Walter heard many tales of the savage butchery of unoffending peasants,
by the men who professed to be fighting for religious liberty, which
shocked and sickened him.

It was arranged that they should start on the following morning. The men
said that they could guide him across country to Dundalk without
difficulty, and assured him that he would be little likely to meet with
the enemy, for that the whole country had been so wasted, by fire and
sword, as to offer but little temptation even to the most insatiable of
plunderers.

Accordingly, the next morning they set out, and arrived late that evening
at the camp. Walter found that his father and his followers were absent.
They had returned, much surprised at not having been rejoined by Walter's
party, but on their arrival they had found there the survivors of his
command, who had ridden straight for Dundalk.

After a few hours' stay, to rest the horses, Captain Davenant, with his
own men and two of the troops of cavalry, had ridden out in search of the
Enniskilleners. Larry, who had been almost wild with grief when the news
of the surprise, and, as he believed, the death of Walter, had been
brought in, had accompanied the cavalry.

It was late on the following afternoon before they rode into camp. Larry
was the first to come in, having received permission from Captain
Davenant to gallop on ahead. They had met the enemy, and had inflicted a
decisive defeat upon them, but the greater part had escaped, by taking to
the hills on their wiry little horses, which were able to traverse bogs
and quagmires impassable to the heavy troopers.