will make a great effort for freedom; but were you to fall now,
despair would seize on all and all hope of a general rising be at
an end."

Wallace made no reply, but strode silently forward. A short distance
farther they came to the spot where three of Wallace's followers
were holding horses, for he had on his entry into Lanark, been
accompanied by another of his party, who had been slain at the
commencement of the fray. Wallace bade Archie mount the spare horse,
and they then rode to Cart Lane Craigs, scarce a word being spoken
on their journey.

Wallace's headquarters were upon a narrow shelf of rock on the face
of a steep and craggy hill. It was well chosen against surprise,
and could be held against sudden attack even by a large force,
since both behind and in front the face of the hill was too steep
to be climbed, and the only approach was by a steep and winding
path which two men could hold against a host. The ledge was some
50 feet long by 12 wide. At the back a natural depression in the
crags had been deepened so as to form a shallow cave just deep
enough to afford a defense against the weather; here a pile of
heather served as a bed for Wallace, Grahame, and one or two others
of the leaders of his company, and here Wallace told Archie that
his place was to be. On the ledge without were some low arbours of
heather in which lay ten of Wallace's bravest companions; the rest
of his band were scattered among the surrounding hills, or in the
woods, and a bugle note repeated from place to place would call
all together in a short space of time.

Of stores and provisions there was no lack, these having been
obtained in very large quantities from the convoys of supplies and
the castles that had been captured. Money, too, was not wanting,
considerable amounts having fallen into their hands, and the
peasantry through all the country round were glad in every way to
assist the band, whom they regarded as their champions.

Archie sat down by Sir John Grahame, who gave him particulars
regarding the strength of the various bands, their position, the
rules which had been laid down by Wallace for their order, the system
of signals and other particulars; while Wallace paced restlessly up
and down the narrow shelf, a prey to the keenest anxiety. Towards
nightfall two of the men were despatched towards Lanark to endeavour
to find out what had taken place there; but in an hour they returned
with a woman, whom both Sir Willi