In Freedom's Cause

G. A. Henty

CONTENTS

 I Glen Cairn II Leaving Home III Sir William Wallace IV The Capture of Lanark V A Treacherous Plot VI The Barns of Ayr VII The Cave in the Pentlands VIII The Council at Stirling IX The Battle of Stirling Bridge X The Battle of Falkirk XI Robert The Bruce XII The Battle of Methven XIII The Castle of Dunstaffnage XIV Colonsay XV A Mission to Ireland XVI An Irish Rising XVII The King's Blood Hound XVIII The Hound Restored XIX The Convent of St. Kenneth XX The Heiress of the Kerrs XXI The Siege of Aberfilly XXII A Prisoner XXIII The Escape from Berwick XXIV The Progress of the War XXV The Capture of a Stronghold XXVI Edinburgh XXVII Bannockburn

PREFACE. 

MY DEAR LADS, There are few figures in history who have individually exercisedso great an influence upon events as William Wallace and RobertBruce. It was to the extraordinary personal courage, indomitableperseverance, and immense energy of these two men that Scotlandowed her freedom from English domination. So surprising were thetraditions of these feats performed by these heroes that it was atone time the fashion to treat them as belonging as purely to legendas the feats of St. George or King Arthur. Careful investigation, however, has shown that so far from this being the case, almostevery deed reported to have been performed by them is verified bycontemporary historians. Sir William Wallace had the especial badfortune of having come down to us principally by the writings ofhis bitter enemies, and even modern historians, who should havetaken a fairer view of his life, repeated the cry of the old Englishwriters that he was a bloodthirsty robber. Mr. W. Burns, however, in his masterly and exhaustive work, The Scottish War of Independence, has torn these calumnies to shreds, and has displayed Wallace ashe was, a high minded and noble patriot. While consulting otherwriters, especially those who wrote at the time of or but shortlyafter the events they record, I have for the most part followedBurns in all the historical portions of the narrative. Throughoutthe story, therefore, wherein it at all relates to Wallace, Bruce, and the other historical characters, the circumstances and eventscan be relied upon as strictly accurate, save only in the earlierevents of the career of Wallace, of which the details that havecome down to us are somewhat conflicting, although the main featuresare now settled past question. 

Yours sincerely, G. A. HENTY. 

Chapter I

Glen Cairn

The village of Glen Cairn was situated in a valley in the brokencountry lying to the west of the Pentland Hills, some fifteen milesnorth of the town of Lanark, and the country around it was wildand picturesque. The villagers for the most part knew little ofthe world beyond their own valley, although a few had occasionallypaid visits to Glasgow, which lay as far to the west as Lanark wasdistant to the south. On a spur jutting out from the side of thehill stood Glen Cairn Castle, whose master the villagers had forgenerations regarded as their lord. 

The glory of the little fortalice had now departed. Sir WilliamForbes had been killed on his own hearthstone, and the castle hadbeen sacked in a raid by the Kerrs, whose hold lay to the southwest, and who had long been at feud with the Forbeses. The royal powerwas feeble, and the Kerrs had many friends, and were accordinglygranted the lands they had seized; only it was specified that DameForbes, the widow of Sir William, should be allowed to reside inthe fortalice free from all let or hindrance, so long as she meddlednot, nor sought to stir up enmity among the late vassals of herlord against their new masters. 

The castle, although a small one, was strongly situated. The spurof the hill ran some 200 yards into the valley, rising sharplysome 30 or 40 feet above it. The little river which meandered downthe valley swept completely round the foot of the spur, forming anatural moat to it, and had in some time past been dammed back, sothat, whereas in other parts it ran brightly over a pebbly bottom, here it was deep and still. The fortalice itself stood at theextremity of the spur, and a strong wall with a fortified gatewayextended across the other end of the neck, touching the water onboth sides. From the gateway extended two walls inclosing a roadstraight to the gateway of the hold itself, and between these wallsand the water every level foot of ground was cultivated; this gardenwas now the sole remains of the lands of the Forbeses. 

It was a narrow patrimony for Archie, the only son of Dame Forbes, and his lady mother had hard work to keep up a respectable state, and to make ends meet. Sandy Grahame, who had fought under herhusband's banner and was now her sole retainer, made the most of thegarden patches. Here he grew vegetables on the best bits of groundand oats on the remainder; these, crushed between flat stones, furnished a coarse bread. From the stream an abundance of fish couldalways be obtained, and the traps and nets therefore furnished ameal when all else failed. In the stream, too, swam a score and moreof ducks, while as many chickens walked about the castle yard, orscratched for insects among the vegetables. A dozen goats browsedon the hillside, for this was common ground to the village, andDame Forbes had not therefore to ask for leave from her enemies, the Kerrs. The goats furnished milk and cheese, which was deftlymade by Elspie, Sandy's wife, who did all the work indoors, as herhusband did without. Meat they seldom touched. Occasionally theresources of the hold were eked out by the present of a littlehill sheep, or a joint of prime meat, from one or other of her oldvassals, for these, in spite of the mastership of the Kerrs, stillat heart regarded Dame Mary Forbes as their lawful mistress, andher son Archie as their future chief. Dame Mary Forbes was carefulin no way to encourage this feeling, for she feared above all thingsto draw the attention of the Kerrs to her son. She was sure thatdid Sir John Kerr entertain but a suspicion that trouble might evercome from the rivalry of this boy, he would not hesitate a momentin encompassing his death; for Sir John was a rough and violentman who was known to hesitate at nothing which might lead to hisaggrandizement. Therefore she seldom moved beyond the outer wallof the hold, except to go down to visit the sick in the village. She herself had been a Seaton, and had been educated at the nunneryof Dunfermline, and she now taught Archie to read and write, accomplishments by no means common even among the better class inthose days. Archie loved not books; but as it pleased his mother, and time often hung heavy on his hands, he did not mind devotingtwo or three hours a day to the tasks she set him. At other timeshe fished in the stream, wandered over the hills, and brought inthe herbs from which Dame Forbes distilled the potions which shedistributed to the villagers when sick. 

Often he joined the lads of the village in their games. Theyall regarded him as their leader; but his mother had pressed uponhim over and over again that on no account was he to assume anysuperiority over the others, but to treat them strictly as equals. Doubtless the Kerrs would from time to time have news of what wasdoing in Glen Cairn; and while they would be content to see himjoining in the sports of the village lads, with seemingly no wishbeyond that station, they would at once resent it did they seeany sign on his part of his regarding himself as a chief among theothers. 

No inconsiderable portion of Archie's time was occupied in acquiringthe use of arms from Sandy Grahame. His mother, quiet and seeminglyresigned as she was, yet burned with the ambition that he shouldsome day avenge his father's death, and win back his father's lands. She said little to him of her hopes; but she roused his spirit bytelling him stories of the brave deeds of the Forbeses and Seatons, and she encouraged him from his childhood to practise in arms withSandy Grahame. 

In this respect, indeed, Archie needed no stimulant. From Sandyeven more than from his mother he had heard of his brave father'sdeeds in arms; and although, from the way in which she repressed anysuch utterances, he said but little to his mother, he was resolvedas much as she could wish him to be, that he would some day winback his patrimony, and avenge his father upon his slayers. 

Consequently, upon every opportunity when Sandy Grahame could sparetime from his multifarious work, Archie practised with him, withsword and pike. At first he had but a wooden sword. Then, as hislimbs grew stronger, he practised with a blunted sword; and nowat the age of fifteen Sandy Grahame had as much as he could do tohold his own with his pupil. 

At the time the story opens, in the springtime of the year 1293, he was playing at ball with some of the village lads on the green, when a party of horsemen was seen approaching. 

At their head rode two men perhaps forty years old, while a lad ofsome eighteen years of age rode beside them. In one of the eldermen Archie recognized Sir John Kerr. The lad beside him was hisson Allan. The other leader was Sir John Hazelrig, governor ofLanark; behind them rode a troop of armed men, twenty in number. Some of the lads would have ceased from their play; but Archieexclaimed:

"Heed them not; make as if you did not notice them. You need notbe in such a hurry to vail your bonnets to the Kerr. "

"Look at the young dogs, " Sir John Kerr said to his companion. "They know that their chief is passing, and yet they pretend thatthey see us not. "

"It would do them good, " his son exclaimed, "did you give yourtroopers orders to tie them all up and give them a taste of theirstirrup leathers. "

"It would not be worth while, Allan, " his father said. "They willall make stout men-at-arms some day, and will have to fight undermy banner. I care as little as any man what my vassals think ofme, seeing that whatsoever they think they have to do mine orders. But it needs not to set them against one needlessly; so let thevarlets go on with their play undisturbed. "

That evening Archie said to his mother, "How is it, mother, thatthe English knight whom I today saw ride past with the Kerr isgovernor of our Scottish town of Lanark?"

"You may well wonder, Archie, for there are many in Scotlandof older years than you who marvel that Scotsmen, who have alwaysbeen free, should tolerate so strange a thing. It is a long story, and a tangled one; but tomorrow morning I will draw out for youa genealogy of the various claimants to the Scottish throne, andyou will see how the thing has come about, and under what pretenceEdward of England has planted his garrisons in this free Scotlandof ours. "

The next morning Archie did not forget to remind his mother of herpromise. 

"You must know, " she began, "that our good King Alexander had threechildren--David, who died when a boy; Alexander, who married adaughter of the Count of Flanders, and died childless; and a daughter, Margaret, who married Eric, the young King of Norway. Three yearsago the Queen of Norway died, leaving an only daughter, also namedMargaret, who was called among us the `Maid of Norway, ' and who, at her mother's death, became heir presumptive to the throne, andas such was recognized by an assembly of the estates at Scone. Butwe all hoped that the king would have male heirs, for early lastyear, while still in the prime of life, he married Joleta, daughterof the Count of Drew. Unhappily, on the 19th of March, he attendeda council in the castle of Edinburgh, and on his way back to hiswife at Kinghorn, on a stormy night, he fell over a precipice andwas killed. 

"The hopes of the country now rested on the `Maid of Norway, ' whoalone stood between the throne and a number of claimants, most ofwhom would be prepared to support their claims by arms, and thusbring unnumbered woes upon Scotland. Most unhappily for the country, the maid died on her voyage to Scotland, and the succession thereforebecame open. 

"You will see on this chart, which I have drawn out, the lines bywhich the principal competitors--for there were nigh upon a scoreof them--claimed the throne. 

"Before the death of the maid, King Edward had proposed a marriagebetween her and his young son, and his ambassadors met the Scottishcommissioners at Brigham, near Kelso, and on the 18th of July, 1290, the treaty was concluded. It contained, besides the provisions ofthe marriage, clauses for the personal freedom of Margaret shouldshe survive her husband; for the reversion of the crown failingher issue; for protection of the rights, laws, and liberties ofScotland; the freedom of the church; the privileges of crown vassals;the independence of the courts; the preservation of all chartersand natural muniments; and the holding of parliaments only withinScotland; and specially provided that no vassal should be compelledto go forth of Scotland for the purpose of performing homage orfealty; and that no native of Scotland should for any cause whateverbe compelled to answer, for any breach of covenant or from crimecommitted, out of the kingdom. 

"Thus you see, my boy, that King Edward at this time fully recognizedthe perfect independence of Scotland, and raised no claim to anysuzerainty over it. Indeed, by Article I it was stipulated thatthe rights, laws, liberties, and customs of Scotland should remainfor ever entire and inviolable throughout the whole realm and itsmarches; and by Article V that the Kingdom of Scotland shall remainseparate and divided from England, free in itself, and withoutsubjection, according to its right boundaries and marches, asheretofore. 

"King Edward, however, artfully inserted a salvo, `saving the rightsof the King of England and of all others which before the date ofthis treaty belong to him or any of them in the marches or elsewhere. 'The Scottish lords raised no objection to the insertion of thissalvo, seeing that it was of general purport, and that Edwardpossessed no rights in Scotland, nor had any ever been assertedby his predecessors--Scotland being a kingdom in itself equal toits neighbour--and that neither William the Norman nor any of hissuccessors attempted to set forward any claims to authority beyondthe Border. 

"No sooner was the treaty signed than Edward, without warrantor excuse, appointed Anthony Beck, the warlike Bishop of Durham, Lieutenant of Scotland, in the name of the yet unmarried pair; andfinding that this was not resented, he demanded that all the placesof strength in the kingdom should be delivered to him. This demandwas not, however, complied with, and the matter was still pendingwhen the Maid of Norway died. The three principal competitors--Bruce, Baliol, and Comyn--and their friends, at once began to arm; butWilliam Fraser, Bishop of St. Andrews, a friend of Baliol, wrote toKing Edward suggesting that he should act as arbitrator, and morethan hinting that if he chose Baliol he would find him submissivein all things to his wishes. Edward jumped at the proposal, andthereupon issued summonses to the barons of the northern countiesto meet him at Norham on the 3d of June; and a mandate was issuedto the sheriffs of Northumberland, Cumberland, Westmoreland, York, and Lancaster, to assemble the feudal array at the same rendezvous. 

"Now, you know, my son, that, owing to the marriages between royalfamilies of England and Scotland, there has been a close connectionbetween the countries. Many Scotch barons have married Englishheiresses, and hold lands in both countries, while Scottish maidenshave married English knights. Thus it happens that a great numberof the Scotch nobility are as much Englishmen as Scotchmen, and arevassals to England for lands held there. Four of the competitors, John Baliol, Robert Bruce, John Comyn, and William Ross, are allbarons of England as well as of Scotland, and their lands lyingin the north they were, of course, included in the invitation. InMay, Edward issued an invitation to the Bishops of St. Andrews, Glasgow, and other Scotch nobles to come to Norham, remain there, and return, specially saying that their presence there was not tobe regarded as a custom through which the laws of Scotland mightin any future time be prejudiced. Hither then came the whole powerof the north of England, and many of the Scotch nobles. 

"When the court opened, Roger Brabazon, the king's justiciary, delivered an address, in which he stated that Edward, as lordparamount of Scotland, had come there to administer justice betweenthe competitors for the crown, and concluded with the request thatall present should acknowledge his claim as lord paramount. TheScottish nobles present, with the exception of those who wereprivy to Edward's designs, were filled with astonishment and dismayat this pretension, and declared their ignorance of any claim ofsuperiority of the King of England over Scotland. The king, in apassion, exclaimed:

"'By holy Edward, whose crown I wear, I will vindicate my justrights, or perish in the attempt. '

"However, he saw that nothing could be done on the instant, andadjourned the meeting for three weeks, at the end of which time theprelates, nobles, and community of Scotland were invited to bringforward whatever they could in opposition to his claim to supremacy. 

"At the time fixed the Scotch nobles again met, but this time onthe Scottish side of the Border, for Edward had gathered togetherthe whole of the force of the northern counties. 

"Besides the four claimants, whose names I have told you, were SirJohn Hastings, Patrick Dunbar, Earl of March, William de Vesci, Robert de Pinkeny, Nicholas de Soulis, Patrick Galythly, Roger deMandeville, Florence, Count of Holland, and Eric, King of Norway. With the exception of Eric, the Count of Holland, Dunbar, andGalythly, all of these were of Norman extraction, and held possessionsin England. When the meeting was opened the prelates and noblespresent advanced nothing to disprove Edward's claim to supremacy. The representatives of the commons, however, did show reason againstthe claim, for which, indeed, my son, as every man in Scotlandknows, there was not a shadow of foundation. 

"The king's chancellor declared that there was nothing in theseobjections to Edward's claim, and therefore he resolved, as lordparamount, to determine the question of succession. The variouscompetitors were asked whether they acknowledged Edward as lordparamount, and were willing to receive his judgment as such; andthe whole of these wretched traitors proceeded to barter theircountry for their hopes of a crown, acknowledged Edward as lordparamount, and left the judgment in his hands. 

"Bruce and Baliol received handsome presents for thus tamelyyielding the rights of Scotland. All present at once agreed thatthe castles and strongholds of Scotland should be surrendered intothe hands of English commanders and garrisons. This was immediatelydone; and thus it is, Archie, that you see an English officerlording it over the Scotch town of Lanark. 

"Then every Scotchman was called upon to do homage to the Englishking as his lord paramount, and all who refused to do so wereseized and arrested. Finally, on the 17th of November last, 1292--thedate will long be remembered in Scotland--Edward's judgmentwas given at Berwick, and by it John Baliol was declared King ofScotland. 

"Thus for eighteen months Scotland was kept in doubt; and this wasdone, no doubt, to enable the English to rivet their yoke upon ourshoulders, and to intimidate and coerce all who might oppose it. "

"There were some that did oppose it, mother, were there not?--sometrue Scotchmen who refused to own the supremacy of the King ofEngland?"

"Very few, Archie. One Sir Malcolm Wallace, a knight of but smallestate, refused to do so, and was, together with his eldest son, slain in an encounter with an English detachment under a leadernamed Fenwick at Loudon Hill. "

"And was he the father of that William Wallace of whom the talk waslately that he had slain young Selbye, son of the English governorof Dundee?"

"The same, Archie. "

"Men say, mother, that although but eighteen years of age he is ofgreat stature and strength, of very handsome presence, and courteousand gentle; and that he was going quietly through the streets wheninsulted by young Selbye, and that he and his companions being setupon by the English soldiers, slew several and made their escape. "

"So they say, Archie. He appears from all description of himto be a remarkable young man, and I trust that he will escape thevengeance of the English, and that some day he may again strikesome blows for our poor Scotland, which, though nominally underthe rule of Baliol, is now but a province of England. "

"But surely, mother, Scotchmen will never remain in such a stateof shameful servitude!"

"I trust not, my son; but I fear that it will be long before weshake off the English yoke. Our nobles are for the most part ofNorman blood; very many are barons of England; and so great are thejealousies among them that no general effort against England willbe possible. No, if Scotland is ever to be freed, it will be bya mighty rising of the common people, and even then the strugglebetween the commons of Scotland and the whole force of England aidedby the feudal power of all the great Scotch nobles, would be wellnigh hopeless. "

This conversation sank deeply into Archie's mind; day and nighthe thought of nothing but the lost freedom of Scotland, and vowedthat even the hope of regaining his father's lands should besecondary to that of freeing his country. All sorts of wild dreamsdid the boy turn over in his mind; he was no longer gay and lighthearted, but walked about moody and thoughtful. He redoubled hisassiduity in the practice of arms; and sometimes when fighting withSandy, he would think that he had an English man-at-arms before him, and would strike so hotly and fiercely that Sandy had the greatestdifficulty in parrying his blows, and was forced to shout lustilyto recall him from the clouds. He no longer played at ball with thevillage lads; but, taking the elder of them aside, he swore themto secrecy, and then formed them into a band, which he called theScottish Avengers. With them he would retire into valleys far awayfrom the village, where none would mark what they were doing, andthere they practised with club and stake instead of broadswordand pike, defended narrow passes against an imaginary enemy, and, divided into two parties, did battle with each other. 

The lads entered into the new diversion with spirit. Among thelower class throughout Scotland the feeling of indignation at themanner in which their nobles had sold their country to England wasdeep and passionate. They knew the woes which English dominationhad brought upon Wales and Ireland; and though as yet without aleader, and at present hopeless of a successful rising, every trueScotchman was looking forward to the time when an attempt might bemade to throw off the English yoke. 

Therefore the lads of Glen Cairn entered heart and soul intothe projects of their "young chief, " for so they regarded Archie, and strove their best to acquire some of the knowledge of the useof sword and pike which he possessed. The younger lads were notpermitted to know what was going on--none younger than Archiehimself being admitted into the band, while some of the elders wereyouths approaching man's estate. Even to his mother Archie did notbreathe a word of what he was doing, for he feared that she mightforbid his proceedings. The good lady was often surprised at thecuts and bruises with which he returned home; but he always turnedoff her questions by muttering something about rough play or aheavy fall, and so for some months the existence of the ScottishAvengers remained unsuspected. 

Chapter II

Leaving Home

One day when "the Avengers" were engaged in mimic battle in a glensome two miles from the village they were startled with a loudshout of "How now, what is this uproar?" Bows were lowered andhedge stakes dropped; on the hillside stood Red Roy, the henchmanof Sir John Kerr, with another of the retainers. They had beencrossing the hills, and had been attracted by the sound of shouting. All the lads were aware of the necessity for Archie's avoiding thenotice of the Kerrs, and Andrew Macpherson, one of the eldest ofthe lads, at once stepped forward: "We are playing, " he said, "atfighting Picts against Scots. "

This was the case, for the English were so hated that Archie hadfound that none would even in sport take that name, and the sideswere accordingly dubbed Scots and Picts, the latter title not beingso repugnant, and the companies changing sides each day. 

"It looks as if you were fighting in earnest, " Roy said grimly, "for the blood is streaming down your face. "

"Oh, we don't mind a hard knock now and again, " Andrew saidcarelessly. "I suppose, one of these days, we shall have to go outunder Sir John's banner, and the more hard knocks we have now, theless we shall care for them then. "

"That is so, " Roy said; "and some of you will soon be able to handlearms in earnest. Who are your leaders?" he asked sharply, as hiseye fixed on Archie, who had seated himself carelessly upon a rockat some little distance. 

"William Orr generally heads one side, and I the other. "

"And what does that young Forbes do?" Red Roy asked. 

"Well, he generally looks on, " Andrew replied in a confidentialtone; "he is not much good with the bow, and his lady mother doesnot like it if he goes home with a crack across the face, and Idon't think he likes it himself; he is but a poor creature when itcomes to a tussle. "

"And it is well for him that he is, " Red Roy muttered to himself;"for if he had been likely to turn out a lad of spirit, Sir Johnwould have said the word to me before now; but, seeing what he is, he may as well be left alone for the present. He will never causetrouble. " So saying, Red Roy strolled away with his companion, andleft the lads to continue their mimic fight. 

News travelled slowly to Glen Cairn; indeed, it was only whena travelling chapman or pedlar passed through, or when one of thevillagers went over to Lanark or Glasgow, carrying the fowls andother produce of the community to market, that the news came fromwithout. 

Baliol was not long before he discovered that his monarchy was buta nominal one. The first quarrel which arose between him and hisimperious master was concerning the action of the courts. King Edwarddirected that there should be an appeal to the courts at Westminsterfrom all judgments in the Scottish courts. Baliol protested that itwas specifically agreed by the Treaty of Brigham that no Scotchmanwas liable to be called upon to plead outside the kingdom; butEdward openly declared, "Notwithstanding any concessions made beforeBaliol became king, he considered himself at liberty to judge inany case brought before him from Scotland, and would, if necessary, summon the King of Scots himself to appear in his presence. " Hethen compelled Baliol formally to renounce and cancel not only theTreaty of Brigham, but every stipulation of the kind "known toexist, or which might be thereafter discovered. " Another appealfollowed, and Baliol was cited to appear personally, but refused;he was thereupon declared contumacious by the English parliament, and a resolution was passed that three of the principal towns ofScotland should be "seized, " until he gave satisfaction. All thiswas a manifest usurpation, even allowing Edward's claims to supremacyto be well founded. 

At this moment Edward became involved in a quarrel with his ownlord superior Phillip, king of France, by whom he was in turnedsummoned to appear under the pain of contumacy. Edward met thisdemand by a renunciation of allegiance to Phillip and a declarationof war, and called upon Baliol for aid as his vassal; but Baliolwas also a vassal of the French king, and had estates in Franceliable to seizure. He therefore hesitated. Edward further orderedhim to lay an embargo upon all vessels in the ports of Scotland, and required the attendance of many of the Scottish barons in hisexpedition to France. Finding his orders disobeyed, on the 16thof October Edward issued a writ to the sheriff of Northampton, "to seize all lands, goods, and chattels of John Baliol and otherScots. "

The Scotch held a parliament at Scone. All Englishmen holding officewere summarily dismissed. A committee of the estates was appointedto act as guardian of the kingdom, and Baliol himself was deprivedof all active power; but an instrument was prepared in his name, reciting the injuries that he and his subjects had sustained at thehands of the English king, and renouncing all further allegiance. Following this up, a league was concluded, offensive and defensive, between the French king and Scotland, represented by the prelates, nobles, and community. Edward Baliol, the king's son, was contractedto marry the French king's niece. Phillip bound himself to assistScotland against any invasion of England, and the Scotch agreed tocross the Border in case Edward invaded France. 

In making this alliance the Scots took the only step possible; forthey had no choice between fighting England with France as theirally, or fighting France as the subjects of King Edward. The contestwhich was approaching seemed all but hopeless. The populationof England was six times as large as that of Scotland, and Edwardcould draw from Ireland and Wales great numbers of troops. TheEnglish were trained to war by constant fighting in France, Ireland, and Wales; while the Scots had, for a very long period, enjoyeda profound peace, and were for the most part wholly ignorant ofwarfare. 

Edward at once prepared to invade Scotland; in January he seizedthe lands owned by Comyn in Northumberland and sold them, directingthe money to be applied to the raising and maintenance of 1000men-at-arms and 60, 000 foot soldiers, and in February issued a writfor the preparation of a fleet of 100 vessels. 

On the 25th of March he crossed the Tweed with 5000 horse and 30, 000foot. The Scotch leaders were, of course, aware of the gatheringstorm, and, collecting their forces, attempted a diversion bycrossing the Border to the west and making a raid into Cumberland. King Edward, however, marched north and besieged Berwick, the richestand most flourishing of the towns of Scotland. With the exceptionof the castle, it was weakly fortified. The attack was commencedby the fleet, who were, however, repulsed and driven off. A landassault, led by the king in person, was then made; the walls werecaptured, and the town completely sacked. The inhabitants werebutchered without distinction of age, sex, or condition, and eventhose who fled to the churches were slain within the sanctuary. Contemporary accounts differ as to the numbers who perished on thisoccasion. Langtoff says 4000; Hemingford, 8000; Knighton, anotherEnglish writer, says 17, 000; and Matthew of Westminster, 60, 000. Whichever of these writers is correct, it is certain that almostthe whole of the men, women, and children of the largest and mostpopulous Scottish town were butchered by the orders of the Englishking, who issued direct orders that none should be spared. Fromthis terrible visitation Berwick, which was before called theAlexandria of the West, never recovered. The castle, which was heldby Sir William Douglas, surrendered immediately; and Sir William, having sworn fealty to the English king, was permitted to depart. 

The English army now marched north. Patrick, Earl of Dunbar, was with King Edward; but his wife, a noble and patriotic woman, surrendered the castle to the Scots. The Earl of Surrey, witha powerful army, sat down before it. The Scotch nobles and peoplemarched in great numbers, but with little order and discipline, to raise the siege. They were met by Surrey, whose force, inuredto arms, easily routed the Scotch gathering, no fewer than 10, 000being killed in the conflict and retreat. The English army wasjoined by 15, 000 Welsh and 30, 000 from Ireland, and marched throughScotland, the castles and towns opening their gates to Edward ashe came, and the nobles, headed by James the Stewart, coming in anddoing homage to him. Baliol was forced to appear in the churchyardof Strath-Cathro, near Montrose, arrayed in regal robes, and toresign his kingdom to the Bishop of Durham as Edward's representative, and to repeat the act a few days afterwards at Brechin in presenceof the king himself. He was then, with his son, sent a prisoner toLondon, where they were confined in the Tower for several years. From Brechin Edward marched through the whole of Scotland, visitingall the principal towns. He had now dropped the title of LordParamount of Scotland, the country being considered as virtuallypart of England. Garrisons were placed in every stronghold in thecountry, and many new castles were raised to dominate the people. The public documents were all carried away to England, the greatseal broken in pieces, and the stone of Scone--upon which, forfive hundred years, every Scotch monarch had been crowned--wascarried away to Westminster, where it has ever since formed theseat of the thrones upon which English monarchs have been crowned. 

The tide of war had not passed near Glen Cairn; but the excitement, as from time to time the news came of stirring events, was verygreat. The tidings of the massacre of Berwick filled all withconsternation and grief. Some of the men quitted their homes andfought at Dunbar, and fully half of these never returned; but greatas was the humiliation and grief at the reverses which had befallenthe Scotch arms, the feeling was even deeper and more bitter at thereadiness with which the whole of the Scotch nobles flocked in tomake their peace with King Edward. 

It seemed so incredible that Scotland, which had so long successfullyresisted all invaders, should now tamely yield without a struggle, that the people could scarce believe it possible that their boastedfreedom was gone, that the kingdom of Scotland was no more, and thecountry become a mere portion of England. Thus, while the nobleswith their Norman blood and connections accepted the new state ofthings contentedly enough, well satisfied to have retained rank andland, a deep and sullen discontent reigned among the people; theyhad been betrayed rather than conquered, and were determined thatsome day there should be an uprising, and that Scotland would makea great effort yet for freedom. But for this a leader was needed, and until such a one appeared the people rested quiet and bidedtheir time. 

From time to time there came to Glen Cairn tales of the doings ofthat William Wallace who had, when the English first garrisoned theScottish castles, while Edward was choosing between the competitorsfor her throne, killed young Selbye at Dundee, and had been outlawedfor the deed. After that he went and resided with his uncle, SirRonald Crawford, and then with another uncle, Sir Richard Wallaceof Riccarton. Here he gathered a party of young men, eager spiritslike himself, and swore perpetual hostility to the English. 

One day Wallace was fishing in the Irvine when Earl Percy, thegovernor of Ayr, rode past with a numerous train. Five of themremained behind and asked Wallace for the fish he had taken. Hereplied that they were welcome to half of them. Not satisfied withthis, they seized the basket and prepared to carry it off. Wallaceresisted, and one of them drew his sword. Wallace seized the staffof his net and struck his opponent's sword from his hand; this hesnatched up and stood on guard, while the other four rushed uponhim. Wallace smote the first so terrible a blow that his head wascloven from skull to collarbone; with the next blow he severed theright arm of another, and then disabled a third. The other twofled, and overtaking the earl, called on him for help; "for, " theysaid, "three of our number who stayed behind with us to take somefish from the Scot who was fishing are killed or disabled. "

"How many were your assailants?" asked the earl. 

"But the man himself, " they answered; "a desperate fellow whom wecould not withstand. "

"I have a brave company of followers!" the earl said with scorn. "You allow one Scot to overmatch five of you! I shall not returnto seek for your adversary; for were I to find him I should respecthim too much to do him harm. "

Fearing that after this adventure he could no longer remain insafety with his uncle, Wallace left him and took up his abode inLag Lane Wood, where his friends joining him, they lived a wildlife together, hunting game and making many expeditions through thecountry. On one occasion he entered Ayr in disguise; in the middleof a crowd he saw some English soldiers, who were boasting that theywere superior to the Scots in strength and feats of arms. One ofthem, a strong fellow, was declaring that he could lift a greaterweight than any two Scots. He carried a pole, with which he offered, for a groat, to let any Scotchman strike him on the back as hardas he pleased, saying that no Scotchman could strike hard enoughto hurt him. 

Wallace offered him three groats for a blow. The soldier eagerlyaccepted the money, and Wallace struck him so mighty a blow thathis back was broken and he fell dead on the ground. His comradesdrew their swords and rushed at Wallace, who slew two with thepole, and when it broke drew the long sword which was hidden inhis garments, and cut his way through them. 

On another occasion he again had a fracas with the English in Ayr, and after killing many was taken prisoner. Earl Percy was away, and his lieutenant did not venture to execute him until his return. A messenger was sent to the Earl, but returned with strict ordersthat nothing should be done to the prisoner until he came back. The bad diet and foul air of the dungeon suited him so ill, afterhis free life in the woods, that he fell ill, and was reducedto so weak a state that he lay like one dead--the jailer indeedthought that he was so, and he was carried out to be cast into theprison burial ground, when a woman, who had been his nurse, beggedhis body. She had it carried to her house, and then discovered thatlife yet remained, and by great care and good nursing succeededin restoring him. In order to prevent suspicion that he was stillalive a fictitious funeral was performed. On recovering, Wallacehad other frays with the English, all of which greatly increasedhis reputation throughout that part of the country, so that moreadherents came to him, and his band began to be formidable. Hegradually introduced an organization among those who were found tobe friendly to the cause, and by bugle notes taken up and repeatedfrom spot to spot orders could be despatched over a wide extent ofcountry, by which the members of his band knew whether to assembleor disperse, to prepare to attack an enemy, or to retire to theirfastnesses. 

The first enterprise of real importance performed by the band wasan attack by Wallace and fifty of his associates on a party ofsoldiers, 200 strong, conveying provisions from Carlisle to thegarrison of Ayr. They were under the command of John Fenwick, the same officer who had been at the head of the troop by whichWallace's father had been killed. Fenwick left twenty of his mento defend the wagons, and with the rest rode forward against theScots. A stone wall checked their progress, and the Scotch, takingadvantage of the momentary confusion, made a furious charge uponthem with their spears, cutting their way into the midst of themand making a great slaughter of men and horses. The English roderound and round them, but the Scots, defending themselves with spearand sword, stood so staunchly together that the English could notbreak through. 

The battle was long and desperate, but Wallace killed Fenwick withhis own hand, and after losing nigh a hundred of their number theEnglish fled in confusion. The whole convoy fell into the hands ofthe victors, who became possessed of several wagons, 200 carriagehorses, flour, wine, and other stores in great abundance; withthese they retired into the forest of Clydesdale. 

The fame of this exploit greatly increased the number of Wallace'sfollowers. So formidable did the gathering become that convoys byland to Ayr were entirely interrupted, and Earl Percy held a councilof the nobility at Glasgow, and consulted them as to what had bestbe done. Finally, Sir Ronald Crawford was summoned and told thatunless he induced his nephew to desist from hostilities they shouldhold him responsible and waste his lands. Sir Ronald visited theband in Clydesdale forest, and rather than harm should come uponhim, Wallace and his friends agreed to a truce for two months. Theirplunder was stowed away in places of safety, and a portion of theband being left to guard it the rest dispersed to their homes. 

Wallace returned to his uncle's, but was unable long to remaininactive, and taking fifteen followers he went with them in disguiseto Ayr. Wallace, as usual, was not long before he got into aquarrel. An English fencing master, armed with sword and buckler, was in an open place in the city, challenging any one to encounterhim. Several Scots tried their fortune and were defeated, and thenseeing Wallace towering above the crowd he challenged him. Wallaceat once accepted, and after guarding himself for some time, witha mighty sweep of his sword cleft through buckler, arm, headpiece, and skull. The English soldiers around at once attacked him; hisfriends rallied round him, and after hard fighting they made theirway to the spot where they had left their horses and rode to LagLane Wood. 

When Earl Percy heard that Wallace had been the leader in thisfray, and found on inquiry that he had slain the sword player infair fight after having been challenged by him, he refused to regardhim as having broken the truce, for he said the soldiers had donewrong in attacking him. Earl Percy was himself a most gallantsoldier, and the extraordinary personal prowess of Wallace excitedin him the warmest admiration, and he would fain, if it had beenpossible, have attached him to the service of England. 

As soon as the truce was over Wallace again attacked the English. For a time he abode with the Earl of Lennox, who was one of thefew who had refused to take the oath of allegiance, and havingrecruited his force, he stormed the stronghold called the Peelof Gargunnock, near Stirling. Then he entered Perth, leaving hisfollowers in Methven Wood, and hearing that an English reinforcementwas upon the march, formed an ambush, fell upon them, and defeatedthem; and pressing hotly upon them entered so close on their heelsinto Kincleven Castle, that the garrison had no time to close thegate, and the place was captured. Great stores and booty were foundhere; these were carried to the woods, and the castle was burnedto the ground, as that of Gargunnock had been, as Wallace's forcewas too small to enable him to hold these strongholds. Indignantat this enterprise so close to their walls the English moved outthe whole garrison, 1000 strong, against Wallace, who had with himbut fifty men in all. After a desperate defence, in which Sir JohnButler and Sir William de Loraine, the two officers in command, were killed by Wallace himself, the latter succeeded in drawing offhis men; 120 of the English were killed in the struggle, of whommore than twenty are said to have fallen at the hands of Wallacealone. Many other similar deeds did Wallace perform; his fame grewmore and more, as did the feeling among the Scotch peasantry thatin him they had found their champion and leader. 

Archie eagerly drank in the tale of Wallace's exploits, and his soulwas fired by the desire to follow so valiant a leader. He was nowsixteen, his frame was set and vigorous, and exercise and constantpractice with arms had hardened his muscles. He became restlesswith his life of inactivity; and his mother, seeing that her quietand secluded existence was no longer suitable for him, resolvedto send him to her sister's husband, Sir Robert Gordon, who dweltnear Lanark. Upon the night before he started she had a long talkwith him. 

"I have long observed, my boy, " she said, "the eagerness withwhich you constantly practise at arms; and Sandy tells me that hecan no longer defend himself against you. Sandy, indeed is not ayoung man, but he is still hale and stout, and has lost but littleof his strength. Therefore it seems that, though but a boy, you maybe considered to have a man's strength, for your father regardedSandy as one of the stoutest and most skilful of his men-at-arms. I know what is in your thoughts; that you long to follow inyour father's footsteps, and to win back the possessions of whichyou have been despoiled by the Kerrs. But beware, my boy; you areyet but young; you have no friends or protectors, save Sir RobertGordon, who is a peaceable man, and goes with the times; whilethe Kerrs are a powerful family, able to put a strong body in thefield, and having many powerful friends and connections throughoutthe country. It is our obscurity which has so far saved you, forSir John Kerr would crush you without mercy did he dream that youcould ever become formidable; and he is surrounded by ruthlessretainers, who would at a word from him take your life; thereforethink not for years to come to match yourself against the Kerrs. You must gain a name and a following and powerful friends beforeyou move a step in that direction; but I firmly believe that thetime will come when you will become lord of Glencairn and the hillsaround it. Next, my boy, I see that your thoughts are ever runningupon the state of servitude to which Scotland is reduced, and havemarked how eagerly you listen to the deeds of that gallant youngchampion, Sir William Wallace. When the time comes I would holdyou back from no enterprise in the cause of our country; but atpresent this is hopeless. Valiant as may be the deeds which Wallaceand his band perform, they are as vain as the strokes of reeds uponarmour against the power of England. "

"But, mother, his following may swell to an army. "

"Even so, Archie; but even as an army it would be but as chaff beforethe wind against an English array. What can a crowd of peasants, however valiant, do against the trained and disciplined battle ofEngland. You saw how at Dunbar the Earl of Surrey scattered themlike sheep, and then many of the Scotch nobles were present. Sofar there is no sign of any of the Scottish nobles giving aid orcountenance to Wallace, and even should he gather an army, fearfor the loss of their estates, a jealousy of this young leader, and the Norman blood in their veins, will bind them to England, and the Scotch would have to face not only the army of the invader, but the feudal forces of our own nobles. I say not that enterpriseslike those of Wallace do not aid the cause, for they do so greatlyby exciting the spirit and enthusiasm of the people at large, asthey have done in your case. They show them that the English arenot invincible, and that even when in greatly superior numbersthey may be defeated by Scotchmen who love their country. They keepalive the spirit of resistance and of hope, and prepare the timewhen the country shall make a general effort. Until that timecomes, my son, resistance against the English power is vain. Evenwere it not so, you are too young to take part in such strife, butwhen you attain the age of manhood, if you should still wish tojoin the bands of Wallace--that is, if he be still able to makehead against the English--I will not say nay. Here, my son, is your father's sword. Sandy picked it up as he lay slain on thehearthstone, and hid it away; but now I can trust it with you. Mayit be drawn some day in the cause of Scotland! And now, my boy, the hour is late, and you had best to bed, for it were well thatyou made an early start for Lanark. "

The next morning Archie started soon after daybreak. On his backhe carried a wallet, in which was a new suit of clothes suitablefor one of the rank of a gentleman, which his mother had with greatstint and difficulty procured for him. He strode briskly along, proud of the possession of a sword for the first time. It was initself a badge of manhood, for at that time all men went armed. 

As he neared the gates of Lanark he saw a party issue out and ridetowards him, and recognized in their leader Sir John Kerr. Pullinghis cap down over his eyes, he strode forward, keeping by the sideof the road that the horsemen might pass freely, but paying no heedto them otherwise. 

"Hallo, sirrah!" Sir John exclaimed, reining in his horse, "whoare you who pass a knight and a gentleman on the highway withoutvailing his bonnet in respect?"

"I am a gentleman and the son of a knight, " Archie said, lookingfearlessly up into the face of his questioner. "I am Archie Forbes, and I vail my bonnet to no man living save those whom I respectand honour. "

So saying, without another word he strode forward to the town. SirJohn looked darkly after him. 

"Red Roy, " he said sternly, turning to one who rode behind him, "you have failed in your trust. I told you to watch the boy, andfrom time to time you brought me news that he was growing up buta village churl. He is no churl, and unless I mistake me, he willsome day be dangerous. Let me know when he next returns to thevillage; we must then take speedy steps for preventing him frombecoming troublesome. "

Chapter III

Sir William Wallace

Archie's coming had been expected by Sir Robert Gordon, and he waswarmly welcomed. He had once or twice a year paid short visits tothe house, but his mother could not bring herself to part with himfor more than a few days at a time; and so long as he needed onlysuch rudiments of learning as were deemed useful at the time, sheherself was fully able to teach them; but now that the time had comewhen it was needful that he should be perfected in the exercisesof arms, she felt it necessary to relinquish him. 

Sir Robert Gordon had no children of his own, and regarded hisnephew as his heir, and had readily undertaken to provide him withthe best instruction which could be obtained in Lanark. There wasresident in the town a man who had served for many years in thearmy of the King of France, and had been master of arms in hisregiment. His skill with his sword was considered marvellous byhis countrymen at Lanark, for the scientific use of weapons was asyet but little known in Scotland, and he had also in several trialsof skill easily worsted the best swordsmen in the English garrison. 

Sir Robert Gordon at once engaged this man as instructor to Archie. As his residence was three miles from the town, and the lad urgedthat two or three hours a day of practice would by no means satisfyhim, a room was provided, and his instructor took up his abode inthe castle. Here, from early morning until night, Archie practised, with only such intervals for rest as were demanded by his masterhimself. The latter, pleased with so eager a pupil, astonished atfirst at the skill and strength which he already possessed, andseeing in him one who would do more than justice to all pains thathe could bestow upon him, grudged no labour in bringing him forwardand in teaching him all he knew. 

"He is already an excellent swordsman, " he said at the end ofthe first week's work to Sir Robert Gordon; "he is well nigh asstrong as a man, with all the quickness and activity of a boy. Instraightforward fighting he needs but little teaching. Of the finerstrokes he as yet knows nothing; but such a pupil will learn asmuch in a week as the ordinary slow blooded learner will acquirein a year. In three months I warrant I will teach him all I know, and will engage that he shall be a match for any Englishman northof the Tweed, save in the matter of downright strength; that he willget in time, for he promises to grow out into a tall and stalwartman, and it will need a goodly champion to hold his own againsthim when he comes to his full growth. "

In the intervals of pike and sword play Sir Robert Gordon himselfinstructed him in equitation; but the lad did not take to this sokindly as he did to his other exercises, saying that he hoped heshould always have to fight on foot. Still, as his uncle pointedout that assuredly this would not be the case, since in battleknights and squires always fought on horseback, he strove hard toacquire a firm and steady seat. Of an evening Archie sat with hisuncle and aunt, the latter reading, the former relating stories ofScotch history and of the goings and genealogies of great families. Sometimes there were friends staying in the castle; for Sir RobertGordon, although by no means a wealthy knight, was greatly liked, and, being of an hospitable nature, was glad to have guests in thehouse. 

Their nearest neighbour was Mistress Marion Bradfute of Lamington, near Ellerslie. She was a young lady of great beauty. Her father hadbeen for some time dead, and she had but lately lost her mother, who had been a great friend of Lady Gordon. With her lived ascompanion and guardian an aunt, the sister of her mother. 

Mistress Bradfute, besides her estate of Lamington, possesseda house in Lanark; and she was frequently at Sir Robert's castle, he having been named one of her guardians under her father's will. Often in the evening the conversation turned upon the situationof Scotland, the cruelty and oppression of the English, and thechances of Scotland some day ridding herself of the domination. 

Sir Robert ever spoke guardedly, for he was one who loved not strife, and the enthusiasm of Archie caused him much anxiety; he often, therefore, pointed out to him the madness of efforts of isolatedparties like those of Wallace, which, he maintained, advanced inno way the freedom of the country, while they enraged the Englishand caused them to redouble the harshness and oppression of theirrule. Wallace's name was frequently mentioned, and Archie alwaysspoke with enthusiasm of his hero; and he could see that, althoughMistress Bradfute said but little, she fully shared his views. Itwas but natural that Wallace's name should come so often forward, for his deeds, his hairbreadth escapes, his marvellous personalstrength and courage, were the theme of talk in every Scotch home;but at Lanark at present it was specially prominent, for with hisband he had taken up his abode in a wild and broken country knownas Cart Lane Craigs, and more than once he had entered Lanark andhad had frays with the English soldiers there. 

It was near a year since the defeat of Dunbar; and although thefeats of Wallace in storming small fortalices and cutting off Englishconvoys had excited at once hope amongst the Scotch and anger in theEnglish, the hold of the latter on the conquered country appearedmore settled than ever. Wallace's adherents had indeed gained instrength; but they were still regarded as a mere band of outlawswho might be troublesome, but were in no degree formidable. 

Every great town and hold throughout Scotland was garrisoned byEnglish in force deemed amply sufficient to repress any troublewhich might arise, while behind them was the whole power of Englandready to march north in case it should be needed. It seemed, indeed, that Scotland was completely and for ever subjugated. 

One afternoon, when Archie had escorted Mistress Bradfute toLamington, she said to him as he bade her farewell:

"I think you can keep a secret, Master Forbes. "

"I trust so, " Archie replied. 

"I know how much you admire and reverence Sir William Wallace. Ifyou will come hither this evening, at eight o'clock, you shall seehim. "

Archie uttered an exclamation of delight and surprise. 

"Mind, Archie, I am telling you a secret which is known only toSir William himself and a few of his chosen followers; but I haveobtained his permission to divulge it to you, assuring him thatyou can be fully trusted. "

"I would lay down my life for him, " the lad said. 

"I think you would, Archie; and so would I, for Sir William Wallaceis my husband!"

Archie gave a gasp of astonishment and surprise. 

"Yes, " she repeated, "he is my husband. And now ride back to youruncle's. I left the piece of embroidery upon which I was working onyour aunt's table. It will be a good excuse for you to ride overwith it this evening. " So saying, she sprang lightly from thepillion on which she had been riding behind Archie. The lad rodeback in wild excitement at the thought that before night he wasto see his hero whose deeds had, for the last three years, excitedhis admiration and wonder. 

At eight o'clock exactly he drew rein again at Lamington. He wasat once admitted, and was conducted to a room where the mistressof the house was sitting, and where beside her stood a very talland powerfully built young man, with a singularly handsome faceand a courteous and gentle manner which seemed altogether out ofcharacter with the desperate adventures in which he was constantlyengaged. 

In Scotland the laws of chivalry, as they were strictly observedin the courts of England and France, did not prevail. Sir WilliamWallace had not received the order of knighthood; but in Scotchfamilies the prefix of Sir descended from father to eldest son, asit does in the present day with the title of Baronet. Thus WilliamWallace, when his father and elder brother were killed, succeededto the title. Knighthoods, or, as we should call them, baronetcies, were bestowed in Scotland, as in England, for bravery in the fieldand distinguished services. The English, with their stricter lawsof chivalry, did not recognize these hereditary titles; and SirWilliam Wallace and many of his adherents who bear the prefix ofSir in all Scotch histories, are spoken of without that title incontemporary English documents. Archie himself had inherited thetitle from his father; and the prefix was, indeed, applied to theheads of almost all families of gentle blood in Scotland. 

"This, Sir William, " Marion said, "is Sir Archibald Forbes, of whomI have often spoken to you as one of your most fervent admirers. He is a true Scotsman, and he yearns for the time when he may drawhis sword in the cause of his country. "

"He is over young yet, " Sir William said smiling; "but time willcure that defect. It is upon the young blood of Scotland that ourhopes rest. The elders are for the most part but half Scotchmen, anddo not feel shame for their country lying at the feet of England;but from their sons I hope for better things. The example of mydear friend, Sir John Grahame, is being followed; and I trust thatmany young men of good family will soon join them. "

"I would that the time had come when I too could do so, sir, " Archiesaid warmly. "I hope that it will not be long before you may thinkme capable of being admitted to the honour of fighting beside you. Do you not remember that you yourself were but eighteen when youslew young Selbye?"

"I am a bad example to be followed, " Sir William replied with asmile; "besides, nature made an exception in my case and broughtme to my full strength and stature full four years before the time. Mistress Marion tells me, however, that you too are strong beyondyour years. "

"I have practised unceasingly, sir, with my weapons for the lasttwo years; and deem me not boastful when I say that my instructor, Duncan Macleod of Lanark, who is a famous swordsman, says thatI could hold my own and more against any English soldier in thegarrison. "

"I know Duncan by report, " Sir William replied, "and that he is afamous swordsman, having learned the art in France, where they aremore skilled by far than we are in Scotland. As for myself, I mustown that it is my strength rather than my skill which gives me anadvantage in a conflict; for I put my trust in a downright blow, and find that the skill of an antagonist matters but little, seeingthat my blow will always cleave through sword as well as helm. Nevertheless I do not decry skill, seeing that between two whoare in any ways equally matched in strength and courage the mostskilful swordsman must assuredly conquer. Well, since that be thereport of you by Master Duncan, I should think you might even taketo arms at the age that I did myself and when that time comes, should your intentions hold the same, and the English not have madean end of me, I shall be right glad to have you by my side. Shouldyou, in any of your visits to Lanark--whither, Marion tells me, youride frequently with Sir Robert Gordon--hear ought of intendedmovements of English troops, or gather any news which it may concernme to know, I pray you to ride hither at once. Marion has alwaysmessengers whom she may despatch to me, seeing that I need greatcare in visiting her here, lest I might be surprised by the English, who are ever upon the lookout for me. And now farewell! Rememberthat you have always a friend in William Wallace. "

Winter was now at hand, and a week or two later Mistress Marionmoved into her house in Lanark, where Archie, when he rode in, often visited her. In one of her conversations she told him thatshe had been married to Sir William nigh upon two years, and thata daughter had been born to her who was at present kept by an oldnurse of her own in a cottage hard by Lamington. "I tell you this, Archie, " she said, "for there is no saying at what time calamitymay fall upon us. Sir William is so daring and careless that Ilive in constant dread of his death or capture; and did it becomeknown that I am his wife, doubtless my estate would be forfeitedand myself taken prisoner; and in that case it were well that mylittle daughter should find friends. "

"I wonder that you do not stay at Lamington, " Archie said; "forSir William's visits to you here may well be discovered, and bothhe and you be put in peril. "

"I would gladly do so, " she said; "but as you may have heard, YoungHazelrig, the governor's son, persecutes me with his attentions;he is moved thereto methinks rather by a desire for my possessionsthan any love for myself. He frequently rode over to Lamingtonto see me, and as there are necessarily many there who suspect, ifthey do not know, my secret, my husband would be more likely to besurprised in a lonely house there, than he would be in the city, where he can always leave or enter our abode by the passage intoa back street unseen by any. "

A few days later Archie had ridden into Lanark bearing a messagefrom his uncle; he had put up his horse, and was walking along theprincipal street when he heard a tumult and the clashing of swords;he naturally hurried up to see what was the cause of the fray, andhe saw Sir William Wallace and a young companion defending themselveswith difficulty against a number of English soldiers led by youngHazelrig, the son of the governor, and Sir Robert Thorne, one ofhis officers. Archie stood for a few moments irresolute; but asthe number of the assailants increased, as fresh soldiers hearingthe sound of the fray came running down the street, and Sir Williamand his friend, although they had slain several, were greatlyovermatched, he hesitated no longer, but, drawing his sword, rushedthrough the soldiers, and placing himself by the side of Wallace, joined in the fray. Wallace recognized him with a nod. 

"It is sooner than I bargained for, Sir Archie; but you are verywelcome. Ah! that was well smitten, and Duncan did not overpraiseyour skill, " he exclaimed, as Archie cut down one soldier, andwounded another who pressed upon him. 

"They are gathering in force, Sir William, " the knight's companionsaid, "and if we do not cut our way through them we shall assuredlybe taken. " Keeping near the wall they retreated down the street, Archie and Sir John Grahame, for it was he, clearing the way, andWallace defending the rear. So terrific were the blows he dealtthat the English soldiers shrank back from attacking him. 

At this moment two horsemen rode up and reined in their horses towitness the fray. They were father and son, and the instant theeyes of the elder fell upon Archie he exclaimed to his son:

"This is good fortune. That is young Forbes fighting by the sideof the outlaw Wallace. I will finish our dispute at once. "

So saying he drew his sword, and urged his horse through thesoldiers towards Archie; the latter equally recognized the enemy ofhis family. Sir John aimed a sweeping blow at him. The lad parriedit, and, leaping back, struck at the horse's leg. The animal fellinstantly, and as he did so Archie struck full on the helm of SirJohn Kerr, stretching him on the ground beside his horse. 

By this time the little party had retreated down the street untilthey were passing the house of Marion Bradfute. The door opened, and Marion herself cried to them to enter. So hemmed in were they, indeed, that further retreat was now impossible, and there beingno time for hesitation, Wallace and his companions sprang in beforetheir assailants could hinder them, and shut the door behind them. 

"Marion, " Wallace exclaimed, "why did you do this? It matterednot were I killed or taken; but now you have brought danger uponyourself. "

"But it mattered much to me. What would life be worth were youkilled? Think not of danger to me. Angry as they may be, they willhardly touch a woman. But waste no time in talking, for the doorwill soon yield to their blows. Fly by the back entrance, whilethere is time. "

So saying, she hurried them to the back of the house, and withoutallowing them to pause for another word almost pushed them out, andclosed the door behind them. The lane was deserted; but the shoutsand clamour of the English soldiers beyond the houses rose loud inthe air. "Quick, Sir William, " Sir John Grahame said, "or we shallbe cut off! They will bethink them of the back way, and sendsoldiers down to intercept us. "

Such, indeed, was the case, for as they ran they heard shouts behind, and saw some English soldiers entering the other end of the lane. In front, however, all was clear, and running on they turned intoanother street, and then down to the gate. The guard, hearing thetumult, had turned out, and seeing them running, strove to bartheir way. Wallace, however, cleared a path by sweeping blows withhis sword, and dashing through the gates into the open countrythey were safe. For some distance they ran without checking theirspeed, and then as they neared a wood, where they no longer fearedpursuit, they broke into a walk. 

"My best thanks to you, " Wallace said to Archie. "You have indeedproved yourself a staunch and skilful swordsman, and Duncan's opinionis well founded. Indeed I could wish for no stouter sword besideme in a fight; but what will you do now? If you think that you werenot recognized you can return to your uncle; but if any there knewyou, you must even then take to the woods with me. "

"I was recognized, " Archie said in a tone of satisfaction. "Thearmed knight whom you saw attack me was Sir John Kerr, the slayerof my father and the enemy of my house. Assuredly he will bringthe news of my share in the fray to the ears of the governor. "

"I do not think that he will carry any news for some time, " SirWilliam replied; "for that blow you gave him on the head must havewell nigh brought your quarrel to an end. It is a pity your armhad not a little more weight, for then, assuredly you would haveslain him. "

"But the one with him was his son, " Archie said, "and would knowme too; so that I shall not be safe for an hour at my uncle's. "

"In that case, Sir Archie, you must needs go with me, there beingno other way for it, and truly, now that it is proved a matter ofnecessity, I am glad that it has so chanced, since I see that youryouth is indeed no drawback; and Sir John Grahame will agree withme that there is no better sword in my company. "

"Yes, indeed, " the young knight said. "I could scarce believe myeyes when I saw one so young bear himself so stoutly. Without hisaid I could assuredly have made no way through the soldiers whobarred our retreat; and truly his sword did more execution thanmine, although I fought my best. If you will accept my friendship, young sir, henceforth we will be brothers in arms. " Colouring withpleasure, Archie grasped the hand which the young knight held outto him. 

"That is well said, Sir John, " Wallace assented. "Hitherto you andI have been like brothers; henceforth there will be three of us, and I foresee that the only difficulty we shall have with thisour youngest relation will be to curb his courage and ardour. Whoknows, " he went on sadly, "but that save you two I am now alone inthe world! My heart misgives me sorely as to the fate of Marion; andwere it not for the sake of Scotland, to whom my life is sworn, Iwould that I had stopped and died outside her door before I enteredand brought danger upon her head. Had I had time to reflect, methinksI would have done so; but I heard her call, I saw the open door, and without time for thought or reflection I leapt in. "

"You must not blame yourself, Sir William, " Grahame said, "for, indeed, there was no time for thought; nor will I that it shouldhave been otherwise, even should harm, which I cannot believe, befall Mistress Marion. It is on you that the hopes of Scotlandnow rest. You have awakened her spirit and taught the lesson ofresistance. Soon I hope that the fire now smouldering in the breastof every true Scotsman will burst into flame, and that Scotlandwill make a great effort for freedom; but were you to fall now, despair would seize on all and all hope of a general rising be atan end. "

Wallace made no reply, but strode silently forward. A short distancefarther they came to the spot where three of Wallace's followerswere holding horses, for he had on his entry into Lanark, beenaccompanied by another of his party, who had been slain at thecommencement of the fray. Wallace bade Archie mount the spare horse, and they then rode to Cart Lane Craigs, scarce a word being spokenon their journey. 

Wallace's headquarters were upon a narrow shelf of rock on the faceof a steep and craggy hill. It was well chosen against surprise, and could be held against sudden attack even by a large force, since both behind and in front the face of the hill was too steepto be climbed, and the only approach was by a steep and windingpath which two men could hold against a host. The ledge was some50 feet long by 12 wide. At the back a natural depression in thecrags had been deepened so as to form a shallow cave just deepenough to afford a defense against the weather; here a pile ofheather served as a bed for Wallace, Grahame, and one or two othersof the leaders of his company, and here Wallace told Archie thathis place was to be. On the ledge without were some low arbours ofheather in which lay ten of Wallace's bravest companions; the restof his band were scattered among the surrounding hills, or in thewoods, and a bugle note repeated from place to place would callall together in a short space of time. 

Of stores and provisions there was no lack, these having beenobtained in very large quantities from the convoys of supplies andthe castles that had been captured. Money, too, was not wanting, considerable amounts having fallen into their hands, and thepeasantry through all the country round were glad in every way toassist the band, whom they regarded as their champions. 

Archie sat down by Sir John Grahame, who gave him particularsregarding the strength of the various bands, their position, therules which had been laid down by Wallace for their order, the systemof signals and other particulars; while Wallace paced restlessly upand down the narrow shelf, a prey to the keenest anxiety. Towardsnightfall two of the men were despatched towards Lanark to endeavourto find out what had taken place there; but in an hour they returnedwith a woman, whom both Sir William and Archie recognized as one ofthe female attendants of Marion. A single glance sufficed to tellher tale. Her face was swollen with crying, and wore a look ofhorror as well as of grief. 

"She is dead!" Wallace exclaimed in a low voice. 

"Alas!" the woman sobbed, "that I should have to tell it. Yes, mydear mistress is dead; she was slain by the orders of the governorhimself, for having aided your escape. "

A groan burst from Wallace, a cry of horror and indignation fromhis followers. The former turned, and without a word strode awayand threw himself upon the heather. The others, heart struck atthe cruel blow which had befallen their chief, and burning withindignation and rage, could only utter oaths of vengeance and curseson the English tyrants. 

After a time Grahame went to the cave, and putting his hand onWallace's shoulder strove to address a few words of consolation tohim. 

Sir William rose: "I have done with weeping, Grahame, or rather Iwill put off my weeping until I have time for it. The first thingto think of is vengeance, and vengeance I swear that I will have. This night I will strike the first blow in earnest towards freeingScotland. It may be that God has willed it that this cruel blow, which has been struck at me, shall be the means of bringing thisabout. Hitherto, although I have hated the English and have foughtagainst them, it has been but fitfully and without order or method, seeing that other things were in my heart. Henceforth I will livebut for vengeance and Scotland. Hitherto the English have regardedme as an outlaw and a brigand. Henceforth they shall view me as anenemy to be dreaded. Sound the signal of assembly at once. Signifythat as many as are within reach shall gather below in two hours. There will be but few, for, not dreaming of this, the bands buttwo days since dispersed. But even were there none but ourselvesit would suffice. Tonight we will take Lanark. "

Chapter IV

The Capture of Lanark

A low shout of enthusiasm rose from Wallace's followers, and theyrepeated his words as though it had been a vow: "Tonight we willtake Lanark. " The notes of a bugle rang through the air, and Archiecould hear them repeated as by an echo by others far away in thewoods. 

The next two hours were spent in cooking and eating a meal; thenthe party on the ledge descended the narrow path, several of theirnumber bearing torches. At a short distance from its foot some othertorches were seen, and fifteen men were found gathered together. 

In a few words the sad news of what had taken place at Lanark wasrelated to them and the determination which had been arrived at, and then the whole party marched away to the west. Archie's heartbeat with excitement as he felt himself engaged in one of the adventureswhich had so filled his thoughts and excited his admiration. Anadventure, too, far surpassing in magnitude and importance any inwhich Wallace had hitherto been engaged. 

It seemed almost like an act of madness for twenty-five men toattack a city garrisoned by over 500 English troops, defended bystrong walls; but Archie never doubted for a moment that successwould attend the enterprise, so implicit was his confidence in hisleader. When at some little distance from the town they halted, and Wallace ordered a tree to be felled and lopped of its branches. It was some eight inches in diameter at the butt and thirty feetlong. A rope had been brought, and this was now cut into lengthsof some four feet. Wallace placed ten of his men on each side ofthe tree, and the cords being placed under it, it was lifted andcarried along with them. 

Before they started Wallace briefly gave them his orders, so thatno word need be spoken when near the town. The band were, whenthey entered, to divide in three. Sir John Grahame, with a party, was to make for the dwelling of Sir Robert Thorne. Auchinleck, whohad arrived with the party summoned by the bugle, was to arousethe town and attack any parties of soldiers in the street, whileWallace himself was to assault the house of Hazelrig. He bade Archieaccompany him. 

Knowing the town well Wallace led the party to the moat at a spotfacing a sally port. They moved without a word being spoken. Themen bearing the tree laid it noiselessly to the ground. Wallacehimself sprang into the moat and swam across. The splash in thewater attracted the attention of a sentry over the gate, who atonce challenged. There was no answer, and the man again shouted, peering over the wall to endeavour to discover what had causedthe splash. In a few vigorous strokes Wallace was across, hauledhimself up to the sill of the door, and with his heavy battleaxesmote on the chains which held up the drawbridge. Two mighty blowsand the chains yielded, and the drawbridge fell with a crash acrossthe moat. 

Instantly the men lifted the tree, and dashing across swung itlike a battering ram against the door--half a dozen blows, andthe oak and iron yielded before it. The door was burst in and theparty entered Lanark. The sentry on the wall had fled at once toarouse the garrison. Instantly the three leaders started to performthe tasks assigned to them. As yet the town lay in profound sleep, although near the gate windows were opening and heads were beingput out to ascertain the cause of the din. As the Scots ran forwardthey shouted "Death to the English, death to the bloody Hazelrig!"The governor had long been odious for his cruelty and tyranny, andthe murder of Marion Bradfute had that day roused the indignationof the people to the utmost. Not knowing how small was the forcethat had entered the town, but hoping only that deliverers hadarrived, numbers of the burghers rose and armed themselves, andissued forth into the streets to aid their countrymen. Wallace soonarrived at the governor's house, and with a few blows with his axebroke in the door; then he and his followers rushed into the house, cutting down the frightened men as they started up with suddenalarm, until he met Sir John Hazelrig, who had snatched up his armsand hurried from his chamber. 

"Villain!" Wallace exclaimed, seizing him by his throat; "your timehas come to make atonement for the murder of my wife. "

Then dragging him into the street he called upon the burghers, who were running up, to witness the execution of their tyrant, and stepping back a pace smote off his head with his sword. YoungHazelrig was also killed, as were all soldiers found in the house. The alarm bells were ringing now, and in a few minutes the armedburghers swarmed in the street. As the English soldiers, as yetbut scarce awake, and bewildered by this sudden attack, hurriedfrom their houses, they were fallen upon and slain by Wallace andthe townspeople. Some of those in the larger houses issuing forthtogether were able to cut their way through and to make theirescape by the gates; many made for the walls, and dropping in themoat swam across and escaped; but two hundred and fifty of theirnumber were left dead in the streets. The town, once cleared of theEnglish, gave itself up to wild rejoicings; bonfires were lightedin the streets, the bells were rung, and the wives and daughtersof the citizens issued out to join in their rejoicing and applaudtheir liberators. 

Wallace held council at once with the chief burghers. Their talkwas a grave one, for though rejoicing in the liberation of the city, they could not but perceive that the situation was a serious one. By the defeat and destruction of the garrison, and the slaying ofthe governor, the town would bring upon itself the terrible wrathof King Edward, and of what he was capable the murdered thousandsat Berwick sufficiently attested. However, the die was cast and therewas no drawing back, and the burghers undertook to put their townin a state of full defence, to furnish a contingent of men-at-arms toWallace, and to raise a considerable sum of money to aid him in thecarrying on of the war; while he on his part undertook to endeavour, as fast as possible, to prevent the English from concentrating theirforces for a siege of the town, by so harassing their garrisonselsewhere that none would be able to spare troops for any generalpurposes. 

