing on board the +ships. + +All that long morning, however, George Fairburn worked at the gun to +which he had been assigned. Black with smoke, powder, dust, +perspiration, the lad toiled among his companions. For an hour or two +none of the enemy's shots fell very near the spot. But at length, and +almost suddenly, the balls began to fly in too close proximity to be +pleasant. Shot after shot fell within a yard or two of the gun, and +not a few gallant fellows dropped to earth dead or wounded. + +"By Jupiter!" cried the lieutenant, who was assisting, "they have got +our measure at last! I wonder what it is that makes us so +conspicuous." + +Then, looking round, he beheld behind them, and not five yards +distant, a small clump of elder on which some man had tossed the +flaming red shirt he had thrown off in the broiling heat. + +"Ah!" Fieldsend ejaculated, "there's the offender." + +He sprang away and whipped the tell-tale garment from its bush. Just +as he seized it another shot came, striking the gun in front, entirely +disabling the weapon, and then bounding off. When the men, hastily +scattered by the mishap, looked for the lieutenant, he was observed +lying in front of the bush. + +"Dead!" one of the fellows cried. + +"No," answered George, whose keen eyes detected a movement of the +officer's arm, "but he soon will be, if he is left lying there!" +Another shot struck the bush, only just missing the body of the +prostrate man. In a moment George darted forward towards the place, in +spite of the loud warning shouts of his mates. + +He reached the spot, seized Fieldsend by the shoulders, and by main +force dragged him quickly a dozen yards to the right. It was a heavy +task, but the lad was as sturdy a fellow of his years as one might +have found in a week's march, and his efforts were rewarded with a +cheer from his comrades. + +While the shouts were still ringing, yet one more shot came, this time +striking the exact spot where the lieutenant had a moment before been +lying, and ploughing up the little elder bush by its roots. + +"As plucky a job as ever I see!" cried the sergeant, running up with +three or four others, and he slapped George on the back with a +heartiness that made the lad wince. + +The wounded man was hastily carried off the field. + +"More stunned than hurt," reported the surgeon, "a nasty tap on the +left shoulder; but he'll be all right in a day or so." + +Within half an hour George Fairburn found himself on board the +_Dorsetshire_, to assist in the operations against the New Mole. The +signal had come to Captain Whitaker to proceed against that place, and +the ship was headed for the spot. To the surprise of those on board, +they perceived two other ships in advance of them; they were the +_Yarmouth_, Captain Hicks, and the _Lennox_, Captain Jumper, a gallant +pair. Boats from the two vessels were perceived hastening to the +shore. The crews landed, and almost immediately their feet touched +ground a dense cloud was seen to fly up into the air, followed by a +deafening explosion. + +"A mine!" rose from a hundred throats, as the _Dorsetshire_ men +watched with straining eyes. It was true; two score gallant fellows +were afterwards found lying on the fatal ground. + +With a determined rush the _Dorsetshire_ men fell upon the defenders, +and George found himself engaged in a hand-to-hand encounter. It was +all over in a few minutes; the handful of Spaniards could not stand +against so powerful a force, and the New Mole was taken. Hot and +exited, the men were carried against Jumper's Bastion, a strong work a +little to the north of the New Mole, and that place, too, was rushed +in an incredibly short space of time, and with scarcely any loss worth +the naming. From this time George Fairburn kept no count of the long +series of exciting incidents that followed each other, the assault +having been carried to the Line Wall that stretched away northwards to +the Old Mole. + +The attack when at its height was a terrible affair. Sixteen English +ships under the immediate command of Byng, and six Dutch men-of-war +under Admiral Vanderdusen, faced the Line Wall, while three more +English vessels were off the New Mole. + +[Illustration: George found himself engaged in a hand-to-hand +encounter.] + +No place so meagrely manned with defenders as was Gibraltar could long +stand such an attack, and at length the two Moles, and the long Line +Wall between them, were in the hands of the Allies. Of all the +attacking party none showed more vigorous and fearless dash than a +certain lad of sturdy build, and Hicks himself perceived the fact. + +"Who is that boy in your company?" he enquired of the sergeant. + +"Name Fairburn, sir," was the reply; "all along he's been a hot +member," to which the captain said with a smile, as he turned away, +"He most certainly is." + +The next day was a saints' day, and it was strongly suspected, and at +length clearly perceived, that the Spanish sentinels had left their +posts and gone off to mass. It would have been easy to carry the place +at once, but the necessary storming had been done, and the allied +commanders were only waiting for the besieged to give the signal of +capitulation. The besiegers, soldiers and sailors, had nothing to do +but chat. + +Presently some of the sailors declared that it would be a prime joke +to climb the heights and plant their flag there. The notion was taken +up, and presently the temptation grew irresistible to certain of them, +and with merry chuckles the fellows prepared for the task, an +enterprise that was risky in the extreme. + +"I'm one of you!" cried George Fairburn, as he followed the handful of +sailors to the foot of the steep rock. + +"And I!" chimed in yet another voice, and, to George's astonishment, +Lieutenant Fieldsend ran up, his arm in a sling. + +"Better go back, sir," exclaimed the lad, gazing up at the towering +cliff in front of them. + +"Better both on ye go back, I reckon," growled one of the sailors; +"this ain't no job for a landsman." + +Nothing heeding this rebuff, the two soldiers followed up the steep +rock, George giving a hand at the worst spots to his friend and +superior. Up, up, the scaling party mounted, the business becoming +every moment more difficult and more full of danger. More than once +the gallant fellows-in front paused and declared that further progress +was impossible. + +"Oh, go on!" called out George, impatiently, on one of these +occasions, from below, where he was helping up the lieutenant, "or +else let me come," he added, grumblingly. + +The sailor lads needed no spur, however, and amid growing excitement +the summit of their bit of cliff was perceived not far away. In the +dash for the top the active lad passed his fellows in the race, +catching up the foremost man, who held the flag. Seizing the staff, +George Fairburn assisted in the actual planting of the colours. There, +fluttering at the very summit of the Rock, was the English flag, its +unfolding hailed with bursts of cheering, again and again repeated, +from the throngs far below. + +The deed was done, and from that day, the twenty-third of July, 1704, +according to the old reckoning, the third of August by the new style, +the British flag has floated from the Rock of Gibraltar. + +Desperate efforts were made by the garrison to haul down the flag, but +they all failed, and the Governor capitulated. The Prince of +Hesse-Darmstadt was for claiming the fortress, but this Rooke would +not have, and he promptly declared the Rock to be the possession of +his august mistress, Queen Anne. Those of the defenders who were +prepared to take the oath of allegiance to Charles III were permitted +to remain, the rest for the most part retired to St. Roque. + +The handful of harum-scarum fellows who had scaled the heights and +planted the flag before long found themselves facing the great Admiral +Sir George Rooke himself, on his quarter-deck, Lieutenant Fieldsend +and George Fairburn being of the party. The admiral said a few words +of commendation; few as they were, they were a full reward for all the +efforts the little band had made. Rooke kept the lieutenant behind for +a moment. + +"What do you propose to do now, Mr. Lieutenant?" he inquired, with +much kindly condescension; "our work is about finished, and we are +proceeding home." + +"By you leave, Sir George," the young man replied, with flushed face, +"I should like to join his Grace the Duke in the Netherlands, and so +would the lad Fairburn." + +"Good," said the Admiral, approvingly, "we will see what can be done +when we reach Portsmouth. I have heard something of the boy's doings. +He will go far, if he is fortunate." + +Accordingly, when, after a great fight with the French fleet under the +formidable Count of Toulouse, off Malaga, a doubtful affair, the +English ships reached home, the lieutenant and George at once offered +for service under the Duke, and were accepted. They sailed away again, +for the Netherlands, Fieldsend carrying in his pocket a few words of +recommendation from Sir George to the commander-in-chief himself. + +The year 1703 had been a sorry year for Marlborough. In the winter he +had lost his son, the Marquis of Blandford, a promising youth, a +Cambridge student. When the spring operations began, he had found +himself hampered at every turn by the jealousies and oppositions of +the Dutch rulers and their commanders. In despair, Marlborough had +marched up the Rhine and taken Bonn. Meanwhile the French were +striving to reach Vienna, there to attack the Emperor. Returning, the +Duke was all eager to attack the great port and stronghold of Antwerp, +the capture of which would be a heavy blow to Louis. He had, however, +to content himself with seizing Huy, Limburg, and Guilders, a success +more than counterbalanced by the defeat of the Emperor at Hochstaedt, +by the French and Bavarians. Disheartened and disgusted, Marlborough +went home at the end of the summer, and it was only by the strong +persuasion of Lord Godolphin, now at the helm of state, that he +retained his command at all. As a set-off against all these +disappointments, there were two matters for rejoicing. The alliance +with Portugal has already been mentioned; now there came the accession +to the Allies of Savoy, for the Duke of Savoy had quarrelled with +Louis. + +With intense interest, Lieutenant Fieldsend and George Fairburn heard, +on landing in the Netherlands, of the great victory of Blenheim that +had just been gained by the Allies under Marlborough, against the +combined French and Bavarian forces, commanded by the famous generals +Tallard and Marsin, and the two young soldiers hoped to learn more of +the great fight when they reached the front. + +"What a bit of ill-luck not to have been there in time, sir!" George +exclaimed. + +The boy had, during his stay in hospital at Lisbon, communicated with +his parents at home, and, to his delight, had received their consent +to his following the profession of a soldier. "It is useless to stand +in the boy's way," the elder Fairburn had said, "though I could have +wished he had taken up almost any other trade." So the lad had no +hesitation in thus taking service in the army once more. + +When the two, in company with others, reached head quarters, +Lieutenant Fieldsend presented the letter he held from Sir George +Rooke, and was received with the utmost pleasantness by the great +Duke. + +"Humph, Mr. Fieldsend," Marlborough began, when he had glanced over +the contents of the short epistle. "You are a lucky young fellow to +have got Sir George's good word. But where is the lad he speaks +of--Fairburn, I see?" + +"Just outside, your Grace," was the reply, and at a nod the lieutenant +fetched George in. + +The Duke scanned the boy's ruddy face and took note of his sturdy +figure. + +"My lad," he began, "you have begun early. Do you know what request +Sir George makes in this note?" + +"No, sir--my Lord Duke," George stammered in reply, his knees almost +shaking under him. + +"He recommends you for a commission as ensign," the Duke said quietly, +the boy standing almost open-mouthed. "We will give you a short trial +first, for as yet we don't know you. No doubt we soon shall." And the +great man smiled. + +He rapped smartly on the table and an aide-de-camp entered the tent, +saluting. + +"Here, Mr. Blackett," Marlborough gave the order, "take this lad to +your captain, who will see that he is enrolled in your company." + +The next moment George Fairburn was shaking the other hard by the +hand, the astonishment on both sides too great to admit of a word +between them. + + + + +CHAPTER VII + +BLENHEIM + + +"Now I can thank you, my dear Fairburn! We shall never forget it!" +were the first words Blackett uttered, and he pressed George's hand +once more in his warm grip. + +"Forget what, Blackett?" the other asked in surprise, "and for what do +you thank me?" + +"Surely you have not forgotten it all, my dear fellow--Mary--the +fire--your splendid rescue!" + +"Ah!" cried George, "and you have been keeping that in mind all this +time?" + +"Not a doubt of that. As I have just said, and repeat, we can never +forget it. From that day you became the dearest friend of our family, +if you will let us call you so." + +"Let you! Heaven knows I am more than delighted to be so. We are no +longer silly schoolboys to fight for the merest trifle." + +The reconciliation between the old rivals was complete, and the two +boys chatted long together. + +"But you are in a cavalry regiment, I see," remarked George presently, +"and a lieutenant. I understood from my father's letter that you had +joined a line regiment with an ensign's commission." + +"So I did, my boy; but there are queer turns of fortune in war, and +one of them came to me--only a week or two since, it was." And the +lieutenant laughed pleasantly. + +"Tell me how it was," said George, eagerly. + +"It is like singing my own praises, Fairburn," the young officer went +on, "but here goes. I'll put it in a score of words. All last year I +went as Ensign Blackett, seeing bits of service here, there, and +everywhere--at Bonn, on the Rhine, then at Huy, and again at +Guelders--but there was no chance for me. But this summer, as we were +marching here, not a man of us except the Duke himself, with a notion +why we were coming this way at all, we stopped to storm the +Schellenberg, a hill overlooking the Danube near Donauwoerth. We were +all dog tired--dead beat, in fact, for we had marched till we were +almost blind. However, as it was the Duke's, day, he set us at it." + +"Duke's day?" interrupted George, in surprise; "isn't every day the +Duke's day?" + +"It's a funny thing," went on Blackett, laughing, "but as a matter of +fact at that time the Duke was taking alternate days of command with +the Prince of Baden." + +"A queer go!" the listener interjected. + +"Well, to cut my tale short, we made two attacks on that hill, and +both times were driven back. Things began to look like a drawn game, +when up comes Louis, the Prince, you know, with a lot of his Germans, +and at it we went again. In the thick of it, my colonel suddenly +called out, 'Can you ride, Blackett?' 