Exterminate them, then, and advise your men to keep
their secret. Few can have seen the brigands riding hither today.
When it is found that the band have disappeared the country around
will thank God, and will have little curiosity as to how they
have gone. You will of course clear the path again and bury their
bodies; and were I you I would prepare at once another ambush
like that into which they have fallen, and when a second band of
marauders comes into this part of the country set a watch night
and day. Your men will in future be better armed than hitherto, as
each of those freebooters carries a brace of pistols. And now, as
I would fain be off as soon as possible, I would ask you to let
your men set to work with their axes and cut away the boughs and
to get me out a horse. Several of them must have been killed by
the falling trees, and some by the fire of the arquebuses; but no
doubt there are some uninjured."
In a quarter of an hour a horse was brought up, together with the
helmet and armour worn by the late captain of the band.
As Malcolm mounted, the men crowded round him and loaded him with
thanks and blessings for the danger from which he had delivered
them, their wives and families.
When the fugitives had left the village a store of cooked provisions
had been left behind for the use of the defenders during the day.
As the women could not be fetched back before nightfall, the farmer
had despatched a man for some of this food and the wallets on the
saddle were filled with sufficient to last Malcolm for three or
four days.
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