weeks he invested the town, but without making any impression.
Then he retired his forces as if abandoning the attempt. At night,
however, he returned, ladders were placed in the ditches against
the walls, and with his knights he led his followers on to the
assault. The garrison were carousing in honour of their successful
defence and the defeat of the enemy, and taken wholly by surprise
were unable to oppose a vigorous resistance, and all were killed
or captured. Some accounts say that the English soldiers were made
prisoners, and the renegade Scots fighting with them were put to
the sword; while others affirm that all who were taken prisoners
were spared.

Another incursion into England followed the fall of Perth. Hexham,
Corbridge, and Durham were destroyed. Douglas penetrated as far as
Hartlepool and an immense spoil was carried off, until the people
of the bishopric purchased a truce for the sum of 2000 pounds, and
those of Northumberland, Cumberland, and Westmoreland bought off
the invaders at a like price.

Carlisle was assaulted by Douglas, but unsuccessfully. He also
attempted to surprise Berwick by a night attack, and had placed his
scaling ladders against the wall, when the garrison was alarmed by
the barking of a dog, and the assailants were repulsed. The Scots
recrossed the frontier laden with an enormous booty.

The king himself now entered Galloway and reduced the four remaining
strongholds held by the English there--the castles of Butele,
Dalswinton, Lochmaben, and Tibbers. He then proceeded to Dumfries,
which he forced to surrender, and entered it as the victorious King
of Scotland, just seven years after the time when he had commenced
the war by expelling the English justiciary.

Archie Forbes did not accompany the king in this campaign. He
had indeed been summoned, but just before the army started on its
raid into England Bruce was lamenting, in Archie's hearing, that
the continued possession of the strong castle of Dunottar on the
east coast still afforded the English an opportunity for creating
diversions in the north, by landing troops there.

"If you will permit me, sire," Archie said, "I will undertake its
capture with my retainers. It is doubtless too strong to be captured
by open assault with such a strength, but as Douglas has thrice
taken Castle Douglas by stratagem, `tis hard if I cannot find some
way for capturing Dunottar."

"Be it so, Sir Archie," the king said. "If you succeed