ants, but
the others crashed down among them, slaying and terribly mutilating two
of the bearers of the tree and striking several others to the ground.
The battering ram was instantly dropped, and before the Scotchmen had
time to lift another missile the peasants were beyond their reach.

"Lesson number two," Malcolm said. "What will our friends do next, I
wonder?"

The peasants were clearly at a loss. A long consultation was held, but
this was not followed by any renewal of the attack.

"I think they must have made up their minds to starve us out, sir," the
sergeant remarked as the hours went slowly by without any renewal of the
attack.

"Yes; either that, sergeant, or a night attack. In either case I
consider that we are safe for a time, but sooner or later our fate is
sealed unless aid comes to us, and therefore I propose that one of you
should tonight try and bear a message to the Lech. We can lower him down
by the bell rope from this window in the angle where the tower touches
the church. Keeping round by the church he will be in deep shadow until
he reaches the other end, and will then be close to the ruins of the
village. Before morning he could reach our camp."

"I will undertake it myself, sir, if you will allow me," the sergeant
said, while the other men also volunteered for the duty.

"You shall try first, sergeant," Malcolm said. "It will be dangerous
work, for as the news of our being here spreads the peasants will be
coming in from all quarters. Their numbers are already greatly increased
since they commenced the attack, and there must be at least three or
four hundred men around us. They will be sure to keep a sharp lookout
against our escaping, and it will need all your care and caution to get
through them."

"Never fear, sir," the man replied confidently. "I have stalked the deer
scores of times, and it will be hard if I cannot crawl through a number
of thick witted Bavarian peasants."

"Even beyond the village you will have to keep your eyes open, as you
may meet parties of peasants on their way here. Fortunately you will
have no difficulty in keeping the road, so well beaten is it by the
march of the army. If by tomorrow night no rescue arrives I shall
consider that you have been taken or killed, and shall try with the
others to make my way through. It would be better to die sword in hand
while we have still the strength to wield our arms than to be cooped
up here until too weak any longer t