While they were doing this he went from house to house to see that none of the party were lurking there.

At the door of the last house of the village three women were standing.
"Are any of the soldiers here ?" he asked.
The women gave him an unintelligible answer in the country patois, and passing between them he entered the cottage.

On the table stood a large jug of water, and lifting it he took a long draught.

There was a sudden crash, and he fell heavily, struck down from behind with a heavy mallet by one of the women.

He was stunned by the blow, and when he recovered his senses he found that he was bound hand and foot, a cloth had been stuffed tightly into his mouth, and he was covered thickly with a heap of straw and rubbish.