With Marlborough to Malplaquet: A Story of the Reign of Queen Anne

od 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-

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 mu

arges-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 perc

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 dest

oat was enveloped in fog. The chase was now rendered impossible to the enemy. Ho

er the English or the Dutch coast, and in either case I

d 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

ilors drew him up on deck. "A Frenchman," was the verdict in gruff Dutch

nd was delighted to be answered

e skipper ordered for him, he spent the evening in going over his adventures again. The jolly-hearted English lad became an immediate favouri

r next morning when he came on deck, to find a cle

ight, my lad," rep

me ashore, capt

miled and sh

ith us to Spain. And here comes

oy touched his cap. With the skipper as interpreter

d plenty of good pay, and glory to be won. Besides, you will be fighting under one of

s face

ed to be a soldier,

may take it that the matter is sett

ice of Mr. Allan, shipping merchant, of London, sailing to join the allied force

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

son," the father said, "and some day he wi

n's commission in a well-reputed regiment of foot. He already stood six feet one in his

t to bid a very friendly adieu to the Fairburns. "Won't it be jolly if we d

e 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

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 Marl

ear 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 be

estants 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 gre

ches in a hot climate tried him. But he was growing into

And isn't that what I've always wanted to be? And I might have been chained up in a

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 I

ing. He was all eager to get into action, and was not much comfor

ill get your full share of fighting; enough to satisfy

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

er fashion, pointing out the flag and the hamlet to the lieutenant. "Wou

e notion; he was not much

e must know how many

it I can see right down into the village

r, that you would risk it?" t

ad replied with flushed face

, saying, "It's worth

ng 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, whi

en 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 f

d from below, and at the same instant a bullet whistled close past hi

terly 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 follo

tant the man was locked in his arms, just as the musket report came. Down the two fell, bounding over two or

u are an Englishman worth knowing,"

later, when, the brush with the French over, the Eng

stounded to learn that the Frenchman had been found still held in tight grip, his neck broken. The enemy had been put to

you've got about as many bruises as there are days in a year. Bu

r," George answered, cheerfully, "

n the great Earl of Galway himsel

smile. "You are a boy of pluck. You are done for so far as the present campaign is concerned

really said so much. But Lieutenant Fieldsend, who was destined to become his comrade on many a har