but in the morning the bugles rang out, the soldiers desisted from
their orgies, and such as were able to stand staggered away to join
their colours.

A fresh party marched into the town; these collected the stragglers,
and seized all the horses and carts for the carriage of the
baggage and plunder. The burgomaster had been taken before Tilly
and commanded to find a considerable sum of money the first thing
in the morning, under threat that the whole town would be burned
down, and the inhabitants massacred if it was not forthcoming.

A council of the principal inhabitants was hastily summoned at
daybreak. The syndics of the various guilds between them contributed
the necessary sum either in money or in drafts, and at noon Tilly
marched away with his troops, leaving the smoking and ruined town
behind him. Many of the inhabitants were forced as drivers to
accompany the horses and carts taken away. Among these were three
of the syndic's serving men, Malcolm being one of the number.

It was well that the Pomeranian dialect differed so widely from
the Bavarian, so Malcolm's German had consequently passed muster
without suspicion. The Imperialist army, although dragging with
them an immense train of carts laden with plunder, marched rapidly.
The baggage was guarded by horsemen who kept the train in motion,
galloping up and down the line, and freely administering blows
among their captives whenever a delay or stoppage occurred.

The whole country through which they passed was desolated and wasted,
and the army would have fared badly had it not been for the herds
of captured cattle they drove along with them, and the wagons laden