He
is at present in council with the king with Hepburn and some more.
Ah! here he comes."
Munro rode up and leapt from his horse, and after heartily greeting
Malcolm led the way into the tent where supper was laid out.
Malcolm was glad to see by the faces of his comrades that all had
shaken off the disease which had played such havoc among them at
Old Brandenburg.
"Is there any chance of a general engagement?" he asked Nigel.
"Not at present," Nigel said. "We are expecting the reinforcements
up in a few days. As you see we have fortified the camp too strongly
for Tilly to venture to attack us here. Only yesterday he drew
up his army and offered us battle; but the odds were too great,
and the king will not fight till his reinforcements arrive. Some
of the hotter spirits were sorry that he would not accept Tilly's
invitation, and I own that I rather gnashed my teeth myself; but I
knew that the king was right in not risking the whole cause rashly
when a few days will put us in a position to meet the Imperialists
on something like equal terms. Is there any news, colonel?" he
asked, turning to Munro.
"No news of importance," the colonel replied; "but the king is
rather puzzled. A prisoner was taken today --one of Pappenheim's
horsemen -- and he declares that a force of horse and foot have
been defeated at Mansfeld by a Swedish army with heavy loss.
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