t _now_--"

He would not give utterance to the dispiriting truth which closed that
thought, but springing forward, dashed through fern and brake, and
halted not till he stood in the centre of his companions, who, scattered
in various attitudes on the grass, were giving vent, in snatches of song
and joyous laughter, to the glee which filled their souls.

"Up! up!--the foe!" shouted Nigel, in tones so unlike the silvery
accents which in general characterized him, that his companions
started to their feet and grasped their swords, as roused by the
sound of trumpet, "Pembroke is false: to arms--to your posts!
Fitz-Alan--Douglas--sound an alarm, and, in heaven's name, aid me in
getting the men under arms! Be calm, be steady; display no alarm, no
confusion, and all may yet be well."

He was obeyed. The quick roll of the drum, the sharp, quick blast of the
trumpet echoed and re-echoed at different sides of the encampment; the
call to arms, in various stentorian tones, rung through the woodland
glades, quickly banishing all other sounds. Every man sprung at once
from his posture of repose, and gathered round their respective leaders;
startled, confused, yet still in order, still animated, still confident,
and yet more exasperated against their foe.

The appearance of their sovereign, unchanged in his composed and warlike
mien, evincing perhaps yet more animation in his darkly flushing cheek,
compressed lip, and sparkling eye; his voice still calm, though his
commands were more than usually hurried; his appearance on every side,
forming, arranging, encouraging, almost at the same instant--at one
moment exciting their indignation against the treachery of the foe, at
others appealing to their love for their country, their homes, their
wives, to their sworn loyalty to himself--inspired courage and
confidence at the same instant as he allayed confusion; but despite
every effort both of leader and men, it needed time to form in the
compact order which the king had planned, and ere it was accomplished,
nearer and nearer came the English, increasing their pace to a run as
they approached, and finally charging in full and overwhelming career
against the unprepared but gallant Scots. Still there was no wavering
amid the Scottish troops; still they stood their ground, and forming,
almost as they fought, in closer and firmer order, exposing the might
and unflinching steadiness of desperate men, determined on liberty or
death, to the gr