I have nothing to say against that, but I know one man who will not
go, and that is John Graham of Claverhouse. It may be vain pride, or
it may not, but I will not have the shame of telling my tale to one
of those Dutchmen as if you were speaking to a painted monument, and
then have him order you back to your place as if you were a mutineer;
my hand would be itching for the sword-handle before all was done, and
so I'll just be doing. But I will be ready when the cloud breaks from
yon hill, and it's not far off the bursting now." And Graham pointed
out that the glitter was repeated at several points, as when the sun
is reflected from broken dishes on a hillside.

"You Scots are a proud race," laughed Carlton, "and quick to take
offence. We English have a temper, too, but we are nearer to those
Dutchmen in our nature. I'll not see the army ambuscaded without a
warning. If they take it we shall make a better fight, and for the
first hour it will be bad enough anyway till the vanguard are brought
back, and if they won't take it, why, we have done our duty, and we
will have to look after ourselves." And Carlton spurred his horse and
cantered forward to where the headquarters staff were riding with the
troop which was called the Scots brigade, because it was largely
officered and to some extent manned by Scotsmen, and in which MacKay
had a captain's commission.

In some fifteen minutes Carlton rejoined Claverhouse red and annoyed,
and on the sight of him Claverhouse laughed.

"Without offence, good comrade, I take it you have not been thanked
for your trouble or been promised promotion. Sworn at, I dare say, if
those godly Dutchmen are allowed to rap out an oath. At any rate you
have been told to attend to your own work and leave our wise generals
to manage theirs, eh?"

"You are right, Graham. I wish I had bitten off my tongue rather than
reported the matter. I got hold of an aide-de-camp, and I pointed out
what we had seen, and he spoke to me as if I was a boy with my heart
in my mouth for fear I would be shot every minute. For a set of
pig-headed fools----"

"Well, it would not have mattered much, for the news, as it happened,
would have come too late. See, the attack has begun; whatever be the
issue of the battle before night, it will be one way or another with
us within an hour." As he spoke Claverhouse began to put himself in
order, seeing that his pistols were ready in the holsters, his sword
loose in the scabbar