Proclamations were immediately made out in the name of Wallace, and were sent off by mounted messengers throughout the country. In these he announced to the people of Scotland that he had raisedthe national banner and had commenced a war for the freeing of thecountry from the English, and that as a first step he had capturedLanark. He called upon all true Scotchmen to rally round him. 

While the council was being held, the wives of the burghers hadtaken the body of Marion from the place where it had been cast, and where hitherto none had dared to touch it, and had prepared itfor burial, placing it in a stone coffin, such as were in use inthose days, upon a car which was covered with trappings of white andgreen boughs. Soon after daybreak a great procession was formed, and accompanied by all the matrons and maids of Lanark the bodywas conveyed to the church at Ellerslie, and there buried withthe rites of the church. This sad duty ended, Wallace mounted hishorse and rode for Cart Lane Craigs, which he had named as therendezvous where all who loved Scotland and would follow him, wereto assemble. Archie rode first to Sir Robert Gordon's. His unclereceived him kindly. 

"Ah! my boy, " he said, "I feared that your wilful disposition wouldhave its way. You have embarked young on a stormy course, and nonecan say where it will end. I myself have no hope that it can besuccessful. Did the English rule depend solely on the troops whichgarrison our towns and fortresses, I should believe that Wallacemight possibly expel them; but this is as nothing. Edward can marcha hundred and fifty thousand trained soldiers hither, and how willit be possible for any gathering of Scotchmen to resist these?However, you have chosen your course, and as it is too late todraw back now, I would not dispirit you. Take the best of my horsesfrom the stable, and such arms and armour as you may choose fromthe walls. Here is a purse for your own private needs, and in thisother are a hundred pounds, which I pray you hand to Sir WilliamWallace. Fighting never was in my way, and I am too old to beginnow. Tell him, however, that my best wishes are with him. I havealready sent word to all my tenants that they are free, if theychoose, to follow his banner. "

"You have plenty of pikes and swords in the armoury, uncle; weaponswill be very useful; can I take some of them?"

"Certainly, Archie, as many as you like. But your aunt wants youto ride at once to Glen Cairn, to ask your mother to come over hereand take up her abode till the stormy times are over. The news oflast night's doings in Lanark will travel fast, and she will beterribly anxious. Besides, as the Kerrs are heart and soul with theEnglish faction, like enough they will take the opportunity of thedisturbed times, and of your being involved in the rising, to destroythe hold altogether, seeing that so long as it stands there it isa sort of symbol that their lordship over the lands is disputed. "

"The very thing that I was going to ask you, uncle. My mother'sposition at Glen Cairn would always be on my mind. As to theKerrs, let them burn the castle if they will. If the rising fail, and I am killed, the line will be extinct, and it matters littleabout our hold. If we succeed, then I shall regain my own, and shallturn the tables on the Kerrs, and will rebuild Glen Cairn twice asstrong as before. And now can I take a cart to convey the arms?"

"Certainly, Archie; and may they be of service in the cause. Youwill, I suppose, conduct your mother hither?"

Archie replied that he should do so, and then at once made hispreparations for the start. His uncle's armoury was well supplied, and Archie had no difficulty in suiting himself. For work likethat which he would have to do he did not care to encumber himselfwith heavy armour, but chose a light but strong steel cap, with acurtain of mail falling so as to guard the neck and ears, leavingonly the face exposed, and a shirt of the same material. It wasof fine workmanship and of no great weight, and did not hamperhis movements. He also chose some leg pieces for wearing when onhorseback. He had already his father's sword, and needed only alight battleaxe and a dagger to complete his offensive equipment. Then he took down from the racks twenty swords and as many shortpikes, and bonnets strengthened with iron hoops, which, althoughlight, were sufficient to give much protection to the head. Thesewere all placed in a light cart, and with one of his uncle'sfollowers to drive, he took his seat in the cart, and started forCart Lane Craigs. 

Here he concealed the arms in a thicket, and then went up to speakto his leader. 

"May I take ten men with me to Glen Cairn, Sir William? I am goingto fetch my mother to reside with my uncle until the storm isover. He has sent you a hundred pounds towards the expenses of thestruggle. I want the guard because it is possible that the Kerrsmay be down there. I hear Sir John was carried away, three hoursafter the fight, in a litter; it was well for him that he was notin Lanark when we took it. But like enough this morning, if wellenough to give orders, he may be sending down to Glen Cairn to seeif I have returned, and may burn the hold over my mother's head. "

"Certainly, " Sir William replied. "Henceforth I will put twentymen under your special orders, but for today Sir John Grahame shalltell off some of his own party. Of course they will go well armed. "

Half riding in the cart and half walking by turns, the party reachedGlen Cairn late in the afternoon. The news of the fall of Lanarkhad already penetrated even to that quiet village, and there wasgreat excitement as Archie and his party came in. One of Wallace'smessengers had passed through, and many of the men were preparingto join him. Dame Forbes was at once proud and grieved when Archietold her of the share which he had had in the street fray at Lanark, and in the capture of the town. She was proud that her son shouldso distinguish himself, grieved that he should, at so young anage, have become committed to a movement of whose success she hadbut little hope. However, she could not blame him, as it seemed asif his course had been forced upon him. She agreed to start earlythe next morning. 

It was well for Archie that he had brought a guard with him, for before he had been an hour in the hold a boy ran in from thevillage saying that a party of the Kerrs was close at hand, andwould be there in a few minutes. Archie set his men at once to pileup a barricade of stones breast high at the outer gate, and tookhis position there with his men. He had scarcely completed hispreparations when the trampling of horses was heard and a partyof ten men, two of whom bore torches, headed by young Allan Kerr, rode up. They drew rein abruptly as they saw the barricade withthe line of pikes behind it. 

"What want you here, Allan Kerr?" Archie said. 

"I came in search of you, little traitor, " young Kerr repliedangrily. 

"Here I am, " Archie said; "why don't you come and take me?"

Allan saw that the number of the defenders of the gate exceededthat of his own party, and there might, for aught he knew, be morewithin. 

"I will take you tomorrow, " he said. 

"Tomorrow never comes, " Archie replied with a laugh. "Your fatherthought to take me yesterday. How is the good knight? Not suffering, I trust, greatly either in body or temper?"

"You shall repent this, Archibald Forbes, " Allan Kerr exclaimedfuriously. "It will be my turn next time. "

And turning his horse he rode off at full speed, attended by hisfollowers. 

"We had best start at once, Master Archie, " Sandy Graham said:"it is eight miles to the Kerrs' hold, and when Allan Kerr returnsthere you may be sure they will call out their vassals and will behere betimes in the morning. Best get another cart from the village, for your men are weary and footsore, seeing that since yesterdayeven they have been marching without ceasing. Elspie will by thistime have got supper ready. There was a row of ducks and chickenson the spit when I came away. "

"That were best, Sandy. Do you see to their comforts, and aid mymother pack up such things as she most values, and I will go myselfdown to the village for the cart, for I wish to speak with somethere. "

Archie had no difficulty in engaging two carts, as he thought thatone would be needed for his mother and what possessions she mighttake. Then he went from house to house and saw his old companions, and told them of his plans, which filled them with delight. Havingdone this he returned to the hold, hastily ate the supper whichhad been put aside for him, and then saw that his mother's chests, which contained all her possessions save a few articles of heavyfurniture, were placed in one of the carts. A bed was then laidon its floor upon which she could sit comfortably. Elspie mountedwith her. Archie, Sandy, and the men took their places in the othercarts, and the party drove off. They had no fear of interruption, for the Kerrs, ignorant of the number who had arrived with Archieat Glen Cairn, would not venture to attack until they had gathereda considerable force, and would not be likely to set out tillmorning, and long before that time Dame Forbes would have arrivedat her sister's. 

The journey was indeed performed without incident, the escortleaving them when within two or three miles of Lanark, and makingtheir way direct to the craigs, whither Archie, the moment he hadseen his mother safely at Sir Robert Gordon's, returned. He didnot mount the craig, but wrapping himself in his cloak lay down atits foot. 

As soon as it was daylight he walked out a mile on the road towardsGlen Cairn. He soon saw a party approaching in military order. Theyhalted when they reached him. They were twenty in number, and werethe lads of his band at Glen Cairn, ranging between the ages ofsixteen and eighteen. They had originally been stronger, but someof the elders had already joined Wallace's followers. 

"Now, " Archie said, "I can explain matters farther than I did lastnight. I have procured arms for you all, and I hope that you willhave opportunities of using them. But though some of you are oldenough to join Wallace's band, there are others whom he might notdeem fit to take part in such desperate enterprises. Thereforeat first make but little show of your arms. I shall present you toSir William, telling him that I have brought you hither to serveas messengers, and to enter towns held by the English and gathernews, seeing that lads would be less suspected than men. But Ipropose farther, what I shall not tell him, that you shall form asort of bodyguard to him. He takes not sufficient care of himself, and is ever getting into perils. I propose that without hisknowing it, you shall be ever at hand when he goes into danger ofthis sort, and may thus prevent his falling into the hands of hisenemies. Now, mind, lads, this is a great and honourable mission. You must be discreet as well as brave, and ready all of you to giveyour lives, if need be, for that of Scotland's champion. Your workas messengers and scouts will be arduous and wearisome. You mustbe quiet and well behaved--remember that boys' tricks and playare out of place among men engaged in a desperate enterprise. Minglenot much with the others. Be active and prompt in obeying orders, and be assured that you will have opportunities of winning greathonour and credit, and of having your full share of hard knocks. You will, as before, be divided into two companies, William Orr andAndrew Macpherson being your lieutenants in my absence. You willobey their orders as implicitly as mine. Cluny, you have, I suppose, brought, as I bade you last night, some of your sister's garments?"

"Yes, Sir Archie, " the boy, who was fair and slight, said, with asmile on his face. 

"That is right. I know you are as hearty and strong as the rest;but seeing that your face is the smoothest and softest of any, you will do best should we need one in disguise as a girl. And nowcome with me. I will show you where your arms are placed; but atpresent you must not take them. If I led you as an armed band toWallace he might deem you too young. I must present you merely aslads whom I know to be faithful and trustworthy, and who are willingto act as messengers and scouts to his force. "

So saying Archie led the band to the thicket where he had placedtheir arms, and the lads were pleased when they saw the pikes, swords, and head pieces. Then he led them up the craig to Wallace. 

"Why, whom have you here?" Sir William exclaimed in surprise. "Thiswill not do, Sir Archie. All lads are not like yourself, and wereI to take such boys into my ranks I should have all the mothers inScotland calling out against me. "

"I have not brought them to join your ranks, Sir William, althoughmany of them are stout fellows who might do good service at apinch. I have brought them to act as messengers and scouts. Theycan carry orders whithersoever you may have occasion to send. Theycan act as scouts to warn you of the approach of an enemy; or ifyou need news of the state of any of the enemy's garrisons, theycan go thither and enter without being suspected, when a man mightbe questioned and stopped. They are all sons of my father's vassalsat Glen Cairn, and I can answer for their fidelity. I will takethem specially under my own charge, and you will ever have a fleetand active messenger at hand when you desire to send an order. "

"The idea is not a bad one, " Sir William replied; "and in such away a lad may well do the work of a man. Very well, Sir Archie, since you seem to have set your mind upon it I will not say nay. At any rate we can give the matter a trial, understanding that youtake the charge of them and are responsible for them in all ways. Now, lads, " he said turning, "you have heard that your lord, forhe is your rightful lord, and will, if Scotland gains the day, beyour real lord again, has answered for you. It is no boys' playin which you have taken service, for the English, if they conquerus, will show no further mercy to you than to others of my band. Iunderstand then that you are all prepared, if need be, to die forScotland. Is this so?"

"We are, sir, " the lads exclaimed together. 

"Then so be it, " Sir William said. "Now, Sir Archie, do you fixa place for their encampment, and make such other arrangementsas you may think fit. You will, of course, draw rations and othernecessaries for them as regular members of the band. "

Archie descended with his troop from the craigs, and chose a spotwhere they would be apart from the others. It was a small piece ofground cut off by the stream which wound at the foot of the craigs, so that to reach it it was necessary to wade knee deep through thewater. This was no inconvenience to the lads, all of whom, as wascommon with their class at the time, were accustomed to go barefoot, although they sometimes wore a sort of sandal. Bushes were cutdown, and arbours made capable of containing them. The spot wasbut a little distance from the foot of the path up the craigs, andany one descending the path could be seen from it. 

Archie gave orders that one was always to be above in readiness tostart instantly with a message; that a sentry was to be placed atthe camp, who was to keep his eyes upon the path, and the momentthe one on duty above was seen to leave, the next upon the list wasto go up and take his place. None were to wander about the wood, but all were to remain in readiness for any duty which might berequired. The two lieutenants were charged to drill them constantlyat their exercises so as to accustom them to the weight and handleof their arms. Two were to be sent off every morning to the depotwhere the provisions were issued, to draw food for the whole forthe day, and four were to be posted five miles away on the roadsleading towards the craigs to give warning of the approach of anyenemies. These were to be relieved every six hours. They were tobe entirely unarmed, and none were to issue from the camp with armsexcept when specially ordered. 

Having made these arrangements, and taking with him one of the bandas the first on duty above, he rejoined Wallace at his post on thecraigs. 

Wallace's numbers now increased fast. On hearing of the fall ofLanark, and on the receipt of the proclamation calling upon alltrue Scotchmen to join him in his effort to deliver their countryfrom its yoke, the people began to flock in in great numbers. RichardWallace of Riccarton and Robert Boyd came in with such force asthey could collect from Kyle and Cunningham, among whom were notless than 1000 horsemen. Sir John Grahame, Sir John of Tinto, andAuchinleck assembled about 3000 mounted troops and a large numberof foot, many of whom, however, were imperfectly armed. Sir RonaldCrawford, Wallace's uncle, being so close to Ayr, could not openlyjoin him, but secretly sent reinforcements and money. Many othergentlemen joined with their followers. 

The news of the fall of Lanark and of the numbers who were flockingto join Wallace paralysed the commanders of the English garrisons, and for a time no steps were taken against him; but news of therising was instantly sent to King Edward, who, furious at thisfresh trouble in Scotland, which he had deemed finally conquered, instantly commenced preparations for another invasion. A body oftroops was at once sent forward from England, and, being strengthenedby bodies drawn from all the garrisons, assembled at Biggar. Thearmy was commanded by the Earl of Kent. Heralds were sent to Wallaceoffering him not only pardon but an honourable post if he wouldsubmit, but warning him that if he refused this offer he should, when taken, be treated as a rebel and hung. 

Wallace briefly refused submission, and said that he should beready to give battle on the following morning. 

At daybreak the army set forth, divided into three parts. Wallace, with Boyd and Auchinleck, commanded one; Sir John Grahame, withWallace of Riccarton, the second; Sir Walter of Newbigging, with hisson David and Sir John Clinto, the third. The cavalry were placedin front. The footmen, being imperfectly armed and disciplined, and therefore unable to withstand the first charge of the English, followed the cavalry. 

Before marching forward Wallace called the commanders round himand charged them earnestly to restrain their men from plunder untilthe contest was decided, pointing out that many a battle had beenlost owing to the propensity of those who gained the first advantageto scatter for plunder. Just as the Scotch were moving, a body of300 horsemen, well armed and equipped, from Annandale and Eskdale, led by Halliday, Kirkpatrick, and Jardine, joined them; and withthis accession of strength they marched forward confidently againstthe enemy. 

Chapter V

A Treacherous Plot

So rapid was the advance of Wallace's army that the English hadscarce time to form when they were upon them. The Scotch chargedwith extreme impetuosity among the English ranks, directing theonslaught principally against the centre, commanded by the Earl ofKent. 

The English resisted stoutly; but the Earl of Kent was struck downby Wallace himself, and was with difficulty borne off the field;and after severe fighting, the whole English army was thrown intodisorder and took to flight. Some hundreds were killed in action, and many more in the pursuit which followed; this, however, Wallacewould not allow to be pushed too far lest the fugitives shouldrally and turn. Then the victorious Scots returned to the Englishcamp. In this was found a great abundance of provisions, arms, and other valuable booty. Many of the cattle were killed, and asumptuous feast prepared. Then Wallace had the whole of the spoilcarried off into a place of safety in the heart of a neighbouringbog, and he himself fell back to that shelter. 

In the morning the English, who had rallied when the pursuit hadceased, again advanced, hoping to find Wallace unprepared. Theywere now commanded by the Earl of Lancaster, and had received somereinforcements in the night. They passed over the scene of theprevious day's battle, and at last came in sight of the Scotcharmy. Wallace at first advanced, and then, as if dismayed at theirsuperior strength, retired to the point where, in order to reachthem, the English would have to cross a portion of the bog. Thesurface was covered with moss and long grass, and the treacherousnature of the ground was unperceived by the English, who, filledwith desire to wipe out their defeat of the preceding day, chargedimpetuously against the Scotch line. The movement was fatal, foras soon as they reached the treacherous ground their horses sunkto the saddle girths. The Scotch had dismounted on firmer groundbehind, and now advanced to the attack, some working round theflanks of the morass, others crossing on tufts of grass, and sofell upon the struggling mass of English. The Earl of Westmorelandand many others of note were killed, and the Earl of Lancaster, with the remains of his force, at once retreated south and recrossedthe Border. 

Archie had taken no part in the first battle. Wallace had askedhim whether he would fight by his side or take command of a bodyof infantry; and he chose the latter alternative. Almost all theknights and gentlemen were fighting on horse with their followers, and Archie thought that if these were repulsed the brunt of the fraywould fall upon the infantry. On this occasion, then, he gatheredwith his band of lads a hundred or so pikemen, and formed them inorder, exhorting them, whatever happened, to keep together and tostand stoutly, even against a charge of horse. As the victory waswon entirely by the cavalry he had no opportunity of distinguishinghimself. Upon the second day, however, he did good service, as he and his lightly armed footmen were able to cross the bog inplaces impracticable to the dismounted men-at-arms in their heavyaccoutrements. 

The victory of Biggar still further swelled Wallace's forces. SirWilliam Douglas joined him, and other gentlemen. A great meetingwas held at Forest Kirk, when all the leaders of Wallace's forcewere present; and these agreed to acknowledge him as general ofthe Scottish forces against England, with the title of Warden ofScotland. 

King Edward was at this time busied with his wars in France, andwas unable to despatch an army capable of effecting the reconquestof that portion of Scotland now held by Wallace; and as the Englishforces in the various garrisons were insufficient for such purpose, the Earl of Percy and the other leaders proposed a truce. Thiswas agreed to. Although Wallace was at the head of a considerableforce, Sir William Douglas was the only one among the Scottishnobles of importance who had joined him; and although the successeswhich he had gained were considerable, but little had been reallydone towards freeing Scotland, all of whose strong places werestill in the hands of the English, and King Edward had not as yetreally put out his strength. 

The greater portion of the army of Wallace was now dispersed. 

Shortly afterwards the governor of Ayr issued a notice that a greatcouncil would be held at that town, and all the Scotch gentlemenof importance in the district were desired to attend. Wallace wasone of those invited; and deeming that the governor might havesome proposition of Edward to lay before them, he agreed to do so. Although a truce had been arranged, he himself with a band of hismost devoted followers still remained under arms in the forest, strictly keeping the truce, but holding communications with his friendsthroughout the country, urging them to make every preparation, bycollecting arms and exercising their vassals, to take the field witha better appointed force at the conclusion of the truce. Provisionsand money were in abundance, so large had been the captures effected;but Wallace was so accustomed to the free life of the woods that hepreferred to remain there to taking up his abode in a town. Moreover, here he was safe from treachery; for he felt sure that although theEnglish nobles and leaders would be incapable of breaking a truce, yet that there were many of lower degree who would not hesitate atany deed of treachery by which they might gain reward and creditfrom their king. Archie's band were found of the greatest serviceas messengers; and although he sometimes spent a few days at SirRobert Gordon's with his mother, he generally remained by the sideof Wallace. The spot where the Scottish leader was now staying layabout halfway between Lanark and Ayr. 

Archie heard with uneasiness the news of the approaching council, and Wallace's acceptance of the invitation. The fact that the Earlof Percy, a very noble knight and gentleman, had been but latelyrecalled from the governorship of Ayr and had been replaced byone of somewhat low degree, Arlouf of Southampton, still furtherincreased his doubts. It seemed strange that the governorship of soimportant a town--a post deemed fitting for Earl Percy--shouldbe bestowed on such a man, were it not that one was desired whowould not hesitate to perform an action from which any honourableEnglish gentleman would shrink. 

Two days before the day fixed for the council he called ClunyCampbell and another lad named Jock Farrel to him. 

"I have a most important mission for you, " he said. "You have heardof the coming council at Ayr. I wish to find out if any evil isintended by the governor. For this purpose you two will proceedthither. You Cluny will put on the garments which you brought withyou; while you Jock had best go as his brother. Here is money. Onyour way procure baskets and buy chickens and eggs, and take themin with you to sell. Go hither and thither among the soldiersand hear what they say. Gather whether among the townspeople thereis any thought that foul play may be intended by the English. Twoof the band will accompany you to within a mile of Ayr, and willremain there in order that you may from time to time send news bythem of aught that you have gathered. Remember that the safety ofWallace, and with it the future of Scotland, may depend upon yourcare and vigilance. I would myself have undertaken the task; butthe Kerrs are now, I hear, in Ayr, and a chance meeting might ruinall; for whatever the truce between English and Scotch, they wouldassuredly keep no truce with me did they meet me. Mind, it is agreat honour that I have done you in choosing you, and is a proofthat I regard you as two of the shrewdest of my band, although theyoungest among them. "

Greatly impressed with the importance of their mission, the ladspromised to use their utmost vigilance to discover the intentionsof the governor; and a few minutes later, Cluny being attired inhis sister's clothes, and looking, as Archie laughingly said, "abetter looking girl than she was herself, " they started for Ayr, accompanied by two of their companions. They were to remain thereuntil the conclusion of the council, but their companions would berelieved every six hours. Upon their way they procured two baskets, which they filled with eggs and chickens; and then, leaving theircomrades a mile outside Ayr, fearlessly entered the town. 

The council was to take place in a large wooden building some shortdistance outside the town, which was principally chosen because itwas thought by the governor that the Scotch gentlemen would haveless reluctance to meet him there than if they were asked to entera city with a strong garrison of English. 

The first day the lads succeeded in finding out nothing which couldgive any countenance to suspicion that treachery was intended. Theyhad agreed to work separately, and each mingled among the groupsof citizens and soldiers, where the council was the general topicof conversation. There was much wonder and speculation as to theobject for which the governor had summoned it, and as to the termswhich he might be expected to propound, but to none did the ideaof treachery or foul play in any way occur; and when at night theyleft the town and sent off their message to Archie, the lads couldonly say that all seemed fair and honest, and that none either ofthe townspeople or soldiers appeared to have the least expectationof trouble arising at the council. The following morning theyagreed that Jock should hang round the building in which the councilwas to be held, and where preparations for the meeting and for abanquet which was afterwards to take place were being made, whileCluny should continue his inquiries within the walls. Jock hid awayhis basket and joined those looking on at the preparations. Greenboughs were being carried in for decorating the walls, tables, andbenches for the banquet. These were brought from the town in countrycarts, and a party of soldiers under the command of an officercarried them in and arranged them. Several of the rustics lookingon gave their aid in carrying in the tables, in order that theymight take home to their wives an account of the appearance of theplace where the grand council was to be held. Jock thrust himselfforward, and seizing a bundle of green boughs, entered the barn. Certainly there was nothing here to justify any suspicions. Thesoldiers were laughing and joking as they made the arrangements;clean rushes lay piled against a wall in readiness to strew overthe floor at the last moment; boughs had been nailed against thewalls, and the tables and benches were sufficient to accommodatea considerable number. Several times Jock passed in and out, butstill without gathering a word to excite his suspicions. PresentlyArlouf himself, a powerful man with a forbidding countenance, rodeup and entered the barn. He approached the officer in command ofthe preparations; and Jock, pretending to be busy in carrying hisboughs, managed to keep near so as to catch something of theirconversation. 

"Is everything prepared, Harris?"

"Yes, sir; another half hour's work will complete everything. "

"Do you think that is strong enough?" the governor asked. 

"Ay; strong enough for half a dozen of these half starved Scots. "

"One at a time will do, " the governor said; and then, after a fewmore words, left the barn and rode off to Ayr. 

Jock puzzled his head in vain over the meaning of the words he hadheard. The governor had while speaking been facing the door; butto what he alluded, or what it was that the officer had declaredstrong enough to hold half a dozen Scots, Jock could not in theslightest degree make out. Still the words were strange and mightbe important; and he resolved, directly the preparations werefinished and the place closed, so that there could be no chance ofhis learning more, to return himself to Archie instead of sendinga message, as much might depend upon his repeating, word for word, what he had heard, as there was somehow, he felt, a significance inthe manner in which the question had been asked and answered morethan in the words themselves. 

Cluny had all day endeavoured in vain to gather any news. He hadthe day before sold some of his eggs and chickens at the governor'shouse, and towards evening he determined again to go thither andto make an attempt to enter the house, where he had heard that theofficers of the garrison were to be entertained that evening at abanquet. "If I could but overhear what is said there, my mind wouldbe at rest. Certainly nothing is known to the soldiers; but it maywell be that if treachery is intended tomorrow, the governor willthis evening explain his plans to his officers. "

He had, before entering the town, again filled up his basket withthe unsold portion of Jock's stock, for which the latter had nofurther occasion. The cook at the governor's, when he had purchasedthe eggs on the previous day, had bade him call again, as Cluny'sprices were considerably below those in the market. It was latein the afternoon when he again approached the house. The sentry atthe gate asked no question, seeing a girl with a basket, and Clunywent round again to the door of the kitchen. 

"How late you are, girl!" the cook said angrily. "You told me youwould come again today, and I relied upon you, and when you didnot come it was too late, for the market was closed. "

"I was detained, sir, " Cluny said, dropping a curtsey; "my motheris ill, and I had to look after the children and get the dinnerbefore they went away. "

"There, don't waste time talking, " the cook said, snatching thebasket from him. "I have no time to count the eggs now; let me knowthe tale of them and the chickens at the same price as you chargedyesterday, and come for your money tomorrow; I have no time to paynow. Here, " he called to one of the scullions, "take out these eggsand chickens quickly, but don't break any, and give the basket tothe girl here. "

So saying he hurried off to attend to his cooking. 

Cluny looked round. But three paces away a half open door led intothe interior of the house. His resolution was taken in a moment. Seeing that none were looking at him he stole through the door, his bare feet falling noiselessly on the stones. He was now ina spacious hall. On one side was an open door, and within was alarge room with tables spread for a banquet. Cluny entered at onceand looked round for a place of concealment; none was to be seen. Tablecloths in those days were almost unknown luxuries. The tableswere supported by trestles, and were so narrow that there wasno possibility of hiding beneath them; nor were there hangings orother furniture behind which he could be concealed. With a beatingheart he turned the handle of a door leading into another apartment, and found himself in a long and narrow room, used apparently asthe private office of the governor. There were many heavy chairsin the room, ranged along the wall, and Cluny crouched in a cornerby the window beside a chair standing there. The concealment was apoor one, and one searching would instantly detect him; but he hadno fear of a search, for he doubted not that the cook, on missinghim, would suppose that he had left at once, intending to callfor his money and basket together the next morning. It was alreadygrowing dusk, and should no one enter the room for another halfhour he would be hidden in the shadow in the corner of the room;but it was more probable still that no one would enter. 

The time passed slowly on, and the darkness rapidly increased. Throughthe door, which Cluny had drawn to but had not tightly closed onentering, he could hear the voices of the servants as they movedabout and completed the preparations in the banquet hall. Presentlyall was quiet, but a faint light gleaming in through the crackof the door showed that the lights were lit and that all was inreadiness for the banquet. Half an hour later and there was a heavytrampling of feet and the sound of many voices. The door was suddenlyclosed, and Cluny had no doubt that the dinner was beginning. Risingto his feet he made to the door and listened attentively. 

A confused din met his ears, but no distinct words were audible. He could occasionally faintly hear the clattering of plates andthe clinking of glasses. All this continued for nigh two hours, andthen a sudden quiet seemed to fall upon the assembly. Cluny heardthe door close, and guessed that the banquet was at an end and theservitors dismissed. Now, if ever, would something of importancebe said within, and Cluny would have given his life to be able tohear it. Many times he thought of turning the handle and openingthe door an inch or two. Locks in those days were but roughly made;the slightest sound might attract attention, and in that case notonly would his own life be forfeited, but no news of the governor'sintentions--no matter what they might be--could reach Wallace;so, almost holding his breath, he lay on the ground and listenedwith his ear to the sill of the door. The silence was succeeded bya steady monotonous sound as of one addressing the others. Clunygroaned in spirit, for no word could he hear. After some minutesthe murmur ceased, and then many voices were raised together; thenone rose above the rest, and then, distinct and clear, came a voiceevidently raised in anger. 

"As you please, Master Hawkins; but if you disobey my orders, as King Edward's governor here, you will take the consequences. Ishall at once place you in durance, and shall send report to theking of your mutinous conduct. "

"Be that as it may, " another voice replied; "whatever befall me, Itell you, sir, that Thomas Hawkins will take no part in an act ofsuch foul and dastardly treachery. I am a soldier of King Edward. I am paid to draw my sword against his enemies, and not to do thebloody work of a murderer. "

"Seize him!" the governor shouted. "Give him in charge to the guard, to lay in the castle dungeon. "

There was a movement of feet now heard, but Cluny waited nolonger. The angry utterances had reached his ear, and knowing thathis mission was accomplished he thought only now of escape beforedetection might take place. He had noticed when he entered the roomthat the windows were, as was usually the case with rooms on thelower floors, barred; but he saw also that the bars were wide enoughapart for a lad of his slimness to crawl through. The banquetingroom was raised three steps above the hall, and the room that hewas in was upon the same level; the window was four feet from thefloor, and would therefore be probably seven or eight above theground without, which would account for its not being more closelybarred. He speedily climbed up to it and thrust himself through thebars, but not without immense difficulty and great destruction tohis feminine garments. 

"Poor Janet!" Cluny laughed to himself as he dropped from thewindow to the ground. "Whatever would she say were she to see thestate of her kirtle and petticoats!"

The moon was young, but the light was sufficient to enable Clunyto see where he was. The window opened into a lane which ran downby the side of the governor's house, and he was soon in the principalstreet. Already most of the citizens were within their houses. Afew, provided with lanterns, were picking their way along the unevenpavement. Cluny knew that it was impossible for him to leave thetown that night; he would have given anything for a rope by whichhe might lower himself from the walls, but there was no possibilityof his obtaining one. The appearance of a young girl wandering inthe streets alone at night would at once have attracted attentionand remarks. So Cluny withdrew into a dark archway, and then satdown until the general silence told him that all had retired torest. Then he made his way along the street until he neared thegateway, and there lying down by the wall he went to sleep. 

When the gate was opened in the morning Cluny waited until a fewpersons had passed in and out and then approached it. "Hallo! lass, "the sergeant of the guard, who was standing there, said. "You area pretty figure with your torn clothes! Why, what has happened toyou?"

"If you please, sir, " Cluny said timidly, "I was selling my eggsto the governor's cook, and he kept me waiting, and I did not knowthat it was so late, and when I got to the gates they were shut, and I had nowhere to go; and then, please sir, as I was wanderingabout a rough soldier seized me and wanted to kiss me, and ofcourse I would not let him, and in the struggle he tore my clothesdreadfully; and some burghers, who heard me scream, came up and theman left me, and one of the burghers let me sleep in his kitchen, and I don't know what mother will say to my clothes;" and Clunylifted the hem of his petticoat to his eyes. 

"It is a shame, lass, " the sergeant said good temperedly; "an Ihad been there I would have broke the fellow's sconce for him; butanother time, lass, you should not overstay the hour; it is not goodfor young girls to be roaming at night in a town full of soldiers. There, I hope your mother won't beat you, for, after all, it wasthe fault of the governor's cook rather than yours. "

Cluny pursued his way with a quiet and depressed mien until he wasfairly out of sight of the gates. Then he lifted his petticoats toa height which would have shocked his sister Janet, to give freeplay to his limbs, and at the top of his speed dashed down the roadtoward Lanark. He found his two companions waiting at the appointedspot, but he did not pause a moment. 

"Are you mad, Cluny?" they shouted. 

And indeed the wild figure, with its tucked up garments, tearingat full speed along the road, would have been deemed that of a madgirl by any who had met it. 

"Come on!" he shouted. "Come on, it is for life or death!" andwithout further word he kept on at full speed. It was some timebefore his companions overtook him, for they were at first tooconvulsed by laughter at Cluny's extraordinary appearance to be ableto run. But presently, sobered by the conviction that something ofextreme importance must have happened, they too started at theirbest speed, and presently came up with Cluny, upon whose pace themile he had already run told heavily. 

"For the sake of goodness, Cluny, go slower, " one of them pantedout as they came to him. "We have nine miles yet to run, and if wego on like this we shall break down in another half mile, and haveto walk the rest. "

Cluny himself, with all his anxiety to get on, was beginning tofeel the same, and he slackened his pace to a slinging trot, whichin little over an hour brought them to the wood. 

Chapter VI

The Barns of Ayr

Archie was anxiously awaiting the arrival of his messenger, for thethree lads were met two miles out by another who had been placed onwatch, and had come on ahead at full speed with the news of theirapproach. The report brought in by Jock Farrell of the words thathe had overheard in the barn prepared for the meeting, had beenreported by Archie to Wallace. Sir John Grahame and the othergentlemen with him all agreed that they were strange, and his friendshad strongly urged their leader not to proceed to the meeting. Wallace, however, persisted in his resolution to do so, unlesshe received stronger proofs than those afforded by the few wordsdropped by the governor and his officer, which might really haveno evil meaning whatever. He could not throw doubt upon the fairintentions of King Edward's representative, for it might well besaid that it was the grossest insult to the English to judge themas guilty of the intention of a foul act of treachery upon suchslight foundation as this. "It would be a shame indeed, " he said, "were I, the Warden of Scotland, to shrink from appearing ata council upon such excuse as this. " The utmost that Archie couldobtain from him was that he would delay his departure in the morninguntil the latest moment, in order to see if any further news camefrom Ayr. 

The meeting was to be held at ten o'clock, and until a little beforenine he would not set out. He was in the act of mounting his horsewhen Cluny Campbell arrived. 

"What are your news, Cluny?" Archie exclaimed, as the lads, pantingand exhausted, ran up. 

"There is treachery intended. I overheard the governor say so. "

"Come along with me, " Archie exclaimed; "you are just in time, and shall yourself tell the news. Draw your bridle, Sir William, "he exclaimed as he ran up to the spot where Sir William Wallace, Grahame, and several other gentlemen were in the act of mounting. "Treachery is intended--my messenger has overheard it. I knownot his tale, but question him yourself. "

Important as was the occasion, the Scottish chiefs could not resista smile at the wild appearance of Archie's messenger. 

"Is it a boy or a girl?" Wallace asked Archie, "for it might beeither. "

"He is one of my band, sir. I sent him dressed in this disguise asit would be the least suspected. Now, Cluny, tell your own story. "

Cluny told his story briefly, but giving word for word the sentencesthat he had heard spoken in anger by the governor and his officer. 

"I fear there can be no doubt, " Wallace said gravely when thelad had finished--"that foul play of some kind is intended, andthat it would be madness to trust ourselves in the hands of thistreacherous governor. Would that we had had the news twenty-fourhours earlier; but even now some may be saved. Sir John, will yougallop, with all your mounted men, at full speed towards Ayr. Sendmen on all the roads leading to the council, and warn any who maynot yet have arrived against entering. "

Sir John Grahame instantly gave orders to all those who had horses, to mount and follow him at the top of their speed; and he himself, with the other gentlemen whose horses were prepared, started atonce at full gallop. 

"Sir Archie, do you cause the `assembly' to be sounded, and sendoff your runners in all directions to bid every man who can becollected to gather here this afternoon at three o clock. If foulplay has been done we can avenge, although we are too late to save, and, by Heavens, a full and bloody revenge will I take. "

It was not until two in the afternoon that Sir John Grahame returned. 

"The worst has happened; I can read it in your face, " Wallaceexclaimed. 

"It is but too true, " Sir John replied. "For a time we could obtainno information. One of my men rode forward until close to the Barns, and reported that all seemed quiet there. A guard of soldiers werestanding round the gates, and he saw one of those invited, who hadarrived a minute before him, dismount and enter quietly. FortunatelyI was in time to stop many gentlemen who were proceeding to thecouncil, but more had entered before I reached there. From timeto time I sent forward men on foot who talked with those who werestanding without to watch the arrivals. Presently a terrible rumourbegan to spread among them--whether the truth was known from somecoarse jest by one of the soldiers, or how it came out, I know not. But as time went on, and the hour was long past when any fresharrivals could be expected, there was no longer motive for secrecy, and the truth was openly told. Each man as he entered was stoppedjust inside the door. A noose was dropped over his neck, and hewas hauled up to a hook over the door. All who entered are dead. "

A cry of indignation and rage broke from Wallace and those standinground him, and the Scottish leader again repeated his oath to takea bloody vengeance for the deed. 

"And who are among the murdered?" he asked, after a pause. 

"Alas! Sir William, " Grahame said, "your good uncle, Sir RonaldCrawford, the Sheriff of Ayr, is one; and also Sir Richard Wallaceof Riccartoun; Sir Bryce Blair, and Sir Neil Montgomery, Boyd, Barclay, Steuart, Kennedy, and many others. "

Wallace was overwhelmed with grief at the news that both his uncles, to whom he was greatly attached, had perished. Most of those aroundhad also lost relatives and friends, and none could contain theirgrief and indignation. 

"Was my uncle, Sir Robert Gordon, among the victims?" Archieinquired. 

"No, " Sir John replied; "happily he was one of the last who camealong the road. "

"Thank God for that!" Archie said earnestly; "my uncle's slownesshas saved his life. He was ever late for business or pleasure, andmy aunt was always rating him for his unpunctuality. She will notdo so again, for assuredly it has saved his life. "

The men came in but slowly, for the bands had all dispersed totheir homes, and it was only those who lived within a few mileswho could arrive in time. Little over fifty men had come in by thehour named. With these Wallace started at once towards Ayr. Archie'sband fell in with their arms, for they too burned to revenge themassacre, and Wallace did not refuse Archie's request that theymight join. 

"Let them come, " he said; "we shall want every sword and piketonight. "

This was the first time that Wallace had seen the band under arms, for at the battle of Biggar, Archie had kept them from his sight, fearing that he might order them from the field. 

"They look well, Sir Archie, and in good military order. HithertoI have regarded them but as messengers, and as such they have donegood service indeed; but I see now that you have them in good order, and that they can do other service on a pinch. "

One member of Wallace's band was left behind, with orders to waituntil seven o'clock, and then to bring on as fast as they couldmarch all who might arrive before that hour. The band marched towithin a mile of the barns. They then halted at a stack of straw, and sat down while one of Archie's band went forward to see what wasbeing done. He reported that a great feast, at which the governorand all the officers of the garrison, with other English dwellingin town, were present, was just beginning in the great barn wherethe massacre had taken place. 

Soon after nine o'clock the man who had been left behind, with tenothers, who had come in after Wallace had marched, came up. Eachman, by Wallace's directions, drew a great truss of straw from thestack, and then the party, now eighty in all, marched toward thebarn. Wallace's instructions were that so soon as the work hadfairly begun, Grahame, with Archie and half the band, was to hurryoff to seize the gate of Ayr, feigning to be a portion of the guardat the barn. 

When they approached the spot they saw that the wooden building wasbrightly lit up with lights within, and the English guard, somefifty in number, were standing carelessly without, or, seatedround fires, were carousing on wine which had been sent out by therevellers within. 

The Scotch stole up quietly. Wallace's party, composed of half thestrength, handed their bundles of straw to the men of Grahame'scompany; then with a sudden shout they fell upon the Englishsoldiers, while Grahame's men, running straight to the door of thebarn, threw down their trusses of straw against it, and Sir John, snatching down a torch which burned beside the entrance, appliedfire to the mass, and then, without a moment's delay, started at arun towards the town. Taken wholly by surprise the English soldierswere slain by Wallace and his men almost before they had timeto seize their arms. Then the Scots gathered round the barn. Theflames were already leaping up high, and a terrible din of shoutsand cries issued from within. The doors had been opened now, butthose within were unable to force their way across the blazing massof straw. Many appeared at the windows and screamed for mercy, andsome leapt out, preferring to fall by the Scottish swords ratherthan to await death by fire within. 

The flames rose higher and higher, and soon the whole buildingwas enveloped, and ere many minutes all those who had carried out, if not planned, the massacre of Ayr had perished. In the meantimeGrahame and his party had reached the gate of Ayr. Bidding othersfollow him at a distance of about a hundred yards, he himself, withArchie and ten of his followers, ran up at full speed. 

"Quick!" he shouted to the sentry on the gate. "Lower the bridgeand let us in. We have been attacked by Wallace and the Scots, andthey will speedily be here. "

The attention of the guard had already been attracted by the suddenburst of light by the barns. They had heard distant shouts, anddeemed that a conflagration had broken out in the banqueting hall. Not doubting for an instant the truth of Grahame's story, theylowered the drawbridge instantly, and Sir John and his companionsrushed across. 

The guard were only undeceived when Grahame and his followers fellupon them with their heavy broadswords. They had left their armsbehind when they had assembled on the walls to look at the distantflames, and were cut down to a man by the Scots. By this time therest of Grahame's band had arrived. 

So short and speedy had been the struggle that no alarm had beengiven in the town. The inmates of a few houses near opened theirwindows and looked out. 

"Come down as quickly as you may, " Sir John said to them; "we havetaken Ayr. "

Several of the burghers were soon in the street. 

"Now, " Sir John said, "do two of you who know the town well gowith me and point out the houses in which the English troops arequartered; let the others go from house to house, and bid everyman come quickly with his sword to strike a blow for freedom. "

Sir John now went round the town with the guides and posted two ormore men at the door of each house occupied by the English. Soonthe armed citizens flocked into the streets, and when sufficientwere assembled the blowing of a horn gave the signal. The doors ofthe houses were beaten in with axes, and, pouring in, the Scotchslew the soldiers before they had scarce awakened from sleep. Veryfew of the English in the town escaped to tell of the terribleretaliation which had been taken for the massacre of Ayr. 

One of the few who were saved was Captain Thomas Hawkins. Archie, mindful of the part which he had taken, and to which, indeed, thediscovery of the governor's intention was due, had hurried direct tothe prison, and when this was, with the rest of the town, taken, discovered the English officer in chains in a dungeon, and protectedhim from all molestation. 

The next morning he was brought before Wallace, who expressed tohim his admiration of the honourable course which he had adopted, gave him a rich present out of the booty which had been captured, and placed him on a ship bound for England. 

A week after the capture of Ayr one of Archie's band came into hishut. Tears were running down his cheeks, and his face was swollenwith weeping. 

"What is it, Jock?" Archie asked kindly. 

"Ah! Sir Archie! we have bad news from Glen Cairn. One has comehither who says that a few days since the Kerrs, with a followingof their own retainers, came down to the village. Having heardthat some of us had followed you to the wars, they took a list ofall that were missing, and Sir John called our fathers up beforehim. They all swore, truly enough, that they knew nought of ourintentions, and that we had left without saying a word to them. Sir John refused to believe them, and at first threatened to hangthem all. Then after a time he said they might draw lots, andthat two should die. My father and Allan Cunninghame drew the evilnumbers, and Kerr hung them up to the old tree on the green and putfire to the rooftrees of all the others. Ah! but there is weepingand wailing in Glen Cairn!"

Archie was for a while speechless with indignation. He knew wellthat this wholesale vengeance had not been taken by the Kerrs becausethe sons of the cottagers of Glen Cairn had gone to join the armyof Wallace, but because he deemed them to be still attached to theirold lord; and it was to their fidelity to the Forbeses rather thanto Scotland that they owed the ruin which had befallen them. 

"My poor Jock!" he said, "I am grieved, indeed, at this misfortune. I cannot restore your father's life, but I can from the spoils ofAyr send a sufficient sum to Glen Cairn to rebuild the cottageswhich the Kerrs have destroyed. But this will not be enough--wewill have vengeance for the foul deed. Order the band to assembleat dusk this evening, and tell Orr and Macpherson to come here tome at once. "

Archie had a long consultation with his two young lieutenants, whose fathers' cottages had with the others been destroyed. 

"What we have to do, " Archie said, "we must do alone. Sir Williamhas ample employment for his men, and I cannot ask him to weakenhis force to aid me in a private broil; nor, indeed, would any aidshort of his whole band be of use, seeing that the Kerrs can putthree hundred retainers in the field. It is not by open force thatwe must fight them, but by fire and harassment. Fighting is outof the question; but we can do him some damage without giving hima chance of striking a blow at us. As he has lighted Glen Cairn, so shall he see fires blazing round his own castle of Aberfilly. We will not retaliate by hanging his crofters and vassals; but ifhe or any of his men-at-arms falls into our hands, we will haveblood for blood. "

In the course of the afternoon Archie saw his chief and beggedleave to take his troop away for some time, telling Sir William ofthe cruel treatment which the Kerrs had dealt at Glen Cairn, andhis determination to retaliate for the deed. 

"Aberfilly is a strong castle, Archie, " Wallace said; "at least sopeople say, for I have never seen it, so far does it lie removedfrom the main roads. But unless by stratagem, I doubt if my forceis strong enough to capture it; nor would I attack were I sure ofcapturing it without the loss of a man. The nobles and landownersstand aloof from me; but it may be that after I have wrested somemore strong places from the English, they may join me. But I wouldnot on any account war against one of them now. Half the greatfamilies are united by ties of blood or marriage. The Kerrs, weknow, are related to the Comyns and other powerful families; anddid I lift a hand against them, adieu to my chance of being joinedby the great nobles. No; openly hostile as many of them are, I mustlet them go their way, and confine my efforts to attacking theirfriends the English. Then they will have no excuse of personalfeud for taking side against the cause of Scotland. But this doesnot apply to you. Everyone knows that there has long been a bloodfeud between the Forbeses and the Kerrs, and any damage you maydo them will be counted as a private feud. I think it is a rashadventure that you are undertaking with but a handful of boys, although it is true that a boy can fire a roof or drive off abullock as well as a man. However, this I will promise you, thatif you should get into any scrape I will come with what speed Ican to your rescue, even if it embroil me with half the nobles ofScotland. You embroiled yourself with all the power of England inmy behalf, and you will not find me slack in the hour of need. Butif I join in the fray it is to rescue my friend Archie Forbes, andnot to war against John Kerr, the ally of the English, and my ownenemy. "

Archie warmly thanked his leader, but assured him that he had nothought of placing himself in any great peril. 

"I am not going to fight, " he said, "for the Kerr and his retainerscould eat us up; we shall trust to our legs and our knowledge ofthe mountains. "

After dark Archie and his band started, and arrived within ten milesof Aberfilly on the following morning. They rested till noon, andthen again set out. When they approached one of the outlying farmsof the Kerrs, Archie halted his band, and, accompanied by four ofthe stoutest and tallest of their number, went on to the crofter'shouse. The man came to the door. 

"What would you, young sir?" he said to Archie. 

"I would, " Archie said, "that you bear a message from me to yourlord. "

"I know not what your message may be; but frankly, I would ratherthat you bore it yourself, especially if it be of a nature to angerSir John. "

"The message is this, " Archie said quietly: "tell him that ArchibaldForbes bids him defiance, and that he will retort upon him and histhe cruelties which he has wrought in Glen Cairn, and that he willrest not night nor day until he has revenge for the innocent bloodshed and rooftrees ruthlessly burned. "

"Then, " the crofter said bluntly, "if you be Archibald Forbes, youmay even take your message yourself. Sir John cares not much uponwhose head his wrath lights, and I care not to appear before himas a willing messenger on such an errand. "

"You may tell him, " Archie said quietly, "that you are no willingmessenger; for that I told you that unless you did my errand yourhouse should, before morning, be a heap of smoking ashes. I havea following hard by, and will keep my word. "

The crofter hesitated. 

"Do my bidding; and I promise you that whatever may befall theother vassals of the Kerrs, you shall go free and unharmed. "

"Well, if needs must, it must, " the crofter said; "and I willdo your bidding, young sir--partly because I care not to see myhouse in ruins, but more because I have heard of you as a valiantyouth who fought stoutly by the side of Wallace at Lanark andAyr--though, seeing that you are but a lad, I marvel much that youshould be able to hold your own in such wild company. Althoughas a vassal of the Kerrs I must needs follow their banner, I neednot tell you, since you have lived so long at Glen Cairn, that theKerrs are feared rather than loved, and that there is many a manamong us who would lief that our lord fought not by the side of theEnglish. However, we must needs dance as he plays; and now I willput on my bonnet and do your errand. Sir John can hardly blame megreatly for doing what I needs must. "

Great was the wrath of Sir John Kerr when his vassal reported tohim the message with which he had been charged, and in his savagefury he was with difficulty dissuaded from ordering him to be hungfor bringing such a message. His principal retainers ventured, however, to point out that the man had acted upon compulsion, andthat the present was not the time, when he might at any momenthave to call upon them to take the field, to anger his vassals, whowould assuredly resent the undeserved death of one of their number. 

"It is past all bearing, " the knight said furiously, "that an insolentboy like this should first wound me in the streets of Lanark, andshould then cast his defiance in my teeth--a landless rascal, whose father I killed, and whose den of a castle I but a month agogave to the flames. He must be mad to dare to set his power againstmine. I was a fool that I did not stamp him out long ago; but woebetide him when we next meet! Had it not been that I was servedby a fool"--and here the angry knight turned to his henchman, RedRoy--"this would not have happened. Who could have thought thata man of your years could have suffered himself to be fooled by aboy, and to bring me tales that this insolent upstart was a poorstupid lout! By Heavens! to be thus badly served is enough to makeone mad!"

"Well, Sir John, " the man grumbled, "the best man will be sometimesin error. I have done good service for you and yours, and yet eversince we met this boy outside the gates of Lanark you have neverceased to twit me concerning him. Rest secure that no such errorshall occur again, and that the next time I meet him I will pay himalike for the wound he gave you and for the anger he has broughtupon my head. If you will give orders I will start at daybreakwith twenty men. I will take up his trail at the cottage of JohnFrazer, and will not give up the search until I have overtaken andslain him. "

"Do so, " the knight replied, "and I will forgive your havingbeen so easily fooled. But this fellow may have some of Wallace'sfollowers with him, and contemptible as the rabble are, we had bestbe on our guard. Send round to all my vassals, and tell them tokeep good watch and ward, and keep a party of retainers under armsall night in readiness to sally out in case of alarm. "

The night, however, passed quietly. The next day the knight salliedout with a strong party of retainers, and searched the woods andlower slopes of the hill, but could find no signs of Archie andhis followers, and at nightfall returned to the castle in a rage, declaring that the defiance sent him was a mere piece of insolentbravado. Nevertheless, he kept the horses again saddled all nightready to issue out at the slightest alarm. Soon after midnightflames suddenly burst out at a dozen of the homesteads. At thewarder's shout of alarm Sir John Kerr and his men-at-arms instantlymounted. The gate was thrown open and the drawbridge lowered, andSir John rode out at the head of his following. He was within afew feet of the outer end of the drawbridge when the chains whichsupported this suddenly snapped. The drawbridge fell into the moat, plunging all those upon it into the water. 

Archie, with his band, after detaching some of their number to firethe homesteads, had crept up unperceived in the darkness to theend of the drawbridge, and had noiselessly cut the two projectingbeams upon which its end rested when it was lowered. He had intendedto carry out this plan on the previous night, but when darkness setin not a breath of wind was stirring, and the night was so stillthat he deemed that the operation of sawing through the beams couldnot be effected without attracting the attention of the warderson the wall, and had therefore retreated far up in the recesses ofthe hills. The next night, however, was windy, and well suited tohis purpose, and the work had been carried out without attractingthe attention of the warders. When Kerr and his men-at-arms rodeout, the whole weight of the drawbridge and of the horsemen crossingit was thrown entirely upon the chains, and these yielded to astrain far greater than they were calculated to support. 

The instant the men-at-arms were precipitated into the moat, Archieand his companions, who had been lying down near its edge, leapt totheir feet, and opened fire with their bows and arrows upon them. It was well for Sir John and his retainers that they had not stopped tobuckle on their defensive armour. Had they done so every man musthave been drowned in the deep waters. As it was, several were killedwith the arrows, and two or three by the hoofs of the strugglinghorses. Sir John himself, with six of the eighteen men who hadfallen into the moat, succeeded in climbing up the drawbridge andregaining the castle. A fire of arrows was at once opened from thewalls, but Archie and his followers were already out of bowshot;and knowing that the fires would call in a few minutes to the spota number of the Kerr's vassals more than sufficient to crush themwithout the assistance of those in the castle, they again made forthe hills, well satisfied with the first blow they had struck attheir enemies. 

The rage of Sir John Kerr was beyond all expression. He had himselfbeen twice struck by arrows, and the smart of his wounds added tohis fury. By the light of the burning barns the garrison were enabledto see how small was the party which had made this audacious attackupon them; and this increased their wrath. Men were instantly setat work to raise the drawbridge from the moat, to repair the chains, and to replace the timbers upon which it rested; and a summons wasdespatched to the whole of the vassals to be at the castle in armsby daybreak. 

Again the woods were searched without success, and the band thendivided into five parties, each forty strong. They proceeded toexplore the hills; but the Pentlands afforded numerous hiding placesto those, like Archie and most of his band, well acquainted withthe country; and after searching till nightfall the parties retired, worn out and disheartened, to the castle. That night three of theoutlying farms were in flames, and the cattle were slaughtered intheir byres, but no attack was made upon the dwelling houses. Thefollowing night Sir John distributed the whole of his vassals amongthe farms lying farthest from the castle, putting twenty men ineach; but to his fury this time it was five homesteads nearer athand which were fired. The instant the first outburst of flame wasdiscovered the retainers hurried to the spot; but by the time theyreached it no sign of the assailants was visible; the flames hadhowever taken too good a hold of the various barns and outbuildingsto be extinguished. 

Chapter VII

The Cave in the Pentlands

John Kerr was well nigh beside himself with fury. 

If this was to go on, the whole of his estate would be harried, his vassals ruined, and his revenues stopped, and this by a merehandful of foes. Again he started with his vassals to explore thehills, this time in parties of ten only, so as to explore thoroughlya larger space of ground. When at evening the men returned, it wasfound that but two men of one of the parties, composed entirely ofmen-at-arms from the castle, came back. They reported that whenin a narrow ravine showers of rocks were hurled down upon them fromboth sides. Four of their number were killed at once, and fourothers had fallen pierced by arrows from an unseen foe as they fledback down the ravine. 

"Methinks, Sir John, " Red Roy said, "that I know the place wherethe Forbeses may have taken up their abode. When I was a boy Iwas tending a herd of goats far up in the hills, and near the passwhere this mischance has today befallen us I found a cave in themountain's side. Its entrance was hidden by bushes, and I shouldnot have found it had not one of the goats entered the bush andremained there so long that I went to see what he was doing. ThereI found a cave. The entrance was but three feet high, but insideit widened out into a great cavern, where fifty men could shelter. Perchance Archie Forbes or some of his band may also have discoveredit; and if so, they might well think that no better place ofconcealment could be found. "

"We will search it tomorrow, " the knight said. "Tell the vassalsto gather here three hours before daybreak. We will start so asto be there soon after sunrise. If they are on foot again tonightthey will then be asleep. Did you follow the cave and discoverwhether it had any other entrances beyond that by which you entered?"

"I know not, " the henchman replied; "it goes a long way into thehills, and there are several inner passages; but these I did notexplore, for I was alone and feared being lost in them. "

The next night some more homesteads were burnt, but this time thevassals did not turn out, as they had been told to rest until theappointed hour whatever might befall. 

Three hours before daybreak a party of fifty picked men assembledat the castle, for this force was deemed to be ample. The two menwho had escaped from the attack on the previous day led the wayto the ravine, and there Red Roy became the guide and led the bandfar up the hillside. Had it been possible they would have surroundedthe cave before daylight, but Roy said that it was so long sincehe had first found the cave, that he could not lead them therein the dark, but would need daylight to enable him to recognizethe surroundings. Even when daylight came he was for some time atfault, but he at last pointed to a clump of bushes, growing on abroken and precipitous face of rock, as the place where the cavewas situated. 

Red Roy was right in his conjecture. Archie had once, when wanderingamong the hills, shot at a wild cat and wounded it, and had followedit to the cave to which it had fled, and seeing it an advantageousplace of concealment had, when he determined to harry the districtof the Kerrs, fixed upon it as the hiding place for his band. Deemingit possible, however, that its existence might be known to others, he always placed a sentry on watch; and on the approach of the Kerrs, Cluny Campbell, who happened to be on guard, ran in and roused theband with the news that the Kerrs were below. Archie immediatelycrept out and reconnoitred them; from the bushes he could see thathis foes were for the present at fault. Sir John himself was standingapart from the rest, with Red Roy, who was narrowly scrutinizingthe face of the cliff, and Archie guessed at once that they wereaware of the existence of the cavern, though at present they couldnot determine the exact spot where it was situated. It was too lateto retreat now, for the face of the hill was too steep to climbto its crest, and their retreat below was cut off by the Kerrs. Hetherefore returned to the cave, leaving Cluny on guard. 

"They are not sure as to the situation of the cave yet, " he said, "but they will find it. We can hold the mouth against them for anytime, but they might smoke us out, that is our real danger; or ifthey fail in that, they may try starvation. Do half a dozen of youtake brands at once from the embers and explore all the windingsbehind us; they are so narrow and low that hitherto we have notdeemed it worth while to examine them, but now they are really ouronly hope; some of them may lead round to the face of the hill, and in that case we may find some way by which we may circumventthe Kerrs. "

Six of the lads at once started with flaming pine knots, whileArchie returned to the entrance. Just as he took his place therehe saw Red Roy pointing towards the bushes. A minute or two laterSir John and his followers began to advance. Archie now called outthe rest of his band, who silently took their places in the bushesbeside him. Led by Sir John and his personal retainers, the assailantsapproached the foot of the rocks and began to make their way up, using the utmost precaution to avoid any noise. There was no longerany need for concealment, and as the foremost of the assailantsbegan to climb the great boulders at the foot of the precipice, a dozen arrows from the bush above alighted among them; killingthree and wounding several others. Sir John Kerr shouted to hismen to follow him, and began to clamber up the hill. Several arrowsstruck him, but he was sheathed in mail, as were his men-at-arms, and although several were wounded in the face and two slain theysucceeded in reaching the bushes, but they could not penetratefurther, for as they strove to tear the bushes aside and force anentry, those behind pierced them with their spears, and as but fouror five assailants at a time could gain a footing and use theirarms they were outnumbered and finally driven back by the defenders. When Sir John, furious at his discomfiture, rejoined his vassalsbelow, he found that the assault had already cost him eight of hisbest men. He would, however, have again led them to the attack, but Red Roy said:

"It were best, my lord, to send back and bid fifty of the vassalsto come up hither at once, with bows and arrows. They can so riddlethose bushes that the defenders will be unable to occupy them toresist our advance. "

"That were a good step, " Sir John said; "but even when we gainthe ledge I know not how we shall force our way through the hole, which you say is but three feet high. "

"There is no need to force our way in, " Red Roy replied; "eachman who climbs shall carry with him a faggot of wood, and we willsmoke them in their holes like wolves. "

"`Tis well thought of, Roy; that assuredly is the best plan. Sendoff at once one of the most fleet footed of the party. "

Archie, watching from above, saw the assailants draw back out ofbowshot, and while one of their number started at full speed downthe hillside, the others sat down, evidently prepared to pass sometime before they renewed the attack. Leaving two of the party onguard, Archie, with the rest, re-entered the cavern. The searchershad just returned and reported that all the various passages cameto nothing, save one, which ascended rapidly and terminated in ahole which looked as if it had been made by rabbits, and throughwhich the light of day could be seen. 

"Then it is there we must work, " Archie said. "I will myself goand examine it. "

The passage, after ascending to a point which Archie judged tobe nigh a hundred feet above the floor of the cave, narrowed to amere hole, but two feet high and as much wide. Up this he crawledfor a distance of four or five yards, then it narrowed suddenlyto a hole three or four inches in diameter, and through this, somethree feet farther, Archie could see the daylight through a clumpof heather. He backed himself down the narrow passage again untilhe joined his comrades. "Now, " he said, "do four of you stay here, and take it by turns, one after the other, to enlarge the holeforward to the entrance. As you scrape the earth down you must pastit back handful by handful. Do not enlarge the outer entrance ordisturb the roots of the heather growing there. Any movement mightbe noticed by those below. It is lucky, indeed, that the rock endsjust when it gets to its narrowest, and that it is but sandy soilthrough which we have to scrape our way. It will be hard work, for you have scarce room to move your arms, but you have plenty oftime since we cannot sally out till nightfall. "

The hours passed slowly, and about noon the lookout reported thata number of bowmen were approaching. 

"They are going to attack this time under cover of their fire, "Archie said, "and as I do not wish to hazard the loss of any lives, we will keep within the cave and let them gain the ledge. They cannever force their way through the narrow entrance. The only thingI fear is smoke. I purpose that if they light a fire at the mouthof the cave, we shall retire at once up the passage where we areworking, and block it up at a narrow place a short distance afterit leaves this cavern, with our clothes. You had best take off someof your things, scrape up the earth from the floor of the cavern, and each make a stout bundle, so that we can fill up the holesolidly. "

This was soon done, and the bundles of earth were laid in readinessat the point upon which their leader had fixed. In the meantimeArchie had rejoined the lookout. 

"They have been scattered for some time, " the guard said, "and havebeen cutting down bushes and making them into faggots. "

"Just what I expected, " Archie exclaimed. "The bowmen are joiningthem now. We shall soon see them at work. "

Sir John Kerr now marshalled his retainers. He and his men-at-armsdrew their swords, and the rest, putting the bundles of faggots ontheir shoulders, prepared to follow, while the bowmen fitted theirarrows to the string. 

"Fall back inside the cave, " Archie said; "it is of no use riskingour lives. "

The band now gathered in a half circle, with level spears, roundthe entrance. Soon they heard a sharp tapping sound as the arrowsstruck upon the rock, then there was a crashing among the bushes. 

"Come on!" Sir John Kerr shouted to the vassals. "The foxes haveslunk into their hole. " Then came low thuds as the faggots werecast down. The light which had streamed in through the entrancegradually became obscure, and the voices of those without muffled. The darkness grew more intense as the faggots were piled thickerand thicker; then suddenly a slight odour of smoke was perceived. 

"Come along now, " Archie said; "they have fired the pile, and thereis no fear of their entrance. "

Two of their number, with blazing pine knots, led the way. Whenthey reached the narrow spot all passed through, Archie and AndrewMacpherson last; these took the bundles of earth, as the otherspassed them along from behind, and built them up like a wall acrossthe entrance, beating them down as they piled them, so as to makethem set close and fill up every crevice. Several remained overafter the wall was completed; these were opened and the earth crammedinto the crevices between the bags. The smell of smoke had grownstrong before the wall was completed, but it was not too oppressiveto breathe. Holding the torch close to the wall, Archie and hiscomrade stopped closely the few places through which they saw thatthe smoke was making its way, and soon had the satisfaction ofseeing that the barrier was completely smoke tight. 

There was plenty of air in the passage to support life for sometime, but Archie called back to those who were labouring to enlargethe exit, in order to allow as much fresh air as possible to enter. A strong guard, with spears, was placed at the barrier, althoughArchie deemed that some hours at least would elapse before the Kerrscould attempt to penetrate the cave. The fire would doubtless bekept up for some time, and after it had expired it would be longbefore the smoke cleared out sufficiently from the cave to allowof any one entering it. After a time, finding that there was nodifficulty in breathing, although the air was certainly close andheavy, Archie again set the lads at work widening the entrance, going up himself to superintend the operation. Each in turn creptforward, loosened a portion of the earth with his knife, and thenfilling his cap with it, crawled backward to the point where thepassage widened. It was not yet dark when the work was so far donethat there now remained only a slight thickness of earth, throughwhich the roots of the heath protruded, at the mouth of the passage, and a vigorous push would make an exit into the air. The guard atthe barrier had heard no movement within. Archie withdrew one ofthe bags; but the smoke streamed through so densely that he hastilyreplaced it, satisfied that some hours must still elapse beforethe assailants would enter the cave. They watched impatientlythe failing light through the hole, and at last, when night wascompletely fallen, Archie pushed aside the earth and heather, andlooked around. They were, it seemed to him, on the side of the hilla few yards from the point where it fell steeply away. The groundwas thickly covered with heather. He soon made his way out andordered Andrew Macpherson, who followed him, to remain lying atthe entrance, and to enjoin each, as he passed out, to crawl lowamong the heather, so that they might not show against the skyline, where, dark as it was, they might attract the attention of thosebelow. Archie himself led the way until so far back from the edgeas to be well out of sight of those in the valley. Then he gainedhis feet, and was soon joined by the whole of his band. 

