As the two parties cautiously advanced towards the trenches, they were surprised to find that all remained quiet. No sentinels could be discovered, nor was a single shot fired from the fortifications.
Beginning, at length, to suspect the truth, Standish dashed on, plunged unhesitatingly into the trench, which he found abandoned, and next scaled the nearest battery, followed closely by Bretergh and his men. No resistance was offered. Not a shot was fired. The cannon was in the sconce, but the engineers were gone.
Overjoyed at the discovery, Standish caused his men to shout loudly. They were answered from the fortifications gained by Ogle and Rawsthorne, and from musketeers on the ramparts of the mansion, but no other sound was heard, and it was clear that the besiegers had decamped, leaving nothing behind them except such ordnance as were too heavy to be removed.
Intelligence of this important discovery was immediately sent to Major Farrington, by whom it was conveyed to the countess.
She was quite prepared for the good news by the shouts she had heard. Indeed, there was not a single person in the garrison that did not guess the truth.
As soon as it became light, the sudden departure of the enemy was confirmed, since it could be seen that the tents had been struck during the night. Evidently Rigby had taken flight, alarmed by the approach of Prince Rupert and the Earl of Derby.
Standish besought permission to ride forth and meet the earl, and the countess yielded to his solicitations, but enjoined him to take a guard with him. Nothing could have pleased him better, and as soon as the horses could be saddled, he set out with half a dozen armed attendants.
Passing through the deserted trenches, and making his way past the fortifications, he rode on to the site of the camp. There were abundant vestiges of the besiegers, though they had taken with them all they could. Several wounded men, who had been left behind, were lying stretched on the ground, groaning with pain. Some of these poor fellows implored his help, and from them he ascertained that Colonel Rigby had retired with his whole force to Bolton. They also informed him of the conflict at Stockport, adding, that the victorious Royalists were marching to Lathom, and could not be very far off.
This proved to be the case, for ere he had quitted the spot, the loud blast of a clarion was heard, and a regiment of lancers emerged from the wood. At the head of this fine body of men rode Prince Rupert and the Earl of Derby. Having learnt from their scouts that the beleaguering force was gone, they had ridden on with the advanced guard.
Instantly recognising the two noble personages, Standish rode on to meet them.
“Soh! the siege is raised, and Rigby gone,” cried the prince, as he returned Standish’s salutation. “Whither has he fled?”
“To Bolton, your highness, as I learn from those wounded men,” replied Standish.
“To Bolton!” cried Rupert. Then turning to Lord Derby, he added: “We will follow him thither.”
The earl signified his satisfaction at the resolve.
“Were he to escape punishment, all the rebels in the county would deride us,” he said. “Bolton is a strong place, as I have found, but it shall not shelter him from our swords.”
“We will march there at once,” cried the prince. “I will come to Lathom on our return.”
“Nay, I pray your highness, pass not by the castle, now you are so near it,” said the earl. “It will cheer the countess to see you.”
Thus urged, Rupert could not refuse, though he controlled his impatience with difficulty. But he gave orders to an aide-de-camp to inform the different officers that no halt should be made, but that the whole army must march on to Bolton, adding that he and Lord Derby would overtake them before they got half way there.
These orders given, the prince and the earl, attended by Standish and followed by a guard of twenty lancers, together with the musketeers from the garrison, rode towards the mansion.
On reaching the batteries, they stopped for a few minutes to examine them, and while they were engaged in the scrutiny, Standish told them of the many successful sorties made by the garrison, and how the great mortar had been captured.