escaped, and am now making my way to Schwedt, where I hope to find
the army."

The man replaced his pistol.

"You are an outspoken lad," he said laughing, "and a fearless one.
I believe that your story is true, for no German boor would have
looked me in the face and answered so quietly; but I have heard
that the Scotch scarce know what danger is, though they will find
Tilly and Pappenheim very different customers to the Poles."

"Which side do you fight on?" Malcolm asked.

"A frank question and a bold one!" the leader laughed. "What say
you, men? Whom are we for just at present? We were for the Imperialists
the other day, but now they have marched away, and as it may be
the Swedes will be coming in this direction, I fancy that we shall
soon find ourselves on the side of the new religion."

The men laughed. "What shall we do with this boy? To begin with,
if he is what he says, no doubt he has some money with him."

Malcolm at once drew out his purse. "Here are nine gold pieces,"
he said. "They are all I have, save some small change."

"That is better than nothing," the leader said, pocketing the purse.
"And now what shall we do with him?"

"He is a Protestant," one of the men replied; "best shoot him."