by Knox Magee
CHAPTER III
A FIRST BRUSH WITH THE ENEMY
Now I will not weary ye, my children, with a description of our marchunto Scotland, as it was a wearisome one, without any adventures whichmight have relieved the tediousness of so long a journey. Indeed therewas nought for us to do, but march all day, and when night did come,thank Heaven that we could forget our weariness in well earned rest andsleep.
At almost every town along the line of march we were joined byreinforcements; so, by the time we neared the border, we had an armystrong enough to take a considerable fortress. However, as we didapproach nigh unto Berwick, which place was the object of our attack,we learned that it should require all of our forces to subdue soformidable a stronghold. When within a few miles of this place, thathath been so many times the scene of struggle between our nation andour ever irritating neighbours of the North, and which, some score ofyears before, had been turned over unto our enemies, by that gentle andweak-minded King Henry VI, Duke Richard of Gloucester, on this, hissecond expedition unto this place--his first having miscarried--sentunto the garrison a messenger, under a flag of truce, to demand thesurrender of Berwick, unto the army of its rightful owner. Whilst hewas gone, the army went into camp; for although it was still early inthe day, our leader had decided, in case the Scots did refuse tosurrender--which, in all probability, would be their reply--that wewere not to begin the attack until the morrow, in order that his armymight have an opportunity to rest after their long, hard, march.
Oh, such a delightful evening did follow that long and weary day oflabour. We were among that magnificent border scenery, where naturedoth seem so busy with her work of carving herself into most fantastic,and yet admirable, ruggedness. How, in the evening, doth she cast herbeauteous, drooping, eye aslant across her work; and her gentle breathdies out in hushed and satisfied, yet modest, admiration. The settingsun did seem to paint a hill, then step a vale and touch another withits golden brush.
Here may be seen many a place where nature's liquid emery hath groundthe rocks asunder, and still some sparkling remnant goes trickling downthe groove.
On this evening Harleston and I did take our usual walk through thecamp and, as the night was glorious, it did tempt us to stray furtherfrom headquarters than might be considered safe. In fact, past theoutposts did we go, and sat us down upon a hill that had seemed bolderthan its comrades, so that we might the better see the surroundingcountry.
As we sat there, our backs were turned towards the camp, and our faceswere tinted with the fading colors of the western sky. To right andleft were hills and hollows of varying height and depth, but all havingin common, shrubs and trees in unfailing irregularity, growing side byside, above and beneath each other, in the same disorder as had theirseeds been flung there by the hand of the hurrying angel which did sowthe whole of the earth's broad face. At our feet, and betwixt us andthe sister to the hill on which we now were seated, was a smooth andundeceiving mirror, set, with bashful caution, between these obscuringhills, that nature's pardonable vanity might not with ease be gazedupon by the ignorant eye of man.
"I wonder when we shall be back at Windsor," said Sir Frederick, in agentle tone, after we had sat in silence for some time, gazing at thesoul-inspiring sight.
"Surely thou art not beginning to be homesick?" I asked; for this wasthe first time that I had heard my companion speak of the castle, sincewe had left it.
"Oh, no," he replied, "yet I wish that I might be there," and with thismethought he did sigh.
Now, Heaven knows, no man could have wished to be in Windsor more thandid I at that moment: yet, I had not liked to say so, for fearHarleston might think that I did relish the lazy life at court, morethan I did that of the camp. But now that he had broken the ice it wasthe one subject on which I wished to talk.
"Well, Sir Frederick, and what dost thou think of her, now that thouhast had time to well consider?" I asked, coming out boldly.
"She is indeed perfection," he replied. And then, as though tohimself:--"Eyes like the sky's deep and unfathomable blue, and hairlike nothing more earthy than a sun-reflecting piece of well polishedgold."
"Nay, not so; her hair is dark, and her eyes are hazel as her name,"said I, in surprise;--and then, after staring at each other for amoment, we both did see our mistakes, and burst out a-laughing.
So Harleston and I sat talking on a subject that was very dear to us,until we did hear the bugles calling, which warned us that it was timeto return and retire. We arose and started down the hill, and back tocamp, both feeling in musing, more than talking, mood. We had not gonefar, however, when my companion called my attention to something behinda clump of bushes, glistening in the moonlight.