"Now, " he said, "we will make for Aberfilly; they think us allcooped up here, and will be rejoicing in our supposed deaths. Wewill strike one more blow, and then, driving before us a couple ofscore of oxen for the use of the army, rejoin Wallace. Methinks weshall have taken a fair vengeance for Kerr's doings at Glen Cairn. "

The consternation of the few men left in the castle was great when, three hours after sunset, eight homesteads burst suddenly intoflames. They dared not sally out, and remained under arms untilmorning, when Sir John and his band returned more furious than ever, as they had penetrated the cavern, discovered the barrier whichhad cut off the smoke, and the hole by which the foe had escaped;and their fury was brought to a climax when they found the damagewhich had been inflicted in their absence. Many a week passed beforethe garrison of Aberfilly and the vassals of the Kerrs were ableto sleep in peace, so great was the scare which Archie's raid hadinflicted upon them. 

The truce was now at an end. The indignation excited by thetreachery of the English spread widely through Scotland, and thepeople flocked to Wallace's standard in far greater numbers thanbefore, and he was now able to undertake operations on a greaterscale. Perth, Aberdeen, Brechin, and other towns fell into hishands, and the castle of Dundee was invested. In the south SirWilliam Douglas captured the castles of Sanquhar, Desdeir, andothers, and the rapid successes of the Scots induced a few of thegreater nobles to take the field, such as the Steward of Scotland, Sir Andrew Moray of Bothwell, Sir Richard Lundin, and Wishart, Bishop of Glasgow. 

Wallace was one day lamenting to Archie and his friend Grahamethat the greater nobles still held aloof. "Above all, " he said, "Iwould fain see on our side either Comyn or the young Bruce. Baliolis a captive in London, and it is to Comyn or Bruce that Scotlandmust look for her king. So long as only I, a poor knight, am at thehead of this rising, it is but a rebellion against Edward, and itschances are still so weak that but few men, who have aught to lose, join us; but if Bruce or Comyn should raise his banner all wouldreceive him as our future king. Both are lords of wide territories, and besides the forces they could bring into the field, they wouldbe joined by many of the principal nobles, although it is true thatthe adherents of the other would probably arm for Edward. Stillthe thought of a king of their own would inflame the popular mind, and vast numbers who now hesitate to join a movement supported byso little authority, would then take up arms. "

"Which of the two would you rather?" Archie asked. 

"I would rather the Bruce, " Wallace said. "His father is an inertman and a mere cypher, and the death of his grandfather, thecompetitor, has now brought him prominently forward. It is truethat he is said to be a strong adherent of England and a personalfavourite of Edward; that he spends much of his time in London; andis even at the present moment the king's lieutenant in Carrick andAnnandale, and is waging war for him against Sir William Douglas. Still Comyn is equally devoted to England; he is older, and lesscan be hoped from him. Bruce is young; he is said to be of greatstrength and skill in arms, and to be one of the foremost knightsin Edward's court. He is, I hear, of noble presence, and is muchloved by those with whom he comes in contact. Did such a mandetermine to break with Edward, and to strive to win the crownof Scotland as a free gift of her people, instead of as a nomineeof Edward, and to rule over an independent kingdom instead of anEnglish province, he would attract all hearts to him, and may wellsucceed where I, as I foresee, must sooner or later fail. "

"But why should you fail when you have succeeded so far?" Archieasked. 

"Because I have with me but a small portion of the people ofScotland. The whole of the northern lords hold aloof, and in thesouth Carrick and Annandale and Galloway are hostile. Against meI have all the power of England, Wales, and Ireland; and althoughI may for a time win victories and capture towns I am certain, Archie, in the end to be crushed. "

"And will all our efforts have been in vain?" Archie said, withtears in his eyes. 

"By no means, my brave lad; we shall have lighted the fire of anational resistance; we shall have shown the people that if Scotland, divided against herself, and with all her great nobles and theirvassals standing sullenly aloof, can yet for a long time make headagainst the English, assuredly when the time shall come, and sheshall rise as one man from the Solway to Caithness, her freedomwill be won. Our lives will not have been thrown away, Archie, ifthey have taught this lesson. "

Wallace had by this time returned from his expedition farthernorth, and his force was in camp near Lanark, which town, when notengaged in distant enterprises, was regarded as the centre of themovement. That evening Archie said, that as his leader purposed togive his troops rest for a week or two, he should go to his uncle'sfor a short time. 

"And if you can spare them, Sir William, I would fain let my bandgo away for the same time. They have now been six months from home. "

"Certainly, " Wallace said, "they need a rest after their hard work. They are ever afoot, and have been of immense service. "

Having obtained this permission, Archie went to the spot where hisband were encamped. "I have another expedition for you, " he said, "this time all together; when that is over you will be able to gohome for a few days for a rest. They will all be glad to see you, and may well be proud of you, and I doubt not that the spoil whichyou gathered at Ayr and elsewhere will create quite a sensation atGlen Cairn. There are some of you who are, as I remember in the olddays, good shots with the bow and arrow. Do ten of you who werethe best at home get bows and arrows from the store. Here is anorder for you to receive them, and be all in readiness to march atdaylight. "

The next morning the band set out in a southwesterly direction, and after a long day's march halted near Cumnock. In the morningthey started at the same time, observing more caution as they went, for by the afternoon they had crossed the stream and were within theboundaries of Carrick. They halted for the night near CrossraguelAbbey. Here for the first time Archie confided to his followersthe object of their march. 

"We are now, " he said, "within a few miles of Turnberry Castle, theresidence of Bruce. Sir William has a great desire to speak withhim; but, seeing that Bruce is at present fighting for King Edwardagainst Douglas, there is little chance of such a meeting comingabout with his goodwill. He has recently returned from Douglasdale. Here, in the heart of his own country, it is like enough that hemay ride near his castle with but a few horsemen. In that case wewill seize him, without, I trust, having to do him hurt, and willbear him with us to Lanark. We may have to wait some time beforewe find an opportunity; but even if the ten days for which I haveasked, lengthen to as many weeks, Sir William will not grudge thetime we have spent if we succeed. Tomorrow morning let those whohave bows go out in the forest and see if they can shoot a deer;or failing that, bring in a sheep or two from some of the folds. As each of you has brought with you meal for ten days, we shall beable to keep an eye on Turnberry for some time. "

The next day Archie, with Andrew Macpherson and Cluny Campbell, made their way through the woods until within sight of the castle, which was but a mile distant. The strongholds of the lords ofCarrick stood on a bold promontory washed by the sea. 

"It would be a hard nut to crack, Sir Archie, " his lieutenant said. "Unless by famine, the place could scarce be taken. "

"No, " Archie replied, "I am glad that our mission is rather tocapture the earl than his castle. It is a grand fortalice. Wouldthat its owner were but a true Scotchman! This is a good place onwhich we are standing, Andrew, to place a scout. Among the treeshere he can watch the road all the way from the castle to the pointwhere it enters the forest. Do you, Cluny, take post here at once. Mark well all that passes, and what is doing, and all bodies of menwho enter or leave the castle. There is no occasion to bring newsto me, for it would be unlikely that we should meet in the forest;you have therefore only to watch. Tomorrow I shall return with theband, and encamp in the woods farther back. Directly we arrive, you will be relieved of your guard. "

The following day the band moved up to a spot within half a mileof the seaward edge of the forest, and a few hundred yards from theroad to Crossraguel Abbey. It was only on this road that Archiecould hope to effect a capture; for the country near the coast wasfree of trees, and no ambush could be set. The lords of Carrickwere, moreover, patrons of the abbey; and Bruce might ride overthither with but a small party, whereas, if journeying south, orsoutheast towards Douglasdale, he would probably be marching witha strong force. For several days they watched the castle; bodies ofmounted men entered and departed. Twice parties, among whom ladiescould be seen, came out with their hawks; but none came withinreach of their lurking foes. 

On the fifth morning, however, the lad on watch ran into the gladein which they were encamped and reported that a small body ofseemingly two or three knights, with some ladies, followed by fourmounted men, had left the castle and were approaching by the routetowards the abbey. 

Not a moment was lost. Archie placed six of his company, with pikeand sword, close to the road, to form across it when he gave theorder, and to bar the retreat of any party who had passed. Anotherparty of equal strength he placed 100 yards further on, and withthem himself took post; while he placed four, armed with bows andarrows, on either side, near the party which he commanded. Scarcelyhad his preparations been made when a trampling of horses was heard, and the party were seen approaching. They consisted of Robert Bruce, his brother Nigel, and three of his sisters--Isabel, Mary, andChristina. Behind rode four men-at-arms. From the description whichhe had heard of him Archie had no doubt that the elder of the twoknights was Robert Bruce himself, and when they approached withinthirty yards he gave a shout, and, with his band, with levelledspears, drew up across the road. At the same moment the other partyclosed in behind the horsemen; and the eight archers, with bentbows and arrows drawn to the head, rose among the trees. The partyreined in their horses suddenly. 

"Hah! what have we here?" Bruce exclaimed. "An ambush--and onall sides too!" he added as he looked round. "What means this?Are you robbers who thus dare attack the Bruce within a mile ofTurnberry? Why, they are but lads, " he added scornfully. "Reinback, girls; we and the men-at-arms will soon clear a way for youthrough these varlets. Nay, I can do it single handed myself. "

"Halt! Sir Robert Bruce, " Archie exclaimed in a loud clear voice. "If you move I must perforce give the word, and it may well be thatsome of the ladies with you may be struck with the arrows; nor, young though my followers may be, would you find them so easy aconquest as you imagine. They have stood up before the English erenow; and you and your men-at-arms will find it hard work to getthrough their pikes; and we outnumber you threefold. We are norobbers. I myself am Sir Archibald Forbes. "

"You!" exclaimed Robert Bruce, lowering his sword, which hehad drawn at the first alarm and held uplifted in readiness for acharge; "you Sir Archibald Forbes! I have heard the name often asthat of one of Wallace's companions, who, with Sir John Grahame, fought with him bravely at the captures of Lanark, Ayr, and otherplaces, but surely you cannot be he!"

"I am Sir Archibald Forbes, I pledge you my word, " Archie saidquietly; "and, Sir Robert Bruce, methinks that if I, who am, asyou see, but yet a lad--not yet having reached my seventeenthyear--can have done good service for Scotland, how great theshame that you, a valiant knight and a great noble, should be inthe ranks of her oppressors, and not of her champions! My name willtell you that I have come hither for no purpose of robbery. I havecome on a mission from Wallace--not sent thereon by him, butacting myself in consequences of words which dropped from him. Hesaid how sad it was that you, who might be King of a Scotland freeand independent, by the choice of her people, should prefer thechance of reigning, a mere puppet of Edward, over an enslaved land. He spoke in the highest terms of your person, and held that, didyou place yourself at its head, the movement which he commandswould be a successful one. Then I determined, unknown to him, toset out and bring you to him face to face--honourably and withcourtesy if you would, by force if you would not. I would fain itshall be the former; but believe me, you would not find it easy tobreak away through the hedge of pikes now around you. "

By this time the whole party had gathered round the horsemen. Brucehesitated; his mind was not yet made up as to his future course. Hitherto he had been with England, since upon Edward only his chancesseemed to depend; but latterly he had begun to doubt whether evenEdward could place him on the throne in despite of the wishes ofhis countrymen. His sisters, who, taking after their mother, wereall true Scotchwomen, now urged upon him to comply with Archie'srequest and accompany him to Lanark. Their hearts and wishes wereentirely with the champion of their country. 

"Go with him, Robert, " Isabel, the eldest, exclaimed. "NeitherI nor my sisters fear being struck with the arrows, although suchmight well be the case should a conflict begin; but, for your ownsake and Scotland's, go and see Wallace. No harm can arise fromsuch a journey, and much good may come of it. Even should thenews of your having had an interview with him come to the ears ofEdward, you can truly say that you were taken thither a captive, and that we being with you, you were unable to make an effort tofree yourself. This young knight, of whose deeds of gallantry wehave all heard"--and she smiled approvingly at Archie--"willdoubtless give you a safeguard, on his honour, to return hitherfree and unpledged when you have seen Wallace. "

"Willingly, lady, " Archie replied. "One hour's interview with myhonoured chief is all I ask for. That over, I pledge myself thatthe Earl of Carrick shall be free at once to return hither, andthat an escort shall be provided for him to protect him from alldangers on the way. "

Chapter VIII

The Council at Stirling

Archie had been mounted on the march from the camp, and his horsebeing now brought, he started with Bruce, young Nigel and the ladiessaluting him cordially. 

"I trust, " the former said, "that Wallace will succeed in convertingmy brother. I am envious of you, Sir Archie. Here are you, manyyears younger than I am, and yet you have won a name throughoutScotland as one of her champions; while I am eating my heart out, with my brother, at the court of Edward. "

"I trust it may be so, Sir Nigel, " Archie answered. "If Sir Robertwill but join our cause, heart and soul, the battle is as good aswon. "

The journey passed without adventure until they arrived within twomiles of Lanark, where Archie found Wallace was now staying. Onthe road Bruce had had much conversation with Archie, and learnedthe details of many adventures of which before he had only heardvaguely by report. He was much struck by the lad's modesty andloyal patriotism. 

"If ever I come to my kingdom, Sir Archie, " he said, "you shallbe one of my most trusted knights and counsellors; and I am wellassured that any advice you may give will be ever what you thinkto be right and for the good of the country, without self seekingor in the interest of any; and that is more than I could look forin most counsellors. And now methinks that as we are drawing nearto Lanark, it will be well that I waited here in this wood, underthe guard of your followers, while you ride forward and informWallace that I am here. I care not to show myself in Lanark, forbusy tongues would soon take the news to Edward; and as I know notwhat may come of our interview, it were well that it should not beknown to all men. "

Archie agreed, and rode into the town. 

"Why, where have you been, truant?" Sir William exclaimed as Archieentered the room in the governor's house which had been set apartfor the use of Wallace since the expulsion of the English. "SirRobert Gordon has been here several times, and tells me that theyhave seen nought of you; and although I have made many inquiries Ihave been able to obtain no news, save that you and your band havedisappeared. I even sent to Glen Cairn, thinking that you mighthave been repairing the damages which the fire, lighted by theKerrs, did to your hold; but I found not only that you were notthere yourself, but that none of your band had returned thither. This made it more mysterious; for had you alone disappeared I shouldhave supposed that you had been following up some love adventure, though, indeed, you have never told me that your heart was in anyway touched. "

Archie laughed. "There will be time enough for that, Sir William, ten years hence; but in truth I have been on an adventure on myown account. "

"So, in sober earnest, I expected, Archie, and feared that yourenterprise might lead you into some serious scrape since I deemedthat it must have been well nigh a desperate one or you would nothave hidden it from my knowledge. "

"It might have led to some blows, Sir William, but happily it didnot turn out so. Knowing the importance you attached to the adhesionof the cause of Scotland of Robert the Bruce, I determined to fetchhim hither to see you; and he is now waiting with my band for yourcoming, in a wood some two miles from the town. "

"Are you jesting with me?" Wallace exclaimed. "Is the Bruce reallywaiting to see me? Why, this would be well nigh a miracle. "

"It is a fact, Sir William; and if you will cause your horse tobe brought to the door I will tell you on the road how it has comeabout. "

In another five minutes Sir William and his young follower wereon their way, and the former heard how Archie had entrapped RobertBruce while riding to Crossraguel Abbey. 

"It was well done, indeed, " the Scottish leader exclaimed; "andit may well prove, Archie, that you have done more towards freeingScotland by this adventure of yours than we have by all our monthsof marching and fighting. "

"Ah! Sir William, but had it not been for our marching and fightingBruce would never have wavered in his allegiance to Edward. It wasonly because he begins to think that our cause may be a winningone that he decides to join it. "

The meeting between Wallace and Bruce was a cordial one. Eachadmired the splendid proportions and great strength of the other, for it is probable that in all Europe there were no two moredoughty champions; although, indeed, Wallace was far the superiorin personal strength while Bruce was famous through Europe for hisskill in knightly exercise. 

Archie withdrew to a distance while the leaders conversed. Hecould see that their talk was animated as they strode together upand down among the trees, Wallace being the principal speaker. Atthe end of half an hour they stopped, and Wallace ordered the horsesto be brought, and then called Archie to them. 

"Sir Robert has decided to throw in his lot with us, " he said, "andwill at once call out his father's vassals of Carrick and Annandale. Seeing that his father is at Edward's court, it may be that manywill not obey the summons. Still we must hope that, for the loveof Scotland and their young lord, many will follow him. He willwrite to the pope to ask him to absolve him for the breach of hisoath of homage to Edward; but as such oaths lie but lightly on men'sminds in our days, and have been taken and broken by King Edwardhimself, as well as by Sir William Douglas and other knights who arenow in the field with me, he will not wait for the pope's reply, but will at once take the field. And, indeed, there is need forhaste, seeing that Percy and Clifford have already crossed theBorder with an English army and are marching north through Annandaletowards Ayr. "

"Goodbye, my captor, " Bruce said to Archie as he mounted his horse;"whatever may come of this strife, remember that you will alwaysfind a faithful friend in Robert Bruce. "

Wallace had, at Archie's request, brought six mounted men-at-armswith him from Lanark, and these now rode behind Bruce as his escortback to his castle of Turnberry. There was no time now for Archieand his band to take the rest they had looked for, for messengerswere sent out to gather the bands together again, and as soon asa certain portion had arrived Wallace marched for the south. TheEnglish army was now in Annandale, near Lochmaben. They were fartoo strong to be openly attacked, but on the night following hisarrival in their neighbourhood Wallace broke in upon them in thenight. Surprised by this sudden and unexpected attack, the Englishfell into great confusion. Percy at once ordered the camp to beset on fire. By its light the English were able to see how smallwas the force of their assailants, and gathering together soonshowed so formidable a front that Wallace called off his men, butnot before a large number of the English had been killed. Many oftheir stores, as well as the tents, were destroyed by the conflagration. The English army now proceeded with slow marches towards Ayr. AtIrvine the Scotch leaders had assembled their army--Douglas, Bruce, The Steward, Sir Richard Loudon, Wishart, Bishop of Glasgow, and others. Their forces were about equal to those of the Englishmarching against them. Wallace was collecting troops further north, and Archie was of course with him. 

"I fear, " the lad said one day, "that we shall not be able to reachIrvine before the armies join battle. "

"Sir William Douglas and Bruce are there, and as it lies in theircountry it were better to let them win the day without my meddling. But, Archie, I fear there will be no battle. News has reachedme that messengers are riding to and fro between Percy's army andthe Scots, and I fear me that these half hearted barons will makepeace. "

"Surely that cannot be! It were shame indeed to have taken up thesword, and to lay it down after scarce striking a blow. "

"Methinks, Archie, that the word shame is not to be found in thevocabulary of the nobles of this unhappy land. But let us hope forthe best; a few days will bring us the news. "

The news when it came was of the worst. All the nobles, headed byWishart, Douglas, and Bruce, with the exception only of Sir AndrewMoray of Bothwell, had made their submission, acknowledging theirguilt of rebellion, and promising to make every reparation requiredby their sovereign lord. Percy, on his part, guaranteed their lives, lands, goods, and chattels, and that they should not be imprisonedor punished for what had taken place. 

Sir William Douglas and Bruce were ordered to find guarantees fortheir good conduct; but Sir William Douglas, finding himself unableto fulfil his engagements, surrendered, and was thrown into prisonin Berwick Castle, and there kept in irons until he died, his deathbeing attributed, by contemporary historians, to poison. 

The surrender of the leaders had little result upon the situation. The people had won their successes without their aid, and beyondthe indignation excited by their conduct, the treaty of Irvine didnothing towards ensuring peace, and indeed heightened the confidenceof the people in Wallace. The movement spread over the wholeof Scotland. Skirmishes and unimportant actions took place inall quarters. The English were powerless outside the walls of thefortresses, and in Berwick and Roxburgh alone was the English powerparamount. Most of the great nobles, including Comyn of Buchan, Comyn of Badenoch, and twenty-six other powerful Scottish lords, were at Edward's court, but many of their vassals and dependantswere in the field with Wallace. 

About this time it came to the ears of the Scotch leader that SirRobert Cunninghame, a Scotch knight of good family, who had hithertoheld aloof from any part in the war, had invited some twelve othersresident in the counties round Stirling, to meet at his house inthat city that they might talk over the circumstances of the times. All these had, like himself, been neutral, and as the object ofthe gathering was principally to discover whether some means couldnot be hit upon for calming down the disorders which prevailed, the English governor had willingly granted safe conducts to all. 

"Archie, " Sir William said, "I mean to be present at the interview. They are all Scotch gentlemen, and though but lukewarm in the causeof their country, there is no fear that any will be base enoughto betray me; and surely if I can get speech with them I may rousethem to cast in their lot with us. "

"It were a dangerous undertaking, Sir William, to trust yourselfwithin the walls of Stirling, " Archie said gravely. "Remember howmany are the desperate passes into which your adventurous spirithas brought you, and your life is of too great a consequence toScotland to be rashly hazarded. "

"I would not do it for a less cause, " Sir William said; "but thegain may be greater than the risk. So I shall go, Archie, your wisecounsel notwithstanding, and you shall journey with me to see thatI get not into scrapes, and to help me out of them should I, inspite of your care, fall into them. "

"When is the day for the meeting?" Archie asked. 

"In three days' time. The day after tomorrow we will move in thatdirection, and enter the town early the next day. "

No sooner had he left Wallace than Archie called his band together. They still numbered twenty, for although three or four had fallen, Archie had always filled up their places with fresh recruits, asthere were numbers of boys who deemed it the highest honour to beenrolled in their ranks. Archie drew aside his two lieutenants, Andrew Macpherson and William Orr. 

"I have an enterprise on hand, " he said, "which will need all yourcare, and may call for your bravery. Sir William Wallace purposesto enter Stirling in disguise, to attend a meeting of nobles to beheld at the residence of Sir Robert Cunninghame. I am to accompanyhim thither. I intend that the band shall watch over his safety, and this without his having knowledge of it, so that if nought comesof it he may not chide me for being over careful of his person. Youwill both, with sixteen of the band, accompany me. You will choosetwo of your most trusty men to carry out the important matter ofsecuring our retreat. They will procure a boat capable of carryingus all, and will take their place in the bend of the links ofForth nearest to the castle, and will hoist, when the time comes, a garment on an oar, so that we may make straight for the boat. Theground is low and swampy, and if we get a fair start even mountedmen would scarce overtake us across it. I think, William, that thelast recruit who joined was from Stirling?"

"He was, Sir Archie. His parents reside there. They are vendors ofwood, as I have heard him say. "

"It could not be better, " Archie replied; "and seeing that theyhave allowed their son to join us, they must surely be patriots. Mypurpose is, that on the morning of the interview you shall appearbefore the gates with a cart laden with firewood, and this you shalltake to the house of Campbell's father. There you will unload thefirewood, and store the arms hidden beneath it, placing them sothat they may be readily caught up in case of necessity. In twosand threes, carrying eggs, fowls, firewood, and other articles, as for sale, the rest of the band will come into the town, joiningthemselves with parties of country people, so that the arrival ofso many lads unaccompanied will not attract notice. James Campbellwill go with you, and will show you the way to his father's house. He will remain near the gate, and as the others enter will guidethem there, so that they will know where to run for their arms shouldthere be need. You must start tomorrow, so as to enter Stirling onthe next day and arrange with his father for the keeping of thearms. His mother had best leave the town that evening. Shouldnought occur she can return unsuspected; but should a tumult arise, and the arms have to be used, his father must leave the town withus. He shall be handsomely rewarded, and provision made for himin the future. When you see me enter with Sir William, bid JockFarrell follow me at a little distance; he will keep me always insight, and if he see me lift my hand above my head he will run withall speed to give you the news. On his arrival, you, Andrew, withthe half you command, will hurry up to my assistance; while you, William, with the others, will fall suddenly upon the guard at thegate, and will at all hazards prevent them from closing it, and socutting off our retreat, until we arrive. Seize, if you can, themoment when a cart is passing in or out, and slay the horse in theshafts, so that as he falls the cart will prevent the gate frombeing closed, and so keep the way open, even should you not be ableto resist the English until we come up. Have all the band outsideStirling on the night before, so that you will be able to make everyarrangement and obtain a cart in readiness for taking in the woodand arms in the morning. Let all bring their bows and arrows, inaddition to pike and sword, for the missiles may aid us to keep thesoldiers at bay. Now, Andrew, repeat all my instructions, so thatI may be sure that you thoroughly understand my wishes, for anysmall error in the plan might ruin the whole adventure. "

On the morning of the day fixed for the meeting Sir William Wallace, accompanied by Archie, entered the gates of Stirling. Both wereattired as young farmers, and they attracted no special attentionfrom the guards. For a time they strolled about the streets. Theysaw the gentlemen who had been invited by Sir Robert Cunninghamearrive one by one. Others, too, known as being specially attachedto the English party, rode in, for the governor had invited thosewho assembled at Cunninghame's to meet him afterwards in the castlein order that he might hear the result of their deliberations; andhe had asked several others attached to the English party to bepresent. 

When most of the gentlemen invited had entered Sir Robert Cunninghame'sWallace boldly followed them; and Archie sat down on a doorstepnearly opposite. Presently he saw two figures which he recognizedriding up the street, followed, as the others had been by fourarmed retainers. They were Sir John Kerr and his son. Archie roseat once, and turned down at a side street before they came up, asa recognition of him would be fatal to all their plans. When theyhad passed up the street to the castle he returned and resumedhis seat, feeling more uneasy than before, for the Kerrs had seenWallace in the affray at Lanark, and a chance meeting now wouldbetray him. An hour and a half passed, and then Archie saw theKerrs riding down the street from the castle. Again he withdrewfrom sight, this time down an archway, whence he could still seethe door on the opposite side. Hitherto he had been wishing to seeit open and for Wallace to appear; and now he dreaded this aboveall things. His worst fears were realized, for just as the horsemenreached the spot the door opened, and Wallace stepped out. Hisfigure was too remarkable to avoid notice; and no sooner did Sir JohnKerr's eye fall upon him than he exclaimed, "The traitor Wallace!Seize him, men; there is a high reward offered for him; and KingEdward will give honour and wealth to all who capture him. "

As Sir John spoke Archie darted across the street and placed himselfby Wallace's side, holding his hand high above his head as he didso; and at the instant he saw Jock Farrell, who had been loungingat a corner a few yards away, dart off down the street at the topof his speed. 

Sir John and his retainers drew their swords and spurred forward;but the horses recoiled from the flashing swords of Wallace andhis companion. 

"Dismount, " Sir John shouted, setting the example; "cut them bothdown; one is as bad as the other. Ten pounds to the man who slaysthe young Forbes. "

Wallace cut down two of the retainers as they advanced againstthem, and Archie badly wounded a third. Then they began to retreatdown the street; but by this time the sound of the fray had calledtogether many soldiers who were wandering in the streets; and these, informed by Sir John's shouts of "Down with Wallace! Slay! Slay!"that the dreaded Scotch leader was before them, also drew and joinedin the fight. As they came running up from both sides, Wallaceand Archie could retreat no further, but with their backs againstthe wall kept their foes at bay in a semicircle by the sweep oftheir swords. 

The fight continued by two or three minutes, when a sudden shoutwas heard, and William Orr, with eight young fellows, fell upon theEnglish soldiers with their pikes. The latter, astonished at thissudden onslaught, and several of their number being killed beforethey had time to turn and defend themselves, fell back for a moment, and Wallace and Archie joined their allies, and began to retreat, forming a line of pikes across the narrow street. Wallace, Archie, William Orr, and three of the stoutest of the band were sufficientfor the line, and the other five shot between them. So hard andfast flew their arrows that several of the English soldiers wereslain, and the others drew back from the assault. 

Andrew Macpherson's sudden attack at the gate overpowered the guard, and for a while he held possession of it, and following Archie'sinstructions, slew a horse drawing a cart laden with flour in theact of entering. Then the guard rallied, and, joined by othersoldiers who had run up, made a fierce attack upon him; but hisline of pikes drawn up across the gate defied their efforts to breakthrough. Wallace and his party were within fifty yards of the gatewhen reinforcements from the castle arrived. Sir John Kerr, furiousat the prospect of his enemies again escaping him, headed them intheir furious rush. Wallace stepped forward beyond the line andmet him. With a great sweep of his mighty sword he beat down SirJohn's guard, and the blade descending clove helmet and skull, andthe knight fell dead in his tracks. 

"That is one for you, Archie, " Wallace said, as he cut down aman-at-arms. 

In vain did the English try to break through the line of pikes. When they arrived within twenty yards of the gate, Wallace gavethe order, and the party turning burst through the English who wereattacking its defenders and united with them. 

"Fall back!" Wallace shouted, "and form without the gates. Yourleader and I will cover the retreat. "

Passing between the cart and the posts of the gates, the wholeparty fell back. Once through, Wallace and Archie made a stand, andeven the bravest of the English did not venture to pass the narrowportals, where but one could issue at a time. 

The band formed in good order and retreated at a rapid step. Whenthey reached a distance of about 300 yards, Wallace and Archie, deeming that sufficient start had been gained, sprang away, andrunning at the top of their speed soon rejoined them. 

"Now, Archie, what next?" Sir William asked; "since it is you whohave conjured up this army, doubtless your plans are laid as to whatshall next be done. They will have horsemen in pursuit as soon asthey remove the cart. "

"I have a boat in readiness on the river bank, Sir William. Onceacross and we shall be safe. They will hardly overtake us ere weget there, seeing how swampy is the ground below. "

At a slinging trot the party ran forward, and soon gained thelower ground. They were halfway across when they saw a large bodyof horsemen following in pursuit. 

"A little to the right, Sir William, " Archie said; "you see thatcoat flying from an oar; there is the boat. "

As Archie had expected, the swampy ground impeded the speed ofthe horsemen. In vain the riders spurred and shouted, the horses, fetlock deep, could make but slow advance, and before they reachedthe bank the fugitives had gained the boat and were already halfwayacross the stream. Then the English had the mortification of seeingthem land and march away quietly on the other side. 

Chapter IX

The Battle of Stirling Bridge

Upon rejoining his force Sir William Wallace called the few knightsand gentlemen who were with him together, and said to them:

"Methinks, gentlemen, that the woes of this contest should not fallupon one side only. Every one of you here are outlawed, and if youare taken by the English will be executed or thrown in prison forlife, and your lands and all belonging to you forfeited. It is timethat those who fight upon the other side should learn that theytoo run some risk. Besides leading his vassals in the field againstus, Sir John Kerr twice in arms has attacked me, and done his bestto slay me or deliver me over to the English. He fell yesterday bymy hand at Stirling, and I hereby declare forfeit the land whichhe held in the county of Lanark, part of which he wrongfully tookfrom Sir William Forbes, and his own fief adjoining. Other broadlands he owns in Ayrshire, but these I will not now touch; but thelands in Lanark, both his own fief and that of the Forbeses, I, as Warden of Scotland, hereby declare forfeit and confiscated, andbestow them upon my good friend, Sir Archie Forbes. Sir John Grahame, do you proceed tomorrow with five hundred men and take possessionof the hold of the Kerrs. Sir Allan Kerr is still at Stirling, andwill not be there to defend it. Like enough the vassals will makeno resistance, but will gladly accept the change of masters. TheKerrs have the reputation of being hard lords, and their vassalscannot like being forced to fight against the cause of their country. The hired men-at-arms may resist, but you will know how to makeshort work of these. I ask you to go rather than Sir ArchibaldForbes, because I would not that it were said that he took theKerr's hold on his private quarrel. When you have captured it heshall take a hundred picked men as a garrison. The place is strong. 

"Your new possessions, Archie, will, as you know, be held ondoubtful tenure. If we conquer, and Scotland is freed, I doubt inno way that the king, whoever he may be, will confirm my grant. If the English win, your land is lost, be it an acre or a county. And now let me be the first to congratulate you on having won byyour sword and your patriotism the lands of your father, and onhaving repaid upon your family's enemies the measure which theymeted to you. But you will still have to beware of the Kerrs. Theyare a powerful family, being connected by marriage with the Comynsof Badenoch, and other noble houses. Their lands in Ayr are asextensive as those in Lanark, even with your father's lands addedto their own. However, if Scotland win the day the good work thatyou have done should well outweigh all the influence which theymight bring to bear against you. 

"And now, Archie, I can, for a time, release you. Ere long Edward'sarmy will be pouring across the Border, and then I shall need everygood Scotchman's sword. Till then you had best retire to your newestates, and spend the time in preparing your vassals to followyou in the field, and in putting one or other of your castles inthe best state of defence you may. Methinks that the Kerr's holdmay more easily be made to withstand a lengthened siege than GlenCairn, seeing that the latter is commanded by the hill beside it. Kerr's castle, too, is much larger and more strongly fortified. Ineed no thanks, " he continued, as Archie was about to express hiswarm gratitude; "it is the Warden of Scotland who rewards yourservices to the country; but Sir William Wallace will not forgethow you have twice stood beside him against overwhelming odds, andhow yesterday, in Stirling, it was your watchful care and thoughtfulprecaution which alone saved his life. "

Archie's friends all congratulated him warmly, and the next morning, with his own band, he started for Glen Cairn. Here the news thathe was once more their lawful chief caused the greatest delight. It was evening when he reached the village, and soon great bonfiresblazed in the street, and as the news spread burned up from manyan outlying farm. Before night all the vassals of the estate camein, and Glen Cairn and the village was a scene of great enthusiasm. 

Much as Archie regretted that he could not establish himself inthe hold of his father, he felt that Wallace's suggestion was theright one. Glen Cairn was a mere shell, and could in no case bemade capable of a prolonged resistance by a powerful force. Whereas, the castle of the Kerrs was very strong. It was a disappointmentto his retainers when they heard that he could not at once returnamong them; but they saw the force of his reasons, and he promisedthat if Scotland was freed and peace restored, he would again makeGlen Cairn habitable, and pass some of his time there. 

"In the meantime, " he said, "I shall be but eight miles from you, and the estate will be all one. But now I hope that for the nextthree months every man among you will aid me--some by personallabour, some by sending horses and carts--in the work ofstrengthening to the utmost my new castle of Aberfilly, which Iwish to make so strong that it will long resist an attack. ShouldScotland be permanently conquered, which may God forfend, it couldnot, of course, be held; but should we have temporary reverses wemight well hold out until our party again gather head. "

Every man on the estate promised his aid to an extent far beyondthat which Archie, as their feudal superior, had a right to demandfrom them. They had had a hard time under the Kerrs, who had raisedall rents, and greatly increased their feudal services. They weresure of good treatment should the Forbeses make good their positionas their lords, and were ready to make any sacrifices to aid themto do so. 

Next morning a messenger arrived from Sir John Grahame, saying thathe had, during the night, stormed Aberfilly, and that with scarcean exception all the vassals of the Kerrs--when upon his arrivalon the previous day they had learned of his purpose in coming, and of the disposition which Wallace had made of the estate--hadaccepted the change with delight, and had joined him in the assaultupon the castle, which was defended only by thirty men-at-arms. These had all been killed, and Sir John invited Archie to rideover at once and take possession. This he did, and found that thevassals of the estate were all gathered at the castle to welcomehim. He was introduced to them by Sir John Grahame, and theyreceived Archie with shouts of enthusiasm, and all swore obedienceto him as their feudal lord. Archie promised them to be a kindand lenient chief, to abate any unfair burdens which had been laidupon them, and to respect all their rights. 

"But, " he said, "just at first I must ask for sacrifices from you. This castle is strong, but it must be made much stronger, and mustbe capable of standing a continued siege in case temporary reversesshould enable the English to endeavour to retake it for theirfriend, Sir Allan Kerr. My vassals at Glen Cairn have promised anaid far beyond that which I can command, and I trust that you alsowill extend your time of feudal service, and promise you a relaxationin future years equivalent to the time you may now give. "

The demand was readily assented to, for the tenants of Aberfillywere no less delighted than those of Glen Cairn to escape from therule of the Kerrs. Archie, accompanied by Sir John Grahame, nowmade an inspection of the walls of his new hold. It stood just wherethe counties of Linlithgow and Edinburgh join that of Lanark. Itwas built on an island on a tributary of the Clyde. The stream wasbut a small one, and the island had been artificially made, so thatthe stream formed a moat on either side of it, the castle occupyinga knoll of ground which rose somewhat abruptly from the surroundingcountry. The moat was but twelve feet wide, and Archie and Sir Johndecided that this should be widened to fifty feet and deepened toten, and that a dam should be built just below the castle to keepback the stream and fill the moat. The walls should everywhere beraised ten feet, several strong additional flanking towers added, and a work built beyond the moat to guard the head of the drawbridge. With such additions Aberfilly would be able to stand a long siegeby any force which might assail it. 

Timber, stones, and rough labour there were in abundance, andWallace had insisted upon Archie's taking from the treasures whichhad been captured from the enemy, a sum of money which would beample to hire skilled masons from Lanark, and to pay for the cement, iron, and other necessaries which would be beyond the resourcesof the estate. These matters in train, Archie rode to Lanark andfetched his proud and rejoicing mother from Sir Robert Gordon'sto Aberfilly. She was accompanied by Sandy Graham and Elspie: theformer Archie appointed majordomo, and to be in command of thegarrison whenever he should be absent. 

The vassals were as good as their word. For three months the workof digging, quarrying, cutting, and squaring timber and buildingwent on without intermission. There were upon the estates fullythree hundred ablebodied men, and the work progressed rapidly. When, therefore, Archie received a message from Wallace to join him nearStirling, he felt that he could leave Aberfilly without any fearof a successful attack being made upon it in his absence. 

There was need, indeed, for all the Scotch, capable of bearingarms, to gather round Wallace. Under the Earl of Surrey, the hightreasurer Cressingham, and other leaders, an army of 50, 000 footand 1000 horse were advancing from Berwick, while 8000 foot and300 horse under Earl Percy advanced from Carlisle. Wallace wasbesieging the castle of Dundee when he heard of their approach, and leaving the people of Dundee to carry on the siege under thecommand of Sir Alexander Scrymgeour, he himself marched to defendthe only bridge by which Edward could cross the Forth, near Stirling. 

Thus far Surrey had experienced no resistance, and at the headof so large and well appointed a force he might well feel sureof success. A large proportion of his army consisted of veteransinured to service in wars at home, in Wales, and with the French, while the mail clad knights and men-at-arms looked with absolutecontempt upon the gathering which was opposed to them. This consistedsolely of popular levies of men who had left their homes and takenup arms for the freedom of their country. They were rudely armed andhastily trained. Of all the feudal nobles of Scotland who should haveled them, but one, Sir Andrew Moray, was present. Their commanderwas still little more than a youth, who, great as was his individualvalour and prowess, had had no experience in the art of war ona large scale; while the English were led by a general whose famewas known throughout Europe. 

The Scots took up their station upon the high ground north of theForth, protected from observation by the precipitous hill immediatelybehind Cambuskenneth Abbey and known as the Abbey Craig. In a bendof the river, opposite the Abbey Craig, stood the bridge by whichthe English army were preparing to cross. Archie stood besideWallace on the top of the craig, looking at the English array. 

"It is a fair sight, " he said; "the great camp, with its pavilions, its banners, and pennons, lying there in the valley, with the oldcastle rising on the lofty rock behind them. It is a pity that sucha sight should bode evil to Scotland. "

"Yes, " Wallace said; "I would that the camp lay where it is, butthat the pennons and banners were those of Scotland's nobles, andthat the royal lions floated over Surrey's tent. Truly that werea sight which would glad a Scot's heart. When shall we see oughtlike it? However, Archie, " he went on in a lighter tone, "methinksthat that will be a rare camp to plunder. "

Archie laughed. "One must kill the lion before one talks of dividinghis skin, " he said; "and truly it seems well nigh impossible thatsuch a following as yours, true Scots and brave men though theybe, yet altogether undisciplined and new to war, should be able tobear the brunt of such a battle. "

"You are thinking of Dunbar, " Wallace said; "and did we fight insuch a field our chances would be poor; but with that broad riverin front and but a narrow bridge for access, methinks that we canrender an account of them. "

"God grant it be so!" Archie replied; "but I shall be right gladwhen the day is over. "

Three days before the battle the Steward of Scotland, the Earl ofLennox, and others of the Scotch magnates entered Surrey's campand begged that he would not attack until they tried to induce thepeople to lay down their arms. They returned, however, on the thirdday saying that they would not listen to them, but that the nextday they would, themselves, join his army with their men-at-arms. On leaving the camp that evening the Scotch nobles, riding homeward, had a broil with some English soldiers, of whom one was wounded bythe Earl of Lennox. News being brought to Surrey, he resolved towait no longer, but gave orders that the assault should take placeon the following morning. At daybreak of the 11th of September, 1297, one of the outposts woke Wallace with the news that the Englishwere crossing the bridge. The troops were at once got under arms, and were eager to rush down to commence the battle, but Wallacerestrained them. Five thousand Welsh foot soldiers crossed thebridge, then there was a pause, and none were seen following them. "Were we to charge down now, Sir William, " Archie said, "surely wemight destroy that body before aid could come to them. "

"We could do, Archie, as you say, " Wallace replied, "but sucha success would be of little worth, nay, would harm rather thanbenefit us, for Surrey, learning that we are not altogether to bedespised, as he now believes, would be more prudent in future andwould keep his army in the flat country, where we could do noughtagainst it. No, to win much one must risk much, and we must waituntil half Surrey's army is across before we venture down againstthem. "

Presently the Welsh were seen to retire again. Their movement hadbeen premature. Surrey was still asleep, and nothing could be doneuntil he awoke; when he did so the army armed leisurely, after whichSurrey bestowed the honour of knighthood upon many young aspirants. The number of the Scots under Wallace is not certainly known; themajority of the estimates place it below twenty thousand, and asthe English historian, who best describes the battle, speaks of itas the defeat of the many by the few, it can certainly be assumedthat it did not exceed this number. 

Only on the ground of his utter contempt for the enemy can theconduct of the Earl of Surrey, in attempting to engage in such aposition, be understood. The bridge was wide enough for but two, or at most three, horsemen to cross abreast, and when those who hadcrossed were attacked assistance could reach them but slowly fromthe rear. 

The English knights and men-at-arms, with the Royal Standard andthe banner of the Earl of Surrey, crossed first. The men-at-armswere followed by the infantry, who, as they passed, formed up onthe tongue of land formed by the winding of the river. 

When half the English army had passed Wallace gave the order toadvance. First Sir Andrew Moray, with two thousand men, descendedthe hills farther to the right, and on seeing these the Englishcavalry charged at once against them. The instant they did soWallace, with his main army, poured down from the craig impetuouslyand swept away the English near the head of the bridge, takingpossession of the end, and by showers of arrows and darts preventingany more from crossing. By this maneuver the whole of the Englishinfantry who had crossed were cut off from their friends and inclosedin the narrow promontory. 

The English men-at-arms had succeeded in overthrowing the Scots, against whom they had charged, and had pursued them some distance;but upon drawing rein and turning to rejoin the army, they foundthe aspect of affairs changed indeed. The troops left at the headof the bridge were overthrown and destroyed. The royal banner andthat of Surrey were down, and the bridge in the possession of theenemy. The men-at-arms charged back and strove in vain to recoverthe head of the bridge. The Scots fought stubbornly; those in frontmade a hedge of pikes, while those behind hurled darts and pouredshowers of arrows into the English ranks. The greater proportionof the men-at-arms were killed. One valiant knight alone, SirMarmaduke de Twenge, with his nephew and a squire, cut their waythrough the Scots, and crossed the bridge. Many were drowned inattempting to swim the river, one only succeeding in so gainingthe opposite side. 

The men-at-arms defeated, Wallace and the chosen band under him, who had been engaged with them, joined those who were attacking theEnglish and Welsh, now cooped up in the promontory. Flushed withthe success already gained the Scots were irresistible, and almostevery man who had crossed was either killed or drowned in attemptingto swim the river. No sooner had he seen that the success in thisquarter was secure than Wallace led a large number of his followersacross the bridge. Here the English, who still outnumbered his army, and who had now all the advantage of position which had previouslybeen on the side of the Scots, might have defended the bridge, orin good order have given him battle on the other side. The sight, however, of the terrible disaster which had befallen nearly halftheir number before their eyes, without their being able to renderthem the slightest assistance, had completely demoralized them, and as soon as the Scotch were seen to be crossing the bridge theyfled in terror. A hot pursuit was kept up by the fleet footed andlightly armed Scots, and great numbers of fugitives were slain. 

More than 20, 000 English perished in the battle or flight, and theremainder crossed the Border a mere herd of broken fugitives. 

The Earl of Surrey, before riding off the field, committed the chargeof the Castle of Stirling to Sir Marmaduke de Twenge, promising himthat he would return to his relief within ten weeks at the utmost. All the tents, wagons, horses, provisions, and stores of the Englishfell into the hands of their enemies, and every Scotch soldierobtained rich booty. 

Cressingham was among the number killed. It was said by oneEnglish historian, and his account has been copied by many others, that Cressingham's body was flayed and his skin divided among theScots; but there appears no good foundation for the story, althoughprobably Cressingham, who had rendered himself peculiarly obnoxiousand hateful to the Scots, was hewn in pieces. But even were itproved that the ill story is a true one, it need excite no surprise, seeing the wholesale slaying, plundering, and burning which hadbeen carried on by the English, and that the Scottish prisonersfalling into their hands were often mutilated and tortured beforebeing executed and quartered. The English historians were fond ofcrying out that the Scotch were a cruel and barbarous people wheneverthey retaliated for the treatment which they suffered; but so farfrom this being the case, it is probable that the Scotch, beforethe first invasion of Edward, were a more enlightened and, fortheir numbers, a more well-to-do people than the English. They hadfor many years enjoyed peace and tranquillity, and under the longand prosperous reign of Alexander had made great advances, whileEngland had been harassed by continuous wars and troubles at homeand abroad. Its warlike barons, when not engaged under its monarchsin wars in Wales, Ireland, and France, occupied themselves in quarrelswith each other, or in struggles against the royal supremacy; andalthough the higher nobles, with their mailclad followers, couldshow an amount of chivalrous pomp unknown in Scotland, yet thecondition of the middle classes and of the agricultural populationwas higher in Scotland than in England. 

Archie, as one of the principal leaders of the victorious army, received a share of the treasure captured in the camp sufficient torepay the money which he had had for the strengthening of the Castleof Aberfilly, and on the day following the battle he receivedpermission from Sir William to return at once, with the 250 retainerswhich he had brought into the field, to complete the rebuilding ofthe castle. In another three months this was completed, and storesof arms and munition of all kinds collected. 

Immediately after the defeat at Stirling Bridge, King Edward summonedthe Scottish nobles to join Brian Fitzallan, whom he appointedgovernor of Scotland, with their whole forces, for the purpose ofputting down the rebellion. Among those addressed as his allies werethe Earls Comyn of Badenoch, Comyn of Buchan, Patrick of Dunbar, Umfraville of Angus, Alexander of Menteith, Malise of Strathearn, Malcolm of Lennox, and William of Sutherland, together with Jamesthe Steward, Nicholas de la Haye, Ingelram de Umfraville, RichardFraser, and Alexander de Lindsay of Crawford. From this enumerationit is clear that Wallace had still many enemies to contend with athome as well as the force of England. Patrick of Dunbar, assistedby Robert Bruce and Bishop Anthony Beck, took the field, but wasdefeated. Wallace captured all the castles of the earl save Dunbaritself, and forced him to fly to England; then the Scotch armypoured across the Border and retaliated upon the northern countiesfor the deeds which the English had been performing in Scotlandfor the last eight years. The country was ravaged to the very wallsof Durham and Carlisle, and only those districts which bought offthe invaders were spared. The title which had been bestowed uponWallace by a comparatively small number was now ratified by thecommonalty of the whole of Scotland; and associated with him wasthe young Sir Andrew Moray of Bothwell, whose father had been theonly Scotch noble who had fought at Stirling, and it is notablethat in some of the documents of the time Wallace gives precedenceto Andrew Moray. 

They proceeded to effect a military organization of the country, dividing it up into districts, each with commanders and lieutenants. Order was established and negotiations entered into for the mutualsafeguard of traders with the Hanse towns. 

The nobles who ventured to oppose the authority of Wallace and hiscolleague were punished in some cases by the confiscation of lands, which were bestowed upon Sir Alexander Scrymgeour and other loyalgentlemen, and these grants were recognized by Bruce when he becameking. In these deeds of grant Wallace and Moray, although acting asgovernors of Scotland, state that they do so in the name of Baliolas king, although a helpless captive in England. For a short timeScotland enjoyed peace, save that Earl Percy responded to the raidsmade by the Scots across the Border, by carrying fire and swordthrough Annandale; and the English writers who complain of theconduct of the Scots, have no word of reprobation for the proclamationissued to the soldiers on crossing the Border, that they were freeto plunder where they chose, nor as to the men and women slain, nor the villages and churches committed to the flames. 

Chapter X

The Battle of Falkirk

While Wallace was endeavouring to restore order in Scotland, Edwardwas straining every nerve to renew his invasion. He himself wasupon the Continent, but he made various concessions to his baronsand great towns to induce them to aid him heartily, and issued writscalling upon the whole nobility remaining at home, as they valuedhis honour and that of England, to meet at York on January 20th, "and proceed under the Earl of Surrey to repress and chastise theaudacity of the Scots. " At the same time he despatched specialletters to those of the Scottish nobles who were not already inEngland, commanding them to attend at the rendezvous. 

The call upon the Scotch nobles was not generally responded to. They had lost much of their power over their vassals, many of whomhad fought under Wallace in spite of the abstention of their lords. It was clear, too, that if they joined the English, and anotherdefeat of the latter took place, their countrymen might no longercondone their treachery, but their titles and estates might beconfiscated. Consequently but few of them presented themselves atYork. There, however, the English nobles gathered in force. TheEarls of Surrey, Gloucester, and Arundel; the Earl Mareschal andthe great Constable were there; Guido, son of the Earl of Warwick, represented his father. Percy was there, John de Wathe, John deSeagrave, and very many other barons, the great array consistingof 2000 horsemen heavily armed, 1200 light horsemen, and 100, 000foot soldiers. 

Sir Aymer de Vallance, Earl of Pembroke, and Sir John Sieward, sonof the Earl of March, landed with an army in Fife, and proceededto burn and waste. They were met by a Scotch force under Wallacein the forest of Black Ironside, and were totally defeated. 

Surrey's army crossed the Border, raised the siege of Roxburgh, and advanced as far as Kelso. Wallace did not venture to opposeso enormous a force, but wasted the country on every side so thatthey could draw no provisions from it, and Surrey was forced tofall back to Berwick; this town was being besieged by a Scottishforce, which retired at his approach. Here the English army haltedupon receipt of orders from Edward to wait his coming. He had hastilypatched up a peace with France, and, having landed at Sandwich, summoned the parliament, and on the 27th of May issued writs toas many as 154 of his great barons to meet him at Roxburgh on the24th of June. Here 3000 cavalry, men and horses clothed in completearmour; 4000 lighter cavalry, the riders being armed in steel butthe horses being uncovered; 500 splendidly mounted knights andmen-at-arms from Gascony; and at least 80, 000 infantry assembledtogether, with abundance of materials and munition of war of allkinds. This huge army marched from Roxburgh, keeping near the coast, receiving provisions from a fleet which sailed along beside them. But in spite of this precaution it was grievously straitened, andwas delayed for a month near Edinburgh, as Wallace so wasted thecountry that the army were almost famished, and by no efforts werethey able to bring on a battle with the Scots, whose rapid marchesand intimate acquaintance with the country baffled all the effortsof the English leaders to force on an action. 

Edward was about to retreat, being unable any longer to subsist hisarmy, when the two Scottish Earls of Dunbar and Angus sent news tothe king that Wallace with his army was in Falkirk forest, aboutsix miles away, and had arranged to attack the camp on the followingmorning. The English at once advanced and that evening encamped atLinlithgow, and the next morning moved on against the Scots. 

Late in the evening Archie's scouts brought in the news to Wallacethat the English army was within three miles, and a consultationwas at once held between the leaders. Most of them were in favourof a retreat; but Comyn of Badenoch, who had lately joined Wallace, and had been from his rank appointed to the command of the cavalry, with some of his associates, urged strongly the necessity forfighting, saying that the men would be utterly dispirited at suchcontinual retreats, and that with such immensely superior cavalrythe English would follow them up and destroy them. To these argumentsWallace, Sir John Grahame, and Sir John Stewart, yielded their ownopinions, and prepared to fight. They took up their position sothat their front was protected by a morass, and a fence of stakesand ropes was also fixed across so as to impede the advance orretreat of the English cavalry. The Scotch army consisted almostentirely of infantry. These were about a third the number of thoseof the English, while Comyn's cavalry were a thousand strong. 

The infantry were formed in three great squares or circles, thefront rank kneeling and the spears all pointing outwards. In thespace between these squares were placed the archers, under Sir JohnStewart. 

The English army was drawn up in three divisions, the first commandedby the Earl Marechal, the Earl of Lincoln and Hereford; the secondby Beck, the warlike Bishop of Durham, and Sir Ralph Basset;the third by the king himself. The first two divisions consistedalmost entirely of knights and men-at-arms; the third, of archersand slingers. 

Wallace's plan of battle was that the Scottish squares should firstreceive the brunt of the onslaught of the enemy, and that whilethe English were endeavouring to break these the Scotch cavalry, which were drawn up some distance in the rear, should fall uponthem when in a confused mass, and drive them against the fence orinto the morass. 

The first division of the English on arriving at the bog made acircuit to the west. The second division, seeing the obstacle whichthe first had encountered, moved round to the east, and both fellupon the Scottish squares. The instant they were seen roundingthe ends of the morass, the traitor Comyn, with the whole of thecavalry, turned rein and fled from the field, leaving the infantryalone to support the whole brunt of the attack of the English. Soimpetuous was the charge of the latter that Sir John Stewart andhis archers were unable to gain the shelter of the squares, andhe was, with almost all his men, slain by the English men-at-arms. Thus the spearmen were left entirely to their own resources. 

Encouraged by Wallace, Grahame, Archie Forbes, and their otherleaders, the Scottish squares stood firmly, and the English cavalryin vain strove to break the hedge of spears. Again and again thebravest of the chivalry of England tried to hew a way through. TheScots stood firm and undismayed, and had the battle lain betweenthem and the English cavalry, the day would have been theirs. Butpresently the king, with his enormous body of infantry, arrived onthe ground, and the English archers and slingers poured clouds ofmissiles into the ranks of the Scots; while the English spearmen, picking up the great stones with which the ground was strewn, hurled them at the front ranks of their foes. Against this stormof missiles the Scottish squares could do nothing. Such armouras they had was useless against the English clothyard arrows, andthousands fell as they stood. 

Again and again they closed up the gaps in their ranks, but at lastthey could no longer withstand the hail of arrows and stones, towhich they could offer no return. Some of them wavered. The gapsin the squares were no longer filled up, and the English cavalry, who had been waiting for their opportunity, charged into the midstof them. No longer was there any thought of resistance. The Scotsfled in all directions. Numbers were drowned by trying to swim theriver Carron, which ran close by. Multitudes were cut down by thehost of English cavalry. 

Sir Archie Forbes was in the same square with Wallace, with a fewother mounted men. They dashed forward against the English as theybroke through the ranks of the spearmen, but the force opposed themwas overwhelming. 

"It is of no use, Archie; we must retire. Better that than throwaway our lives uselessly. All is lost now. "

Wallace shouted to the spearmen, who gallantly rallied round him, and, keeping together in spite of the efforts of the English cavalry, succeeded in withdrawing from the field. The other squares wereentirely broken and dispersed, and scarce a man of them escaped. 

Accounts vary as to the amount of the slaughter, some Englishwriters placing it as double that of the army which Wallace couldpossibly have brought into the field, seeing that the whole of thegreat nobles stood aloof, and that Grahame, Stewart, and Macduff ofFife were the only three men of noble family with him. All thesewere slain, together with some 25, 000 infantry. 

Wallace with about 5000 men succeeded in crossing a ford of theCarron, and the English spread themselves over the country. Thedistricts of Fife, Clackmannan, Lanark, Ayr, and all the surroundingcountry were wasted and burnt, and every man found put to the sword. The Scotch themselves in retreating destroyed Stirling and Perth, and the English found the town of St. Andrew's deserted, and burntit to the ground. 

No sooner had Wallace retreated than he divided his force intosmall bands, which proceeded in separate directions, driving off thecattle and destroying all stores of grain, so that in a fortnightafter the battle of Falkirk the English army were again broughtto a stand by shortness of provisions, and were compelled to fallback again with all speed to the mouth of the Forth, there to obtainprovisions from their ships. As they did so Wallace reunited hisbands, and pressed hard upon them. At Linlithgow he fell upon theirrear and inflicted heavy loss, and so hotly did he press them thatthe great army was obliged to retreat rapidly across the Border, and made no halt until it reached the fortress of Carlisle. 

That it was compulsion alone which forced Edward to make hisspeedy retreat we may be sure from the fact that after the victoryof Dunbar he was contented with nothing less than a clean sweepof Scotland to its northern coast, and that he repeated the sameprocess when, in the year following the battle of Falkirk, he againreturned with a mighty army. Thus decisive as was the battle ofFalkirk it was entirely abortive in results. 

When the English had crossed the Border, Wallace assembled the fewgentlemen who were still with him, and announced his intention ofresigning the guardianship of Scotland, and of leaving the country. The announcement was received with exclamations of surprise andregret. 

"Surely, Sir William, " Archie exclaimed, "you cannot mean it. Youare our only leader; in you we have unbounded confidence, and innone else. Had it not been for the treachery of Comyn the field ofFalkirk would have been ours, for had the horse charged when theEnglish were in confusion round our squares they had assuredly beendefeated. Moreover, your efforts have retrieved that disastrousfield, and have driven the English across the Border. "

"My dear Archie, " Wallace said, "it is because I am the only leaderin whom you have confidence that I must needs go. I had vainly hopedthat when the Scottish nobles saw what great things the commonaltywere able to do, and how far, alone and unaided, they had clearedScotland of her tyrants, they would have joined us with theirvassals; but you see it is not so. The successes that I have gainedhave but excited their envy against me. Of them all only Grahame, Stewart, and Macduff stood by my side, while all the great earlsand barons either held aloof or were, like Bruce, in the ranks ofEdward's army, or like Comyn and his friends, joined me solely tobetray me. I am convinced now that it is only a united Scotland canresist the power of England, and it is certain that so long as Iremain here Scotland never can be united. Of Bruce I have no longerany hope; but if I retire Comyn may take the lead, and many atleast of the Scottish nobles will follow him. Had we but horsemenand archers to support our spearmen, I would not fear the issue;but it is the nobles alone who can place mounted men-at-arms inthe field. Of bowmen we must always be deficient, seeing that ourpeople take not naturally to this arm as do the English; but withspearmen to break the first shock of English chivalry, and withhorsemen to charge them when in confusion, we may yet succeed, buthorsemen we shall never get so long as the nobles hold aloof. Itis useless to try and change my decision, my friends. Sore griefthough it will be to me to sheathe my sword and to stand aloofwhen Scotland struggles for freedom, I am convinced that only by mydoing so has Scotland a chance of ultimate success in the struggle. Do not make it harder for me by your pleadings. I have thought longover this, and my mind is made up. My heart is well nigh broken bythe death of my dear friend and brother in arms, Sir John Grahame, and I feel able to struggle no longer against the jealousy andhostility of the Scottish nobles. "

Wallace's hearers were all in tears at his decision, but they feltthat there was truth in his words, that the Scottish nobles werefar more influenced by feelings of personal jealousy and pique thanby patriotism, and that so long as Wallace remained the guardianof Scotland they would to a man side with the English. The next dayWallace assembled all his followers, and in a few words announcedhis determination, and the reasons which had driven him to takeit. He urged them to let no feelings of resentment at the treatmenthe had experienced, or any wrath at the lukewarmness and treacherywhich had hitherto marked the Scottish nobles, overcome their feelingof patriotism, but to follow these leaders should they raise thebanner of Scotland, as bravely and devotedly as they had followedhim. 

Then he bade them farewell, and mounting his horse rode to theseacoast and passed over to France. 

Although he had retired from Scotland, Wallace did not cease fromwar against the English; but being warmly received by the Frenchking fought against them both by sea and land, and won much renownamong the French. 

After returning to England, Edward, finding that the Scottish leadersstill professed to recognize Baliol as king, sent him to the popeat Rome, having first confiscated all his great possessions inEngland and bestowed them upon his own nephew, John of Brittany;and during the rest of his life Baliol lived in obscurity in Rome. A portion of the Scotch nobles assembled and chose John Comyn ofBadenoch and John de Soulis as guardians of the kingdom. In theautumn of the following year Edward again assembled a great armyand moved north, but it was late; and in the face of the approachingwinter, and the difficulty of forage, many of the barons refusedto advance. Edward himself marched across the Border; but seeingthat the Scots had assembled in force, and that at such a seasonof the year he could not hope to carry his designs fully intoexecution, he retired without striking a blow. Thereupon the castleof Stirling, which was invested by the Scots, seeing no hope ofrelief, surrendered, and Sir William Oliphant was appointed governor. 

The next spring Edward again advanced with an army even greaterthan that with which he had before entered Scotland. With him wereAlexander of Baliol, son of the late king, who was devoted to theEnglish; Dunbar, Fraser, Ross, and other Scottish nobles. The vastarmy first laid siege to the little castle of Carlaverock, which, although defended by but sixty men, resisted for some time theassaults of the whole army, but was at last captured. The Scotsfell back as Edward advanced, renewing Wallace's tactics of wastingthe country, and Edward could get no further than Dumfries. Here, finding the enormous difficulties which beset him, he made a pretenceof yielding with a good grace to the entreaties of the pope and theKing of France that he would spare Scotland; he retired to Englandand disbanded his army, having accomplished nothing in the campaignsave the capture of Carlaverock. 

The following summer he again advanced with the army, this timesupported by a fleet of seventy ships. The Scots resorted to theirusual strategy, and, when winter came, the invaders had penetratedno further than the Forth. Edward remained at Linlithgow for atime, and then returned to England. Sir Simon Fraser, who had beenone of the leaders of the English army at Carlaverock, now imitatedComyn's example, and, deserting the English cause, joined hiscountrymen. 

The greater part of the English army recrossed the Border, and theScots captured many of the garrisons left in the towns. Sir JohnSeagrave next invaded Scotland with from 20, 000 to 30, 000 men, mostlycavalry. They reached the neighbourhood of Edinburgh, when Comynand Fraser advanced against them with 8000 men, chiefly infantry. The English army were advancing in three divisions, in orderbetter to obtain provisions and forage. After a rapid night marchthe Scotch came upon one of them, commanded by Seagrave in person;and conceiving himself sufficiently strong to defeat the Scots unaidedby any of the other divisions, Sir John Seagrave immediately gavebattle. 

As at Falkirk, the English cavalry were unable to break throughthe Scottish pikes. Great numbers were killed or taken prisoners, Seagrave himself being severely wounded and captured, withtwenty distinguished knights, thirty esquires, and many soldiers. Scarcely was the battle over when the second English division, evenstronger than the first, arrived on the field. Encumbered by theirprisoners, the Scots were at a disadvantage; and fearing to be attackedby these in the rear while engaged in front, they slaughtered thegreater portion of the prisoners, and arming the camp followers, prepared to resist the English onslaught. This failed as the firsthad done; the cavalry were defeated with great loss by the spearmen, and many prisoners taken--among them Sir Ralph Manton. 

The third English division now appeared; and the Scots, worn outby their long march and the two severe conflicts they had endured, were about to fly from the field when their leaders exhorted themto one more effort. The second batch of prisoners were slaughtered, and the pikemen again formed line to resist the English charge. Again were the cavalry defeated, Sir Robert Neville, their leader, slain, with many others, and the whole dispersed and scattered. Sir Robert Manton, who was the king's treasurer, had had a quarrelwith Fraser, when the latter was in Edward's service, regardinghis pay; and Fraser is said by some historians to have now revengedhimself by slaying his prisoner. Other accounts, however, representManton as having escaped. 

The slaughter of the prisoners appears, although cruel, to havebeen unavoidable; as the Scots, having before them a well appointedforce fully equal to their own in number, could not have riskedengaging, with so large a body of prisoners in their rear. None ofthe knights or other leaders were slain, these being subsequentlyexchanged or ransomed, as we afterwards find them fighting in theEnglish ranks. 

Seeing by this defeat that a vast effort was necessary to conquerScotland, King Edward advanced in the spring of 1303 with an armyof such numbers that the historians of the time content themselveswith saying that "it was great beyond measure. " It consisted ofEnglish, Welsh, Irish, Gascons, and Savoyards. One division, underthe Prince of Wales, advanced by the west coast; that of the king, by the east; and the two united at the Forth. Without meeting anyserious resistance the great host marched north through Perth andDundee to Brechin, where the castle, under the charge of Sir ThomasMaille, resisted for twenty days; and it was only after the deathof the governor that it surrendered. 

The English then marched north through Aberdeen, Banff, and Morayinto Caithness, carrying utter destruction everywhere; towns andhamlets, villages and farmhouses were alike destroyed; crops wereburned, forests and orchards cut down. Thus was the whole of Scotlandwasted; and even the rich abbeys of Abberbredok and Dunfermline, the richest and most famous in Scotland, were destroyed, and thewhole levelled to the ground. The very fields were as far as possibleinjured--the intention of Edward being, as Fordun says, to blotout the people, and to reduce the land to a condition of irrecoverabledevastation, and thus to stamp out for ever any further resistancein Scotland. 

