young nobles gladly relinquishing it to them.

Chapter 12: Oudenarde.

Desmond did not remain long at the marshal's camp, but accompanied
expeditions that were sent to Bruges, Ghent, and Ypres. The
inhabitants of these towns had, for some time, been in communication
with the marshal. They were hostile to the English, and had a standing
feud, of many years' duration, with the Dutch.

As soon, therefore, as the French columns approached, they opened
their gates. The weak garrisons that had been placed there,
finding themselves unable to at once control the population and
defend the walls, evacuated the town before the French arrived.

Beyond writing confidential reports to Berwick, Desmond had had
little to do, and spent most of his time with his own regiment, by
whom he was heartily welcomed, and with the other Irish battalions
encamped near them. He and the other officers captured in the
Salisbury had been given up as lost by their comrades; and the
appearance of Desmond, in his staff uniform, was the first
intimation they had received of his escape, of which he had more
than once to give a detailed account.

In doing this, he made no mention of the seizure of Lord
Godolphin. He knew that the minister was anxious that this should
not get abroad, and, as he had behaved fairly to them, Desmond
considered that he ought to remain silent on the subject; and
merely said that, on their arrival at Rye, they had made an
arrangement with a man who was in the habit of conveying persons
secretly, to or from France, to take them across the channel.

"You amaze me more and more, Kennedy," the colonel said. "Six
months ago, when you joined, you seemed to me little more than a
boy, and yet you have been through adventures that demanded the
brain and courage of a veteran. We missed you all much; but I hope
we shall soon get the others back again, for I had news the other
day, from Paris, that arrangements for their exchange were going
on, and no doubt they will rejoin as soon as they land.

"There is little chance of you, O'Neil and O'Sullivan coming back
to the regiment; but, at any rate, as Berwick's force is sure to
join ours, as soon as operations begin in earnest, we shall often
see you."

It was the end of June before the main army advanced. Desmond had
returned to Peronne after the capture of the three Flemish towns,
and was warmly praised by Berwick for the manner in which he had
carried out the work entrusted t