met, and all
equipments?"

"Everything except the sword," Fergus said.

"At least I suppose, Lindsay, we can carry our own swords."

"Yes, the king has made that concession, which is a wonderful one,
for him, that Scottish officers in his service may carry their own
swords. You see, ours are longer and straighter than the German
ones, and most of us have learnt our exercises with them, and
certainly we would not fight so well with others; besides, the iron
basket protects one's hand and wrist vastly better than the foreign
guard. The concession was first made only to generals, field
officers and aides-de-camp; but Keith persuaded the king, at last,
to grant it to all Scottish officers, pointing out that they were
able to do much better service with their own claymores, than with
weapons to which they were altogether unaccustomed; and that
Scottish men were accustomed to fight with the edge, and to strike
downright sweeping blows, whereas the swords here are fitted only
for the point, which, although doubtless superior in a duel, is far
less effective in a general melee."

"I should certainly be sorry to give up my own sword," Fergus said.
"It was one of my father's, and since the days when I was big
enough to begin to use it, I have always exercised myself with it;
though I, too, have learned to use the point a great deal, as I had
a German instructor, as well as several Scottish ones."

"Except in a duel," Lindsay said, "I should doubt if skill goes for
very much. I have never tried it myself, for I have never had the
luck to be in battle; but I fancy that in a cavalry charge strength
goes for more than skill, and the man who can strike quickly and
heavily will do more execution than one trained to all sorts of
nice points and feints. I grant that these are useful, when two men
are watching each other; but in the heat of a battle, when every
one is cutting and thrusting for his life, I cannot think that
there is any time for fooling about with your weapon."

They had by this time left the shop, and were strolling down the
streets.

"Is there much duelling here?"

"It is strictly forbidden," Lindsay said, with a laugh; "but I need
hardly say that there is a good deal of it. Of course, pains are
taken that these affairs do not come to his majesty's ears. Fever,
or a fall from a horse, account satisfactorily enough for the
absence of an officer from parade, and even his total disappearance
from the scene can b