"
Malcolm related briefly the manner of his escape from the massacre
at New Brandenburg, and how, after accompanying Tilly's army
as a teamster for two days, he had made his escape. He then still
more briefly related how he had been taken prisoner by a band of
freebooters, but had managed to get away from them, and had drawn
them into an ambush by peasants, where they had been slain, by which
means he had obtained a horse and ridden straight to the army.
Gustavus asked many questions, and elicited many more details than
Malcolm had deemed it necessary to give in his first recital.
"You have shown great prudence and forethought," the king said
when he had finished, "such as would not be looked for in so young
a soldier."
"And he behaved, sire, with distinguished gallantry and coolness
at Schiefelbrune, and in the destructive fight outside Colberg,"
Colonel Munro put in. "By the slaughter on the latter day he would
naturally have obtained his promotion, but he begged to be passed
over, asserting that it was best that at his age he should remain
for a time an ensign."
"Such modesty is unusual," the king said, "and pleases me; see the
next time a step is vacant, colonel, that he has it. Whatever his
age, he has shown himself fit to do man's work, and years are of
no great value in a soldier; why, among all my Scottish regiments
I have scarcely a colonel who is yet thirty years old.
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