'Try me, sir,' I says. And he +gave me a note for the Duke, telling me that he had not another +officer left who could ride, all our fellows had been laid low or +dispersed. I galloped off like the wind, on a big hard-mouthed brute. +Just as I was nearing the spot where the Duke stood, a dozen Bavarians +suddenly blocked my path and levelled their muskets. I was on a bit of +a slope and above their heads, in a manner, so I kicked up my nag and +in an instant I flew over them, guns and all. It was a clean jump, and +not a shot hit me, by good luck. My horse managed to carry me on to +the Duke, and then fell dead. The poor beggar had caught what had been +intended for me. Well, now I've done. The Duke, who had seen it all, +had me transferred to a cavalry regiment, with the rank of lieutenant, +and here I am." + +"Yes, and here am I, a private, talking in this off-hand sort of way +to a commissioned officer." + +"That's all right, Fairburn," laughed Blackett, "we haven't entered +you yet. It'll be quite time enough to bother about that sort of thing +then. Officially we shall have to be master and man; actually we shall +be brothers." + +Thus the ancient rivals became comrades in arms, and members of the +same regiment, for George from that time was a cavalry man. His other +friend, Fieldsend, was attached to a line regiment again. + +Bit by bit Lieutenant Blackett, during the next days, contrived to +give his friend a full and vivid account of the great battle of +Blenheim, just won by the Allies. He was not a great hand at a tale, +whatever he might be on the field, and we may piece together his story +for him. His adventures and his doings in that memorable fight may +well delay our tale for a little space. + +That year Louis of France had determined to make a vigorous effort, or +rather a series of efforts, and sent various armies to oppose the +different members of the Grand Alliance. But his main plan was to +attack the Empire, making Bavaria, the Elector of which was his only +supporter in that part of the world, his advance post. For some time +Louis had been secretly encouraging Hungary in the rebellion she was +contemplating. He trusted, therefore, that the Emperor would find +himself attacked by his Hungarian subjects to rearward, while he was +engaged with the combined French and Bavarian forces in front. It was +a very fine scheme. + +But there was one man, and only one, who saw through it--Marlborough. +At once the Duke set off southwards, carrying with him also a force of +Dutchmen, deceiving their rulers by a ruse. He sent for the valiant +Prince Eugene to meet him, and the two famous generals saw each other +for the first time. Mutual admiration and friendship sprang up between +them, to last through the rest of their lives. Prince Louis of Baden +had given some trouble by wishing to share the command with +Marlborough. Him they at last got rid of by sending him to take the +important fortress of Ingolstadt, commanding the Danube. Marlborough's +magnificent march from the Netherlands to the upper Danube is one of +the finest things in military story. + +Marlborough and Prince Eugene met with the French and Bavarian forces +near the village of Blenheim, on the same river, and close to +Hochstaedt, the scene of the defeat of the allied troops the year +before, and joyfully the leaders prepared to join battle. The +commanders on the side of the enemy were Marshal Marsin, the Prince of +Bavaria, and Marshal Tallard. The last of these had managed to slip +past Eugene some time before and join his colleagues. + +The order of battle on the side of the Allies was this. The right was +commanded by Eugene, the left by Lord Cutts, a gallant officer, the +centre, a vast body of cavalry mainly, by Marlborough himself. Opposed +to Eugene were the Elector and Marsin, while Tallard faced the Duke, +but on the farther bank of the little brook Nebel, which empties +itself into the Danube just below. Tallard's centre was weak, as he +had crowded no fewer than seventeen battalions into the village of +Blenheim, on his extreme right and close to the bank of the great +river. + +"Now, gentlemen, to your posts." These words, quietly and pleasantly +spoken by Marlborough, began the great battle of Blenheim. It was +about midday, August 13, 1704. The Duke had been waiting till he heard +that Prince Eugene was ready, and he had occupied the interval in +breakfast and prayers. Every man of his division was provided with a +good meal. He himself had attended divine service and had received the +sacrament the evening before. + +Lieutenant Blackett found himself one of a body of 8,000 cavalry, +which were ordered to cross the Nebel so as to be within striking +distance of Tallard's troops drawn up beyond the brook. This work of +crossing was likely to be a long and tedious, not to say a difficult +bit of business, the intervening ground being very boggy. Matthew was +far towards the rear of this large body of horse, and it was evident +that it would be hours before his turn came to cross. In company with +hundreds of his comrades, he began to long for something more +exciting. + +The first division to get into serious action was that under the brave +Lord Cutts, to the left of the allied forces. Cutts went by the +nickname of Salamander, so indifferent was he to danger when under +fire. This gallant leader led his men to attack the village of +Blenheim. Twice the assault was made with the utmost vigour and +determination; twice Cutts was driven back. The village was not only +filled with an immense force of French, but was protected by a strong +palisade. + +A horseman was presently seen galloping towards the spot where the +Duke was posted, and his movements were watched with interest by +Blackett and others of the cavalry waiting their orders to cross. + +"Seems to me he is wounded," the lieutenant observed to a man near +him; to which the other replied, "Yes, he does seem wobbly, doesn't +he?" + +Hardly had the words been spoken when the advancing rider suddenly +fell from his horse, which kept on, however, dragging his master along +by the stirrup. Without a second's delay, Blackett threw his own beast +across the track of the runaway steed, caught his head, and pulled him +up. Then in a moment the youngster was down on the ground to the +assistance of the poor fellow who had fallen. + +"To the Duke!" the man cried, glancing at a note he held tightly +clutched in his hand. "Quick!" he moaned; "I'm shot through the back, +and done for!" + +"Poor fellow!" murmured the lieutenant, and he seized the letter, +sprang with a bound into his saddle, and was off like the wind, before +his companions had quite realized what it all meant. Thus for the +second time within a few days Matthew Blackett presented himself +before his commander in the part of unofficial aide-de-camp. The Duke +nodded as he recognized the lad, and, pencilling a few words of reply, +said, "To Lord Cutts; then back to your post." And as Blackett rode +off like the wind in a bee-line for Cutts's division, Marlborough +murmured, "A fearless fox-hunter, I'll be bound." The order, it was +afterwards found, was for Cutts to make no more attempts on Blenheim, +but to hold himself in readiness when his services should again be +requisitioned. + +Meanwhile, Prince Eugene was having a lively time of it on the right +wing. He began by leading a cavalry charge against the French and +Bavarians, who were under the command of Marsin and the Elector +respectively. In a few minutes he had forced back the front line and +had captured a battery of six guns. On he sped to confront the second +line, and the opposing forces met with a tremendous shock. For a +moment all was doubtful, but the enemy stood their ground stoutly. +Eugene could make no impression and had to fall back. By this time the +scattered front line of the French had rallied, and, in spite of the +Prince's desperate efforts, the battery was retaken. The danger to +that division of the allied forces soon became extreme. To save the +day, Eugene immediately galloped away in person, and returned +presently, bringing a body of Prussian infantry he had in reserve. The +help of these alone saved him from defeat. + +At last! Blackett and his comrades were ordered to advance, and moved +towards the Nebel. The ground was in a shockingly bad state. At its +best marshy and water-logged, it was now a sea of mire. The worst +spots had been bridged over, as it were, by the help of fascines, with +here and there pontoons. By this time, however, many of these had been +shifted from their places by the passage of so many thousands of +horse, and the road became worse and worse as the burn was neared. In +one place the men were compelled to come to a full stop, the ground +being simply impassable. + +"We cannot advance, gentlemen," cried the colonel commanding the +regiment, "till we have done some repairs. Now for willing hands!" + +Some of the officers glanced dubiously at the mud in which the horses +were standing knee-deep, and they did not budge. Not so Matthew +Blackett; with a bound he sprang to the ground, and waded through the +mire, half of his long legs submerged, his brethren endeavouring to +keep their countenances. + +"That's the right way!" sang out the colonel in high commendation, and +a little crowd of the men following the example of the young +lieutenant, the work of repairing the road was soon in rapid progress, +the colonel standing by to direct the operations. Other officers +speedily came to help, rather ashamed to think that they had allowed +the youngster to set them a lead. + +"It's nothing," cried Matthew, cheerfully, as he toiled with a will. +"Many's the time I've stood up to my waist in deadly-cold water +digging out an old dog otter." + +The lad's good-humour and willingness were infectious, and in a +remarkably short space of time the track had been repaired. Then, with +many a joke at each other's expense, the men remounted and pursued +their journey, covered from head to foot with mire, but cheered by the +colonel's approving, "It will serve for all the rest of the horse, my +lads." + +All this time the cavalry were wondering why Tallard took no steps to +stop their passage, and none was more surprised than Marlborough +himself. He did not at the time know that Tallard had left his centre +weak, by sending so many men into the village on the right. Still +less, of course, could the Duke know that Tallard was expecting a very +easy victory. Be that as it may, the Marshal made no move till +Marlborough had got a large part of his men across the stream and had +formed his first line. + +When Blackett arrived on the scene with his regiment he found that a +force of Eugene's cavalry had taken the village of Oberglau, near the +spot. A minute later, almost before the colonel had drawn up his men, +there was a fierce shout, and there came thundering down upon the +village, with almost irresistible shock, a body of the enemy. + +"Irishmen, by Jove!" cried a man by Matthew's side. "They'll fight +like demons!" + +The attack, in truth, came from the Irish Brigade, a doughty body of +Irishmen, exiles from their country, in the service of Louis. Before +the Englishmen realized the situation the Irishmen had dashed clean +through the force occupying Oberglau, and had taken up a position +between the men and Eugene. + +The confusion was extreme, and the allied troops could scarce be got +to face the resistless Irishmen at all. Things looked desperate. The +colonel of Blackett's regiment, seeing the state of things at +Oberglau, as he toured it, shouted, "Go and tell the Duke, Mr. +Blackett!" and away dashed Matthew once more to the General. He was a +pretty spectacle, but he did not give the matter a thought, and his +news prevented the Duke from paying much heed to the condition of the +messenger. + +"Lead the way," came the sharp order, and Blackett thundered on in +front, the great commander with a body of men hard after him, to find +the energetic and plucky colonel fallen badly wounded, and the +regiment in difficulties. With a swoop, the reinforcements fell upon +the Irishmen, and, almost for the first time, Matthew found himself +engaged in a hand-to-hand encounter. He did not know how long the +conflict lasted, but presently he found the enemy in full flight, his +comrades cheering lustily around him. Marlborough's promptitude had +saved the situation. + +"You fought like a very fiend, Blackett," remarked the major, +laughingly, a little later on, when for the moment operations had +ceased, to which Matthew replied simply, "Did I, sir? I don't remember +anything about it," whereat the major laughed again. + +It was five in the afternoon, and there was a lull on the field. Up to +the present neither side could be said to have gained any real +advantage over the other. All the allied cavalry had crossed the +stream, and the men wondered what would come next. + +They were not left long in doubt. The order came to mass the horse in +preparation for a grand charge. For a time the field was a scene of +rapid and puzzling movement, but order was quickly evolved out of the +seeming confusion. + +Then the trumpet rang out, and there bore down upon Tallard a +magnificent body of eight thousand cavalry. Bore _down_, we have +written; the course was slightly upwards, as a matter of fact, from +the stream. There was one check, and the Allies were stopped for a +moment. Then like a whirlwind the horse dashed forward, at a +tremendous speed. + +It was too much. The French fired one volley, then turned and fled. On +the Englishmen galloped, and in a few moments the enemy's line was cut +in two. In two different directions the French cavalry ran, and +Marlborough followed after that section which was making for Blenheim. +It was a wild stampede, and Matthew Blackett, as he dashed after the +retreating enemy, always considered it the most exciting episode in +his life. + +It did not last long. By great good fortune the lieutenant found +himself one of those surrounding Marshal Tallard. Amidst a wild burst +of applause the gallant Frenchman surrendered, and before he knew well +what he was doing, Blackett was leading Tallard's horse by the bridle. +The lad saw the Duke glance towards him as he dismounted to receive +the gallant leader and invite him into his carriage. + +The victory was practically won. There remained only the seventeen +battalions in the village of Blenheim, and these, hemmed in on the one +side, and bounded by the river on the other, gave little trouble. The +poor fellows, in fact, were unable to stir, and many a man of them +sprang into the river in his desperation, only to be hopelessly +carried away by the swift current, and drowned. + +It was a terrible scene of bloodshed, and it was an untold relief to +the Englishmen when their gallant foes in the village gave in. One +French regiment had actually burnt its colours to save them from being +taken. + +Thus ended the great fight of Blenheim, a fight in which the enemy had +lost no fewer than forty out of their sixty thousand men. The Allies +had had fifty thousand troops and had lost eleven thousand of them. +The wonderful renown of the French army had received a mighty blow. No +longer could Louis boast that his troops were invincible. + +To Marlborough the victory brought the royal manor of Woodstock and +the palace of Blenheim. To the humble Matthew Blackett it gave a place +near the great Duke's own person, as we have seen. