Your men will in future be better armed than hitherto, as each of those freebooters carries a brace of pistols.

And now, as I would fain be off as soon as possible, I would ask you to let your men set to work with their axes and cut away the boughs and to get me out a horse.

Several of them must have been killed by the falling trees, and some by the fire of the arquebuses; but no doubt there are some uninjured." In a quarter of an hour a horse was brought up, together with the helmet and armour worn by the late captain of the band.
As Malcolm mounted, the men crowded round him and loaded him with thanks and blessings for the danger from which he had delivered them, their wives and families.
When the fugitives had left the village a store of cooked provisions had been left behind for the use of the defenders during the day.

As the women could not be fetched back before nightfall, the farmer had despatched a man for some of this food and the wallets on the saddle were filled with sufficient to last Malcolm for three or four days.
A brace of pistols were placed in the holsters, and with a last farewell to the farmer Malcolm gave the rein to his horse and rode away from the village.

He travelled fast now and without fear of interruption.