ing to tell the story."

"That was a terrible massacre indeed," Malcolm said. "I have read of a
good many surprises and slaughters in our Scottish history, but never of
such complete destruction as that only one man out of 900 should escape.
And was the slaughter never avenged?"

"No," Munro replied. "We Scots would gladly march north and repay these
savage peasants for the massacre of our countrymen, but the King of
Sweden has had plenty of occupation for his Scotchmen in his own wars.
What with the Russians and the Poles and the Danes his hands have been
pretty full from that day to this, and indeed an expedition against the
Norsemen is one which would bring more fatigue and labour than profit.
The peasants would seek shelter in their forests and mountains, and
march as we would we should never see them, save when they fell upon us
with advantage in some defile."

At nightfall the troops were mustered, and, led by the men who had
brought the arms, they passed by the secret passage into the castle,
and thence sallied suddenly into the town below. There they fell upon a
patrol of Imperial cavalry, who were all shot down before they had
time to draw their swords. Then scattering through the town, the whole
squadron of cuirassiers who garrisoned it were either killed or taken
prisoners. This easy conquest achieved, the first care of Munro was to
feed his troops. These were then armed from the stores in the town, and
a strong guard being placed lest they should be attacked by the Austrian
force, which was, they learned, lying but seven miles away, on the other
side of the river, the troops lay down to snatch a few hours of needed
rest.

In the morning the country was scoured, and a few detached posts of the
Austrians captured. The main body then advanced and blew up the bridge
across the river. Five days later an order came from Oxenstiern, to
whom Munro had at once despatched the news of his capture of Rugenwalde,
ordering him to hold it to the last, the position being a very valuable
one, as opening an entrance into Pomerania.

The passage of the river was protected by entrenchments, strong redoubts
were thrown up round Rugenwalde, and parties crossing the river in boats
collected provisions and stores from the country to the very gates of
Dantzig. The Austrians rapidly closed in upon all sides, and for nine
weeks a constant series of skirmishes were maintained with them.

At the end of that time Sir John Hepburn a