am, as if ashamed of his heat, stretched his arms
above his head.

"May God in His mercy avert so great a calamity," said MacKay after a
pause. "When brother turns against brother in the same nation it is
the cruellest of all wars. But the rulers of Scotland may make
themselves sure that if they drive God-fearing people mad, they will
rise against their oppressors. Mr. Graham, however, has wisdom on his
side--I wish it had come a minute sooner--when he said there was no
place for our Scots quarrels in the Prince's army. Wherefore I say no
more on that matter, but I pray we all may have the desire of a
soldier's heart, a righteous cause, a fair battle, and a crowning
victory, and that we all in the hour of peril may do our part as
Christian gentlemen."

"Amen to that, Captain MacKay of Scourie, three times Amen!" cried
Graham. "I drink it in this wine, and pledge you all to brave deeds
when a chance comes our way. The sooner the better and the gladder I
shall be, for our race have never been more content than when the
swords were clashing. I wish to heaven we were serving under a more
high-spirited commander; I deny not his courage, else I would not be
among his guard, nor his skill, but I confess that I do not love a man
whose blood runs so slow, and whose words drop like icicles. But these
be hasty words, and should not be spoken except among honorable
comrades when the wine is going round by the camp-fire. And here is
Jock Grimond who, because he taught me to catch a trout and shoot the
muir-fowl when I was a little lad, thinks he ought to rule me all my
days, and has been telling me for the last ten minutes that he has
prepared some kind of bed with the remains of my tent. So good night
and sound sleep, gentlemen, and may to-morrow bring the day for which
we pray."

CHAPTER II

THE BATTLE OF SINEFFE

It was early in the morning on the first day of August, and darkness
was still heavy upon the camp, when Grimond stooped over his master
and had to shake him vigorously before Claverhouse woke.

"It's time you were up, Maister John; the Prince's guards are
gatherin', and sune will be fallin' in; that's their trumpets
soundin'. Ye will need a bite before ye start, and here's a
small breakfast, pairt of which I saved oot o' that stramash
yesterday--sall! the blast threatened to leave neither meat nor
lodgin', and pairt I happened to light upon this mornin' when I was
takin' a bit walk through the camp with