“Good God!” said I. “This is a fine place, Carbury!”

“It’s like a dozen others we have laid in ashes,” said he, “and like scores more that we shall treat in a like manner. Look sharp! Here some our light troops.”

The light infantry of Hand arrived on a smart run — a torrent of red-faced, sweating, excited fellows, pouring headlong into the town, cheering as they ran.

General Hand, catching sight of me, signalled with his sword and shouted to know what had become of the enemy.

“They’re gone off!” I shouted back. “My Indians are on their heels and we’ll soon have news of their whereabouts.