time, think you, will these marauders leave their hold?" the
pastor asked Malcolm.

"They will probably start by daybreak," Malcolm said, "seeing that the
journey is a long one; but this is not certain, as they may intend
to remain here for the night, and to return with their plunder on the
following day to the castle."

"But, sir," he went on, turning to the farmer, "surely you will not
abandon your home and goods thus tamely to these freebooters. You have
here, unless I am mistaken, fully twenty stout men capable of bearing
arms; the marauders number but thirty in all, and they always leave at
least five to guard the castle and two as sentries over the horses; thus
you will not have more than twenty-three to cope with. Had they, as they
expected, taken you by surprise, this force would have been ample to
put down all resistance here; but as you will be prepared for them, and
will, therefore, take them by surprise, it seems to me that you should
be able to make a good fight of it, stout men-at-arms though the
villains be."

"You speak boldly, sir, for one but a boy in years," the pastor said;
"it is lawful, nay it is right to defend one's home against these
lawless pillagers and murderers, but as you say, evil though their ways
are, these freebooters are stout men-at-arms, and we have heard that
they have taken a terrible vengeance on the villages which have ventured
to oppose them."

"I am a Scottish officer in the King of Sweden's army," Malcolm said,
"and fought at Schiefelbrune and New Brandenburg, and in the fight when
the Imperialists tried to relieve Colberg, and having, I hope, done my
duty in three such desperate struggles against the Imperialist veterans,
I need not shrink from an encounter with these freebooters. If you
decide to defend the village I am ready to strike a blow at them, for
they have held me captive for five days, and have degraded me by making
me cook for them."

A slight titter was heard among the younger females at the indignant
tone in which Malcolm spoke of his enforced culinary work.

"And you are truly one of those Scottish soldiers of the Swedish hero
who fight so stoutly for the Faith and of whose deeds we have heard so
much!" the pastor said. "Truly we are glad to see you. Our prayers have
not been wanting night and morning for the success of the champions of
the Reformed Faith. What say you, my friend? Shall we take the advice of
this young soldier and venture our lives for t