Books: In Freedom\'s Cause

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Accompanied by but one retainer, the friends set out for Douglasdale.
When they arrived there Douglas went to the cottage of an old and
faithful servant named Thomas Dickson, by whom he was joyfully
received. Dickson went out among the retainers and revealed to such
as could be most surely depended upon the secret of their lord's
presence, and one by one took them in to see him. The friends
had already determined upon their course, and the retainers all
promised to take part in the scheme. They were not numerous enough
to assault the castle openly, but they chose the following Sunday
for the assault. This was Palm Sunday and a festival, and most of
the garrison would come to the Church of St. Bride, in the village
of the same name, a short distance from the castle.

Dickson with some of his friends went at the appointed time, with
arms concealed under their clothes, to the church; and after the
service had commenced Douglas and some of his followers gathered
outside. Unfortunately for the plan, some of those outside set
up the shout, "A Douglas!" prematurely before the whole party had
arrived and were ready to rush into the church. Dickson with his
friends at once drew out their arms and attacked the English; but
being greatly outnumbered and for a time unsupported, most of them,
including their leader, were slain. Sir James and his followers then
fought their way in, and after a desperate fight all the garrison
save ten were killed.

The party then proceeded to the castle, which they captured without
resistance. Douglas and his companions partook of the dinner which
had been prepared for the garrison; then as much money, weapons,
armour, and clothing as they could carry away was taken from the
castle. The whole of the vast stores of provisions were carried
into the cellar, the heads struck out of the ale and wine casks,
the prisoners were slain and their bodies thrown down into the mass,
and the castle was then set on fire. Archie Forbes in vain begged
Douglas to spare the lives of the prisoners, but the latter would
not listen to him. "No, Sir Archie," he exclaimed; "the King of
England held my good father a prisoner in chains until he died;
he has struck off the heads of every one of our friends who have
fallen into his hands; he has wasted Scotland from end to end with
fire and sword, and has slain our people in tens of thousands. So
long as this war continues, so long will I slay every prisoner who
falls into my hands, as King Edward would slay me did I fall into
his; and I will not desist unless this cruel king agrees to show
quarter to such of us as he may capture. I see not why all the
massacreing and bloodshed should be upon one side."

Archie did not urge him further, for he too was half beside himself
with indignation and grief at the murder of the king's brothers
and friends, and at the cruel captivity which, by a violation of
the laws of sanctuary, had fallen upon the ladies with whom he had
spent so many happy hours in the mountains and forests of Athole.

Douglas and Archie now rejoined the king. For months Bruce led
the life of a hunted fugitive. His little following dwindled away
until but sixty men remained in arms. Of these a portion were
with the king's brother in Galloway, and with but a handful of men
Bruce was lying among the fastnesses of Carrick when Sir Ingram
de Umfraville, with a large number of troops sent by the Earl of
Pembroke from Edinburgh, approached. Wholly unable to resist so
large a force, Bruce's little party scattered, and the king himself,
attended only by a page, lay hidden in the cottage of a peasant.
The English in vain searched for him, until a traitorous Scot went
to Umfraville and offered, for a reward of a grant of land to the
value of 40 pounds annually, to slay Bruce.

The offer was accepted, and the traitor and his two sons made their
way to Bruce's place of concealment. As they approached, Bruce
snatched his bow from his page and shot the traitor through the
eye. One son attacked him with an axe, but was slain with a blow
from the king's sword. The remaining assailant rushed at him with
a spear; but the king with one blow cut off the spearhead, and
before the assailant had time to draw his sword, stretched him
dead at his feet. After this the king with his adherents eluded
the search of the English and made their way into Galloway. The
people here who were devoted to the English cause determined to hunt
him down, and two hundred men, accompanied by some blood hounds,
set off towards the king's retreat; but Bruce's scouts were on
the watch and brought him news of their coming. The king with his
party retired until they reached a morass, through which flowed a
running stream, while beyond a narrow passage led through a deep
quagmire.

Beyond this point the hunted party lay down to rest, while the
king with two followers returned to the river to keep watch. After
listening for some time they heard the baying of the hounds coming
nearer and nearer, and then, by the light of a bright moon, saw
their enemies approaching.

