he learned that the whole of the
country beyond the Tay was covenanting, with the single exception of the
territory of the Gordons. No one knew of his presence, for he still wore
his disguise, and slept in a little hut in the woods, where food was
brought him. All day he wandered about the lonely hills, thinking over
the tangled state of affairs, and waiting for the right moment to
strike.

One afternoon when he was lying on the heather, wondering if he ought
not to come out of his hiding, and join either the Gordons or prince
Rupert, he beheld a man running quickly over the moor, holding in his
hand the Fiery Cross, which, as every Highlander knew, was the call to
arms. Starting to his feet, Montrose stopped the man and asked the
meaning of the signal, and whither he was going.

[Illustration: "A great army of Irishmen have swooped down on the
Atholl."]

'To Perth,' answered the messenger, 'for a great army of Irishmen have
swooped down in the Atholl country, and Alastair Macdonald is their
leader. I myself have seen them, and I must not tarry,' so on he sped,
leaving Montrose with his puzzle solved. The Irishmen whom he expected
had arrived, and he would go to meet them.

There was no need for hiding any more, and glad was he to throw off his
disguise and put on his Highland dress again. Then, accompanied by the
laird of Inchbrackie, he walked across the hills to join Macdonald,
bearing the royal standard on his shoulder.

As soon as he reached the meeting-place where the clans and the Irish
were already waiting, he stuck the standard in the ground, and, standing
by it, he read aloud the king's commission to him as lieutenant-general.
Shouts of joy made answer when he had done, and next Montrose went round
the ranks to inspect the troops he was to fight with, and find out what
arms they had. The numbers only amounted to about two thousand three
hundred, and it was not long before the clans began to quarrel with each
other, and all with the Irish. As to their weapons, the Irish had
matchlock guns, which took a long time to load, and one round of
ammunition apiece, while the Highlanders had seized upon anything that
happened to be in their cottages and showed a medley of bows, pikes,
clubs, and claymores--a kind of broad sword. As to horses, they could
only muster three.

* * * * *

With this ragged army Montrose marched, and his first victory was gained
against lord Elcho, on th