se in a few minutes after he gets there. We must strike across the
hills, and had best make a great circuit by Stirling. If we avoid the
roads and towns they may not pick up our track."

Their guide fortunately knew the country well, and leaving the path by
which they had traveled, the party started on their return. All day they
tramped across the moorlands, avoiding all villages and scattered
farmhouses. They had, they knew, three-quarters of an hour's start, and
as their pursuers would be alike ignorant whence they came or whither
they were going, the chances of their hitting the right route were
small.

Making a circuit round Kinross and Alloa, where the Campbells might have
ridden in pursuit, and sleeping in a wood, they arrived next day at
Stirling. Here was great excitement, for Cromwell's army, marching south
of Edinburgh, had approached the town. They remained, however, a few
hours only, collecting what pre visions they could, and then falling
back again to their former camp at Musselburgh. The following day Harry
and his party marched to Edinburgh. That night Harry reported to Sir
David Leslie what had befallen him and the next morning he accompanied
the general to Holyrood, and laid a complaint before the king.

His majesty was most indignant at the attempt which had been made upon
his follower, but he said to General Leslie, "I doubt not, Sir David,
that your thoughts and mine go toward the same person. But we have no
evidence that he had an absolute hand in it, although the fact that this
ship was commanded by a Campbell, and that the hold of Kilbeg belongs to
one of his kinsmen, point to his complicity in the affair. Still, that
is no proof. Already the earl is no friend of mine. When the day comes I
will have a bitter reckoning with him, but in the present state of my
fortunes, methinks that 'twere best in this, as in other matters, to
hold my tongue for the time. I cannot afford to make him an open enemy
now."

General Leslie agreed with the king. Cromwell's army was in a sore
strait, and would, they hoped, be shortly driven either to surrender or
to fight under disadvantageous circumstances. But the open defection of
Argyll at the present moment, followed as it would be by that of the
whole fanatical party, would entirely alter the position of affairs, and
Harry begged his majesty to take no more notice of the matter, and so
returned to the camp.

CHAPTER XXIII.

THE BATTLE OF WORCESTER.