plead for your brother's murderer?" she asked, alluding to
Quick. "I have spoken!"

So they dragged him off behind us, and presently we saw a melancholy
procession returning whence they came, carrying something on a shield.
It reached the opposing ranks, whence there arose a murmur of wrath and
fear.

"March on!" said Maqueda, "and gain the palace."

So the regiment formed into a square, and, setting Maqueda and ourselves
in the centre of it, advanced again.

Then the fight began. Great numbers of the Abati surrounded us and, as
they did not dare to make a direct attack, commenced shooting arrows,
which killed and wounded a number of men. But the Highlanders also were
archers, and carried stronger bows. The square was halted, the first
ranks kneeling and the second standing behind them. Then, at a given
word, the stiff bows which these hardy people used against the lion and
the buffalo upon their hills were drawn to the ear and loosed again and
again with terrible effect.

On that open place it was almost impossible to miss the mobs of the
Abati who, having no experience of war, were fighting without order. Nor
could the light mail they wore withstand the rush of the heavy barbed
arrows which pierced them through and through. In two minutes they began
to give, in three they were flying back to their main body, those who
were left of them, a huddled rout of men and horses. So the French
must have fled before the terrible longbows of the English at Crecy
and Poitiers, for, in fact, we were taking part in just such a mediaeval
battle.

Oliver, who was watching intently, went to Japhet and whispered
something in his ear. He nodded and ran to seek the commander of the
regiment. Presently the result of that whisper became apparent, for
the sides of the hollow square wheeled outward and the rear moved up to
strengthen the centre.

Now the Mountaineers were ranged in a double or triple line, behind
which were only about a dozen soldiers, who marched round Maqueda,
holding their shields aloft in order to protect her from stray arrows.
With these, too, came our four selves, a number of camp-followers and
others, carrying on their shields those of the regiment who were too
badly wounded to walk.

Leaving the dead where they lay, we began to advance, pouring in volleys
of arrows as we went. Twice the Abati tried to charge us, and twice
those dreadful arrows drove them back. Then at the word of command, the
Highlanders s