During the three years which had elapsed since the departureof Wallace, Archie had for the most part remained quietly in hiscastle, occupying himself with the comfort and wellbeing of hisvassals. He had, each time the English entered Scotland, taken thefield with a portion of his retainers, in obedience to the summonsof Comyn. The latter was little disposed to hold valid the grantsmade by Wallace, especially in the case of Archie Forbes, the Kerrsbeing connections of his house; but the feeling of the people ingeneral was too strongly in favour of the companion of Wallace forhim to venture to set it aside, especially as the castle could notbe captured without a long continued siege. Archie and many of thenobles hostile to the claims of Comyn obeyed his orders, he beingthe sole possible leader, at present, of Scotland. Edward, however, had left them no alternative, since he had, in order to inducethe English nobles to follow him, formally divided among them thelands of the whole of the Scotch nobles, save those actually fightingin his ranks. 

Archie was now nearly three-and-twenty, and his frame had fullyborne out the promise of his youth. He was over the average height, but appeared shorter from the extreme breadth of his shoulders;his arms were long and sinewy, and his personal strength immense. 

From the time of his first taking possession of Aberfilly he hadkept a party of men steadily engaged in excavating a passage fromthe castle towards a wood a mile distant. The ground was soft andoffered but few obstacles, but the tunnel throughout its wholelength had to be supported by massive timbers. Wood, however, wasabundant, and the passage had by this time been completed. Whenever, from the length of the tunnel, the workmen began to suffer fromwant of air, ventilation was obtained by running a small shaftup to the surface; in this was placed a square wooden tube of sixinches in diameter, round which the earth was again filled in--afew rapidly growing plants and bushes being planted round theorifice to prevent its being noticed by any passerby. 

Chapter XI

Robert The Bruce

At the last great invasion by Edward, Archie did not take the field, seeing that Comyn, in despair of opposing so vast a host, did notcall out the levies. Upon the approach of the English army underthe Prince of Wales he called the whole of his tenants into thecastle. Great stores of provisions had already been collected. Thewomen and children were sent away up into the hills, where provisionshad also been garnered, and the old men and boys accompanied them. As the Prince of Wales passed north, bands from his army spreadingover the country destroyed every house in the district. Archie wassummoned to surrender, but refused to do so; and the prince, beingon his way to join his father on the Forth, after himself surveyingthe hold, and judging it far too strong to be carried withouta prolonged siege, marched forward, promising on his return todestroy it. Soon afterwards Archie received a message that Wallacehad returned. He at once took with him fifty men, and leaving thecastle in charge of Sandy Graham, with the rest of his vassals, twohundred and fifty in number, he rejoined his former leader. Manyothers gathered round Wallace's standard; and throughout Edward'smarch to the north and his return to the Forth Wallace hung uponhis flanks, cutting off and slaying great numbers of the marauders, and striking blows at detached bands wherever these were in numbersnot too formidable to be coped with. 

Stirling was now the only great castle which remained in the handsof the Scotch, and King Edward prepared to lay siege to this. Savefor the band of Wallace there was no longer any open resistance inthe field. A few holds like those of Archie Forbes still remainedin the hands of their owners, their insignificance, or the timewhich would be wasted in subduing them, having protected them fromsiege. None of the nobles now remained in arms. 

Bruce had for a short time taken the field; but had, as usual, hastened to make his peace with Edward. Comyn and all his adherentssurrendered upon promise of their lives and freedom, and that theyshould retain their estates, subject to a pecuniary fine. All thenobles of Scotland were included in this capitulation, save a fewwho were condemned to suffer temporary banishment. Sir WilliamWallace alone was by name specially exempted from the surrender. 

Stirling Castle was invested on the 20th of April, 1304, and forseventy days held out against all the efforts of Edward's army. Warlike engines of all kinds had been brought from England forthe siege. The religious houses of St. Andrews, Brechin, and otherchurches were stripped of lead for the engines. The sheriffs ofLondon, Lincoln, York, and the governor of the Tower were orderedto collect and forward all the mangonels, quarrels, and bows andarrows they could gather; and for seventy days missiles of allkinds, immense stones, leaden balls, and javelins were rained uponthe castle; and Greek fire--a new and terrible mode of destruction--wasalso used in the siege. But it was only when their provisionsand other resources were exhausted that the garrison capitulated;and it was found that the survivors of the garrison which haddefended Stirling Castle for upwards of three months against thewhole force of England numbered, including its governor, Sir WilliamOliphant, and twenty-four knights and gentlemen, but a hundred andtwenty soldiers, two monks, and thirteen females. 

During the siege Wallace had kept the field, but Archie had, athis request, returned to his castle, which being but a day's marchfrom Stirling, might at any moment be besieged. Several times, indeed, parties appeared before it, but Edward's hands were toofull, and he could spare none of the necessary engines to undertakesuch a siege; and when Stirling at length fell he and his armywere in too great haste to return to England to undertake anotherprolonged siege, especially as Aberfilly, standing in a retiredposition, and commanding none of the principal roads, was a holdof no political importance. 

A short time afterwards, to Archie's immense grief, Sir WilliamWallace was betrayed into the hands of the English. SeveralScotchmen took part in this base act, the principal being Sir JohnMenteith. Late historians, in their ardour to whitewash those whohave for ages been held up to infamy, have endeavoured to show thatSir John Menteith was not concerned in the matter; but the evidenceis overwhelming the other way. Scotch opinion at the time, andfor generations afterwards, universally imputed the crime to him. Fordun, who wrote in the reign of Robert Bruce, Bowyer, and Langtoft, all Scotch historians, say that it was he who betrayed Wallace, andtheir account is confirmed by contemporary English writings. TheChronicle of Lanercost, the Arundel MSS. , written about the year1320, and the Scala Chronica, all distinctly say that Wallace wasseized by Sir John Menteith; and finally, Sir Francis Palgrave hasdiscovered in the memoranda of the business of the privy councilthat forty marks were bestowed upon the young man who spied outWallace, sixty marks were divided among some others who assistedin his capture, and that to Sir John Menteith was given land ofthe annual value of one hundred pounds--a very large amount inthose days. 

The manner in which Wallace was seized is uncertain; but he was atonce handed by Sir John Menteith to Sir John Seagrave, and carriedby him to London. He was taken on horseback to Westminster, themayor, sheriffs, and aldermen, with a great number of horse andfoot, accompanying him. There the mockery of a trial was held, and he was in one day tried, condemned, and executed. He defendedhimself nobly, urging truly that, as a native born Scotsman, hehad never sworn fealty or allegiance to England, and that he wasperfectly justified in fighting for the freedom of his country. 

Every cruelty attended his execution. He was drawn through thestreets at the tails of horses; he was hung for some time by ahalter, but was taken down while yet alive; he was mutilated anddisembowelled, his head then cut off, his body divided in four, his head impaled over London Bridge, and his quarters distributedto four principal towns in Scotland. Such barbarities were commonat executions in the days of the Norman kings, who have beendescribed by modern writers as chivalrous monarchs. 

A nobler character than Wallace is not to be found in history. Alone, a poor and landless knight, by his personal valour and energy hearoused the spirit of his countrymen, and in spite of the oppositionof the whole of the nobles of his country banded the people inresistance against England, and for a time wrested all Scotland fromthe hands of Edward. His bitter enemies the English were unable toadduce any proofs that the epithets of ferocious and bloodthirsty, with which they were so fond of endowing him, had even a shadowof foundation, and we may rather believe the Scotch accounts thathis gentleness and nobility of soul were equal to his valour. Ofhis moderation and wisdom when acting as governor of Scotland therecan be no doubt, while the brilliant strategy which first won thebattle of Stirling, and would have gained that of Falkirk had notthe treachery and cowardice of the cavalry ruined his plans, showthat under other circumstances he would have taken rank as one ofthe greatest commanders of his own or any age. 

He first taught his countrymen, and indeed Europe in general, thatsteady infantry can repel the assaults even of mailclad cavalry. The lesson was followed at Bannockburn by Bruce, who won underprecisely the same circumstances as those under which Wallace hadbeen defeated, simply because at the critical moment he had 500horse at hand to charge the disordered mass of the English, whileat Falkirk Wallace's horse, who should have struck the blow, weregalloping far away from the battlefield. Nor upon his Englishconquerors was the lesson lost, for at Cressy, when attacked byvastly superior numbers, Edward III dismounted his army, and orderedthem to fight on foot, and the result gave a death blow to thatmailed chivalry which had come to be regarded as the only forceworth reckoning in a battle. The conduct of Edward to Wallace, and later to many other distinguished Scotchmen who fell into hishands, is a foul blot upon the memory of one of the greatest ofthe kings of England. 

Edward might now well have believed that Scotland was crushed forever. In ten years no less than twelve great armies had marchedacross the Border, and twice the whole country had been ravagedfrom sea to sea, the last time so effectually, that Edward hadgood ground for his belief that the land would never again raiseits head from beneath his foot. 

He now proceeded, as William of Normandy after Hastings had done, to settle his conquest, and appointed thirty-one commissioners, ofwhom twenty-one were English and ten so called Scotch, among themSir John Menteith, to carry out his ordinances. All the places ofstrength were occupied by English garrisons. The high officers anda large proportion of the justiciaries and sheriffs were English, and Edward ruled Scotland from Westminster as he did England. 

Among the commissioners was Robert Bruce, now through the deathof his father, Lord of Annandale and Carrick; and Edward addresseda proclamation to him, headed, "To our faithful and loyal Robertde Bruce, Earl of Carrick, and all others who are in his company, greeting;" and went on to say that he possessed the king's fullestconfidence. But though Scotland lay prostrate, the spirit ofresistance yet lingered in the hearts of the commonalty. Althoughconquered now the memory of their past success still inspired them, but until some leader presented himself none could stir. It was inAugust that Wallace had been executed. Archie had received severalsummonses from the English governors of Stirling and Lanark tocome in and do homage to Edward, but he had resolutely declined, and the task of capturing his castle was too heavy a one tobe undertaken by any single garrison; still he saw that the timemust come, sooner or later, when he would have to choose betweensurrender and death. When matters settled down it was certain thata great effort would be made to root out the one recalcitrant southof the Forth. For some time he remained gloomy and thoughtful, a mood most unusual to him, and his mother, who was watching himanxiously, was scarcely surprised when one day he said to her:

"Mother, I must leave you for a time. Matters can no longer continueas they are. Surrender to the English I will not, and there remainsfor me but to defend this castle to the last, and then to escapeto France; or to cross thither at once, and enter the service ofthe French king, as did Wallace. Of these courses I would fain takethe latter, seeing that the former would bring ruin and death uponour vassals, who have ever done faithful service when called upon, and whom I would not see suffer for my sake. In that case I shouldpropose that you should return and live quietly with Sir RobertGordon until times change. "

Dame Forbes agreed with her son, for she had long felt that furtherresistance would only bring ruin upon him. 

"There is yet one other course, mother, and that I am about to take;it is well nigh a desperate one, and my hopes of success are small, yet would I attempt it before I leave Scotland and give Aberfillyback again to the Kerrs. Ask me not what it is, for it were bestthat if it fail you should not know of it. There is no danger inthe enterprise, but for a month I shall be absent. On my returnyou shall hear my final resolve. "

Having attired himself as a lowland farmer, Archie proceeded toEdinburgh, and there took ship for London; here he took lodgingsat an inn, which he had been told in Edinburgh was much frequentedby Scotchmen who had to go to London on business. His first carewas to purchase the garments of an English gentleman of moderatemeans, so that he could pass through the streets without attractingattention. 

He was greatly impressed with the bustle and wealth of London. 

"It is wonderful, " he said to himself, "that we Scots, who wereafter all but an army of peasants, could for nigh ten years havesupported a war against such a country as this, and it seems madnessto adventure farther in that way. If my present errand fails I willassuredly hold firm to my resolve and seek a refuge in France. "

Archie ascertained that Robert the Bruce lodged at Westminster, and that great gaieties were taking place at the court for joy atthe final termination of hostilities with Scotland, now secured bythe execution of Wallace. He despatched a letter to the earl bya messenger from the inn, saying that one who had formerly knownhim in Scotland desired earnestly to speak to him on matters ofgreat import, and begging him to grant a private interview with himat his lodging at as early an hour as might be convenient to him. The man returned with a verbal reply, that the earl would see thewriter at his lodging at nine o'clock on the following morning. 

At the appointed time Archie presented himself at the house inhabitedby Bruce. To the request of the earl's retainer for his name andbusiness he replied that his name mattered not, but that he hadreceived a message from the earl appointing him a meeting at thathour. 

Two minutes later he was ushered into the private cabinet of RobertBruce. The latter was seated writing, and looked up at his unknownvisitor. 

"Do you remember me, Sir Robert Bruce?" Archie asked. 

"Methinks I know your face, sir, " the earl replied, "but I cannotrecall where I have seen it. "

"It is five years since, " Archie said, "and as that time has changedme from a youth into a man I wonder not that my face has escapedyou. "

"I know you now!" the earl exclaimed, rising suddenly from hisseat. "You are Sir Archibald Forbes?"

"I am, " Archie replied, "and I have come now on the same errand Icame then--the cause of our country. The English think she isdead, but, though faint and bleeding, Scotland yet lives; but thereis one man only who can revive her, and that man is yourself. "

"Your mission is a vain one, " Bruce replied. "Though I honour you, Sir Archibald, for your faith and constancy; though I would givemuch, ay all that I have, were my record one of as true patriotismand sacrifice as yours, yet it were madness to listen to you. HaveI not, " he asked bitterly, "earned the hatred of my countrymen?Have I not three times raised my standard only to lower it againwithout striking a blow? Did I not fight by Edward at the fieldof Falkirk? Ah!" he said in a changed tone, "never shall I forgetthe horror which I felt as I passed over the field strewn withScottish corpses. Truly my name must be loathed in Scotland; andyet, Sir Archibald, irresolute and false as I have hitherto provedmyself, believe me, I love Scotland, the land of my mother. "

"I believe you, sir, " Archie said, "and it is therefore that Iimplore you to listen to me. You are now our only possible leader, our only possible king. Baliol is a captive at Rome, his son a courtierof Edward. Wallace is dead. Comyn proved weak and incapable, andwas unable to rally the people to offer any opposition to Edward'slast march. Scotland needs a leader strong and valiant as Wallace, capable of uniting around him a large body, at least, of the Scotchnobles, and having some claim to her crown. You know not, sir, howdeep is the hatred of the English. The last terrible incursion ofEdward has spread that feeling far and wide, and while before it wasbut in a few counties of the lowlands that the flame of resistancereally burnt, this time, believe me, that all Scotland, save perhapsthe Comyns and their adherents, would rise at the call. I say notthat success would at once attend you, for, forgive me for sayingso, the commonalty would not at first trust you; but when they sawthat you were fighting for Scotland as well as for your own crown, that you had, by your action, definitely and for ever broken withthe English, and had this time entered heart and soul into the cause, I am sure they would not hold back. Your own vassals of Carrick andAnnandale are a goodly array in themselves and the young Douglasmight be counted on to bring his dalesmen to your banner. Thereare all the lords who have favoured your cause, and so stood alooffrom Comyn. You will have a good array to commence with; but aboveall, even if unsuccessful at first, all Scotland would come intime to regard you as her king and champion. Resistance will nevercease, for even Wallace was ever able to assemble bands and makehead against the English, so will it be with you, until at lastfreedom is achieved, and you will reign a free king over a freeScotland, and your name will be honoured to all time as the championand deliverer of our country. Think not, sir, " he went on earnestlyas Bruce paced up and down the little room, "that it is too late. Other Scotchmen, Fraser and many others, who have warred in theEnglish ranks, have been joyfully received when at length theydrew sword for Scotland. Only do you stand forth as our champion, believe me, that the memory of former weakness will be forgottenin the admiration of present patriotism. "

For two or three minutes Bruce strode up and down the room; thenhe paused before Archie. 

"By heavens, " he said, "I will do it! I am not so sanguine as you, I do not believe that success can ever finally attend the enterprise, but, be that as it may, I will attempt it, win or die. The memoryof Robert Bruce shall go down in the hearts of Scotchmen as onewho, whatever his early errors, atoned for them at last by livingand dying in her cause. My sisters and brothers have long urged meto take such a step, but I could never bring myself to brave thepower of England. Your words have decided me. The die is cast. Henceforward Robert Bruce is a Scotchman. And now, Sir Archibald, what think you my first step should be?"

"The English in Scotland are lulled in security, and a sudden blowupon them will assuredly at first be wholly successful. You mustwithdraw suddenly and quietly from here. "

"It is not easy to do so, " Bruce replied. "Although high in favourwith Edward, he has yet some suspicions of me--not, " he saidbitterly, "without just cause--and would assuredly arrest me didhe know that I were going north. My only plan will be to appearat court as usual, while I send down relays of horses along thenorthern road. You will ride with me, Sir Archie, will you not?But I must tell you that I have already, in some degree, preparedfor a movement in Scotland. Comyn and I have met and have talkedover the matter. Our mutual claims to the crown stood in the way, but we have agreed that one shall yield to the other, and thatwhoso takes the crown shall give all his lands to be the propertyof the other, in consideration of his waiving his claim and givinghis support. This we have agreed to, and have signed a mutual bondto that effect, and though it is not so writ down we have furtheragreed that I shall have the crown and that Comyn shall take Carrickand Annandale; but this was for the future, and we thought not ofany movement for the present. "

"It were a bad bargain, sir, " Archie said gravely; "and one that Itrust will never be carried out. The Comyns are even now the mostpowerful nobles in Scotland, and with Carrick and Annandale inaddition to their own broad lands, would be masters of Scotland, let who would be called her king. Did he displease them, theycould, with their vassals and connections, place a stronger armyin the field than that which the king could raise; and could at anymoment, did he anger them, call in the English to his aid, and soagain lay Scotland under the English yoke. "

"I will think of it, Sir Archie. There is much in what you say, andI sorely doubt the Comyns. Henceforth do not fear to give me youradvice freely. You possessed the confidence of Wallace, and haveshown yourself worthy of it. Should I ever free Scotland and winme a kingdom, believe me you will not find Robert Bruce ungrateful. I will give orders tomorrow for the horses to be privatelysent forward, so that at any hour we can ride if the moment seempropitious; meanwhile I pray you to move from the hostelry in thecity, where your messenger told me you were staying, to one closeat hand, in order that I may instantly communicate with you in caseof need. I cannot ask you to take up your abode here, for thereare many Scotchmen among my companions who might know your face, or who, not knowing, might make inquiry of me as to your family;but among the crowd of strangers who on some business or other atthe court throng the inns of the city of Westminster, one figuremore or less would excite neither question nor comment. "

That afternoon Archie took up his abode at Westminster. A weeklater one of Bruce's retainers came in just as Archie was about toretire to bed, and said that the Earl of Carrick wished immediatelyto see Master Forbes. Sir Archie had retained his own name whiledropping the title. He at once crossed, to Bruce's lodging. 

"We must mount at once!" the earl exclaimed as he entered. "Whatthink you? I have but now received word from a friend, who isa member of the council, to say that this afternoon a messengerarrived from the false Comyn with a letter to the king, containinga copy of the bond between us. Whether the coward feared theconsequences, or whether he has all along acted in treachery withthe view of bringing me into disgrace, and so ridding himself ofa rival, I know not; but the result is the same, he has disclosedour plans to Edward. A council was hastily called, and it has butjust separated. It is to meet again in the morning, and the kinghimself will be present. I am to be summoned before it, being, asit is supposed, in ignorance of the betrayal of my plans. It waswell for me that Edward himself had pressing engagements, and wasunable to be present at the council. Had he been, prompt steps wouldhave been taken, and I should by this time be lying a prisoner inthe Tower. Even now I may be arrested at any moment. Have you aughtfor which you wish to return to your inn?"

"No, " Archie replied. "I have but a change of clothing there, whichis of no importance, and we had best lose not a moment's time. Butthere is the reckoning to discharge. "

"I will give orders, " the earl said, "that it shall be dischargedin the morning. Now let us without a moment's delay make to thestables and mount there. Here is a cloak and valise. "

The earl struck a bell, and a retainer appeared. 

"Allan, I am going out to pay a visit. Take these two valises tothe stable at once, and order Roderick to saddle the two bay horsesin the stalls at the end of the stables. Tell him to be speedy, forI shall be with him anon. He is not bring them round here. I willmount in the court. "

Five minutes later Bruce and Archie, enveloped in thick cloakswith hoods drawn over their faces, rode north from Westminster. Atfirst they went slowly, but as soon as they were out in the fieldsthey set spur to their horses and galloped on in the darkness. 

The snow lay thick upon the ground, and the roads were entirelydeserted. 

"Farewell to London!" Bruce exclaimed. "Except as a prisoner Ishall never see it again. The die is cast this time, Sir Archie, and for good; even if I would I can never draw back again. Comyn'streachery has made my action irrevocable--it is now indeed deathor victory!"

All night they rode without drawing rein, save that they oncechanged horses where a relay had been provided. They had littlefear of pursuit, for even when Bruce's absence was discovered noneof his household would be able to say where he had gone, and sometime must elapse before the conviction that he had ridden forScotland, in such weather, would occur to the king. Nevertheless, they travelled fast, and on the 10th of February entered Dumfries. 

Chapter XII

The Battle of Methven

Bruce had, during the previous week, sent messages saying to severalof his friends in Annandale and Carrick that he might at any timebe among them, and at Dumfries he found many of them prepared tosee him. The English justiciaries for the southern district of theconquered kingdom were holding an assize, and at this most of thenobles and principal men of that part were present. Among thesewere, of course, many of Bruce's vassals; among them also was JohnComyn of Badenoch, who held large estates in Galloway, in virtueof which he was now present. 

As soon as the news that Bruce had arrived in the town spread, hisadherents and vassals there speedily gathered round him, and as, accompanied by several of them, he went through the town he metComyn in the precincts of the Grey Friars. Concerning this memorablemeeting there has been great dispute among historians. Some havecharged Bruce with inviting Comyn to meet him, with the deliberateintention of slaying him; others have represented the meeting asaccidental, and the slaying of Comyn as the result of an outburstof passion on the part of Bruce; but no one who weighs the facts, and considers the circumstances in which Comyn was placed, can feelthe least question that the latter is the true hypothesis. 

Bruce, whose whole course shows him to have been a man who actedwith prudence and foresight, would have been nothing short of mad hadhe, just at the time when it was necessary to secure the goodwillof the whole of the Scotch nobles, chosen that moment to slay Comyn, with whom were connected, by blood or friendship, the larger halfof the Scotch nobles. Still less, had he decided upon so suicidala course, would he have selected a sanctuary as the scene of thedeed. To slay his rival in such a place would be to excite againsthimself the horror and aversion of the whole people, and to enlistagainst him the immense authority and influence of the church. Therefore, unless we should conclude that Bruce--whose earlycareer showed him to be a cool and calculating man, and whose futurecourse was marked throughout with wisdom of the highest character--wassuffering from an absolute aberration of intellect, we mustaccept the account by those who represent the meeting as accidental, and the slaying as the result of an outburst of passion provokedby Comyn's treachery, as the correct one. 

When Bruce saw Comyn approaching he bade his followers stop wherethey were and advanced towards Comyn, who was astonished at hispresence. 

"I would speak with you aside, John Comyn, " Bruce said; and thetwo withdrew into the church apart from the observation of others. 

Then Bruce broke into a torrent of invective against Comyn for hisgross act of treachery in betraying him by sending to Edward a copyof their agreement. 

"You sought, " he said, "to send me to the scaffold, and so clearthe way for yourself to the throne of Scotland. "

Comyn, finding that dissimulation was useless, replied as hotly. Those without could hear the voices of the angry men rise higherand higher; then there was a silence, and Bruce hurried out alone. 

"What has happened?" Archie Forbes exclaimed. 

"I fear that I have slain Comyn, " Bruce replied in an agitatedvoice. 

"Then I will make sure, " Kirkpatrick, one of his retainers, said;and accompanied by Lindsay and another of his companions he ran inand completed the deed. 

Scarcely was this done than Sir Robert Comyn, uncle of the earl, ran up, and seeing what had taken place, furiously attacked Bruceand his party. A fierce fray took place, and Robert Comyn andseveral of his friends were slain. 

"The die is cast now, " Bruce said when the fray was over; "butI would give my right hand had I not slain Comyn in my passion;however, it is too late to hesitate now. Gather together, myfriends, all your retainers, and let us hurry at once to attackthe justiciaries. "

In a few minutes Kirkpatrick brought together those who hadaccompanied him and his companions to the town, and they at oncemoved against the courthouse. The news of Bruce's arrival and ofthe fray with the Comyns had already reached the justiciaries, andwith their retainers and friends they had made hasty preparationsfor defence; but seeing that Bruce's followers outnumbered them, and that a defence might cost them their lives, they held parleyand agreed to surrender upon Bruce promising to allow them todepart at once for England. Half an hour later the English had leftDumfries. 

Bruce called a council of his companions. 

"My friends, " he said, "we have been hurried into a terrible strife, and deeply do I regret that by my own mad passion at the treacheryof Comyn I have begun it by an evil deed; but when I tell you of theway in which that traitor sought to bring me to an English block, you will somewhat absolve me for the deed, and will grant that, unhappy and unfortunate as it was, my passion was in some degreejustified. "

He then informed them of the bond into which he and Comyn hadentered, and of its betrayal by Comyn to Edward. 

"Thus it is, " he said, "that the deed has taken place, and itis too late to mend it. We have before us a desperate enterprise, and yet I hope that we may succeed in it. At any rate, this timethere can be no drawing back, and we must conquer or die. It wascertain in any case that Comyn and his party would oppose me, butnow their hostility will go to all lengths, while Edward will neverforgive the attack upon his justiciaries. Still we shall have somebreathing time. The king will not hear for ten days of events here, and it will take him two months at least before he can assemblean army on the Border, and Comyn's friends will probably do noughttill the English approach. However, let us hurry to LochmabenCastle; there we shall be safe from any sudden attack by Comyn'sfriends in Galloway. First let us draw out papers setting forththe cause of my enmity to Comyn, and of the quarrel which led tohis death, and telling all Scotchmen that I have now cut myselfloose for ever from England, and that I have come to free Scotlandand to win the crown which belongs to me by right, or to die inthe attempt. "

Many of these documents being drawn out, messengers were despatchedwith them to Bruce's friends throughout the country, and he andhis followers rode to Lochmaben. 

Archie Forbes went north to his own estate, and at once gavenotice to his retainers to prepare to take the field, and to marchto Glasgow, which Bruce had named as the rendezvous for all welldisposed towards him. From time to time messages came from Bruce, telling him that he was receiving many promises of support; thewhole of the vassals of Annandale and Carrick had assembled atLochmaben, where many small landowners with their retainers alsojoined him. As soon as his force had grown to a point when heneed fear no interruption on his march toward Glasgow, Bruce leftLochmaben. On his way he was joined by the first influentialnobleman who had espoused his cause; this was Sir James Douglas, whose father, Sir William, had died in an English prison. At thetime of his capture his estates had been bestowed by Edward uponLord Clifford, and the young Douglas, then but a lad, had soughtrefuge in France. After a while he had returned, and was livingwith Lamberton, Bishop of St. Andrews, who had been one of Wallace'smost active supporters. 

The young Douglas, on receiving the news that Bruce was marchingnorth, at once mounted, rode off, and joined him. He was joyfullyreceived by Bruce, as not only would his own influence be greatamong his father's vassals of Douglasdale, but his adhesion wouldinduce many others to join. Receiving news of Bruce's march, Archie moved to Glasgow with his retainers. The English garrisonand adherents in Glasgow fled at his approach. Upon arriving thereBruce solemnly proclaimed the independence of Scotland, and sentout notices to all the nobles and gentry, calling upon them to joinhim. 

Fortunately the Bishop of St. Andrews, and Wishart, Bishop ofGlasgow, another of Wallace's friends, at once declared stronglyfor him, as did the Bishop of Moray and the Abbot of Scone. Theadhesion of these prelates was of immense importance to Bruce, asto some extent the fact of their joining him showed that the churchfelt no overwhelming indignation at the act of sacrilege which hehad committed, and enabled the minor clergy to advocate his causewith their flocks. 

Many of the great nobles hostile to the Comyn faction also joinedhim; among these were the Earls of Athole, Lennox, Errol, andMenteith; Christopher Seaton, Sir Simon Fraser, David Inchmartin, Hugh de la Haye, Walter de Somerville, Robert Boyd, Robert Fleming, David Barclay, Alexander Fraser, Sir Thomas Randolph, and SirNeil Campbell. Bruce's four brothers, Edward, Nigel, Thomas, andAlexander, were, of course, with him. Bruce now moved from Glasgowto Scone, and was there crowned King of Scotland on the 27th ofMarch, 1306, six weeks after his arrival at Dumfries. Since thedays of Malcolm Canmore the ceremony of placing the crown on thehead of the monarch had been performed by the representative ofthe family of Macduff, the earls of Fife; the present earl was inthe service of the English; but his sister Isobel, wife of Comyn, Earl of Buchan, rode into Scone with a train of followers upon theday after the coronation, and demanded to perform the office whichwas the privilege of the family. To this Bruce gladly assented, seeing that many Scotchmen would hold the coronation to be irregularfrom its not having been performed by the hereditary functionary, andthat as Isabel was the wife of Comyn of Buchan, her open adhesionto him might influence some of that faction. Accordingly on thefollowing day the ceremony was again performed, Isobel of Buchanplacing the crown on Bruce's head, an act of patriotism for whichthe unfortunate lady was afterwards to pay dearly. Thus, althoughthe great majority of the Scotch nobles still held aloof, Bruce wasnow at the head of a considerable force, and he at once proceededto overrun the country. The numerous English who had come acrossthe Border, under the belief that Scotland was finally conquered, or to take possession of lands granted them by Edward, were allcompelled either to take refuge in the fortified towns and castlesheld by English garrisons, or to return hastily to England. 

When the news of the proceedings at Dumfries and the generalrising in the south of Scotland reached Edward he was at the cityof Winchester. He had been lately making a sort of triumphantpassage through the country, and the unexpected news that Scotlandwhich he had believed crushed beyond all possibility of furtherresistance was again in arms, is said for a time to have drivenhim almost out of his mind with rage. 

Not a moment was lost. Aylmer de Valence, Earl of Pembroke, was atonce commissioned to proceed to Scotland, to "put down rebellionand punish the rebels, " the whole military array of the northerncounties was placed under his orders, and Clifford and Percy wereassociated with him in the commission. Edward also applied to thepope to aid him in punishing the sacrilegious rebels who had violatedthe sanctuary of Dumfries. As Clement V was a native of Guienne, and kept his court at Bordeaux within Edward's dominions, hisrequest was, of course, promptly complied with, and a bull issued, instructing the Archbishop of York and the Bishop of Carlisle toexcommunicate Bruce and his friends, and to place them and theirpossessions under an interdict. It was now that the adhesion ofthe Scottish prelates was of such vital consequence to Bruce. Hadthe interdict been obeyed, the churches would have been closed, all religious ceremonies suspended, the rites of the church wouldhave been refused even to dying men, and the dead would have beenburied without service in unconsecrated ground. So terrible a weaponas this was almost always found irresistible, and its terrors hadcompelled even the most powerful monarchs to yield obedience tothe pope's orders; but the Scotch prelates set the needs of theircountry above the commands of the pope, and in spite of repeated bullsthe native clergy continued to perform their functions throughoutthe whole struggle, and thus nullified the effect of the popishanathema. 

King Edward was unable himself to lead his army against the Scots, for he was now sixty-seven years old, and the vast fatigues andexertions which he had undergone in the course of a life spent almostcontinually in war had told upon him. He had partially lost theuse of his limbs, and was forced to travel in a carriage or litter;but when he reached London from Winchester a grand ceremony washeld, at which the order of knighthood was conferred by the kingupon the Prince of Wales, and three hundred aspirants belonging tothe principal families of the country, and orders were given thatthe whole military array of the kingdom should, in the followingspring, gather at Carlisle, where Edward himself would meet themand accompany them to Scotland. The Earl of Pembroke, with Cliffordand Percy, lost no time in following the orders of Edward, and withthe military power of the northern counties marched into Scotland. They advanced unopposed to the Forth, and crossing this river proceededtowards Perth, near which town the Scottish army were gathered. Archie Forbes, who stood very high in favour with Bruce, had urgedupon him the advantage of carrying out the tactics formerly adoptedby Wallace, and of compelling the enemy to fall back by cuttingoff all food supplies, but Bruce would not, in this instance, beguided by his counsel. 

"When the king advances next spring with his great army, Sir Archie, I will assuredly adopt the course which you point out, seeingthat we could not hope to withstand so great an array in a pitchedbattle; but the case is different now. In the first place all thecastles and towns are in the hands of the English, and from themPembroke can draw such provision as he needs. In the second placehis force is not so superior to our own but that we may fight himwith a fair hope of victory; and whereas Wallace had never anycavalry with him, save at Falkirk when they deserted him at thebeginning of the battle, we have a strong body of mounted men-at-arms, the retainers of the nobles with me, therefore I do not fear togive them battle in the open field. "

In pursuance of this determination Bruce sent a challenge to Pembroketo meet him with his army in the open field next day. Pembrokeaccepted the challenge, and promised to meet his opponent on thefollowing morning, and the Scotch retired for the night to thewood of Methven, near Perth. Here many of them set out on foragingexcursions, the knights laid aside their armour, and the armyprepared for sleep. 

Archie Forbes was much dissatisfied at the manner in which Bruce hadhazarded all the fortunes of Scotland on a pitched battle, therebythrowing away the great advantage which their superior mobility andknowledge of the country gave to the Scots. He had disarmed likethe rest, and was sitting by a fire chatting with William Orr andAndrew Macpherson, who, as they had been his lieutenants in theband of lads he had raised seven years before, now occupied thesame position among his retainers, each having the command of ahundred men. Suddenly one who had been wandering outside the linesin search of food among the farmhouses ran hastily in, shoutingthat the whole English army was upon them. 

A scene of the utmost confusion took place. Bruce and his knightshastily armed, and mounting their horses rode to meet the enemy. There was no time to form ranks or to make any order of battle. Archie sprang to his horse. He bade his lieutenants form the meninto a compact body and move forward, keeping the king's bannerever in sight, and to cut their way to it whenever they saw it wasin danger. Then, followed by his two mounted squires, he rode afterthe king. The contest of Methven can scarce be called a battle, forthe Scots were defeated before it began. Many, as has been said, were away; great numbers of footmen instantly took flight anddispersed in all directions. Here and there small bodies stood andfought desperately, but being unsupported were overcome and slain. The king with his knights fought with desperate bravery, spurringhither and thither and charging furiously among the Englishmen-at-arms. Three times Bruce was unhorsed and as often remountedby Sir Simon Fraser. Once he was so entirely cut off from hiscompanions by the desperation with which he had charged into themidst of the English, that he was surrounded, struck from his horse, and taken prisoner. 

"The king is taken!" Archie Forbes shouted; "ride in, my lords, and rescue him. "

Most of the Scotch knights were so hardly pressed that they coulddo nothing to aid the king; but Christopher Seaton joined Archie, and the two knights charged into the midst of the throng of Englishand cut their way to Bruce. Sir Philip Mowbray, who was besidethe captured monarch, was overthrown, and several others cut down. Bruce leapt into his saddle again and the three for a time kept atbay the circle of foemen; but such a conflict could have but oneend. Archie Forbes vied with the king in the strength and power ofhis blows, and many of his opponents went down before him. Therewas, however, no possibility of extricating themselves from themass of their foes, and Bruce, finding the conflict hopeless, wasagain about to surrender when a great shout was heard, and a closebody of Scottish spearmen threw themselves into the ranks of theEnglish horse. Nothing could withstand the impetuosity of theassault. The horsemen recoiled before the levelled spears, and thepikemen, sweeping onward, surrounded the king and his companions. 

"Well done, my brave fellows!" Archie cried; "now keep together ina close body and draw off the field. "

The darkness which had at first proved so disastrous to the Scotswas now favourable to them. The English infantry knew not what wasgoing on. The cavalry tried in vain to break through the ranks ofthe spearmen, and these, keeping closely together, regained theshelter of the wood, and drew off by way of Dunkeld and Killiecrankieto the mountains of Athole. On their way they were joined by EdwardBruce, the Earl of Athole, Sir Neil Campbell, Gilbert de la Haye, and Douglas, and by many scattered footmen. 

To his grief Bruce learned that Randolph, Inchmartin, Somerville, Alexander Fraser, Hugh de la Haye, and others had been captured, but the number killed had been small. When once safe from pursuita council was held. It was agreed at once that it was impossiblethat so large a body could find subsistence in the mountains ofAthole, cooped up as they were by their foes. The lowlands swarmedwith the English; to the north was Badenoch, the district of theirbitter enemies the Comyns; while westward lay the territory ofthe MacDougalls of Lorne, whose chieftain, Alexander, was a nephewby marriage of the Comyn killed by Bruce, and an adherent of theEnglish. 

Beyond an occasional deer, and the fish in the lochs and streams, the country afforded no means of subsistence, it was thereforedecided to disband the greater portion of the force, the knightsand nobles, with a few of their immediate retainers, alone remainingwith the king, while the main body dispersed and regained theirhomes. This was done; but a few days later a messenger came sayingthat the queen, with the wives of many of the gentlemen, had arrivedat Aberdeen and sought to join the king. Although an accessionof numbers was by no means desirable, and the hardships of sucha life immense for ladies to support, there was no other resourcebut for them to join the party, as they would otherwise have speedilyfallen into the hands of the English. Therefore Bruce, accompaniedby some of his followers, rode to Aberdeen and escorted the queenand ladies to his mountain retreat. 

It was a strange life that Bruce, his queen, and his little courtled. Sleeping in rough arbours formed of boughs, the party supportedthemselves by hunting and fishing. 

Gins and traps were set in the streams, and Douglas and Archiewere specially active in this pursuit; Archie's boyish experienceat Glen Cairn serving him in good stead. Between him and Sir JamesDouglas a warm friendship had sprung up. Douglas was four yearshis junior. As a young boy he had heard much of Archie's feats withWallace, and his father had often named him to him as conspicuousfor his bravery, as well as his youth. The young Douglas thereforeentertained the highest admiration for him, and had from the timeof his joining Bruce become his constant companion. 

Bruce himself was the life and soul of the party. He was everhopeful and in high spirits, cheering his followers by his gaiety, and wiling away the long evenings by tales of adventure and chivalry, told when they were gathered round the fire. 

Gradually the party made their way westward along Loch Tay andGlen Dochart until they reached the head of Strathfillan; here, asthey were riding along a narrow pass, they were suddenly attackedby Alexander MacDougall with a large gathering of his clansmen. Several of the royal party were cut down at once, but Bruce withhis knights fought desperately. Archie Forbes with a few of theothers rallied round the queen with her ladies, and repelled everyeffort of the wild clansmen to break through, and continued to drawoff gradually down the glen. Bruce, with Douglas, De la Haye, andsome others, formed the rearguard and kept back the mass of theiropponents. De la Haye and Douglas were both wounded, but the littleparty continued to show a face to their foes until they reacheda spot where the path lay between a steep hill on one side andthe lake on the other. Then Bruce sent his followers ahead, andhimself covered the rear. Suddenly three of the MacDougalls, whohad climbed the hillside, made a spring upon him from above. Oneleapt on to the horse behind the king, and attempted to hold hisarms, another seized his bridle rein, while the third thrust hishand between Bruce's leg and the saddle to hurl him from his horse. The path was too narrow for Bruce to turn his horse, and spurringforward he pressed his leg so close to the saddle that he imprisonedthe arm of the assailant beneath it and dragged him along withhim, while with a blow of his sword he smote off the arm of himwho grasped the rein. Then, turning in his saddle, he seized hisassailant who was behind him and by main strength wrenched him roundto the pommel of the saddle and there slew him. Then he turned andhaving cut down the man whose arm he held beneath his leg, he rodeon and joined his friends. 

In the course of the struggle the brooch which fastened his cloakwas lost. This was found by the MacDougalls and carried home asa trophy, and has been preserved by the family ever since, withapparently as much pride as if it had been proof of the fidelityand patriotism of their ancestors, instead of being a memento ofthe time when, as false and disloyal Scotchmen, they fought withEngland against Scotland's king and deliverer. 

Chapter XIII

The Castle of Dunstaffnage

Bruce's party were now more than ever straitened for provisions, since they had to depend almost entirely upon such fish as theymight catch, as it was dangerous to stray far away in pursuit ofdeer. Archie, however, with his bow and arrows ventured severaltimes to go hunting in order to relieve the sad condition of theladies, and succeeded two or three times in bringing a deer homewith him. 

He had one day ventured much further away than usual. He had notsucceeded in finding a stag, and the ladies had for more than aweek subsisted entirely on fish. He therefore determined to continuethe search, however long, until he found one. He had crossed severalwooded hills, and was, he knew, leagues away from the point wherehe had left his party, when, suddenly emerging from a wood, he cameupon a road just at the moment when a party some twenty strong ofwild clansmen were traversing it. On a palfrey in their centre wasa young lady whom they were apparently escorting. They were buttwenty yards away when he emerged from the wood, and on seeing himthey drew their claymores and rushed upon him. Perceiving thatflight from these swift footed mountaineers would be impossible, Archie threw down his bow and arrows, and, drawing his sword, placedhis back against a tree, and prepared to defend himself until thelast. 

Parrying the blows of the first two who arrived he stretched themdead upon the ground, and was then at once attacked by the whole ofthe party together. Two more of his assailants fell by his sword;but he must have been soon overpowered and slain, when the younglady, whose cries to her followers to cease had been unheeded inthe din of the conflict, spurred her palfrey forward and broke intothe ring gathered round Archie. 

The clansmen drew back a pace, and Archie lowered his sword. 

"Desist, " she cried to the former in a tone of command, "or my uncleAlexander will make you rue the day when you disobeyed my orders. I will answer for this young knight. And now, sir, " she said, turning to Archie, "do you surrender your sword to me, and yieldyourself up a prisoner. Further resistance would be madness; youhave done too much harm already. I promise you your life if youwill make no further resistance. "

"Then, lady, " Archie replied, handing his sword to her, "I willinglyyield myself your prisoner, and thank you for saving my life fromthe hands of your savage followers. "

The young lady touched the hilt of his sword, and motioned him toreplace it in its scabbard. 

"You must accompany me, " she said, "to the abode of my uncle AlexanderMacDougall. I would, " she continued, as, with Archie walking besideher palfrey, while the Highlanders, with sullen looks, kept closebehind, muttering angrily to themselves at having been cheated bythe young lady of their vengeance upon the man who had slain fourof their number, "that I could set you at liberty, but my authorityover my uncle's clansmen does not extend so far; and did I bid themlet you go free they would assuredly disobey me. You are, as Ican see by your attire, one of the Bruce's followers, for no otherknight could be found wandering alone through these woods. "

"Yes, lady, " Archie said, "I am Sir Archibald Forbes, one of thefew followers of the King of Scotland. "

The lady gave a sudden start when Archie mentioned his name, andfor some little time did not speak again. 

"I would, " she said at last in a low voice, "that you had beenany other, seeing that Alexander MacDougall has a double cause ofenmity against you--firstly, as being a follower of Bruce, whoslew his kinsman Comyn, and who has done but lately great harm tohimself and his clansmen; secondly, as having dispossessed AllanKerr, who is also his relative, of his lands and castle. My uncleis a man of violent passions, and"--she hesitated. 

"And he may not, you think, " Archie went on, "respect your promisefor my life. If that be so, lady--and from what I have heard ofAlexander MacDougall it is like enough--I beg you to give me backmy surrender, for I would rather die here, sword in hand, than beput to death in cold blood in the castle of Dunstaffnage. "

"No, " the lady said, "that cannot be. Think you I could see youbutchered before mine eyes after having once surrendered yourselfto me? No, sir. I beseech you act not so rashly--that were certaindeath; and I trust that my uncle, hostile as he may be against you, will not inflict such dishonour upon me as to break the pledge Ihave given for your safety. "

Archie thought from what he had heard of the MacDougall that hischance was a very slight one. Still, as the young ever cling to hope, and as he would assuredly be slain by the clansmen, he thought itbetter to take the chance, small as it was, and so continued hismarch by the side of his captor's palfrey. 

After two hours' journey they neared the castle of Alexanderof Lorne. Archie could not repress a thrill of apprehension as helooked at the grim fortress and thought of the character of itslord; but his bearing showed no fear, as, conversing with the younglady, he approached the entrance. The gate was thrown open, andAlexander of Lorne himself issued out with a number of retainers. 

"Ah! Marjory!" he said, "I am glad to see your bonny face atDunstaffnage. It is three months since you left us, and the timehas gone slowly; the very dogs have been pining for your voice. But who have we here?" he exclaimed, as his eye fell upon Archie. 

"It is a wandering knight, uncle, " Marjory said lightly, "whomI captured in the forest on my way hither. He fought valiantlyagainst Murdoch and your followers, but at last he surrendered tome on my giving him my pledge that his life should be safe, andthat he should be treated honourably. Such a pledge I am sure, uncle, " she spoke earnestly now, "you will respect. "

Alexander MacDougall's brow was as black as night, and he spoke inGaelic with his followers. 

"What!" he said angrily to the girl; "he has killed four of mymen, and is doubtless one of Bruce's party who slipped through myfingers the other day and killed so many of my kinsmen and vassals. You have taken too much upon yourself, Marjory. It is not by youthat he has been made captive, but by my men, and you had no powerto give such promise as you have made. Who is this young springall?"

"I am Sir Archibald Forbes, " Archie said proudly--"a name whichmay have reached you even here. "

"Archibald Forbes!" exclaimed MacDougall furiously. "What! theenemy and despoiler of the Kerrs! Had you a hundred lives youshould die. Didst know this, Marjory?" he said furiously to thegirl. "Didst know who this young adventurer was when you asked hislife of me?"

"I did, uncle, " the girl said fearlessly. "I did not know his namewhen he surrendered to me, and afterwards, when he told me, whatcould I do? I had given my promise, and I renewed it; and I trust, dear uncle, that you will respect and not bring dishonour upon it. "

"Dishonour!" MacDougall said savagely; "the girl has lost her senses. I tell you he should die if every woman in Scotland had given herpromise for his life. Away with him!" he said to his retainers;"take him to the chamber at the top of the tower; I will give himtill tomorrow to prepare for death, for by all the saints I swearhe shall hang at daybreak. As to you, girl, go to your chamber, and let me not see your face again till this matter is concluded. Methinks a madness must have fallen upon you that you should thusventure to lift your voice for a Forbes. "

The girl burst into tears as Archie was led away. His guards tookhim to the upper chamber in a turret, a little room of some sevenfeet in diameter, and there, having deprived him of his arms, theyleft him, barring and bolting the massive oaken door behind them. 

Archie had no hope whatever that Alexander MacDougall would changehis mind, and felt certain that the following dawn would be hislast. Of escape there was no possibility; the door was solid andmassive, the window a mere narrow loophole for archers, two orthree inches wide; and even had he time to enlarge the opening hewould be no nearer freedom, for the moat lay full eighty feet below. 

"I would I had died sword in hand!" he said bitterly; "then itwould have been over in a moment. "

Then he thought of the girl to whom he had surrendered his sword. 

"It was a sweet face and a bright one, " he said; "a fairer andbrighter I never saw. It is strange that I should meet her nowonly when I am about to die. " Then he thought of the agony whichhis mother would feel at the news of his death and at the extinctionof their race. Sadly he paced up and down his narrow cell tillnight fell. None took the trouble to bring him food--considering, doubtless, that he might well fast till morning. When it becamedark he lay down on the hard stone, and, with his arm under his headwas soon asleep--his last determination being that if possiblehe would snatch a sword or dagger from the hand of those who cameto take him to execution, and so die fighting; or if that wereimpossible, he would try to burst from them and to end his life bya leap from the turret. 

He was awakened by a slight noise at the door, and sprang to hisfeet instantly, believing that day was at hand and his hour hadcome. To his surprise a voice, speaking scarcely above a whisper, said:

"Hush! my son, make no noise; I am here as a friend. " Then thedoor closed, and Archie's visitor produced a lighted lantern fromthe folds of his garments, and Archie saw that a priest stood beforehim. 

"I thank you, father, " he said gratefully; "you have doubtless cometo shrive me, and I would gladly listen to your ministrations. Iwould fain intrust you, too, with a message to my mother if youwill take it for me; and I would fain also that you told the LadyMarjory that she must not grieve for my death, or feel that she isin any way dishonoured by it, seeing that she strove to her utmostto keep her promise, and is in no way to blame that her uncle hasoverriden her. "

"You can even give her your message yourself, sir knight, " thepriest said, "seeing that the wilful girl has herself accompaniedme hither. "

Thus saying, he stepped aside, and Archie perceived, standingbehind the priest, a figure who, being in deep shadow, he had nothitherto seen. She came timidly forward, and Archie, bending onone knee, took the hand she held out and kissed it. 

"Lady, " he said, "you have heard my message; blame not yourself, I beseech you, for my death. Remember that after all you havelengthened my life and not shortened it, seeing that but for yourinterference I must have been slain as I stood, by your followers. It was kind and good of you thus to come to bid me farewell. "

"But I have not come to bid you farewell. Tell him, good FatherAnselm, our purpose here. "

"`Tis a mad brain business, " the priest said, shrugging his shoulders;"and, priest though I am, I shall not care to meet MacDougall inthe morning. However, since this wilful girl wills it, what can Ido? I have been her instructor since she was a child; and insteadof being a docile and obedient pupil, she has been a tyrannicalmaster to me; and I have been so accustomed to do her will in allthings that I cannot say her nay now. I held out as long as I could;but what can a poor priest do against sobs and tears? So at lastI have given in and consented to risk the MacDougall's anger, tobring smiles into her face again. I have tried in vain to persuadeher that since it is the chief's doing, your death will bring nodishonour upon her. I have offered to absolve her from the promise, and if she has not faith in my power to do so, to write to thepope himself and ask for his absolution for any breach that theremay be; but I might as well have spoken to the wind. When a younglady makes up her mind, stone walls are less difficult to move; soyou see here we are. Wound round my waist are a hundred feet ofstout rope, with knots tied three feet apart. We have only now toascend the stairs to the platform above and fix the rope, and inan hour you will be far away among the woods. "

Archie's heart bounded with joy with the hope of life and freedom;but he said quietly, "I thank you, dear lady, with all my heart foryour goodness; but I could not accept life at the cost of bringingyour uncle's anger upon you. "

"You need not fear for that, " the girl replied. "My uncle ispassionate and headstrong--unforgiving to his foes or those hedeems so, but affectionate to those he loves. I have always been hispet; and though, doubtless, his anger will be hot just at first, it will pass away after a time. Let no scruple trouble you on thatscore; and I would rather put up with a hundred beatings than livewith the knowledge that one of Scotland's bravest knights came tohis end by a breach of my promise. Though my uncle and all my peopleside with the English, yet do not I; and I think the good fatherhere, though from prudence he says but little, is a true Scotsmanalso. I have heard of your name from childhood as the companionand friend of Wallace, and as one of the champions of our country;and though by blood I ought to hate you, my feelings have been verydifferent. But now stand talking no longer; the castle is soundasleep, but I tremble lest some mischance should mar our plans. "

"That is good sense, " Father Anselm said; "and remember, not aword must be spoken when we have once left this chamber. There isa sentry at the gate; and although the night is dark, and I deemnot that he can see us, yet must we observe every precaution. "

"Holy father, " Archie said, "no words of mine can thank you forthe part which you are playing tonight. Believe me, Archie Forbeswill ever feel grateful for your kindness and aid; and should youever quit Dunstaffnage you will be welcomed at Aberfilly Castle. Asto you, lady, henceforth Archie Forbes is your knight and servant. You have given me my life, and henceforth I regard it as yours. Willyou take this ring as my token? Should you ever send it to me, inwhatever peril or difficulty you may be, I will come to your aidinstantly, even should it reach me in a stricken battle. Think notthat I speak the language of idle gallantry. Hitherto my thoughtshave been only on Scotland, and no maiden has ever for an instantdrawn them from her. Henceforth, though I fight for Scotland, yetwill my country have a rival in my heart; and even while I chargeinto the ranks of the English, the fair image of Marjory MacDougallwill be in my thoughts. "

Father Anselm gave a slight start of surprise as Archie concluded, and would have spoken had not the girl touched him lightly. Shetook the pledge from Archie and said, "I will keep your ring, SirArchibald Forbes; and should I ever have occasion for help I willnot forget your promise. As to your other words, I doubt not thatyou mean them now; but it is unlikely, though I may dwell in yourthoughts, that you will ever in the flesh see Marjory MacDougall, between whose house and yours there is, as you know, bitter enmity. "

"There! there!" Father Anselm said impatiently; "enough, and morethan enough talk. Go to the door, Sir Archibald, and prepare toopen it directly I have blown out the light. The way up the stairslies on your right hand as you go out. "

Not another word was spoken. Noiselessly the little party made theirway to the roof; there one end of the rope was quickly knotted roundthe battlement. Archie grasped the good priest's hand, and kissedthat of the girl; and then, swinging himself off the battlement, disappeared at once in the darkness. Not a sound was heard forsome time, then the listening pair above heard a faint splash inthe water. The priest laid his hands on the rope and found that itswung slack in the air; he hauled it up and twisted it again roundhis waist. As he passed the door of the cell he pushed it to andreplaced the bars and bolts, and then with his charge regained theportion of the castle inhabited by the family. 

A few vigorous strokes took Archie across the moat, and an hourlater he was deep in the heart of the forest. Before morning brokehe was far beyond the risk of pursuit; and, taking the bearings ofthe surrounding hills, he found himself, after some walking, at thespot where he had left the royal party. As he had expected, it wasdeserted; he, however, set out on the traces of the party, and thatnight overtook them at their next encampment. 

With the reticence natural to young lovers Archie felt a disinclinationto speak of what had happened, or of the services which MarjoryMacDougall had rendered him. As it was naturally supposed that hehad lost his way in the woods on the previous day, and had not reachedthe encampment in the morning, until after they had started, fewquestions were asked, and indeed the thoughts of the whole partywere occupied with the approaching separation which the nightbefore they had agreed was absolutely necessary. The ladies wereworn out with their fatigues and hardships, and the Earl of Athole, and some of the other elder men, were also unable longer to supportit. Winter was close at hand, and the hardships would increase tenfold in severity. Therefore it was concluded that the time had comewhen they must separate, and that the queen and her companions, accompanied by those who could still be mounted, should seek shelterin Bruce's strong castle of Kildrummy. The Earl of Athole and theking's brother Nigel were in charge of the party. 

Bruce with his remaining companions determined to proceed intoKintyre, the country of Sir Neil Campbell, and thence to cross fora time to the north of Ireland. Sir Neil accordingly started toobtain the necessary vessels, and the king and his company followedslowly. To reach the Firth of Clyde it was necessary to cross LochLomond. This was a difficult undertaking; but after great searchSir James Douglas discovered a small boat sunk beneath the surfaceof the lake. On being pulled out it was found to be old and leaky, and would hold at best but three. With strips torn from their garmentsthey stopped the leaks as best they could, and then started acrossthe lake. There were two hundred to cross, and the passage occupieda night and a day; those who could not swim being taken over in theboat, while the swimmers kept alongside and when fatigued restedtheir hands on her gunwales. They were now in the Lennox country, and while Bruce and his friends were hunting, they were delightedto come across the Earl of Lennox and some of his companions, who had found refuge there after the battle of Methven. Althoughhimself an exile and a fugitive the earl was in his own country, and was therefore able to entertain the king and his companionshospitably, and the rest and feeling of security were welcome indeedafter the past labours and dangers. 

After a time Sir Neil Campbell arrived with the vessels, and, accompanied by the Earl of Lennox, Bruce and his companions embarkedat a point near Cardross. They sailed down the Clyde and roundthe south end of Arran, until, after many adventures and dangers, they reached the Castle of Dunaverty, on the south point of the Mullof Kintyre, belonging to Angus, chief of Islay. Here they waitedfor some time, but not feeling secure even in this secluded spotfrom the vengeance of their English and Scottish foes, they againset sail and landed at the Isle of Rathlin, almost midway betweenIreland and Scotland. Hitherto Robert Bruce had received but littleof that support which was so freely given to Wallace by the Scotchpeople at large; nor is this a matter for surprise. Baliol andComyn had in turn betrayed the country to the English, and Brucehad hitherto been regarded as even more strongly devoted to theEnglish cause than they had been. Thus the people viewed his attemptrather as an effort to win a throne for himself than as one to freeScotland from English domination. They had naturally no confidencein the nobles who had so often betrayed them, and Bruce especiallyhad, three or four times already, after taking up arms, made hispeace with England and fought against the Scots. Therefore, at firstthe people looked on at the conflict with comparative indifference. They were ready enough to strike for freedom, as they had provedwhen they had rallied round Wallace, but it was necessary beforethey did so that they should possess confidence in their leaders. Such confidence they had certainly no cause whatever to feel inBruce. The time was yet to come when they should recognize in him aleader as bold, as persevering, and as determined as Wallace himself. 

The people of Rathlin were rude and ignorant, but simple andhospitable. The island contained nothing to attract either adventurersor traders, and it was seldom, therefore, that ships touched there, consequently there was little fear that the news of the sojourn ofthe Scotch king and his companions would reach the mainland, andindeed the English remained in profound ignorance as to what hadbecome of the fugitives, and deemed them to be still in hidingsomewhere among the western hills. 

Edward had in council issued a proclamation commanding "all thepeople of the country to pursue and search for all who had been inarms and had not surrendered, also all who had been guilty of othercrimes, and to deliver them up dead or alive, and that whosoeverwere negligent in the discharge of his duty should forfeit theircastles and be imprisoned. "

Pembroke, the guardian, was to punish at his discretion all whoharboured offenders. Those who abetted the slayers of Comyn, or whoknowingly harboured them or their accomplices, were to be "drawnand hanged, " while all who surrendered were to be imprisoned duringthe king's pleasure. The edict was carried out to the letter, andthe English soldiery, with the aid of the Scotch of their party, scoured the whole country, putting to the sword all who were foundin arms or under circumstances of suspicion. 

Chapter XIV

Colonsay

Archie, having little else to do, spent much of his time in fishing. As a boy he had learned to be fond of the sport in the stream ofGlen Cairn; but the sea was new to him, and whenever the weatherpermitting he used to go out with the natives in their boats. TheIrish coast was but a few miles away, but there was little trafficbetween Rathlin and the mainland. The coast there is wild andforbidding, and extremely dangerous in case of a northerly galeblowing up suddenly. The natives were a wild and savage race, andmany of those who had fought to the last against the English refusedto submit when their chiefs laid down their arms, and took refugein the many caves and hiding places afforded in the wild and brokencountry on the north coast. 

Thus no profitable trade was to be carried on with the Irishmainland. The people of Rathlin were themselves primitive in theirways. Their wants were few and easily satisfied. The wool of theirflocks furnished them with clothing, and they raised sufficient grainin sheltered spots to supply them with meal, while an abundance offood could be always obtained from the sea. In fine weather theytook more than sufficient for their needs, and dried the overplusto serve them when the winter winds kept their boats from puttingout. Once or twice in the year their largest craft, laden with driedfish, would make across to Ayr, and there disposing of its cargowould bring back such articles as were needed, and more preciousstill, the news of what was passing in the world, of which thesimple islanders knew so little. Even more than fishing, Archieloved when the wind blew wildly to go down to the shore and watchthe great waves rolling in and dashing themselves into foam onthe rocky coast. This to him was an entirely new pleasure, and heenjoyed it intensely. Perched on some projecting rock out of reachof the waves, he would sit for hours watching the grand scene, sometimes alone, sometimes with one or two of his comrades. Theinflux of a hundred visitors had somewhat straitened the islanders, and the fishermen were forced to put to sea in weather when theywould not ordinarily have launched their boats, for in the winterthey seldom ventured out unless the previous season had beenunusually bad, and the stores of food laid by insufficient for winterconsumption. Archie generally went out with an old man, who withtwo grownup sons owned a boat. They were bold and skilful fishermen, and often put to sea when no other boat cared to go out. 

One evening the old man, as usual before going to sea, came intothe hut which Archie and Sir James Douglas inhabited, and told himthat he was going out early the next morning. "Fish are scarce, "he said, "and it would be a disgrace on us islanders if our guestswere to run short of food. "

"I shall be ready, Donald, " Archie replied, "and I hope we shallhave good sport. "

"I can't see what pleasure you take, Sir Archie, " the young Douglassaid, when the fisherman had left, "in being tossed up and down onthe sea in a dirty boat, especially when the wind is high and thesea rough. "

"I like it best then, " Archie replied; "when the men are rowingagainst the wind, and the waves dash against the boat and the spraycomes over in blinding showers, I feel very much the same sort ofexcitement as I do in a battle. It is a strife with the elementsinstead of with men, but the feeling in both cases is akin, andI feel the blood dancing fast through my veins and my lips settightly together, just as when I stand shoulder to shoulder withmy retainers, and breast the wave of English horsemen. "

"Well, each to his taste, I suppose, " Douglas said, laughing; "Ihave not seen much of war yet, and I envy you with all my heart thefights which you have gone through; but I can see no amusement ingetting drenched to the skin by the sea. I think I can understandyour feeling, though, for it is near akin to my own when I sit onthe back of a fiery young horse, who has not yet been broken, andfeel him battle with his will against mine, and bound, and rear, and curvet in his endeavours to throw me, until at last he isconquered and obeys the slightest touch of the rein. "

"No doubt it is the same feeling, " Archie replied; "it is the joyof strife in another form. For myself, I own I would rather fighton foot than on horseback; I can trust myself better than I cantrust my steed, can wheel thrice while he is turning once, can defendboth sides equally well; whereas on horseback, not only have I todefend myself but my horse, which is far more difficult, and if heis wounded and falls I may be entangled under him and be helplessat the mercy of an opponent. "

"But none acquitted them better on horseback at Methven than youdid, Sir Archie, " the young fellow said, admiringly. "Did you notsave the king, and keep at bay his foes till your retainers cameup with their pikes and carried him off from the centre of theEnglish chivalry?"

"I did my best, " Archie said, "as one should always do; but I felteven then that I would rather have been fighting on foot. "

"That is because you have so much skill with your weapon, SirArchie, " Douglas said. "On horseback with mace or battleaxe it ismainly a question of sheer strength, and though you are very strongthere are others who are as strong as you. Now, it is allowed thatnone of the king's knights and followers are as skilful as youwith the sword, and even the king himself, who is regarded as thesecond best knight in Europe, owns that on foot and with a swordhe has no chance against you. That we all saw when you practicedfor the amusement of the queen and her ladies in the mountains ofLennox. None other could even touch you, while you dented all ourhelmets and armour finely with that sword of yours. Had we continuedthe sport there would not have been a whole piece of armour amongus save your own harness. "

Archie laughed. "I suppose, Douglas, we all like best that in whichwe most excel. There are many knights in the English army who wouldassuredly overthrow me either in the tilting ring or in the field, for I had not the training on horseback when quite young which isneeded to make a perfect knight, while I had every advantage in thelearning of sword playing, and I stick to my own trade. The worldis beginning to learn that a man on foot is a match for ahorseman--Wallace taught Europe that lesson. They are slow to believe it, for hitherto armed knights have deemed themselves invincible, andhave held in contempt all foot soldiers. Stirling, and Falkirk, and Loudon Hill have taught them the difference, but it will be along time before they fairly own a fact so mortifying to chivalry;but the time will come, be well assured, when battles will befought almost with infantry alone. Upon them the brunt of the daywill fall, and by them will victory be decided, while horsemenwill be used principally for pursuing the foe when he is broken, for covering the retreat of infantry by desperate charges, or bycharging into the midst of a fray when the infantry are broken. "

"All the better for Scotland, " James Douglas said, cheerfully. "We are not a nation of horsemen, and our mountains and hills, ourforests and morasses, are better adapted for infantry than cavalry;so if ever the change you predict come to pass we shall be gainersby it. "

At daybreak next morning Archie went down to the cove where hisfriend the fisherman kept his boat. The old man and his two sonswere already there, but had not launched their craft. 

"I like not the look of the weather, " the fisherman said whenArchie joined him. "The sky is dull and heavy, the sea is blackand sullen, but there is a sound in the waves as they break againstthe rocks which seems to tell of a coming storm. I think, however, it will be some hours before it breaks, and if we have luck we mayget a haul or two before it comes on. "

"I am ready to go or stay, " Archie said; "I have no experience inyour weather here, and would not urge you against your own judgment, whatever it be; but if you put out I am ready to go with you. "

"We will try it, " the fisherman said, "for food is running short;but we will not go far from the shore, so that we can pull back ifthe weather gets worse. "

The boat was soon launched, the nets and oars were already onboard, and they quickly put out from the shore. The boat carrieda small square sail, which was used when running before the wind. In those days the art of navigation was in its infancy, and the artof tacking against the wind had scarcely begun to be understood;indeed, so high were the ships out of water, with their lofty poopsand forecastles, that it was scarce possible to sail them on awind, so great was the leeway they made. Thus when contrary windscame mariners anchored and waited as patiently as they might fora change, and voyage to a port but two days' sail with a favouringwind was a matter of weeks when it was foul. 

After rowing a mile from land the nets were put out, and for sometime they drifted near these. From time to time the old fishermancast an anxious eye at the sky. 

