Several horses were picketed among the trees at the foot of the hill, and two men were sitting near them cleaning their arms.

The sight of these deterred Malcolm from carrying into execution the plan which he had formed--namely, to strike down his guard with his club as he dismounted, to leap on his horse, and ride off.
"Who have you there, Carl ?" one of the men asked as they rose and approached the newcomers.
"A prisoner," Carl said, "whom the captain has appointed to the honourable office of cook instead of old Rollo, whose food gets harder and tougher every day.

You are to keep a sharp eye over the lad, who says he is a Scotch officer of the Swedes, and to shoot him down if he attempts to escape." "Why, I thought those Scots were very devils to fight," one of the men said, "and this is but a boy.

How comes he here ?" "He told the captain his story, and he believed it," Carl said carelessly, "and the captain is not easily taken in.

He was captured by Tilly at New Brandenburg, which town we heard yesterday he assaulted and sacked, killing every man of the garrison; but it seems this boy put on a disguise, and being but a boy I suppose passed unnoticed, and was taken off as a teamster with Tilly's army.