We killed two hundred and fifty of them, and the rest fled in terror, thinking they had the whole Swedish army upon them.

The next day I started on my march back here, and though we have not spared speed, it seems that the Imperialists have arrived before us." A burst of laughter and applause greeted the solution of the mystery.
"You have done well, sir," Munro said cordially, "and have rendered a great service not only in the defeat of the Imperialists, but in its consequences here, for the prisoner said that last night five thousand men were marched away from Tilly's army to observe and make head against this supposed Swedish force advancing from the east.

When I have done my meal I will go over to the king with the news, for his majesty is greatly puzzled, especially as the prisoner declared that he himself had seen the Scots of the Green Brigade in the van of the column, and had heard the war cry, 'A Hepburn! A Hepburn!' "Hepburn himself could make neither head nor tail of it, and was half inclined to believe that this avenging force was led by the ghosts of those who had been slain at New Brandenburg.

Whenever we can't account for a thing, we Scots are inclined to believe it's supernatural.
"Now tell me more about the affair, Malcolm.

By the way do you know that you are a lieutenant now?
Poor Foulis died of the fever a few days after you left us, and as the king had himself ordered that you were to have the next vacancy, I of course appointed you at once.