the ordinary. The effect had been excellent, and the soldiers, in
talking over the affair next day, were loud in their praise of the
conduct of the young ensign.

"The lad was as cool as an old soldier," one of the sergeants
said, "and cooler. Just as the Austrian column was coming on for
the third time, shouting, and cheering, and sending their bullets
in a hail, he said to me as quietly as if he was giving an order
about his dinner, 'I think, Donald, it would be as well to keep
the men out of fire until the last moment. Some one might get hurt,
you see, before the enemy get close enough to use the pikes.' And
then when they came close he said, 'Now, sergeant, I think it is time
to move out and stop them.' When they came upon us he was fighting
with his half pike with the best of us. And when the Austrians
fell back and began to fire again, and we took shelter behind the
houses, he walked about on the road, stooping down over those who
had fallen, to see if all were killed, and finding two were alive
he called out, 'Will one of you just come and help me carry these
men under shelter? They may get hit again if they remain here.'
I went out to him, but I can tell you I didn't like it, for the
bullets were coming along the road in a shower. His helmet was
knocked off by one, and one of the men we were carrying in was
struck by two more bullets and killed, and the lad seemed to mind
it no more than if it had been a rainstorm in the hills at home.
I thought when we left Nithsdale that the captain was in the wrong
to make so young a boy an officer, but I don't think so now. Munro
himself could not have been cooler. If he lives he will make a
great soldier."

The defence of the Scots had been so stubborn that Montecuculi