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +COMRADES IN ARMS + + +It was always a puzzle to George Fairburn that the Duke had so +unexpectedly assigned him to a cavalry regiment, and his friend +Lieutenant Blackett could not help with the solution. + +"I suppose it was just an accident," Matthew said with a laugh; "he +saw a horse-soldier before him in the person of your servant here, and +so turned you over to me. I'm mighty delighted, anyhow, that we are +thrown together. We shall have a good time of it, I feel sure." + +"We shall, if there's plenty to do," George assented with a smile. + +There was plenty to do. At the very moment when the boy and Lieutenant +Fieldsend arrived, the Duke had given orders to prepare for another +long march, and within a couple of days George found himself one of a +large body of troops heading for the Rhine valley. A halt was called +before Landau, and the siege of this stronghold began. The affair +proved to be a slow business, the attacking force being very short of +military material. Days passed; the fortress stood firm, no apparent +impression being made at all. + +"I dare wager the Duke won't stand cooling at this job," remarked +Matthew to George and Fieldsend one evening. The latter with his +regiment was assisting in the siege, and he had already taken a great +liking for Matthew Blackett, a liking Matthew was not slow to +reciprocate. + +The prophecy was not far wrong. Almost before dawn the very next +morning Marlborough was marching, with twelve thousand men, largely +cavalry, towards the Queich valley, across a bit of country that for +badness could hardly be matched even in the wilds of Connemara. On man +and horse tramped, till the ancient city of Treves was reached. The +Duke prepared for a siege, but he was saved the trouble. The garrison +was far too weak to hold the place, and the place fell into his hands +almost without a blow. George Fairburn grumbled at his luck, but was +cheered by Matthew's laughing reply, "Don't seek to rush things too +quickly, my dear lad; your time is coming." + +It was. After ordering the siege of Traerbach, Marlborough flew back +with a portion of his men to Landau, in his own breathless fashion, +and before many hours were over Fairburn was as keenly interested in +the siege as if he had never scampered all the way to Treves and back +again. A week or two passed by, and still the place held out, though +it was plain the end was near. + +One day a sudden assault was planned on a weak spot in the defences, a +spot where some earlier damages had been ineffectively repaired. +George, with a troop of cavalry on foot, under the orders of +Lieutenant Blackett, suddenly started off at the double, spurred by +their officer's "Come along, lads! through or over!" With a roar of +delight the men, mostly young fellows, dashed toward the spot, +regardless of the whistling bullets that flew around. In a breach of +the defences, a place not more than four or five feet wide, stood a +huge Frenchman, whirling his sword over his head. The attackers pulled +up for a moment, all except George, who kept right on, till he was +close upon the big fellow with the sword. The Frenchman lunged out +fiercely at the lad, but the Englishman skipped out of the way like a +cat. Then before the man could use his weapon again George had charged +him head first, like a bull, his body bent double. With a shock his +head came into contact with the fellow's knees, and in a moment the +Frenchman had tumbled helplessly on his face. The rest of Blackett's +little band dashed over the prostrate enemy and into the fortress. The +stronghold was taken. + +"Send Cornet Fairburn to me, Mr. Blackett," said the colonel that same +evening, and much wondering the lieutenant obeyed. + +"Cornet Fairburn sounds well," he remarked to George. "Wonder if the +old colonel has made a mistake about it." + +There was no mistake at all. When George Fairburn returned from his +interview with his commanding officer, it was as Cornet, not as +Trooper Fairburn. It was by the Duke's own order, it appeared. That +night the three friends, all with commissions in their pockets now, +made merry in company. Sir George Rooke's desire had been speedily +realized, and George had taken his first step upwards. + +Marlborough marched to meet the King of Prussia, whom he persuaded to +send some eight thousand troops to the help of the Duke of Savoy, in +Italy. Then he went home to receive his honours, and the memorable +campaign of 1704 came to an end. + +Marlborough was a statesman as well as a brilliant commander, and he +had his work at home as well as abroad, a work the winters enabled him +to deal with. He was now quite aware that his best friends, that is to +say, the chief supporters of his war schemes, were the Whigs, and he +was working more and more energetically to put their party in power. +Harley and St. John took the place of more violent Tories, and in 1705 +a coalition of Whigs and Tories, called the Junto, managed public +affairs, more or less under Marlborough's direction. The Duchess still +held her sway over the Queen, and the two ladies addressed each other +as Mrs. Morley (the Queen) and Mrs. Freeman respectively. Already +there were influences at work to undermine the power of the +Marlboroughs, but their political downfall was not yet. + +Scottish matters were giving a good deal of trouble to the English +government. Two years before, in 1703, the Scotch Parliament had +passed an Act of Security, the object of which was to proclaim a +different sovereign from that of England, unless Scotland should be +guaranteed her own religious establishment and her laws. Now this +year, 1705, the Parliament in London placed severe restrictions on the +Scotch trade with England, and ordered the Border towns to be +fortified. The irritation between the two countries grew and grew, and +war seemed within sight. A commission was accordingly appointed to +consider the terms of an Act of Union, the greater portion of +Scotland, however, being strongly opposed to any such union at all. + +The spring of 1705 found the Allies active once more. The main +interest centres in the Netherlands and in Spain. The Earl of +Peterborough, who took the command in Spain, was one of the most +extraordinary men of his time. His energy and activity were amazing, +and he would dash about the Continent in a fashion that often +astounded his friends and confounded his enemies. No man knew where +Peterborough would next turn up. "In journeys he outrides the post," +Dean Swift wrote of him, and the Dean goes on to say, + + So wonderful his expedition, + When you have not the least suspicion, + He's with you like an apparition. + +Add to this that the Earl was a charming man, full of courage and +enthusiasm, and able to command the unbounded affection of his troops, +and you have the born leader of men. Of Peterborough's brilliant +exploits in the Peninsula in 1705 a whole book might be written. His +chief attention was first given to the important town of Barcelona, a +place which had successfully withstood Rooke, and in the most +remarkable fashion he captured the strong fort of Monjuich, the +citadel of the town, with a force of only 1,200 foot and 200 horse. +Barcelona itself fell for a time into the hands of Peterborough and +the Archduke Charles, now calling himself Charles III of Spain. +Success followed upon success, and whole provinces, Catalonia and +Valencia, were won over. So marvellous was the story of his doings, +indeed, that when, in the course of time, George Fairburn heard it, in +the distant Netherlands, he was disposed to wish he had remained in +Spain. Yet he had done very well, in that same year 1705, as we shall +see. + +Almost from his resumption of the command in the early spring of that +year, Marlborough met with vexations and disappointments. He had +formed the great plan of invading France by way of the Moselle valley, +and our two heroes, who had heard whispers as to the work being cut +out for the Allies, were ready to dance with delight. They were still +frisky boys out of school, one may say. But the plan was opposed in +two quarters. First, the Dutch, statesmen and generals alike, threw +every obstacle in the way. They would not hear of the project. Then +Louis of Baden was in one of his worst sulky fits, and for a time +refused his help. When he did consent to go, he demanded a delay, +pleading that a wound he had received at the Schellenberg, in the +previous year, was not yet fully healed. The troops the Duke expected +did not come in; instead of the 90,000 he wanted, but 30,000 mustered. + +"It is no go," Blackett said to his friend with a groan. + +At this juncture the Emperor Leopold died, and the Archduke's elder +brother Joseph succeeded him. + +"Spain is bound in the long run to drop into the hands of either +France or Austria," the two young officers agreed. Already the lads +were beginning to take an interest in great matters of state, as was +natural in the case of well-educated and intelligent youngsters. And +they felt that when either event should happen it would be a bad day +for the rest of Europe. + +Baffled in his great scheme, Marlborough set his hand to another +important work. Across the province of Brabant in Flanders the French +held a wonderful belt of strongholds, stretching from Namur to +Antwerp. No invasion of France could possibly be made from the +Netherlands so long as Louis held this formidable line of defences. +Moreover, the near presence of these fortresses to Holland was a +standing threat to the Dutch, and, when Marlborough made known his +plans to them, they for once fell in with them. + +Thus it happened that Lieutenant Blackett and his friend Cornet +Fairburn found themselves once more in the thick of war. They had had +a preliminary skirmish or two not long before--the retaking of Huy, +the frightening of Villeroy from Liege, and what not--but now +something more serious was afoot. That the task the Duke had set +himself was a difficult one, every man in his service knew, but they +knew also that he was not a commander likely to be dismayed by mere +difficulties. Villeroy, the leader of the French, had 70,000 troops +with him, a larger force than the Allies could get together. + +It was near Tirlemont that Marlborough began his operations. The march +to the place went on till it was stopped by a small but awkward brook, +the Little Gheet, on the farther side of which the French were very +strongly posted in great numbers. So formidable an affair did the +crossing appear that the Dutch generals objected to the attempt being +made. Marlborough, usually the best-tempered of men, was in a rage, +and determined to push the attack in spite of them. It was the morning +of July 17, 1705. + +"We are in for hard knocks to-day, if appearances go for anything," +Blackett said quietly to George, as their regiment prepared, with the +other cavalry, to open the proceedings. + +"So much the better," was George's laughing answer; "without hard +knocks there is no promotion, eh?" + +All was ready; the bugle rang out the signal for the attack. The long +line of Marlborough's horse fronted the Gheet at no great distance +away, the field-pieces were in position, the infantry and reserves +somewhat to the rear. Beyond the stream, with the advantage of rising +ground, were planted the French guns, supported by a powerful host. + +Away! The cavalry dashed onwards at a terrific pace. A sharp rattle of +musketry rang out, and in a moment a sprinkling of the advancing +troopers fell from their saddles. George Fairburn was already warming +to the work, and he sat his steed firmly. Then a ball struck the +gallant animal, and in an instant the rider was flung over its head. +The young cornet narrowly escaped being trampled to pieces by his +comrades as they swept by in full career. Up he sprang, however, a +trifle stunned for the moment, but otherwise no worse. Quickly +recovering his sword, which had flown from his grasp, he darted after +his more fortunate companions, and arrived breathless on the scene. + +A fierce struggle for the passage of the river was going on, and +desperate fighting was taking place in the very bed of the stream, a +trifle lower down its course. For a time George endeavoured in vain to +find a way through the struggling mass of men and horses to the brink +of the Gheet; the press and the confusion were too great. Accordingly +he ran on behind the lines of horse, to find a place where he might +thrust himself in. Where his own comrades were he could not tell. +Bullets were flying thick around him as he ran, but he did not give +the matter a thought. It was characteristic of him all through his +life, indeed, that when his attention and interest were strongly +engaged on one matter he was all but oblivious to every other +consideration. + +At length his chance appeared, and an opening presented itself. +Springing over the prostrate bodies of men and horses, he reached the +bank. To his surprise the stream seemed to be very deep. As a matter +of fact the waters were dammed lower down by the mass of fallen men +and animals lying across their bed. Without hesitation he dashed into +the flood, his sole thought being to get himself across and so into +the enemy's lines. With his sword held tightly between his teeth, the +boy officer swam, as many another lusty Peterite would have been able +to do. He reached mid stream. + +Suddenly he became aware of a sharp pain in his left shoulder. A +moment later he grew faint. In vain he struggled to keep afloat; the +world grew dark to him, and he sank beneath the surface. + +A tall fellow, fully six foot three in his stockings, if he was an +inch, had just managed to wade through the stream, his nose above the +surface, a comical sight, if anybody had had the time to notice it. +Looking back, this man saw George disappear, and without hesitation he +dashed into the water again. Reaching the spot, he groped about, and +then, with both hands clutching an inanimate form, he dragged his +burden to the bank. + +"George, by Heaven!" he cried, as soon as he could get a glimpse of +the features. It was true; Matthew Blackett had saved his friend's +life at the risk of his own. And it had been a risk, for a dozen +bullets had splashed around him as he had hauled his heavy load along. + +"Blackett!" exclaimed Fairburn, a moment or two later, when, +recovering, he opened his eyes. "Where's your horse?" + +"Done for, poor wretch! And yours?" + +"Shot under me, at the very first volley. And it was you who dragged +me out! I shall remember it! But here we are on the right side; come +on!" + +The lads gripped each other warmly by the hand, and side by side +dashed on into the thick of the _melee_. A large number of the allied +cavalry had by this time made good their passage across, in spite of +the fiercest opposition on the part of the enemy. In vain Blackett +urged his companion to withdraw and get himself away with his wounded +arm. George would not budge an inch. It was only a flesh wound, it +afterwards appeared. So the two North-country lads stood by each +other. For an hour or more they were hotly engaged, the enemy falling +back inch by inch. + +Then came ringing cheers. The French had abandoned the position; the +famous and hitherto impregnable line of defences had been broken. Our +heroes breathed more freely when a short respite came. But the +interval of rest was short. Colonel Rhodes, their commanding officer, +catching sight of the pair, as he was collecting his men again, +joyfully hailed them, and a minute later George and Matthew, provided +once more with mounts, were cantering with the rest to the renewed +attack. The enemy had made another stand some distance farther back. + +Another struggle, and this second position was like wise carried, with +a grand sweep. Victory was at hand. + +Suddenly a startling report ran through the English lines. The Duke +was missing! Where was the mighty General? was the question on every +lip. Somebody ran up and said a word to Colonel Rhodes. Instantly the +gallant officer and his men were galloping off to a distant part of +the field, the troopers wondering what was afoot. The explanation soon +appeared. Marlborough had become separated from the main body of his +army, and now, with but a very few men around him, was in imminent +danger of capture by the French troops, who were pouring thick upon +the spot. + +Colonel Rhodes charged at the head of his regiment straight upon the +French, and a lane was cut through. It was a matter of a few minutes. +The Duke was saved, and the enemy retired in woeful disappointment. +The first to reach the Duke were Blackett and Fairburn, and the lads +were flushed with joy and pride when their distinguished leader, +looking at them with a smile, said, with all his old pleasantness of +manner, "Gentlemen, I thank you." + +The Brabant line of strongholds was broken. Villeroy fell back, and +Marlborough had his will on the defences. No inconsiderable section of +the belt was rendered useless. No longer did an impassable barrier +stretch between the Netherlands and France. The importance of the +victory could hardly be overstated. As one writer has well pointed +out, "All Marlborough's operations had hitherto been carried on to the +outside of these lines; thenceforward they were all carried on within +them." + +A day or two later the Duke came to inspect the regiment to which our +boys belonged, just as he was inspecting others. The men with their +officers were drawn up, and the General's eyes ran along the line. +Presently he spoke a word to the colonel in command of the regiment, +and, to their no small confusion, Lieutenant Blackett and Cornet +Fairburn were called out to the front. + +"How old are you?" the Duke inquired, as the youths saluted. + +"Nearly twenty, may it please your Grace." "Just turned nineteen, by +your Grace's leave." Such were the replies. + +"Hum!" said the Duke thoughtfully, "you shall have your promotion in +due course. You are young, and can afford to wait for it." This to +Matthew. "As for you"--turning to George--"you have fairly earned your +lieutenancy." And he turned away. + + + + +CHAPTER IX + +ANNUS MIRABILIS + + +"Don't imagine, my dear lad, that they are going to make captains of +mere boys like ourselves." This was the reply, given with a hearty +laugh, when George Fairburn, after receiving his friend's