The Lion of the North | Page 3

trotted forward.
It was soon dark, and the horsemen were obliged to keep close to his
heels to see his figure. It was as much as they could do to keep up with
him, for the ground was rough and broken, sometimes swampy,
sometimes strewn with boulders.
"It is well we have a guide," Colonel Munro said to his companion; "for
assuredly, even had we got safely across the stream, we should never
have found our way across such a country as this. Scotland is a fine
country, Hume, a grand country, and we are all proud of it, you know,
but for campaigning, give me the plains of Germany; while, as for your
weather here, it is only fit for a water rat."
Hume laughed at this outburst.
"I sha'n't be sorry, Munro, for a change of dry clothes and a corner by a
fire; but we must be nearly there now if I remember right. Graheme's
hold is about three miles from the Nith."

The boy presently gave a loud shout, and a minute later lights were
seen ahead, and in two or three minutes the horsemen drew up at a door
beside which two men were standing with torches; another strolled out
as they stopped.
"Welcome, Hume! I am glad indeed to see you; and -- ah! is it you,
Munro? it is long indeed since we met."
"That is it, Graheme; it is twelve years since we were students together
at St. Andrews."
"I did not think you would have come on such a night," Graheme said.
"I doubt that we should have come tonight, or any other night, Nigel, if
it had not been that that brave boy who calls you uncle swam across the
Nith to show us the best way to cross. It was a gallant deed, and I
consider we owe him our lives."
"It would have gone hard with you, indeed, had you tried to swim the
Nith at the ford; had I not made so sure you would not come I would
have sent a man down there. I missed Malcolm after dinner, and
wondered what had become of him. But come in and get your wet
things off. It is a cold welcome keeping you here. My men will take
your horses round to the stable and see that they are well rubbed down
and warmly littered."
In a quarter of an hour the party were assembled again in the sitting
room. It was a bare room with heavily timbered ceiling and narrow
windows high up from the ground; for the house was built for purposes
of defence, like most Scottish residences in those days. The floor was
thickly strewn with rushes. Arms and trophies of the chase hung on the
walls, and a bright fire blazing on the hearth gave it a warm and
cheerful aspect. As his guests entered the room Graheme presented
them with a large silver cup of steaming liquor.
"Drain this," he said, "to begin with. I will warrant me a draught of
spiced wine will drive the cold of the Nith out of your bones."
The travellers drank off the liquor.
"'Tis a famous drink," Hume said, "and there is nowhere I enjoy it so
much as in Scotland, for the cold here seems to have a knack of getting
into one's very marrow, though I will say there have been times in the
Low Countries when we have appreciated such a draught. Well, and
how goes it with you, Graheme?"
"Things might be better; in fact, times in Scotland have been getting

worse and worse ever since King James went to England, and all the
court with him. If it were not for an occasional raid among the wild
folks of Galloway, and a few quarrels among ourselves, life would be
too dull to bear here."
"But why bear it?" Captain Hume asked. "You used to have plenty of
spirit in our old college days, Graheme, and I wonder at your rusting
your life out here when there is a fair field and plenty of honour, to say
nothing of hard cash, to be won in the Low Country. Why, beside
Hepburn's regiment, which has made itself a name throughout all
Europe, there are half a score of Scottish regiments in the service of the
King of Sweden, and his gracious majesty Gustavus Adolphus does not
keep them idle, I warrant you."
"I have thought of going a dozen times," Graheme said, "but you see
circumstances have kept me back; but I have all along intended to cross
the seas when Malcolm came of an age to take the charge of his father's
lands. When my brother James was dying from that sword thrust he got
in a fray with the Duffs, I promised