"We must get in our nets, " he said at last decidedly; "the wind isrising fast, and is backing from the west round to the south. Bequick, lads, for ere long the gale will be on us in its strength, and if `tis from the south we may well be blown out to sea. "

Without a moment's delay the fishermen set to work to get in the nets, Archie lending a hand to assist them. The younger men thoroughlyagreed in their father's opinion of the weather, but they knew toowell the respect due to age to venture upon expressing an opinionuntil he had first spoken. The haul was a better one than they hadexpected, considering that the net had been down but two hours. 

"`Tis not so bad, " the fisherman said, "and the catch will be rightwelcome--that is, " he added, as he looked toward the land, "ifwe get it safely on shore. "

The wind was now blowing strongly, but if it did not rise the boatwould assuredly make the land. Archie took the helm, having learnedsomewhat of the steering on previous excursions, and the threefishermen tugged at the oars. It was a cross sea, for although thewind now blew nearly in their teeth, it had until the last halfhour been from the west, and the waves were rolling in from theAtlantic. The boat, however, made fair progress, and Archie beganto think that the doubts of the fishermen as to their making theshore were in no wise justified, when suddenly a gust, far strongerthan those they had hitherto met, struck the boat. "Keep her headstraight!" the fisherman shouted. "Don't let the wind take it oneside or the other. Stick to it, boys; row your hardest; it is onus now and in earnest, I fear. "

The three men bent to their oars, but Archie felt that they wereno longer making headway. The boat was wide and high out of thewater; a good sea boat, but very hard to row against the wind. Although the men strained at the oars, till Archie expected to seethe tough staves crack under their efforts, the boat did not seemto move. Indeed it appeared to Archie that in the brief space whenthe oars were out of the water the wind drove her further back thanthe distance she had gained in the last stroke. He hoped, however, that the squall was merely temporary, and that when it subsidedthere would still be no difficulty in gaining the land. His hopewas not realized. Instead of abating, the wind appeared each momentto increase in force. Clouds of spray were blown on the top ofthe waves, so that at times Archie could not see the shore beforehim. For nearly half an hour the fishermen struggled on, butArchie saw with dismay that the boat was receding from the shore, and that they had already lost the distance they had gained beforethe squall struck them. The old fisherman looked several times overhis shoulder. 

"It is of no use, " he said at last; "we shall never make Rathlin, and must even run before the gale. Put up the helm, young sir, andtake her round. Wait a moment till the next wave has passed underus--now!" In another minute the boat's head was turned from land, and she was speeding before the gale. 

"In with your oars, lads, and rig the mast, reef down the sail tothe last point; we must show a little to keep her dead before thewind; we shall have a tremendous sea when we are once fairly awayfrom the shelter of the island. This gale will soon knock up thesea, and with the cross swell from the Atlantic it will be as muchas we can do to carry through it. "

The mast was stepped and a mere rag of sail hoisted, but this wassufficient to drive the boat through the water at a great speed. The old fisherman was steering now, and when the sail was hoistedthe four men all gathered in the stern of the boat. 

"You will go between Islay and Jura, I suppose, " one of the youngermen said. 

"Ay, " his father said briefly; "the sea will be too high to windwardof Islay. "

"Could we not keep inside Jura?" Archie suggested; "and shelter insome of the harbours on the coast of Argyle?"

"Ay, " the old man said; "could we be sure of doing that it wouldbe right enough, but, strong as the wind is blowing her, it willbe stronger still when we get in the narrow waters between theislands and the mainland, and it would be impossible to keep hereven a point off the wind; then if we missed making a harbour weshould be driven up through the Strait of Corrievrekan, and thebiggest ship which sails from a Scottish port would not live in thesea which will be running there. No, it will be bad enough passingbetween Islay and Jura; if we get safely through that I shall tryto run into the narrow strait between Colonsay and Oronsay; therewe should have good and safe shelter. If we miss that, we mustrun inside Mull--for there will be no getting without it--andeither shelter behind Lismore island far up the strait, or behindKerara, or into the passage to Loch Etive. "

"It will not be the last, I hope, " Archie said, "for there standsDunstaffnage Castle, and the lands all belong to the MacDougalls. It is but two months back I was a prisoner there, and though I thenescaped, assuredly if I again get within its walls I shall nevergo out again. As well be drowned here. "

"Then we will hope, " the fisherman said, "that `tis into some otherharbour that this evil wind may blow us; but as you see, young sir, the gale is the master and not we, and we must needs go where itchooses to take us. "

Fiercer and fiercer blew the gale; a tremendous cross sea was nowrunning, and the boat, stout and buoyant as she was, seemed everymoment as if she would be engulfed in the chaos of water. Small asthe sail had been it had been taken down and lashed with ropes tothe yard, so that now only about three square feet of canvas wasset. 

"We can show a little more, " the fisherman shouted in Archie's ear, "when we get abreast of Islay, for we shall then be sheltered fromthe sea from the west, and can run more boldly with only a followingsea; but till we get out of this cross tumble we must not carryon, we only want steerage way to keep her head straight. "

Never before had Archie Forbes seen a great gale in all its strengthat sea, for those which had occurred while at Rathlin were as nothingto the present; and although on the hillside round Glen Cairn thewind sometimes blew with a force which there was no withstanding, there was nothing to impress the senses as did this wild confusionand turmoil of water. Buoyant as was the boat, heavy seas often brokeon board her, and two hands were constantly employed in bailing;still Archie judged from the countenance of the men that they didnot deem the position desperate, and that they believed the craftwould weather the gale. Towards midday, although the wind blewas strongly as ever, there was a sensible change in the motion ofthe boat. She no longer was tossed up and down with jerky and suddenmotion, as the waves seemed to rise directly under her, but roseand fell on the following waves with a steady and regular motion. 

"We are well abreast of Islay, " the old fisherman said when Archieremarked on the change to him. "There! do you not see that darkbank through the mist; that is Islay. We have no longer a cross sea, and can show a little more sail to keep her from being pooped. Wewill bear a little off toward the land--we must keep it in sight, and not too far on our left, otherwise we may miss the straits andrun on to Jura. "

A little more sail was accordingly shown to the gale, and the boatscudded along at increased speed. 

"How far is it to Colonsay?" Archie asked. 

"Between fifty and sixty miles from Rathlin, " the fisherman said. "It was eight o'clock when we started, ten when the squall struckus, it will be dark by four, and fast as we are running we shallscarcely be in time to catch the last gleam of day. Come, boys, "he said to his sons, "give her a little more canvas still, for itis life and death to reach Colonsay before nightfall, for if wemiss it we shall be dashed on to the Mull long before morning. "

A little more sail was accordingly shown, and the boat tore throughthe water at what seemed to Archie to be tremendous speed; but shewas shipping but little water now, for though the great waves asthey neared her stern seemed over and over again to Archie as ifthey would break upon her and send her instantly to the bottom, the stout boat always lifted lightly upon them until he at lengthfelt free from apprehension on that score. Presently the fishermanpointed out a dark mass over their other bow. 

"That is Jura, " he said; "we are fair for the channel, lads, butyou must take in the sail again to the smallest rag, for the windwill blow through the gap between the islands with a force fit totear the mast out of her. "

Through the rest of his life Archie Forbes regarded that passagebetween Islay and Jura as the most tremendous peril he had everencountered. Strong as the wind had been before, it was as nothingto the force with which it swept down the strait--the height ofthe waves was prodigious, and the boat, as it passed over the crestof a wave, seemed to plunge down a very abyss. The old fishermancrouched low in the boat, holding the helm, while the other threelay on the planks in the bottom. Speech was impossible, for theloudest shouts would have been drowned in the fury of the storm. Inhalf an hour the worst was over. They were through the straits andout in the open sea again, but Islay now made a lee for them, andthe sea, high as it was, was yet calm in comparison to the tremendouswaves in the Strait of Jura. More sail was hoisted again, and inan hour the fisherman said, "Thank God, there are the islands. "The day was already fading, and Archie could with difficulty makeout the slightly dark mass to which the helm pointed. 

"Is that Colonsay?" he asked. 

"It is Oronsay, " the fisherman said. "The islands are close togetherand seem as if they had once been one, but have been cleft asunderby the arm of a giant. The strait between them is very narrow, andonce within it we shall be perfectly sheltered. We must make asclose to the point of the island as we can well go, so as not totouch the rocks, and then turn and enter the strait. If we keepout any distance we shall be blown past the entrance, and then ouronly remaining chance is to try and run her on to Colonsay, andtake the risk of being drowned as she is dashed upon the rocks. "

The light had almost faded when they ran along at the end of Oronsay. Archie shuddered as he saw the waves break upon the rocks and flyhigh up into the air, and felt how small was the chance of theirescape should they be driven on a coast like that. They were butfifty yards from the point when they came abreast of its extremity;then the fisherman put down the helm and turned her head towardsthe strait, which opened on their left. 

"Down with the sail and mast, lads, and out with your oars; we mustrow her in. "

Not a moment was lost, the sail was lowered, the mast unstepped, and the oars got out, with a speed which showed how urgent wasthe occasion. Archie, who did not feel confidence in his powerto manager her now in such a sea, took his seat by the man on thestroke thwart, and double banked his oar. Five minutes desperaterowing and they were under shelter of Oronsay, and were rowing morequickly up the narrow strait and towards the shore of Colonsay, where they intended to land. A quarter of an hour more and theystepped ashore. 

The old fisherman raised his hat reverently. "Let us thank Godand all the saints, " he said, "who have preserved us through suchgreat danger. I have been nigh fifty years at sea, and never wasout in so wild a gale. "

For a few minutes all stood silent and bare headed, returningfervent thanks for their escape. 

"It is well, " the old man said, as they moved inland, "that I havebeen so far north before; there are but few in Rathlin who haveeven been north of Islay, but sometimes when fish have been veryplentiful in the island, and the boat for Ayr had already gone, I have taken up a boatload of fish to the good monks of Colonsay, who, although fairly supplied by their own fishermen, were yetalways ready to pay a good price for them. Had you been in a boatwith one who knew not the waters, assuredly we must have perished, for neither skill nor courage could have availed us. There! do yousee that light ahead? That is the priory, and you may be sure ofa welcome there. "

The priory door was opened at their ring, and the monk who unclosedit, greatly surprised at visitors on such a night, at once badethem enter when he heard that they were fishermen whom the stormhad driven to shelter on the island. The fishermen had to lendtheir aid to the monk to reclose the door, so great was the powerof the wind. The monk shot the bolts, saying, "We need expect nofurther visitors tonight;" and led them into the kitchen, where ahuge fire was blazing. 

"Quick, brother Austin, " he said to the monk, who acted as cook, "warm up a hot drink for these poor souls, for they must assuredlybe well nigh perished with cold, seeing that they have been wetfor many hours and exposed to all the violence of this wintry gale. "

Archie and his companions were, indeed, stiff with cold and exposure, and could scarce answer the questions which the monks asked them. 

"Have patience, brother! have patience!" brother Austin said. "Whentheir tongues are unfrozen doubtless they will tell you all thatyou want to know. Only wait, I pray you, till they have drunk thisposset which I am preparing. "

The monk's curiosity was not, however, destined to be so speedilysatisfied, for just as the voyagers were finishing their hot drinksa monk entered with a message that the prior, having heard thatsome strangers had arrived, would fain welcome and speak with themin his apartment. They rose at once. 

"When the prior has done questioning you, " brother Austin said, "return hither at once. I will set about preparing supper for you, for I warrant me you must need food as well as drink. Fear not but, however great your appetite may be, I will have enough to satisfyit ready by the time you return. "

"Welcome to Colonsay!" the prior said, as the four men entered hisapartment; "but stay--I see you are drenched to the skin; and itwere poor hospitality, indeed, to keep you standing thus even toassure you of your welcome. Take them, " he said to the monk, "tothe guest chamber at once, and furnish them with changes of attire. When they are warm and comfortable return with them hither. "

In ten minutes Archie and his companions re-entered the prior'sroom. The prior looked with some astonishment at Archie; for inthe previous short interview he had not noticed the difference intheir attire, and had supposed them to be four fishermen. The monk, however, had marked the difference; and on inquiry, finding thatArchie was a knight, had furnished him with appropriate attire. The good monks kept a wardrobe to suit guests of all ranks, seeingthat many visitors came to the holy priory, and that sometimes thewind and waves brought them to shore in such sorry plight that achange of garments was necessary. 

"Ah!" the prior said, in surprise; "I crave your pardon sir knight, that I noticed not your rank when you first entered. The light issomewhat dim, and as you stood there together at the door way Inoticed not that you were of superior condition to the others. "

"That might well be, holy prior, " Archie said, "seeing that wewere more like drowned beasts than Christian men. We have had amarvellous escape from the tempest--thanks to God and his saints!--seeingthat we were blown off Rathlin, and have run before thegale down past Islay and through the Straits of Jura. Next to theprotection of God and His saints, our escape is due to the skilland courage of my brave companions here, who were as cool and calmin the tempest as if they had been sitting by the ingle fires athome. "

"From Rathlin!" the prior said in surprise, "and through the strait`twixt Islay and Jura! Truly that was a marvellous voyage in sucha gale--and as I suppose, in an open boat. But how comes it, sir knight--if I may ask the question without prying into yourprivate affairs--that you, a knight, were at Rathlin? In so wildand lonely an island men of your rank are seldom to be found. "

"There are many there now, holy prior, far higher in rank thanmyself, " Archie replied, "seeing that Robert the Bruce, crowned Kingof Scotland, James Douglas, and others of his nobles and knights, are sheltering there with him from the English bloodhounds. "

"The Bruce at Rathlin!" the prior exclaimed, in surprise. "Thelast ship which came hither from the mainland told us that he wasa hunted fugitive in Lennox; and we deemed that seeing the MacDougallsof Lorne and all the surrounding chiefs were hostile to him, andthe English scattered thickly over all the low country, he mustlong ere this have fallen into the hands of his enemies. "

"Thanks to Heaven's protection, " Archie said devoutly, "the kingwith a few followers escaped and safely reached Rathlin!"

"Thou shouldst not speak of Heaven's protection, " the prior said, sternly, "seeing that Bruce has violated the sanctuary of thechurch, has slain his enemy within her walls, has drawn down uponhimself the anathema of the pope, and has been declared excommunicatedand accursed. "

"The pope, holy father, " Archie replied, "although supreme inall holy things, is but little qualified to judge of the matter, seeing that he draws his information from King Edward, under whoseprotection he lives. The good Bishops of St. Andrews and Glasgow, with the Abbot of Scone, and many other dignitaries of the Scottishchurch, have condoned his offense, seeing that it was committedin hot blood and without prior intent. The king himself bitterlyregrets the deed, which preys sorely upon his mind; but I can answerfor it that Bruce had no thought of meeting Comyn at Dumfries. "

"You speak boldly, young sir, " the prior said, sternly, "for oneover whose head scarce two-and-twenty years can have rolled; butenough now. You are storm staid and wearied; you are the guests ofthe convent. I will not keep you further now, for you have needof food and sleep. Tomorrow I will speak with you again. "

So saying, the prior sharply touched a bell which stood on a tablenear him. The monk re-entered. The prior waved his hand: "Take theseguests to the refectory and see that they have all they stand inneed of, and that the bed chambers are prepared. In the morning Iwould speak to them again. "

Chapter XV

A Mission to Ireland

Father Austin was as good as his word, and it was long indeedsince Archie had sat down to such a meal as that which was spreadfor him. Hungry as he was, however, he could scarce keep his eyesopen to its conclusion, so great was the fatigue of mind and body;and on retiring to the chamber which the monks had prepared forhim, he threw himself on a couch and instantly fell asleep. Inthe morning the gale still blew violently, but with somewhat lessfury than on the preceding evening. He joined the monks at theirmorning meal in the refectory, and after their repast they gatheredround him to listen to his news of what was doing in Scotland; foralthough at ordinary times pilgrims came not unfrequently to visitthe holy isle of Colonsay, in the present stormy times men stirredbut little from home, and it was seldom that the monks obtained newsof what was passing on the mainland. Presently a servitor broughtword that the prior would see Archie. 

"It was ill talking last night, " the prior said, "with a man hungryand worn out; but I gathered from what you said that you are notonly a follower of Bruce, but that you were with him at that fatalday at Dumfries when he drew his dagger upon Comyn in the sanctuary. "

"I was there, holy father, " Archie replied, "and can testify thatthe occurrence was wholly unpremeditated; but Bruce had receivedsufficient provocation from the Comyn to afford him fair reason forslaying him wheresoever they might meet. But none can regret morethan he does that that place of meeting was in a sanctuary. TheComyn and Bruce had made an agreement together whereby the formerrelinquished his own claims to the throne of Scotland on conditionthat Bruce, on attaining the throne, would hand over to him allhis lordships in Carrick and Annandale. "

"It were a bad bargain, " the prior said, "seeing that Comyn wouldthen be more powerful than his king. "

"So I ventured to tell the Bruce, " Archie replied. 

"Thou?" the prior said; "you are young, sir, to be in a positionto offer counsel to Robert Bruce. "

"I am young, holy prior, " Archie said modestly; "but the king isgood enough to overlook my youth in consideration of my fidelityto the cause of Scotland. My name is Archibald Forbes. "

"Sir Archibald Forbes!" the prior repeated, rising; "and are youreally that loyal and faithful Scottish knight who fought ever bythe side of Wallace, and have almost alone refused ever to bow theknee to the English? Even to this lonely isle tales have come ofyour valour, how you fought side by side with Wallace, and were, with Sir John Grahame, his most trusty friend and confidant. Manyof the highest and noblest of Scotland have for centuries madetheir way to the shrine of Colonsay, but none more worthy to beour guest. Often have I longed to see so brave a champion of ourcountry, little thinking that you would one day come a storm drivenguest. Truly am I glad to see you, and I say it even though you mayhave shared in the deed at Dumfries, for which I would fain hopefrom your words there is fairer excuse to be made than I had hithertodeemed. I have thought that the Bishops of St. Andrews and Glasgowwere wrong in giving their countenance to a man whom the holyfather had condemned--a man whose prior history gives no groundfor faith in his patriotism, who has taken up arms, now for, nowagainst, the English, but has ever been ready to make terms withthe oppressor, and to parade as his courtier at Westminster. Insuch a man I can have no faith, and deem that, while he pretendsto fight for Scotland, he is in truth but warring for hisown aggrandizement. But since you, the follower and friend of thedisinterested and intrepid champion of Scotland, speak for theBruce, it maybe that my judgement has been too severe upon him. "

Archie now related the incident of his journey to London to urgeBruce to break with Edward and to head the national movement. Hetold how, even before the discovery of his agreement with Comyn, brought about by the treachery of the latter, Bruce had determineddefinitely to throw in his cause with that of Scotland; how uponthat discovery he had fled north, and, happening to meet Comyn atDumfries, within the limits of the sanctuary, had, in his indignationand ire at his treachery, drawn and slain him. Then he told thetale of what had taken place after the rout of Methven, how bravelyBruce had borne himself, and had ever striven to keep up the heartsof his companions; how cheerfully he had supported the hardships, and how valiantly he had borne himself both at Methven and whenattacked by the MacDougalls of Lorne. 

"Whatever his past may have been, " Archie concluded, "I hold thatnow the Bruce is as earnest in the cause of Scotland as was evenmy dear leader Wallace. In strength and in courage he rivals thatvaliant knight, for though I hold that Wallace was far more thana match for any man of his time, yet Bruce is a worthy second tohim, for assuredly no one in Scotland could cross swords with himon equal chances. That he will succeed in his enterprise it wererash to say, for mighty indeed are the odds against him; but ifcourage, perseverance, and endurance can wrest Scotland from thehands of the English, Robert Bruce will, if he lives, accomplishthe task. "

"Right glad am I, " the prior replied, "to hear what you have toldme. Hitherto, owing to my memory of his past and my horror at hiscrime--for though from what you tell me there was much to excuseit, still it was a grievous crime--I have had but little interestin the struggle, but henceforth this will be changed. You maytell the king that from this day, until death or victory crown hisefforts, prayers will be said to heaven night and day at Colonsayfor his success. "

It was four days before the storm was over and the sea sufficientlycalmed to admit of Archie's departure. During that time he remainedas the honoured guest of the priory, and the good monks vied withthe prior in their attentions to the young knight, the tales ofwhose doings, as one of Scotland's foremost champions, had so oftenreached their lonely island. At the end of that time, the sea beingnow calm and smooth, with a light wind from the north, Archie badeadieu to his hosts and sailed from Colonsay. 

Light as the wind was, it sufficed to fill the sail; and as the boatglided over the scarce rippled water Archie could not but contrastthe quiet sleepy motion with the wild speed at which the boat hadtorn through the water on her northern way. It was not until thefollowing morning that Rathlin again came in sight. 

As the boat was seen approaching, and was declared by the islandersto be that which they had regarded as lost in the storm a weekpreviously, the king, Douglas, and the rest of his followers madetheir way down to the shore; and loud was the shout of welcomewhich arose when Archie stood up and waved his hand. 

"Verily, Archie Forbes, " the king said as he warmly embraced theyoung knight, "I shall begin to think that the fairies presidedat your birth and gave you some charm to preserve your life alikeagainst the wrath of men and of the elements. Never assuredly didanyone pass through so many dangers unscathed as you have done. "

"I hope to pass through as many more, sire, in your service, " Archiesaid smiling. 

"I hope so, indeed, " Bruce replied; "for it were an evil day forme and for Scotland that saw you fall; but henceforth I will fretno more concerning you. You alone of Wallace's early companionshave survived. You got free from Dunstaffnage by some miraclewhich you have never fully explained to me, and now it would seemthat even the sea refuses to swallow you. "

"I trust, " Archie said more gravely, "that the old saying is nottrue in my case, and that hanging is not to be my fate. Assuredlyit will be if I ever fall into the hands of Edward, and I shallthink it a cruel fate indeed if fortune, which has spared me sooften in battle, leads me to that cruel end at last. "

"I trust not indeed, Sir Archie, " the king said, "though hanging nowhas ceased to be a dishonourable death when so many of Scotland'sbest and bravest have suffered it at the English hands. However, Icannot but think that your fairy godmother must have reserved foryou the fate of the heroes of most of the stories of my old nurse, which always wound up with `and so he married, and lived happilyever after. ' And now, Archie, tell me all that has befallen you, where you have been, and how you fared, and by what miraculous chanceyou escaped the tempest. All our eyes were fixed on the boat whenyou laboured to reach the shore, and had you heard the groanswe uttered when we saw you give up the effort as hopeless and flyaway to sea before the wind you would have known how truly allyour comrades love you. We gave you up as assuredly lost, for theislanders here agreed that you had no chance of weathering thegale, and that the boat would, ere many hours, be dashed to pieceseither on Islay or Jura, should it even reach so far; but the mostthought that you would founder long ere you came in sight of theland. "

Accompanying the king with his principal companions to the hutwhich he occupied, Archie related the incidents of the voyage andof their final refuge at Colonsay. 

"It was a wonderful escape, " the king said when he finished, "andthe holy Virgin and the saints must assuredly have had you in theirespecial care. You have cost us well nigh a fortune, for not oneof us but vowed offerings for your safety, which were, perchance, the more liberal, since we deemed the chances of paying them sosmall. However, they shall be redeemed, for assuredly they havebeen well earned, and for my share I am bound, when I come to myown, to give a piece of land of the value of one hundred marks ayear to the good monks of St. Killian's to be spent in masses forthe souls of those drowned at sea. "

Some days later the king said to Archie, "I have a mission for you;`tis one of danger, but I know that that is no drawback in youreyes. "

"I am ready, " Archie said modestly, "to carry out to the best ofmy power any errand with which your majesty may intrust me. "

"I have been thinking, Sir Archie, that I might well make some sortof alliance with the Irish chieftains. Many of these are, likemost of our Scotch nobles, on terms of friendship with England;still there are others who hold aloof from the conquerors. It wouldbe well to open negotiations with these, so that they by risingmight distract Edward's attention from Scotland, while we, by ourefforts, would hinder the English from sending all their forcethither, and we might thus mutually be of aid to each other. Atpresent I am, certes, in no position to promise aid in men or money;but I will bind myself by an oath that if my affairs in Scotlandprosper I will from my treasury furnish money to aid them in carryingon the struggle, and that if I clear Scotland of her oppressorsI will either go myself or send one of my brothers with a strongforce to aid the Irish to follow our example. The mission is, asyou will see, Sir Archie, a dangerous one; for should any of theEnglish, or their Irish allies, lay hands on you, your doom wouldbe sealed. Still you may do me and Scotland great service shouldyou succeed in your mission. Even minor risings would be of muchutility, seeing that they would at any rate prevent Edward frombringing over troops from Ireland to assist in our conquest. I havethought the matter over deeply, and conclude that, young as you are, I can intrust it to you with confidence, and that you are indeedthe best fitted among those with me to undertake it. Douglas isbut a boy; my brother Edward is too hot and rash; Boyd is impatientand headstrong, trusty and devoted to me though he is; but I amsure that in you there is no lack either of prudence or courage. Hence, Sir Archie, if you will undertake it I will intrust it toyou. "

"I will willingly undertake it, sire, since you think me fittingfor it, and deem it a high honour indeed that you have chosen me. When will you that I start?"

"It were best to lose no time, " the king replied, "and if you haveno reason for delay I would that you should embark tonight, so thatbefore daybreak you may have gained the Irish shore. They tell methat there are many desperate men in refuge among the caves on thecoast, and among these you might choose a few who might be usefulto you in your project; but it is not in this part that a risingcan be effected, for the country inland is comparatively flat andwholly in the hands of the English. It is on the west coast thatthe resistance to the English was continued to the last, and herefrom time to time it blazes out again. In those parts, as they tellme, not only are there wild mountains and fastnesses such as wehave in Scotland, but there are great morasses and swamps, extendingover wide tracts, where heavy armed soldiers cannot penetrate, and where many people still maintain a sort of wild independence, defying all the efforts of the English to subdue them. The peopleare wild and savage, and ever ready to rise against the English. Here, then, is the country where you are most likely to find chiefswho may enter into our plans, and agree to second our efforts forindependence. Here are some rings and gold chains, which are allthat remain to me of my possessions. Money I have none; but withthese you may succeed in winning the hearts of some of these savagechieftains. Take, too, my royal signet, which will be a guaranteethat you have power to treat in my name. I need not tell you to bebrave, Sir Archie; but be prudent--remember that your life is ofthe utmost value to me. I want you not to fight, but simply to actas my envoy. If you succeed in raising a great fire in the westof Ireland, remain there and act as councillor to the chiefs, remembering that you are just as much fighting for Scotland thereas if you were drawing sword against her foes at home. If you findthat the English arm is too strong, and the people too cowed anddisheartened to rise against it, then make your way back here bythe end of three months, by which time I hope to sail hence and toraise my standard in Scotland again. "

On leaving the king Archie at once conferred with Duncan the fisherman, who willingly agreed that night to set him ashore in Ireland. 

"I will land you, " he said, "at a place where you need not fearthat any English will meet you. It is true that they have a castlebut three miles away perched on a rock on the coast. It is calledDunluce, and commands a wide seaward view, and for this reason itwere well that our boat were far out at sea again before morningdawned, so that if they mark us they will not suppose that we havetouched on the coast; else they might send a party to search ifany have landed--not even then that you need fear discovery, forthe coast abounds in caves and hiding places. My sons have oftenlanded there, for we do a certain trade in the summer from the islandin fish and other matters with the natives there. If it pleasesyou my son Ronald, who is hardy and intelligent, shall land withyou and accompany you as your retainer while you remain in Ireland. The people there speak a language quite different to that which youuse in the lowlands of Scotland and in England, but the languagewe speak among ourselves closely resembles it, and we can be easilyunderstood by the people of the mainland. You would be lost didyou go among the native Irish without an interpreter. "

Archie thankfully accepted the offer, and that night, after biddingadieu to the friends and his comrades, started in Duncan's boat. 

"`Tis a strange place where I am going to land you, " the fishermansaid; "such a place as nowhere else have my eyes beheld, though theysay that at the Isle of Staffa, far north of Colonsay, a similarsight is to be seen. The rocks, instead of being rugged or square, rise in close columns like the trunks of trees, or like the columnsin the church of the priory of Colonsay. Truly they seem as ifwrought by the hands of men, or rather of giants, seeing that nomen could carry out so vast a work. The natives have legends thatthey are the work of giants of old times. How this may be I knownot, though why giants should have engaged in so useless a workpasses my understanding. However, there are the pillars, whosoeverplaced them there. Some of them are down by the level of the sea. Here their heads seem to be cut off so as to form a landing place, to which the natives give the name of the Giant's Causeway. Othersin low rows stand on the face of the cliff itself, though how anycould have stood there to work them, seeing that no human foot canreach the base, is more than I can say. `Tis a strange and wonderfulsight, as you will say when the morning light suffers you to seeit. "

It was fortunate that Duncan knew the coast so well, and was ableby the light of the stars to find a landing place, for quiet as thesea appeared a swell rose as they neared the shore, and the wavesbeat heavily on the wild and rocky coast. Duncan, however, steeredhis boat to the very foot of the Causeway, and then, watching hisopportunity, Archie sprang ashore followed by Ronald. A few wordsof adieu were spoken, and then the boat rowed out to sea again, while Archie and Ronald turned away from the landing place. 

"It were best, " the young fisherman said, "to find a seat among therocks, and there to await the dawn, when I can guide you to somecaves hard by; but in the darkness we might well fall and break alimb did we try and make our way across the coast. "

A niche was soon found, and Archie and his companion sat down fora while. Archie, however, soon discovered that the sides and backof his seat were formed of the strange columns of which Duncan hadspoken, and that he was sitting upon the tops of others which hadbroken off. Eagerly he passed his hands over the surface of thesestrange pillars, and questioned his companion as to what he knewabout them; but Ronald could tell him no more than his fatherhad done, and Archie was forced to await the dawn to examine moreclosely the strange columns. Daylight only added to his wonder. On all sides of him stretched the columns, packed in a dense masstogether, while range above range they stood on the face of thegreat cliffs above him. The more he examined them the more hiswonder grew. 

"They can neither be the work of men nor giants, " he said, "butmust have been called up by the fantastic freak of some powerfulenchanter. Hitherto I have not believed the tales of these mysteriousbeings of old times; but after seeing these wonderful pillars Ican no longer doubt, for assuredly no mortal hand could have donethis work. "

Ronald now urged that they had better be moving, as it was possible, although unlikely enough, that one passing along the top of thecliffs might get sight of them. They accordingly moved along theshore, and in a quarter of a mile reached the mouth of a greatcave. The bottom was covered with rocks, which had fallen from theroof, thickly clustered over with wet seaweed, which, indeed, hungfrom the sides far up, showing that at high tide the sea penetratedfar into the cave. 

"The ground rises beyond, " Ronald said, "and you will find recessesthere which the tide never reaches. " They moved slowly at firstuntil their eyes became accustomed to the darkness; then they kepton, the ground getting more even as they ascended, until they stoodon a dry and level floor. 

"Now I will strike a light, " Ronald said, "and light the torchwhich I brought with me. We are sure to find plenty of driftwoodcast up at the highest point the tide reaches. Then we can make afire, and while you remain here I will go out and find some of thenatives, and engage a guide to take us forward tonight. "

Taking out his flint and steel, Ronald proceeded to strike a light, and after several efforts succeeded in doing so and in ignitingsome dried moss which he had brought with him, carefully shieldedfrom damp in the folds of his garment. As a light flame rosehe applied his torch to it; but as he did so, came an exclamationof astonishment, for gathered in a circle round them were a dozenwild figures. All were armed and stood in readiness to strike downthe intruders into their hiding place. They were barefooted, andhad doubtless been asleep in the cave until, when awakened by theapproaching footsteps and voices, they had silently arisen andprepared to fall upon the intruders. 

"We are friends, " Ronald said in the native language when herecovered from his start of surprise. "I am Ronald, a fishermanfrom Rathlin, and was over here in the summer exchanging fish forsheep. "

"I recollect you, " one of the men said; "but what do you here sostrangely and secretly? Are the English hunting you too from yourisland as they have done us?"

"They have not come to Rathlin yet, " Ronald said. 

"Doubtless they would do so, but `tis too poor to offer anytemptation for their greed. But they are our enemies as they areyours. I am here to guide this Scottish knight, who is staying atRathlin, a fugitive from their vengeance like yourself, and who ischarged with a mission from the King of Scotland to your chiefs, whom he would fain induce to join in a rising against the power ofthe English. "

"He is welcome, " the man who appeared to be the leader of the partyreplied, "and may he succeed in his object; but, " he continuedbitterly, "I fear that the chance is a small one. The Norman footis on our necks, and most of those who should be our leaders havebasely accepted the position of vassals to the English king. Stillthere are brave hearts yet in Ireland who would gladly rise did theysee even a faint chance of success. Hundreds are there who, likeus, prefer to live the lives of hunted dogs in caves, in mountainfastnesses, or in the bogs, rather than yield to the English yoke. Tell me your plans and whither you would go; and I will give youguides who know every foot of the country, and who can lead you tothe western hills, where, though no open resistance is made, theEnglish have scarce set foot. There we generally find refuge;and `tis only at times, when the longing to see the homes of ourchildhood becomes too strong for us, that I and those you see--allof whom were born and reared between this and Coleraine--comehither for a time, when at night we can issue out and prowl roundthe ruins of the homes of our fathers. "

While this conversation had been going on, the others, seeing thatthe visit was a friendly one, had set to work, and bringing updriftwood from below, piled it round the little blaze which Ronaldhad commenced, and soon had a great fire lighted. They then producedthe carcass of a sheep which they had the evening before carriedoff. Ronald had brought with him a large pile of oaten cakes, anda meal was speedily prepared. 

Archie could not but look with surprise at the wild figures aroundhim, lit up by the dancing glare of the fire. Their hair lay intangled masses on their necks; their attire was of the most primitivedescription, consisting but of one garment secured round the waistby a strap of untanned leather; their feet and legs were bare. Their hair was almost black; their eyes small and glittering, withheavy overhanging brows; and they differed altogether in appearanceeven from the wildest and poorest of the Scottish peasantry. Intheir belts all bore long knives of rough manufacture, and most ofthem carried slings hanging from the belt, in readiness for instantuse. In spite of the wildness of their demeanour they seemed kindlyand hospitable; and many were the questions which they asked Ronaldconcerning the King of Scotland and his knights who were in refugeat Rathlin. 

When the meal was over all stretched themselves on the sand like somany animals, and without further preparation went off to sleep. Archie, knowing that nothing could be done until nightfall, followed their example. The fire had by this time burned low, andsoon perfect stillness reigned in the great cavern, save that faraway at its mouth the low thunder of the waves upon the rocks cameup in a confused roar. 

Chapter XVI

An Irish Rising

When night came on Archie started for the west, accompanied byRonald and two of the Irish as guides. They crossed the countrywithout question or interference, and reached the wild mountainsof Donegal in safety. Archie had asked that his conductors shouldlead him to the abode of the principal chieftain of the district. The miserable appearance of the sparsely scattered villages throughwhich they had passed had prepared him to find that the superiorsof such a people would be in a very different position from thefeudal lords of the Highlands of Scotland. He was not surprised, therefore, when his attendants pointed out a small hold, such aswould appertain to a small landowner on the Scottish Border, as theresidence of the chief. Around it were scattered a number of lowhuts composed of turf, roofed with reeds. From these, when theapproach of strangers was reported, a number of wild looking figurespoured out, armed with weapons of the most primitive description. A shout from Archie's guides assured these people that the newcomerwas not, as his appearance betokened him, a Norman knight, buta visitor from Scotland who sought a friendly interview with thechief. 

Insignificant as was the hold, it was evident that something likefeudal discipline was kept up. Two men, armed with pikes, werestationed on the wall, while two others leant in careless fashionagainst the posts of the open gate. On the approach of Archie anelderly man, with a long white beard, came out to meet them. Ronaldexplained to him that Archie was a knight who had come as an emissaryfrom the King of Scotland to the Irish chieftains, and desired tospeak with the great Fergus of Killeen. The old man bowed deeplyto Archie, and then escorted him into the house. 

The room which they entered occupied the whole of the groundfloor of the hold, and was some thirty feet wide by forty long. Asapparently trees of sufficient length to form the beams of so widean apartment could not be obtained, the floor above was supportedby two rows of roughly squared posts extending down from end toend. The walls were perfectly bare. The beams and planks of theceiling were stained black by the smoke of a fire which burned inone corner; the floor was of clay beaten hard. A strip some tenfeet wide, at the further end, was raised eighteen inches above thegeneral level, forming a sort of dais. Here, in a carved settle ofblack wood, sat the chief. Some females, evidently the ladies ofhis family, were seated on piles of sheepskins, and were plyingtheir distaffs; while an aged man was seated on the end of the daiswith a harp of quaint form on his knee; his fingers touched a lastchord as Archie entered, and he had evidently been playing whilethe ladies worked. Near him on the dais was a fire composed ofwood embers, which were replenished from time to time with freshglowing pieces of charcoal taken from the fire at the other end ofthe room, so that the occupants of the dais should not be annoyedby the smoke arising close to them. 

The chief was a fine looking man about fifty years old. He wasclad in a loose fitting tunic of soft dark green cloth, confined atthe waist by a broad leathern band with silver clasp and ornaments, and reaching to his knees. His arms were bare; on his feet he woresandals, and a heavy sword rested against the wall near his hand. The ladies wore dresses of similar material and of somewhat similarfashion, but reaching to the feet. They wore gold armlets; and thechief's wife had a light band of gold round her head. The chiefrose when Archie entered; and upon the seneschal informing him ofthe rank and mission of his visitor he stepped from the dais, andadvancing, greeted him warmly. Then he led him back to the dais, where he presented to him the ladies of his family, ordering theretainers, of whom about a score were gathered in the hall, toplace two piles of sheepskins near the fire. On one of these he satdown, and motioned to Archie to take his place on the other--hisown chair being removed to a corner. Then, through the medium ofRonald, the conversation began. 

Archie related to the chief the efforts which the Scotch weremaking to win their freedom from England, and urged in the king'sname that a similar effort should be made by the Irish; as theforces of the English, being thereby divided and distracted, theremight be better hope of success. The chief heard the communicationin grave silence. The ladies of the family stood behind the chiefwith deeply interested faces; and as the narrative of the longcontinued struggle which the Scots were making for freedom continuedit was clear, by their glowing cheeks and their animated faces, how deeply they sympathized in the struggle. 

The wife of the chief, a tall and stately lady, stood immediatelybehind him with her two daughters, girls of some seventeen oreighteen years of age, beside her. As Ronald was translating hiswords Archie glanced frequently at the group, and thought he hadnever seen one fairer or more picturesque. There was a strikinglikeness between mother and daughters; but the expression of staiddignity in the one was in the others replaced by a bright expressionof youth and happiness. Their beauty was of a kind new to Archie. Their dark glossy hair was kept smoothly in place by the filletof gold in the mother's case, and by purple ribbons in that of thedaughters. Their eyebrows and long eyelashes were black, but theireyes were gray, and as light as those to which Archie was accustomedunder the fair tresses of his countrywomen. The thing that struckhim most in the faces of the girls was their mobility, the expressionchanging as it seemed in an instant from grave to gay--flushingat one moment with interest at the tale of deeds of valour, palingat the next at the recital of cruel oppression and wrong. When Archiehad finished his narrative he presented to the chief a beautifullywrought chain of gold as a token from the King of Scotland. 

The chief was silent for some time after the interpreter concludedArchie's narrative; then he said:

"Sir knight, it almost seems to me as if I had been listening tothe tale of the wrongs of Ireland, save that it appears that themastery of the English here has been more firmly established thanwith you. This may be from the nature of the country; our hillsare, for the most part, bare, while yours, you say, are coveredwith forest. Thus the Normans could more easily, when they had oncegained the upper hand, crush out the last vestiges of oppositionthan they could with you. As I judge from what you say, the Englishin Scotland hold all the fortresses, and when the people rise theyremain sheltered in them until assistance comes from England. Withus it is different. First they conquer all the country; then froma wide tract, a third perhaps of the island, they drive out the wholeof the people, and establish themselves firmly there, portioning theland among the soldiery and repeopling the country with an Englishrace. Outside this district the Irish chieftains, like myself, retain something of independence; we pay a tribute, and are in theposition of feudatories, being bound to furnish so many men forthe King of England's wars if called upon to do so. The Englishseldom come beyond their pale so long as the tribute is paid, andthe yoke, therefore, weighs not so heavy upon us; but were we torise, the English army would pour out from its pale and carry fireand sword throughout the country. 

"We, like you, have been without one who would unite us against thecommon enemy. Our great chiefs have, for the most part, acceptedEnglish titles, and since their power over the minor chiefs isextended, rather than decreased by the changed circumstances, theyare well content, for they rule now over their districts, not onlyas Irish chieftains, but as English lieutenants. You have seen, as you journeyed here, how sparse is the population of our hills, and how slight would be the opposition which we could offer, didthe Earl of Ulster sweep down upon us with trained English soldiers. 

"Were there a chance of success, Fergus of Killeen would gladlydraw the sword again; but I will not bring ruin upon my familyand people by engaging in a hopeless enterprise. Did I raisemy standard, all Donegal would take up arms; but Donegal alone ispowerless against England. I know my people--they are ready forthe fray, they would rush to battle and perish in thousands to winvictory, but one great defeat would crush them. The story of thelong fight which your Wallace, with a small following, made againstthe power of England, will never be told of an Irish leader. Wehave bravery and reckless courage, but we have none of the stubbornobstinacy of your Scottish folk. Were the flag raised the peoplewould flock to it, and would fight desperately; but if they lost, there would be utter and complete collapse. The fortitude to supportrepeated defeats, to struggle on when the prospect seems darkest, does not belong to my people. 

"It is for this reason that I have no hope that Ireland will everregain its independence. She may struggle against the yoke, shemay blaze out again and again in bloody risings, our sons may diein tens of thousands for her; but never, I believe, as long as themen of the two countries remain what they are, will Ireland recoverher independence, for, in the long run, English perseverance anddetermination will overcome the fitful courage of the Irish. Igrieve that I should say it. I mourn that I feel it my duty torepress rather than to encourage the eager desire of my people todraw the sword and strike for freedom; but such is my conviction. 

"But understand, sir knight, that whatever I may think, I shallnot be backward in doing my part. If Ireland again rises, shouldthe other native chieftains determine to make one more effort todrive the English across the channel, be sure that Fergus of Killeenand the men of Donegal will be in the front of the battle. No heartbeats more warmly for freedom than mine; and did I stand alone Iwould take to the bogs and join those who shelter there, defyingthe might of England. But I have my people to think of. I have seenhow the English turn a land to desolation as they sweep across it, and I will not bring fire and sword into these mountain valleysunless all Ireland is banded in a common effort. You have seenScotland wasted from sea to sea, her cities burned, her peopleslain by thousands, her dales and valleys wasted; and can you tellme that after these years of struggle you have gained any suchadvantage as would warrant your advising me to rise against England?"

Archie was silent. Thinking over the struggle in which he hadtaken part for so many years, and remembering the woes that it hadbrought on Scotland, and that, after fighting so long, Bruce andthe handful of fugitives at Rathlin were the sole survivors of thepatriotic party, he could not but acknowledge at heart the justiceof the chiefs words. His sole hope for Scotland now rested in theperseverance and personal valour of the king, and the stubborncharacter of the people, which he felt assured would lead themto rise again and again, in spite of disaster and defeat, untilfreedom was won. The Irish possessed no Bruce; their country wasless defendible than Scotland; and if, as Fergus said, they had noneof that indomitable perseverance which enabled the Scotch peopleagain and again to rise against the yoke, what hope could therebe of final success, how could he be justified in urging upon thechieftain a step which would bring fire and sword into those quietvalleys! For some time, therefore, after Ronald had translated thechief's speech he remained silent. 

"I will not urge you further, sir, " he said, "for you are surelythe best judge of what is good for your people, and I have seensuch ruin and desolation in Scotland, so many scores of ruinedtowns and villages, so many thousands of levelled homesteads, thatI will not say a single word to urge you to alter your resolution. It is enough for me that you have said that if Ireland rises youwill also draw the sword. I must carry out my instructions, andhence shall travel south and visit other chiefs; they may viewmatters differently, and may see that what Ireland cannot do aloneshe may do in conjunction with Scotland. "

"So be it!" Fergus said. "Believe me, if you raise a flame throughthe west the north will not hang back. And now I trust that youwill remain here for a few days as my guest. All that I have isyours, and my wife and daughters will do their best to make thetime pass pleasantly for you. "

Archie remained three days at the chiefs hold, where the primitivelife interested him greatly. A lavish hospitality was exercised. Several sheep were killed and roasted each day, and all comers werefree to join the repast. The chief's more immediate retainers, sometwenty in number, ate, lived, and slept in the great hall; whiletables were spread outside, at which all who came sat down withoutquestion. The upper rooms of the hold were occupied by the chief, the ladies of his family, and the female domestics. Here they retiredwhen they felt disposed, but their meals were served on the dais. In the evening the harper played and sang legends of deeds of braveryin the day of Ireland's independence; and as Ronald translated thesongs to him Archie could not but conclude privately that civil war, rapine, strife, and massacre must have characterized the countryin those days. 

At the conclusion of his stay Fergus appointed two of the retainersto accompany Archie south, and to give assurance to the variouswild people through whom he might pass, that Archie's mission wasa friendly one to Ireland, and that he was an honoured friend andguest of the chief of Killeen. 

On his arrival in Mayo Archie found matters more favourable to hismission. An insurrection had already broken out, headed by some ofthe local chieftains, originating in a broil between the Englishsoldiers of a garrison and the natives. The garrison had beensurprised and massacred, and the wild Irish were flocking to arms. By the chieftains here Archie, on explaining his mission, was warmlywelcomed. As they were already in arms no urging on his part wasneeded, and they despatched messengers throughout the country, saying that an emissary from Scotland had arrived, and calling uponall to rise and to join with the Scotch in shaking off the yoke ofEngland. 

Archie had therefore to travel no farther, and decided that hecould best carry out his mission by assisting to organize and leadthe Irish forces. These he speedily discovered were beyond allcomparison inferior, both in arms, in discipline, and in methodsof fighting, to the Scots. For a dashing foray they would beexcellent. Hardy, agile, and full of impetuosity, they would beardown all resistance instantly, were that resistance not too strong;but against stubborn and well armed troops they would break likea wave against a rock. Archie saw that with such troops anythinglike regular war would be impossible, and that the struggle mustbe one of constant surprises, attacks, and forays, and that theycould succeed only by wearing out and not by defeating the enemy. With such tactics as these they might by long perseverance succeed;but this was just what Fergus had warned him they would not practise, and that their courage was rather of a kind which would lead themto dash desperately against the line of levelled spears, ratherthan continue a long and weary struggle under apparently hopelesscircumstances. 

The chiefs, hearing from Archie that he had acted as one of Wallace'slieutenants in battles where the English had been heavily defeated, willingly consented that he should endeavour to instil the tacticsby which those battles had been won into their own followers; butwhen they found that he proposed that the men should remain stationaryto withstand the English charges, they shook their heads. 

"That will never do for our people, " they said. "They must attacksword in hand. They will rush fearlessly down against any odds, butyou will never get them steadily to withstand a charge of men-at-arms. "

Archie, however, persuaded them to allow him to organize a band oftwo hundred men under his immediate orders. These were armed withlong pikes, and were to form a sort of reserve, in order that ifthe wild charge of the main body failed in its object these couldcover a retreat, or serve as a nucleus around which they couldrally. The army swelled rapidly; every day fresh chiefs arrivedwith scores of wild tribesmen. Presently the news came that anEnglish force was advancing from the Pale against them. A councilwas held at which Archie was present. Very strongly he urged hisviews upon the chieftains, namely: that they should altogetherdecline a pitched battle; but that, divided into numerous parties, they should enter the Pale, destroying weak garrisons and ravagingthe country, trying to wear out the English by constant skirmishesand night attacks, but refusing always to allow themselves to betempted into an engagement. 

"The English cannot be everywhere at once, " he urged. "Let themhold only the ground on which their feet stand. As they advanceor retire, close ever in on their rear, drive off their cattle anddestroy their crops and granaries in the Pale; force them to livewholly in their walled towns, and as you gain in strength capturethese one by one, as did we in Scotland. So, and so only, can youhope for ultimate success. "

His advice was received with a silence which he at once saw betokeneddisapproval. One after another of the Irish chieftains rose anddeclared that such a war could not be sustained. 

"Our retainers, " they said, "are ready to fight, but after fightingthey will want to return to their homes; besides, we are fifteenthousand strong, and the English men-at-arms marching against usare but eight hundred; it would be shameful and cowardly to avoid abattle, and were we willing to do so our followers would not obeyus. Let us first destroy this body of English, then we shall bejoined by others, and can soon march straight upon Dublin. "

Archie saw that it was hopeless to persevere, and set out thefollowing day with the wild rabble, for they could not be termedan army, to meet the English. The leaders yielded so far to hisadvice as to take up a position where they would fight with the bestchance of success. The spot lay between a swamp extending a vastdistance, and a river, and they were thus open only to an attackin front, and could, if defeated, take refuge in the bog, wherehorsemen could not follow them. 

On the following morning the English were seen approaching. Inaddition to the 800 men-at-arms were 1000 lightly equipped footmen, for experience had taught the English commanders that in such acountry lightly armed men were necessary to operate where the wideextending morasses prevented the employment of cavalry. The Englishadvanced in solid array: 300 archers led the way; these werefollowed by 700 spearmen, and the men-at-arms brought up the rear. The Irish were formed in disordered masses, each under its ownchieftain. The English archers commenced the fight with a showerof arrows. Scarcely had these began to fall when the Irish with atremendous yell rushed forward to the assault. The English archerswere swept like chaff before them. With reckless bravery they threwthemselves next upon the spearmen. The solid array was broken bythe onslaught, and in a moment both parties were mixed up in wildconfusion. 

The sight was too much for Archie's band to view unmoved, and these, in spite of his shouts, left their ground and rushed at full speedafter their companions and threw themselves into the fight. 

Archie was mounted, having been presented with a horse by one ofthe chiefs, and he now, although hopeless of the final result, rodeforward. Just as he joined the confused and struggling mass theEnglish men-at-arms burst down upon them. As a torrent would cleaveits way through a mass of loose sand, so the English men-at-armsburst through the mass of Irish, trampling and cutting down all intheir path. Not unharmed, however, for the Irish fought desperatelywith axe and knife, hewing at the men-at-arms, stabbing at thehorses, and even trying by sheer strength to throw the riders tothe ground. After passing through the mass the men-at-arms turnedand again burst down upon them. It was a repetition of the firstcharge. The Irish fought desperately, but it was each for himself;there was neither order nor cohesion, and each man strove only tokill a foe before being himself slain. Archie and the chiefs, withthe few mounted men among the retainers, strove in vain to stemthe torrent. Under the orders of their leaders the English keptin a compact mass, and the weight of the horses and armour boredown all opposition. Four times did the men-at-arms burst throughthe struggling mass of Irish. As they formed to charge the fifthtime the latter lost heart, and as if acting under a simultaneousinfluence they turned and fled. 

The English horse burst down on the rear of the mass of fugitives, hewing them down in hundreds. Those nearest to the river dashed in, and numbers were drowned in striving to cross it. The main body, however, made for the swamp, and though in the crush many sank inand perished miserably here, the great majority, leaping lightlyfrom tuft to tuft, gained the heart of the morass, the pursuinghorse reining up on its edge. 

Ronald had kept near Archie in the fight, and when all was lostran along by the side of his horse, holding fast to the stirrupleather. The horsemen still pressed along between the river andthe morass, and Archie, following the example of several of thechiefs, alighted from his saddle, and with his companion enteredthe swamp. It was with the greatest difficulty that he made hisway across it, and his lightly armed companion did him good servicein assisting several times to drag him from the treacherous mirewhen he began to sink in it. At last they reached firmer ground inthe heart of the swamp, and here some 5000 or 6000 fugitives weregathered. At least 4000 had fallen on the field. Many had escapedacross the river, although numbers had lost their lives in theattempt. Others scattered and fled in various directions. A fewof the chiefs were gathered in council when Archie arrived. Theyagreed that all was lost and there was nothing to do but scatterto their homes. Archie took no part in the discussion. That day'sexperience had convinced him that nothing like a permanent anddetermined insurrection was possible, and only by such a movementcould the Scottish cause be aided, by forcing the English to sendreinforcements across St. George's Channel. After seeing theslaughter which had taken place, he was rejoiced at heart that therising had commenced before he joined it, and was in no way theresult of his mission, but was one of the sporadic insurrectionswhich frequently broke out in Ireland, only to be instantly andsternly repressed. 

"We have failed, Sir Knight, " one of the chiefs said to him, "butit was not for want of courage on the part of our men. "

"No, indeed, " Archie replied through his interpreter; "never did Isee men fight more fiercely, but without discipline and organizationvictory is well nigh impossible for lightly armed footmen againstheavy mailclad cavalry. "

"The tactics you advised were doubtless good, " the chief said; "Isee their wisdom, but they are well nigh impossible to carry outwith such following as ours. They are ever impatient for the fray, but quickly wearied by effort; ready to die, but not to wait; tothem prudence means cowardice, and their only idea of fighting isto rush full at a foe. See how they broke the English spearmen!"

"It was right well done, " Archie replied, "and some day, when welltrained and disciplined, Irish soldiers will be second to none inthe world; but unless they will submit to training and disciplinethey can never hope to conquer the English. "

"And now, Sir Knight, what do you propose doing?" the chief said. 

"I shall make my way north, " Archie replied, "and shall rejoin myking at Rathlin. "

"I will send two of my men with you. They know every foot of themorasses of this neighbourhood, and when they get beyond the pointfamiliar to them will procure you two others to take their places. It will need all your prudence and courage to get through, forthe English men-at-arms will be scouring the country in groups offour, hunting all those they come across like wolves. See, already!"and he pointed to the horizon; "they are scattering round the edgeof the morass to inclose us here; but it is many miles round, andbefore tomorrow is gone not a man will be left here. "

When darkness fell, Archie, accompanied by Ronald and his guides, set out on his journey. Alone he could never have found his waythrough the swamps, but even in the darkness his guides moved alongquickly, following tracks known to them with the instinct of hounds;Archie kept close on their heels, as a step only a few inches fromthe track might plunge him in a deep morass, in which in a fewseconds he would sink out of sight. On nearing the edge of thebog the guides slackened their pace. Motioning to Archie to remainwhere he was, they crept forward noiselessly into the darkness. Not far off he could hear the calls of the English horsemen. Thesounds were repeated again and again until they died away in thedistance, showing that a cordon had been drawn round the morass soas to inclose the fugitives from the battle of the previous day. 

In a quarter of an hour the guides returned as noiselessly as theyhad departed, and Archie continued the march at their heels. Evengreater caution than before was now necessary in walking, for theEnglish, before darkness had set in, had narrowly examined the edgeof the morass, and had placed three or four men wherever they coulddiscover the slightest signs of a track. Thus Archie's guides wereobliged to leave the path by which they had previously travelled. Their progress was slow now, the party only moving for a few yardsat a time, and then halting while the guides searched for groundsolid enough to carry their weight. At last Archie felt the groundgrow firmer under his foot, and a reconnaissance by the guideshaving shown them that none of the English were stationed oppositeto them, they left the morass, and noiselessly made their way acrossthe country until far beyond the English line. 

All night they walked, and at daybreak entered another swamp, andlay down for the day in the long coarse grass growing on a piece offirm ground deep in its recesses. In the evening one of the guidesstole out and returned with a native of the neighbourhood, whoundertook to show Archie the way on his further journey. 

Ten days, or rather nights, of steady journeying brought Archieagain to the rocky shore where he had landed. Throughout he hadfound faithful guides, whom he had rewarded by giving, as was oftenthe custom of the time, in lieu of money, a link or two of one ofhis gold chains. He and Ronald again took refuge in the cave wherethey had passed the first night of their landing. It was untenantednow. 

Here they abode for a fortnight, Ronald going up every two or threedays to purchase provisions at the scattered cottages. On Saturdaynight they lit a great fire just inside the mouth of the cave, sothat while the flames could be seen far out at sea the light wouldbe unobserved by the garrison of Dunluce or any straggler on thecliff above. It had been arranged with Duncan that every Saturdaynight, weather permitting, he should sail across and look fora signal fire. The first Saturday night was wild and stormy, andalthough they lit the fire they had but slight idea that Duncanwould put out. The following week, however, the night was calm andbright, and after piling up the fire high they proceeded to thecauseway, and two hours later saw to their joy a boat approaching. In a few minutes they were on board, and by the following morningreached Rathlin. 

The king and his companions welcomed Archie's return warmly, although the report which he made showed that there was no hope ofobtaining any serious diversion of the English attack by a permanentrising in Ireland; and the king, on hearing Archie's account ofall that had passed, assured him that he felt that, although he hadfailed, no one, under the circumstances, could have done otherwise. 

Chapter XVII

The King's Blood Hound

The only other event which occurred throughout the winter was thearrival of a fishing boat with a messenger from one of the king'sadherents, and the news which he brought filled them with sorrowand dismay. Kildrummy had been threatened with a siege, and thequeen, Bruce's sisters Christine and Mary, his daughter Marjory, and the other ladies accompanying them, deemed it prudent to leavethe castle and take refuge in the sanctuary of St. Duthoc, in Rossshire. 

The sanctuary was violated by the Earl of Ross and his followers, and the ladies and their escort delivered up to Edward's lieutenantsand sent to England. The knights and squires who formed the escortwere all executed, and the ladies committed to various placesof confinement, where most of them remained in captivity of thestrictest and most rigorous kind until after the battle of Bannockburn, eight years later. The Countess of Buchan, who had crowned Bruceat Scone, and who was one of the party captured at St. Duthoc, received even fouler treatment, by Edward's especial orders, being placed in a cage on one of the turrets of Berwick Castle soconstructed that she could be seen by all who passed; and in thiscruel imprisonment she was kept like a wild beast for seven longyears by a Christian king whom his admirers love to hold up as amodel of chivalry. 

Kildrummy had been besieged and taken by treachery. The king'sbrother, Nigel Bruce, was carried to Berwick, and was there hangedand beheaded. Christopher Seaton and his brother Alexander, theEarl of Athole, Sir Simon Fraser, Sir Herbert de Moreham, Sir DavidInchmartin, Sir John Somerville, Sir Walter Logan, and many otherScotchmen of noble degree, had also been captured and executed, their only offence being that they had fought for their country. 

In all the annals of England there is no more disgraceful page thanthat which chronicles the savage ferocity with which King Edwardbehaved to the Scottish nobles and ladies who fell into his hands. The news of these murders excited the utmost fury as well as griefamong the party at Rathlin, and only increased their determinationto fight till the death against the power of England. 

The spring was now at hand, and Douglas, with Archie Forbes anda few followers, left in a boat, and landed on the Isle of Arran. In the bay of Brodick was a castle occupied by Sir John Hastingsand an English garrison. The Scots concealed themselves near thecastle, awaiting an opportunity for an attack. A day or two aftertheir arrival several vessels arrived with provisions and arms forthe garrison. As these were being landed Douglas and his followerssallied out and captured the vessels and stores. The garrison ofthe castle made a sortie to assist their friends, but were drivenin with slaughter, and the whole of the supplies remained in thehands of the Scots, causing great rejoicing to the king and therest of the party when a few days later they arrived from Rathlin. 

Bruce now proposed an immediate descent upon Carrick, there, in themidst of his family possessions, to set up his banner in Scotland. The lands had been forfeited by Edward and bestowed upon some ofhis own nobles. Annandale had been given to the Earl of Hereford, Carrick to Earl Percy, Selkirk to Aymer de Valence. The castle ofTurnberry was occupied by Percy with three hundred men. Bruce senton his cousin Cuthbert to reconnoitre and see whether the peoplewould be ready to rise, but Cuthbert found the Scots sunk indespair. All who had taken up arms had perished in the field oron the scaffold. The country swarmed with the English, and furtherresistance seemed hopeless. Cuthbert had arranged to light a beaconon a point at Turnberry visible at Lamlash Bay in Arran, where theking, with his two hundred men and eighty-three boats, awaited thesight of the smoke which should tell them that circumstances werefavourable for their landing. 

Cuthbert, finding that there was no chance of a rising, did notlight the bonfire; but as if fortune was determined that Bruceshould continue a struggle which was to end finally in the freedomof Scotland, some other person lit a fire on the very spot whereCuthbert had arranged to show the signal. On seeing the smoke theking and his party at once got into their boats and rowed acrossto the mainland, a distance of seventeen miles. On reaching landthey were met by Cuthbert, who reported that the fire was not of hiskindling, and that the circumstances were altogether unfavourable. Bruce consulted with his brother Edward, Douglas, Archie, and hisprincipal friends as to what course had better be pursued. Edwarddeclared at once that he for one would not take to sea again; andthis decision settled the matter. 

The king without delay led his followers against the villageoutside the castle, where a considerable portion of the garrisonwere housed. These were assailed so suddenly that all save onewere slain. Those in the castle heard the sounds of the conflict, but being unaware of the smallness of the assailant's force, didnot venture to sally out to their assistance. 

Percy, with his followers, remained shut up in the castle, whileBruce overran the neighbouring country; but an English force underSir Roger St. John, far too powerful to be resisted, advanced toTurnberry, and Bruce and his followers were obliged to seek refugein the hills. Thomas and Alexander, the king's brothers, with SirReginald Crawford, had gone to the islands to beat up recruits, andreturning in a vessel with a party who had joined them, landed atLoch Ryan. They were attacked at once by Macdowall, a chieftainof Galloway, and routed. The king's brothers, with Sir ReginaldCrawford, were carried to Carlisle severely wounded, and deliveredover to King Edward, who at once sent them to the scaffold. 

These wholesale and barbarous executions saddened the Scots, and, as might be expected, soon roused them to severe reprisals. Brucehimself, however, although deeply stirred by the murder of histhree brothers and many dear friends, and by the captivity andharsh treatment of his wife and female relatives, never attemptedto take vengeance for them upon those who fell into his hands, and during the whole of the war in no single instance did he put aprisoner to death. He carried magnanimity, indeed, almost to theextent of impolicy; for had the nobles of England found that thoseof their number who fell into Bruce's hands suffered the penaltyof death, which Edward inflicted upon the Scotch prisoners, theywould probably have remonstrated with the king and insisted uponhis conducting the war in a less barbarous and ferocious fashion. 

Sir James Douglas was so stirred by the murder of the three Bruces andso many of his friends and companions, that he resolved henceforthto wage an exterminating war against the English, and by the recaptureof his own stronghold, known as Castle Douglas, began the seriesof desperate deeds which won for him the name of the Black Douglas, and rendered his name for generations a terror among the English onthe Border. The castle had been conferred by Edward on Sir Robertde Clifford, and was occupied by an English garrison. Douglasrevealed his intention only to Archie Forbes, who at once agreedto accompany him. He asked leave from the king to quit their hidingplace for a time, accompanied by Archie, in order to revisit DouglasHall, and see how it fared with his tenants and friends. The kingacquiesced with difficulty, as he thought the expedition a dangerousone, and feared that the youth and impetuosity of Douglas might leadhim into danger; before consenting he strongly urged on Archie tokeep a strict watch over the doings of the young noble. 

Accompanied by but one retainer, the friends set out for Douglasdale. When they arrived there Douglas went to the cottage of an old andfaithful servant named Thomas Dickson, by whom he was joyfullyreceived. Dickson went out among the retainers and revealed to suchas could be most surely depended upon the secret of their lord'spresence, and one by one took them in to see him. The friendshad already determined upon their course, and the retainers allpromised to take part in the scheme. They were not numerous enoughto assault the castle openly, but they chose the following Sundayfor the assault. This was Palm Sunday and a festival, and most ofthe garrison would come to the Church of St. Bride, in the villageof the same name, a short distance from the castle. 

Dickson with some of his friends went at the appointed time, witharms concealed under their clothes, to the church; and after theservice had commenced Douglas and some of his followers gatheredoutside. Unfortunately for the plan, some of those outside setup the shout, "A Douglas!" prematurely before the whole party hadarrived and were ready to rush into the church. Dickson with hisfriends at once drew out their arms and attacked the English; butbeing greatly outnumbered and for a time unsupported, most of them, including their leader, were slain. Sir James and his followers thenfought their way in, and after a desperate fight all the garrisonsave ten were killed. 

The party then proceeded to the castle, which they captured withoutresistance. Douglas and his companions partook of the dinner whichhad been prepared for the garrison; then as much money, weapons, armour, and clothing as they could carry away was taken from thecastle. The whole of the vast stores of provisions were carriedinto the cellar, the heads struck out of the ale and wine casks, the prisoners were slain and their bodies thrown down into the mass, and the castle was then set on fire. Archie Forbes in vain beggedDouglas to spare the lives of the prisoners, but the latter wouldnot listen to him. "No, Sir Archie, " he exclaimed; "the King ofEngland held my good father a prisoner in chains until he died;he has struck off the heads of every one of our friends who havefallen into his hands; he has wasted Scotland from end to end withfire and sword, and has slain our people in tens of thousands. Solong as this war continues, so long will I slay every prisoner whofalls into my hands, as King Edward would slay me did I fall intohis; and I will not desist unless this cruel king agrees to showquarter to such of us as he may capture. I see not why all themassacreing and bloodshed should be upon one side. "

Archie did not urge him further, for he too was half beside himselfwith indignation and grief at the murder of the king's brothersand friends, and at the cruel captivity which, by a violation ofthe laws of sanctuary, had fallen upon the ladies with whom he hadspent so many happy hours in the mountains and forests of Athole. 

