for their intercourse with the country people. This was the more
easy as the two languages were akin to each other, and were less
broadly separated from English in those days than they are now.

It was nearly a year since Farquhar and Malcolm had landed on the
shores of the Baltic, and living as they had done among Swedes
and Germans, they had had no difficulty in learning to speak both
languages fluently.



CHAPTER IV NEW BRANDENBURG


Farquhar and Malcolm Graheme were soon at home with their hosts.
The syndic had offered to have their meals prepared for them in a
separate chamber, but they begged to be allowed to take them with
the family, with whom they speedily became intimate.

Three weeks after the capture of New Brandenburg the news came that
Tilly with a large army was rapidly approaching.

Every effort was made to place the town in a position of defence.
Day after day messengers came in with the news that the other
places which had been garrisoned by the Swedes had been captured,
and very shortly the Imperialist army was seen approaching.
The garrison knew that they could expect no relief from Gustavus,
who had ten days before marched northward, and all prepared for
a desperate resistance. The townsfolk looked on with trembling
apprehension, their sympathies were with the defenders, and,