In Freedoms Cause | Page 6

sorts of wild dreams did the boy turn over in
his mind; he was no longer gay and light hearted, but walked about
moody and thoughtful. He redoubled his assiduity in the practice of
arms; and sometimes when fighting with Sandy, he would think that he
had an English man-at-arms before him, and would strike so hotly and
fiercely that Sandy had the greatest difficulty in parrying his blows, and
was forced to shout lustily to recall him from the clouds. He no longer
played at ball with the village lads; but, taking the elder of them aside,
he swore them to secrecy, and then formed them into a band, which he
called the Scottish Avengers. With them he would retire into valleys far
away from the village, where none would mark what they were doing,
and there they practised with club and stake instead of broadsword and
pike, defended narrow passes against an imaginary enemy, and, divided

into two parties, did battle with each other.
The lads entered into the new diversion with spirit. Among the lower
class throughout Scotland the feeling of indignation at the manner in
which their nobles had sold their country to England was deep and
passionate. They knew the woes which English domination had brought
upon Wales and Ireland; and though as yet without a leader, and at
present hopeless of a successful rising, every true Scotchman was
looking forward to the time when an attempt might be made to throw
off the English yoke.
Therefore the lads of Glen Cairn entered heart and soul into the projects
of their "young chief," for so they regarded Archie, and strove their
best to acquire some of the knowledge of the use of sword and pike
which he possessed. The younger lads were not permitted to know what
was going on -- none younger than Archie himself being admitted into
the band, while some of the elders were youths approaching man's
estate. Even to his mother Archie did not breathe a word of what he
was doing, for he feared that she might forbid his proceedings. The
good lady was often surprised at the cuts and bruises with which he
returned home; but he always turned off her questions by muttering
something about rough play or a heavy fall, and so for some months the
existence of the Scottish Avengers remained unsuspected.
Chapter II
Leaving Home
One day when "the Avengers" were engaged in mimic battle in a glen
some two miles from the village they were startled with a loud shout of
"How now, what is this uproar?" Bows were lowered and hedge stakes
dropped; on the hillside stood Red Roy, the henchman of Sir John Kerr,
with another of the retainers. They had been crossing the hills, and had
been attracted by the sound of shouting. All the lads were aware of the
necessity for Archie's avoiding the notice of the Kerrs, and Andrew
Macpherson, one of the eldest of the lads, at once stepped forward:
"We are playing," he said, "at fighting Picts against Scots."

This was the case, for the English were so hated that Archie had found
that none would even in sport take that name, and the sides were
accordingly dubbed Scots and Picts, the latter title not being so
repugnant, and the companies changing sides each day.
"It looks as if you were fighting in earnest," Roy said grimly, "for the
blood is streaming down your face."
"Oh, we don't mind a hard knock now and again," Andrew said
carelessly. "I suppose, one of these days, we shall have to go out under
Sir John's banner, and the more hard knocks we have now, the less we
shall care for them then."
"That is so," Roy said; "and some of you will soon be able to handle
arms in earnest. Who are your leaders?" he asked sharply, as his eye
fixed on Archie, who had seated himself carelessly upon a rock at some
little distance.
"William Orr generally heads one side, and I the other."
"And what does that young Forbes do?" Red Roy asked.
"Well, he generally looks on," Andrew replied in a confidential tone;
"he is not much good with the bow, and his lady mother does not like it
if he goes home with a crack across the face, and I don't think he likes
it himself; he is but a poor creature when it comes to a tussle."
"And it is well for him that he is," Red Roy muttered to himself; "for if
he had been likely to turn out a lad of spirit, Sir John would have said
the word to me before now; but, seeing what he is, he may as well be
left alone for the present. He will never cause trouble." So