ir could pass.

"Quick, Sir Archie!" he said, "let us get this thing out of the
cart before any person happen to come along."

The coffin was lifted from the cart, and carried some short
distance into the wood. A few vigorous kicks separated the planks
which composed it. These were taken and thrust separately among
bushes at some little distance from each other. Cluny then unrolled
the bundle which he had brought from the cart, and handed to Archie
a suit of clothes fitted for a farmer. These Archie quickly put
on, then he returned to the cart, which he mounted, and took the
reins. The others got up behind him and seated themselves on the
straw in the bottom of the cart. Then Archie gave the horse a smart
cut with his whip, and the cart proceeded at a steady trot along
the road to the west.

Chapter XXIV

The Progress of the War

A mile or two after leaving Berwick the cart had left the main road
running by the coast through Dunbar to Edinburgh, and had struck
west by a country track. But few houses were met with, as the
whole of the country within many miles of the sea had been harried
and devastated by the various English armies which had advanced
from Berwick. After proceeding for some miles they came to a point
where the track they had been following terminated at a little hamlet
among the hills. Here they left the cart, making an arrangement with
one of the villagers to drive it back on the morrow into Berwick.
They were now beyond all risk of pursuit, and need fear nothing
further until they reached the great north roads running from
Carlisle to Edinburgh and Stirling. Cluny therefore resumed male
attire. They had no difficulty in purchasing a couple of swords
from the peasants of the village, and armed with these they started
with Marjory and the two women over the hills. It was early autumn
now; the weather was magnificent, and they made the distance in
quiet stages, and crossing the Pentlands came down upon Aberfilly
without meeting with a single danger or obstacle.

It needs not to describe the joy of Archie's mother at his return.
The news spread like lightning among the tenantry, and in an hour
after the wayfarers reached the castle men and women could be seen
flocking over the hills at the top of their speed to express their
delight and enthusiasm at their lord's return. By nightfall every
tenant on the estate, save those prevented by age or illness, had
assembled at the castle, and the re