“Water!” he bark’d out as he came trailing into the yard. “Give me water—I’m a dead man!” He was stepping over me to enter the kitchen, when he halted and said— “Art a malignant, for certain!” And before I had a chance to reply, his musket was swung up, and I felt my time was come to die. But now the old savage, that had been sitting all day before his fire, without so much as a sign to show if he noticed aught that was passing, jump’d up with a yell and leap’d toward us. He and the cat were on the poor wretch together, tearing and clawing. I can hear their hellish outcries to this day: but at the moment they turn’d me faint. And the next thing I recall is being dragged inside by the old man, who shut the door after me and slipp’d the bolt, leaving the wounded trooper on the other side. He beat against it for some time, sobbing piteously for water: and then I heard him groaning at intervals, till he died. At least, the groans ceased; and next day he was found with his back against the cottage wall, stark and dead. Having pulled me inside, Joan’s father must have thought he had done enough: for on the floor I lay for hours, and passed from one swoon into another. He and the cat had gone back to the fire again, and long before evening both were sound asleep. So there I lay helpless, till, at nightfall, there came the trampling of a horse outside, and then a rap on the door. The old man started up and opened it: and in rushed Joan, her eyes lit up, her breast heaving, and in her hand a naked sword. “Church and King, Jack!” she cried, and flung the blade with a clang on to the table. “Church and King! O brave day’s work, lad—O bloody work this day!” And I swooned again. CHAPTER XIII. I BUY A LOOKING GLASS AT BODMIN FAIR: AND MEET WITH MR. HANNIBAL TINGCOMB. There had, indeed, been brave work on Braddock Down that 19th of January. For Sir Ralph Hopton with the Cornish grandees had made short business of Ruthen’s army—driving it headlong back on Liskeard at the first charge, chasing it through that town, and taking 1,200 prisoners (including Sir Shilston Calmady), together with many colors, all the rebel ordnance and ammunition, and most of their arms. At Liskeard, after refreshing their men, and holding next day a solemn thanksgiving to God, they divided—the Lord Mohun with Sir Ralph Hopton and Colonel Godolphin marching with the greater part of the army upon Saltash, whither Ruthen had fled and was entrenching himself; while Sir John Berkeley and Colonel Ashburnham, with a small party of horse and dragoons and the voluntary regiments of Sir Bevill Grenville, Sir Nich. Slanning, and Colonel Trevanion, turned to the northeast, toward Launceston and Tavistock, to see what account they might render of the Earl of Stamford’s army; that, however, had no stomach to await them, but posted out of the county into Plymouth and Exeter.