Indeed, they will find no one there to ask. The servants of the
house had already fled, and I sent my boy's servant, Larry, round to the
stables to tell the men there to ride away with the horses. They will
accompany fifteen of my men, who mounted as many of the horses we
captured, and are driving the rest to a ford some miles away. They are a
valuable capture, and altogether, as far as we are concerned, we have
made a good night's work of it."
"But I do not understand now," Mrs. Conyers said, "how it was that you
came across just in time. How did you know that we were in such trouble?
Because I am sure you would not have come across to attack the soldiers
in our house, without some special reason?"
"No, indeed, madam, I certainly should not have made your house a
battlefield. The fact is, our fortunate arrival is due entirely to my
son. He made all the arrangements, without my knowing anything about it.
He sent over his boy to one of your lads in the stable, and arranged
that, if there should be any trouble in the house in the absence of Mr.
Conyers, he should run down and signal across the river. Your daughter's
maid was to let the boy know what was going on within. It was not till he
had the whole business in train, that Walter told me anything about it.
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