eeded. The action now became general. Fire arms were discharged on
both sides, without much damage to either party. But a rush being made
by a detachment of horse, headed by Major Mowbray, the conflict soon
became more serious. The gipsies, after the first fire, threw aside
their pistols, and fought with long knives, with which they inflicted
desperate gashes, both on men and horses. Major Mowbray was slightly
wounded in the thigh, and his steed receiving the blow intended for
himself, stumbled and threw his rider. Luckily for the major, Ranulph
Rookwood was at hand, and with the butt-end of a heavy-handled pistol
felled the ruffian to the earth, just as he was upon the point of
repeating the thrust.

Turpin, meanwhile, had taken comparatively a small share in the
conflict. He seemed to content himself with acting upon the defensive,
and except in the case of Titus Tyrconnel, whom, espying amidst the
crowd, he had considerably alarmed by sending a bullet through his wig,
he did not fire a single shot. He also succeeded in unhorsing Coates, by
hurling, with great dexterity, the empty pistol at his head. Though
apparently unconcerned in the skirmish, he did not flinch from it, but
kept his ground unyieldingly. "A charmed life" he seemed to bear; for
amid the shower of bullets, many of which were especially aimed at
himself, he came off unhurt.

"He that's born to be hanged will never be drowned, that's certain,"
said Titus. "It's no use trying to bring him down. But, by Jasus! he's
spoiled my best hat and wig, anyhow. There's a hole in my beaver as big
as a crown piece."

"Your own crown's safe, and that's some satisfaction," said Coates;
"whereas mine has a bump on it as large as a swan's egg. Ah! if we could
only get behind him."

The strife continued to rage without intermission; and though there were
now several ghastly evidences of its fury, in the shape of wounded men
and slaughtered or disabled horses, whose gaping wounds flooded the turf
with gore, it was still difficult to see upon which side victory would
eventually declare herself. The gipsies, though by far the greater
sufferers of the two, firmly maintained their ground. Drenched in the
blood of the horses they had wounded, and brandishing their long knives,
they presented a formidable and terrific appearance, the effect of which
was not at all diminished by their wild yells and savage gesticulations.
On the other hand, headed by Major Mowbray and Ranulph