warm +congratulations at the close of the inspection, was condoling with +Matthew on his failure to get his step. "A captain at twenty is +somewhat unlikely," Blackett went on. "I suppose so," replied George. +"After all we are only glorified schoolboys, some of our fellows tell +us. Yet you look three-and-twenty, if a day. However, all will come in +time, let us hope." + +The brilliant operations on the defence line proved to be but the +prelude to Marlborough's second great life disappointment. He saw his +chance. He had but to follow up his success by a decisive victory over +Villeroy's forces, and the way lay open to Paris. His hopes ran high. + +Alas! the Dutch had to be reckoned with. Eager to follow up his +advantage, Marlborough called for assistance, immediate and effective, +from them; in vain; the assistance did not come, or came too late. +With what help he could get from the Dutch, nevertheless, he went +forward to the Dyle. Here again the Dutch balked him, raising +objections to the crossing of that river. In despair the Duke gathered +his troops, as it happened, strangely enough, on the very spot where, +a hundred years later, another great Duke gained his most famous +victory over the French. Could Marlborough have but had his chance +with Villeroy in that spot, there is little doubt that Europe would +have seen an earlier Waterloo. + +But it was not to be. Just as the Margrave of Baden had stopped his +advance along the Moselle into France the previous year, so now the +supineness and factious opposition of the Dutch prevented Marlborough +from dealing the French power a crushing blow. Deeply disgusted, he +threatened once more to resign his command. "Had I had the same power +I had last year," he wrote, "I could have won a greater victory than +that of Blenheim." It was a bitter trial for him. + +The campaign of 1705 soon after came to a close, and the Duke set off +on what we may call a diplomatic tour among the allied states, his +travels and negotiations producing good results. It was not till the +beginning of 1706 that he went back to England, and thus it was late +in the spring of that year when the campaign was reopened. + +Rejoining his army in the Netherlands, he proposed to make another of +his great marches, namely into Italy, there to join his friend Prince +Eugene in an invasion of France from the south-east. This plan was +made impossible by the crookedness of the kings of Prussia and +Denmark, and some others of the Allies. Swallowing this disappointment +also, as best he might, Marlborough started from the Dyle and advanced +on the great and important stronghold of Namur, at the junction of the +Sambre with the Meuse. Namur had always been greatly esteemed by the +French, and, in dread alarm, Louis ordered Villeroy to take immediate +action. The result was that the two hostile armies, each numbering +about sixty thousand men, met face to face near the village of +Ramillies, half way between Tirlemont and Namur, and near the head +waters of the Great and Little Gheet and the Mehaigne. + +Lieutenants Fairburn and Blackett from their position on a bit of +rising ground could take in the general dispositions of the respective +forces, and the same thought passed through both their minds. The +French and Bavarian troops were drawn up in the form of an arc, whose +ends rested on the villages of Anderkirk, to the north, and Tavieres, +on the Mehaigne, to the south. The villages of Ramillies and Offuz, +with a mound known as the Tomb of Ottomond at the back of the former, +were held by a strong centre. Marlborough, on his part, had disposed +his men along a chord of that arc. If it came to a question of moving +men and guns from one wing to the other, it was plain that the Duke +had the advantage, the distance along an arc being necessarily greater +than that along its chord, and it was that thought which came into the +heads of the two lieutenants. + +Marlborough directed his right to attack the enemy around the village +of Anderkirk, backing up the assault with a contingent from his +centre. Blackett and his friend were soon taking part in the gallop +over the swampy ground in the neighbourhood of the village. A sharp +encounter followed, the Frenchmen beginning to waver. Hereupon +Villeroy in alarm promptly sent from his centre a large number of men +to support his staggering left at Anderkirk, thereby leaving his +centre weak. + +All at once Marlborough withdrew his troops to the high ground +opposite the hamlet of Offuz, as if for a fresh attack. Then sending +back a part to keep up the pretence of continuing the combat in the +marsh, he took advantage of the concealment afforded by the higher +ground, and, cleverly detaching a large body, ordered them to slip +away round to seize Tavieres, on the Mehaigne. George and his friend +were thus separated, the latter being of those who remained in the +swamp to keep up appearances. It was a clever bit of strategy, and, +before Villeroy realized the truth, Tavieres had been rushed with a +splendid charge. The fact that the attack on Anderkirk had been only a +feint came to the French commander's understanding too late. His +centre, with the village of Ramillies and the Tomb of Ottomond +commanding it, the really important positions of the day, was weakened +by the loss of troops sent on a wild-goose chase. + +Ere Villeroy could repair the mischief and summon his men from +Anderkirk, Marlborough had sent down upon the French centre a great +body of cavalry under the command of Auerkerke, the Dutch general. +English and Dutch horse combined in this assault, and George Fairburn +found himself one of a host dashing upon the village of Ramillies. +There was a terrific shock, a few moments of fierce onslaught, and the +first line of the enemy gave way. Through the broken and disorganized +line the cavalry swept, to charge the second. + +Another shock, even greater than the first. The Frenchmen of the +second line stood firm, for were they not the famous Household +Regiment--the Maison du Roi--of Louis, and probably the finest troops +in Europe. The advance of the Allies was instantly checked. In vain +Auerkerke urged on his men; in vain those men renewed the attack. The +enemy stood steadfast; they began to drive back their antagonists; the +position of the Allies was becoming critical. + +"Go and inform the Duke! Quick, quick!" the Dutchman called out to a +young officer whom he had observed fighting with the utmost +determination near by, but who had stopped for a moment to recover his +breath. + +It happened to be Lieutenant Fairburn, and George once more found +himself face to face with the Duke, for the first time since he had +met him after the rush of the French defence line near Tirlemont last +year. Marlborough, the youth could see by his quick glance, knew him +again. In a word or two George delivered his startling message. + +"By Jove, sir," declared the subaltern, when telling his story to his +colonel afterwards, "never did I see so spry a bit of work as I did +when I had said my little say. The Duke was ten men rolled into one, +sir. Orders here, there, and everywhere; fellows sent darting about like +hares. In a few minutes--minutes! I was going to say seconds--every +sabre had been got together, and we were all tumbling over each other +in our hurry to get along to the fight. It was a fine thing, sir." + +The commander, sword in hand, led his reinforcement to the fatal spot +with the speed of the whirlwind. He had almost reached it when he was +suddenly set upon by a company of young bloods belonging to the Maison +du Roi. They were nobles for the most part, and utterly reckless of +their lives. Recognizing the Duke, they made a desperate attempt to +secure him, closing round him with a dash. + +"Great Heaven!" ejaculated George Fairburn, as his eye suddenly fell +upon the Duke fighting his way out of the group, and in company with +fifty more he flew to the spot. At that moment Marlborough, now almost +clear, put his horse to a ditch across his track. How it happened no +one could tell exactly, but the rider fell, and dropped into the +little trench. Marlborough's career appeared at an end. His steed was +cantering madly over the field. + +But friends were at hand, and before the Frenchmen could complete +their work the little company had beaten them off. George leapt to the +ground, and drew his horse towards the General, who had sprung to his +feet in a trice, nothing the worse. + +"Here, sir," said the lieutenant, handing the bridle to an officer in +a colonel's uniform, who stood at hand, and the colonel held the +animal while the Duke mounted. + +[Illustration: The Rescue of Marlborough.] + +Before the Duke had fairly gained his seat in the saddle, a ball with +a rustling hum carried off the head of the unfortunate colonel. It was +an appalling sight, and George Fairburn was forced to turn away his +eyes. + +The crisis was too serious, however, to waste time in vain regrets. +Without the loss of a moment Marlborough led the charge upon the +enemy. The famous Household Brigade fell back, and the village of +Ramillies was taken. Then another fierce struggle, but a brief one, +and the Tomb of Ottomond was secured, the position which commanded the +whole field. The battle was almost at an end. + +There remained only the village of Anderkirk in its marshy hollow, and +Marlborough called together his forces from the various parts of the +confused field. Another charge was sounded, the last. The enemy turned +and fled. Ramillies was won. + +The victory, quite as important in its way as Blenheim, had been +gained in a little over three hours. The loss on the side of the +Allies was hardly four thousand; that of the French and Bavarians, in +killed, wounded, and prisoners, was four times as great. All the +enemy's guns, six only excepted, fell into the hands of the victors. + +There was one heavy drawback to the pride which the young Lieutenant +Fairburn naturally felt at having had a humble share in the great +victory. At the muster of the survivors of his regiment Blackett was +missing. Half the night did George search for him, and was at last +rewarded by finding the young fellow lying wounded and helpless on the +boggy ground. It was an intense relief when the surgeon gave good +hopes of Matthew's ultimate recovery. + +"I'm done for this campaign, old friend," Blackett said with a feeble +smile to George, "and must be sent home for a while. But I hope to +turn up among you another year." + +If to follow up a great victory promptly, vigorously, and fully, be +one of the distinguishing marks of a great commander, then the Duke of +Marlborough was certainly one of the greatest generals of whom history +tells. Hardly anything more striking than his long and rapid series of +successes in the weeks after Ramillies can be credited to a military +leader, not even excepting Wellington and Napoleon. Louvain, Brussels, +Antwerp, Ghent, Bruges, all fell into his hands. Menin, Ostend, +Dendermonde, and a few other strongholds gave pore trouble, and the +brave Marshal Vendome was sent to their assistance. It was useless; +Vendome turned tail and fled, his men refusing to face the terrible +English Duke. "Every one here is ready to doff his hat, if one even +mentions the name of Marlborough," Vendome wrote to his master Louis. +The remaining towns capitulated, and the Netherlands were lost to the +Spanish. Of the more important fortresses only Mons remained. + +But Marlborough's were by no means the only successes that fell to the +Allies that wonderful year. Prince Eugene and the Duke of Savoy, the +former after a rapid march, appeared before Turin, and on the 7th of +September that notable place fell into the hands of the Prince, after +brilliant efforts on both sides. The result was of the utmost +importance; the French were demoralized; Savoy was permanently gained +for the Grand Alliance; while Piedmont was lost to the French, who +were thus cut off from the kingdom of Naples. + +George had often wondered what had become of his old friend Fieldsend, +whom he had not seen since the capture of Landau. But in the autumn of +this year, 1706, while Fairburn was quartered at Antwerp, he received +a letter from the lieutenant. It appeared that at his own request +Fieldsend had been allowed to return to Spain, and he had served ever +since under Lord Peterborough. The writer's account of the victories +gained by Peterborough and the Earl of Galway in Spain that year read +more like a fairy tale than real sober history. The sum and substance +of it was that Peterborough had compelled the forces of Louis to raise +the siege of Barcelona, and that Galway had actually entered Madrid in +triumph. Had the Archduke Charles had the wit and the courage to enter +his capital too, his cause might have had a very different issue from +that which it was now fated to have. + +Just before Christmastide George received permission to return to +England on leave for a few weeks. He had never visited his old home +all those years, and it was with delight he took his passage in a +schooner bound for Hull. Hardly had he landed at that port when he ran +across the old skipper of the _Ouseburn Lassie_. The worthy fellow did +not at first recognize the schoolboy he had known in the sturdy +handsome young fellow wearing a cavalry lieutenant's uniform, and he +was taken aback when George accosted him with a hearty "How goes it, +old friend? How goes it with you?" The skipper saluted in some +trepidation, and it was not till George had given him a handshake that +gripped like a vice that he knew his man again. Soon the two were deep +in the work of exchanging histories. The crew of the captured collier +brig, it appeared, had been kept at Dunkirk till the autumn of 1704, +when they had been exchanged for certain French prisoners in ward at +Dover. The Fairburn colliery had prospered wonderfully, and the owner +now employed no fewer than four vessels of his own, one of which ran +to Hull regularly. In fact, the skipper was just going on board to +return to the Tyne. + +Within an hour, therefore, Lieutenant Fairburn was afloat once more, +to his great joy. On the voyage he learnt many things from the old +captain. Squire Blackett was in very bad odour with the men of the +district. For years his business had been falling off, and he had been +dismissing hands. Now his health was failing; he was unable or +unwilling to give vigorous attention to his trade, and he talked of +closing his pit altogether. The colliers of the neighbourhood were +desperately irritated, and to a man declared that, with anything like +energy in the management, the Blackett pit had a fortune in it for any +owner. + +The well-known wharf was reached, a wharf vastly enlarged and +improved, however, and George sprang ashore impatiently. Leaving all +his belongings for the moment, he strode off at a great rate for home, +rather wondering how it was that he did not see a single soul either +about the river or on the road. He rubbed his eyes as he caught a +sight of his boyhood's home. Like the wharf, the house had been added +to and improved until he scarcely recognized the spot at all. "Father +must be a prosperous man," was his thought. Opening the door without +ceremony, he entered. A figure in the hall turned, and in a moment the +boy had his mother in his arms, while he capered about the hall with +her in pure delight. + +The good woman gave a cry, but she was not of the fainting kind, and +soon she was weeping and laughing by turns, kissing her handsome lad +again and again. Presently, as if forgetting herself, she cried, "Ah, +my boy, there's a parlous deed going on up at the Towers! You should +be going to help." And George learned to his astonishment that the +Squire's house was being at that moment attacked by a formidable and +desperate gang. Fairburn had gone off to render what assistance he +could. It was reported that the few defenders were holding the house +against the besiegers, but that they could hold out little longer. The +Fairburn pitmen had declined to be mixed up in the quarrel, as they +called it. + +"Good Heavens!" exclaimed George, "what a state of things!" + +Bolting out of the house, he ran back at full speed to the wharf, his +plan already clear in his head. Within ten minutes he was leading to +Binfield Towers every