Douglas and Archie now rejoined the king. For months Bruce ledthe life of a hunted fugitive. His little following dwindled awayuntil but sixty men remained in arms. Of these a portion werewith the king's brother in Galloway, and with but a handful of menBruce was lying among the fastnesses of Carrick when Sir Ingramde Umfraville, with a large number of troops sent by the Earl ofPembroke from Edinburgh, approached. Wholly unable to resist solarge a force, Bruce's little party scattered, and the king himself, attended only by a page, lay hidden in the cottage of a peasant. The English in vain searched for him, until a traitorous Scot wentto Umfraville and offered, for a reward of a grant of land to thevalue of 40 pounds annually, to slay Bruce. 

The offer was accepted, and the traitor and his two sons made theirway to Bruce's place of concealment. As they approached, Brucesnatched his bow from his page and shot the traitor through theeye. One son attacked him with an axe, but was slain with a blowfrom the king's sword. The remaining assailant rushed at him witha spear; but the king with one blow cut off the spearhead, andbefore the assailant had time to draw his sword, stretched himdead at his feet. After this the king with his adherents eludedthe search of the English and made their way into Galloway. Thepeople here who were devoted to the English cause determined to hunthim down, and two hundred men, accompanied by some blood hounds, set off towards the king's retreat; but Bruce's scouts were onthe watch and brought him news of their coming. The king with hisparty retired until they reached a morass, through which flowed arunning stream, while beyond a narrow passage led through a deepquagmire. 

Beyond this point the hunted party lay down to rest, while theking with two followers returned to the river to keep watch. Afterlistening for some time they heard the baying of the hounds comingnearer and nearer, and then, by the light of a bright moon, sawtheir enemies approaching. 

The king sent his two followers to rouse the band. The enemy, seeing Bruce alone, pressed forward with all haste; and the king, knowing that if he retired his followers would be attacked unprepared, determined alone to defend the narrow path. He retired from theriver bank to the spot where the path was narrowest and the morassmost impassable, and then drew his sword. His pursuers, crossingthe river, rode forward against him; Bruce charged the first, andwith his lance slew him; then with a blow with his mace he stretchedhis horse beside him, blocking the narrow passage. One by one hisfoes advanced, and five fell beneath his blows, before his companionsran up from behind. The Galloway men then took to flight, but ninemore were slain before they could cross the ford. 

The admiration and confidence of Bruce's followers were greatlyaroused by this new proof of his courage and prowess. Sir JamesDouglas, his brother Edward, and others soon afterwards returnedfrom the expeditions on which they had been sent, and the kinghad now 400 men assembled. This force, however, was powerless toresist an army of English and Lowland Scots who marched againsthim, led by Pembroke in person. This force was accompanied by John, son of Alexander MacDougall of Lorne, with 800 of his mountaineers. While the heavy armed troops occupied all the Lowlands, Lorne andhis followers made a circuit in the mountains so as to inclose theroyal fugitive between them. 

Bruce, seeing that resistance was impossible, caused his party toseparate into three divisions, and Douglas, Edward Bruce, and SirArchibald Forbes were charged to lead their bands, if possible, through the enemy without fighting. The king tried to escape by adifferent route with a handful of men. John of Lorne had obtainedfrom Turnberry a favourite blood hound belonging to Bruce, andthe hound being put upon the trace persistently followed the king'sparty. Seeing this, Bruce ordered them all to disperse, and, accompanied only by his foster brother, attempted to escape byspeed. 

As they sped along the mountain side they were seen by Lorne, whodirected his henchman, with four of his bravest and swiftest men, to follow him. After a long chase the MacDougalls came up withBruce and his foster brother, who drew their swords and stood on thedefence. The henchman, with two of his followers, attacked Bruce, while the other two fell on his foster brother. The combat was adesperate one, but one by one the king cut down his three assailants, and then turned to the assistance of his foster brother, whowas hardly pressed. The king's sword soon rid him of one of hisassailants, and he slew the other. Having thus disembarrassedthemselves of the whole of their immediate assailants, Bruce and hiscompanion continued their flight. The main body of their hunters, with the hound, were but a short distance away, but in a wood thefugitives came upon a stream, and, marching for some distance downthis, again landed, and continued their flight. 

The hound lost their scent at the spot where they had entered thewater, and being unable to recover it, Lorne and his followersabandoned the chase. Among the king's pursuers on this occasionwas his nephew Randolph, who had been captured at the battle ofMethven, and having again taken the oath of allegiance to Edwardhad been restored to that monarch's favour, and was now fightingamong the English ranks. 

The search was actively kept up after Bruce, and a party of threemen-at-arms came upon him and his foster brother. Being afraid toattack the king, whom they recognized, openly, they pretended theyhad come to join him. 

The king suspected treachery; and when the five lay down for thenight in a cottage which they came upon he and his companion agreedto watch alternately. Overcome by fatigue, however, both fell asleep, and when they were suddenly attacked by the three strangers, thefoster brother was killed before he could offer any resistance. The king himself, although wounded, managed to struggle to hisfeet, and then proved more than a match for his three treacherousassailants, all of whom, after a desperate struggle, he slew. 

The next morning he continued his way, and by nightfall succeededin joining the three bands, who had safely reached the rendezvoushe had appointed. 

A few hours after this exploit of Bruce, Archie with two or threeof his followers joined him. 

"This is indeed a serious matter of the hound, " Archie said whenBruce told him how nearly he had fallen a victim to the affectionof his favourite. "Methinks, sire, so long as he remains in theEnglish hands your life will never be safe, for the dog will alwayslead the searchers to your hiding places; if one could get nearenough to shoot him, the danger would be at an end. "

"I would not have him shot, Archie, for a large sum. I have had himsince he was a little pup; he has for years slept across my door, and would give his life for mine. `Tis but his affection now thatbrings danger upon me. "

"I should be sorry to see the dog killed myself, " Archie said, "forhe is a fine fellow, and he quite admitted me to his friendshipduring the time we were together. Still, sire, if it were a questionbetween their lives and yours, I would not hesitate to kill anynumber of dogs. The whole future of Scotland is wrapped up in you;and as there is not one of your followers but would gladly givehis life for yours, it were no great thing that a hound should dothe same. "

"I cannot withstand you in argument, Archie, " the king said smiling;"yet I would fain that my favourite should, if possible, be spared. But I grant you, should there be no other way, and the hound shouldcontinue to follow me, he must be put to death. But it would grieveme sorely. I have lost so many and so dear friends in the lastyear, that I can ill spare one of the few that are left me. "

Archie was himself fond of dogs, and knowing how attached Brucewas to his faithful hound he could quite understand how reluctanthe was that harm should come to him. Still, he felt it was necessarythat the dog should, at all hazards, be either killed or takenfrom the English, for if he remained in their hands he was almostcertain sooner or later to lead to Bruce's capture. He determinedthen to endeavour to avert the danger by abstracting the dog fromthe hands of the English, or, failing that, by killing him. To dothis it would be absolutely necessary to enter the English camp. There was no possibility of carrying out his purpose without runningthis risk, for when in pursuit of the king the hound would be heldby a leash, and there would be many men-at-arms close by, so thatthe difficulty of shooting him would be extremely great, and Archiecould see no plan save that of boldly entering the camp. 

He said nothing of his project to Bruce, who would probably haverefused to allow him to undertake it; but the next morning whenhe parted from him--for it was considered advisable that thefugitives should be divided into the smallest groups, and that onlyone or two of his retainers should remain with Bruce--he startedwith his own followers in the direction of Pembroke's camp. Hepresently changed clothes with one of these, and they then collecteda quantity of firewood and made it into a great faggot. Archie gavethem orders where they should await him, and lifting the faggot onhis shoulders boldly entered the camp. He passed with it near thepavilion of Pembroke. The earl was standing with some knights atthe entrance. 

"Come hither, Scot, " he said as Archie passed. 

Archie laid his bundle on the ground, and doffing his bonnet strodewith an awkward and abashed air toward the earl. 

"I suppose you are one of Bruce's men?" the earl said. 

"My father, " Archie replied, "as well as all who dwell in thesedales, were his vassals; but seeing that, as they say, his landshave been forfeit and given to others, I know not whose man I amat present. "

"Dost know Bruce by figure?"

"Surely, " Archie said simply, "seeing that I was employed in thestables at Turnberry, and used to wash that big hound of his, whowas treated as a Christian rather than a dog. "

"Oh, you used to tend the hound!" Pembroke said. "Then perhapsyou could manage him now. He is here in camp, and the brute is sosavage and fierce he has already well nigh killed two or three men;and I would have had him shot but that he may be useful to us. Ifhe knows you he may be quieter with you than others. "

"Doubtless he would know me, " Archie said; "but seeing that I havethe croft to look after, as my father is old and infirm, I trustthat you will excuse me the service of looking after the hound. "

"Answer me not, " Pembroke said angrily. "You may think yourselflucky, seeing that you are one of Bruce's retainers, that I do nothave you hung from a tree. 

"Take the fellow to the hound, " he said to one of his retainers, "and see if the brute recognizes him; if so, put him in charge ofhim for the future. And see you Scot, that you attempt no tricks, for if you try to escape I will hang you without shrift. "

Archie followed the earl's retainer to where, behind his pavilion, the great dog was chained up. He leapt to his feet with a savagegrowl on hearing footsteps approaching. His hair bristled and hetugged at his chain. 

"What a savage beast it is!" the man said; "I would sooner facea whole company of you Scots than get within reach of his jaws. Dickon, " he went on as another soldier, on hearing the growl, issuedfrom one of the smaller tents which stood in rear of the pavilion, "the earl has sent this Scot to relieve you of your charge of thedog; he is to have the care of him in future. "

"That is the best turn the earl has done me for a long time, " theman replied. "Never did I have a job I fancied less than the tendingof that evil tempered brute. "

"He did not use to be evil tempered, " Archie said; "but was a quietbeast when I had to do with him before. I suppose the strangenessof the place and so many strange faces have driven him half wild. Beside, he is not used to being chained up. Hector, old fellow, "he said approaching the dog quietly, "don't you know me?"

The great hound recognized the voice and his aspect changedat once. The bristling hair lay flat on his back; the threateningjaws closed. He gave a short deep bark of pleasure, and then beganleaping and tugging at his chain to reach his acquaintance. Archiecame close to him now. Hector reared on his hind legs, and placedhis great paws on his shoulders, and licked his face with whinesof joy. 

"He knows you, sure enough, " the man said; "and maybe we shall geton better now. At any rate there may be some chance of sleep, forthe brute's howls every night since he has been brought here havekept the whole camp awake. "

"No wonder!" Archie said, "when he has been accustomed to be pettedand cared for; he resents being chained up. "

"Would you unchain him?" the man asked. 

"That would I, " Archie replied; "and I doubt not that he will staywith me. "

"It may be so, " the man replied; "but you had best not unchain himwithout leave from the earl, for were he to take it into his headto run away, I would not give a groat for your life. But I will goand acquaint the earl that the dog knows you, and ask his ordersas to his being unchained. "

In two or three minutes he returned. 

"The earl says that on no account is he to be let free. He has toldme to have a small tent pitched here for you. The hound is to bechained to the post, and to share the tent with you. You may, ifyou will, walk about the camp with him, but always keeping him ina chain; but if you do so it will be at your peril, for if he getsaway your life will answer for it. "

In a short time two or three soldiers brought a small tent anderected it close by where the dog was chained up. Archie unloosedthe chain from the post round which it was fastened, and ledHector to the tent, the dog keeping close by his side and wagginghis tail gravely, as if to show his appreciation of the change, tothe satisfaction of the men to whom hitherto he had been a terror. Some heather was brought for a bed, and a supply of food, bothfor the dog and his keeper, and the men then left the two friendsalone. Hector was sitting up on his haunches gazing affectionatelyat Archie, his tail beating the ground with slow and regular strokes. 

"I know what you want to ask, old fellow, " Archie said to him; "whyI don't lead you at once to your master? Don't you be impatient, old fellow, and you shall see him ere long;" and he patted thehound's head. 

Hector, with a great sigh expressive of content and satisfaction, lay down on the ground by the side of the couch of heather on whichArchie threw himself--his nose between his forepaws, clearlyexpressing that he considered his troubles were over, and could nowafford to wait until in due time he should be taken to his master. That night the camp slept quietly, for Hector was silent. For thenext two days Archie did not go more than a few yards from his tent, for he feared that he might meet some one who would recognize him. 

Chapter XVIII

The Hound Restored

On the third day after his arrival at the camp Archie receivedorders to prepare to start with the hound, with the earl and a largeparty of men-at-arms, in search of Bruce. A traitor had just comein and told them where Bruce had slept the night before. ReluctantlyArchie unfastened the chain from the pole, and holding the end inhis hand went round with Hector to the front of the pavilion. Hewas resolved that if under the dog's guidance the party came closeup with Bruce, he would kill the dog and then try to escape byfleetness of foot, though of this, as there were so many mountedmen in the party, he had but slight hope. Led by the peasant theyproceeded to the hut, which was five miles away in the hills. Onreaching it Hector at once became greatly excited. He sniffedhere and there, eagerly hunted up and down the cottage, then madea circuit round it, and at last, with a loud deep bay he startedoff with his nose to the ground, pulling so hard at the chain thatArchie had difficulty in keeping up with him. Pembroke and hisknights rode a little behind, followed by their men-at-arms. 

"I pray you, Sir Earl, " Archie said, "keep not too close to mytraces, for the sound of the horse's hoofs and the jingling of theequipments make him all the more impatient to get forward, and evennow it taxes all my strength to hold him in. "

The earl reined back his horse and followed at a distance of somefifty yards. He had no suspicion whatever of any hidden designon Archie's part. The fact that the hound had recognized him hadappeared to him a sure proof of the truth of his tale, and Archiehad put on an air of such stupid simplicity that the earl deemedhim to have but imperfect possession of his wits. Moreover, in anycase he could overtake him in case he attempted flight. 

Archie proceeded at a trot behind the hound, who was withdifficulty restrained at that pace, straining eagerly on the chainand occasionally sending out his deep bay. Archie anxiously regardedthe country through which he was passing. He was waiting for anopportunity, and was determined, whenever they passed near a steephillside unscaleable by horsemen, he would stab Hector to the heartand take to flight. Presently he saw a man, whose attire showedhim to be a Highlander, approaching at a run; he passed close byArchie, and as he did so stopped suddenly, exclaiming, "ArchibaldForbes!" and drawing his broadsword sprang at him. Archie, who wasunarmed save by a long knife, leapt back. In the man he recognizedthe leader of the MacDougall's party, who had captured him nearDunstaffnage. The conflict would have terminated in an instant hadnot Hector intervened. Turning round with a deep growl the greathound sprang full at the throat of the Highlander as with upliftedsword he rushed at Archie. The impetus of the spring threw theMacDougall on his back, with the fangs of the hound fixed in histhroat. Archie's first impulse was to pull the dog off, the secondthought showed him that, were the man to survive he would at oncedenounce him. Accordingly, though he appeared to tug hard at Hector'schain, he in reality allowed him to have his way. Pembroke and hisknights instantly galloped up. As they arrived Hector loosed hishold, and with his hair bristly with rage prepared to attack thosewhom he regarded as fresh enemies. 

"Hold in that hound, " Pembroke shouted, "or he will do more damage. What means all this?" For a minute Archie did not answer, beingengaged in pacifying Hector, who, on seeing that no harm wasintended, strove to return to his first foe. 

"It means, " Archie said, when Hector was at last pacified, "thatthat Highlander came the other day to our cottage and wanted tocarry off a cow without making payment for it. I withstood him, he drew his sword, but as I had a stout cudgel in my hand I hit himon the wrist ere he could use it, and well nigh broke his arm. Sohe made off, cursing and swearing, and vowing that the next timehe met me he would have my life. "

"And that he would have done, " Pembroke said, "had it not beenfor Bruce's dog, who has turned matters the other way. He is deadassuredly. It is John of Lorne's henchman, who was doubtless onhis way with a message from his lord to me. Could not the fool havepostponed his grudge till he had delivered it? I tell you, Scot, you had best keep out of the MacDougalls' way, for assuredly theywill revenge the death of their clansman upon you if they havethe chance, though I can testify that the affair was none of yourseeking. Now let us continue our way. "

"I doubt me, Sir Earl, whether our journey ends not here, " Archiesaid, "seeing that these hounds, when they taste blood, seem fora time to lose their fineness of scent; but we shall see. "

Archie's opinion turned out correct. Do what they would they couldnot induce Hector again to take up his master's trail, the houndagain and again returning to the spot where the dead Highlanderstill lay. Pembroke had the body carried off but the hound tuggedat his chain in the direction in which it had gone, and seemed tohave lost all remembrance of the track upon which he was going. At last Pembroke was obliged to acknowledge that it was useless topursue longer, and, full of disappointment at their failure, theparty returned to camp, Pembroke saying: "Our chase is but postponed. We are sure to get tidings of Bruce's hiding place in a day or two, and next time we will have the hound muzzled, lest any hotheadedHighlander should again interfere to mar the sport. "

It was some days before further tidings were obtained of Bruce. Archie did not leave his tent during this time, giving as a reasonthat he was afraid if he went out he should meet some of Lorne'smen, who might take up the quarrel of the man who had been killed. At length, however, another traitor came in, and Pembroke and hisparty set out as before, Hector being this time muzzled by a strapround his jaw, which would not interfere with his scent, but wouldprevent him from widely opening his jaws. 

The scent of Bruce was again taken up at a lonely hut in the hills. The country was far more broken and rough than that through whichthey had followed Bruce's trail on the preceding occasion. AgainArchie determined, but most reluctantly, that he would slay thenoble dog; but he determined to postpone the deed to the latestmoment. Several places were passed where he might have succeededin effecting his escape after stabbing the hound, but each time hisdetermination failed him. It would have been of no use to releasethe dog and make himself up the hillside, for a blood hound's pacewhen on the track is not rapid, and the horsemen could have keptup with Hector, who would of course have continued his way uponthe trail of the king. Presently two men were seen in the distance;they had evidently been alarmed by the bay of the hound, and weregoing at full speed. A shout of triumph broke from the pursuers, and some of the more eager would have set spurs to their horsesand passed the hound. 

"Rein back, rein back, " Pembroke said, "the country is wild andhilly here, and Bruce may hide himself long before you can overtakehim. Keep steadily in his track till he gains flatter country, wherewe can keep him in sight, then we shall have no more occasion forthe hound and can gallop on at full speed. "

Archie observed, with satisfaction, that Bruce was making up anextremely steep hillside, deeming probably that horsemen would beunable to follow him here, and that he would be able to distancepursuers on foot. Ten minutes later his pursuers had reached thefoot of the hill. Pembroke at once ordered four knights and tenmen-at-arms to dismount. 

"Do you, " he said, "with the dog, follow hard upon the traces ofBruce. When you reach the top signal to us the direction in whichhe has gone. Follow ever on his track without stopping; he must atlast take to the low country again. Some of my men shall remainhere, others a mile further on, and so on round the whole foot ofthe hills. Do you, when you see that, thinking he has distancedyou, which he may well do being more lightly armed and flying forhis life, he makes for the low country again, send men in differentdirections to give me warning. The baying of the dog will act asa signal to us. "

While the men had been dismounting and Pembroke was giving hisorders Archie had proceeded up the hill with the hound. The pathwas exceedingly steep and difficult. 

"Do not hurry, sirrah, " Pembroke called; "hold in your hound tillthe others join you. " But Archie paid no attention to the shout, but kept up the steep path at the top of his speed. Shouts andthreats followed him, but he paused not till he reached the topof the ascent; then he unfastened Hector's collar, and the dog, relieved from the chain which had so long restrained him, boundedaway with a deep bay in pursuit of his master, whose scent was nowstrong before him. As Archie looked back, the four knights andtheir followers, in single file, were, as yet, scarce halfway upthe ascent. Lying round were numbers of loose boulders, and Archieat once began to roll these down the hillside. They went but slowlyat first, but as they reached the steeper portion they gatheredspeed, and taking great bounds crashed down the hillside. As theseformidable missiles burst down from above the knights paused. 

"On!" Pembroke shouted from below; "the Scot is a traitor, and heand the hound will escape if you seize him not. " Again the partyhurried up the hill. Three of them were struck down by the rocks, and the speed of all was impeded by the pauses made to avoid thegreat boulders which bounded down toward them. When they werewithin a few yards of the top Archie turned and bounded off at fullspeed. He had no fear of being himself overtaken. Lightly clad andunarmed, the knights and men-at-arms, who were all in full armour, and who were already breathed with the exertions they had made, would have no chance of overtaking him; indeed he could safely havefled at once when he loosed Hector, but he had stopped to delay theascent of his pursuers solely to give the hound as long a startas possible. He himself could have kept up with the hound; themen-at-arms could assuredly not do so, but they might for a longtime keep him in sight, and his baying would afterwards indicatethe line the king was taking, and Bruce might yet be cut off bythe mounted men. The delay which his bombardment had caused hadgiven a long start to the hound, for it was more than five minutesfrom the time when it had been loosed before the pursuers gainedthe crest of the hill. Archie, in his flight, took a differentline to that which the dog had followed. Hector was already outof sight, and although his deep baying might for a time afford anindex to his direction this would soon cease to act as a guide, asthe animal would rapidly increase his distance from his pursuers, and would, when he had overtaken the king, cease to emit his warningnote. The pursuers, after a moment's pause for consultation on thecrest of the hill, followed the line taken by the hound. 

The men-at-arms paused to throw aside their defensive armour, breast, back, and leg pieces, and the knights relieved themselvesof some of their iron gear; but the delay, short as it was, causedby the unbuckling of straps and unlacing of helms, increased thedistance which already existed between them and the hound, whosedeep notes, occasionally raised, grew fainter and fainter. In afew minutes it ceased altogether, and Archie judged that the houndhad overtaken his master, who, on seeing the animal approachingalone, would naturally have checked his flight. Archie himselfwas now far away from the men-at-arms, and after proceeding untilbeyond all reach of pursuit, slackened his pace, and breaking intoa walk continued his course some miles across the hills until hereached a lonely cottage where he was kindly received, and remaineduntil next day. 

The following morning he set out and journeyed to the spot, where, on leaving his retainers more than a week before, he had orderedthem to await his coming. It was another week before he obtainedsuch news as enabled him again to join the king, who was staying ata woodcutter's hut in Selkirk Forest. Hector came out with a deepbark of welcome. 

"Well, Sir Archie, " the king said, following his dog to the door, "and how has it fared with you since we last parted a fortnightsince? I have been hotly chased, and thought I should have beentaken; but, thanks to the carelessness of the fellow who led myhound, Hector somehow slipped his collar and joined me, and I wasable to shake off my pursuers, so that danger is over, and withoutsacrificing the life of my good dog. "

Archie smiled. "Perchance, sir, it was not from any clumsiness thatthe hound got free, but that he was loosed by some friendly hand. "

"It may be so, " the king replied; "but they would scarcely haveintrusted him to a hand friendly to me. Nor would his leader, evenif so disposed, have ventured to slip the hound, seeing that thehorsemen must have been close by at the time, and that such a deedwould cost him his life. It was only because Hector got away, whenthe horsemen were unable to follow him, that he escaped, seeingthat, good dog as he is, speed is not his strong point, and thathorsemen could easily gallop alongside of him even were he free. What are you smiling at, Sir Archie? The hound and you seem onwondrous friendly terms;" for Hector was now standing up with hisgreat paws on Archie's shoulder. 

"So we should be, sire, seeing that for eight days we have sharedbed and board. "

"Ah! is it so?" Bruce exclaimed. "Was it you, then, that loosedthe hound?"

"It was, sir, " Archie replied; "and this is the history of it;and you will see that if I have done you and Hector a service inbringing you together again the hound has repaid it by saving mylife. "

Entering the hut, Archie sat down and related all that had happened, to the king. 

"You have done me great service, Sir Archie, " Bruce said when heconcluded his tale, "for assuredly the hound would have wrought myruin had he remained in the hands of the English. This is anotherof the long list of services you have rendered me. Some day, whenI come to my own, you will find that I am not ungrateful. "

The feats which have been related of Bruce, and other personaladventures in which he distinguished himself, won the hearts ofgreat numbers of the Scotch people. They recognized now that theyhad in him a champion as doughty and as valiant as Wallace himself. The exploits of the king filled their imaginations, and the way inwhich he continued the struggle after the capture of the ladies ofhis family and the cruel execution of his brothers and so many ofhis adherents, convinced them that he would never desist until hewas dead or a conqueror. Once persuaded of this, larger numbersgathered round his banner, and his fortunes henceforth began steadilyto rise. 

Lord Clifford had rebuilt Douglas Castle, making it larger andmuch stronger than before, and had committed it to the charge ofCaptain Thirlwall, with a strong garrison. Douglas took a numberof his retainers, who had now joined him in the field, and someof these, dressing themselves as drovers and concealing theirarms, drove a herd of cattle within sight of the castle toward anambuscade in which Douglas and the others were laying in ambush. The garrison, seeing what they believed a valuable prize withintheir grasp, sallied out to seize the cattle. When they reached theambuscade the Scots sprang out upon them, and Thirlwall and thegreater portion of his men were slain. Douglas then took and destroyedthe castle and marched away. Clifford again rebuilt it more stronglythan before, and placed it in charge of Sir John Walton. It mighthave been thought that after the disasters which had befallenthe garrison they would not have suffered themselves to be againentrapped. Douglas, however, ordered a number of his men to ridepast within sight of the castle with sacks upon their horses, apparently filled with grain, but in reality with grass, as ifthey were countrymen on their way to the neighbouring market town, while once more he and his followers placed themselves in ambush. Headed by their captain, the garrison poured out from the castle, and followed the apparent countrymen until they had passed theambush where Douglas was lying. Then the drovers threw off theirdisguises and attacked them, while Douglas fell upon their rear, and Walton and his companions were all slain. The castle was thenattacked, and the remainder of the garrison being cowed by thefate which had befallen their leader and comrades, made but a poordefence. The castle was taken, and was again destroyed by itslord, the walls being, as far as possible, overthrown. 

Shortly after the daring adventures of Bruce had begun to rousethe spirit of the country Archie Forbes found himself at the headof a larger following than before. Foreseeing that the war must bea long one he had called upon his tenants and retainers to furnishhim only with a force one third of that of their total strength. Thus he was able to maintain sixty men always in the field--allthe older men on the estate being exempted from service unlesssummoned to defend the castle. 

One day when he was in the forest of Selkirk with the king a bodyof fifty men were seen approaching. Their leader inquired for SirArchibald Forbes, and presently approached him as he was talkingto the king. 

"Sir Archibald Forbes, " he said, "I am bidden by my mistress, thelady Mary Kerr, to bring these, a portion of the retainers of herestates in Ayrshire, and to place them in your hands to lead andgovern. "

"In my hands!" Archie exclaimed in astonishment. "The Kerrs are allon the English side, and I am their greatest enemy. It were strange, indeed, were one of them to choose me to lead their retainers inthe cause of Scotland. "

"Our young lord Sir Allan was slain at Methven, " the man said, "andthe lady Mary is now our lady and mistress. She sent to us monthsago to say that she willed not that any of her retainers should anylonger take part in the struggle, and all who were in the fieldwere summoned home. Then we heard that no hindrance would be offeredby her should any wish to join the Bruce; and now she has sent bya messenger a letter under her hand ordering that a troop of fiftymen shall be raised to join the king, and that it shall fight underthe leading and order of Sir Archibald Forbes. "

"I had not heard that Sir Allan had fallen, " Archie said to theking as they walked apart from the place where the man was standing;"and in truth I had forgotten that he even had a sister. She musthave been a child when I was a boy at Glen Cairn, and could havebeen but seldom at the castle--which, indeed, was no fit abodefor so young a girl, seeing that Sir John's wife had died someyears before I left Glen Cairn. Perhaps she was with her mother'srelations. I have heard that Sir John Kerr married a relation ofthe Comyns of Badenoch. `Tis strange if, being of such bad bloodon both sides, she should have grown up a true Scotchwoman--stillmore strange she should send her vassals to fight under the bannerof one whom she must regard as the unlawful holder of her father'slands of Aberfilly. "

"Think you, Sir Archie, " the king said, "that this is a stratagem, and that these men have really come with a design to seize uponyou and slay you, or to turn traitors in the first battle?"

Archie was silent. "Treachery has been so much at work, " he saidafter a pause, "that it were rash to say that this may not be atraitorous device; but it were hard to think that a girl--evena Kerr--would lend herself to it. "

"There are bad women as well as bad men, " the king said: "and ifa woman thinks she has grievances she will often stick at nothingto obtain revenge. "

"It is a well appointed troop, " Archie said looking at the men, who were drawn up in order, "and not to be despised. Their leaderlooks an honest fellow; and if the lady means honestly it werechurlish indeed, to refuse her aid when she ventures to break withher family and to declare for Scotland. No; methinks that, withyour permission, I will run the risk, such as it may be, and willjoin this band with my own. I will keep a sharp watch over them atthe first fight, and will see that they are so placed that, shouldthey mean treachery, they shall have but small opportunity of doingharm. "

Chapter XIX

The Convent of St. Kenneth

Bruce, as the result of his successes, was now able to leavehis fastnesses and establish himself in the districts of Carrick, Kyle, and Cunningham. Pembroke had established himself at BothwellCastle, and sent a challenge to Bruce to meet him with his force atLoudon Hill. Although his previous experience of such challengeswas unfortunate, Bruce accepted the offer. He had learned muchsince the battle of Methven, and was not likely again to be caughtasleep; on the 9th of May he assembled his forces at Loudon Hill. 

It was but a small following. Douglas had brought 100 menfrom Douglasdale, and Archie Forbes had as many under his banner. Bruce's own vassals had gathered 200 strong, and as many more ofthe country people had joined; but in all, the Scotch force didnot exceed 600 men, almost entirely on foot and armed with spears. Bruce at once reconnoitred the ground to discover a spot where hislittle force might best withstand the shock of Pembroke's chivalry. He found that at one place near the hill the road crossed a levelmeadow with deep morasses on either side. He strengthened the positionwith trenches, and calmly awaited the approach of his enemy. Uponthe following day Pembroke's army was seen approaching, numbering3000 knights and mounted men-at-arms, all in complete armour. Theywere formed in two divisions. The battle was almost a repetitionof that which had been fought by Wallace near the same spot. TheEnglish chivalry levelled their spears and charged with proudconfidence of their ability to sweep away the rabble of spearmenin front of them. Their flanks became entangled in the morasses;their centre tried in vain to break through the hedge of Scottishspears, and when they were in confusion, the king, his brotherEdward, Douglas, Archie Forbes, and some twenty other mounted mendashed through a gap in the spearmen and fell upon them. The seconddivision, seeing the first broken and in confusion, turned and tookto flight at once, and Pembroke and his attendants rode, withoutdrawing rein, to Bothwell Castle. 

A few days later Bruce encountered and defeated Ralph de Monthermer, Earl of Gloucester, and compelled him to shut himself up in theCastle of Ayr. 

Archie Forbes was not present at the second battle, for upon themorning after the fight at Loudon Hill he was aroused by his servantentering his tent. 

"A messenger has just brought this, " he said, handing him a smallpacket. "He bids me tell you that the sender is a prisoner in theconvent of St. Kenneth, on Loch Leven, and prays your aid. "

Archie opened the packet and found within it the ring he had givento Marjory at Dunstaffnage. Without a moment's delay he hurriedto the king and begged permission to leave him for a short time onurgent business, taking with him twenty of his retainers. 

"What is your urgent business, Sir Archie?" the king asked. "A ladyis in the case, I warrant me. Whenever a young knight has urgentbusiness, be sure that a lady is in question. Now mind, Sir Archie, I have, as I have told you, set my heart upon marrying you toMistress Mary Kerr, and so at once putting an end to a long feudand doubling your possessions. Her retainers fought well yesterday, and the least I can do to reward so splendid a damsel is to bestowupon her the hand of my bravest knight. "

"I fear, sire, " Archie said laughing, "that she must be contentwith another. There are plenty who will deem themselves well paidfor their services in your cause by the gift of the hand of so richan heiress. But I must fain be excused; for as I told you, sire, when we were together in Rathlin Island, my heart was otherwisebestowed. "

"What! to the niece of that malignant enemy of mine, Alexander ofLorne?" the king said laughing. "Her friends would rather see youon the gibbet than at the altar. "

"I care nought for her friends, " Archie said, "if I can get herself. My own lands are wide enough, and I need no dowry with my wife. "

"I see you are hopeless, " the king replied. "Well, go, Archie; butwhatever be your errand, beware of the Lornes. Remember I havescarce begun to win Scotland yet, and cannot spare you. "

A quarter of an hour later Archie, with twenty picked men, tookhis way northward. Avoiding all towns and frequented roads, Archiemarched rapidly north to the point of Renfrew and crossed the Firthof Clyde by boat; then he kept north round the head of Loch Fyne, and avoiding Dalmally skirted the head of Loch Etive and the slopesof Ben Nevis, and so came down on Loch Leven. 

The convent stood at the extremity of a promontory jutting into thelake. The neck was very narrow, and across it were strong walls, with a gate and flanking towers. Between this wall and the conventwas the garden where the inmates walked and enjoyed the air freefrom the sight of men, save, indeed, of fishers who might be passingin their boats. 

Outside the wall, on the shore of the lake, stood a large village;and here a strong body of the retainers of the convent were alwayson guard, for at St. Kenneth were many of the daughters of Scotchnobles, sent there either to be out of the way during the troublesor to be educated by the nuns. Although the terrors of sacrilegeand the ban of the church might well deter any from laying handsupon the convent, yet even in those days of superstition some werefound so fierce and irreverent as to dare even the anger of thechurch to carry out their wishes; and the possession of some of theseheiresses might well enable them to make good terms for themselvesboth with the church and the relations of their captives. Therefore anumber of the retainers were always under arms, a guard was placedon the gate, and lookouts on the flanking towers--their dutybeing not only to watch the land side, but to shout orders to keepat a distance to any fisherman who might approach too closely tothe promontory. 

Archie left his party in the forest under the command of WilliamOrr. He dressed himself as a mountaineer, and, accompanied by ClunyCampbell, and carrying a buck which they had shot in the forest, went boldly down into the village. He soon got into conversationwith an old fisherman, and offered to exchange the deer for driedfish. The bargain was quickly struck, and then Archie said:

"I have never been out on the lake, and would fain have a view ofthe convent from the water. Will you take me and my brother outfor a row?"

The fisherman, who had made a good bargain, at once assented, androwed Archie and Cluny far out into the lake. 

As they passed along at some distance Archie saw that the shore wasin several places smooth and shelving, and that there would be nodifficulty in effecting a landing. He saw also that there were manyclumps of trees and shrubs in the garden. 

"And do the nuns and the ladies at the convent often walk there?"he asked the fisherman. 

"Oh yes, " he answered; "of an evening as I come back from fishingI can see numbers of them walking there. When the vesper bell ringsthey all go in. That is the chapel adjoining the convent on thisside. "

"It is a strong building, " Archie said as when past the end ofthe promontory they obtained a full view of it. "It is more likea castle than a convent. "

"It had need be strong, " the old man said; "for some of therichest heiresses in Scotland are shut up there. On the land sideI believe there are no windows on the lower storey, and the dooris said to be of solid iron. The windows on that side are allstrongly barred; and he would have hard work, indeed, who wantedby force or stratagem to steal one of the pretty birds out of thatcage. "

Archie had no idea of using force; and although he had been to someextent concerned in the breach of sanctuary at Dumfries, he wouldhave shrunk from the idea of violating the sanctuary of St. Kenneth. But to his mind there was no breach whatever of that sanctuary inaiding one kept there against her will to make her escape. Havingascertained all that he wished to know, he bade the boatman returnto shore. 

"Keep a lookout for me, " he said, "for I may return in a few dayswith another buck, and may bring a comrade or two with me who wouldlike an afternoon's fishing on the lake. I suppose you could lendme your boat and nets?"

"Assuredly, " the fisherman replied. "You will not mind taking intoconsideration the hire of the boat in agreeing for the weight offish to be given for the stag?"

Archie nodded, secretly amused at the old man's covetousness, forhe knew that the weight of fish he had given him for the stag whichhe had brought down was not one fourth the value of the meat. 

He then returned with Cluny to the band. Some time before daybreakhe came down to the place again, and, entering the water quietly, at a distance from the promontory, swam noiselessly out, and landedat the garden, and there concealed himself in a clump of bushes. Daylight came. An hour later some of the nuns of the second order, who belonged to poor families and acted as servants in the convent, came out into the garden, and busied themselves with the cultivationof the flowers, vegetables, and herbs. Not till the afternoon didany of the other inmates appear; but at about four o'clock thegreat door of the convent opened, and a number of women and girlsstreamed out. The former were all in nuns' attire, as were a fewof the latter, but their garb was somewhat different from that ofthe elder sisters; these were the novices. The greater number, however, of the girls were dressed in ordinary attire, and were thepupils of the convent. While the nuns walked quietly up and downor sat on benches and read, the pupils scattered in groups laughingand talking merrily together. Among these Archie looked eagerlyfor Marjory. He felt sure that her imprisonment could be detentiononly, and not rigorous seclusion. Presently he espied her. Shewas walking with two of the nuns and three or four of the elderresidents at the convent, for many of these were past the age ofpupildom; and were there simply as a safe place of refuge duringtroublous times. The conversation appeared to be an animated one. It was not for some time that the group passed within hearing ofArchie's place of concealment. Then Archie heard the voice of oneof the nuns raised in anger:

"It is monstrous what you say, and it is presumptuous and wickedfor a young girl of eighteen to form opinions for herself. Whatshould we come to if every young woman were to venture to think andjudge for herself? Discord and disorder would be wrought in everyfamily. All your relations and friends are opposed to this sacrilegiousmurderer, Robert Bruce. The church has solemnly banned him, andyet you venture to uphold his cause. "

"But the Bishop of Glasgow, " Marjory said, "and many other goodprelates of our church side with him, and surely they must be goodjudges whether his sins are unpardonable. "

"Do not argue with me, " the sister said angrily. "I tell you thisobstinacy will be permitted no longer. Had it not been that Alexanderof Lorne begged that we would not be harsh with you, steps wouldlong since have been taken to bring you to reason; but we can nolonger permit this advocacy of rebellion, and the last unmaidenlystep which you took of setting at defiance your friends and relatives, and even of sending messages hence, must be punished. The abbessbade me reason with you and try and turn your obstinate will. Yourcousins of Badenoch here have appealed to you in vain. This can nolonger be tolerated. The lady abbess bids me tell you that she givesyou three days to renounce the rebel opinions you have so frowardlyheld, and to accept the husband whom your uncle and guardian haschosen for you, your cousin John of Lorne, his son. During thattime none will speak to you. If at the end of three days you arestill contumacious you will be confined to your cell on bread andwater until better thoughts come to you. "

While the conversation had been going on, the little group hadhalted near the bushes, and they now turned away, leaving Marjorystanding by herself. The girl sat down on a bench close to whereshe had been standing, exclaiming to herself as she did so, "Theymay shut me up as a prisoner for life, but I will never consent totake sides against the cause of Scotland or to marry John of Lorne. Oh! who is there?" she exclaimed, starting suddenly to her feet asa man's voice behind her said:

"Quite right, Mistress Marjory, well and bravely resolved; but praysit down again, and assume an attitude of indifference. "

"Who is it that speaks?" the girl asked in a tremulous voice, resuming her seat. 

"It is your true knight, lady, Archibald Forbes, who has come torescue you from this captivity. "

"But how can you rescue me?" the girl asked after a long pause. "Doyou know the consequences if you are found here within the boundsof the convent?"

"I care nothing for the consequences, " Archie said. "I have in thewoods twenty stout followers. I propose tomorrow to be with threeof them on the lake afishing. If you, when the bell rings for yourreturn in the evening, will enter that little copse by the side ofthe lake, and will show yourself at the water's edge, we will rowstraight in and take you off long ere the guards can come hitherto hinder us. The lake is narrow, and we can reach the other sidebefore any boat can overtake us. There my followers will be awaitingus, and we can escort you to a place of safety. It is fortunatethat you are ordered to be apart from the rest; none therefore willmark you as you linger behind when the bell rings for vespers. "

Marjory was silent for some time. 

"But, Sir Knight, " she said, "whither am I to go? for of all myfriends not one, save the good priest, but is leagued against me. "

"I can take you either to the Bishop of Glasgow, who is a friend ofthe Bruce and whom I know well--he will, I am sure, take chargeof you--or, if you will, lady, I can place you with my mother, who will receive you as a daughter. "

"But what, " the girl said hesitatingly, "will people say at myrunning away from a convent with a young knight?"

"Let them say what they will, " Archie said. "All good Scots, whenthey know that you have been in prison here solely from the loveof your country, will applaud the deed; and should you prefer it, the king will, I know, place you in charge of the wife of one ofthe nobles who adheres to him, and will give you his protectionand countenance. Think, lady, if you do not take this opportunityof gaining your freedom, it may never occur again, for if you areonce shut up in your cell, as I heard threatened, nothing save anattack by force of arms, which would be sheer sacrilege, can rescueyou from it. Surely, " he urged, as the girl still remained silent, "you can trust yourself with me. Do I not owe my life to you? andI swear that so long as you remain in my charge I will treat youas my sister in all honour and respect. "

For some minutes the girl made no answer. At length she said, standing up, and half turning toward the bushes:

"I will trust you, Sir Archie. I know you to be a brave and honourableknight, and I will trust you. I know `tis a strange step to take, and the world will blame me; but what can I do? If I refuse youroffer I shall be kept a prisoner here until I consent to marry Johnof Lorne, whom I hate, for he is as rough and cruel as his father, without the kindness of heart, which, save in his angry moments, the latter has ever had toward me. All my relations are againstme, and struggle against my fate as I may, I must in the end bendto their will if I remain here. `Tis a hard choice to make; butwhat can I do? Yes, I will trust to your honour; and may God andall the saints punish you if you are false to the trust! Tomorrowevening, as the vespers are chiming, I will be at the water's edge, behind yonder clump of bushes. "

Then, with head bent down and slow steps, Marjory returned tothe convent, none addressing her as she passed through the groupsof her companions, the order that she was to be shut out from therest having been already issued. Archie remained in his place ofconcealment until the gardens were deserted and night had fallen. Then he left his hiding place, and, entering the lake, swam quietlyaway, and landed far beyond the village. An hour's walk broughthim to the encampment of his comrades. 

At daybreak next morning the band, under the command of WilliamOrr, started for their long march round the head of the lake tothe position which they were to take up on the opposite side facingthe convent, Archie choosing three of the number most accustomedto the handling of oars to remain with him. With these he set outon a hunt as soon as the main body had left, and by midday hadsucceeded in killing a stag. With this swung on a pole carried byhis followers Archie proceeded to the village. He speedily foundthe fisherman with whom he had before bargained. 

"I did not expect you back again so soon, " the old man said. 

"We killed a buck this morning, " Archie said carelessly, "and myfriends thought that the afternoon would be fine for fishing. "

"You can try if you like, " the fisherman said, "but I fear thatyou will have but little sport. The day is too bright and clear, and the fish will be sulking at the bottom of the lake. "

"We will try, " Archie said, "nevertheless. Even if the sport isbad it will be pleasant out on the lake, and if we catch nothing wewill get you to give us some fresh fish instead of dry. The folksin the hills will be no wiser, and it will not do for us to returnempty handed. "

The fisherman assented, and placed the oars and nets in the boat, and Archie and his companions entering rowed out into the middleof the lake, and then throwing over the nets busied themselves withfishing. 

As the old man had predicted, their sport was but small, but thisconcerned them little. Thinking that they might be watched, theycontinued steadily all the afternoon casting and drawing in thenets, until the sun neared the horizon. Then they gathered thenets into the boat and rowed quietly towards the shore. Just asthey were abreast the end of the promontory the bell of the chapelbegan to ring the vespers. A few more strokes and Archie couldsee the clump of bushes. 

"Row quietly now, " he said, still steering toward the village. 

He was about a hundred yards distant from the shore of the conventgarden. Just as he came abreast of the bushes the foliage was partedand Marjory appeared at the edge of the water. In an instant theboat's head was turned toward shore, and the three rowers bent tothe oars. 

A shout from the watchman on the turret showed that he had beenwatching the boat and that this sudden change of its course hadexcited his alarm. The shout was repeated again and again as theboat neared the shore, and just as the keel grated on the sand theouter gate was opened and some armed men were seen running into thegarden, but they were still two hundred yards away. Marjory leaptlightly into the boat; the men pushed off, and before the retainersof the convent reached the spot the boat was speeding away over thelake. Archie gave up to Marjory his seat in the stern, and himselftook an oar. 

Loch Leven, though of considerable length, is narrow, and the boatwas nearly a third of the way across it before two or three craftwere seen putting out from the village in pursuit, and althoughthese gained somewhat, the fugitives reached the other shore a longdistance in advance. William Orr and his men were at the landingplace, and soon the whole party were hurrying through the wood. They had no fear of instant pursuit, for even in the fast gatheringgloom those in the boats would have perceived the accession offorce which they had received on landing, and would not ventureto follow. But before morning the news of the evasion would spreadfar and wide, and there would be a hot pursuit among the mountains. 

Scarce a word had been spoken in the boat. Marjory was pale andagitated, and Archie thought it best to leave her to herself. Onthe way through the wood he kept beside her, assisting her overrough places, and occasionally saying a few encouraging words. Whendarkness had completely set in three or four torches were lit, andthey continued their way until midnight. Several times Archie hadproposed a halt, but Marjory insisted that she was perfectly ableto continue her way for some time longer. 

At midnight, however, he halted. 

"We will stop here, " he said. "My men have been marching ever sincedaybreak, and tomorrow we must journey fast and far. I propose thatwe keep due east for some time and then along by Loch Rannoch, thenacross the Grampians by the pass of Killiecrankie, when we can makedown to Perth, and so to Stirling. The news of your escape willfly fast to the south, and the tracks to Tarbert and the Clydewill all be watched; but if we start at daybreak we shall be far onour way east before they begin to search the hills here; and evenif they think of our making in this direction, we shall be atKilliecrankie before they can cut us off. "

Chapter XX

The Heiress of the Kerrs

While Archie was speaking Marjory had sat down on a fallen tree. Shehad not slept the night before, and had been anxious and agitatedthe whole day. The excitement had kept her up; but she now feltcompletely worn out, and accepted without protest Archie's decisionthat a halt must be made. 

The men were already gathering sticks, and a bright fire soon blazednear the spot where she had seated herself. Ere long some venisonsteaks were broiled in the flames. At Archie's earnest requestMarjory tried to eat, but could with difficulty swallow a fewmorsels. A bower of green boughs was quickly made for her, and theground thickly piled with fresh bracken, and Marjory was in a veryfew minutes sound asleep after the fatigue and excitement of theday. 

With the first dawn of morning the men were on their feet. Freshsticks were thrown on the fire and breakfast prepared, for themarch would be a long and wearisome one. 

"Breakfast is ready, Mistress Marjory, " Archie said, approachingthe bower. 

"And I am ready too, " the girl said blithely as she appeared atthe entrance. "The sleep has done wonders for me, and I feel braveand fresh again. I fear you must have thought me a terrible cowardyesterday; but it all seemed so dreadful, such a wild and wickedthing to do, that I felt quite overwhelmed. Today you will find meready for anything. "

"I could never think you a coward, " Archie said, "after you facedthe anger of that terrible uncle of yours for my sake; or rather, "he added, "for the sake of your word. And now I hope you will eatsomething, for we have a long march through the forest and hillsbefore us. "

"Don't fear that I shall tire, " she said. "I am half a mountaineermyself, and, methinks, can keep on my feet as long as any man. "

The meal was hastily eaten, and then the party started on theirway. 

"I have been wondering, " the girl said, as with light steps shekept pace with Archie's longer strides, "how you came to know thatI was in the convent. "

Archie looked surprised. 

"How should I know, Mistress Marjory, but through your own messenger?"

"My own messenger!" Marjory exclaimed. "You are jesting, Sir Archie. "

"I am not so, fair lady, " he said. "Surely you must remember thatyou sent a messenger to me, with word that you were captive at St. Kenneth and needed my aid?"

The girl stopped for a moment in her walk and gazed at her companionas if to assure herself that he was in earnest. "You must be surelydreaming, Sir Archie, " she said, as she continued the walk, "forassuredly I sent you no such message. "

"But, lady, " Archie said, holding out his hand, "the messengerbrought me as token that he had come from you this ring which Ihad given you, vowing that should you call me to your aid I wouldcome immediately, even from a stricken field. "

The blood had rushed into the girl's face as she saw the ring. Then she turned very pale. "Sir Archibald Forbes, " she said ina low tone, after walking for a minute or two in silence, "I feeldisgraced in your eyes. How forward and unmaidenly must you havethought me thus to take advantage of a vow made from the impulseof sudden gratitude. "

"No, indeed, lady, " Archie said hotly. "No such thought ever enteredmy mind. I should as soon doubt the holy Virgin herself as to deemyou capable of aught but what was sweet and womanly. The matterseemed to me simple enough. You had saved my life at great perilto yourself, and it seemed but natural to me that in your trouble, having none others to befriend you, your thoughts should turn toone who had sworn to be to the end of his life your faithful knightand servant. But, " he went on more lightly, "since you yourselfdid not send me the ring and message, what good fairy can havebrought them to me?"

"The good fairy was a very bad one, " the girl said shortly, "and Iwill rate him soundly when I see him for thus adventuring withoutmy consent. It is none other than Father Anselm; and yet, " sheadded, "he has suffered so much on my behalf that I shall have toforgive him. After your escape my uncle in his passion was wellnigh hanging the good priest in spite of his holy office, and drovehim from the castle. He kept me shut up in my room for many weeks, and then urged upon me the marriage with his son. When he foundthat I would not listen to it he sent me to St. Kenneth, and thereI have remained ever since. Three weeks ago Father Anselm came tosee me. He had been sent for by Alexander of Lorne, who, knowingthe influence he had with me, begged him to undertake the missionof inducing me to bend to his will. As he knew how much I hatedJohn of Lorne, the good priest wasted not much time in entreaties;but he warned me that it had been resolved that unless I gave waymy captivity, which had hitherto been easy and pleasant, would bemade hard and rigorous, and that I would be forced into acceptingJohn of Lorne as a husband. When he saw that I was determined notto give in, the good priest certainly hinted" (and here she colouredagain hotly) "that you would, if sent for, do your best to carryme off. Of course I refused to listen to the idea, and chided himfor suggesting so unmaidenly a course. He urged it no further, andI thought no more of the matter. The next day I missed my ring, which, to avoid notice, I had worn on a little ribbon round myneck. I thought at the time the ribbon must have broken and thering been lost, and for a time I made diligent search in the gardenfor it; but I doubt not now that the traitor priest, as I kneltbefore him to receive his blessing on parting, must have severedthe ribbon and stolen it. "

"God bless him!" Archie said fervently. "Should he ever come toAberfilly the warmest corner by the fire, the fattest capon, andthe best stoop of wine from the cellar shall be his so long ashe lives. Why, but for him, Lady Marjory, you might have worn outmonths of your life in prison, and have been compelled at last towed your cousin. I should have been a miserable man for life. "

The girl laughed. 

"I would have given you a week, Sir Archie, and no more; thatis the extreme time which a knight in our days can be expected tomourn for the fairest lady; and now, " she went on, changing thesubject, "think you we shall reach the pass across the Grampiansbefore night?"

"If all goes well, lady, and your feet will carry you so far, we shall be there by eventide. Unless by some chance encounter weneed have no fear whatever of pursuit. It will have been daylightbefore the news of your flight fairly spread through the country, though, doubtless, messengers were sent off at once in all directions;but it would need an army to scour these woods, and as they knownot whether we have gone east, west, north, or south, the chance isfaint indeed of any party meeting us, especially as we have takenso straight a line that they must march without a pause in exactlythe right direction to come up with us. "

At nightfall the party camped again on the slope of the Grampians, and the following morning crossed by the pass of Killiecrankie andmade toward Perth. 

The next night Marjory slept in a peasant's cottage, Archie and hiscompanions lying down without. Wishing to avoid attention, Archiepurchased from the peasant the Sunday clothes of his daughter, whowas about the same age and size as Marjory. 

When they reached Perth he bought a strong horse, with saddle andpillion; and with Marjory behind him, and his band accompanyinghim on foot, he rode for Stirling. When he neared the town he heardthat the king was in the forest of Falkirk, and having consultedMarjory as to her wishes rode directly thither. 

Bruce, with his followers, had arrived but the day before, andhad taken up his abode at the principal house of a village in theforest. He came to the door when he heard the trampling of a horse. 

"Ah! Sir Archie, is it you safely returned, and, as I half expected, a lady?"

"This, sire, " Archie said, dismounting, "is Mistress MarjoryMacDougall, of whom, as you have heard me say, I am the devotedknight and servant. She has been put in duress by Alexander of Lornebecause in the first place she was a true Scots woman and favouredyour cause, and because in the second place she refused to espouse hisson John. I have borne her away from the convent of St. Kenneth, and as I used no force in doing so no sacrilege has been committed. I have brought her to you in all honour and courtesy, as I might adear sister, and I now pray you to place her under the protectionof the wife of one of your knights, seeing that she has no friendsand natural protectors here. Then, when she has time to think, shemust herself decide upon her future. "

The king assisted Marjory to dismount. 

"Fair mistress, " he said, "Sir Archibald Forbes is one of the bravestand truest of my knights, and in the hands of none might you moreconfidently place your honour. Assuredly I will do as he asks me, and will place you under the protection of Dame Elizabeth Graham, who is now within, having ridden hither to see her husband but thismorning. But I trust, " he added, with a meaning smile, "that youwill not long require her protection. "

The king entered the house with Marjory, while Archie, with hisband, rejoined the rest of his party, who were still with the king. After having seen that the wants of those who had accompanied himhad been supplied he returned to the royal quarters. The king methim at the door, and said, with a merry smile on his face:

"I fear me, Sir Archie, that all my good advice with regard toMistress Mary Kerr has been wasted, and that you are resolved tomake this Highland damsel, the niece of my arch enemy Alexander ofLorne, your wife. "

"If she will have me, " Archie said stoutly, "such assuredly, ismy intent; but of that I know nothing, seeing that, while she wasunder my protection, it would have been dishonourable to have spokenof love; and I know nought of her sentiments toward me, especiallyseeing that she herself did not, as I had hoped, send for me to cometo her aid, and was indeed mightily indignant that another shouldhave done so in her name. "

"Poor Sir Archie!" the king laughed. "Though a man, and a valorousone in stature and in years, you are truly but a boy yet in thesematters. It needed but half an eye to see by the way she turnedpale and red when you spoke to her that she loves you. Now lookyou, Sir Archie, " he went on more seriously; "these are troubleddays, and one knows not what a day may bring forth. Graham's toweris neither strong nor safe, and the sooner this Mistress Marjoryof yours is safely in your stronghold of Aberfilly the better forboth of you, and for me also, for I know that you will be of nomore good to me so long as your brain is running on her. Look younow, she is no longer under your protection, and your scruples onthat head are therefore removed; best go in at once and ask herif she will have you. If she says, 'Yes, ' we will ride to Glasgowtomorrow or next day. The bishop shall marry you, and I myself willgive you your bonny bride. This is no time for wasting weeks withmilliners and mantua makers. What say you?"

"Nothing would more surely suit my wishes, sire, " Archie said; "butI fear she will think me presumptuous. "

"Not a bit of it, " the king laughed. "Highland lassies are accustomedto sudden wooing, and I doubt not that when she freed you lastautumn from Dunstaffnage her mind was just as much made up as yoursis as to the state of her heart. Come along, sir. "

So saying, the king passed his arm through that of Archie, anddrew him into the house. In the room which they entered Marjorywas sitting with Lady Graham. Both rose as the king entered. 

"My Lady Graham, " the king said, "this my good and faithful knightSir Archie Forbes, whose person as well as repute is favourablyknown to you, desires to speak alone with the young lady underyour protection. I may say he does so at my special begging, seeingthat at times like these the sooner matters are put in a straightcourse the better. Will you let me lead you to the next room whilewe leave the young people together?"

"Marjory, " Archie said, when he and the girl were alone, "I fearthat you will think my wooing rude and hasty, but the times mustexcuse it. I would fain have waited that you might have seen moreof me before I tried my fate; but in these troubled days who cansay where I may be a week hence, or when I can see you again wereI once separated from you! Therefore, dear, I speak at once. Ilove you, Marjory, and since the day when you came like an angelinto my cell at Dunstaffnage I have known that I loved you, andshould I never see you again could love none other. Will you wedme, love?"

"But the king tells me, Sir Archie, " the girl said, looking up witha half smile, "that he wishes you to wed the Lady Mary Kerr. "

"It is a dream of the good king, " Archie said, laughing, "and heis not in earnest about it. He knows that I have never set eyes onthe lady or she on me, and he was but jesting when he said so toyou, having known from me long ago that my heart was wholly yours. "

"Besides, " the girl said hesitating, "you might have objected towed Mistress Kerr because her father was an enemy of yours. "

"Why dwell upon it?" Archie said a little impatiently. "MistressKerr is nothing in the world to me, and I had clean forgotten hervery existence, when by some freak or other she sent her retainersto fight under my command. She may be a sweet and good lady for whatI know; she may be the reverse. To me she is absolutely nothing;and now, Marjory, give me my answer. I love you, dear, deeply andtruly; and should you say, 'Yes, ' will strive all my life to makeyou happy. "

"One more question, Archie, and then I will answer yours. Tell mefrankly, had I been Mary Kerr instead of Marjory MacDougall, couldyou so far forget the ancient feud between the families as to sayto me, 'I love you. '"

Archie laughed. 

"The question is easily answered. Were you your own dear self itwould matter nought to me were your name Kerr, or MacDougall, orComyn, or aught else. It is you I love, and your ancestors or yourrelations matter to me not one single jot. "

"Then I will answer you, " the girl said, putting her hand in his. "Archie Forbes, I love you with my whole heart, and have doneso since I first met you; but, " she said, drawing back, as Archiewould have clasped her in his arms, "I must tell you that you havebeen mistaken, and that it is not Marjory MacDougall whom you wouldwed, but Mary, whom her uncle Alexander always called Marjory, Kerr. "

"Marjory Kerr!" Archie repeated, in astonishment. 

"Yes, Archie, Marjory or Mary Kerr. The mistake was none of mymaking; it was you called me MacDougall; and knowing that you hadreason to hate my race I did not undeceive you, thinking you mighteven refuse the boon of life at the hands of a Kerr. But I believedthat when you thought it over afterwards you would suspect thetruth, seeing that it must assuredly come to your ears if you spokeof your adventure, even if you did not already know it, that SirJohn Kerr and Alexander of Lorne married twin sisters of the houseof Comyn. You are not angry, I hope, Archie?"

"Angry!" Archie said, taking the girl, who now yielded unresistingly, in his arms. "It matters nothing to me who you were; and truly Iam glad that the long feud between our houses will come to an end. My conscience, too, pricked me somewhat when I heard that by thedeath of your brother you had succeeded to the estates, and thatit was in despite of a woman, and she a loyal and true heartedScotswoman, that I was holding Aberfilly. So it was you sent theretainers from Ayr to me?"

"Yes, " Marjory replied. "Father Anselm carried my orders to them. I longed to know that they were fighting for Scotland, and was surethat under none could they be better led. "

"And you have told the king who you are?" Archie asked. 

"Yes, " the girl said, "directly we entered. "

"And you agree that we shall be married at once at Glasgow, as theking has suggested to me?"

"The king said as much to me, " Marjory said, colouring; "but oh!Archie, it seems dreadful, such an unseemly bustle and haste, tobe betrothed one day and married the next! Whoever heard of sucha thing?"

"But the circumstances, Marjory, are exceptional. We all carry ourlives in our hands, and things must be done which at another timewould seem strange. Besides, what advantage would there be inwaiting? I should be away fighting the English, and you would seeno more of me. You would not get to know me better than you donow. "

"Oh! it is not that, Archie. "

"Nor is it anything else, " Archie said smiling, "but just surprise. With the King of Scotland to give you away and the Bishop of Glasgowto marry you, none can venture to hint that there is anything thatis not in the highest degree orthodox in your marriage. Of courseI shall have to be a great deal away until the war is over andScotland freed of her tyrants. But I shall know that you are safeat Aberfilly, which is quite secure from any sudden attack. You willhave my mother there to pet you and look after you in my absence, and I hope that good Father Anselm will soon find his way there andtake up his abode. It is the least he can do, seeing that, afterall, he is responsible for our marriage, and having, as it were, delivered you into my hands, ought to do his best to make you happyin your captivity. "

Marjory raised no further objection. She saw, in truth, that, having once accepted Archie Forbes as her husband, it was in everyway the best plan for her to marry him without delay, since she hadno natural protectors to go to, and her powerful relations mightstir up the church to view her evasion from the convent as a defianceof its authority. 

Upon the following day the king moved with his force to Glasgow, which had already been evacuated by the English garrison, andthe next morning Marjory--for Archie through life insisted uponcalling her by the pet name under which he had first known her--wasmarried to Sir Archibald Forbes. The Bruce gave her away, andpresented her with a splendid necklet of pearls. His brother Edward, Sir James Douglas, and other companions of Archie in the field alsomade the bride handsome presents. Archie's followers from Aberfillyand the contingent from Marjory's estates in Ayr were also present, together with a crowd of the townspeople, for Archie Forbes, thecompanion of Wallace, was one of the most popular characters inScotland, and the good city of Glasgow made a fete of his marriage. 

Suddenly as it was arranged, a number of the daughters of the wealthiestcitizens attired in white attended the bride in procession to thealtar. Flowers were strewn and the bride and bridegroom were heartilycheered by a concourse of people as they left the cathedral. 

The party then mounted, and the king, his brother, Sir James Douglas, and some other knights, together with a strong escort, rode withthem to Aberfilly. Archie had despatched a messenger to his motherwith the news directly the arrangements had been made; and allwas prepared for their coming. The tenants had assembled to give ahearty welcome to their lord and new mistress. Dame Forbes receivedher as she alighted from the pillion on which she had ridden behindArchie, and embraced her tenderly. 

It was the dearest wish of her life that Archie should marry; andalthough, when she first heard the news, she regretted in her heartthat he should have chosen a Kerr, still she saw that the unionwould put an end to the long feud, and might even, in the eventof the final defeat of Bruce, be the means of safety for Archiehimself and security for his possessions. 

She soon, however, learned to love Marjory for herself, and to becontented every way with her son's choice. There was high feastingand revelry at Aberfilly that evening. Bonfires were burned in thecastle yard, and the tenants feasted there, while the king and hisknights were entertained in the hall of the castle. 

The next morning the king and his companions again mounted androde off. Sir James Douglas was going south to harry Galloway andto revenge the assaults which the people had made upon the king. There was a strong English force there under Sir Ingram Umfravilleand Sir John de St. John. 

"I will give you a week, Sir Archie, to take holiday, but can spareyou no longer. We have as yet scarce begun our work, for well nighevery fortress in Scotland is in English hands, and we must take asmany of them as we can before Edward moves across the Border again. "

"I will not outstay the time, " Sir Archie said. "As we arrangedlast night, I will march this day week with my retainers to joinSir James Douglas in Galloway. "

Chapter XXI

The Siege of Aberfilly

Punctual to his agreement, Archie Forbes marched south with hisretainers. He was loath, indeed, to leave Marjory, but he knew wellthat a long time indeed must elapse before he could hope to settledown quietly at home, and that it was urgent to hurry on the workat once before the English made another great effort to stamp outthe movement. Marjory did not attempt to induce him to overstayhis time. She was too proud of his position as one of the foremostknights of Scotland to say a word to detain him from the field. So she bade him adieu with a brave face, reserving her tears untilafter he had ridden away. 

It had been arranged that Archie should operate independentlyof Douglas, the two joining their forces only when threatenedby overwhelming numbers or when any great enterprise was to beundertaken. Archie took with him a hundred and fifty men from hisestates in Lanark and Ayr. He marched first to Loudon Hill, thendown through Cumnock and the border of Carrick into Galloway. Contraryto the usual custom, he enjoined his retainers on no account toburn or harry the villages and granges. 

"The people, " he said, "are not responsible for the conduct oftheir lords, and as I would not see the English harrying the countryround Aberfilly, so I am loath to carry fire and sword among thesepoor people. We have come hither to punish their lords and to capturetheir castles. If the country people oppose us we must needs fightthem; but beyond what is necessary for our provisions let us takenothing from them, and show them, by our conduct, that we holdthem to be Scotchmen like ourselves, and that we pity rather thanblame them, inasmuch as by the orders of their lords they are forcedto fight against us. "

Archie had not advanced more than a day's march into Galloway whenhe heard that Sir John de St. John was marching with four hundredmen-at-arms to meet him. 

There were no better soldiers in the following of Bruce than theretainers of Aberfilly and Glen Cairn. They had now for many yearsbeen frequently under arms, and were thoroughly trained to fighttogether. They had the greatest confidence in themselves and theirleader, and having often with their spears withstood the shockof the English chivalry, Archie knew that he could rely upon themto the fullest. He therefore took up a position on the banks ofa river where a ford would enable the enemy to cross. Had he beenless confident as to the result he would have defended the ford, which could be only crossed by two horsemen abreast. He determined, however, to repeat the maneuver which had proved so successful atStirling Bridge, and to let half of the enemy cross before he fellupon them. 

