But then Sir Archie was already at the top of the stairway. And the pikemen fell back when they saw that one of them had hurt the maid. And he ran past them. When Sir Archie came out into the market-place he heard a Scottish war cry from one of the lanes: "A rescue! A rescue! For Scotland! For Scotland!"
It was Sir Philip and Sir Reginald, who had mustered the Scots and now came to relieve him.
And Sir Archie ran toward them and cried in a loud voice: "Hither to me! For Scotland! For Scotland!"
CHAPTER IX
OVER THE ICE
As Sir Archie walked out over the ice he still held Elsalill on his arm.
Sir Philip and Sir Reginald walked beside him. They tried to tell him how they had discovered the trap laid for them and how they had succeeded in getting the heavy treasure chest away to the gallias and in collecting their countrymen; but Sir Archie paid no heed to their words. He seemed to be conversing with her he carried on his arm.
"Who is that you carry there?" asked Sir Reginald.
"It is Elsalill," answered Sir Archie. "I shall take her with me to Scotland. I will not leave her behind. Here she would never be aught but a poor fish wench."
"No, that is like enough," said Sir Reginald.