The men are all posted a hundred yards further on." The farmer ordered one of his men to go on and bring up the wagon, and then with Malcolm walked on to the village.

A call that all was right brought out the defenders of the ambush.

It had been arranged similarly to that which had been so successful before, except that instead of the pit, several strong ropes had been laid across the road, to be tightened breast high as soon as an enemy came close to them.
"These are not as good as the pit," the farmer said as they passed them; "but as we have to use the road sometimes we could not keep a pit here, which, moreover, might have given way and injured any one from a neighbouring village who might be riding hither.

We have made a strong stockade of beams among the underwood on either side, so that none could break through into the wood from the path." "That is good," Malcolm said; "but were I you I would dig a pit across the road some twelve feet wide, and would cover it with a stout door with a catch, so that it would bear wagons crossing, but when the catch is drawn it should rest only on some light supports below, and would give way at once if a weight came on it.

It would, of course, be covered over with turf.