man jack of the little crew, the old skipper +included. The pace was not half quick enough, and when, at a turn in +the road, an empty coal cart was met, George seized the head of the +nag, and slewed him round, crying "All aboard, mates!" The crew +tumbled in, and in an instant the lieutenant was whipping up the +animal, to the utter astonishment of the carter. + +Nearer to the mansion the party drew, but, hidden by the trees, it was +not yet in sight. The old horse was spent, and, when a point opposite +the house had been gained, George sprang out, vaulted over the fence +into the wood, dashed through the growth of trees, and with another +spring leapt down upon the lawn, almost on the selfsame spot where he +had jumped over on the evening of the fire. For the last hundred yards +he had been aware of the roar of angry voices. The sight that met his +eyes, now that he was in full view of the scene, was an extraordinary +one. + +Scattered about the trampled grassplots was a crowd of pitmen, surging +hither and thither, some armed with pickaxes, some with hedge-stakes, +some with nothing but nature's weapons. One fellow was in the act of +loading an old blunderbuss. Reared against the wall of the house were +two or three ladders, one smashed in the middle. The lower windows had +been barricaded with boards, but the mob had wrenched away the +protection at one point, and men were climbing in with great shouts of +triumph. + +From the bedroom windows men were holding muskets, ready to fire, but +evidently unwilling to do so except as a last resource. George spied +his old friend Matthew at one window; at another, astonishing sight! +stood no other than Fieldsend! His own father was at a third. + +At that moment the fellow below raised his blunderbuss and took +deliberate aim at the old Squire, who, all unconscious of his danger, +was endeavouring to address the mob from an upper window. The sight +seemed to grip George by the throat. + +George carried a handspike, a weapon he had brought along from the +collier vessel. A dozen rapid and noiseless strides over the grass +brought him within striking distance, and instantly, with a downward +stroke like a lightning flash, he had felled to earth man and +blunderbuss. The report came as the man dropped, and with a yell one +of the rioters climbing through a lower window dropped back to the +ground, shot through the thigh by one of his own party. + +"Saved!" the lieutenant shouted, a glance showing him that the old +Squire was still unhurt. All eyes, those of the defenders no less than +those of the attacking party, were immediately attracted to the +new-comer, who was just in the act of seizing the blunderbuss from the +grasp of the prostrate and senseless pitman. + +"George!" "Fairburn!" "My boy!" came the cries from the upper windows, +and the defenders cheered for pure joy. + +The mob, startled for a moment, prepared to retaliate, a hasty +whispering taking place between two or three of the leaders. "Look out +for the rush!" cried Matthew, warningly. George, with a bound, gained +the wall, where, back against the stonework, he stood ready with the +handspike and the clubbed musket. So formidable an antagonist did he +seem to the men that they held back, till one of them, with a fierce +imprecation, dashed forward. In a trice he was felled to the ground, a +loud roar of rage escaping the man's comrades. An instant later and +the young lieutenant was fighting in the midst of a howling mob. + +"Ah! Drat you!" came a bellow, and there rushed upon the rear of the +attackers the old skipper, cutlass in hand, followed close by the rest +of his little crew. This apparition, sudden and unexpected, upset the +nerves of the pitmen, and in a moment they began to run, falling away +from George and tumbling over each other in their haste. + +"No you don't!" hissed the youngster between his firm-set teeth, and +making a grab at a couple he had seen prominent in the fight, he held +them with a grip they could not escape. + +The attackers were routed; Binfield Towers was saved. Within a minute +George was being greeted, congratulated, thanked, till he was almost +fain to run for it, as the bulk of the mob had done. His father, +Matthew, Fieldsend, even old Reuben--all crowded around with delight. +In no long time Mrs. Maynard and Mary Blackett appeared, smiling +through their tears of joy at their great deliverance. The latter had +so grown that George hardly recognized her. All came up except the old +Squire, and he was presently found in an alarming condition, one of +his old heart attacks having come on. It was the only drawback to the +joy of the meeting and the ending of the danger that had threatened +the household. + +Early next morning word was carried to the Fairburns that Squire +Blackett was dead; he had never recovered from the shock and the +seizure consequent thereon. + +"Poor old neighbour!" Fairburn said, with a mournful shake of the +head, "I am afraid he has left things in a sorry state." + +Fairburn's fears were only too well founded. Mr. Blackett had left +little or nothing, and Matthew and his sister would be but +indifferently provided for. Then it was that Fairburn came out like a +man. He proposed to run the colliery for their benefit. To the world +it was to appear that the collieries had been amalgamated or rather +that the Blackett pit had been bought up by his rival. The advantage +to Matthew and Mary was too obvious to be rejected, and the required +arrangements were made. Before the time came for the three young +officers to go back to their duties they had the satisfaction of +seeing Mrs. Maynard and Mary settled in a pretty cottage near, and the +colliery in full work and prospering, the district employed and +contented. Mary had been pressed by the Fairburn family to take up her +abode with them, but had preferred to go into the cottage with her old +governess and friend. Yet she was overwhelmed with gratitude towards +the kindly couple. + + + + +CHAPTER X + +"OUR OWN MEN, SIR!" + + +Marlborough was late in taking the field that year. Important matters +engaged his attention at home. He saw more clearly than ever that the +Whigs alone were the real supporters of him and his war plans. The +party even passed a resolution to the effect that they would not hear +of peace so long as a Bourbon ruled over Spain. Then there were the +intrigues at work that were undermining the influence of the Duchess +of Marlborough, and consequently of the Duke himself, at Court. Harley +was known to be working for the overthrow of Marlborough. He was +preparing to introduce a formidable rival to the Duchess in Anne's +regards. + +The young men were nothing loth to go back to their respective +regiments, to say truth, when the time came. Inaction did not seem to +agree with their young blood. Matthew, his wound now quite healed, was +eager to get his next step. Fieldsend was already captain, and hoped +ere the close of the 1707 campaign to get his majority. As for George +Fairburn, he was quite content to be a soldier for soldiering's sake, +yet would thankfully take promotion if it came his way. Blackett had +paid a visit to the west-country home of the Fieldsends, and it was +whispered that he had there found a mighty attraction. But more of +this may come later. + +The year, to the bitter disappointment of our young officers, proved +an unlucky one. In all directions things went wrong. As for +Marlborough, from the very opening he experienced the old Dutch +thwartings and oppositions, and, after a short and vexatious summer, +he closed the campaign almost abruptly, and much earlier than in +former years. There was to be no promotion for anybody yet awhile. + +In Spain there was an overwhelming disaster. The French and Spanish +forces, commanded by the redoubtable Berwick, completely defeated the +combined English, Dutch, and Portuguese troops under Galway, at +Almanza. So great a misfortune was this that Galway declared that +Spain would have to be evacuated by the Allies. The cause of the +Archduke Charles was to all intents and purposes lost, and the +Bourbons were henceforth firmly seated on the throne of Spain. + +Misfortune trod on the heels of misfortune. Prince Eugene attempted to +take Toulon, the chief naval station in the Mediterranean, but failed +to accomplish the task he had set himself. On the Rhine the Prince of +Baden was badly defeated by Villars, at Stollhofen, the disaster +laying Germany open to invasion by Louis. The gallant Sir Cloudesley +Shovel, who had risen from the position of cabin-boy, was drowned in a +great storm off the Scilly Islands, England thereby losing one of her +ablest admirals. + +Glad were George and Matthew when, after a dull winter, the Duke +opened his campaign of 1708. The young men were now greater friends +than ever, and not unnaturally so, after all that had happened and was +happening. The reports they had occasionally from the elder Fairburn +were in the highest degree cheering. The two ladies were well; the +pits were prospering marvellously. + +The feeling at home, rumour said, was setting strongly in favour of +ending the war and coming to terms with France. This discontent at +home was supplemented by murmurings among the troops quartered at +Antwerp, and still more by the uneasiness of the Dutch, who were +disposed to make a separate treaty with France and drop out of the +conflict. Marlborough felt that he must achieve some brilliant success +before that campaign was ended. + +"There is going to be hot work for us, that is plain," the two +lieutenants said to each other, "and, if we have luck, we shall get +the promotion we have been waiting so long for." + +Bruges and Ghent had gone back to the French allegiance, and Louis +determined to make an attempt to secure Oudenarde also, an important +fortress lying between the French borders and Brabant. The French army +boasted two generals, the royal Duke of Burgundy, an incapable leader, +and the Duke of Vendome, a most capable one. A more unfortunate +partnership could not well be imagined; Burgundy and Vendome were in +everything the opposite of each other, and the quarrels between them +were as numerous as they were bitter, so that the army of Louis XIV +was handicapped at the very outset. + +It was three in the afternoon of July 11. The Allies were fagged out +with the marchings and the heat of the day when they came in sight of +the enemy's forces near Oudenarde. + +"Precious glad of a rest!" Matthew Blackett remarked when the signal +to halt came. To his surprise and dismay the order to form immediately +followed. + +"Just like the Duke," commented his friend Fairburn. + +Quickly the cavalry were got together for a charge. + +"The old fellow doesn't intend the Frenchmen to slip away without +fighting," the men remarked to one another. + +Suddenly, almost before the whole body of horse was ready, Marlborough +directed a charge to be made. For the first time our lieutenants found +themselves not in the Duke's own division. The commander of the right +wing, a very strong force, was Prince Eugene, who, having now nothing +to do in Italy, had hurried northwards to join his friend. In such hot +haste had the Prince travelled, indeed, that he had out-stripped his +own army. Here was Prince Eugene, but not Prince Eugene's men. His +wing at Oudenarde consisted entirely of English troops, while +Marlborough's own wing was composed of men of various other +nationalities. + +Almost all writers on military tactics agree that the battle of +Oudenarde was one of the most involved and intricate on record, and +that it is well nigh impossible to give any detailed account of the +puzzling movements. The leading points were these. + +Marlborough's force crossed the Scheldt; then the opposing wing of the +French left the high ground they occupied and swooped down upon him, +endeavouring to force the Allies back into the river. A terrible +hand-to-hand encounter followed, bayonet and sword alone being used +for the most part in such cramped quarters. In the thick of it the +Duke sent the Dutch general with a strong detachment to seize the +vantage ground on the rise which the enemy had lately left. The move +was successful, and the French found themselves between two fires. + +It was growing dusk. Eugene and his men had forced back their +opponents and were now following hard after them. Suddenly shots came +flying in, and in the dimness of the departing day an advancing column +was observed to be moving towards them. What could it mean? Apparently +that the enemy had rallied and were once more facing them. It was an +entirely unexpected change of front, but Eugene prepared to meet the +shock once more. George Fairburn took a long look, shading his eyes +with his hands. + +"By Heaven, sir!" he said, addressing Colonel Rhodes, "they are our +own men!" + +"Impossible, Fairburn!" the colonel answered. But Blackett and others +backed up George's opinion. The word ran quickly along the line that +the shots came from friends, not from the foe, and some consternation +prevailed. + +The next moment, at a nod of assent from the colonel in answer to +their eager request, Lieutenants Blackett and Fairburn were galloping +madly across the intervening space, each with his handkerchief +fastened to the point of his sword, and both shouting and +gesticulating. Bullets began to patter around them, but heedless they +dashed on. It seemed impossible they could reach the advancing column +alive. + +Half the distance had been covered, when the two horsemen saw on their +left a great body of troops tearing along towards them in furious +haste. "The French!" George exclaimed; "there's no mistake about +them!" On the two flew towards their friends, for the men towards whom +they were speeding had by this time discovered their mistake and had +ceased firing. It was a neck and neck race, and a very near thing. As +the horsemen cleared the open space and dashed safe into the arms of +their friends, a huge rabble of demoralized French swept across the +path they had just been following. No narrower escape had the two +young fellows yet had. + +The truth was at once evident. The Dutchman's division, having driven +the enemy from the high ground, had wheeled, and was thus meeting the +Prince's wing, which in its turn had advanced along a curving line. +Each body in the growing darkness had mistaken the other for the +enemy. The plucky dash made by the two young fellows, though happily +not in the end needed, nevertheless received high praise from their +brother officers, and especially from the colonel himself. + +For the next half-hour the fleeing French poured headlong through the +gap across which the lieutenants had galloped, between the Dutchman's +division and the Prince's. Darkness alone prevented the slaughter from +being greater than it was. The numbers of those who fell on the field +of Oudenarde, important as the battle was, were in fact far short of +those killed at Blenheim or Ramillies. + +What was there now to prevent Marlborough from marching straight on +Paris itself? He was actually on the borders of France, victorious, +the French army behind him. He was eager; the home Government would +almost certainly have approved of the step. The heart of many a young +fellow under the great leader beat high, when he thought of the mighty +possibilities before him. But it was not to be. The Prince raised the +strongest objections to the Duke's bold plan, and the Dutch were +terrified at the bare thought of it. So Marlborough turned him to +another task, the siege of the great stronghold of Lille. It may be +observed in passing that Vendome wanted to fight again the next day +after Oudenarde, but Burgundy refused. Vendome in a rage declared that +they must then retreat, adding, "and I know that you have long wished +to do so," a bitter morsel for a royal duke to swallow. + +Lille had been fortified by no less a person than the great master of +the art, Vauban himself. In charge of its garrison was Marshal +Boufflers, a splendid officer. Louis was as resolute to defend and +keep the place as the Allies were to take it. The actual investment of +the town was placed in the hands of Eugene, whose men had by this time +arrived, while Marlborough covered him. The siege train brought up by +the Duke and his generals stretched to a distance of thirteen