as missed the bone by half an inch, and a short rest will soon
put you right again."

Fortunately for a short time the army remained around Wurtzburg.
Columns scoured the surrounding country, capturing the various towns and
fortresses held by the Imperialists, and collecting large quantities of
provisions and stores. Tilly's army lay within a few days' march; but
although superior in numbers to that of Gustavus, Tilly had received
strict orders not to risk a general engagement as his army was now
almost the only one that remained to the Imperialists, and should it
suffer another defeat the country would lie at the mercy of the Swedes.

One evening when Malcolm had so far recovered as to be able to walk for
a short distance, he was at supper with Colonel Munro and some other
officers, when the door opened and Gustavus himself entered. All leapt
to their feet.

"Munro," he said, "get the musketeers of your brigade under arms with
all haste, form them up in the square before the town hall, and desire
Sir John Hepburn to meet me there."

The drum was at once beaten, and the troops came pouring from their
lodgings, and in three or four minutes the musketeers, 800 strong, were
formed up with Hepburn and Munro at their head. Malcolm had prepared to
take his arms on the summons, but Munro said at once:

"No, Malcolm, so sudden a summons augurs desperate duty, maybe a long
night march; you would break down before you got half a mile; besides,
as only the musketeers have to go, half the officers must remain here."

Without a word the king placed himself at the head of the men, and
through the dark and stormy night the troops started on their unknown
mission. Hepburn and Munro were, like their men, on foot, for they had
not had time to have their horses saddled.

After marching two hours along the right bank of the Maine the tramp
of horses was heard behind them, and they were reinforced by eighty
troopers whom Gustavus before starting had ordered to mount and follow.
Hitherto the king had remained lost in abstraction, but he now roused
himself.

"I have just received the most serious news, Hepburn. Tilly has been
reinforced by 17,000 men under the Duke of Lorraine, and is marching
with all speed against me. Were my whole army collected here he would
outnumber us by two to one, but many columns are away, and the position
is well nigh desperate.

"I have resolved to hold Ochsenfurt. The place is not strong, but it
lies