There were reports that the Parliament army was about to besiege the town, and Prince Rupert was coming to defend it. Steadfast was very anxious, and would not let his sisters stir out of the valley, keeping the cattle there as much as possible.
One day, when he had been sent for to help to gather in Lady Elmwood's harvest, in the afternoon the reaping and binding were suddenly interrupted by the distant rattle of musketry, such as had been heard two years ago, in the time of the first siege but it was in quite another direction from the town. Everyone left off work, and made what speed they could to the top of the sloping field, whence they could see what was going on.
'There they be!' shouted Tom Gates. 'I saw 'em first! Hurrah! They be at Luck's mill.'
'Hush! you good-for-nothing,' shrieked Bess Hart, throwing her apron over her head. 'When we shall all be killed and murdered.'
'Not just yet, dame,' said Master Brown. 'They be a long way off, and they have enow to do with one another. I wonder if Sir George be there. He writ to my lady that he hoped to see her ere long.'
'And my Roger,' called out a woman. 'He went with Sir George.'
'And our Jack,' was the cry of another; while Steadfast thought of Jephthah, but knew he must be on the opposite side. From the top of the field, they could see a wide sweep of country dipping down less than two miles from them where there was a bridge over a small river, a mill, and one or two houses near. On the nearer side of the river could be seen the flash of steel caps, and a close, dark body of men, on the further side was another force, mostly of horsemen, with what seemed like waggons and baggage horses in the rear. They had what by its colours seemed to be the English banner, the others had several undistinguishable standards. Puffs of smoke broke from the windows of the mill.
'Aye!' said Goodman Blane. 'I would not be in Miller Luck's shoes just now. I wonder where he is, poor rogue. Which side have got his mill, think you, Master Brown?'
'The round-headed rascals for certain,' said Master Brown, 'and the bridge too, trying to hinder the King's men from crossing bag and baggage to relieve the town.'
'See, there's a party drawing together. Is it to force the bridge?'
'Aye, aye, and there's another troop galloping up stream. Be they running off, the cowards?'
'Not they. Depend on it some of our folks have told them of Colham ford. Heaven be with them, brave lads.'
'Most like Sir George is there, I don't see 'em.'
'No, of course not, stupid, they'll be taking Colham Lane. See, see, there's a lot of 'em drawn up to force the bridge. Good luck be with them.'
More puffs of smoke from the mill, larger ones from the bank, and a rattle and roll came up to the watchers. There was a moment's shock and pause in the assault, then a rush forward, and the distant sound of a cheer, which those on the hill could not help repeating. But from the red coats on and behind the bridge, proceeded a perfect cloud of smoke, which hid everything, and when it began to clear away on the wind, there seemed to be a hand- to-hand struggle going on upon the bridge, smaller puffs, as though pistols were being used, and forms falling over the parapet, at which sight the men held their breath, and the women shrieked and cried 'God have mercy on their poor souls.' And then the dark-coated troops seemed to be driven back.
'That was a feint, only a feint,' cried Master Brown. 'See there!'
For the plumed troop of horsemen had indeed crossed, and came galloping down the bank with such a jingling and clattering, and thundering of hoofs as came up to the harvest men above, and Master Brown led the cheer as they charged upon the compact mass of red coats behind the bridge, and broke and rode them down by the vehemence of the shock.
'Hurrah!' cried Blane. 'Surely they will turn now and take the fellows on the bridge in the rear. No. Ha! they are hunting them down on to their baggage! Well done, brave fellows, hip! hip!--'
But the hurrah died on his lips as a deep low hum--a Psalm tune sung by hundreds of manly voices--ascended to his ears, to the accompaniment of the heavy thud of horsehoofs, and from the London Road, between the bridge and the Royalist horsemen, there emerged a compact body of troopers, in steel caps and corslets. Forming in ranks of three abreast, they charged over the bridge, and speedily cleared off the Royalists who were struggling to obtain a footing there.
There was small speech on the hill side, as the encounter was watched, and the Ironsides forming on the other side, charged the already broken troops before they had time to rally, and there was nothing to be seen but an utter dispersion and scattering of men, looking from that distance like ants when their nest has been broken into.
It was only a skirmish, not to be heard of in history, but opening the way for the besiegers to the walls of Bristol, and preventing any of the supplies from reaching the garrison, or any of the intended reinforcements, except some of the eager Cavaliers, who galloped on thither, when they found it impossible to return and guard the bridge for their companions.
The struggle was over around the bridge in less than two hours, but no more of Lady Elmwood's harvest was gathered in that evening. The people watched as if they could not tear themselves from the contemplation of the successful bands gathering together in their solid masses, and marching onwards in the direction of Bristol, leaving, however, a strong guard at the bridge, over which piled waggons and beasts of burthen continued to pass, captured no doubt and prevented from relieving the city. It began to draw towards evening, and Master Brown was beginning to observe that he must go and report to my lady, poor soul; and as to the corn, well, they had lost a day gaping at the fight, and they must come up again to-morrow, he only hoped they were not carting it for the round-headed rogues; when at that moment there was a sudden cry, first of terror, then of recognition, 'Roger, Hodge Fitter! how didst come here?'
For a weary, worn-out trooper, with stained buff coat, and heavy boots, stood panting among them. 'I thought 'twas our folks,' he said. 'Be mother here?'
'Hodge! My Hodge! Be'st hurt, my lad?' cried the mother, bursting through the midst and throwing herself on him, while his father contented himself with a sort of grunt. 'All right, Hodge. How com'st here?'
'And where's my Jack?' exclaimed Goody Bent.
'And where's our Harry?' was another cry from Widow Lakin.
While Stead longed to ask, but could not be heard in the clamour, whether his brother had been there.
Hodge could tell little--seen less than the lookers on above. He had been among those who had charged through the enemy, and ridden towards Bristol, but his horse had been struck by a stray shot, and killed under him. He had avoided the pursuers by scrambling through a hedge, and then had thought it best to make his way through the fields to his own home, until, seeing the party on the hill, he had joined them, expecting to find his parents among them.
Sir George he knew to be on before him, and probably almost at Bristol by this time. Poor Jack had been left weeks ago on the field of Naseby, though there had been no opportunity of letting his family know. 'Ill news travels fast enough!' And as to Harry, he had been shot down by a trooper near about the bridge, but mayhap might be alive for all that.
'And my brother, Jeph Kenton,' Steadfast managed to say. 'Was he there?'
'Jeph Kenton! Why, he's a canting Roundhead. The only Elmwood man as is! More shame for him.'
'But was he there?' demanded Stead.
'There! Well, Captain Venn's horse were there, and he was in them! I have seen him more than once on outpost duty, prating away as if he had a beard on his chin. I'd a good mind to put a bullet through him to stop his impudence, for a disgrace to the place.'
'Then he was in the fight?' reiterated Steadfast.
'Aye, was he. And got his deserts, I'll be bound, for we went smack smooth through Venn's horse, like a knife through a mouldy cheese, and left 'em lying to the right and left. If the other fellows had but stuck by us as well, we'd have made a clean sweep of the canting dogs.'
Hodge's eloquence was checked by the not unwelcome offer of a drink of cider.
'Seems quiet enough down there,' said Nanny Lakin, peering wistfully over the valley where the shadows of evening were spreading. 'Mayhap if I went down I might find out how it is with my poor lad.'
'Nay, I'll go, mother,' said a big, loutish youth, hitherto silent; 'mayn't be so well for womenfolk down there.'
'What's that to me, Joe, when my poor Harry may be lying a bleeding his dear life out down there?'
'There's no fear,' said Hodge. 'To give them their due, the Roundheads be always civil to country folk and
