ultitude of folk with one heart's desire,
thrilling to the one word and the one hope, had taken hold on us. The
like was never seen upon the wild mountains of the south.

Then, as though to recall us to earth, from the green meads of the
Minnoch side there came one running to pass the word that the enemy was
in sight. Two companies of Strachan's Dragoons, with all Claverhouse's
levies, were riding from Straiton as fast as their horses could carry
them. Whereat, without haste and with due solemnity, the great and
desirable General Meeting of the United Societies held on the wilds of
Shalloch-on-Minnoch was brought to an end.

The women and aged men were placed behind the companies, and such as
could reach home without passing the troopers' line of march were set
upon their way. But when once we found ourselves without the lines of
the companies, which stretched across from the black downthrow of rocks
upon Craigfacie to the Rig of the Shalloch Hill, my mother would go no
farther.

"Na," she said, "gang your ways back doon. This is the place for Kate
and for an auld wife like me. But it shall never be said that William
Gordon's wife grudged both her sons to the work of the Lord!"

So Wat and I went our ways down to where Sandy stood as chosen leader of
the army of the Seven Thousand. He paid, indeed, but little attention to
us, giving us no more than a nod, yet instantly setting us upon errands
for him.

"Will ye fight?" said I, when I got a quiet moment of him.

"Alas!" he said, "there is no such good luck. Had I not the direct
message of the Prince to abide and wait, I would even now strike a blow.
As it is, we must just stand to our arms. I would to God it were
otherwise!"

The companies of mounted soldiers rapidly approached, to the number of
perhaps three hundred. But I think they were daunted, when from a knoll
below the house of the Shalloch they first saw our great and imposing
army. They say there were over two thousand under arms that day.

"The Seven Thousand will surely stay John Graham this day," said one at
my elbow.

But Claverhouse was not a man easily feared.

Leaving his men, he rode forward alone, having but a trumpeter someway
behind him. He held a white hand-kerchief in his hand, and waved it as
he rode towards us upon his war-horse. I saw the trumpeter lad look
about him more than once, as if he wished himself well out of it. But
Colonel Graham rode straight at the centre of our array as