miles. +Berwick and Vendome were at no great distance away. + +The siege of Lille lasted a full two months, and few military +operations have produced more splendid examples of individual dash and +courage. + +Blackett and his friend found themselves one day taking part in a +risky bit of business. Throughout the siege there had been some +difficulty in procuring provisions for the Allies, and supplies were +drawn from Ostend. On this occasion an expected convoy had not arrived +to time, and a reconnoitring party had accordingly been sent out to +glean tidings of it. From a wooded knoll a glimpse of the missing +train was caught, and at the same moment a large body of French was +perceived approaching from the opposite direction. The Frenchmen had +not yet seen the convoy, being distant from it some miles, the +intervening country thickly studded with plantations. But in half an +hour the two bodies would have met, and the provisions sorely needed +would have fallen into the enemy's hands. It was a disconcerting pass, +and George Fairburn set his wits to work. + +"I have a plan!" he cried a moment later, and he hastily told it to +the officer in command, Major Wilson. That gentleman gave an emphatic +approval. + +Behold then, a quarter of an hour later, a couple of young peasants at +work in a hayfield down below. Stolidly they tossed the hay as they +slowly crossed the field, giving no heed to the tramp of horses near. +A voice, authoritative and impatient, caused them to look round in +wonderment, as a mounted officer came galloping up. He inquired of the +peasants whether they had seen anything of the convoy, describing its +probable appearance. The listeners grinned in response, and the face +of one of them lit up with intelligence, as he made answer in voluble +but countrified French. + +"Where have you picked up such vile French?" inquired the officer. + +"I'm from Dunkirk, please your honour," the man replied with another +grin, to which the other muttered, "Ah! I suppose the French of +Dunkirk is pretty bad!" + +In another minute the yokels were leading the way through a +plantation, along which ran a little stream. At one spot the water was +very muddy, and the marks of hoofs were plentiful. "We are evidently +close upon them," remarked the officer jubilantly, and at a brisk trot +he and his men rode on, a gold louis jingling down at the feet of the +peasants as the party dashed away. + +"Now for it!" whispered George, for he and Matthew were the two +rustics, "we can save the convoy. Our men, after trampling over the +burn here, will have turned as we agreed. We shall find them in the +next plantation." + +He was right in his conjecture. The two regained their friends just as +the head of the convoy hove in sight. To lead the train in a different +direction, and to safety, was now easy. The supplies reached their +destination. + +"Ton my honour, young sirs," the Colonel exclaimed, when he learnt the +story, "it was a smart trick, but a risky one--confoundedly risky, +gentlemen!" + +The fall of Lille reduced France to desperation. Louis was at his +wits' end. To his credit, he sought earnestly to negotiate a peace for +his unhappy and exhausted country. The terms offered by the Allies, +however, were too exacting, and not a Frenchman but rose to the +occasion; this, however, was in the following year. So the campaign +ended, the enemy beaten and exhausted, but not in utter despair. + +Captains Blackett and Fairburn were once more granted a term of leave +when late autumn came round. From London, which George saw now for the +first time, the two travelled all the way to Newcastle in the +wonderful stage-coach which ran from the English to the Scotch +capital. + +In high spirits they hurried towards their native village. At the +entrance to it they came all at once upon a gentleman walking in the +company of three ladies. + +"Fieldsend!" declared Matthew. + +"Yes, by Jove!" cried George, "And with three ladies all to himself. +It's too much!" + + + + +CHAPTER XI + +THE HARDEST FIGHT OF THEM ALL + + +There had been an attempted descent on the shores of Scotland in 1708, +the Old Pretender, under the auspices of Louis XIV, seeking to land +4,000 men in the Firth of Forth. Admiral Byng with sixteen vessels was +ready for the French expedition, and their fear of the redoubtable +sailor kept the enemy from doing anything, so that this attempt came +to less even than that which followed seven years later. + +Politics about this time demanded much of Marlborough's care and +thought. The power of the Whigs was still growing, Harley, St. John, +and others of the moderate Tories giving way to such strong and active +Whigs as Somers, Walpole, and Orford. It was in 1709 that a violent +quarrel took place between "Mrs. Morley" and "Mrs. Freeman." The Queen +was becoming more than ever dissatisfied with Marlborough's policy. +The overthrow of the Churchills was coming nearer. + +Abroad matters did not improve. It was true that Stanhope, the English +general, took Minorca. But the cause of Philip of Spain was now +strong. When, therefore, the Whigs demanded that as a condition of +peace Louis should turn his grandson out of Spain, Europe was +astounded. The proposal was impossible, ludicrous. Philip prepared to +go on with the conflict, saying, with fine spirit, "If I must continue +the war, I will contend against my enemies rather than against my own +family." Such was the state of things in the summer of 1709. + +We have left a group of ladies and gentlemen standing in the lane all +this time. Matthew had his sister in his arms in a moment, for one of +the ladies was Mary Blackett. + +"My sister," Fieldsend said, "and Miss Allan," by way of response to +the inquiring looks of the newcomers. Then George and Matthew learnt +many things that surprised them. They had had no news from home all +the summer, the one letter that had been sent having miscarried. +Binfield Towers was once more occupied, Mr. Fairburn having found an +excellent tenant for the place in Mr. Allan, the eminent +shipping-merchant of London, the very man into whose office George was +to have gone. The little group laughed merrily at the thought of the +gallant Captain Fairburn wielding a long quill in a dingy office. Mr. +Allan, a widower, who had taken up his abode in the mansion, bringing +with him his only daughter, Janet, had not been two months in the +village before he had made an offer of marriage to the devoted Mrs. +Maynard, and the old lady was now mistress of Binfield Towers. Mary +Blackett had thereupon taken at their word the affectionate offer of +the Fairburns, and was now to them as a daughter. Nor was this all. +Fieldsend's old father had lately died, and the Major himself had +succeeded to the baronetcy and had left the army. Brother and sister +had accepted with pleasure the invitation that had come to them to +spend a few weeks with the kindly Mr. and Mrs. Fairburn. Matthew was +to make the same hospitable roof his abode. + +"The good old dad will find it a bit of a squeeze," George ruminated, +as he walked with the rest towards the family cottage. Cottage! He +gave a jump when the home came into full view. It was a veritable +mansion. The original nucleus was there, but so deftly added to and +surrounded by a regular series of new wings, and so framed and +embellished by wide lawn and flower-bed that George did not know this +fine place. He remarked on the change when his mother came to his room +at bedtime, to give him his good-night kiss as she had been wont to do +in the days of old. + +"Father wanted to make the place a bit more presentable now we have an +officer son," the good dame explained, with simple and pardonable +pride. "And we can afford it," she added, blushing like a shy +schoolgirl as she made this whispered confession; "besides we had Mary +to consider, too." It was all very charming, George thought. + +The winter passed all too quickly. Mr. Allan proved to be a capital +neighbour, and had a great liking for young people about him. So there +were pleasant times, at the Towers--dinners, balls, shooting and +hunting parties, and the like. All the eligible society of the +country-side found its way to Binfield Towers. Yet somehow George +Fairburn did not fall into a fit of the blues when Sir Mark Fieldsend +took his sister back to their west-country home; in fact, strange to +say, George rather rejoiced to see the back of the retired major, his +old comrade-in-arms. Why this was so he would have found it hard to +explain, for a more unassuming and agreeable fellow than the baronet +it would not have been easy to find. + +It was a real delight to everybody to hear how the Blackett pit was +now prospering. Under Fairburn's management the colliery had made a +clear profit of five thousand odd pounds in the course of a single +year's working. It was astounding. "Mary and you will be rich folks +again, my dears," the good Mrs. Fairburn remarked, in her own homely +but kindly way, to the brother and sister, and Matthew felt a lump in +his throat. + +The wrench to George, when the time came for him and Matthew to return +to the Continent, seemed somehow vastly greater than it had been on +the two former occasions. However, once across the sea, he cast all +else than his profession to the winds. He did not know it, of course, +but the campaign that was coming was to prove to the Allies the most +costly they had yet experienced. The negotiations for a peace had +ended in nothing, and here was Marshal Villars, the only great French +leader as yet unbeaten by Marlborough, ready with a force of no fewer +than 110,000 men. True, many of his soldiers were raw recruits while +those of his opponent were mostly seasoned veterans. True also, France +was so crippled for money and munitions of war that it was rarely +possible to give every man of the army a full breakfast. Yet Villars +was a general that would have to be reckoned with, and this +Marlborough well knew when he used every effort to swell the numbers +of his troops in the Netherlands. + +Marlborough's aim was that of the previous year, to force his way into +France and to its capital. In order that such a step might be made +possible, it was necessary that no stronghold should be left behind. +Accordingly the Allies set about reducing the three that still +remained,--Mons, Valenciennes, and Tournai, not forgetting that they +had also Villars to deal with. A beginning was made with Tournai, an +enormously strong place, and reckoned to be of the best of all +Vauban's works. + +Marlborough employed stratagem, and it succeeded as usual. He made a +pretence of advancing, and Villars, to strengthen his force, withdrew +a number of troops from Tournai. Then the Duke, with a swift night +movement, invested the town. The garrison made a stout defence, and +our two captains had their work cut out for them. Never in all his +career had George Fairburn been so careless of his own safety, his +brother officers declared. It was not that he despised danger, or was +ignorant of its existence; he simply did not think of it, his mind +being occupied solely with the problem of reducing this impregnable +fortress. + +"Be not rash, gentlemen," Colonel Rhodes thought it advisable to say +to the younger men among his officers. "There are mines in all +directions, if rumour is to be believed. Do not expose yourselves to +needless risk. We are already losing heavily, and men are not to be +had for the whistling." And privately the kindly old fellow--the +youngsters called him old, though he was still short of fifty--added +an extra word of caution to George. "You are a born soldier, Fairburn, +but you never seem to be able to remember when you are in danger; you +forget it like a thoughtless schoolboy. Well, now, for our sakes, if +not for your own, take care of yourself, so far as it is possible, +there's a good fellow." And with a kindly smile and a fatherly shake +of the hand, the colonel turned away. He had said the last word he was +ever to say to George. + +An hour later a terrific explosion was heard; a cloud of dust flew +into the air. A mine had been exploded, and the report came in that +more than a hundred poor fellows of Marlborough's forces had perished. +George Fairburn was more than ever determined to do what he could to +discover hidden mines. + +That very afternoon a company of men, who had prosecuted their search +in spite of the deadly hail of bullets that came from a neighbouring +battery, found another mine, a particularly formidable affair. Eagerly +George Fairburn pressed forward, his friend Matthew close behind. +Suddenly Colonel Rhodes dashed up, crying, "Fall back, for Heaven's +sake! There's another mine below this, I have just learnt. For your +lives!" And the brave man galloped off, his retreat followed by a +startled rush for safety on the part of the men. + +"Come along, George! What are you after?" cried Matthew, observing +that his friend did not budge. + +"I'm not going till I've settled this mine," Fairburn answered. + +Even as they spoke the ground heaved with a mighty convulsion beneath +their feet, and an appalling roar rent the air, the echo resounding +far and near. + +"Ah! You're feeling better? That's right." + +George Fairburn opened his eyes and beheld the face of none other than +the Duke himself gazing kindly down upon him! It was the evening after +the fearful explosion, and Marlborough was making a tour of the +hospital wards, where lay long rows of wounded men. George had been +unconscious, and the Duke's words were caused by the fact that the +young man happened to open his eyes for the first time as the General +passed him. Before the sick man could answer a word, Marlborough had +passed on, with a quiet remark to Major Wilson, "I know the lad's face +well." + +"Where's Blackett?" George now inquired. The Major shook his head. +"And the Colonel?" Another mournful shake. George closed his eyes +dazed, stupefied. + +Three hundred poor fellows had perished in that double explosion. +Colonel Rhodes's battered body had been picked up; Blackett's could +not be distinguished, but doubtless the gallant lad was one of the +mass of victims whose remains were mangled beyond recognition. + +Captain Fairburn took no further part in the siege of Tournai. After a +month of terrible fighting, all but the citadel was captured by the +Allies, and five weeks saw that also in their possession. + +There was a long glade or clearing between two extensive plantations. +At the southern end of this glade, behind strong entrenchments, the +great army of Villars was drawn up, every man eager to fight, for +every Frenchman believed in the Marshal's luck, and that his presence +would certainly bring them victory. Away to the north was Marlborough, +equally eager to begin the combat, Eugene and the Dutch generals with +him. In deference to the wishes of the Prince the Duke had made the +fatal mistake of waiting two days, and all that time the enemy had +been throwing up their formidable trenches. It was the famous field of +Malplaquet, the last on which Marlborough was fated to fight a pitched +battle. The object of Villars was to prevent the Allies from taking +Mons, not far away, to northwards, the siege of which was in progress. +Marlborough had lost heavily at Tournai; Villars, behind his defences, +had suffered comparatively little. But on the other hand the Prince of +Hesse had broken through the strong line of defence works which the +French had rapidly and skilfully thrown up. Now, here, at Malplaquet, +the Allies had a hard task before them. Villars held not only the +glade but the woods on either side, and, moreover, sat in safety +behind his extensive entrenchments. + +For some reason not well understood the Duke for the first time began +the battle, though it would have seemed clearly his best policy to +endeavour to draw Villars from the strong position he held. There was +little in the way of fine tactics displayed, or even possible, on +either side; it was a question simply of sheer pluck and dogged +determination. The Highlanders, for the first time, had joined the +army of the Allies, and they and the famous Irish Brigade under +Villars specially distinguished themselves, if any detachment can be +said to have gained special distinction in a fight where all showed +such conspicuous gallantry. + +Eugene was wounded