the departed in the waves, and those whom the shore had received. The
rites over, Murray again drew near to Wallace and delivered his aunt's
message. "I shall obey her commands," returned he; "but first we must
visit our wounded prisoners in the tower."

Above three hundred of them had been discovered amongst the dead.

Murray gladly obeyed the impulse of his leader's arm; and, followed by
the chieftains returned from the late solemn duty, they entered the
tower. Ireland welcomed Wallace with the intelligence that he hoped he
had succored friends instead of foes, for that most of the prisoners
were poor Welsh peasants, whom Edward had torn from their mountains to
serve in his legions; and a few Irish, who in the heat of blood, and
eagerness for adventure, had enlisted in his ranks. "I have shown to
them," continued Ireland, "what fools they are to injure themselves in
us. I told the Welsh they were clinching their own chains by assisting
to extend the dominion of their conqueror; and I have convinced the
Irish they were forging fetters for themselves by lending their help to
enslave their brother nation, the free-born Scots. They only require
your presence, my lord, to forswear their former leaders, and to enlist
under Scottish banners."

"Thou art an able orator, my good Stephen," returned Wallace; "and
whatever promises thou hast made to honest men in the name of Scotland,
we are ready to ratify them. Is it not so?" added he, turning to
Kirkpatrick and Scrymgeour."

"All as you will," replied they in one voice. "Yes," added
Kirkpatrick; "you were the first to rise for Scotland, and who but you
has a right to command for her?"