The ground near the river was stony and rough. Great boulders, which had rolled from the hillside, were thickly scattered aboutit, and it would be difficult for cavalry to charge up the somewhatsteeply sloping ground in anything like unbroken order. 

With eighty of his men Archie took up a position one hundred yardsback from the stream. With great exertions some of the smallerboulders were removed, and rocks and stones were piled to make awall on either flank of the ground, which, standing two deep, heoccupied. The remaining seventy men he divided equally, placing onecompany under the command of each of his two faithful lieutenants, Andrew Macpherson and William Orr. These took post near the river, one on each side of the ford, and at a distance of about one hundredyards therefrom. Orr's company were hidden among some bushes growingby the river. Macpherson's lay down among the stones and boulders, and were scarce likely to attract the attention of the English, which would naturally be fixed upon the little body drawn up tooppose them in front. The preparations were scarcely completedwhen the English were seen approaching. They made no halt at theriver, but at once commenced crossing at the ford, confident intheir power to overwhelm the little body of Scots, whose numberhad, it seemed to them, been exaggerated by the fears of the countrypeople. As soon as a hundred of the men-at-arms had passed, theirleader marshalled them in line, and with level spears charged upthe slopes against Archie's force. The great boulders broke theirranks, and it was but in straggling order that they reached thenarrow line of Scottish spears. These they in vain endeavoured tobreak through. Their numbers were of no avail to them, as, beingon horseback, but twenty men at a time could attack the double rowof spearmen. While the conflict was at its height Archie's trumpetwas sounded, for he saw that another hundred men had now crossedthe ford. 

At the signal the two hidden parties leapt to their feet, and withlevelled pikes rushed towards the ford. The English had no forcethere to resist the attack, for as the men-at-arms had passed, eachhad ridden on to join the fray in front. The head of the ford wastherefore seized with but little difficulty. Orr, with twenty men, remained here to hold it and prevent others from crossing, whileMacpherson, with fifty, ran up the hill and fell upon the rear ofthe confused masses of cavalry, who were striving in vain to breakthe lines of Archie's spears. 

The attack was decisive; the English, surprised and confused bythe sudden attack, were unable to offer any effectual resistance toMacpherson's pikemen, and at the same moment that these fell uponthe rear, Archie gave the word and his men rushed forward upon thestruggling mass of cavalry. The shock was irresistible; men andhorses fell in numbers under the Scottish spears, and in a fewminutes those who could manage to extricate themselves from thestruggling mass rode off in various directions. These, however, werefew in number, for ninety were killed and seventy taken prisoners. St. John himself succeeded in cutting his way through the spearmen, and, swimming the river below the ford, rejoined his followers, who had in vain endeavoured to force the passage of the ford. Withthese he rapidly retired. 

A detachment of fifty men were sent off with the prisoners toBruce, and Archie, with the main body of his followers, two dayslater joined the force under Sir James Douglas. 

Upon the following morning a messenger from Aberfilly reachedArchie. 

"My lord, " he said, "I bring you a message from the Lady Marjory. I have spent five days in searching for you, and have never butonce laid down during that time, therefore do not blame me if mymessage is long in coming. "

"What is it, Evan? nought is wrong there, I trust?"

"The Lady Marjory bade me tell you that news has reached her, thatfrom each of the garrisons of Ayr, Lanark, Stirling and Bothwell, a force is marching toward your hold, which the governor of Bothwellhas sworn to destroy. When I left they were expected hourly insight, and this is full a week since. "

"Aberfilly can hold out for longer than that, " Archie said, "againstaught but surprise, and the vassals would have had time to gather. "

"Yes, " the man replied, "they were flocking in when I came away; themen of Glen Cairn had already arrived; all the women and childrenwere taking to the hills, according to the orders which you gave. "

"And now, good Evan, do you eat some supper, and then rest. Nowonder you have been so long in finding me, for I have been wanderingwithout ceasing. I will start at once with my followers here forAberfilly; by tomorrow evening we will be there. "

Archie hurried to the hut occupied by Douglas, told him the news, and said he must hurry away to the defence of his castle. 

"Go, by all means, Archie, " Douglas replied. "If I can gather aforce sufficient to relieve you I will myself march thither; butat present I fear that the chances of my doing so are small, forthe four garrisons you have named would be able to spare a forcevastly larger than any with which I could meet them in the field, and the king is no better able to help you. "

"I will do my best, " Archie said. "The castle can stand a stoutsiege; and fortunately I have a secret passage by which we canescape. "

"Never mind the castle, " Douglas replied. "When better days comewe will rebuild it again for you. "

A few notes on a horn brought Archie's little band of followerstogether. Telling them the danger which threatened Glen Cairn, Archie placed himself at their head, and at a rapid step theymarched away. It was five-and-forty miles across the hills, butbefore morning they approached it, and made their way to the wood inwhich was the entrance to the subterranean passage leading to thecastle. Archie had feared that they might find the massive doorswhich closed it, a short distance from the entrance, securelyfastened as usual. They were shut, indeed, but as they approachedthem they heard a challenge from within. 

"It is I, Sir Archie Forbes. "

The door was opened at once. "Welcome, Sir Archie!" the guard said. "The Lady Marjory has been expecting you for the last five days, and a watch has been kept here constantly, to open the doors shouldyou come. "

"The messenger could not find me, " Archie said. "Is all well atthe castle?"

"All is well, " the man replied. "The English have made two attacks, but have been beaten back with loss. This morning some greatmachines have arrived from Stirling and have begun battering thewalls. Is it your will that I remain here on guard, now that youhave come?"

"Yes, " Archie answered. "It were best that one should be alwaysstationed here, seeing that the entrance might perchance bediscovered by one wandering in the wood, or they might obtain thesecret of its existence from a prisoner. If footsteps are heardapproaching retire at once with the news. There is no danger ifwe are warned in time, for we can turn the water from the moat intoit. "

Archie and his followers now made their way along the passage untilthey entered the castle. As they issued out from the entrance ashout of joy rose from those near, and the news rapidly flew throughthe castle that Archie had arrived. In a moment Marjory ran downand threw herself into his arms. 

"Welcome back, Archie, a thousand times! I have been grievouslyanxious as the days went on and you did not return, and had fearedthat some evil must have befallen you. It has been a greater anxietyto me than the defence of the castle; but I have done my best tobe hopeful and bright, to keep up the spirits of our followers. "

"It was no easy task for your messenger to find me, Marjory, forwe are ever on the move. Is my mother here?"

"No, Archie, she went a fortnight since on a visit to Lady Gordon. "

"It is well, " Archie said, "for if in the end we have to leave thecastle, you, who have proved yourself so strong and brave, can, if needs be, take to the hills with me; but she could not supportthe fatigues of such a life. And now, dear, we have marched allnight and shall be glad of food; while it is preparing I will tothe walls and see what is going on. "

As Archie reached the battlement a loud cheer broke from thedefenders gathered there, and Sandy Grahame hurried up to him. 

"Welcome back, Sir Archie; glad am I to give up the responsibilityof this post, although, indeed, it is not I who have been in command, but Lady Marjory. She has been always on the walls, cheering themen with her words and urging them to deeds of bravery; and, indeed, she has frightened me sorely by the way in which she exposed herselfwhere the arrows were flying most thickly, for as I told her overand over again, if the castle were taken I knew that you would besure that I had done my best, but what excuse should I be able tomake to you if I had to bear you the news that she had been killed?"

"And what did she say to that, Sandy?"

"Truth, Sir Archie, she's a woman and wilful, and she just laughedand said that you would know you could not keep her in orderyourself, and could not therefore expect me to rule her. "

"That is so, Sandy, " Archie laughed; "but now that I am back Iwill for once exert my authority, and will see that she runs intono further danger. And now, how goes the siege?"

"So far they have done but little damage, Sir Archie; but themachines which they brought up yesterday will, I fear, play havockwith our walls. They have not yet begun their work, for when theybrought them up yesterday afternoon our men shot so hotly that theyhad to fall back again; but in the night they have thrown up highbanks of earth, and have planted the engines under their shelter, and will, ere long, begin to send their messengers against ourwalls. Thrice they assaulted the works beyond the drawbridge andtwice we beat them back; but last night they came on with all theirforce. I was myself there, and after fighting for a while and seeingthey were too strong for us, I thought it best to withdraw beforethey gained footing in the work, and so had time to draw off themen and raise the drawbridge. "

"Quite right, Sandy! The defenders of the post would only havebeen slaughtered, and the assailants might have rushed across thedrawbridge before it could have been raised. The post is of littleimportance save to defend the castle against a sudden surprise, andwould only have been a source of constant anxiety and loss. Howmany do you reckon them? Judging by their tents there must bethree or four thousand. "

"About three thousand, Sir Archie, I make it; and as we had no timeto get the tenants in from my lady's Ayrshire estate, we have buttwo hundred men in the castle, and many of these are scarce morethan boys. "

"I have brought a hundred and fifty with me, Sandy, so we have asmany as we can use on the walls, though I could wish I had anotherhundred or two for sorties. "

Half an hour later the great machines began to work, hurling vaststones with tremendous force against the castle wall. Stronglyas this was built, Archie saw that it would ere many days crumblebefore the blows. 

"I did not reckon on such machines as these, " he said to Sandy. "Doubtless they are some of the huge machines which King Edwardhad constructed for the siege of Stirling, and which have remainedthere since the castle was taken. Fortunately we have still themoat when a breach is made, and it will be hard work to cross that. "

All day the great stones thundered against the wall. The defenderswere not idle, but kept up a shower of arrows at the edge of themound behind which the machines were hidden; but although many ofthose working there were killed, fresh relays came constantly up, and the machines never ceased their work. By nightfall the faceof the wall was bruised and battered. Many of the stones in fronthad fallen from their places. 

"Another twenty-four hours, " Archie said to Marjory, as he joinedher in the great hall, "and the breach will be begun, forty-eightand it will be completed. They will go on all night, and we mayexpect no rest until the work is done. In an hour's time I shallsally out from the passage into the wood and beat up their camp. Expecting no attack from the rear, we shall do them rare damageere they can gather to oppose us. As soon as they do so we shallbe off again, and, scattering in various directions, gather againin the wood and return here. "

An hour later Archie, with two hundred men, started. No sooner hadhe left than Marjory called Sandy Grahame and Andrew Macpherson, whom he had left in joint command during his absence. 

"Now, " she said, "I am not going to remain quiet here whileSir Archie does all the fighting, therefore do you gather all thegarrison together, leaving only twenty to hold the gate. See thatthe wheels of the drawbridge are well oiled, and the hinges of thegate. Directly we see that the attack has begun upon the camp wewill lower the drawbridge quietly, open the gates, and sally out. There is no great force in the outer work. When we have clearedthat--which, if we are quick, we can do without alarming thecamp, seeing what a confusion and uproar will be going on there--wewill make straight along to the point where the machines areplaced. Let some of the men take axes and cut the ropes, and letothers carry faggots well steeped in oil, we will pile them roundthe machines and light them, and thus having ensured their destruction, we will fall back again. "

"But, Lady Marjory--" Sandy began. 

"I will have no buts, Sandy; you must just do as I order you, andI will answer to Sir Archie. I shall myself go forth with you andsee that the work is properly done. "

The two men looked doubtfully at each other. 

"Now, Andrew, " Marjory said briskly, "let us have no hesitation ortalk, the plan is a good one. "

"I do not say that it is not a good one, " Sandy replied cautiously, "or that it is not one that Sir Archie might have carried out ifhe had been here. "

"Very well, Andrew, then that is quite enough. I give you theorders and I am responsible, and if you and Sandy do not choose toobey me, I shall call the men together myself and lead them withoutyou. "

As Sandy and Andrew were quite conscious that their lady would beas good as her word, they at once proceeded to carry her orders intoeffect. The wheels of the portcullis and drawbridge were oiled, aswere the bolts and hinges of the gate. The men were formed up inthe courtyard, where presently they were joined by Marjory who hadput on a light steel cap and a shirt of mail, and who had armed herselfwith a light sword. The men gathered round her enthusiastically, and would have burst into cheers had she not held up her hand tocommand silence. 

"I will to the wall now, " she said, "to watch for the signal. Theinstant the attack begins and the attention of those in the outworkis called that way, draw up the portcullis noiselessly and openthe gate, oil the hinges of the drawbridge and have everythingin readiness; then I will join you. Let the drawbridge be loweredswiftly, and as it falls we will rush across. You have, I suppose, told off the men who are to remain behind. Tell them that whenthe last of us have crossed they are to raise the drawbridge a fewfeet, so that none can cross it until we return. "

Then, accompanied by Macpherson, she ascended the walls. All wasquiet in the hostile camp, which was about a quarter of a miledistant, and only the creaking of the wheels of the machines, theorders of those directing them, and the dull crash as the greatstones struck the wall, broke the stillness of the night. For halfan hour they watched, and then a sudden uproar was heard in thecamp. The Scottish war cry pealed out, followed by shouts andyells, and almost instantly flames were seen to mount up. 

"My lord is at work, " Marjory said, "it is time for us to be doingalso. " So saying she ran down to the courtyard. Sandy Grahame, Macpherson, and a few picked men took their place around her, thenthe drawbridge was suddenly run down, and the Scots dashed acrossit. As Marjory had anticipated, the English in the outwork hadgathered on the farther side and were watching the sudden outbreakin the camp. Alarmed at the prospect of an attack, perhaps by theBruce, in that quarter, they were suddenly startled by the rushof feet across the drawbridge, and before they had time to recoverfrom their surprise the Scots were upon them. The latter weresuperior in numbers, and the English, already alarmed by the attackupon their camp, offered but a feeble resistance. Many were cutdown, but the greater part leapt from the wall and fled towardsthe camp. The moment resistance ceased the outer gate was thrownopen, and at full speed the Scotch made for the machines. The partyhere had suspended their work and were gazing towards the camp, where the uproar was now great. The wind was blowing briskly andthe fire had spread with immense rapidity, and already half thecamp was in flames. Suddenly from the bank above the Scots poureddown upon them like a torrent. There was scarcely a thought ofresistance. Stricken with dismay and astonishment at this unexpectedattack, the soldiers working the machines fled hastily, only a fewfalling beneath the swords of the Scots. The men with axes at oncefell upon the machines, cutting the ropes and smashing the wheelsand levers which worked them, while those with the faggots piledthem round. In less than two minutes the work was done, lightedtorches were applied to the faggots, and the flames soon shot uphotly. 

The Scots waited but a minute or two to see that the work wasthoroughly done and that the flames had got fair hold, and then, keeping in a close body, they retired to the castle. Not a soulwas met with by the way, and leaving Andrew Macpherson with fiftymen to hold the outwork until Archie should return and decidewhether it should be occupied, Marjory, with the rest, re-enteredthe castle. 

She at once ascended to the walls again, where Sandy also postedthe men to be in readiness to open fire with their arrows shouldthe English return and endeavour to extinguish the flames roundthe machines. The sound of fighting had ceased at the camp. By thelight of the flames numbers of the English could be seen pullingdown the tents which the fire had not yet reached and endeavouringto check the conflagration, while a large body of horse and footwere rapidly advancing toward the castle. 

As soon as they came within bowshot range the archers opened fire, and the English leaders, seeing that it was already too late tosave the machines, which were by this time completely enveloped inflames, and that men would only be sacrificed to no good purpose, halted the troops. They then moved towards the outwork, but findingthis in possession of the Scots, they fell back again to the campto take council as to the next steps to be adopted. Archie's attackhad been crowned with complete success. Apprehending no dangerfrom behind, the English had neglected to place sentries there, and the Scots were already among the tents before their presencewas discovered. Numbers of the English were cut down and the tentsfired, and as soon as the English recovered from their first surpriseand began to form, Archie gave the word for a retreat. This waseffected without molestation, for the first thought of the Englishwas to save the camp from total destruction. The reports of themen who escaped from the castle outwork and the outburst of flamesaround the machines added to the confusion which reigned, and theleaders, who had by the light of the flames ascertained that theassault upon the camp had been made by a small body of the enemy, deemed it of the first importance to move at once to save themachines if it were still possible. 

The Scots regained the entrance to the passage without the lossof a single man, and passing through, soon re-entered the castle. Marjory had laid aside her warlike trappings and awaited herhusband's return at the inner entrance of the passage. 

"We have had good success, Marjory, " Archie said as he greetedher, "as you will have seen from the walls. The greater part ofthe English camp is destroyed; we have killed great numbers, andhave not lost a man. "

"That is good news indeed, Archie. We, too, have not been quiteidle while you have been away. "

"Why, what have you been doing, Marjory?" Archie asked in surprise. 

"Come up to the walls and I will show you. "

Archie mounted with her, and gave a start of surprise as he lookedtowards the machines. The great body of fire had died down now, butthe beams of the machines stood up red and glowing, while a lightflickering flame played round them. 

"You see we have not been idle, Archie. We have destroyed themachines, and retaken the outwork, which is now held by AndrewMacpherson with fifty men. "

"Why, what magic is this, wife?"

"No magic at all, Sir Knight. We have been carrying out the workwhich you, as a wise and skilful commander, should have orderedbefore you left. We have taken advantage of the confusion of theenemy by the fire in their camp, and have made a sortie, and asuccessful one, as you see. "

"I am delighted, indeed, " Archie said; "and the destruction ofthose machines is indeed a great work. Still Sandy and Macphersonshould not have undertaken it without orders from me; they mighthave been cut off and the castle stormed before I came back. "

"They had orders from me, sir, and that was quite sufficient. Todo them justice, they hesitated about obeying me, and I was wellnigh ordering them to the dungeon for disobedience; and they onlygave way at last when I said they could stop at home if they liked, but that I should lead out the retainers. Of course I went in yourplace with armour and sword; but perhaps it was as well that I hadno fighting to do. "

"Do you mean, Marjory, that you really led the sortie?"

"I don't think I led it, Archie; but I certainly went out with it, and very exciting it was. There, dear, don't look troubled. Ofcourse, as chatelaine of the castle, I was bound to animate mymen. "

"You have done bravely and well, indeed, Marjory, and I am proudof my wife. Still, dear, I tremble at the thought of the risk youran. "

"No more risk than you are constantly running, Archie; and I amrather glad you tremble, because in future you will understand myfeelings better, left here all alone while you are risking yourlife perpetually with the king. "

The success of the sally and the courage and energy shown by Marjoryraised the spirits of the garrison to the highest pitch; and hadArchie given the word they would have sallied out and fallen uponthe besiegers. Two days later fresh machines arrived from Stirling, and the attack again commenced, the besiegers keeping a large bodyof men near the gate to prevent a repetition of the last sally. Archie now despatched two or three fleet footed runners throughthe passage to find the king, and tell him that the besiegers weremaking progress, and to pray him to come to his assistance. Twodays passed, and the breach was now fairly practicable, but themoat, fifty feet wide, still barred the way to the besiegers. Archiehad noticed that for two or three days no water had come down fromabove, and had no doubt that they had diverted the course of theriver. Upon the day after the breach was completed the besiegersadvanced in great force up the stream from below. 

"They are going to try to cut the dam, " Archie said to Sandy; "placeevery man who can draw a bow on that side of the castle. "

As the English approached a rain of arrows was poured into them, but covering themselves with their shields and with large mantletsformed of hurdles covered with hides they pressed forward to thedam. Here those who had brought with them picks and mattocks setto work upon the dam, the men with mantlets shielding them fromthe storm of arrows, while numbers of archers opened fire upon thedefenders. Very many were killed by the Scottish arrows, but thework went on. A gap was made through the dam. The water, as it rushedthrough, aided the efforts of those at work; and after three hours'labour and fighting the gap was so far deepened that the water inthe moat had fallen eight feet. Then, finding that this could nowbe waded, the assailants desisted, and drew off to their camp. 

A council was held that evening in the castle as to whetherthe hold should be abandoned at once or whether one attack on thebreach should be withstood. It was finally determined that thebreach should be held. The steep sides of the moat, exposed by thesubsidence of the water, were slippery and difficult. The force inthe castle was amply sufficient at once to man the breach and tofurnish archers for the walls on either side, while in the eventof the worst, were the breach carried by the English, the defendersmight fall back to the central keep, and thence make their waythrough the passage. Had it not been for the possibility of anearly arrival of the king to their relief all agreed that it wouldbe as well to evacuate the castle at once, as this in the end mustfall, and every life spent in its defence would thus be a uselesssacrifice. As, however, troops might at any moment appear, it wasdetermined to hold the castle until the last. 

The next morning a party of knights in full defensive armourcame down to the edge of the moat to see whether passage could beeffected. They were not molested while making their examination, as the Scottish arrows would only have dropped harmless off theirsteel harness. Archie was on the walls. 

"How like you the prospect, Sir Knights?" he called out merrily. "I fear that the sludge and slime will sully your bright armour andsmirch your plumes, for it will be difficult to hold a footing onthose muddy banks. "

"It were best for you to yield, Sir Archibald Forbes, without givingus the trouble of making our way across your moat. You have madea stout resistance, and have done enough for honour, and you mustsee that sooner or later we must win our way in. "

"Then I would rather it should be later, " Archie replied. "Imay have done enough for honour, but it is not for honour that Iam fighting, but for Scotland. Your work is but begun yet, I canassure you. We are far from being at the end of our resources yet. It will be time enough to talk about surrendering when you havewon the breach and the outer walls. "

The knights retired; and as some hours passed without the besiegersseeing any preparation for an assault they judged that the reportcarried back to camp was not an encouraging one. Large numbers ofmen were, however, seen leaving the camp, and these toward sunsetcame back staggering under immense loads of brushwood which theyhad cut in the forest. 

"They intend to fill up the moat, " Archie said; "it is their wisestcourse. "

He at once directed his men to make up large trusses of straw, overwhich he poured considerable quantities of oil. Early the nextmorning the English drew out of their camp, and advanced in martialarray. Each man carried a great faggot, and, covering themselveswith these as they came within bowshot, they marched down to themoat. Each in turn threw in his faggot, and when he had done soreturned to the camp and brought back another. Rapidly the processof filling up the moat opposite to the breach continued. The besiegerskept up a rain of arrows and darts, and many of the English werekilled. But the work was continued without intermission until wellnigh across the moat a broad crossway was formed level with theouter bank, but a narrow gap remained to be filled, and the Englishleaders advanced to the front to prevent the Scots on the breachrushing down to assault those placing the faggots. 

Somewhat to the surprise of the English the defenders remainedstationary, contenting themselves with hurling great stones at theirbusy enemy. Suddenly there was a movement. Archie and a party ofhis best men dashed down the breach, and, climbing on the causeway, for a moment drove the workers and their guards back. They werefollowed by twenty men carrying great trusses of straw. These werepiled against the faggots forming the end of the causeway. Archieand his band leapt back as a torch was applied to the straw. In amoment the hot flames leapt up, causing the knights who had pressedafter the retreating Scots to fall back hastily. A shout of triumphrose from the garrison and one of dismay from the besiegers. Saturated with oil, the trusses burnt with fury, and the faggotswere soon alight. A fresh wind was blowing, and the flames creptrapidly along the causeway. In a few minutes this was in a blazefrom end to end, and in half an hour nothing remained of the greatpile save charred ashes and the saturated faggots which had beenbelow the water in the moat, and which now floated upon it. 

The besiegers had drawn off when they saw that the flames hadgained a fair hold of the causeway. The smoke had scarcely ceasedto rise when a great outcry arose from the English camp, and thelookout from the top of the keep perceived a strong force marchingtoward it. By the bustle and confusion which reigned in the campArchie doubted not that the newcomers were Scots. The garrison wereinstantly called to arms. The gates were thrown open, and leavinga small body only to hold the gates, he sallied out at the head ofhis men and marched toward the English camp. At the approach ofthe Scottish force the English leaders had marched out with theirmen to oppose them. Bruce had been able to collect but three hundredand fifty men, and the English, seeing how small was the numberadvancing against them, prepared to receive them boldly. Scarcelyhad the combat begun when Archie with his band entered the Englishcamp, which was almost deserted. They at once fired the tents, andthen advanced in a solid mass with level spears against the rearof the English. These, dismayed at the destruction of their camp, and at finding themselves attacked both front and rear, lost heartand fell into confusion. Their leaders strove to rally them, and dashed with their men-at-arms against the spearmen, but theirefforts to break through were in vain, and their defeat increasedthe panic of the footmen. Archie's party broke a way through theirdisordered line and joined the body commanded by the king, and thewhole rushed so fiercely upon the English that these broke and fledin all directions, pursued by the triumphant Scots. 

"I am but just in time I see, Sir Archie, " Bruce said, pointingto the breach in the wall; "a few hours more and methinks that Ishould have been too late. "

"We could have held out longer than that, sire, " Archie replied. "We have repulsed an attack this morning and burnt a causeway offaggots upon which they attempted to cross the moat; still, I amtruly glad that you have arrived, and thank you with all my heartfor coming so speedily to my rescue, for sooner or later the holdmust have fallen; the great machines which they brought with themfrom Stirling proved too strong for the wall. "

"And how has the Lady Marjory borne her during the siege?" the kinginquired. 

"Right nobly, " Archie replied; "ever in good spirits and showing abrave face to the men; and one night when I made a sortie throughmy secret passage, and fell upon the English camp from the otherside, having left the castle in her charge, she headed the garrisonand issuing out, recaptured the outworks, and destroyed the machinesby fire. "

"Bravely done, " the king said, "and just what I should expect fromyour wife. You did well to take my advice in that matter. "

"We shall never agree there, sire, for as you know I followed myown will and wed the bride I had fixed upon for myself. "

"Well, well, Sir Archie, as we are both satisfied we will e'en letit be; and now, I trust that you have still some supplies left, for to tell you the truth I am hungry as well as weary, and my menhave marched fast and far. "

"There is an abundance, " Archie replied; "to last them all for amonth, and right willingly is it at their service. "

The king remained a week at Aberfilly, his men aiding Archie'sretainers in repairing the gap in the dam and in rebuilding thewall; and as five hundred men working willingly and well can effectwonders, by the time Bruce rode away the castle was restored toits former appearance. Archie marched on the following day, andrejoined Douglas in Galloway. 

Chapter XXII

A Prisoner

After some consultation between the leaders, it was agreed to makean attempt to capture the castle of Knockbawn. It was known topossess a garrison of some sixty men only, and although strong, Archie and Sir James believed that it could be captured by assault. It was arranged that Archie should ride to reconnoitre it, andtaking two mounted retainers he started, the force remaining in theforest some eight miles distant. The castle of Knockbawn stood ona rocky promontory, jutting a hundred and fifty yards into the sea. When he neared the neck of the point, which was but some twentyyards wide, Archie bade his followers fall back a short distance. 

"I will ride, " he said, "close up to the castle walls. My armouris good, and I care not for arrow or crossbow bolt. It were bestyou fell back a little, for they may have horses and may sally outin pursuit. I am well mounted and fear not being overtaken, but itwere best that you should have a good start. "

Archie then rode forward toward the castle. Seeing a knightapproaching alone the garrison judged that he was friendly, and itwas not until it was seen that instead of approaching the drawbridgehe turned aside and rode to the edge of the fosse, that theysuspected that he was a foe. Running to the walls they opened firewith arrows upon him, but by this time Archie had seen all thathe required. Across the promontory ran a sort of fissure, some tenyards wide and as many deep. From the opposite edge of this thewall rose abruptly. Here assault would be difficult, and it wasupon the gateway that an attack must be made. Several arrows hadstruck his armour and glanced off, and Archie now turned and quietlyrode away, his horse being protected by mail like himself. Scarcehad he turned when he saw a sight which caused him for a momentto draw rein. Coming at full gallop toward the promontory was astrong body of English horse, flying the banner of Sir Ingram deUmfraville. They were already nearer to the end of the neck thanhe was. There was no mode of escape, and drawing his sword hegalloped at full speed to meet them. As he neared them Sir Ingramhimself, one of the doughtiest of Edward's knights, rode out withlevelled lance to meet him. At full gallop the knights chargedeach other. Sir Ingram's spear was pointed at the bars of Archie'shelmet, but as the horses met each other Archie with a blow of hissword cut off the head of the lance and dealt a tremendous backhandedblow upon Sir Ingram's helmet as the latter passed him, strikingthe knight forward on to his horse's neck; then without pausing amoment he dashed into the midst of the English ranks. 

The horsemen closed around him, and although he cut down severalwith his sweeping blows he was unable to break his way through them. Such a conflict could not last long. Archie received a blow frombehind which struck him from his horse. Regaining his feet hecontinued the fight, but the blows rained thick upon him, and hewas soon struck senseless to the ground. 

When he recovered he was in a room in the keep of the castle. Twoknights were sitting at a table near the couch on which he was lying. "Ah!" exclaimed one, on seeing Archie open his eyes and move, "Iam glad to see your senses coming back to you, sir prisoner. Truly, sir, I regret that so brave a knight should have fallen into myhands, seeing that in this war we must needs send our prisonersto King Edward, whose treatment of them is not, I must e'en own, gentle; for indeed you fought like any paladin. I deemed not thatthere was a knight in Scotland, save the Bruce himself, who couldhave so borne himself; and never did I, Ingram de Umfraville, comenearer to losing my seat than I did from that backhanded blow youdealt me. My head rings with it still. My helmet will never befit to wear again, and as the leech said when plastering my head, `had not my skull been of the thickest, you had assuredly cutthrough it. ' May I crave the name of so brave an antagonist?"

"I am Sir Archibald Forbes, " Archie replied. 

"By St. Jago!" the knight said, "but I am sorry for it, seeing that, save Bruce himself, there is none in the Scottish ranks againstwhom King Edward is so bitter. In the days of Wallace there was noone whose name was more often on our lips than that of Sir ArchibaldForbes, and now, under Bruce, it is ever coming to the front. I hadthought to have asked Edward as a boon that I should have kept youas my prisoner until exchanged for one on our side, but being SirArchibald Forbes I know that it were useless indeed; nevertheless, sir knight, I will send to King Edward, begging him to look mercifullyupon your case, seeing how bravely and honourably you have fought. "

"Thanks for your good offices, Sir Ingram, " Archie replied, "butI shall ask for no mercy for myself. I have never owed or paid himallegiance, but, as a true Scot, have fought for my country againsta foreign enemy. "

"But King Edward does not hold himself to be a foreign enemy, " theknight said, "seeing that Baliol, your king, with Comyn and allyour great nobles, did homage to him as Lord Paramount of Scotland. "

"It were an easy way, " Archie rejoined, "to gain a possession tonominate a puppet from among the nobles already your vassals, andthen to get him to do homage. No, sir knight, neither Comyn norBaliol, nor any other of the Anglo-Norman nobles who hold estatein Scotland, have a right to speak for her, or to barter away herfreedom. That is what Wallace and thousands of Scotchmen have foughtand died to protest against, and what Scotchmen will do until theircountry is free. "

"It is not a question for me to argue upon, " Sir Ingram saidsurlily. "King Edward bids me fight in Scotland, and as his knightand vassal I put on my harness without question. But I own toyou that seeing I have fought beside him in Gascony, when he, asa feudal vassal of the King of France, made war upon his lord, Icannot see that the offence is an unpardonable one when you Scotchmendo the same here. Concerning the lawfulness of his claim to beyour lord paramount, I own that I neither know nor care one jot. However, sir, I regret much that you have fallen into my hands, for to Carlisle, where the king has long been lying, as you havedoubtless heard, grievously ill, I must forthwith send you. I mustleave you here with the governor, for in half an hour I mount andride away with my troop. He will do his best to make your sojournhere easy until such time as I may have an opportunity of sendingyou by ship to Carlisle; and now farewell, sir, " he said, givingArchie his hand, "I regret that an unkind chance has thrown sogallant a knight into my hands, and that my duty to the king forbidsme from letting you go free. "

"Thanks, Sir Ingram, " Archie replied. "I have ever heard of youas a brave knight, and if this misfortune must fall upon me, wouldsooner that I should have been captured by you than by one of lessfame and honour. "

The governor now had a meal with some wine set before Archie, andthen left him alone. 

"I am not at Carlisle yet, " Archie said to himself. "UnlessI mistake, we shall have Sir James thundering at the gate beforemorning. Cluny will assuredly have ridden off at full speed to carrythe news when he saw that I was cut off, and e'en now he will bemarching towards the castle. " As he expected, Archie was rousedbefore morning by a tremendous outburst of noise. Heavy blows weregiven, followed by a crash, which Archie judged to be the fall ofthe drawbridge across the fosse. He guessed that some of Douglas'smen had crept forward noiselessly, had descended the fosse, andmanaged to climb up to the gate, and had then suddenly attackedwith their axes the chains of the drawbridge. 

A prodigious uproar raged in the castle. Orders were shouted, andthe garrison, aroused from their sleep, snatched up their armsand hastened to the walls. Outside rose the war cry, "A Douglas! ADouglas!" mingled with others of, "Glen Cairn to the rescue!" Fora few minutes all was confusion, then a light suddenly burst upand grew every instant more and more bright. 

"Douglas has piled faggots against the gates, " Archie said tohimself. "Another quarter of an hour and the castle will be his. "

Three or four minutes later the governor with six soldiers, twoof whom bore torches, entered the room. "You must come along atonce, sir knight, " the governor said. "The attack is of the fiercest, and I know not whether we shall make head against it, but at anyrate I must not risk your being recaptured, and must thereforeplace you in a boat and send you off without delay to the castleat Port Patrick. "

It was in vain for Archie to think of resistance, he was unarmedand helpless. Two of the soldiers laid hands on him and hurriedhim along until they reached the lower chambers of the castle. Thegovernor unlocked a door, and with one of the torch bearers ledthe way down some narrow steps. These were some fifty in number, and then a level passage ran along for some distance. Another doorwas opened, and the fresh breeze blew upon them as they issuedforth. They stood on some rocks at the foot of the promontory onwhich the castle stood. A large boat lay close at hand, drawn tothe shore. Archie and the six soldiers entered her; four of thelatter took the oars, and the others seated themselves by theirprisoner, and then the boat rowed away, while the governor returnedto aid in the defence of the castle. 

The boat was but a quarter of a mile away when on the night aircame the sound of a wild outburst of triumphant shouts which toldthat the Scots had won their way into the castle. With mutteredcurses the men bent to their oars and every minute took them furtheraway from Knockbawn. 

Archie was bitterly disappointed. He had reckoned confidently onthe efforts of Douglas to deliver him, and the possibility of hisbeing sent off by sea had not entered his mind. It seemed to himnow that his fate was sealed. He had noticed on embarking thatthere were no other boats lying at the foot of the promontory, andpursuit would therefore be impossible. 

After rowing eight hours the party reached Port Patrick, where Archiewas delivered by the soldiers to the governor with a message fromtheir commander saying that the prisoner, Sir Archibald Forbes, was a captive of great importance, and was, by the orders of SirIngram de Umfraville who had captured him, to be sent on to Carlisleto the king when a ship should be going thither. A fortnight passedbefore a vessel sailed. Archie was placed in irons and so securelyguarded in his dungeon that escape was altogether impossible. Soharsh was his confinement that he longed for the time when a vesselwould sail for Carlisle, even though he was sure that the same fatewhich had attended so many of Scotland's best and bravest knightsawaited him there. 

The winds were contrary, and the vessel was ten days upon thevoyage. Upon reaching Carlisle Archie was handed to the governorof the castle, and the next morning was conducted to the presenceof the king himself. The aged monarch, in the last extremity ofsickness, lay upon a couch. Several of his nobles stood around him. 

"So, " he said as the prisoner was brought before him, "this isArchibald Forbes, the one companion of the traitor Wallace who hashitherto escaped my vengeance. So, young sir, you have venturedto brave my anger and to think yourself capable of coping with theLion of England. "

"I have done my utmost, sir king, " Archie said firmly, "such asit was, for the freedom of my country. No traitor am I, nor was myleader Wallace. Nor he, nor I, ever took vow of allegiance to you, maintaining ever that the kings of England had neither claim norright over Scotland. He has been murdered, foully and dishonourably, as you will doubtless murder me, and as you have killed many noblerknights and gentlemen; but others will take our places, and so thefight will go on until Scotland is free. "

"Scotland will never be free, " the king said with angry vehemence. "Rather than that, she shall cease to exist, and I will slay tillthere is not one of Scottish blood, man, woman, or child, to bearthe name. Let him be taken to Berwick, " he said; "there let him beexposed for a week in a cage outside the castle, that the peoplemay see what sort of a man this is who matches himself against themight of England. Then let him be hung, drawn, and quartered, hishead sent to London, and his limbs distributed between four Scotchcities. "

"I go, sir king, " Archie said, as the attendants advanced to seizehim, "and at the end of the week I will meet you before the throneof God, for you, methinks, will have gone thither before me, andthere will I tax you with all your crimes, with the slaughter oftens of thousands of Scottish men, women, and children, with citiesdestroyed and countries wasted, and with the murder in cold bloodof a score of noble knights whose sole offence was that they foughtfor their native country. "

With these words Archie turned and walked proudly from the king'spresence. An involuntary murmur of admiration at his fearless bearingescaped from the knights and nobles assembled round the couch ofthe dying monarch. 

When, two days later, Archie entered the gates of Berwick Castlethe bells of the city were tolling, for a horseman had just riddenin with the news that Edward had expired on the evening before, being the 6th day of July, 1307, just at the moment when he wason the point of starting with the great army he had assembled tocrush out the insurrection in Scotland. 

So deep was his hate for the people who had dared to oppose his willthat when dying he called before him his eldest son, and in thepresence of his barons caused him to swear upon the saints that sosoon as he should be dead his body should be boiled in a cauldronuntil the flesh should be separated from the bones, after which theflesh should be committed to the earth, but the bones preserved, and that, as often as the people of Scotland rebelled, the militaryarray of the kingdom should be summoned and the bones carried atthe head of the army into Scotland. His heart he directed shouldbe conveyed to and deposited in the Holy Land. 

So died Edward I, a champion of the Holy Sepulchre, King of England, Lord of Ireland, Duke of Aquitaine, conqueror of Wales, and wouldbe conqueror of Scotland. In many respects his reign was a greatand glorious one, for he was more than a great conqueror, he was, to England, a wise and noble king; and taken altogether he wasperhaps the greatest of the Plantagenets. 

Historians have striven to excuse and palliate his conduct towardScotland. They have glossed over his crimes and tried to explainaway the records of his deeds of savage atrocity, and to show thathis claims to that kingdom, which had not a shadow of foundationsave from the submission of her Anglo-Norman nobles, almost all ofwhom were his own vassals and owned estates in England, were justand righteous. Such is not the true function of history. Edward'ssole claim to Scotland was that he was determined to unite under hisrule England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland, and he failed becausethe people of Scotland, deserted as they were by all their naturalleaders, preferred death to such a slavery as that under whichIreland and Wales helplessly groaned. His dying wishes were notobserved. His body was laid in rest in Westminster Abbey, and onthe tomb was inscribed, "Edward I the mallet of the Scots. "

Chapter XXIII

The Escape from Berwick

On entering the castle Archie was at once conducted to a sort ofcage which had been constructed for a previous prisoner. On theoutside of a small cell a framework of stout beams had been erected. It was seven feet in height, six feet wide, and three feet deep. The bars were four inches round, and six inches apart. There wasa door leading into the cell behind. This was closed in the daytime, so that the prisoner remained in the cage in sight of passersby, but at night the governor, who was a humane man, allowed the doorto remain unlocked, so that the prisoner could enter the inner celland lie down there. 

The position of the cage was about twenty-five feet above themoat. The moat itself was some forty feet wide, and a public pathran along the other side, and people passing here had a full viewof the prisoner. There were still many of Scottish birth in thetown in spite of the efforts which Edward had made to convert itinto a complete English colony, and although the English were inthe majority, Archie was subject to but little insult or annoyance. Although for the present in English possession, Berwick had alwaysbeen a Scotch town, and might yet again from the fortune of warfall into Scottish hands. Therefore even those most hostile to themfelt that it would be prudent to restrain from any demonstrationsagainst the Scottish prisoners, since in the event of the cityagain changing hands a bloody retaliation might be dealt them. Occasionally a passing boy would shout out an epithet of contemptor hatred or throw a stone at the prisoner, but such trifles wereunheeded by him. More often men or women passing would stop andgaze up at him with pitying looks, and would go away wiping theireyes. 

Archie, after the first careful examination of his cell, at onceabandoned any idea of escape from it. The massive bars would havedefied the strength of twenty men, and he had no instrument of anysort with which he could cut them. There was, he felt, nothingbefore him but death; and although he feared this little forhimself, he felt sad indeed as he thought of the grief of Marjoryand his mother. 

The days passed slowly. Five had gone without an incident, and buttwo remained, for he knew that there was no chance of any changein the sentence which Edward had passed, even were his son moredisposed than he toward merciful measures to the Scots, which Archiehad no warrant for supposing. The new king's time would be tooclosely engaged in the affairs entailed by his accession to rank, the arrangement of his father's funeral, and the details of thearmy advancing against Scotland, to give a thought to the prisonerwhose fate had been determined by his father. 

Absorbed in his own thoughts Archie seldom looked across the moat, and paid no heed to those who passed or who paused to look at him. 

On the afternoon of the fifth day, however, his eye was caught bytwo women who were gazing up at the cage. It was the immobility oftheir attitude and the length of time which they continued to gazeat him, which attracted his attention. 

In a moment he started violently and almost gave a cry, for inone of them he recognized his wife, Marjory. The instant that thewomen saw that he had observed them they turned away and walkedcarelessly and slowly along the road. Archie could hardly believethat his eyesight had not deceived him. It seemed impossible thatMarjory, whom he deemed a hundred miles away, in his castle atAberfilly, should be here in the town of Berwick, and yet when hethought it over he saw that it might well be so. There was indeedample time for her to have made the journey two or three times whilehe had been lying in prison at Port Patrick awaiting a ship. Shewould be sure, when the news reached her of his capture, that hewould be taken to Edward at Carlisle, and that he would be eitherexecuted there or at Berwick. It was then by no means impossible, strange and wondrous as it appeared to him, that Marjory should bein Berwick. 

She was attired in the garment of a peasant woman of the betterclass, such as the wife of a small crofter or farmer, and rememberinghow she had saved his life before at Dunstaffnage, Archie felt thatshe had come hither to try to rescue him. 

Archie's heart beat with delight and his eyes filled with tears atthe devotion and courage of Marjory, and for the first time sincehe had been hurried into the boat on the night of his capture afeeling of hope entered his breast. Momentary as the glance hadbeen which he had obtained of the face of Marjory's companion, Archie had perceived that it was in some way familiar to him. Invain he recalled the features of the various servants at Aberfilly, and those of the wives and daughters of the retainers of the estate;he could not recognize the face of the woman accompanying Marjoryas belonging to any of them. His wife might, indeed, have broughtwith her some one from the estates at Ayr whom she had known froma child, but in that case Archie could not account for his knowledgeof her. This, however, did not occupy his mind many minutes; itwas assuredly one whom Marjory trusted, and that was sufficientfor him. Then his thoughts turned wholly to his wife. 

Any one who had noticed the prisoner's demeanor for the last fewdays would have been struck with the change which had come overit. Hitherto he had stood often for hours leaning motionless, withhis arms crossed, in the corner of his cage, with head bent down andlistless air, his thoughts only being busy; now he paced restlesslyup and down his narrow limits, two steps each way and then a turn, like a caged beast; his hands were clenched, his breast heaved, his breath came fast, his head was thrown back, often he brushedhis hand across his eyes, and rapid words came from his lips. 

The sun sank. An hour later a jailer brought his jug of water andpiece of bread, and then, without a word, retired, leaving, as usual, the door into the cell open, but carefully locking and barring theinner door. Archie had a longer walk now, from the front of thecage to the back of the cell, and for three hours he paced up anddown. Sometimes he paused and listened attentively. The sounds inthe town gradually died away and all became still, save that hecould hear the calls of the warder on the battlement above him. The night was a very dark one and he could scarcely make out thegleam of water in the moat below. 

Suddenly something struck him a sharp blow on the face and fell athis feet. He stooped and picked it up, it was an arrow with a wadof wool fastened round its point to prevent it from making a noiseshould it strike the wall or cage; to the other end was attached apiece of string. Archie drew it in until he felt that it was heldfirmly, then after a moment the hold relaxed somewhat, and thestring again yielded as he drew it. It was now, he felt, taut fromthe other side of the moat. Presently a stout rope, amply sufficientto bear his weight, came into his hands. At the point of junctionwas attached some object done up in flannel. This he opened, andfound that it was a fine saw and a small bottle containing oil. Hefastened the rope securely to one of the bars and at once commencedto saw asunder one of the others. In five minutes two cuts hadbeen noiselessly made, and a portion of the bar five feet long cameaway. He now tried the rope and found that it was tightly stretched, and evidently fixed to some object on the other side of the moat. He grasped it firmly with his arms and legs and slid rapidly downit. 

In another minute he was grasped by some strong arms which checkedhis rapid progress and enabled him to gain his feet without theslightest noise. As he did so a woman threw her arms round him, and he exchanged a passionate but silent embrace with Marjory. Thenshe took his hand and with noiseless steps they proceeded down theroad. He had before starting removed his shoes and put them in hispockets. Marjory and her companion had also removed their shoes, and even the keenest ears upon the battlements would have heardno sound as they proceeded along the road. Fifty yards farther andthey were among the houses. Here they stopped a minute and put ontheir shoes, and then continued their way. Not a word was spokenuntil they had traversed several streets and stopped at the doorof a house in a quiet lane; it yielded to Marjory's touch, she andArchie entered, and their follower closed and fastened it afterthem. 

The moment this was done Marjory threw her arms round Archie's neckwith a burst of tears of joy and relief. While Archie was soothingher the third person stirred up the embers on the hearth and threwon a handful of dry wood. 

"And who is your companion?" Archie asked, after the first transportsof joy and thankfulness were past. 

"What! don't you recognize Cluny?" Marjory asked, laughing throughher tears. 

"Cluny! of course, " Archie exclaimed, grasping his follower's handin his. "I only caught a glimpse of your face and knew that it wasfamiliar to me, but in vain tried to recall its owner. Why, Cluny, it is a long time since you went dressed as a girl into Ayr! Andso it is my good friend who had shared my wife's dangers. "

"He has done more than that, Archie, " Marjory said, "for it wasto him that I owe my first idea of coming here. The moment afterthe castle was taken and it was found that you had been carriedoff in a boat by the English, Cluny started to tell me the news. Your mother and I were beside ourselves with grief, and Cluny, tocomfort us, said, `Do not despair yet, my lady; my lord shall notbe killed by the English if I can prevent it. The master and Ihave been in a good many dangers, and have always come out of themsafe; it shall not be my fault if he does not slip through theirhands yet. ' `Why, what can you do, Cluny?' I said. `I don't knowwhat I can do yet, ' he replied; `that must depend upon circumstances. My lord is sure to be taken to Carlisle, and I shall go south tosee if I cannot get him out of prison. I have often gone among theEnglish garrisons disguised as a woman, and no one in Carlisle islikely to ask me my business there. ' It was plain to me at once thatif Cluny could go to your aid, so could I, and I at once told himthat I should accompany him. Cluny raised all sorts of objections, but to these I would not listen, but brought him to my will by saying, that if he thought my being with him would add to his difficultiesI would go alone, but that go I certainly would. So without moreado we got these dresses and made south. We had a few narrowescapes of falling into the hands of parties of English, but at lastwe crossed the frontier and made to Carlisle. Three days later weheard of your arrival, and the next morning all men were talkingabout your defiance of the king, and that you had been sent to Berwickfor execution at the end of the week. So we journeyed hither andgot here the day after you arrived. The first step was to finda Scotchwoman whom we might trust. This, by great luck, we did, and Mary Martin, who lives in this house, is a true Scotchwoman, and will help us to the extent of her power; she is poor, for herhusband, who is an Englishman, had for some time been ill, and diedbut yesterday. He was, by what she says, a hard man and cruel, andhis death is no grief to her, and Mary will, if she can, returnwith her daughter to Roxburgh, where her relations live, and whereshe married her husband, who was a soldier in the English garrisonthere. "

"But, Marjory, " Archie said, "have you thought how we are to escapehence; though I am free from the castle I am still within the wallsof Berwick, and when, tomorrow, they find that I have escaped, theywill search every nook and corner of the town. I had best withoutdelay try and make my way over the walls. "

"That was the plan Cluny and I first thought of, " Marjory replied;"but owing to the raids of the Douglas on the border, so stricta watch is kept on the walls that it would be difficult indeed topass. Cluny has tried a dozen times each night, but the watch isso vigilant that he has each time failed to make his way past them, but has been challenged and has had several arrows discharged athim. The guard at the gates is extremely strict, and all carts thatpass in and out are searched. Could you have tried to pass beforeyour escape was known you might no doubt have done so in disguise, but the alarm will be given before the gates are open in the morning, and your chance of passing through undetected then would be smallindeed. The death of the man Martin suggested a plan to me. Ihave proposed it to his wife, and she has fallen in with it. Ihave promised her a pension for her life should we succeed, but Ibelieve she would have done it even without reward, for she is atrue Scotchwoman. When she heard who it was that I was trying torescue, she said at once she would risk anything to save the lifeof one of Scotland's best and bravest champions; while, on the otherhand, she cares not enough for her husband to offer any objectionto my plans for the disposal of his body. "

"But what are your plans, Marjory?"

"All the neighbours know that Martin is dead; they believe that Clunyis Mary's sister and I her niece, and she has told them that sheshall return with us to Roxburgh. Martin was a native of a villagefour miles hence, and she is going to bury him with his fathersthere. Now I have proposed to her that Martin shall be buriedbeneath the wood store here, and that you shall take his place inthe coffin. "

"It is a capital idea, Marjory, " Archie said, "and will assuredlysucceed if any plan can do so. The only fear is that the searchwill be so hot in the morning that the soldiers may even insistupon looking into the coffin. "

"We have thought of that, " Marjory said, "and dare not risk it. We must expect every house to be searched in the morning, and haveremoved some tiles in the attic. At daybreak you must creep outon the roof, replace the tiles, and remain hidden there until thesearch is over. Martin will be laid in the coffin. Thus, evenshould they lift the lid, no harm will come of it. Directly theyhave gone, Cluny will bring you down, and you and he dig the gravein the floor of the woodshed and place Martin there, then youwill take his place in the coffin, which will be placed in a cartalready hired, and Cluny, I, Mrs. Martin, and her daughter willthen set out with it. "

Soon after daybreak the quick strokes of the alarm bell at thecastle told the inhabitants of Berwick that a prisoner had escaped. Archie at once betook himself to his place of concealment on theroof. He replaced the tiles, and Cluny carefully obliterated allsigns of the place of exit from within. A great hubbub had bythis time arisen in the street. Trumpets were blowing, and partiesof soldiers moving about in all directions. The gates remainedunopened, orders being given that none should pass through withouta special order from the governor. 

The sentries on the wall were doubled, and then a house to housesearch was commenced, every possible place of concealment beingrummaged from basement to attic. Presently the searchers entered thelane in which Mrs. Martin lived. The latch was ere long lifted, and a sergeant and six soldiers burst into the room. The sightwhich they beheld quieted their first noisy exclamations. Fourwomen in deep mourning were kneeling by a rough coffin placed ontrestles. One of them gave a faint scream as they entered, and MaryMartin, rising to her feet, said:

"What means this rough intrusion?"

"It means, " the sergeant said, "that a prisoner has escaped fromthe castle, one Archibald Forbes, a pestilent Scotch traitor. Hehas been aided by friends from without, and as the sentries werewatchful all night, he must be hidden somewhere in the town, andevery house is to be searched. "

"You can search if you will, " the woman said, resuming the positionon her knees. "As you see, this is a house of mourning, seeingthat my husband is dead, and is today to be buried in his nativevillage, three miles away. "

"He won't be buried today, " the sergeant said; "for the gates arenot to be opened save by a special order from the governor. Now, lads, " he went on, turning to the men, "search the place from topto bottom, examine all the cupboards and sound the floors, turn overall the wood in the shed, and leave not a single place unsearchedwhere a mouse could be hid. "

The soldiers scattered through the house, and were soon heardknocking the scanty furniture about and sounding the floors andwalls. At last they returned saying that nothing was to be found. 

"And now, " the sergeant said, "I must have a look in that coffin. Who knows but what the traitor Scot may be hid in there!"

Mrs. Martin leaped to her feet. 

"You shall not touch the coffin, " she said; "I will not have theremains of my husband disturbed. " The sergeant pushed her roughlyaside, and with the end of his pike prised up the lid of the coffin, while Mrs. Martin and the other three mourners screamed lustilyand wrung their hands in the greatest grief at this desecration ofthe dead. 

Just as the sergeant opened the coffin and satisfied himself thata dead man really lay within, an officer, attracted by the screams, entered the room. 

"What is this, sergeant?" he asked angrily. "The orders were tosearch the house, but none were given you to trouble the inmates. "

Mrs. Martin began volubly to complain of the conduct of the soldiersin wrenching open the coffin. 

"It was a necessary duty, my good woman, " the officer said, "seeingthat a living man might have been carried away instead of a deadone; however, I see all is right. "

"Oh, kind sir!" Mrs. Martin said, sobbing, "is it true what thisman tells me, that there is no passage through the gates today? Ihave hired a cart to take away my husband's body; the grave is dug, and the priest will be waiting. Kind sir, I pray of you to get mea pass to sally out with it, together with my daughter, sister, and niece. "

"Very well, " the officer said kindly, "I will do as you wish. Ishall be seeing the governor presently to make my report to him;and as I have myself seen the dead body can vouch that no ruseis intended. But assuredly no pass will be given for any man toaccompany you; and the Scot, who is a head and shoulders tallerthan any of you, would scarcely slip out in a woman's garment. Whenwill the cart be here?"

"At noon, " the woman replied. 

"Very well; an hour before that time a soldier will bring out thepass. Now, sergeant, have you searched the rest of the house?"

"Yes, sir; thoroughly, and nothing suspicious has been found. "

"Draw off your men, then, and proceed, with your search elsewhere. "

No sooner had the officer and men departed than Cluny ran upstairs, and removing two of the tiles, whispered to Archie that all wasclear. The hole was soon enlarged, and Archie re-entering, the pairdescended to the woodshed which adjoined the kitchen, and there, with a spade and mattock which Cluny had purchased on the precedingday, they set to work to dig a grave. In two hours it was completed. The body of John Martin was lowered into it, the earth replacedand trodden down hard, and the wood again piled on to it. 

At eleven o'clock a soldier entered with the governor's passordering the soldier at the gate to allow a cart with the body ofJohn Martin, accompanied by four women, to pass out from the town. 

At the appointed time the cart arrived. Archie now took his placein the coffin. His face was whitened, and a winding sheet wrappedround him, lest by an evil chance any should insist on againlooking into the coffin. Then some neighbours came in and assistedin placing the coffin in the cart. The driver took his place besideit, and the four women, with their hoods drawn over their heads, fell in behind it weeping bitterly. 

When they arrived at the gate the officer in charge carefully readthe order, and then gave the order for the gate to be opened. "Butstop, " he said, "this pass says nothing about a driver, and thoughthis man in no way resembles the description of the doughty Scot, yet as he is not named in the pass I cannot let him pass. " Therewas a moment's pause of consternation, and then Cluny said:

"Sister Mary, I will lead the horse. When all is in readiness, andthe priest waits, we cannot turn back on such a slight cause. " Asthe driver of the cart knew Mary Martin, he offered no objection, and descended from his seat. Cluny took the reins, and, walking bythe side of the horse's head, led him through the gates as thesewere opened, the others following behind. As soon as they werethrough, the gate closed behind them, and they were safely out ofthe town of Berwick. 

So long as they were within sight of the walls they proceeded ata slow pace without change of position, and although Cluny thenquickened the steps of his horse, no other change was made until twomiles further they reached a wood. Then Cluny leapt into the cartand wrenched off the lid of the coffin. It had been but lightlynailed down, and being but roughly made there were plenty of crevicesthrough which the air could pass. 

"Quick, Sir Archie!" he said, "let us get this thing out of thecart before any person happen to come along. "

The coffin was lifted from the cart, and carried some shortdistance into the wood. A few vigorous kicks separated the plankswhich composed it. These were taken and thrust separately amongbushes at some little distance from each other. Cluny then unrolledthe bundle which he had brought from the cart, and handed to Archiea suit of clothes fitted for a farmer. These Archie quickly puton, then he returned to the cart, which he mounted, and took thereins. The others got up behind him and seated themselves on thestraw in the bottom of the cart. Then Archie gave the horse a smartcut with his whip, and the cart proceeded at a steady trot alongthe road to the west. 

Chapter XXIV

The Progress of the War

A mile or two after leaving Berwick the cart had left the main roadrunning by the coast through Dunbar to Edinburgh, and had struckwest by a country track. But few houses were met with, as thewhole of the country within many miles of the sea had been harriedand devastated by the various English armies which had advancedfrom Berwick. After proceeding for some miles they came to a pointwhere the track they had been following terminated at a little hamletamong the hills. Here they left the cart, making an arrangement withone of the villagers to drive it back on the morrow into Berwick. They were now beyond all risk of pursuit, and need fear nothingfurther until they reached the great north roads running fromCarlisle to Edinburgh and Stirling. Cluny therefore resumed maleattire. They had no difficulty in purchasing a couple of swordsfrom the peasants of the village, and armed with these they startedwith Marjory and the two women over the hills. It was early autumnnow; the weather was magnificent, and they made the distance inquiet stages, and crossing the Pentlands came down upon Aberfillywithout meeting with a single danger or obstacle. 

It needs not to describe the joy of Archie's mother at his return. The news spread like lightning among the tenantry, and in an hourafter the wayfarers reached the castle men and women could be seenflocking over the hills at the top of their speed to express theirdelight and enthusiasm at their lord's return. By nightfall everytenant on the estate, save those prevented by age or illness, hadassembled at the castle, and the rejoicings which had taken placeat the marriage of their lord were but tame and quiet beside theboisterous enthusiasm which was now exhibited. 

Although Marjory had at first been welcomed for the sake of herhusband, the fact that she was a Kerr had excited a deep thoughhidden hostility to her in the minds both of those who had beenher father's vassals at Aberfilly, and the old retainers of theForbeses at Glen Cairn. The devotion and courage which she had shownin the defence of the castle and in the enterprise for the rescueof their lord swept away every vestige of this feeling, and henceforthMarjory ranked in their affections with Archie himself, and therewas not a man upon the estate but felt that he could die for herif needs be. 

After a week's stay at home Archie rode away and joined the king, taking, however, but four or five retainers with him. Bruce receivedhim with extreme warmth. He had heard of his capture, and the newsthat he was condemned to die at Berwick had also reached him, andhe had no doubt but Archie had shared the fate which had befallenhis own brothers and so many of his bravest friends. His pleasure, therefore, equalled his surprise when his brave follower rode intohis camp. Many of Archie's friends assembled as soon as it wasknown that he had arrived; and after the first greetings the kingasked him for a recital of the means by which he had escaped fromthe fate decreed him by Edward. Archie related the whole story, and at its conclusion the king called to his attendants to bringgoblets and wine. 

"Sirs, " he said, "let us drink to the health of Mistress MarjoryForbes, one of the bravest and truest of Scotch women. Would toHeaven that all the men of our country were animated by as noble andcourageous feelings! Our friend, Sir Archibald Forbes, has indeedwon a jewel, and I take no small credit to myself that I was thefirst who advised him to make Mistress Kerr his wife. "

The toast was given with enthusiasm; but Archie afterwards protestedagainst the king assuming any credit to himself in the matter, since, although it was true that he had advised him to marry Mistress MaryKerr, he had wished him to abandon, for her sake, Mistress Marjory, the niece of Alexander MacDougall, who had set him free from heruncle's hold of Dunstaffnage. 

"Now, Archie, " the king said, when they were again alone together, "I suppose, seeing that you have come hither without your following, that you wish for a time to remain quiet at home, and seeing thatyou have suffered severe imprisonment and a grievous risk of deathin my cause, methinks you have well earned the right to rest quietfor a while with your brave lady. At present I can dispense withthe services of your retainers. Most of the low country is now inmy hands, and the English garrisons dare not venture out of theirstrong places. The army that the King of England collected to crushus has been, I hear, much disorganized by his death, and the baronswill doubtless wring concessions and privileges from his son beforethey spread their banners to the wind again. From all reports thenew king has but little of his father's ability and energy, andmonths may elapse before any serious effort is made against us. I am despatching my brother Edward to join Douglas in subduingGalloway, and during his absence I shall be content to remain herein the field with a small following, for the English governorsof the towns will, methinks, stand only on the defensive, until astrong army marches north from England. When Galloway is subduedthe lowlands will be all in my hands save for the English garrisons, and I shall on Edward's return set myself to punish the Comyns andthe other traitor nobles of the north, who are well nigh all handand glove with the English. So long as Scotland has such powerfulenemies in her midst she cannot hope to cope with the forces whichEngland can send against her. Alone and united the task is onewhich will tax her strength to the utmost, seeing that England isin wealth and population so far her superior, and Edward disposesof the force of Ireland, of Wales, and of Gascony; therefore myfirst task must be to root out these traitor nobles from among us. When I move north I shall need your company and your strength; butuntil Edward has cleared the English out of Galloway, captured thestrongholds, and reduced it to obedience, you can stop in Aberfilly, and there at times, when I have no enterprise on hand and can takea few days, I will come and rest if you will give me hospitality. "

So until the following spring Archie Forbes remained quietly andmost happily at home. Several times the king came and stayed a fewdays at Aberfilly, where he was safe against surprise and treachery. Not long after Archie's return home, Father Anselm arrived, toArchie's satisfaction and the great joy of Marjory, and took uphis abode there. 

In the spring Archie, with his retainers, joined the king, who wasgathering his army for his march into the north. During the winterGalloway had been subdued, and Douglas being left in the south ascommander there, Edward Bruce joined his brother, around whom alsogathered the Earl of Lennox, Sir Gilbert de la Haye, and others. The position in Scotland was now singular: the whole of thecountry south of the Forth was favourable to Bruce, but the Englishheld Roxburgh, Jedburgh, Dumfries, Castle Douglas, Ayr, Bothwell, Edinburgh, Linlithgow, Stirling, and Dumbarton. North of the Forthnearly the whole of the country was hostile to the king, and thefortresses of Perth, Dundee, Forfar, Brechin, Aberdeen, Inverness, and many smaller holds, were occupied by English garrisons. 

The centre of hostility to Bruce, north of the Forth, lay in the twogreat earls, the Comyns of Badenoch and Buchan, and their allies. Between them and Bruce a hatred existed beyond that caused bytheir taking opposite sides. Comyn of Badenoch was the son of theman Bruce had slain at Dumfries, while Buchan hated him even more, since his wife, the countess, had espoused the cause of Bruce andhad crowned him at Scone, and was now shamefully imprisoned in thecage at Berwick. It must be supposed that Buchan's anger againsthis countess was as deep and implacable as that of Edward himself, for, as the English king's most powerful ally in Scotland, he couldsurely have obtained the pardon and release of his wife had hedesired it. On the other hand, Bruce had a private grudge againstComyn, for upon him had been conferred Bruce's lordship of Annandale, and he had entered into possession and even occupied the familycastle of Lochmaben. 

The king and his army marched north, and were joined by Alexanderand Simon Frazer, with their followers. They marched to Inverness, which, with various other castles in the north, they captured. All ofthese castles were, when taken, destroyed, as Bruce had determinedto leave no strongholds in the land for the occupation of hisenemies. He himself could not spare men to hold them, and theircapture was useless if upon his retirement they could again beoccupied by the enemy. Returning southward they were encounteredby an army under Buchan, composed of his own retainers and a partyof English. This force was completely defeated. 

To the consternation of his followers Bruce was now attacked by awasting illness, which so enfeebled him that he was unable to siton his horse; it was the result of the many privations and hardshipswhich he had undergone since the fight at Methven. His brother, Lennox, the Frazers, and Archie Forbes held a council and agreedthat rest for some time was absolutely necessary for the king, andthat sea air might be beneficial to him. They therefore resolvedto move eastward to the Castle of Slaines, on the sea coastnear Peterhead. That such a step was attended by great peril theywell knew, for the Comyns would gather the whole strength of theHighlands, with accessions from the English garrisons, and besiegethem there. The king's health, however, was a paramount consideration;were he to die, the blow might be fatal to Scotland, accordinglythe little force marched eastward. They reached Slaines withoutinterruption, and as they expected the castle was soon surrounded andbesieged by the forces of Buchan, who had been joined by Sir JohnMowbray and Sir David de Brechin, nephew of the King of England. Forsome time the siege went on, but the assailants gained but littleadvantage, and indeed trusted rather to famine than force to reducethe castle. 

Weeks passed on, and although his followers thought that he wassomewhat better, the king's health improved but slowly. Provisionsnow began to run very short. When they had come nearly to an endthe Scots determined to sally out and cut their way through thevastly superior strength of the enemy. The king was placed in alitter, his mounted knights and followers surrounded him, and roundthese the footmen formed a close clump of pikes; the hundred menfrom Aberfilly formed the front rank, as these could be best reliedupon to withstand the charge of the English horse. The gates werethrown open, and in close ranks the garrison sallied out, forming, as soon as they passed through, in the order arranged. So closeand serried was the hedge of spears, so quiet and determined theattitude of the men, that, numerous as they were, the men of Buchanand the English lords shrank from an encounter with such adversaries, and with the banner of the king and his knights flying in theircentre the little band marched on through the lines of the besiegerswithout the latter striking a blow to hinder their way. 

