in a desperate enterprise. Mingle
not much with the others. Be active and prompt in obeying orders,
and be assured that you will have opportunities of winning great
honour and credit, and of having your full share of hard knocks.
You will, as before, be divided into two companies, William Orr and
Andrew Macpherson being your lieutenants in my absence. You will
obey their orders as implicitly as mine. Cluny, you have, I suppose,
brought, as I bade you last night, some of your sister's garments?"

"Yes, Sir Archie," the boy, who was fair and slight, said, with a
smile on his face.

"That is right. I know you are as hearty and strong as the rest;
but seeing that your face is the smoothest and softest of any,
you will do best should we need one in disguise as a girl. And now
come with me. I will show you where your arms are placed; but at
present you must not take them. If I led you as an armed band to
Wallace he might deem you too young. I must present you merely as
lads whom I know to be faithful and trustworthy, and who are willing
to act as messengers and scouts to his force."

So saying Archie led the band to the thicket where he had placed
their arms, and the lads were pleased when they saw the pikes,
swords, and head pieces. Then he led them up the craig to Wallace.

"Why, whom have you here?" Sir William exclaimed in surprise. "This
will not do, Sir Archie. All lads are not like yourself, and were
I to take such boys into my ranks I should have all the mothers in
Scotland calling out against me."

"I have not brought them to join your ranks, Sir William, although
many of them are stout fellows who might do good service at a
pinch. I have brought them to act as messengers and scouts. They
can carry orders whithersoever you may have occasion to send. They
can act as scouts to warn you of the approach of an enemy; or if
you need news of the state of any of the enemy's garrisons, they
can go thither and enter without being suspected, when a man might
be questioned and stopped. They are all sons of my father's vassals
at Glen Cairn, and I can answer for their fidelity. I will take
them specially under my own charge, and you will ever have a fleet
and active messenger at hand when you desire to send an order."

"The idea is not a bad one," Sir William replied; "and in such a
way a lad may well do the work of a man. Very well, Sir Archie,
since you seem to have set your mind upon it I will not say nay.
At any rate