and Claverhouse were now in the open space behind the first line of
the French cavalry, and they could see more than one Dutch officer
and some of the Dutch troopers also in the same dangerous position.
Graham was considering what to do when he caught sight, a short
distance off on the left, of a figure he seemed to know: it was an
officer riding slowly along the line as if in command, and taking no
heed of the many incidents happening round him.

"Collier," cried Graham, "see you who that is among the French
soldiers alone and at their mercy? As I am a living man it is the
Prince himself. Good God! how did he get there, and what is he going
to do?"

While Graham was speaking the Prince of Orange, who was now quite
close to him, but gave no sign that he recognized him, suddenly threw
out an order in French to the regiment behind which he was riding, and
which was hewing its way through a mass of Dutch. He called on them to
halt and reform, and their officers supposing him to be one of their
generals who had arrived from headquarters, set to work to extricate
their men from the melee. The Prince passed with the utmost coolness
through their line as if to see what was doing in front, while
Claverhouse and Collier followed him as if they were attached. As soon
as he had got to the open space in front, for what remained of the
Dutch were in rapid retreat, and were scattering in all directions,
he put spurs to his horse, and shouting to Claverhouse and Collier to
follow rapidly, for his trick had already been detected, he galloped
forward to the place where the crowd of fugitives was thinnest, that
he might as soon as possible rejoin his staff and resume command when
above all times a general was needed. A French officer, however, had
recognized him as he passed through the line, and now with some dozen
soldiers was pursuing at full speed. The Prince's horse had been
wounded in two places and was also blown with exertion, and passing
over some marshy ground had not strength to clear it, but plunged
helplessly in the soft soil. In two minutes, the French would have
been upon them and made the greatest capture of the war. Claverhouse,
leaping off his horse, asked the Prince to mount, who, instantly and
without more than a nod, sprang into the saddle and escaped when the
Frenchmen were within a few yards. Claverhouse fired at the French
officer and missed him, but brought down his horse, which did just as
well, and Collier