illy there, and
that every effort would be made to capture the town before Gustavus
could march to its assistance.

Malcolm could easily have made his escape the first night after leaving
New Brandenburg; but the distance to be traversed to join the Swedish
army was great, confusion and disorder reigned everywhere, and he had
decided that it would be safer to remain with the Imperialist army until
Gustavus should approach within striking distance. On the road he kept
with the other two men who had been taken with the horses from the
syndic of the weavers, and, chatting with them when the convoy halted,
he had not the least fear of being questioned by others. Indeed, none of
those in the long train of carts and wagons paid much attention to their
fellows, all had been alike forced to accompany the Imperialists, and
each was too much occupied by the hardships of his own lot, and by
thoughts of the home from which he had been torn, to seek for the
companionship of his comrades in misfortune.

As soon, however, as Malcolm heard the report of Tilly's intentions, he
saw that it was of the utmost importance that the King of Sweden should
be informed of the Imperialist plans as early as possible, and he
determined at once to start and endeavour to make his way across the
country. At nightfall the train with the baggage and plunder was as
usual so placed that it was surrounded by the camps of the various
brigades of the army in order to prevent desertion. The previous night
an escape would have been comparatively easy, for the soldiers were worn
out by their exertions at the siege of New Brandenburg, and were still
heavy from the drink they had obtained there; but discipline was now
restored, and the sentries were on the alert. A close cordon of these
was placed around the baggage train; and when this was passed, there
would still be the difficulty of escaping through the camps of soldiery,
and of passing the outposts. Malcolm waited until the camp became quiet,
or rather comparatively quiet, for the supplies of wine were far from
exhausted, and revelling was still going on in various parts of the
camp, for the rigid discipline in use in modern armies was at that time
unknown, and except when on duty in the ranks a wide amount of license
was permitted to the soldiers. The night was fine and bright, and
Malcolm saw that it would be difficult to get through the line of
sentries who were stationed some thirty or forty yards apart.