who hurriedly collected all the men he could in the neighbourhood,
anticipated. Hector had no time to advise his Kintail men nor those
at a distance from Kinellan, and was consequently unable to bring
together more than one hundred and forty men. With this small
force he wisely deemed it imprudent to venture on a regular battle,
but decided upon a stratagem which if it proved successful, as he
anticipated, would give him an advantage that would more than
counterbalance the enemy's superiority of numbers. Having supplied
his small but resolute band with provisions for twenty-four
hours, Hector led them secretly, during the night, to the top of
Knock-farrel, a place so situated that Munro must needs pass near
its north or south side in his march to and from Kinellan. Early
next morning Fowlis marched past on his way to Kinellan, quite
ignorant of Hector's position, and expecting him to have remained
at home to implement the purport of his message. Sir William was
allowed to pass unmolested, and imagining that Hector had fled,
he proceeded to demolish the barn at Kinellan, ordered its couples
to be carried away. Broke all the utensils about the place, and
drove out all the cattle, as trophies of his visit. In the evening
he returned, as Hector had conjectured, carrying the plunderin
front of his party, accompanied by a strong guard, while he placed
the rest of his picked men in the rear, fearing that Hector might
pursue him, little thinking that he was already between him and his
destination.

On his way to Kinellan, Munro bad marched through Strathpeffer round
the north side of Knock-farrel, but for some cause he returned by the
south side where the highway touched the shoulder of the hill on which
Hector's men were posted. He had no fear of attack from that quarter,
and his men feeling themselves quite safe, marched loosely and out of