The king sent his two followers to rouse the band. The enemy,
seeing Bruce alone, pressed forward with all haste; and the king,
knowing that if he retired his followers would be attacked unprepared,
determined alone to defend the narrow path. He retired from the
river bank to the spot where the path was narrowest and the morass
most impassable, and then drew his sword. His pursuers, crossing
the river, rode forward against him; Bruce charged the first, and
with his lance slew him; then with a blow with his mace he stretched
his horse beside him, blocking the narrow passage. One by one his
foes advanced, and five fell beneath his blows, before his companions
ran up from behind. The Galloway men then took to flight, but nine
more were slain before they could cross the ford.

The admiration and confidence of Bruce's followers were greatly
aroused by this new proof of his courage and prowess. Sir James
Douglas, his brother Edward, and others soon afterwards returned
from the expeditions on which they had been sent, and the king
had now 400 men assembled. This force, however, was powerless to
resist an army of English and Lowland Scots who marched against
him, led by Pembroke in person. This force was accompanied by John,
son of Alexander MacDougall of Lorne, with 800 of his mountaineers.
While the heavy armed troops occupied all the Lowlands, Lorne and
his followers made a circuit in the mountains so as to inclose the
royal fugitive between them.

Bruce, seeing that resistance was impossible, caused his party to
separate into three divisions, and Douglas, Edward Bruce, and Sir
Archibald Forbes were charged to lead their bands, if possible,
through the enemy without fighting. The king tried to escape by a
different route with a handful of men. John of Lorne had obtained
from Turnberry a favourite blood hound belonging to Bruce, and
the hound being put upon the trace persistently followed the king's
party. Seeing this, Bruce ordered them all to disperse, and,
accompanied only by his foster brother, attempted to escape by
speed.

As they sped along the mountain side they were seen by Lorne, who
directed his henchman, with four of his bravest and swiftest men,
to follow him. After a long chase the MacDougalls came up with
Bruce and his foster brother, who drew their swords and stood on the
defence. The henchman, with two of his followers, attacked Bruce,
while the other two fell on his foster brother. The combat was a
desperate one, but one by one the king cut down his three assailants,
and then turned to the assistance of his foster brother, who
was hardly pressed. The king's sword soon rid him of one of his
assailants, and he slew the other. Having thus disembarrassed
themselves of the whole of their immediate assailants, Bruce and his
companion continued their flight. The main body of their hunters,
with the hound, were but a short distance away, but in a wood the
fugitives came upon a stream, and, marching for some distance down
this, again landed, and continued their flight.

The hound lost their scent at the spot where they had entered the
water, and being unable to recover it, Lorne and his followers
abandoned the chase. Among the king's pursuers on this occasion
was his nephew Randolph, who had been captured at the battle of
Methven, and having again taken the oath of allegiance to Edward
had been restored to that monarch's favour, and was now fighting
among the English ranks.

The search was actively kept up after Bruce, and a party of three
men-at-arms came upon him and his foster brother. Being afraid to
attack the king, whom they recognized, openly, they pretended they
had come to join him.

The king suspected treachery; and when the five lay down for the
night in a cottage which they came upon he and his companion agreed
to watch alternately. Overcome by fatigue, however, both fell asleep,
and when they were suddenly attacked by the three strangers, the
foster brother was killed before he could offer any resistance.
The king himself, although wounded, managed to struggle to his
feet, and then proved more than a match for his three treacherous
assailants, all of whom, after a desperate struggle, he slew.

The next morning he continued his way, and by nightfall succeeded
in joining the three bands, who had safely reached the rendezvous
he had appointed.

A few hours after this exploit of Bruce, Archie with two or three
of his followers joined him.

"This is indeed a serious matter of the hound," Archie said when
Bruce told him how nearly he had fallen a victim to the affection
of his favourite. "Methinks, sire, so long as he remains in the
English hands your life will never be safe, for the dog will always
lead the searchers to your hiding places; if one could get near
enough to shoot him, the danger would be at an end."

"I would not have him shot, Archie, for a large sum. I have had him
since he was a little pup; he has for years slept across my door,
and would give his life for mine. `Tis but his affection now that
brings danger upon me."

