elapsed when the gates fell back on their hinges, and Peterborough and
his dragoons entered the town in triumph.

Here the wearied band enjoyed a rest for some days, Peterborough
spreading the alarm, which his presence excited, by giving orders that
great quantities of provisions and forage should be brought in from
all directions for the supply of the large army which he stated to be
following at his heels. As it never occurred to any one that he could
be pursuing an army of seven thousand men through a hostile country
with only a handful of dragoons, his statements were not doubted. The
requisitions were complied with, and provisions and stores poured into
the town.

Las Torres at Almenara, where he had again perpetrated a horrible
massacre, heard the news of great preparations that Peterborough was
making for the supply of his army, and considering his position to be
unsafe again retreated hastily.

At Nules two hundred horses were found and at once appropriated for the
use of the army. With a portion of his force Peterborough rode out to
Castillon de la Plana, an open town of some size, where the people were
well affected to the Austrian cause. Here he secured four hundred more
horses, at the same time assuring both friends and foes that his
army was driving the enemy out of the kingdom. On entering Nules,
Peterborough had sent orders for Lord Barrymore's regiment of British
infantry, at that time under the command of Colonel Pierce, to march
from Vinaroz, where they had been sent with the rest of the infantry
from San Matteo to Oropesa, a town about nine miles from Castillon,
where he had collected all the horses he had obtained during his march.

When the news reached Nules of the arrival of this regiment at Oropesa,
Lord Peterborough at once rode over. The regiment was formed up for his
inspection; it had marched with the greatest speed, and the men were
worn out and footsore with their long tramp over the stony hills. After
inspecting them the earl paid them a high compliment upon their past
achievements, and concluded by expressing his wish that they had but
horses and accouterments to try whether a corps of so high a character
would maintain their reputation in the novelty of mounted service.

The joke of their eccentric general seemed but a poor one to the
footsore and almost shoeless men, but they were astonished when Jack
rode forward and presented to each of the officers a commission,
which he had dr