his back was broken and he fell dead on the ground. His comrades
drew their swords and rushed at Wallace, who slew two with the
pole, and when it broke drew the long sword which was hidden in
his garments, and cut his way through them.

On another occasion he again had a fracas with the English in Ayr,
and after killing many was taken prisoner. Earl Percy was away,
and his lieutenant did not venture to execute him until his return.
A messenger was sent to the Earl, but returned with strict orders
that nothing should be done to the prisoner until he came back.
The bad diet and foul air of the dungeon suited him so ill, after
his free life in the woods, that he fell ill, and was reduced
to so weak a state that he lay like one dead -- the jailer indeed
thought that he was so, and he was carried out to be cast into the
prison burial ground, when a woman, who had been his nurse, begged
his body. She had it carried to her house, and then discovered that
life yet remained, and by great care and good nursing succeeded
in restoring him. In order to prevent suspicion that he was still
alive a fictitious funeral was performed. On recovering, Wallace
had other frays with the English, all of which greatly increased
his reputation throughout that part of the country, so that more
adherents came to him, and his band began to be formidable. He
gradually introduced an organization among those who were found to
be friendly to the cause, and by bugle notes taken up and repeated
from spot to spot orders could be despatched over a wide extent of
country, by which the members of his band knew whether to assemble
or disperse, to prepare to attack an enemy, or to retire to their
fastnesses.

The first enterprise of real importance performed by the band was