Now let us see what
arms we have between us."
Malcolm had his sword and pistols, two of the men had pikes, the
other two scythes fastened to long handles.
"These are clumsy weapons," Malcolm said. "You had best fit short
handles to them, so as to make them into double handed swords."
They were unable to travel far, for all were exhausted with the
sufferings they had gone through, but they kept on until they came
upon a village which had been fired when the troops marched through.
The walls of a little church were alone standing. It had, like the
rest of the village, been burned, but the shell still remained.
"So far as I can see," Malcolm said, "the tower has escaped. Had it
been burned we should see through the windows. We may find shelter
in the belfry."
On reaching the church they found that the entrance to the belfry
tower was outside the church, and to this, no doubt, it owed its
escape from the fire which had destroyed the main edifice. The door
was strong and defied their efforts to break it in.
"I must fire my pistol through the lock," Malcolm said. "I do not
like doing so, for the sound may reach the ears of any peasants in
the neighbourhood; but we must risk it, for the cold is extreme,
and to lie down in the snow would be well nigh certain death."
He placed his pistol to the keyhole and fired. The lock at once
yielded and the party entered the door.
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