Then the
slow match was placed in the centre of a number of pieces of dry
and rotten wood. One of the men kneeling down blew lustily, and
in a few seconds a flame sprang up. The wood was now heaped on,
and a bright fire was soon blazing high.
A trapdoor leading out on to the flat top of the tower was opened
for the escape of the smoke, and the party then seated themselves
round the fire, under whose genial warmth their spirits speedily
rose. They now took from their wallets the bread which they had
brought away with them.
"If we had," one of the soldiers said, "but a few flasks of Rhine
wine with us we need not envy a king."
"No," Malcolm replied, "we are better off at present than our
comrades who are sleeping in the snow round the watchfires; but
for all that I would that we were with them, for we have a long and
dangerous march before us. And now, lads, you can sleep soundly.
There will be no occasion to place a watch, for the door is securely
fastened; but at the first dawn of light we must be on our feet;
for although I do not mean to march until nightfall, we must remove
the stoppings from the windows, for should the eye of any passing
peasant fall upon them, he will guess at once that some one is
sheltering here, and may proceed to find out whether it be friend
or foe."
Having finished half their bread, for Malcolm had warned them to
save the other half for the next day, the men lay down round the
fire, and soon all were sound asleep.
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