eirs was allowed to
go unpunished it would be a bad example indeed for the regiment; so
the colonel paid them up to the day and gave them their papers. It has
caused a lot of feeling in the regiment, as you may guess, and the men
all groaned and booed when Muir came on parade the next day, and it was
as much as the colonel himself--whom they all love as a father--could
do to silence them. It is said that he spoke very sharply to Muir
afterwards, and that it is likely the captain will get transferred to
another regiment. However, that is too late for the men who have left.
Their comrades are going to get up a subscription to send them back to
Scotland, for you may be sure the hotheaded fools have not a bawbee of
their pay laid by."

"I know them all, sergeant, and I should say they would be the very men
to suit me; they are all strong and hearty fellows, and might have
been good for another ten years campaigning if it had not been for this
business. Can you send for them?"

"They will all be here in half an hour for their meal," the sergeant
said. "They are lodged upstairs, for you may be sure that they would
come to me; and even if I kept them for six months, I should not have
lost much when I reckon what they have spent here during their service.
I have no doubt they will jump at the offer; for they were mere lads
when they came over--it was your father who sent for them--and I know
that they reckon they will find none of the old folk when they return
home. And now what are your estates like, lad?"

"I know very little about them at present, beyond the fact that I am
bound by my feudal obligations to put fifty men in the field when called
upon to do so."

"Then it must be a place of good size," the sergeant said. "And you hold
it direct from the crown?"

Hector nodded.

"That is good. When you hold from one of the great lords, you never know
whom you may be called upon to fight against--it may be the king, it may
be his minister, it may be some other noble--while holding direct, you
have only the king's enemies to fight against."

"Or rather, MacIntosh, the chief minister's enemies; for, after all,
when a king signs a proclamation, it is usually a minister's signature
that ought to be attached to it."

"Well, well, Master Hector, it makes little difference to us Scots who
it is that we fight for, it is no quarrel of ours. We have taken service
under the King of France; but when there are two parties, and each