entering the little yard, saw to my dismay six or eight cavalry horses
standing in it. I sprang from my cart and hurried into the house, on the
threshold of which my little brother Charles met me all in tears, and
cried, "Oh, they're burning mamma!"

I burst into the kitchen; there was a roaring fire on the hearth, which
a dragoon was feeding with handfuls of paper torn from our great family
Bible; but there were also great billets of wood burning, which threw
out intense heat, and close in front of it was placed my mother, penned
in with heavy pieces of furniture, while two dragoons in front of her
were thrusting their clenched fists in her face, saying, "Now then, you
obstinate woman! will you roast like a pig, or say where he is gone?"

My mother looked immovable as stone, but directly I entered, I saw her
change countenance a little. My father lay on the ground, bound hand and
foot, while a dragoon was preparing to beat him with a heavy bridle.

"Ah, ah, here is the young cub," cried they as I entered; "here is the
young fellow that was attending on his uncle!" Then, with more bad
language than I choose to repeat, they bade me tell where I had carried
him, unless I would see my mother roasted alive.

"Out of your reach," said I, boldly; "so now let my mother go free," and
springing towards her, I released her before they could throw themselves
upon me. The next minute, we were rolling on the ground, but, as my
mother for the moment was safe, I did not mind the blows I was getting,
but returned them with a fire-iron that lay within reach. I dealt blows
with such a will that for a time I had the advantage, never ceasing to
shout, "Never fear, mother! All's safe! he's on the wide sea. Fly with
the children and leave me to deal with these gentry."