"If I am not mistaken, there is danger yonder; for if ever I did seethe glisten of a headpiece, I see it now. We had better put that hillbetween us and the enemy, if such they be, for, without our armour, adoublet doth afford but faint resistance to the steel head of an arrow."
We at once started to cross the low hill that Harleston did refer to.We had just reached the top, when two or three arrows struck the rocksat our feet.
"A good shot, for the distance, upon mine honour," cried Sir Frederick,as we leapt down behind the shelter of the friendly hill. We ranquickly along the ravine in the direction of the camp, but Harleston,suddenly stopping, said:--"Suppose we see from whom we are running,before we do go any further. If they be but a few archers ormen-at-arms, two good knights should drive the rascals before them asdoth the wind the crisp, dry leaves; ay, though we wear not our fullarmour. What dost thou say, Bradley, shall we try conclusions withthem?"
Readily did I consent to the adventure; for never in my life have Ibeen known to require a second invitation of this sort. We concealedourselves behind some shrubs, and there we awaited our pursuers.Presently we beheld them approaching at a run; and, as they neared ourhiding place, we could see what we should have to face. They werethree men, armed with swords such as are used by the Scotch, and whichthey do manage more after the fashion of a club, than any other weaponone could compare their use with. Their bows they had evidently thrownaside, for their empty quivers still hung at their sides. However,they also carried a small, round shield, and this did give them anadvantage over us, who had nothing but our good swords with which toprotect ourselves. When they came near the place where we wereconcealed they stopped and held a short consultation.
"I saw them stop about this place," said one.
"No, methinks they went further on," said another.
"Well, we had better search here anyway," added the third, "for it willnot be safe for us to venture much more close unto the outposts."
And then they did commence to search the shrubbery all around us.Nearer did they draw to where we waited, swords in hands. Presentlyone came and thrust his sword into the bushes behind which we werehiding. That was the last thrust he ever made. I was upon him in amoment, and buried my sword up to its hilt in the fellow's chest. Hesank to the ground, but as he did so he uttered a gurgling yell, thewhich did bring his companions unto that spot.
"Now, Harleston, we shall have some sport," I cried out, as I didengage with the first of these new arrivals. My friend quickly met theother, and we fell to in a lively fashion. I soon forced my man togive ground, despite the difficulty I found in getting past his shield.
"Now, my brave Scot, I have thee in the right place," said I, as Iprepared to give him his quietus. Then, just as I did step forward, torun the knave through, my foot slipped on one of those accursed stones,and I sat down as nicely as I could have done in mine own rooms at thecastle. The fellow aimed a savage blow at my head, but, dropping thepoint of my sword to the ground and raising the hilt, I caught thestroke upon it. Then, reaching swiftly forward, I grasped him by theankle and hurled him to the ground. Ere he could move I was upon himand, seizing his own dagger, I stabbed him to the heart.
When I had done for my man I turned to see how my friend wasprogressing with his. The
y were still at it for dear life and SirFrederick did seem to be bothered with the way the Scotchman used thelittle shield. This fellow was much larger and more thick of framethan the one with which I had been engaged, and did seem to be givingHarleston all he could do to hold his ground. Still would I notinterfere, for well did I know that my friend would rather die thanhave assistance when fighting against a single foe. At length theScotchman made a swinging, backhand stroke, full at Sir Frederick'sneck. It was a savage blow, and I did greatly fear me that I had losta good comrade. Harleston, however, dropped quickly to one knee, andas his opponent's blade whistled harmlessly over his head he plungedhis sword into his adversary's side.
"Well done!" cried I. "A pretty piece of work, upon my soul, was thatfall of thine."
"I see that thou hast settled with thy man," said he; "but this one didcompel me to use mine artifice."
With this we took their swords, as remembrances of this night's work,and walked slowly back to camp, glad at having been the first to drawblood, and for having found something to relieve the monotony, afterour long and tedious journey.
When we reached camp we learned that the messenger had returned with ananswer from the Scots, which message was evidently a refusal to complywith the Duke's demand; for we did at once receive orders to be inreadiness to commence the attack at sunrise.
When we retired, Frederick and I occupied--as was our wont--the sametent; and the last thing I heard, as I fell into a peaceful sleep, wasthe sounds of the anvils of the armourers, as they worked, gettingeverything ready for a day of battle.