elaxed his motionless posture, and taking my arm,
plunged hastily from the summit, with the herdsman before us for a
guide.

Half-way down, the guide halted and pointed out two new signals inland.
One to our right, the other straight before us.

"Yonder," said he, pointing to the right, "comes from the O'Cahan's
country beyond the Bann, above Castleroe, where be English troops; that
in front shows that Sorley Boy is afoot already. 'Tis a wily fox,"
added the man (talking as they all did in their Irish tongue), "among
these score of lights, who shall say which is his, or whither he
foregathers? But _we_ know!"

Presently we dropped into the marshland at the base of the hill, and
lost all save the red glare in the sky above us. By many a cunning path
the man led us, between bogs, through woods, and over piled-up rocks,
till we stood on a new hill-side, and caught sight again of the distant
beacons. That on Knocklayd, behind us, was already burning low; but it
had done its work. For, as we mounted higher, a dozen new fires inland
met our view; and, standing for a moment to look, our ears caught a
distant sound of shouting, and the clattering of horses' feet.

We were now, our guide told us, looking down into the deep vale of
Glenshesk, at the head of which the chieftain lay. A wild impassable
valley it looked, crowded with forest, and flanked with rugged mountain.
I could scarcely wonder, as I looked down, at the tales the man had
told us, of how, in time of war, the country people would drive their
cattle, together with the women and children, far into the depths of
these glens for safety, while they went out to meet the enemy on the
seaboard; or of how, tempting him to follow the booty up one of these,
they had caught him many a time in a trap between two fires, and cut him
to pieces.

The descent into the valley was perilous enough even for us. For the
greater part of the way we had to swing ourselves down by the trees,
many of which threatened to break under our weight and hurl us headlong
to the bottom. But when, at last, we reached the stony land below, it
was easier walking, and we reached the stream in safety.

Here we halted impatiently till morning.

"Humphrey," said Ludar, "by this time, unless we have ventured for
naught, an alarm has gone out which will send Merriman out of Castleroe,
and bring back Turlogh into it. So far, we have done well. But unless
Sorley Boy reach Dunluce quickly, the e