In an instant the bold rider was already struggling through the dangerous swamp; in another, his powerful charger had carried him across.

Halting for a few minutes, lance in rest, till his troops had also forced their passage, gained the level ground unperceived, and sufficiently breathed their horses, he drew up his little force in a compact column.

Then, with a few words of encouragement, he launched them at the foe.

The violent and entirely unexpected shock was even more successful than the Prince had anticipated.

The hostile cavalry reeled and fell into hopeless confusion, Egmont in vain striving to rally them to resistance.