"I should be sorry to see the dog killed myself," Archie said, "for
he is a fine fellow, and he quite admitted me to his friendship
during the time we were together. Still, sire, if it were a question
between their lives and yours, I would not hesitate to kill any
number of dogs. The whole future of Scotland is wrapped up in you;
and as there is not one of your followers but would gladly give
his life for yours, it were no great thing that a hound should do
the same."

"I cannot withstand you in argument, Archie," the king said smiling;
"yet I would fain that my favourite should, if possible, be spared.
But I grant you, should there be no other way, and the hound should
continue to follow me, he must be put to death. But it would grieve
me sorely. I have lost so many and so dear friends in the last
year, that I can ill spare one of the few that are left me."

Archie was himself fond of dogs, and knowing how attached Bruce
was to his faithful hound he could quite understand how reluctant
he was that harm should come to him. Still, he felt it was necessary
that the dog should, at all hazards, be either killed or taken
from the English, for if he remained in their hands he was almost
certain sooner or later to lead to Bruce's capture. He determined
then to endeavour to avert the danger by abstracting the dog from
the hands of the English, or, failing that, by killing him. To do
this it would be absolutely necessary to enter the English camp.
There was no possibility of carrying out his purpose without running
this risk, for when in pursuit of the king the hound would be held
by a leash, and there would be many men-at-arms close by, so that
the difficulty of shooting him would be extremely great, and Archie
could see no plan save that of boldly entering the camp.

He said nothing of his project to Bruce, who would probably have
refused to allow him to undertake it; but the next morning when
he parted from him -- for it was considered advisable that the
fugitives should be divided into the smallest groups, and that only
one or two of his retainers should remain with Bruce -- he started
with his own followers in the direction of Pembroke's camp. He
presently changed clothes with one of these, and they then collected
a quantity of firewood and made it into a great faggot. Archie gave
them orders where they should await him, and lifting the faggot on
his shoulders boldly entered the camp. He passed with it near the
pavilion of Pembroke. The earl was standing with some knights at
the entrance.

"Come hither, Scot," he said as Archie passed.

Archie laid his bundle on the ground, and doffing his bonnet strode
with an awkward and abashed air toward the earl.

"I suppose you are one of Bruce's men?" the earl said.

"My father," Archie replied, "as well as all who dwell in these
dales, were his vassals; but seeing that, as they say, his lands
have been forfeit and given to others, I know not whose man I am
at present."

"Dost know Bruce by figure?"

"Surely," Archie said simply, "seeing that I was employed in the
stables at Turnberry, and used to wash that big hound of his, who
was treated as a Christian rather than a dog."

"Oh, you used to tend the hound!" Pembroke said. "Then perhaps
you could manage him now. He is here in camp, and the brute is so
savage and fierce he has already well nigh killed two or three men;
and I would have had him shot but that he may be useful to us. If
he knows you he may be quieter with you than others."

"Doubtless he would know me," Archie said; "but seeing that I have
the croft to look after, as my father is old and infirm, I trust
that you will excuse me the service of looking after the hound."

"Answer me not," Pembroke said angrily. "You may think yourself
lucky, seeing that you are one of Bruce's retainers, that I do not
have you hung from a tree.

"Take the fellow to the hound," he said to one of his retainers,
"and see if the brute recognizes him; if so, put him in charge of
him for the future. And see you Scot, that you attempt no tricks,
for if you try to escape I will hang you without shrift."

Archie followed the earl's retainer to where, behind his pavilion,
the great dog was chained up. He leapt to his feet with a savage
growl on hearing footsteps approaching. His hair bristled and he
tugged at his chain.

"What a savage beast it is!" the man said; "I would sooner face
a whole company of you Scots than get within reach of his jaws.
Dickon," he went on as another soldier, on hearing the growl, issued
from one of the smaller tents which stood in rear of the pavilion,
"the earl has sent this Scot to relieve you of your charge of the
dog; he is to have the care of him in future."

"That is the best turn the earl has done me for a long time," the
man replied. "Never did I have a job I fancied less than the tending
of that evil tempered brute."

"He did not use to be evil tempered," Archie said; "but was a quiet
beast when I had to do with him before. I suppose the strangeness
of the place and so many strange faces have driven him half wild.
Beside, he is not used to being chained up. Hector, old fellow,"
he said approaching the dog quietly, "don't you know me?"

