I should fancy they are engaged in front of Diepenbeck; but the ground is so undulating, and the view so obscured by smoke, that we have not caught sight of them since they issued from Oudenarde--indeed, the hill behind Diepenbeck prevents our seeing down into the low land beyond." "I will ride on there, sir," Desmond said.

"Certainly a better view can be obtained than from this side." A canter of a mile took him to the summit of the hill at whose foot Diepenbeck stood.

He could see the masses of French troops, gathered in and in front of the village; but beyond that a veil of smoke covered the country, and entirely obscured the contending parties, whose position could only be guessed by the incessant rattle of their musketry fire.
Turning again, he rode down the dip that separated the hill from that of Oycke.

He had just gained the crest, when he saw a large force marching rapidly towards the mill.

Seeing at once the serious nature of the movement, he turned and galloped, at full speed, to the point where the generals were still watching the progress of the fight.
"I could learn nothing of the force you spoke of from General Grimaldi at Royegham, nor on the heights above Diepenbeck; but, riding towards Oycke, I saw them advancing at full speed towards the windmill, at which they had already almost arrived." An exclamation of anger broke from the duke.
"This is what comes," he muttered, "of placing a fool in command of the army." Turning away, he at once communicated the news to Vendome, who stamped his foot furiously on the ground.
"Just when victory was in our grasp," he said, and turned his glass towards Oycke, which was some four miles distant.
"I can make them out now," he said.