After thinking for some time he went up to a group of eight or ten
horses which were fastened by their bridles to a large store wagon
on the outside of the baggage camp. Malcolm unfastened the bridles
and turned the horses heads outwards. Then he gave two of them a
sharp prick with his dagger, and the startled animals dashed forward
in affright, followed by their companions. They passed close to
one of the sentries, who tried in vain to stop them, and then burst
into the camp beyond, where their rush startled the horses picketed
there. These began to kick and struggle desperately to free themselves
from their fastenings. The soldiers, startled at the sudden noise,
sprang to their feet, and much confusion reigned until the runaway
horses were secured and driven back to their lines.
The instant he had thus diverted the attention of the whole line
of sentries along that side of the baggage camp, Malcolm crept
quietly up and passed between them. Turning from the direction in
which the horses had disturbed the camp, he made his way cautiously
along. Only the officers had tents, the men sleeping on the ground
around their fires. He had to move with the greatest caution
to avoid treading upon the sleepers, and was constantly compelled
to make detours to get beyond the range of the fires, round which
groups of men were sitting and carousing.
At last he reached the outside of the camp, and taking advantage
of every clump of bushes he had no difficulty in making his way
through the outposts, for as the enemy was known to be far away,
no great vigilance was observed by the sentries.
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