either killed or taken prisoners. This easy conquest achieved, the
first care of Munro was to feed his troops. These were then armed
from the stores in the town, and a strong guard being placed lest
they should be attacked by the Austrian force, which was, they
learned, lying but seven miles away, on the other side of the river,
the troops lay down to snatch a few hours of needed rest.

In the morning the country was scoured, and a few detached posts
of the Austrians captured. The main body then advanced and blew
up the bridge across the river. Five days later an order came from
Oxenstiern, to whom Munro had at once despatched the news of his
capture of Rugenwalde, ordering him to hold it to the last, the
position being a very valuable one, as opening an entrance into
Pomerania.

The passage of the river was protected by entrenchments, strong
redoubts were thrown up round Rugenwalde, and parties crossing the
river in boats collected provisions and stores from the country
to the very gates of Dantzig. The Austrians rapidly closed in upon
all sides, and for nine weeks a constant series of skirmishes were
maintained with them.

At the end of that time Sir John Hepburn arrived from Spruce,
having pushed forward by order of Oxenstiern by forced marches to
their relief. Loud and hearty was the cheering when the two Scotch
regiments united, and the friends, Munro and Hepburn, clasped hands.
Not only had they been at college together, but they had, after
leaving St. Andrews, travelled in companionship on the Continent
for two or three years before taking service, Munro entering that
of France, while Hepburn joined Sir Andrew Gray as a volunteer when