The great hound recognized the voice and his aspect changed
at once. The bristling hair lay flat on his back; the threatening
jaws closed. He gave a short deep bark of pleasure, and then began
leaping and tugging at his chain to reach his acquaintance. Archie
came close to him now. Hector reared on his hind legs, and placed
his great paws on his shoulders, and licked his face with whines
of joy.

"He knows you, sure enough," the man said; "and maybe we shall get
on better now. At any rate there may be some chance of sleep, for
the brute's howls every night since he has been brought here have
kept the whole camp awake."

"No wonder!" Archie said, "when he has been accustomed to be petted
and cared for; he resents being chained up."

"Would you unchain him?" the man asked.

"That would I," Archie replied; "and I doubt not that he will stay
with me."

"It may be so," the man replied; "but you had best not unchain him
without leave from the earl, for were he to take it into his head
to run away, I would not give a groat for your life. But I will go
and acquaint the earl that the dog knows you, and ask his orders
as to his being unchained."

In two or three minutes he returned.

"The earl says that on no account is he to be let free. He has told
me to have a small tent pitched here for you. The hound is to be
chained to the post, and to share the tent with you. You may, if
you will, walk about the camp with him, but always keeping him in
a chain; but if you do so it will be at your peril, for if he gets
away your life will answer for it."

In a short time two or three soldiers brought a small tent and
erected it close by where the dog was chained up. Archie unloosed
the chain from the post round which it was fastened, and led
Hector to the tent, the dog keeping close by his side and wagging
his tail gravely, as if to show his appreciation of the change, to
the satisfaction of the men to whom hitherto he had been a terror.
Some heather was brought for a bed, and a supply of food, both
for the dog and his keeper, and the men then left the two friends
alone. Hector was sitting up on his haunches gazing affectionately
at Archie, his tail beating the ground with slow and regular strokes.

"I know what you want to ask, old fellow," Archie said to him; "why
I don't lead you at once to your master? Don't you be impatient,
old fellow, and you shall see him ere long;" and he patted the
hound's head.

Hector, with a great sigh expressive of content and satisfaction,
lay down on the ground by the side of the couch of heather on which
Archie threw himself -- his nose between his forepaws, clearly
expressing that he considered his troubles were over, and could now
afford to wait until in due time he should be taken to his master.
That night the camp slept quietly, for Hector was silent. For the
next two days Archie did not go more than a few yards from his tent,
for he feared that he might meet some one who would recognize him.

Chapter XVIII The Hound Restored

On the third day after his arrival at the camp Archie received
orders to prepare to start with the hound, with the earl and a large
party of men-at-arms, in search of Bruce. A traitor had just come
in and told them where Bruce had slept the night before. Reluctantly
Archie unfastened the chain from the pole, and holding the end in
his hand went round with Hector to the front of the pavilion. He
was resolved that if under the dog's guidance the party came close
up with Bruce, he would kill the dog and then try to escape by
fleetness of foot, though of this, as there were so many mounted
men in the party, he had but slight hope. Led by the peasant they
proceeded to the hut, which was five miles away in the hills. On
reaching it Hector at once became greatly excited. He sniffed
here and there, eagerly hunted up and down the cottage, then made
a circuit round it, and at last, with a loud deep bay he started
off with his nose to the ground, pulling so hard at the chain that
Archie had difficulty in keeping up with him. Pembroke and his
knights rode a little behind, followed by their men-at-arms.

"I pray you, Sir Earl," Archie said, "keep not too close to my
traces, for the sound of the horse's hoofs and the jingling of the
equipments make him all the more impatient to get forward, and even
now it taxes all my strength to hold him in."

The earl reined back his horse and followed at a distance of some
fifty yards. He had no suspicion whatever of any hidden design
on Archie's part. The fact that the hound had recognized him had
appeared to him a sure proof of the truth of his tale, and Archie
had put on an air of such stupid simplicity that the earl deemed
him to have but imperfect possession of his wits. Moreover, in any
case he could overtake him in case he attempted flight.

