The following day Harry and his troop moved further down the river, the enemy having fallen back from Didcot.  He was placed at a village where there was a ford across the river.  The post was of importance, as its position prevented the enemy from making raids into the country, where stores of provisions and cattle had been collected for the use of the army at Oxford.  Harry’s force was a small one for the defense of such a post; but there appeared little danger of an attack, as Prince Rupert, with a large force of cavalry, lay but a mile or two distant.  A few days after their arrival, however, Prince Rupert started with his horse to drive back a party of the enemy whom he heard were lying some miles north of Reading.

“Prince Rupert never seems to have room for two ideas in his head at the same time,” Jacob said.  “The moment he hears of an enemy off he rides at full gallop, forgetting that he has left us alone here.  It is well if the Roundheads at Reading do not sally out and attack us, seeing how useful this ford would be to them.”

“I agree with you, Jacob, and we will forthwith set to work to render the place as defensible as we may.”

“We had best defend the other side of the ford, if they advance,” Jacob said.  “We could make a far better stand there.”

“That is true, Jacob; but though we could there bar them from entering our country, they, if they obtained the village, would shut the door to our entering theirs.  No, it is clear that it our duty to defend the village as long as we can, if we should be attacked.”

Harry now set his men to work to make loopholes in the cottages and inclosure walls, and to connect the latter by banks of earth, having thorn branches set on the top.  Just at the ford itself stood a large water-mill, worked by a stream which here ran into the river.  Harry placed sacks before all the windows, leaving only loopholes through which to fire.  Some of the troop carried pistols only; others had carbines; and some, short, wide-mouthed guns, which carried large charges of buckshot.  Pickets were sent forward a mile toward Reading.

Early in the afternoon these galloped in with the news that a heavy column of infantry and cavalry, with two pieces of artillery, were approaching along the road.  Harry at once dispatched a messenger, with orders to ride until he found Prince Rupert, to tell him of the state he was in, and ask him to hurry to his assistance, giving assurance that he would hold the village as long as possible.  All now labored vigorously at the works of defense.  Half an hour after the alarm had been given the enemy were seen approaching.

“There must be over five hundred men, horse and foot,” Jacob said, as from the upper story of the mill he watched with Harry the approach of the enemy.  “With fifty men we shall never be able to defend the circuit of the village.”

“Not if they attack all round at once,” Harry agreed.  “But probably they will fall upon us in column, and behind stone walls we can do much.  We must keep them out as long as we can; then fall back here, and surround ourselves with a ring of fire.”