behind the ear, but refused to withdraw and have +his wound dressed. "No," said he, "it will be time enough for that +when the fight is over." Villars was also badly hurt, yet he had a +chair brought, in which he sat to direct his men till he fainted. +Boufflers, the hero of Lille, took his place. + +Charge after charge was made by the Allies into the woods, and +desperate fighting took place. Once and again Marlborough's troops +were repulsed with awful loss; as often they returned to the attack. +After four hours of heavy fighting the French fell back, and the +victory remained with the Allies. + +Just before Villars sounded his retreat George Fairburn, who had +charged and fought all the while with his usual forgetfulness of +himself and of danger, found himself just outside the eastern edge of +the wood Taisniere, in company with the others of his troop. He was +almost exhausted with his efforts, and, besides, was hardly himself +again yet, after his terrible experience at Tournai, and he sat for a +moment half listlessly in his saddle. A cry near him drew his +attention, and, turning his head, he beheld Major Wilson in the act of +falling from his charger. He had received a bullet in the leg. Before +George could get to this side, Wilson was on the ground, his horse +galloping away. + +At the same instant a fierce shout was heard, and George saw dashing +to the spot one of the redoubtable Irish Brigade. Like lightning the +young captain leapt from his horse, lifted Wilson from the ground, and +by main strength threw him across the animal, crying, "Off with you!" +giving the horse a thump with his fist on the quarters to start him +into a gallop. Then, looking round, he found the Irishman bearing down +upon him at desperate speed, and but a yard or two away. + +In a trice Fairburn darted behind the trunk of a fine tree at his +elbow. It was an oak, from which ran out some magnificent limbs +parallel with and at a distance of six or eight feet from the ground. +Nothing heeding, the Irishman kept on, his sword ready for a mighty +stroke. Then instantly he was swept violently from his horse, and +backwards over the tail, his chest having come into contact with one +of the great boughs. All this had passed like a flash. + +George made a grab at the bridle, but, missing it, fell sprawling to +the ground. Springing up, he found his fallen antagonist risen and +upon him. "English dog!" roared the Irishman, and the next moment the +two men were at it, both excited, both reckless. + +How long they fought they never knew. Apparently the spot was deserted +save for themselves and sundry wounded who lay around. It was a +desperate encounter. The Irishman had the advantage in height and +strength, Fairburn in youth and activity. In the matter of +swordsmanship there was little to choose between the two; in respect +of courage nothing. It was to be a duel to the death. + +The moments flew by, each man had received injuries, and the blood was +flowing freely. Still the swords flashed in the air. Then suddenly the +Irishman's weapon snapped at the hilt, and the gallant fellow dropped +at the same moment to the ground. Instantly George set his foot on the +prostrate man's chest, and cried, "Now your life is at my mercy! What +say you?" + +"If I must die, I must," the Irishman answered doggedly, "but," he +added quickly, a sudden thought striking him, "take this first, and +see it put into the hands of the person mentioned on it, sir." The +trooper pulled from his breast a piece of paper soiled and crumpled, +and George, wondering much, took it at the man's hands. His foot still +on his fallen foe, Fairburn unfolded the dirty and tattered paper. It +was the cover of a letter, and he read with staring eyes the address +on it, "To Captain M. Blackett,--Dragoons." The handwriting he well +knew; it was that of Mary Blackett. + +"Great Heaven!" the reader cried, "where did you get this?" + +"It was given me by a poor fellow, an officer, who escaped from the +big explosion at Tournai. He blundered by mistake into our lines, and +our fellows were about to finish him--leastways one chap was, but I +landed him one between his two eyes, and that stopped his game." + +"And you saved the Englishman's life?" + +"I did, sir; I thought it hard luck when the young fellow had just +escaped that terrific blow up as he had, to put an end to him the +minute after." + +"Get up, for God's sake, man; you have saved the life of my dearest +friend!" And seizing the Irishman's arm, George pulled him to his +feet, and wrung the hand hard in his own. "You are a fine fellow, a +right fine fellow. What is your name? I shall never forget you." + +"Sergeant Oborne, sir, at your service. But you have not read the +paper yet." + +"True," and George deciphered the line or two written in pencil on the +back of the paper. "I am alive and well, but a prisoner with the +French. Be easy about me; I am well treated. M.B." + + + + +CHAPTER XII + +CONCLUSION + + +Almost before Captain Fairburn had read the last word of Matthew's +communication, so cheering and so strangely brought into his hands, +the French signal to retreat sounded loud all over the field, a +mournful sound to one of the two listeners, a delight to the other, +George and Oborne glanced into each other's face. "What will you do?" +the former asked. + +"I am your prisoner and defenceless; it is not for me to say," the +Irishman answered simply. + +"Nay, not so, good fellow. You shall do exactly as you prefer, so far +as I am concerned. I can do no less for you." + +The prisoner shrugged his shoulders and muttered something about +catching it hot, if he ran, to which the captor replied, "So you +would, I am afraid, if any of our men got near you. We have lost +heavily, and our temper's a bit ruffled for the moment. If you care to +come with me as my prisoner I'll see you through safe. What's more, +I'll do my best to get you exchanged for the man you saved." + +"Thank you, captain; that's my best card to play, as things are going. +But I'd have given something to have it the other way about." + +"Of course you would, my good fellow. It's the fortune of war; I'm up +to-day, you're up to-morrow. And you've no cause to be anything but +mighty proud of yourselves--you of the Irish Brigade. I never saw +better stuff than you've turned out this day." + +"And many's the thanks, son. A bit o' praise comes sweet even from an +enemy." + +"Enemies only professionally, Oborne; in private life we're from +to-day the best of friends." + +At a later hour Sergeant Oborne informed Fairburn that he had carried +Captain Blackett's paper about with him for some little time, having +had no opportunity of passing it on to any likely Englishman, or +having forgotten it when he had the opportunity. + +The slaughter at Malplaquet was terrible on the side of the Allies, +amounting to 20,000, or one-fifth of the whole number engaged. The +French, who had fought under shelter, lost only about one half of that +total. Mons surrendered shortly afterwards, and the victory was +complete, the road to Paris open. Yet what a victory! Villars declared +to his royal master that if the French were vouchsafed such another +defeat, there would be left to them no enemies at all. + +This proved to be the Duke of Marlborough's last great battle and his +last great victory. "A deluge of blood" it had been. And, what was +worse, rarely has a great victory produced so little fruit. +Marlborough had quite expected to see his success at Malplaquet put an +end to the war. It did nothing of the kind; for two more years the war +continued. The rest of its story, however, may be told in a very few +words. + +Louis XIV once more asked for peace, and made certain offers to the +Allies, but these would be contented with nothing less than the +expulsion of Philip from Spain. The conference, at Gertruydenberg, +therefore came to nothing. This was in the early part of 1710. The +work of capturing the fortresses in French Flanders and the province +of Artois was proceeded with, and in 1711 Marlborough took Bouchain, +in France. But the Duke had apparently lost heart to some extent, and +there was no very vigorous action. At home the war had become hateful +to a very large proportion of the people; its cost in men and money +frightened them. + +The year 1710 was a busy and a decisive time in Spain. At first +success seemed to lean to the side of the Allies, General Stanhope, +the English leader, defeating the French and Spanish at Almanza, and +the Dutch General Staremberg doing the like at Saragossa. Charles the +Archduke, styling himself Charles III, now for the first time entered +Madrid. It was also the last time. Presently Stanhope was badly +defeated at the important battle of Brihuega, and Staremberg shortly +afterwards lost at Villa Viciosa. This decided matters in Spain. +Charles was compelled to flee the country, and Philip's throne was +finally secured to him. + +The end of the war came in an altogether unexpected and strange +fashion. This was the sudden downfall of the Marlboroughs and of the +Whig interest. For some time the Queen had been tired of the Duchess +of Marlborough, and had been inclining more and more to Mrs. Masham, +formerly Abigail Hill, a cousin of Harley, through whom the minister +was intriguing for the overthrow of the Churchills. Then Dr. +Sacheverell, a London clergyman, afterwards so notorious, had preached +violently against the Whigs, who were foolish enough to impeach him. +Sacheverell was suspended for three years, and in consequence became +exceedingly popular among the Tories, and their party gained greatly +in the country. Moreover the writings of certain pamphleteers tended +much to damage the cause of the Whigs. Dean Swift was at once the +ablest and the bitterest of these. Harley managed to get Godolphin +dismissed from office. And one day, early in 1711, Anne suddenly took +from the Duchess her various offices at Court, while later in the same +year the Duke himself was deprived of his command of the army, and was +succeeded by the Irish peer Ormonde. He, however, was ordered to take +no active steps in the war which was still in theory going on. A +general election came soon after, and the Tories had a large majority +over the Whigs. The Tories came into office, and all Whig members of +the Whig ministry were dismissed. From that time to the present the +principle has obtained of having the King's Ministers, or the Cabinet, +with the other chief administrators, drawn from the same side in +politics. + +The Tories now sought to bring to a close a war that had become so +unpopular. Louis XIV was also suing for peace. Then in 1711 the +Emperor Joseph died, and his brother the Archduke succeeded him as +Charles VI. It was now useless to trouble further to support or oppose +the claims of either candidate for the Spanish throne. Spain might as +well be in the hands of a Frenchman as be assigned to the powerful +Emperor. It would have been absurd, in short, for England to go on +fighting for Charles. + +The famous treaty of Utrecht, in 1713, brought the war to an end. By +this treaty several important matters were settled. Philip retained +Spain, but gave up for ever his claim to the throne of France. Louis +acknowledged the Hanoverian succession, and gave back to the Dutch the +line of "barrier fortresses" about which so much blood had been shed. +France gave up to Britain Newfoundland and some other possessions in +North America, and Spain resigned Gibraltar and Minorca. The Emperor +received Milan, Sardinia, and Naples. The rest of the Allies received +little or nothing, and loud was the outcry they raised. + +George Fairburn did not remain abroad till the conclusion of peace. +During the year 1710, at a time when things were at a standstill in +the Netherlands, he received word that his father had been killed in +an accident at the pit. With a heavy heart he sought permission to +return home for a period, and in pursuing his application he found +himself in the presence of the great commander-in-chief himself. To +his delight Marlborough recognized him at once. The Duke was full of +sympathy, and not only readily granted the young captain any +reasonable leave of absence he might desire, but held out his hand +with a smile, as he dismissed him: "Major Fairburn, you go with my +sympathy and my regard. I have few young fellows under me of whom I +think more highly." And in spite of his terrible bereavement the +newly-promoted officer left his master's presence with a swelling +heart. + +With him travelled home Matthew Blackett, whose release George, to his +delight, had managed, though with difficulty. The gallant Sergeant +Oborne had also been exchanged for an English prisoner in French +hands. An additional pleasure to both George and Matthew was an +intimation that Matthew, too, had been raised to the rank of major in +recognition of his excellent service throughout the war. As it proved, +neither officer ever served under Marlborough again. + +The months flew by. Mr. Fairburn was found to have left a far larger +fortune than the world had dreamt of, the sum amounting to fully fifty +thousand pounds. George and his ageing mother were rich. Matthew +Blackett had taken to the management of the joint collieries, strange +to say, and was preparing to leave the army as soon as he could do so +conveniently. Major Fairburn, on the other hand, was first and last a +soldier, and he hoped some day to have further opportunities of rising +in his profession. + +The Queen was in a very bad state of health; she might die any day. +But the Electress Sophia died first, and her son, Prince George of +Hanover, became the next heir to the throne, a prospect not much to +the liking of many in England. Some of the leading Tories were making +preparations for a revolution in favour of the Pretender, but the +death of Anne came before their preparations were complete, and George +of Hanover was quietly proclaimed as George I. + +Before Marlborough died George Fairburn was a lieutenant-colonel, and, +as he happened to be stationed for a time at Windsor, he and his wife, +the Mary Blackett of old, had more than once the honour of an +invitation to Windsor Park, the Duke's favourite abode, his great +palace of Blenheim being not yet ready for him. + + * * * * * + +We hear of our hero, many long years after all this, a stout old +soldier, General Sir George Fairburn, taking part in the memorable +chase after the Young Pretender in 1745, and the subsequent great +fight at Culloden. + +"And I tell you, sir," said Mr. Matthew Blackett, member for Langkirk, +as he told the story to a crony in the smoking-room of his club, +White's, "I tell you, sir, he trod Culloden Moor with all the vigour +and fire he had when we marched with Marlborough to Malplaquet." + + + + +REIGN OF QUEEN ANNE + +IMPORTANT QUESTIONS AND MOVEMENTS + + +1. THE SUCCESSION TO THE CROWN + +This question, especially after the death of all Anne's children, +became a most important one. The Whigs and the country in general were +bent upon securing a Protestant succession, but there were some, +especially amongst the Tories, who were secret supporters of the +Pretender, James Stuart, son of James II. The Act of Settlement had +provided for the accession of Sophia as the nearest Protestant +descendant of James I, on the failure of Anne's issue. At one time the +Scotch Parliament threatened to elect as king a different sovereign +from that of England, unless Scotland should be given the same +commercial privileges as England possessed. The Act of Security, +passed in 1704, declared as much. Both Bolingbroke and Harley were in +correspondence with the Pretender, and it was only through the death +of the Queen earlier than had been expected that a revolution in +favour of the exiled Stuarts was averted. + + +2. GOVERNMENT BY PARTY + +Until the reign of Anne what we now call Party Government was unknown. +We may see the beginnings of the division of politicians into Whig and +Tory in the Roundhead and Cavalier factions in the reign of Charles I. +Government by the one strong man of the time--a Burleigh, a Cromwell, +a Marlborough--was the usual thing. Marlborough was the last who tried +to govern without party. During the reign of Anne the Whigs and Tories +were combined in varying proportions, till the final return of a Tory +House