"Well said, my true Douglas!" exclaimed Drumquhasel. "I knew this muster of force aimed at the recapture of Berwick. Dags and pistols there is the hand (and he struck it clenched on the table), that will pull their d——d red cross from the ramparts when the time comes."
"Ye mistake, gentlemen, and you in particular Chevalier Major; but know that the time hath come which shall prove who among us are true cavaliers, and who false-hearted whigs. Wilt credit me, that the insolent Dutch prince William of Orange has at last put his great armament in motion, and that a hundred sail of the line, frigates, fireships, and four hundred transports have unrolled their canvass to the wind? Herbert leads the van, Evertzen the rear, and William the centre. He has with him fifteen thousand good soldiers," continued the earl, consulting a royal dispatch from Whitehall: "some of these are the hireling dogs of the Scottish Brigade, who are led by Hugh Mackay, laird of Scoury, and carry a red banner."
"Scoury?" exclaimed Douglas; "how—the old rascal who deserted from us in Holland."
"The same. Why, my dear fellow, this man is a mere Swiss, and prick his ears whenever drums beat without caring a rush which side wins if the rix-dollars are sure. The Prince's Guards and Brandenburgers under Count Solmes, Knight of the Teutonic Order, and Grand Commander of the Bailiewick of Utrecht, march with a white standard."
"Bravo! we will know all the rogues by head-mark."
"The Dutch and French Protestant refugees, under Velt Mareschal Frederick Duc de Schomberg, carry a little blue banner," continued the Earl, still consulting his dispatch. "Mynheer Goderdt van Baron de Ginckel, on whom the would-be usurper hath bestowed the Earldom of Athlone, commands the cavalry; Mynheer Bein Tenk, who expects the Dukedom of Portland; and Arnold Joost van Keppel, the Earldom of Albemarle; Massue de Rouvigny, who is to be Earl of Galway; General le Baron de Sainte Hippolite; d'Auverquerque, Zuylestein, and Caillemote, with all our banished Lords, Argyle, Shrewsbury, Macclesfield, Dunblane, and the devil knows how many more runaways and wild soldiers of fortune, the riddlings of rapine and scum of European wars, all crowd beneath his banner as to a bridal!"
"They are welcome!" exclaimed Finland, with enthusiasm. "Up, gallants, all for God and King James!" and drawing his sword he flourished it aloft, and drained his wine-horn to the bottom. Every man followed his example, save Gibbie Runlet, who, having no rapier to draw, contented himself by draining his wine tankard, which he did without once removing his large saucer eyes from the face of the Earl, to whose muster-roll of hard-named invaders he listened with the aspect of one astounded.
"Our dogs of citizens have already caught the rumour, that their Dutch Saviour is coming with his fireships and Swart Ruyters," said Holsterlee; "and in anticipation of their great political millennium are chanting the Lillibulero with might and main; yea, under our very beards, as we rode down the Canongate. By the horns of Mahoud! we have tough work before us gentlemen. Fifteen thousand Hollanders under baton, said you, my lord?"
"Pooh!" said Doctor Joram; "King James's English troops alone are enough to eat them up."
"Will they be inclined to do so, reverend sir?" replied the earl. "I fear me greatly."