"Twelve
peasants and one officer were to be hung, and afterwards quartered."
"It is monstrous!" General Hamilton exclaimed. "I will go back to the
general, and obtain his order for the arrest of the execution."
"You will be too late, sir," the Hessian said coldly. "I have my orders,
and before you are half way to the general's camp, that prisoner will be
swinging from that bough."
"I order you to desist, sir, till I return," General Hamilton said.
"As I do not happen to be in your division, General Hamilton, and as I
have received my orders from the commander in chief, I decline altogether
to take orders from you."
Walter, who had resigned himself to his fate, stood watching the
altercation with a renewed feeling of hope. This died out when the
colonel spoke, and two of the troopers seized him, but at that moment his
eye fell upon one of the English officers.
"Colonel L'Estrange!" he exclaimed.
The officer started, at hearing his name called out by the prisoner, but
he did not recognize him.
"I am Walter Davenant. You remember, sir, the wreck off Bray?"
"Good heavens!" Colonel L'Estrange exclaimed, pressing forward.
"It is the lad who saved my life, General Hamilton!
"Gentlemen, this young officer saved my life at the risk of his own.
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