ckly entered the house and
secured the weapons, retreating with them some paces from the door.

"Now, sir," said Horse-Shoe to the Ensign, "your sword, and whatever
else you mought have about you of the ammunitions of war!"

The officer delivered his sword and a pair of pocket pistols.

As Horse-Shoe received these tokens of victory, he asked, with a
lambent smile, and what he intended to be an elegant and condescending
composure, "Your name, sir, if I mought take the freedom?"

"Ensign St. Jermyn, of his Majesty's seventy-first regiment of light
infantry."

"Ensign, your sarvant," added Horse-Shoe, still preserving this
unusual exhibition of politeness. "You have defended your post like an
old sodger, although you ha'n't much beard on your chin; but, seeing
you have given up, you shall be treated like a man who has done his
duty. You will walk out now, and form yourselves in line at the door.
I'll engage my men shall do you no harm; they are of a marciful
breed."

When the little squad of prisoners submitted to this command, and came
to the door, they were stricken with equal astonishment and
mortification to find, in place of the detachment of cavalry which
they expected to see, nothing but a man, a boy, and a horse. Their
first emotions were expressed in curses, which were even succeeded by
laughter from one or two of the number. There seemed to be a
disposition on the part of some to resist the authority that now
controlled them; and sundry glances were exchanged, which indicated a
purpose to turn upon their captors. The sergeant no sooner perceived
this, than he halted, raised his rifle to his breast, and at the same
instant, gave Andrew Ramsay an order to retire a few paces, and to
fire one of the captured pieces at the first man who opened his lips.

"By my hand," he said, "if I find any trouble in taking you, all five,
safe away from this here house, I will thin your numbers with your own
muskets! And that's as good as if I had sworn to it."

"You have my word, sir," said the Ensign. "Lead on."

"By your leave, my pretty gentlemen, you will lead and I'll follow,"
replied Horse-Shoe. "It may be a new piece of drill to you; but the
custom is to give the prisoners the post of honor."

"As you please, sir," answered the Ensign. "Where do you take us to?"

"You will march back by the road you came," said the sergeant.

Finding the conqueror determined to execute summary martial law upon
the first who sh