There was but little resistance, for the Hessians thought only of flight.
Some burst through their assailants and gained the door; more fled down
the passages, and escaped by the windows through which they had entered;
but more than thirty of them fell in the hall.
The instant resistance was over, Captain Davenant ran out with his men to
secure the horses. A few of the Hessians, who had escaped from the front
door, had jumped on the backs of the nearest animals and ridden off. The
rest had fled on foot, and the exulting troopers counted seventy-two
horses remaining in their hands. Captain Davenant at once returned to the
house.
"Where are you, Walter?" he shouted; but there was no answer. Getting
more light, Captain Davenant searched hastily among the numerous bodies
scattered in the hall, and soon came upon Walter, who was lying,
insensible, just at the foot of the stairs. The excitement had supported
him so long as the defence had to be continued; but, as soon as succour
appeared, and the assailants retreated, he had stumbled forward with his
men, and had fallen insensible from loss of blood at the foot of the
stairs. Captain Davenant hastily examined him.
"Thank God," he said to Larry, who had smuggled himself over with the
second detachment, "he has no other wound but this on the shoulder, and
has only fainted from loss of blood! Run upstairs, and snatch a sheet
from one of the beds.
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