noses of these fellows."

Wondering to herself, the lady did as he asked her. She brought him a
dark-coloured gown and kirtle, and a stout winsey petticoat, such as
serving-maids wear, and after long search she found at the bottom of a
drawer a milk-maid's cap.

Wallace proceeded to dress himself in these, and, when he had put them
all on, and had clasped a leather belt round his waist, and wound an
apron about his head, as lassies do to protect themselves from the rain
or sun, and put the milk-maid's bonnet on top of all, I warrant even his
own mother would not have known him.

"Now fetch me a milk-can," he said, "for I am no longer a soldier, but a
modest maiden going to the well to draw water."

When she had brought it he bent low over her hand and gave it one kiss
for the sake of old times; then he said farewell to her for ever, and
opened the door, and walked boldly down the garden.

The four soldiers at the gate looked at one another in surprise when a
tall damsel with a milk-can stood still at the foot of the garden path,
and waited for them to open it. They had not known that the lady had a
serving-maid.

"If it please thee, good sirs, to let me bye," broke in the maiden's
voice in the gloom. "My mistress hath a sharp temper, and this water
ought to have been fetched an hour ago."

She spoke with a lisp, and her accent was so outlandish that the men
scarce understood what she said; but this they saw, that she wanted to
go and draw water from the well, and they opened the gate to let her
pass.

"If I dare leave my post, I would fain come and draw for thee," said
one; "shame is it that such a pretty wench be left to go to the well
alone."

The maiden paid no heed to the fellow's words, but tossed her head, and
went quickly down the path to the well, taking such gigantic strides
that the men gazed after her in wonder.

"Marry, but she covers the ground," said one.

"Certs, but I would rather walk one mile with her than two," said
another.

"Methinks that we had better go after her and bring her back," cried a
third. "I have heard say that this William Wallace, whom we are in
search of, hath mighty long legs."

Horrified at the thought that they might have let the very man they were
looking for escape, they hurried down the path after the serving-maid,
and when they overtook her they found out in good sooth that she was
William Wallace, for she drew a sword from under her kirtle, and killed
all fou