, having passed the ford of the Aguada, to advance at
the top of his speed towards the British lines. As he came nearer, it was
perceived that he was accompanied by a led horse, and apparently with total
disregard of the presence of an enemy, rode boldly and carelessly forward.
Behind him rode three lancers, their lances couched, their horses at speed;
the pace was tremendous, and the excitement intense: for sometimes, as the
leading horseman of the pursuit neared the fugitive, he would bend suddenly
upon the saddle, and swerving to the right or the left, totally evade him,
while again at others, with a loud cry of bold defiance, rising in his
stirrups, he would press on, and with a shake of his bridle that bespoke
the jockey, almost distance the enemy.

"That must be your fellow, O'Malley; that must be your Irish groom!" cried
a brother officer. There could be no doubt of it. It was Mike himself.

"I'll be hanged, if he's not playing with them!" said Baker. "Look at the
villain! He's holding in; that's more than the Frenchmen are doing. Look!
look at the fellow on the gray horse! He has flung his trumpet to his back,
and drawn his sabre."

A loud cheer burst from the French lines; the trumpeter was gaining at
every stride. Mike had got into deep ground, and the horses would not keep
together. "Let the brown horse go! Let him go, man!" shouted the dragoons,
while I re-echoed the cry with my utmost might. But not so, Mike held
firmly on, and spurring madly, he lifted his horse at each stride, turning
from time to time a glance at his pursuer. A shout of triumph rose from the
French side; tin; trumpeter was beside him; his arm was uplifted; the sabre
above his head. A yell broke from the British, and with difficulty could
the squadron be restrained. For above a minute the horses went side by
side, but the Frenchman delayed his stroke until he could get a little in
the front. My excitement had rendered me speechless; if a word could have
saved my poor fellow, I could not have spoken. A mist seemed to gather
across my eyes, and the whole plain and its peopled thousands danced before
my vision.

"He's down!" "He's down, by heavens!" "No! no, no!" "Look there! Nobly
done!" "Gallant fellow!" "He has him! he has him, by ----!" A cheer that
rent the very air above us broke from the squadrons, and Mike galloped in
among us, holding the Frenchman by the throat with one hand; the bridle of
his horse he firmly grasped with his own