The Lion of the North | Page 7

Germany.
"In these circumstances Gustavus of Sweden at once resolved to assist
the Protestants in arms, and ere long will take the field. That is what
has brought us here. Already in the Swedish army there are 10,000
Scotchmen, and in Denmark they also form the backbone of the force;
and both in the Swedish and Danish armies the greater part of the
native troops are officered and commanded by Scotchmen.
"Hitherto I myself have been in the Danish service, but my regiment is
about to take service with the Swedes. It has been quietly intimated to
us that there will be no objection to our doing so, although Christian
intends to remain neutral, at any rate for a time. We suffered very
heavily at Lutter, and I need 500 men to fill up my ranks to the full
strength.
"Now, Graheme, I quite rely upon you. You were at college with
Hepburn, Hume, and myself, and it will be a pleasure for us all to fight
side by side; and if I know anything of your disposition I am sure you
cannot be contented to be remaining here at the age of nine-and-twenty,
rusting out your life as a Scotch laird, while Hepburn has already won a
name which is known through Europe."

CHAPTER II
SHIPWRECKED
Upon the following morning Nigel Graheme told his visitors that he
had determined to accept their offer, and would at once set to work to
raise a company.

"I have," he said, "as you know, a small patrimony of my own, and as
for the last eight years I have been living here looking after Malcolm I
have been laying by any rents, and can now furnish the arms and
accoutrements for a hundred men without difficulty. When Malcolm
comes of age he must act for himself, and can raise two or three
hundred men if he chooses; but at present he will march in my
company. I understand that I have the appointment of my own
officers."
"Yes, until you join the regiment," Munro said. "You have the first
appointments. Afterwards the colonel will fill up vacancies. You must
decide how you will arm your men, for you must know that Gustavus'
regiments have their right and left wings composed of musketeers,
while the centre is formed of pikemen, so you must decide to which
branch your company shall belong."
"I would choose the pike," Nigel said, "for after all it must be by the
pike that the battle is decided."
"Quite right, Nigel. I have here with me a drawing of the armour in use
with us. You see they have helmets of an acorn shape, with a rim
turning up in front; gauntlets, buff coats well padded in front, and large
breast plates. The pikes vary from fourteen to eighteen feet long
according to the taste of the commander. We generally use about
sixteen. If your company is a hundred strong you will have two
lieutenants and three ensigns. Be careful in choosing your officers. I
will fill in the king's commission to you as captain of the company,
authorizing you to enlist men for his service and to appoint officers
thereto."
An hour or two later Colonel Munro and Captain Hume proceeded on
their way. The news speedily spread through Nithsdale that Nigel
Graheme had received a commission from the King of Sweden to raise
a company in his service, and very speedily men began to pour in. The
disbandment of the Scottish army had left but few careers open at home
to the youth of that country, and very large numbers had consequently
flocked to the Continent and taken service in one or other of the armies
there, any opening of the sort, therefore, had only to be known to be
freely embraced. Consequently, in eight-and-forty hours Nigel
Graheme had applications from a far larger number than he could
accept, and he was enabled to pick and choose among the applicants.

Many young men of good family were among them, for in those days
service in the ranks was regarded as honourable, and great numbers of
young men of good family and education trailed a pike in the Scotch
regiments in the service of the various powers of Europe. Two young
men whose property adjoined his own, Herries and Farquhar, each of
whom brought twenty of his own tenants with him, were appointed
lieutenants, while two others, Leslie and Jamieson, were with Malcolm
named as ensigns. The noncommissioned officers were appointed from
men who had served before. Many of the men already possessed
armour which was suitable, for in those day's there was no strict
uniformity of military attire, and the armies of the various nationalities
differed very slightly from each other. Colonel Munro returned in the
course of