me to gather in all
their strength. The fight was a stiff one. On our side Percy Hope was
killed, and John Liddel so sorely wounded that there is no hope of his
life. We had sixteen men killed outright, and few of us but are more or
less scarred. On their side Allan Baird was killed; and John was
smitten down, but how sorely wounded I cannot say for certain, for they
put him on a horse, and took him away at once. They left twenty behind
them on the ground dead; and the rest, finding that we were better men
than they, rode off again.

"William Baird himself had not come up. His hold was too far for the
news to have reached him, as we knew well enough; but doubtless he came
up, with his following, a few hours after we had beaten his kinsmen.
But we have ridden too fast for him to overtake us. We struck off north
as soon as we crossed the border, travelled all night by paths by which
they will find it difficult to follow or track us, especially as we
broke up into four parties, and each chose their own way.

"I have driven all our cattle in, in case they should make straight
here, after losing our track. Of course, there were many who fought
against us who know us all well; but even were it other than the Bairds
we had despoiled, they would hardly follow us so far across the border
to fetch their cattle.

"As for the Bairds, the most notorious of the Scottish raiders, for
them to claim the right of following would be beyond all bearing. Why,
I don't believe there was a head of cattle among the whole herd that
had not been born, and bred, on this side of the border. It is we who
have been fetching back stolen goods."

By this time, he and his men had entered the house, and those who had
gone through the fray scatheless were, assisted by the women, removing
the armour from their wounded comrades. Those who had been forced to
relinquish their spears were first attended to.

There was no thought of sending for a leech. Every man and woman within
fifty miles of the border was accustomed to the treatment of wounds,
and in every hold was a store of bandages, styptics, and unguents ready
for instant use. Most of the men were very sorely wounded; and had they
been of less hardy frame, and less inured to hardships, could not have
supported the long ride. John Forster, before taking off his own
armour, saw that their wounds were first attended to by his wife and
her women.

"I think they will all do," he said, "and that they w