of Commons and the formation of a purely Tory ministry, in 1711. +From that time Party Government, as we now understand it, has +generally prevailed. + + +3. POWER OF THE HOUSE OF COMMONS AND THE MINISTERS + +Anne was good-natured, and not disposed to give herself too much +trouble, which made it possible for her ministers to wield more power +over the country and its destinies. Nevertheless, the Queen had a will +of her own, and made her influence felt, especially in Church matters. +On the whole, however, Parliament and the Ministers gained in +importance and influence during the reign. Marlborough, Harley, St. +John, Rochester, Nottingham, were some of the leading ministers, and +towards the end of the reign Sir Robert Walpole is first heard of as a +politician. + + +4. THE QUESTION OF THE SUCCESSION TO THE SPANISH THRONE + +When Philip of Bourbon, the grandson of Louis XIV, was proclaimed as +Philip V of Spain, England, Holland, and some other nations felt that +the peace of Europe, or rather the freedom of the rest of it, were +threatened by the union of two such mighty powers. Accordingly the +Allies set up in opposition the Archduke Charles of Austria, and it +was in support of the claims of Charles to the throne of Spain that +all the wars of Anne's reign were waged. When at length Charles became +Emperor, the Allies had no farther reason for fighting, as it would +have been equally adverse to the interests of the rest of the +Continent to combine Spain and the Empire. Philip thus remained King +of Spain, though he had to renounce his claims to France. + + +5. THE UNION OF ENGLAND AND SCOTLAND + +The project for the union of the two countries had been talked of for +some time, but there were difficulties concerning religious matters, +trade, and the refusal of Scotland to pay any of the English debt, in +the way. By the Act of Security Sophia was declared to be ineligible +for the Scottish throne, and England was in alarm. A commission was +appointed to consider the question of the union, and the Act of Union +was passed in 1707. Many Scotchmen were greatly opposed to the step, +yet it cannot be denied that Scotland herself has been a great gainer +by the Union. + + +6. THE NATIONAL DEBT + +The borrowing of money to pay for wars did not originate in the reign +of Anne, but the War of the Spanish Succession added no less a sum +than twenty-two millions to the indebtedness of the country, and from +that time the National Debt began to assume large proportions. Many +people were greatly alarmed at the state of things in this respect, +and there were many who prophesied the speedy bankruptcy of the +nation. + + +7. PEACE AT HOME + +This reign is remarkable for the entire absence of internal risings +and disaffections. Only one person was executed for treason. + + +8. LITERATURE, AND ITS INFLUENCE ON POLITICS + +This has been called the Augustan age of English Literature. Pope, +Addison, Steele, Swift, Defoe, Sir Isaac Newton, Vanbrugh, Congreve, +Farquhar, Prior, Parnell, Colley Cibber, Gilbert Burnet, and others +flourished. The first daily newspaper, the _Daily Courant_, was +published in 1709. Pamphleteers, chief among them Swift, Addison, and +Defoe, by their writings played a great part in politics, there being +no newspaper press to mould people's opinions. No other period in +English history, except, perhaps, the times of Shakespeare, has +produced so many notable writers. + + +9. THE PEOPLE + +The population of England in this reign is supposed to have been about +five millions. London itself contained half a million, but even the +best of the provincial towns were small, as we reckon populations +nowadays. Bristol, the second town in size, possessed not more than +some thirty thousand souls, while York, Norwich, and Exeter, which +came next, had considerably fewer people than that. The bulk of the +people lived in the country, either in the villages, or in the petty +market-towns which were not much superior. The country squire class +was the most important in the community. Below this, but likewise +occupying a very important position in the country, were the clergy +and yeomen. Probably at no time was the yeoman class more numerous, +more prosperous, and more influential. The squire was in point of +education often inferior to the well-to-do farmer of our own day, but +very proud of his family. + + +10. THE CLERGY + +The clergymen of the period were, as a rule, especially in the remoter +districts, men of inferior standing, often of low origin and of little +learning. They were badly paid, generally speaking, and often had to +eke out a slender income by taking to farming pursuits. It was not at +all unusual for the clergyman to marry the lady's maid or other of the +upper servants in the great family of his neighbourhood. Queen Anne, +to relieve the poverty of the poorer livings, founded the fund known +as Queen Anne's Bounty, giving up for the purpose the _first-fruits_ +and the _tenths_. It is worth noting that the terms Low and High +Churchmen were political rather than religious terms, the former being +applied to the Whigs, and the latter to the Tories. + + +11. DWELLINGS + +The style of architecture known as that of Queen Anne prevailed at +this time, and many a country mansion of this date, red-bricked and +many-windowed, is still to be seen in England. But the houses of the +poor were for the most part still wretched, of mud or plaster, and +badly thatched. The windows were small and few in number; the +furniture was scanty and mean; sanitary matters were scarcely attended +to at all. But the growing prosperity of the country was beginning to +show itself in the better equipment and furnishing of the household, +particularly among the yeomen and the rising town tradesmen. Advantage +was taken of the Great Fire to improve the streets and dwellings of +the capital. + + +12. DRESS + +Among the gentry the influence of the magnificent court of Louis XIV +began to make itself felt in the matter of dress, and both gentlemen +and ladies affected gay attire. The hoop-petticoat came into fashion, +and the dress was looped up at intervals to show the richly-coloured +skirt below. The gentlemen wore knee-breeches and silk stockings, the +former ornamented with knots of ribbon; the scarf was very full and +rich, and often fell in folds over the front of the waistcoat; the +coat was usually gaily coloured. Swords were worn by the gallants, and +the periwig was seen everywhere in high society. The dress of the +lower ranks was of sober colour, and of stout but coarse texture. The +women wore homespun, and sometimes home-woven linsey-woolsies. The use +of linen and silk was coming in among those in better circumstances. + + +13. FOOD AND DRINK + +Tea was only just beginning to be known, and was a luxury for the +rich. In London the coffee-houses were everywhere, playing a great +part in the life of the capital, at least among those whom we should +now call clubmen. The common drink was still beer, and, among the farm +hands, milk. Port, till the Methuen treaty, was almost unknown in +England. Even the gentry, as a rule, did not drink wine at ordinary +times. The poorer classes rarely tasted flesh meat, except bacon, +which latter cottagers in the country were generally able to command, +every cottage having its pig. The best white wheaten bread was used by +the richer folk only, the poorer eating coarse and dark bread, of +whole-meal, of rye, or even of barley. Pewter was the ware in common +use, except among the labourer class, who had wooden trenchers, or a +coarse unglazed delft. + + +14. INDUSTRIES + +The main occupation of the country was still farming, with fishing, +shipbuilding, and seafaring on the coast. The manufacture of silk, +woollen, and linen goods, now occupying so many millions of folk in +the North and the Midlands, was then carried on mainly in the small +towns and villages, or even in the lonely wayside or moorland cottage. +The great manufacturing towns, such as Manchester, Leeds, Birmingham, +and Sheffield are now, were nowhere to be found in the England of +Queen Anne; but their day was coming. London was the great centre of +the silk trade, and after it came Norwich, Coventry, Derby, and +Nottingham. The cotton industry of Manchester and the surrounding +towns in South Lancashire was making a start, while Leeds, Bradford, +and Halifax, in the West Riding of Yorkshire, were just beginning to +give their attention to the cloth trade on a larger scale. The trade +with other countries was growing rapidly, Bristol being, next to +London, the chief port. Hull, Liverpool, Southampton, and Newcastle +were still small places. It is to be noted that the earliest notions +of what we now call _free trade_ are to be traced back to the days of +the later Stuart sovereigns. Bolingbroke made certain proposals in +that direction, but his plans were rejected by the Whigs. +Stage-coaches began to run, the earliest being those between London +and York, and between London and Exeter. A vast improvement in the +high-roads soon came in consequence. The first General Post Office for +the whole kingdom dates back to the reign of Queen Anne. + + + + +CHRONOLOGICAL LIST OF PRINCIPAL EVENTS + + +1702 (February 20). Queen's Accession, on the death of + William III. + + War of the Spanish Succession begun (May). England, + Holland, and the Empire against France and Spain: + to determine the succession to the Crown of Spain. + Two claimants, Philip, grandson of Louis XIV, and + Archduke Charles of Austria, the latter supported by + England and her allies. + + Duke of Marlborough, in command of allied forces, took + the strongholds of Venloo, Ruremonde, and Liege; + France cut off from Holland and Lower Rhine. + Marlborough made a duke. + + Spanish fleet at Vigo captured by Sir George Rooke. + + Godolphin appointed Lord Treasurer, and Nottingham + a Secretary of State. + + Louis of Baden defeated by French at Friedlingen. + + Battle of Cremona: French stopped by Eugene of Savoy + from entering the Tyrol. + + +1703 Second Grand Alliance. (First Grand Alliance in 1689.) + Nearly all Germany, and Savoy join the coalition + against the French. + + French marching in the direction of Vienna. + + Methuen Treaty; Portugal joined the Alliance. + + Marlborough hampered by the Dutch Government and + unable to follow the French. + + Marlborough took Bonn; giving command of Upper + Rhine. + + +1704 Battle of Donauwoerth. Eugene joined Marlborough. + + (August 4). Gibraltar taken by Sir George Rooke, + Sir George Byng, and Sir Cloudesley Shovel. + + (August 13). Blenheim. Marlborough and Eugene + defeated French and Bavarians under Marshals + Tallard and Marsin. Vienna saved: Marlborough + received Woodstock Manor as a reward. + + Act of Security passed by Scotch Parliament. + + +1705 Marlborough opposed by Allies, and prevented from + marching into France. + + Barcelona taken by Lord Peterborough; the Catalan + district of Spain won for the Archduke Charles. + + Coalition between the more moderate Tories and the + Whigs. + + +1706 Ramillies (May 12), won by Marlborough against Villeroy: + + Allies occupied Antwerp, Brussels, Ghent, Bruges, + Ostend, a line of fortresses cutting off French from + Holland. + + Turin besieged by French: siege raised by Prince + Eugene. + + +1707 Capitulation of Milan signed by Louis: Milan and + Naples secured to Archduke Charles. + + Minorca captured by General Stanhope. + + Battle of Almanza (Spain): English under Lord + Galway surrendered. + + Ghent and Bruges retaken by French. + + Whig resolution not to make peace so long as a Bourbon + ruled in Spain. + + Union with Scotland (October 23): Scotland to send + sixteen peers and forty-five Commoners to United + Houses of Parliament: Law and Church of Scotland + left untouched: privileges of trade and coinage to + be the same for both countries. + + +1708 Harley and St. John dismissed: Whigs came into power + (July 11). Oudenarde: Marlborough and Eugene + defeated Vendome: Lille secured. Bruges and + Ghent retaken by Allies. + + Attempted landing in Scotland by the Pretender + prevented. + + +1709 Peace Conference at the Hague. Louis declined to + remove his grandson from the throne of Spain. + + (September 11). Malplaquet: Marlborough and Eugene + defeated Villars. + + Mons taken by the Allies. + + Quarrel between the Queen and the Duchess of Marlborough. + + Dr. Sacheverell's sermons. + + +1710 Peace proposals by Louis at Gertruydenberg rejected. + + Dr. Sacheverell sentenced: Tory party greatly helped + thereby. + + Battle of Almenara (Spain): French and Spanish + defeated by Stanhope. + + Battle of Saragossa: French and Spanish defeated by + Stanhope. + + Battle of Brihuega: Stanhope beaten by Vendome. + + Battle of Villa Viciosa: General Staremberg defeated + by Vendome: Spain secured for Philip V. + + Bouchain taken by Marlborough. + + Fall of the Whigs. + + General Post Office established. + + St. Paul's Cathedral finished. + + +1711 All Whigs dismissed from office, and Tories alone to + form the Ministry, thus establishing the principle + that the members of the Cabinet should all be of + the same political party. + + Duchess of Marlborough supplanted by Mrs. Masham. + + Death of the Emperor Joseph, and accession of Archduke + Charles: no farther need now to continue + the war. + + Tories determined to put an end to the war. + + +1712 Twelve new Tory peers created to destroy the Whig + majority which was in favour of continuing the war. + + Marlborough deprived of his command: Ormonde to + succeed him. + + Peace Conference at Utrecht. + + Act against Occasional Conformity. + + +1713 (March 3). Treaty of Utrecht: Spain to Philip: + Minorca and Gibraltar to England: Spanish lands + in Italy and Netherlands to Emperor Charles: Sicily + to Savoy. Prussia made a kingdom. + + +1714 Quarrel between Harley and Bolingbroke: Harley + dismissed. + + Schism Act: schoolmasters to belong to the Church of + England. + + Bolingbroke's free trade proposals defeated by the Whigs. + + Death of Electress Sophia: George of Hanover now heir + to the British throne. + + (July 30). Death of Anne: Accession of George I. + + + + +Oxford: HORACE HART, Printer to the University + + + + +Herbert Strang's Stories for Boys + +_SOME PRESS OPINIONS_ + + +ATHENAEUM:--'Herbert Strang is second to none in graphic power and +veracity.' + +SPECTATOR:--'Mr. Strang's name will suffice to assure us that the +subject is seriously treated,' + +SATURDAY REVIEW:--'Excellent as many of the best stories by the best +writers for boys are, we feel that he is first of them all.' + +SPEAKER:--'Not only the best living writer of books for boys, but a +born teacher of history.' + +GUARDIAN:--'Mr. Strang's care and accuracy in detail are far beyond +those of the late Mr. Henty, while he tells a story infinitely +better.' + +CHURCH TIMES:--'If the place of the late G.A. Henty can be filled +it will be by Mr. Herbert Strang, whose finely-written and +historically accurate books are winning him fame.' + +SCHOOLMASTER:--'Mr. Strang is entitled to premier place amongst +writers of stories that equally interest boys and adults.' + +STANDARD:--'It has become a commonplace of criticism to describe Mr. +Strang as the wearer of the mantle of the late G.A. Henty.... We will +go further, and say that the disciple is greater than the master.' + +DAILY TELEGRAPH:--'Boys who read Mr. Strang's works have not merely +the advantage of perusing enthralling and wholesome tales, but they +are also absorbing sound and trustworthy information of the men and +times about which they are reading.' + +TRIBUNE:--'Mr. Herbert Strang's former books "caught on" with our +boys as no other books of adventure since Henty's industrious pen fell +from his hand.' + +MANCHESTER GUARDIAN:--'Mr. Henty was the ancient master in this +kind; the present master, Mr. Herbert Strang, has ten times his +historical knowledge and fully twenty times more narrative skill.' + +GENTLEWOMAN:--'This is the literature we want for young England.' + + + +***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK WITH MARLBOROUGH TO MALPLAQUET*** + + +******* This file should be named 13817.txt or 13817.zip ******* + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/3/8/1/13817 + + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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