By its light the English were able to see how small was the force of their assailants, and gathering together soon showed so formidable a front that Wallace called off his men, but not before a large number of the English had been killed.

Many of their stores, as well as the tents, were destroyed by the conflagration.
The English army now proceeded with slow marches towards Ayr.

At Irvine the Scotch leaders had assembled their army--Douglas, Bruce, The Steward, Sir Richard Loudon, Wishart, Bishop of Glasgow, and others.

Their forces were about equal to those of the English marching against them.

Wallace was collecting troops further north, and Archie was of course with him.
"I fear," the lad said one day, "that we shall not be able to reach Irvine before the armies join battle." "Sir William Douglas and Bruce are there, and as it lies in their country it were better to let them win the day without my meddling.
But, Archie, I fear there will be no battle.