In the brilliant results which arose from the victory at Ramilies, Rupert Holliday had no share.

The 5th dragoons formed part of the cavalry force which, when the battle was over, pursued the broken French cavalry to the gates of Hochstad.
In the pursuit, along a road encumbered with deserted waggons, tumbrels, and guns, the pursuers after nightfall became almost as much broken up as the pursued.
Rupert's horse towards the end of the pursuit went dead lame, and he dismounted in order to see if he could do anything to its hoof.
He found a sharp stone tightly jammed in the shoe, and was struggling to get this out when the troop again moved forward.

Not doubting that he would overtake them in a minute or two, and fearing that unless his horse was relieved of the stone it would become so lame that it would not be able to carry him back, Rupert hammered away at it with a large boulder from the road.

It was a longer job than he had anticipated, and five minutes elapsed before he succeeded in getting the stone out, and then, mounting his horse, he rode briskly forward.

Presently he came to a point where the road forked.