Archie proceeded at a trot behind the hound, who was with
difficulty restrained at that pace, straining eagerly on the chain
and occasionally sending out his deep bay. Archie anxiously regarded
the country through which he was passing. He was waiting for an
opportunity, and was determined, whenever they passed near a steep
hillside unscaleable by horsemen, he would stab Hector to the heart
and take to flight. Presently he saw a man, whose attire showed
him to be a Highlander, approaching at a run; he passed close by
Archie, and as he did so stopped suddenly, exclaiming, "Archibald
Forbes!" and drawing his broadsword sprang at him. Archie, who was
unarmed save by a long knife, leapt back. In the man he recognized
the leader of the MacDougall's party, who had captured him near
Dunstaffnage. The conflict would have terminated in an instant had
not Hector intervened. Turning round with a deep growl the great
hound sprang full at the throat of the Highlander as with uplifted
sword he rushed at Archie. The impetus of the spring threw the
MacDougall on his back, with the fangs of the hound fixed in his
throat. Archie's first impulse was to pull the dog off, the second
thought showed him that, were the man to survive he would at once
denounce him. Accordingly, though he appeared to tug hard at Hector's
chain, he in reality allowed him to have his way. Pembroke and his
knights instantly galloped up. As they arrived Hector loosed his
hold, and with his hair bristly with rage prepared to attack those
whom he regarded as fresh enemies.

"Hold in that hound," Pembroke shouted, "or he will do more damage.
What means all this?" For a minute Archie did not answer, being
engaged in pacifying Hector, who, on seeing that no harm was
intended, strove to return to his first foe.

"It means," Archie said, when Hector was at last pacified, "that
that Highlander came the other day to our cottage and wanted to
carry off a cow without making payment for it. I withstood him,
he drew his sword, but as I had a stout cudgel in my hand I hit him
on the wrist ere he could use it, and well nigh broke his arm. So
he made off, cursing and swearing, and vowing that the next time
he met me he would have my life."

"And that he would have done," Pembroke said, "had it not been
for Bruce's dog, who has turned matters the other way. He is dead
assuredly. It is John of Lorne's henchman, who was doubtless on
his way with a message from his lord to me. Could not the fool have
postponed his grudge till he had delivered it? I tell you, Scot,
you had best keep out of the MacDougalls' way, for assuredly they
will revenge the death of their clansman upon you if they have
the chance, though I can testify that the affair was none of your
seeking. Now let us continue our way."

"I doubt me, Sir Earl, whether our journey ends not here," Archie
said, "seeing that these hounds, when they taste blood, seem for
a time to lose their fineness of scent; but we shall see."

Archie's opinion turned out correct. Do what they would they could
not induce Hector again to take up his master's trail, the hound
again and again returning to the spot where the dead Highlander
still lay. Pembroke had the body carried off but the hound tugged
at his chain in the direction in which it had gone, and seemed to
have lost all remembrance of the track upon which he was going.
At last Pembroke was obliged to acknowledge that it was useless to
pursue longer, and, full of disappointment at their failure, the
party returned to camp, Pembroke saying: "Our chase is but postponed.
We are sure to get tidings of Bruce's hiding place in a day or two,
and next time we will have the hound muzzled, lest any hotheaded
Highlander should again interfere to mar the sport."

It was some days before further tidings were obtained of Bruce.
Archie did not leave his tent during this time, giving as a reason
that he was afraid if he went out he should meet some of Lorne's
men, who might take up the quarrel of the man who had been killed.
At length, however, another traitor came in, and Pembroke and his
party set out as before, Hector being this time muzzled by a strap
round his jaw, which would not interfere with his scent, but would
prevent him from widely opening his jaws.

The scent of Bruce was again taken up at a lonely hut in the hills.
The country was far more broken and rough than that through which
they had followed Bruce's trail on the preceding occasion. Again
Archie determined, but most reluctantly, that he would slay the
noble dog; but he determined to postpone the deed to the latest
moment. Several places were passed where he might have succeeded
in effecting his escape after stabbing the hound, but each time his
determination failed him. It would have been of no use to release
the dog and make himself up the hillside, for a blood hound's pace
when on the track is not rapid, and the horsemen could have kept
up with Hector, who would of course have continued his way upon
the trail of the king. Presently two men were seen in the distance;
they had evidently been alarmed by the bay of the hound, and were
going at full speed. A shout of triumph broke from the pursuers,
and some of the more eager would have set spurs to their horses
and passed the hound.

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