Without interruption the royalists proceeded to Strathbogie. Thesatisfaction of the king at the daring exploit by which he had beenrescued from such imminent peril did more for him than medicine orchange of air, and to the joy of his followers he began to recoverhis strength. He was then moved down to the river Don. Here Buchanand his English allies made a sudden attack upon his quarters, killing some of the outposts. This attack roused the spirit andenergy of the king, and he immediately called for his war horseand armour and ordered his men to prepare for action. His followersremonstrated with him, but he declared that this attack by hisenemies had cured him more speedily than medicine could have done, and heading his troops he issued forth and came upon the enemynear Old Meldrum, where, after a desperate fight, Buchan and hisconfederates were defeated with great slaughter on Christmas day, 1307. Buchan and Mowbray fled into England. Brechin took refugein his own castle of Brechin, where he was afterwards besieged andforced to surrender. 

Bruce now marched into the territory of Comyn, where he took a terriblevengeance for the long adhesion of his hated enemy to England. Thewhole country was wasted with fire and sword, the people well nighexterminated, and the very forests destroyed. So terrible was thedevastation that for generations afterwards men spoke of the harryingof Buchan as a terrible and exceptional act of vengeance. 

The castle of Aberdeen was next invested. The English made greatefforts for its succour, but the citizens joined Bruce, and aunited attack being made upon the castle it was taken by assaultand razed to the ground. The king and his forces then moved intoAngus. Here the English strongholds were all taken, the castleof Forfar being assaulted and carried by a leader who was calledPhillip, a forester of Platane. With the exception of Perth, themost important fortress north of the Forth, and a few minor holds, the whole of the north of Scotland, was now in the king's hands. In the meantime Sir James Douglas, in the south, had again takenhis paternal castle and had razed it to the ground. The forests ofSelkirk and Jedburgh, with the numerous fortresses of the district, were brought under the king's authority, and the English were severaltimes defeated. In the course of these adventures Sir James cameacross Alexander Stewart, Thomas Randolph, the king's nephew, who, after being taken prisoner at Methven, had joined the Englishparty, and Adam O'Gordon. They advanced with a much superior forceto capture him, but were signally defeated. O'Gordon escaped intoEngland, but Stewart and Randolph were taken. 

This was a fortunate capture, for Randolph afterwards became one ofthe king's most valiant knights and the wisest of his counsellors. After this action Douglas marched north and joined the king. Thelatter sternly reproached Randolph for having forsworn his allegianceand joined the English. Randolph answered hotly and was committedby his uncle to solitary confinement, where he presently came toa determination to renew his allegiance to Bruce, and henceforwardfought faithfully and gallantly under him. 

Galloway had risen again, and Edward Bruce, with Sir Archie Forbes, was detached to reduce it. It was a hard task, for the localchiefs were supported by Sir Ingram de Umfraville and Sir John deSt. John; these knights, with 1200 followers, met the Scots on thebanks of the Cree, which separates the countries of Kirkcudbrightand Wigton, and although greatly superior in numbers, were completelydefeated by the Scottish pikemen, and compelled to take refuge inthe castle of Butele. Edward Bruce and Archie continued the taskof subjugating the country; but St. John having retired to England, returned with fifteen hundred men-at-arms, and with this strong forceset out in pursuit of the small body of Scots, of whom he thoughtto make an easy capture. Then occurred one of the most singular andbrilliant feats of arms that took place in a war in which deeds ofdaring abounded. Edward Bruce having heard from the country peopleof the approach of his adversaries, placed his infantry in a strongposition, and then, with Archie Forbes and the fifty men-at-armswho constituted his cavalry, went out to reconnoitre the approachof the English. The morning was thick and misty. Ignorant of eachother's position, the two forces were in close vicinity, when thefog suddenly lifted, and Edward Bruce and Archie beheld close tothem the overwhelming force of St. John, within bowshot distance. It was too late to fly. Edward Bruce exclaimed to Archie:

"There is nothing for it but to charge them. "

"Let us charge them, " Archie replied. 

The two leaders, setting spurs to their horses, and closely followedby their fifty retainers, dashed like a thunderbolt upon the massof the English men-at-arms, before these, taken equally by surprise, had time to form, and burst clean through them, overthrowing andslaying many, and causing the greatest confusion and surprise. Riding but a short distance on, the Scots turned, and again burstthrough the English lines. Numbers of the English were slain, and many others turned rein. A third time the Scots charged, withequally fatal effect. The English were completely routed. Manywere killed and many taken prisoners, and the rest rode for Englandat their best speed. History scarcely recalls another instance of50 men routing in fair fight 1500. This extraordinary success wasfollowed by a victory over Sir Roland of Galloway and Donald ofthe Isles on the banks of the Dee, the Lord of the Isles being madeprisoner; and eventually the whole country was reduced to obedience, with the exception of one or two garrisons, no less than thirteencastles being captured, in addition to the victories gained in thefield. 

Galloway being restored to order, Archie Forbes returned home, andremained for two or three months with his wife and mother. He wasthen summoned by the king to join him again, as he was about tomarch to reduce the region over which his deadly foes Alexanderand John of Lorne held sway. The country into which the royal armynow penetrated was extremely mountainous and difficult, but theymade their way as far as the head of Loch Awe, where Alexander andJohn of Lorne, with 2000 men, were gathered to dispute the passage. The position was an extremely strong one, and the Lornes wereconfident that it could not be forced. Immediately to the northof the head of the lake rises the steep and lofty mountain BenGruachan. From the head of the lake flows the river Awe connectingit with Loch Etive, and the level space between the foot of themountain and the river is only wide enough for two to ride abreast. This passage was known as the Pass of Brander, and the Lornes mightwell believe that their position was unassailable. 

Before advancing into the pass Bruce detached Douglas, with SirAlexander Frazer, Sir William Wiseman, and Sir Andrew Grey, witha body of lightly armed infantry and archers. These, unnoticed bythe enemy, climbed the side of the mountain, and going far up it, passed along until they got behind and above the enemy. The kingordered his main body to lay aside all defensive armour so thatthey could more easily climb the hill and come to a hand to handconflict with the enemy. Then he moved along towards the narrowpass. As they approached it the men of Lorne hurled down a torrentof rocks from the hillside above. 

With a few heavy armed men Bruce pushed forward by the water side, while Archie Forbes led the main body up the hillside. The climb wasstiff and difficult, and many were swept down by the rocks hurledby the enemy; but at last they came to close quarters with the foe, and a desperate struggle ensued. 

In the meantime Douglas and his party had attacked the defendersfrom the other side, at first showering arrows among them, andthen falling upon them with sword and battleaxe. Thus attacked infront and rear, the men of Lorne lost heart and gave way. On bothsides the royalists pressed them hotly, and at last they brokefrom the hillside and fled down to the river, intending to crossby a wooden bridge and destroy it behind them, but before many hadpassed Douglas with his followers arrived upon the spot and seizedthe bridge, cutting off their retreat. Great numbers of the men ofLorne were slain, and the survivors made their escape up the mountainside again. The Lornes themselves were on board some galleys onLoch Awe, their intention having been to land in Bruce's rear whenhe was fairly entangled in the narrow pass. On witnessing the utterdiscomfiture of their followers they rowed rapidly away, and landedfar down the lake. Alexander fled to England, where he ended hislife. 

Bruce now advanced through the country of Lorne, which, havingnever suffered from the English raids that had over and over againdevastated the rest of Scotland, was rich and flourishing, and largequantities of booty were obtained. Dunstaffnage was besieged andcaptured, and having received hostages from all the minor chiefsfor their good behaviour the king and his army returned to Glasgow. 

In the following spring a truce was negotiated by the interventionof the King of France between the belligerents; but its duration wasbut short, for so long as English nobles held estates and occupiedcastles in Scotland breaches of the peace would be constantlyoccurring. Bruce besieged the castle of Rutherglen, near Glasgow;but Edward despatched the Earl of Gloucester to raise the siege, and as Bruce's army was still small he was forced to retire at hisapproach. 

In February, 1309, the clergy of Scotland assembled in a provincialcouncil at Dundee, and issued a declaration in favour of Bruceas lawful king of Scotland. In this document they set forth thatalthough Baliol was made king of Scotland by the King of England, Bruce, the grandfather of the king, was always recognized by thepeople as being nearest in right; and they said: "If any one, onthe contrary, claim right to the aforesaid kingdom in virtue ofletters in time passed sealed, and containing the consent of thepeople and the commons, know ye that all this took place in factby force and violence, which could not at the time be resisted, and through multiplied fears, bodily tortures, and various terrors. "

This document was sealed by all the bishops, as representing theclergy. A similar document was drawn up and signed by the estatesof Scotland. Therefore, henceforth Bruce could claim to be the kingnot only as crowned and by right, but by the approval and consentof the clergy and people of Scotland. A few months afterwards James, the Steward of Scotland, whose course had ever been vacillating, died, and his son Walter, a loyal Scotsman, succeeded him. He afterwardsmarried the king's daughter Marjory, and became the founder of theroyal line of Stuart. 

Chapter XXV

The Capture of a Stronghold

While Bruce had by his energy and courage been wresting Scotland, step by step, from the English, no serious effort had been made bythe latter to check his progress. Small bodies of troops had fromtime to time been sent from the north; but the king had made nogreat efforts, like those of his father, to reduce the country toobedience by the exercise of the whole strength of England. EdwardII differed widely from his father in disposition. At times he wasroused to fits of spasmodic energy, but for the most part he wassunk in sloth and supineness. He angered and irritated his baronsby his fondness for unworthy favourites, and was engaged in constantbroils with them. 

So called governors of Scotland were frequently appointed and asoften superseded, but no effectual aid was given them to enablethem to check the ever spreading insurrection. But Perth was nowthreatened by Bruce; and the danger of this, the strongest and mostimportant northern fortress, roused Edward from his lethargy. Afleet was fitted out for the Tay. Troops, under the Earl of Ulster, were engaged to be transported by an English fleet of forty ships, supplied by the seaports, and intended to cooperate with John ofLorne in the west. Edward himself, with a powerful army, accompaniedby the Lords Gloucester, Warrenne, Percy, Clifford, and others, advanced into Scotland as far as Renfrew. Bruce could oppose noeffectual resistance in the field to so large a force, but he usedthe tactics which Wallace had adopted with such success. The countrythrough which the English were advancing was wasted. Flocks andherds were driven off, and all stores of grain burned and destroyed. His adherents, each with their own retainers, hung upon the skirtsof the English army, cutting off small parties, driving back bodiesgoing out in search of provisions or forage, making sudden nightattacks, and keeping the English in a state of constant watchfulnessand alarm, but always retiring on the approach of any strong force, and avoiding every effort of the English to bring on an engagement. 

The invaders were soon pressed by want of provisions, and horsesdied from lack of forage. The great army was therefore obliged tofall back to Berwick without having struck a single effective blow. After this Edward remained inactive at Berwick for eight months, save that he once again crossed the Border and advanced as far asRoxburgh, but only to retreat without having accomplished anything. The Earls of Gloucester and Warrenne reduced the forest of Selkirkand the district, and restored the English power there; while theking's favourite, Piers Gaveston, Earl of Cornwall, went by sea toPerth and tried to reduce the surrounding country, but the Scotch, as usual, retired before him, and he, too, after a time, returnedto Berwick. The efforts of the defenders to starve out the invadingarmies of England were greatly aided by the fact that at this timea great famine raged both in England and Scotland, and the peopleof both countries were reduced to a condition of want and suffering. Not only did the harvest fail, but disease swept away vast numbersof cattle and sheep, and in many places the people were forced tosubsist upon the flesh of horses, dogs, and other animals. 

During the years which had elapsed since the battle of Methven, Bruce had never been enabled to collect a force in any way worthyof the name of an army. His enterprises had been a succession ofdaring feats performed by small bodies of men. Even now, when thenobles dared no longer openly oppose him, they remained sullenlyaloof, and the captures of the English strongholds were performedeither by the king or his brother Edward, with their retainers fromAnnandale and Carrick; by Douglas with the men of Douglasdale; orby some simple knights like Archie Forbes, the Frazers, Boyle, anda few others, each leading their own retainers in the field. Thegreat mass of the people still held aloof, and neither town norcountry sent their contingents to his aid. This was not to be wonderedat, so fearfully had all suffered from the wholesale vengeance ofEdward after the battle of Falkirk. 

Great successes had certainly attended Bruce, but these had beenrendered possible only by the absence of any great effort on thepart of England, and all believed that sooner or later Edward wouldarouse himself, and with the whole strength of England, Ireland, and Wales again crush out the movement, and carry fire and swordthrough Scotland. Still the national spirit was rising. 

Archie Forbes divided his time pretty equally between the field andhome, never taking with him, when he joined the king, more than athird of the entire strength of his retainers; thus all had timeto attend to their farms and the wants of their families, andcheerfully yielded obedience to the call to arms when the timecame. 

One day while the king was stopping for a few days' rest at Aberfilly, a horseman rode in. 

"I have great news, sire, " he said. "Linlithgow has been capturedfrom the English. "

"That were good news indeed, " the king said; "but it can scarce bepossible, seeing that we have no men-at-arms in the neighbourhood. "

"It has been done by no men-at-arms, my liege, " the messenger said;"but as Forfar was taken by Phillip the Forester and his mates, so has Linlithgow been captured by a farmer and his comrades, oneWilliam Bunnock. "

It was indeed true. The castle of Linlithgow, forming as it dida link between the two strongholds of Edinburgh and Stirling, wasa place of great importance and was strongly garrisoned by theEnglish. Naturally the whole country round suffered severely fromthe oppressions of the garrison, who supplied themselves by forcewith such provisions and stores as were needful for them. Paymentwas of course made to some extent, as the country otherwise wouldspeedily have been deserted and the land left untilled; but therewas almost necessarily much oppression and high handedness. Bunnock, hearing of the numerous castles which had been captured by theking and his friends with mere handfuls of followers, determined atlast upon an attempt to expel the garrison of Linlithgow. He wentabout among his friends and neighbours, and found many ready tojoin his enterprise. These one night placed themselves in ambushamong some bushes hard by the castle gate. Bunnock himself concealedeight chosen men with arms in a wagon of hay. The horses weredriven by a stout peasant with a short hatchet under his belt, while Bunnock walked carelessly beside the wagon. As he was in thehabit of supplying the garrison with corn and forage, the gate wasreadily opened on his approach. As soon as the wagon was exactlybetween the gate posts Bunnock gave the signal and struck down thewarder at the gate; the driver with his hatchet cut the traces, themen leapt up from their concealment in the hay, and the main bodylying in ambush close by rushed up, and, taken wholly by surprise, unarmed and unprepared, the garrison was speedily overpowered andthe castle taken. 

It was in the spring of 1311 that this important capture took place. Bruce, as usual, had the castle levelled to the ground. Bunnock wasrewarded by a grant of land which still bears his name, softenedinto Binney. Again the English made preparations for a renewedinvasion, but the barons were too much occupied by their privatebroils and their quarrels with the king to assemble at his order, and nothing came of it. Bruce's position at home was so establishedthat he resolved upon a counter invasion, and accordingly, havingassembled a larger force than had hitherto gathered under hisbanner, crossed the Border near the Solway, burnt and plundered thedistrict round Gilsland, ravaged Tynedale, and after eight days'havock returned with much booty to Scotland. In the followingmonth he again entered England, carried fire and sword through thecountry as far as Corbridge, swept Tynedale, ravaged Durham, andafter levying contributions for fifteen days returned with muchbooty to Scotland. 

Although the English made much outcry at this invasion, the Englishauthor of the Chronicle of Lanercost, whose monastery was occupiedby the king during the raid, distinctly states that he slew nonesave in actual conflict; and again, that though "all the goods ofthe country were carried away, they did not burn houses or slaymen. " Thus, though Bruce's wife and daughter were still prisonersin England, though his brothers had been executed in cold blood, he conducted his warfare in England in a manner which contrastsstrongly indeed with the conduct of the English in Scotland. 

After this Bruce marched north again and laid siege to Perth. Forsix weeks he invested the town, but without making any impression. Then he retired his forces as if abandoning the attempt. At night, however, he returned, ladders were placed in the ditches againstthe walls, and with his knights he led his followers on to theassault. The garrison were carousing in honour of their successfuldefence and the defeat of the enemy, and taken wholly by surprisewere unable to oppose a vigorous resistance, and all were killedor captured. Some accounts say that the English soldiers were madeprisoners, and the renegade Scots fighting with them were put tothe sword; while others affirm that all who were taken prisonerswere spared. 

Another incursion into England followed the fall of Perth. Hexham, Corbridge, and Durham were destroyed. Douglas penetrated as far asHartlepool and an immense spoil was carried off, until the peopleof the bishopric purchased a truce for the sum of 2000 pounds, andthose of Northumberland, Cumberland, and Westmoreland bought offthe invaders at a like price. 

Carlisle was assaulted by Douglas, but unsuccessfully. He alsoattempted to surprise Berwick by a night attack, and had placed hisscaling ladders against the wall, when the garrison was alarmed bythe barking of a dog, and the assailants were repulsed. The Scotsrecrossed the frontier laden with an enormous booty. 

The king himself now entered Galloway and reduced the four remainingstrongholds held by the English there--the castles of Butele, Dalswinton, Lochmaben, and Tibbers. He then proceeded to Dumfries, which he forced to surrender, and entered it as the victorious Kingof Scotland, just seven years after the time when he had commencedthe war by expelling the English justiciary. 

Archie Forbes did not accompany the king in this campaign. Hehad indeed been summoned, but just before the army started on itsraid into England Bruce was lamenting, in Archie's hearing, thatthe continued possession of the strong castle of Dunottar on theeast coast still afforded the English an opportunity for creatingdiversions in the north, by landing troops there. 

"If you will permit me, sire, " Archie said, "I will undertake itscapture with my retainers. It is doubtless too strong to be capturedby open assault with such a strength, but as Douglas has thricetaken Castle Douglas by stratagem, `tis hard if I cannot find someway for capturing Dunottar. "

"Be it so, Sir Archie, " the king said. "If you succeed you will havedone good service indeed; and as I know that though ever ready tobuckle on your armour when I need you, you would yet rather livequiet at Aberfilly with your fair wife, I promise you that if youcapture Dunottar, for a year and a day you and your retainers shallhave rest, except if the English cross the Border in such forcethat the arm of every Scotchman able to wield a sword is needed inits defence. "

Having chosen a hundred of his most active and experienced menArchie set out for the north. Crossing the Forth above Stirling, he marched through Perth and across the Carse of Gowrie throughForfar on to Montrose. Here he left his band, and taking with himonly William Orr, both being attired in peasants' dress, followedthe coast till he reached Dunottar. 

The castle, which was of great strength, stood in a little baywith a fishing village nestled beside it. "'Tis a strong place, William, and, if well provisioned, might hold out against an armyfor months, and as supplies could be thrown in by sea it could onlybe captured by battering down its solid walls by machines. "

"'Tis indeed a strong place, Sir Archie, " William Orr replied, "andit were assuredly better to slip in by the gates than to climb overthe walls; but after the captures of so many of their strongholdsby sudden surprise, we may be sure that a careful watch will bekept. "

"Doubtless they are shrewdly on guard against surprise, " Archiesaid; "but as they know that the king and his host are just nowcrossing the Border into Cumberland, they may well think that fora time they are safe from disturbance. `Tis in that that our bestchance lies. "

Entering the village they purchased some fish from the fishermen, and asking a few careless questions about the garrison, foundthat it was composed of 150 men, and that extreme precautions weretaken against surprise. The gates were never opened save to allowparties to pass in and out, when they were instantly closed and thedrawbridge raised. Only ten of the garrison at a time were everallowed to leave the castle, and these must go out and come intogether, so that the gates should not be opened more than twice aday. "They generally come out, " the man said, "at eleven o'clockand go in at four; at eleven o'clock all with corn, wood, andother stores for the castle must present themselves, so that thedrawbridge need only be lowered at those times. The governor, Sir John Morris, swears that he will not be caught asleep as werethose of Linlithgow and Castle Douglas. I fear, " he concluded, "that we of Dunottar will be the last in Scotland to be free fromthe English yoke. "

"That is as it may be. Other castles have been captured, and maybethe lion of Scotland may float on those walls ere long. "

The man looked keenly at him. 

"Methinks there is meaning in your words, " he said, "and yourlanguage does not accord with your attire. I ask no questions; butbe sure that should an attempt be made, there are a score of strongfellows among us who will be ready to strike a blow for freedom. "

"Is that so?" Archie replied; "then, man, taking you to be a trueScot, I will tell you that the attempt will be made, and thatsoon, and that, if you will, you can aid the enterprise. I am SirArchibald Forbes, of whom, perhaps, you have heard. "

"Assuredly, " the man said in a tone of deep respect, "every Scotsmanknows the name as that of one of the king's truest and bravestknights. "

"My purpose is this, " Archie said. "On a dark night some ninety-fiveof my men will march hither; I need a faithful friend to meet themoutside the village to lead them in, and to hide them away in thecottages, having already arranged beforehand with their owners toreceive them. I, myself, with four of my men will come hither in afishing boat well laden with fish; we will choose a time when thewind is blowing, and will seem to have been driven here by stressof weather and disabled. Then I shall try to sell our cargo for theuse of the garrison. As we carry it in we shall attack the guard, and at the signal those hidden will rush out and cross the drawbridge. "

"The plan is a good one, " the fisherman said; "its difficulty mainlylies in the fact that the drawbridge will be raised the moment youhave crossed it, and long before your followers could arrive itwould be high in the air, and you would be cut off from all aid. Itnever remains down for an instant after men have passed over it. "

"That adds to the difficulty, " Archie said thoughtfully; "butI must think of some plan to overcome it. Do you quietly go aboutamong those you can surely trust and arrange for them to be readyto open their doors and take my men in without the slightest noisewhich might attract the sentries on the walls. So long as the windis quiet and the sea smooth we shall not come, but the first daythat the wind blows hard you may expect us. Then do you go out onthe south road and wait for my party half a mile from the village. If they come not by midnight, return home and watch the followingnight. "

"I understand, " the fisherman said, "and will do as you bid me; andwhen the time comes you can rely upon twenty stout fellows here inaddition to your own force. "

"`Tis nigh eleven, " Archie said, looking at the sun, "and we willbe off at once, as the soldiers will soon be coming out, and itwere best the governor did not hear that two strangers were in thevillage. Vigilant as he is, a small thing might excite his suspicionand add to his watchfulness. "

Archie and William Orr returned to Montrose, and there the formermade an arrangement with the master of a large fishing boat to keephis vessel ready to put to sea at any moment. 

Three weeks passed without any change in the weather; then the windbegan to rise and the aspect of the sky betokened a storm. WilliamOrr at once set out with ninety-five men for Dunottar. Archie wentdown to the port and purchased a large quantity of fish which hadbeen brought in that morning in various boats, and had it placedon board the craft that he had hired. Then he with four of hisfollowers, the strongest and most determined of his retainers, dressed as fishermen, went on board and the boat at once put to sea, having, besides Archie and his men, the master and his two hands. The main body had started on foot at ten in the morning, but it waslate in the afternoon before the boat put out, as Archie wished toarrive in broad daylight next morning. 

The wind was on the shore, and the boat was sorely tossed andbuffeted. Ere next morning, showing but a rag of sail, she ran intoDunottar harbour. They had had great difficulty in keeping off thecoast all night, and the play had nigh turned into a tragedy, sonarrow had been their escape of being cast ashore. The bulwarkswere washed away, and the boat was in a sore plight as it drewalongside the little quay. Assuredly no suspicion would occur toany who saw her enter that aught save stress of weather had drivenher in. 

It was twelve o'clock in the day when they reached the port. Mostof the inhabitants had come down to the water side to see thestorm beaten craft enter, and among them were some soldiers of thegarrison. Archie bade four of his men remain below, so that theunusual number of hands should attract no attention. One of the firstto come on board was the fisherman with whom Archie had spoken. 

"Your men are all here, " he said in a low tone to Archie, "and arestowed away in the cottages. Everything went well, and there wasnot the slightest noise. "

Archie now went on shore and entered into conversation with one ofthe soldiers. 

"Think you, " he said, "that the governor would buy my cargo offish. I have a great store on board, for I had good luck beforethe storm suddenly broke upon me just as I was leaving the fishinggrounds for Montrose. The gale may last for some days, and my boatwill need repairs before I put to sea, therefore my fish will bespoiled before I can get them to market, and I will make a goodbargain with the governor if he will take them from me. "

"I should think that he will do so gladly, " the soldier said, "forhe can salt them down, and they make a pleasant change. How muchhave you got?"

"About ten baskets full, " Archie replied, "of some hundred poundseach. "

"I will go with you to the castle, " the soldier said. "The governorwill lower the drawbridge for no man, but you can speak with thewarder across the moat and he will bear your message to the governor, and should he agree, you must present yourself with your men withthe fish at four o'clock, at which time the drawbridge will belowered for us to return to the castle. "

Archie accompanied the soldier to the end of the drawbridge, andparleyed with the warder. The latter acquainted the governor thatthe master of the fishing boat which had been driven in by stressof weather would fain dispose of his cargo of fish on cheap terms, and returned for answer that the governor would give sixpence foreach basket of a hundred pounds. Archie grumbled that he shouldreceive thrice that sum at Montrose; still that as he must sellthem or let them spoil, he accepted the offer, and would be therewith the fish at four o'clock. 

He then returned to the boat, his ally, the fisherman, taking wordround to the cottages that at four o'clock all must be in readinessto sally out on the signal, and that William Orr was to dress halfa dozen of his men in fishermen's clothes and saunter up carelesslyclose to the castle, so as to be able to rush forward on the instant. 

At the appointed hour Archie, accompanied by his four followers, each of whom carried on his shoulder a great basket filled withfish, stepped on to the quay and made their way to the castle. Bythe side of the moat facing the drawbridge the ten English soldierswho had been out on leave for the day were already assembled. 

"Are you all there?" the warder asked. 

"Yes, " Archie said, "but I shall have to make another two tripsdown to the boat, seeing that I have ten baskets full and but fourmen to carry them. "

"Then you must bring another load, " the warder said, "when thedrawbridge is lowered tomorrow. You will have to stop in the castletonight, and issue out at eleven tomorrow, for the governor willnot have the drawbridge lowered more than twice a day. "

"I would fain return to my boat, " Archie said, "as I want to be atwork on the repairs; but if that be the rule I must needs submitto it. "

The drawbridge was now lowered. The soldiers at once stepped on toit. The four pretended fishermen had set down their baskets, andnow raised them on their shoulders again. One of them apparentlyfound it a difficult task, for it was not until Archie and hiscomrades were half across the drawbridge that he raised it fromthe ground. As he did so he stumbled and fell, the basket and itscontents rolling on to the ground. 

"You must wait until the morning, " the warder called; "you are toolate to enter now. "

The man lay for a moment where he had fallen, which was half on thedrawbridge, half on the ground beyond it. "Now, then, " the wardercalled sharply, "make haste; I am going to raise the drawbridge. "

The man rose to his feet with a shout just as the drawbridge beganto rise. He had not been idle as he lay. As he fell he had drawnfrom underneath his fisherman's frock a stout chain with a hookat one end and a large ring at the other. This he had passed roundone of the chains by which the drawbridge was raised, then underthe beam on which it rested when down, and had fastened the hookin the ring. 

Surprised at the shout, the warder worked the windlass with extraspeed, but he had scarcely given a turn when he found a suddenresistance. The chain which the fisherman had fixed round the endprevented the bridge from rising. As the man had shouted, Archieand his three comrades were entering the gate. Simultaneously theyemptied their baskets before them. Concealed among the fish werefour logs of wood; two were three feet long, the full depth of thebaskets, two were short wedge shaped pieces. Before the soldiersin front had time even to turn round, the two long pieces wereplaced upright in the grooves down which the portcullis would fall, while the two wedge shaped pieces were thrust into the jamb of thegate so as to prevent it from closing. Then the four men drew longswords hidden beneath their garments and fell upon the soldiers. 

Chapter XXVI

Edinburgh

So vigilant was the watch in the castle of Dunottar that the instantthe cry of alarm rose almost simultaneously from the warder aboveand the soldiers at the gate, the portcullis came thundering down. It was caught, however, by the two upright blocks of wood, andremained suspended three feet above the sill. The armed guardsat the gate instantly fell upon Archie and his companions, whileothers endeavoured in vain to close the gates. Scarcely had theswords clashed when the man who had chained down the drawbridgejoined Archie, and the five with their heavy broadswords kept atbay the soldiers who pressed upon them; but for only a minute ortwo did they have to bear the brunt of the attack unsupported, forWilliam Orr and the five men who had been loitering near the moatdashed across the bridge, and passing under the portcullis joinedthe little band. 

The alarm had now spread through the castle, and the governorhimself, followed by many of his men, came rushing down to thespot, shouting furious orders to the warder to raise the drawbridge, being in ignorance that it was firmly fixed at the outer end. 

Archie and his followers were now hotly pressed, but soon a thunderof steps was heard on the drawbridge, and the whole of the band, together with some twenty or thirty of the fishermen, passed underthe portcullis and joined them. Archie now took the offensive, andbearing down all opposition burst with his men into the courtyard. 

The combat was desperate but short. The governor with some of hissoldiers fought stoutly, but the suddenness of the surprise andthe fury and vigour with which they were attacked shook the courageof many of the soldiers. Some, instead of joining in the fray, atonce threw away their arms and tried to conceal themselves, othersfought feebly and half heartedly, and the cries of "A Forbes! AForbes! Scotland! Scotland!" rose louder and louder as theassailants gradually beat down all resistance. In ten minutes fromthe falling of the portcullis all resistance was virtually over. The governor himself fell by the hand of Archie Forbes, and athis death those who had hitherto resisted threw down their armsand called for quarter. This was given, and the following day theprisoners were marched under a strong guard down to Montrose, thereto be confined until orders for their disposal were received fromthe king. For the next fortnight Archie and his retainers, aided bythe whole of the villagers, laboured to dismantle the castle. Thebattlements were thrown down into the moat, several wide breacheswere made in the walls, and large quantities of straw and wood piledup in the keep and turrets. These were then fired, and the Castleof Dunottar was soon reduced to an empty and gaping shell. ThenArchie marched south, and remained quietly at home until the termof rest granted him by the king had expired. 

Two girls and a son had by this time been born to him, and themonths passed quietly and happily away until Bruce summoned him tojoin, with his retainers, the force with which Randolph had sat downbefore Edinburgh Castle. Randolph was delighted at this accessionof strength. Between him and Douglas a generous rivalry in gallantactions continually went on, and Douglas had scored the lasttriumph. The castle of Roxburgh had long been a source of troubleto the Scots. Standing on a rocky eminence on the margin of theTeviot, just at its junction with the Tweed and within eight milesof the Border, it had constituted an open door into Scotland, andeither through it or through Berwick the tides of invasion had everflowed. The castle was very strongly fortified, so much so thatthe garrison, deeming themselves perfectly safe from assault, hadgrown careless. The commandant was a Burgundian knight, Gilleminde Fienne. Douglas chose Shrove Tuesday for his attack. Being afeast day of the church before the long lenten fast the garrisonwould be sure to indulge in conviviality and the watch would beless strict than usual. Douglas and his followers, supplied withscaling ladders, crept on all fours towards the walls. The nightwas still and they could hear the sentries' conversation. They hadnoticed the objects advancing, but in the darkness mistook them forthe cattle of a neighbouring farmer. Silently the ladders werefixed and mounted, and with the dreaded war cry, "A Douglas! ADouglas!" the assailants burst into the castle, slaying the sentriesand pouring down upon the startled revellers. Fienne and his menfought gallantly for a time, but at length all surrendered, withthe exception of the governor himself and a few of his immediatefollowers, who retired into a tower, where they defended themselvesuntil the following day; then Fienne being seriously wounded, thelittle party also surrendered. As Douglas had no personal quarrelwith the garrison of Roxburgh such as he bore with those who occupiedhis ancestral castle, he abstained from any unnecessary cruelties, and allowed the garrison to withdraw to England, where Fienne soonafterwards died of his wounds. 

The castle was as usual levelled to the ground, and as the strongholdof Carlaverock soon afterwards surrendered, the districts of Tweeddaleand Galloway were now completely cleared of the English, with theexception of the Castle of Jedburgh, which they still held. 

Randolph had been created Earl of Moray, and after establishinghimself in his new earldom he had returned with his feudal followersand laid siege to Edinburgh, whose castle was considered all butimpregnable. It had been in the possession of the English ever sinceit was captured by Edward I in 1296, and was strongly garrisonedand well provisioned. 

Even when joined by Archie Forbes and his retainers Randolph feltthat the castle could not be captured by force. The various attemptswhich he made were signally foiled, and it was by stratagem onlythat he could hope to carry it. The news of the capture of Roxburghby Douglas increased his anxiety to succeed. Accompanied by Archiehe rode round the foot of the steep rock on which the castle stands, eagerly scanning its irregularities to see if by any possibilityit could be scaled. 

"I would give a brave reward, " he said to Archie, "to any who couldshow us a way of climbing those rocks, which, methinks, even a goatcould scarcely manage to ascend. "

"I can tell you of a way, " a Scotch soldier who was standing a fewpaces off when he made the remark, said, saluting the earl. "Itneeds a sure foot and a stout heart, but I can lead a score ofmen with such qualifications to the foot of yonder walls;" and hepointed to the castle rising abruptly from the edge of the rocks. 

"If you can make good your word, my brave fellow, " Randolph said, "you may ask your own reward, and I pledge you my word, that if itbe aught in reason it shall be granted. But who are you, and howdid it come that you know of a way where none is supposed to exist?"

"My name is William Francus, " the soldier said. "I was at one time, before the king took up arms, a soldier in the castle there. I hada sweetheart in the town, and as my turn to go out from the castlecame but slowly I used at night to steal away to visit her. I foundafter a great search that on the face of yonder wall where it looksthe steepest, and where in consequence but slight watch is kept, a man with steady foot and head could make shift to climb up anddown, and thus, if you please, will I guide a party to the top ofthe rock. "

"It looks impossible, " Randolph said, gazing at the precipice;"but as you tell me that you have done it others can do the same. I will myself follow your guidance. "

"And I, " Archie said. 

"What, Sir Archie, think you is the smallest number of men withwhom, having once gained footing on the wall, we may fight our wayto the gates and let in our friends. "

"I should think, " Archie replied, "that with thirty men we mightmanage to do so. The confusion in the garrison will be extremeat so unexpected a surprise, and if we divide in two parties andpress forward by different ways they will think rather of holdingtogether and defending themselves than of checking our course, andone or other of the parties should surely be able to make its wayto the gates. "

"Thirty let it be then, " Randolph said. "Do you choose fifteenactive and vigilant men from among your retainers; I will pick asmany from mine, and as there is no use in delaying let us carryout the enterprise this very night; of course the rest of our menmust gather near the gates in readiness to rush in when we throwthem open. "

As soon as it was dark the little party of adventurers set outon their way. Francus acted as guide, and under his leading theyclimbed with vast difficulty and no little danger up the face ofthe precipice until they reached a comparatively easy spot, wherethey sat down to recover their breath before they prepared for thefinal effort. 

They could hear the sentries above speaking to each other, andthey held their breath when one of them, exclaiming suddenly, "Ican see you!" threw down a stone from the battlement, which leapt, crashing down the face of the rock close beside them. Great wastheir relief when a loud laugh from above told them that the sentryhad been in jest, and had but tried to startle his comrade; thenthe two sentries, conversing as they went, moved away to anotherpart of the walls. 

The ascent was now continued, and proved even more difficult thanthat which they had passed. They were forced continually to halt, while those in front helped those following them, or were themselveshoisted up by the men behind. At last, panting and breathless, theystood on the summit of the rock, on a narrow ledge, with the castlewall rising in front of them. They had, with enormous difficulty, brought up a light ladder with them. This was placed against thewall. Francus was the first to mount, and was followed by Sir AndrewGrey, whom Randolph had invited to be of the party, by Archie Forbes, and by the earl. Just as the latter stepped on to the battlementsthe sentries caught sight of them and shouted:

"Treason! treason! to arms!" An instant stir was heard in thecastle. Rapidly the thirty men followed each other up the ladder, and so soon as the last had gained the battlements they divided inthree bodies, each headed by one of the leaders. One party descendedstraight into the castle and there attacked the soldiers who werehurrying to arms, while the others ran along the wall in oppositedirections, cutting down the sentries and brushing aside allopposition until together they met at the gate. This was thrownopen, and the Scots outside running up at the top of their speedpoured into the castle. At first Randolph's party, which haddescended into the courtyard, had been hotly pressed, and had withdifficulty defended themselves; but the attention of the startledgarrison was distracted by the shouts upon the walls, which toldthat other parties of their assailants had gained footing there. All sorts of contradictory orders were issued. One commanded themto cut down the little party opposed to them, another ordered themto hurry to the walls, a third to seize the gate and see that itwas not opened. The confusion reached its height as the Scots pouredin through the open gate. The garrison, surprised and confoundedas they were at this, to them, almost magical seizure of the castleby their foes, fought bravely until the governor and many of theofficers were killed. Some of the men threw down their arms, andothers, taking advantage of their knowledge of the castle, madetheir way to the gate and escaped into the open country. 

The news of the capture was immediately sent to the king, by whoseorders the castle and walls were razed to the ground, and thusanother of the strongholds, by whose possession the English wereenabled to domineer over the whole of the surrounding country, wasdestroyed. 

While Douglas and Randolph were thus distinguishing themselvesEdward Bruce captured the castle of Rutherglen, and afterwards thetown of Dundee; and now, save Stirling Castle, scarcely a hold inall Scotland remained in English hands. Thus was Scotland almostcleared of the invader, not by the efforts of the people at large, but by a series of the most daring and hazardous adventures by theking himself and three or four of his knights, aided only by theirpersonal retainers. For nine years they had continued their careerunchecked, capturing castle by castle and town by town, defeatingsuch small bodies of troops as took the field against them, England, under a supine and inactive king, giving itself up to privatebroils and quarrels, while Scotland was being torn piecemeal fromher grasp. 

After Edward Bruce had captured Dundee he laid siege to Stirling. As this castle had for many months resisted Edward I backed by thewhole power of England, Bruce could make little impression uponit with the limited appliances at his disposal. From February tillthe 24th of June the investment continued, when the governor, SirPhilip Mowbray, becoming apprehensive that his provisions wouldnot much longer hold out, induced Edward Bruce to agree to raisethe siege on condition that if by the 24th of June next, 1314, thecastle was not effectually relieved by an English force, it shouldthen be surrendered. 

No satisfactory explanation has ever been given of the reasons whichinduced Edward Bruce to agree to so one sided a bargain. He hadalready invested the place for four months, there was no possibility ofan army being collected in England for its relief for many monthsto come, and long ere this could arrive the garrison would havebeen starved into surrender. By giving England a year to relievethe place he virtually challenged that country to put forth allits strength and held out an inducement to it to make that effort, which internal dissension had hitherto prevented. The only feasibleexplanation is that Edward Bruce was weary of being kept inactiveso long a time before the walls of the fortress which he was unableto capture, and that he made the arrangement from sheer impatienceand thoughtlessness and without consideration of the storm which hewas bringing upon Scotland. Had it been otherwise he would surelyhave consulted the king before entering upon an agreement of suchextreme importance. 

Bruce, when he heard of this rash treaty, was highly displeased, but he nevertheless accepted the terms, and both parties began atonce their preparations for the crowning struggle of the war. TheEnglish saw that now or never must they crush out the movementwhich, step by step, had wrested from them all the conquests whichhad been won with such vast effort under Edward I; while Bruce sawthat a defeat would entail the loss of all that he had struggledfor and won during so many years. 

King Edward issued summonses to the whole of the barons of Englandand Wales to meet him at Berwick by the 11th of June with all theirfeudal following, while the sheriffs of the various counties andtowns were called upon to supply 27, 000 foot soldiers. The Englishof the settlements in Ireland were also summoned, besides O'Connor, Prince of Connaught, and twenty-five other native Irish chiefs, with their following, all of whom were to be under the command ofRichard de Burgh, Earl of Ulster. 

The Prince Bishop of Constance was requested to furnish a bodyof mounted crossbowmen. A royal fleet of twenty-three vessels wasappointed to assemble for the purpose of operating on the eastcoast, while the seaports were commanded to fit out another fleetof thirty vessels. A third fleet was ordered to assemble in thewest, which John of Lorne was appointed to command under the titleof High Admiral of the Western Fleet of England. From Aquitaineand the French possessions the vassals were called upon to attendwith their men-at-arms, and many knights from France, Gascony, andGermany took part in the enterprise. 

Thus, at the appointed time over 100, 000 men assembled at Berwick, of whom 40, 000 were men-at-arms, and the rest archers and pikemen. For the great armament the most ample arrangements were made in theway of warlike stores, provisions, tents, and means of transport, together with the necessary workmen, artificers, and attendants. 

This army surpassed both in numbers and equipments any that EdwardI had ever led into Scotland, and is considered to have been the mostnumerous and best equipped that ever before or since has gatheredon English ground. Of the whole of the great nobles of England onlyfour were absent--the Earls of Warrenne, Lancaster, Arundel, andWarwick--who, however, sent their feudal arrays under the chargeof relations. 

Among the leaders of this great army were the Earls of Gloucester, Pembroke, Hereford, and Angus, Lord Clifford, Sir John Comyn, SirHenry Beaumont, Sir John Seagrave, Sir Edmund Morley, Sir Ingramde Umfraville, Sir Marmaduke de Twenge, and Sir Giles de Argentine, one of the most famous of the Continental knights. 

While this vast army had been preparing, Bruce had made everyeffort to meet the storm, and all who were loyal and who were ableto carry weapons were summoned to meet at Torwood, near Stirling, previous to the 24th of June. Here Edward Bruce, Sir James Douglas, Randolph, Earl of Moray, Walter the Steward, Angus of Isla, SirArchibald Forbes, and a few other knights and barons assembled with30, 000 fighting men, besides camp followers and servants. It wasa small force indeed to meet the great army which was advancingagainst it, and in cavalry in particular it was extremely weak. The English army crossed the Border, and marched by Linlithgow andFalkirk toward the Torwood. 

Each army had stirring memories to inspire it, for the English intheir march crossed over the field of Falkirk, where sixteen yearsbefore they had crushed the stubborn squares of Wallace; while fromthe spot which Bruce selected as his battleground could be seenthe Abbey Craig, overlooking the scene of the Scottish victory ofStirling Bridge. On the approach of the English the Scotch fellback from the Torwood to some high ground near Stirling now calledthe New Park. The lower ground, now rich agricultural land calledthe Carse, was then wholly swamp. Had it not been so, the positionnow taken up by Bruce would have laid the road to Stirling open tothe English. 

The Scotch army was divided into four divisions. The centre wascommanded by Randolph. Edward Bruce commanded the second, whichformed the right wing. Walter the Steward commanded the left wing, under the guidance of Douglas, while the king himself took commandof the fourth division, which formed the reserve, and was stationedin rear of the centre in readiness to move to the assistance ofeither of the other divisions which might be hard pressed. The campfollowers, with the baggage and provisions, were stationed behindthe Gillies Hill. 

The road by which the English would advance was the old Romancauseway running nearly north and south. The Bannock Burn was fordablefrom a spot near the Park Mill down to the village of Bannockburn. Above, the banks were too high and steep to be passed; while below, where ran the Bannock through the carse, the swamps preventedpassage. The army was therefore drawn up, with its left restingon the sharp angle of the burn above the Park Mill, and extendedwhere the villages of Easterton, Borestine, and Braehead now standto the spot where the road crosses the river at the village ofBannockburn. In its front, between it and the river, were two bogs, known as Halberts Bog and Milton Bog, while, where unprotected bythese bogs, the whole ground was studded with deep pits; in thesestakes were inserted, and they were then covered with branches andgrass. Randolph's centre was at Borestine, Bruce's reserve a littlebehind, and the rock in which his flagstaff was placed during thebattle is still to be seen. To Randolph, in addition to his commandof the centre division, was committed the trust of preventing anybody of English from passing along at the edge of the carse, andso making round to the relief of Stirling. 

On the morning of Sunday, the 23d of June, immediately aftersunrise, the Scotch attended mass, and confessed as men who haddevoted themselves to death. The king, having surveyed the field, caused a proclamation to be made that whosoever felt himself unequalto take part in the battle was at liberty to withdraw. Then, knowingfrom his scouts that the enemy had passed the night at Falkirk, sixor seven miles off, he sent out Sir James Douglas and Sir RobertKeith with a party of horsemen to reconnoitre the advance. 

The knights had not gone far when they saw the great army advancing, with the sun shining bright on innumerable standards and pennons, and glistening from lance head, spear, and armour. So grand andterrible was the appearance of the army that upon receiving thereport of Douglas and Keith the king thought it prudent to concealits full extent, and caused it to be bruited abroad that the enemy, although numerous, was approaching in a disorderly manner. 

The experienced generals of King Edward now determined upon makingan attempt to relieve Stirling Castle without fighting a pitchedbattle upon ground chosen by the enemy. Had this attempt beensuccessful, the great army, instead of being obliged to crossa rapid stream and attack an enemy posted behind morasses, wouldhave been free to operate as it chose, to have advanced againstthe strongholds which had been captured by the Scots, and to forceBruce to give battle upon ground of their choosing. Lord Cliffordwas therefore despatched with 800 picked men-at-arms to cross theBannock beyond the left wing of the Scottish army, to make theirway across the carse, and so to reach Stirling. The ground was, indeed, impassable for a large army; but the troops took withthem faggots and beams, by which they could make a passage acrossthe deeper parts of the swamp and bridge the little streams whichmeandered through it. 

As there was no prospect of an immediate engagement, Randolph, Douglas, and the king had left their respective divisions, and hadtaken up their positions at the village of St. Ninians, on highground behind the army, whence they could have a clear view of theapproaching English army. Archie Forbes had accompanied Randolph, to whose division he, with his retainers, was attached. Randolphhad with him 500 pikemen, whom he had withdrawn from his divisionin order to carry out his appointed task of seeing that the Englishdid not pass along the low ground at the edge of the carse behindSt. Ninians to the relief of Stirling; but so absorbed were knightsand men-at-arms in watching the magnificent array advancing againstthe Scottish position that they forgot to keep a watch over thelow ground. Suddenly one of the men, who had straggled away intothe village, ran up with the startling news that a large party ofEnglish horse had crossed the corner of the carse, and had alreadyreached the low ground beyond the church. 

"A rose has fallen from your chaplet, Randolph, " the king saidangrily. 

Without a moment's loss of time Randolph and Archie Forbes set offwith the spearmen at a run, and succeeded in heading the horsemenat the hamlet of Newhouse. The mail clad horsemen, confident intheir numbers, their armour, and horses, laid their lances in rest, struck spurs into their steeds, and, led by Sir William Daynecourt, charged down upon the Scotch spearmen. Two hundred of these consistedof Archie Forbes' retainers, all veterans in war, and who had morethan once, shoulder to shoulder, repelled the onslaught of themailed chivalry of England. Animated by the voices of their lordand Randolph, these, with Moray's own pikemen, threw themselvesinto a solid square, and, surrounded by a hedge of spears, steadilyreceived the furious onslaught of the cavalry. Daynecourt and manyof his men were at the first onslaught unhorsed and slain, and thosewho followed were repulsed. Again and again they charged down uponthe pikemen, but the dense array of spears was more than a matchfor the lances of the cavalry, and as the horses were wounded andfell, or their riders were unhorsed, men rushed out from the square, and with axe and dagger completed the work. Still the Englishpressed them hard, and Douglas, from the distance, seeing how hotlythe pikemen were pressed by the cavalry, begged the king to allowhim to go to Randolph's assistance. Bruce, however, would suffer nochange in his position, and said that Randolph must stand or fallby himself. Douglas, however, urged that he should be allowed togo forward with the small body of retainers which he had with him. The king consented, and Douglas set off with his men. 

When the English saw him approach they recoiled somewhat from thesquare, and Douglas, being now better able to see what was goingon, commanded his followers to halt, saying that Randolph wouldspeedily prove victorious without their help, and were they nowto take part in the struggle they would only lessen the credit ofthose who had already all but won the victory. Seeing the enemy insome confusion from the appearance of the reinforcement, Randolphand Archie now gave the word for their men to charge, and these, rushing on with spear and axe, completed the discomfiture of theenemy, killed many, and forced the rest to take flight. Numbers, however, were taken. Randolph is said to have had but two men killedin the struggle. 

Chapter XXVII

Bannockburn

After the complete defeat of the party under Lord Clifford, and thefailure of their attempt to relieve Stirling, Randolph and Douglasreturned together to the king. The news of their success spreadrapidly, and when Randolph rode down from St. Ninians to hisdivision, loud cheers broke from the whole Scottish army, who werevastly encouraged at so fair a commencement of their struggle withthe English. 

The English army was still advancing slowly, and Bruce and hisleaders rode down to the front of the Scottish line, seeing thatall was in order and encouraging the men with cheering words. Whenthe English army approached the stream King Edward ordered a haltto be sounded for the purpose of holding a council, whether it wasbest to encamp for the night or at once to advance against theenemy. The Earls of Gloucester and Hereford, who commanded thefirst division, were so far ahead that they did not hear the soundof the trumpet, and continuing their onward march crossed the BannockBurn and moved on toward the Scotch array. In front of the ranksof the defenders the king was riding upon a small palfrey, nothaving as yet put on his armour for the battle. On his helmet hewore a purple cap surmounted by a crown. Seeing him thus withineasy reach, Sir Henry de Bohun, cousin of the Earl of Hereford, laid his lance in rest and spurred down upon the king. Bruce couldhave retired within the lines of his soldiers; but confident in hisown prowess, and judging how great an effect a success under suchcircumstances would have upon the spirits of his troops, he spurredforward to meet his assailant armed only with his axe. As theEnglish knight came thundering down, the king touched his palfreywith his spur, and the horse, carrying but a light weight, swervedquickly aside; De Bohun's lance missed his stroke, and before he hadtime to draw rein or sword, the king, standing up in his stirrups, dealt him so tremendous a blow with his axe as he passed, that itcleft through helmet and brain, and the knight fell dead to theground. 

With a shout of triumph the Scotch rushed forward and drovethe English advance guard back across the stream; then the Scotchleaders led their men back again to the position which they hadquitted, and reformed their array. Douglas, Edward Bruce, Randolph, and Archie Forbes now gathered round the king and remonstrated withhim on the rashness of an act which might have proved fatal to thewhole army. The king smiled at such remonstrances from four menwho had, above all others, distinguished themselves for their rashand daring exploits, and shrugging his shoulders observed only thatit was a pity he had broken the shaft of his favourite axe. TheEnglish array now withdrew to a short distance, and it became evidentthat the great battle would be delayed till the morrow. The Scotcharmy therefore broke its ranks and prepared to pass the nighton the spot where it stood. The king assembled all his principalleaders round him, and after thanking God for so fair a beginningof the fight as had that day been made, he pointed out to them howgreat an effect the two preliminary skirmishes would have upon thespirits of both armies, and expressed his confidence in the finalresult. He urged upon them the necessity for keeping their followerswell in hand, and meeting the charges of the enemy's horse steadilywith their spears; and especially warned them, after repulsinga charge, against allowing their men to break their array, eitherto plunder or take prisoners, so long as the battle lasted, as thewhole riches of the English camp would fall into their hands ifsuccessful. He pledged himself that the heirs of all who fell shouldhave the succession of their estates free from the usual feudalburdens on such occasions. 

The night passed quietly, and in the morning both armies formedtheir array for battle. Bruce, as was customary, conferred thehonour of knighthood upon several of his leaders. Then all proceededto their allotted places and awaited the onset. Beyond the streamand extending far away towards the rising ground were the Englishsquadrons in their glittering arms, the first division in line, the others in heavy masses behind them. Now that the Scotch werefairly drawn up in order of battle, the English could see howsmall was their number in comparison with their own, and the kingin surprise exclaimed to Sir Ingram de Umfraville:

"What! will yonder Scots fight us?"

"That verily will they, " the knight replied, for he had many atime been engaged in stout conflict with them, and knew how hardit was even for mail clad knights to break through the close linesof Scottish spears. So high a respect had he for their valour, thathe urged the king to pretend to retire suddenly beyond the camp, when the Scots, in spite of their leaders, would be sure to leavetheir ranks and flock into the camp to plunder, when they might beeasily dispersed and cut to pieces. The king, however, refused toadopt the suggestion, saying, that no one must be able to accusehim of avoiding a battle or of withdrawing his army before sucha rabble. As the armies stood confronting each other in battlearray a priest passed along the Scottish front, crucifix in hand, exhorting all to fight to the death for the liberty of their country. As he passed along the line each company knelt in an attitude ofprayer. King Edward, seeing this, exclaimed to Sir Ingram:

"See yonder folk kneel to ask for mercy!"

"Ay, sire, " the knight said, looking earnestly at the Scots, "theykneel and ask for mercy, but not of you; it is for their sins theyask mercy of God. I know these men, and have met and fought them, and I tell you that assuredly they will win or die, and not evenwhen death looks them in the face will they turn to fly. "

"Then if it must be so, " said the king, "let us charge. "

The trumpet sounded along the line. First the immense body ofEnglish archers crossed the burn and opened the battle by pouringclouds of arrows into the Scottish ranks. The Scotch archers, whowere in advance of their spearmen, were speedily driven back toshelter beyond their line, for not only were the English vastly morenumerous, but they shot much further and more accurately. And nowthe knights and men-at-arms, on their steel clad horses, crossedthe burn. They were aware of the existence of Milton Bog, whichcovered the Scottish centre, and they directed their charge uponthe division of Edward Bruce on the Scottish right. The crash asthe mailed horses burst down upon the wood of Scottish spears wastremendous. Bruce's men held firm, and the English in vain stroveto break through their serried line of spears. It was a repetitionof the fight of the previous day, but on a greater scale. Withlance and battleaxe the chivalry of England strove to break theranks of the Scotch, while with serried lines of spears, four deep, the Scotch held their own. Every horse which, wounded or riderless, turned and dashed through the ranks of the English, added to theconfusion. This was much further increased by the deep holes intowhich the horses were continually falling, and breaking up all orderin their ranks. Those behind pressed forward to reach the front, and their very numbers added to their difficulty. 

The English were divided into ten divisions or "battles, " andthese one by one crossed the stream with banners flying, and stillavoiding the centre, followed the line taken by the first, andpressed forward to take part in the fray. 

Randolph now moved with the centre to the support of the hardlypressed right, and his division, as well as that of Edward Bruce, seemed to be lost among the multitude of their opponents. Stewartand Douglas moved their division to the right and threw themselvesinto the fray, and the three Scottish divisions were now fightingside by side, but with a much smaller front than that which theyhad originally occupied. For a time the battle raged furiouslywithout superiority on either side. The Scotch possessed the greatadvantage that, standing close together in ranks four deep, everyman was engaged, while of the mounted knights and men-at-arms whopressed upon them, only the front line was doing efficient service. Not only, therefore, was the vast numerical superiority of theEnglish useless to them, but actually a far larger number of theScottish than of themselves were using their weapons in the frontrank, while the great proportion of the English remained helplesslybehind their fighting line, unable to take any part whatever inthe fight. But now the English archers came into play again, andfiring high into the air rained their arrows almost perpendicularlydown upon the Scottish ranks. Had this continued it would havebeen as fatal to the Scots at Bannockburn as it was at Falkirk; buthappily the Scottish horse told off for this special service werehere commanded by no traitors, and at the critical moment the kinglaunched Sir Robert Keith, the mareschal of Scotland, against thearchers with 500 horsemen. These burst suddenly down upon the flankof the archers and literally swept them before them. Great numberswere killed, others fell back upon the lines of horsemen who wereranged behind, impatient to take their share in the battle; thesetried to drive them back again, but the archers were disheartened, and retreating across the stream took no further part in the battle. The charge of the Scottish horses should have been foreseen andprovided against by placing strong bodies of men-at-arms on theflanks of the archers, as these lightly armed troops were whollyunable to withstand a charge by cavalry. 

The Scottish archers, now that their formidable opponents hadleft the field, opened a heavy fire over the heads of the pikemenupon the horsemen surrounding the squares, and when they had shotaway their arrows sallied out and mingled in the confused mass ofthe enemy, doing tremendous execution with their axes and knives. Hitherto the king had kept his reserve in hand; but now that theEnglish archers were defeated and their horsemen in inextricableconfusion, he moved his division down and joined in the melee, hismen shouting his well known battle cry. 

Every Scotch soldier on the field was now engaged. No longer did thebattle cries of the various parties rise in the air. Men had nobreath to waste in shouting, but each fought silently and desperatelywith spear or axe, and the sound of clanging blows of weapons, ofmighty crash of sword or battleaxe on steel armour, with the criesand groans of wounded men were alone heard. Over and over again theEnglish knights drew back a little so as to gain speed and impetus, and flung themselves on the Scottish spears, but ever without effect, while little by little the close ranks of the Scotch pressed forwarduntil, as the space between their front and the brook narrowed, thewhole of the English divisions became pent up together, more andmore incapable of using their strength to advantage. The slaughterin their front divisions had already been terrible. Again andagain fresh troops had taken the places of those who had formed thefront ranks, but many of their best and bravest had fallen. Theconfusion was too great for their leaders to be able to direct themwith advantage, and seeing the failure of every effort to breakthe Scottish ranks, borne back by the slow advance of the hedge ofspears, harassed by the archers who dived below the horses, stabbingthem in their bellies, or rising suddenly between them to smitedown the riders with their keen, heavy, short handled axes, theEnglish began to lose heart, and as they wavered the Scotch pressedforward more eagerly, shouting, "On them! on them! They give way!they give way!"

At this critical moment the servants, teamsters, and camp followerswho had been left behind Gillies Hill, showed themselves. Some oftheir number from the eminence had watched the desperate struggle, and on hearing how their soldiers were pressed by the surroundinghost of English men-at-arms they could no longer remain inactive. All men carried arms in those days. They hastily chose one of theirown number as leader, and fastening some sheets to tent poles asbanners, they advanced over the hill in battle array, and moveddown to join their comrades. The sight of what they deemed a freshdivision advancing to the assistance of the Scotch brought toa climax the hesitation which had begun to shake the English, andensured their discomfiture. Those in rear turned bridle hastily, and crossing the Bannock Burn, galloped away. The movement so begunspread rapidly, and although those in front still continued theirdesperate efforts to break the line of Scottish spears, the day wasnow hopelessly lost. Seeing that this was so, the Earl of Pembrokeseized the king's rein and constrained him to leave the field witha bodyguard of 500 horse. Sir Giles de Argentine, who had hithertoremained by the king's side, and who was esteemed the third bestknight in Europe--the Emperor Henry of Luxemberg and RobertBruce being reckoned the two best--bade farewell to the king ashe rode off. 

"Farewell, sire, " he said, "since you must go, but I at least mustreturn; I have never yet fled from an enemy, and will remain anddie rather than fly and live in disgrace. "

So saying, the knight spurred down to the conflict, and chargedagainst the array of Edward Bruce, and there fell fighting valiantly. The flight of the king and his attendants was the signal for ageneral rout. Great numbers were slain, many men were drowned inthe Forth, and the channel of the Bannock was so choked with thebodies of dead men and horses that one could pass over dry shod. Thescattered parties of English were still so numerous that Bruce heldhis men well in hand until these had yielded themselves prisoners. Douglas was charged to pursue the king, but he could only mustersixty horsemen. A short distance from the field he met a Scottishbaron, Sir Laurence Abernethy, with twenty-four men-at-arms, on his way to join the English, for even as yet but few of theScottish nobles were on the side of the king. Upon hearing what hadhappened, Sir Laurence, with the easy facility which distinguishedthe Scottish nobles of the period, at once changed sides, sworefealty to Bruce, and joined Douglas in the pursuit of his latefriends. They overtook the king's party at Linlithgow, but Pembrokekept his men well together, and while still retiring, showed sobold an appearance that Douglas did not venture to charge. Finallythe English reached the Castle of Dunbar, where the king and hisimmediate attendants were received by his ally, Earl Patrick ofDunbar. So cowed were the fugitives that they left their horsesoutside the castle gate, and these were captured by their pursuers. The main body of the king's bodyguard continued their way in goodorder, and reached Berwick in safety. Edward gained England ina fishing boat from Dunbar. Eighteen years had elapsed since hisfather had entered Scotland with an army deemed sufficient for itsentire subjugation; had sacked and destroyed the rich and prosperoustown of Berwick, routed the army of Baliol, marched through Scotland, and, as he believed, permanently settled his conquest. Now theson had lost all that his father had won. 

Among the fugitive remains of the English army were a considerablebody of Welsh, who, being lightly armed, fled at full speed towardthe Border, but being easily distinguished by their white dressesand the absence of defensive armour, almost all were slain bythe peasantry. The Earl of Hereford, the Earl of Angus, Sir JohnSeagrave, Sir Anthony Lucy, Sir Ingram de Umfraville, with a greatnumber of knights, 600 men-at-arms, and 1000 infantry, keepingtogether, marched south toward Carlisle. 

As they passed Bothwell Castle, which was held by the governor forEngland, the earls and knights entered the castle, their followersremaining without; but the governor, on hearing the result of thebattle, closed the gates and took all who had entered prisoners, and, changing sides, handed them over to Bruce. Their followerscontinued their march south, but were for the most part slain ortaken prisoners before they reached the Border. 

When all resistance had ceased on the field the victors collectedthe spoil. This consisted of the vast camp, the treasures intendedfor the payment of the army, the herds of cattle, and stores ofprovisions, wine, and forage; the rich wearing apparel and armsof the knights and nobles killed or made prisoners, many valuablehorses, and the prisoners who would have to be ransomed, among whomwere twenty-two barons and sixty knights. 

The spoil was estimated at 200, 000 pounds, equal to 3, 000, 000pounds of money in these days. The king refused to take any sharein this plunder, dividing it wholly among his troops. 30, 000 Englishlay dead on the field, including 200 knights and 700 esquires, andamong the most distinguished of the dead were the Earl of Gloucester, Sir Giles de Argentine, Lord Robert Clifford, Sir Edmund Manley, seneschal of England, Sir William de Mareschal, Sir Payne Tybtot, and Sir John Comyn. Sir Marmaduke de Twenge was among the prisoners. 

Bruce's conduct to his prisoners was even more honourable to himselfthan was the great victory that he had won. In spite of his threebrothers, his brother in law Seaton, his friends Athole and Frazer, having been executed by the English, and the knowledge that theirmangled remains were still exposed over London Bridge and thegates of Carlisle and Newcastle--in spite of the barbarous andlengthened captivity of his wife, his sister and daughter, and hisfriend the Countess of Buchan--in spite of the conviction thathad he himself been made prisoner he would at once have been sentto the scaffold--Bruce behaved with a magnanimity and generosityof the highest kind. Every honour was paid to the English dead, andthe bodies of the chief among these were sent to their relatives inEngland, and the prisoners were all either ransomed or exchanged. Sir Marmaduke de Twenge was dismissed free of ransom and loadedwith gifts, and even the Scotch nobles, such as Sir Philip Mowbray, who were taken fighting in the ranks of their country's enemy, wereforgiven. This noble example exercised but little influence uponthe English. When Edward Bruce was killed four years afterwardsat Dundalk in Ireland, his body was quartered and distributed, andhis head presented to the English king, who bestowed upon Birmingham--whocommanded the English and sent the gift to him--the dignityof Earl of Louth. 

Among the prisoners was Edward's poet laureate, Baston, a Carmelitefriar, who had accompanied the army for the purpose of writinga poem on the English victory. His ransom was fixed at a poem onthe Scotch victory at Bannockburn, which the friar was forced tosupply. 

With Bannockburn ended all hope on the part of the English ofsubjugating Scotland; but the war continued fitfully for fourteenyears, the Scotch frequently invading England and levying heavycontributions from the northern counties and towns, and the Englishoccasionally retaliating by the same process; but at length peacewas signed at Northampton. 

In 1315 a parliament assembled at Ayr for the purpose of regulatingthe succession to the throne. It was then agreed that in case of theking's death without male issue his brother Edward should succeedto it, and that if Edward left no heirs, the children of Marjory, the king's daughter, should succeed. Shortly afterwards Marjory wasmarried to Walter the Steward. Edward Bruce was killed unmarried. A son was afterwards born to the king, who reigned as David II, but having died without issue, the son of Marjory and the Stewardbecame king. The hereditary title of Steward was used as the surnamefor the family, and thus from them descended the royal line ofStewart or Stuart, through which Queen Victoria at present reignsover Great Britain, Ireland, and their vast dependencies. 

After Bannockburn Archie Forbes went no more to the wars. He wasraised to the dignity of Baron Forbes by the king, and was everrewarded by him as one of his most trusty councillors, and hisdescendants played a prominent part in the changing and eventfulhistory of Scotland; but the proudest tradition of the family wasthat their ancestor had fought as a patriot by the side of Bruceand Wallace when scarce a noble of Scotland but was leagued withthe English oppressors of their country. 

THE END